Elevator
A mechanical contrivance for lifting sand, coal, ores, grain, etc., from the floor, or from prepared boxes, to a higher elevation to be there deposited by means of strong belts carrying a series of buckets travelling over drums placed at each end of the distance travelled; lifting the material at the bottom turn, and depositing at the top. See HOIST; CONVEYER. Embroidery Impressions on Cast Iron.--Impressions of lace embroidery and similar objects can be produced by following the instructions given by Mr. Outerbridge in a paper read at a meeting of the Franklin Institute, which is substantially as follows: First, carefully imbed the object to be operated upon on charcoal-dust confined in a cast-iron box. After securing the lid heat slowly in the oven, and when the moisture has all escaped increase the heat until the blue smoke escaping from the box ceases. The box is then heated up to a white heat and so kept for two hours, and then allowed to cool. By holding the object in a gas-flame it will be discovered whether it has been thoroughly carbonized or not; if the operation has been successful it will not glow when removed from the flame. The object, after thorough carbonization, is secured to a green-sand surface, and the metal cast over in the ordinary manner. If care is exercised, a number of impressions may be taken from the same substance. See HAND-WRITING IMPRESSIONS IN CAST IRON. Emerald is cut and polished for the best jewelry; it is known from beryl by its deeper and richer green. The finest of these stones come from the neighborhood of Peru. Emerald fuses with difficulty into a porous glass. Its composition is: silex 64.5, glucine 13, alumina 16, lime 1.6, oxide of chrome 3.25; specific gravity, 2.70. See BERYL; PRECIOUS STONES. Emery is an impure kind of corundum, gray to dark-brown in color. Most of this substance is artificially colored a dark, rich brown for commerce, and for all common purposes, as emery-cloth, is usually adulterated with iron-slag, garnet, etc. It is opaque, of slightly glistening metallic lustre; hardness equal to corundum, and of about the same specific gravity and composition as the latter. Even the sapphire and oriental ruby, the hardest substance next to the diamond, can be cut and polished with emery. See CORUNDUM; PRECIOUS STONES.