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a ~ Ne = HYBRAULIC CYLINDERS FOR OPERATING DOORS == erate the system; the choking of the discharge by a heavy sea, consequent breaking of the jet and flooding the stokehold; the cutting away of the top of the bend due to erosion, re- quiring its constant renewal; when the bend passes through the 'tween decks, the possibility of injury 'to cargo through leakage, and last, but not least, the fact that in certain directions of the wind the water and ashes are blown back on the sides and after decks of the vessel, dirtying the form- er and in the latter case making it most uncomfortable for the passenger. For this last reason, one at least of the large Atlantic lines abandoned the system, going back to the hoist. . The new method consists of an ap- paratus by which the ashes and clink- ers are.forced through the bottom of the ship by means of compressed air, and possesses none of the objections inherent to the other methods. Plate 6'is a general arrangement of the ash expeller, as it has been named. The expeller proper consists of a hopper to receive the ashes and clink- -- ers opening into a crusher, which breaks up the large clinkers. low the crusher is a drum revolving horizontally in a water-tight casing or barrel very similar to a single ported plug in a large taper cock. This drum makes about 18 R. P. M. As it revolves the inside of the drum is alternately in communication with the chamber below the crusher, and the discharge opening through the bot- tom of the ship. : A specially constructed gate valve is fitted immediately below the ex- peller between same and the cast steel discharge pipe going through the ves- sel's bottom. This valve is closed when the expeller is not in use; the hopper is also provided with a water- tight door. About from 50 to 60 cu. ft. of free Be--- 'lows: TAE MARINE REVIEW are required In this: special ar- air compressed to 70 lbs., for each expeller. rangement the air is supplied by a specially constructed steam-driven vertical compressor, having the steam and air cylinder side by side, work- ing on a crank shaft below the cylin- ders, the steam cylinder being of sufficient diameter to give a surplus of power for driving the expeller, which PLATE 0; can be done either by chains as shown in arrangement or by shafting and gear. To prevent the chain gear or crusher being smashed by a grate bar getting into the hopper, the first shaft of the machine is driven by means of a safety device consisting of a disc and soft pin, the latter shearing when the stress a becomes excessive. ~The action of the machine is as fol- The ashes and clinkers on pass- Lensrn or Ro ing through the crusher fall into the chamber immediately over the revolving drum;. as the opening in the drum comes round opposite the chamber the ashes and clinker fill the interior of the drum by gravity. As the drum revolves the opening in same moves round to the solid side of the expeller casing or barrel, but before it reaches the discharge opening at the bottom, compressed ain is turned on to the interior of the drum, with the result that when the drum and discharge opening come together, the pressure of the air in the drum being much greater than the water pressure, the air: suddenly expands, forcing out the water from the discharge pipe and carrying the ashes with it with such force that it is swept completely clear of the bottom of the vessel. Then as the drum continues to revolve, the opening in same is again covered by 'the solid side of the casing; the com- pressed air is shut off and the air in the drum allowed' to escape, so that when the opening again comes round to the chamber below the crusher, the drum is réady to receive a fresh charge. The capacity of the machine as now made is from 8 to 10 tons per hour, sufficient' to handle, in half an hour each watch, the ashes and 'clinkers from 48 furnaces, ee under forced. draft. ae The advantage of this method of discharging ashes as against all others is so marked that in the opinion of the writer it leaves no room for dis- cussion. There is no dirt, noise, dan- ger of leaking joints or damage either to cargo or passengers' feelings, and the only question which might be raised by an expert is what effect the ashes might have on the bottom of the ship, the stern bearings' or the in- jection inlets. -- In this respect actial experience