INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, 1876. UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION, PHILADELPHIA, 3d August, 1876. REPORT ON AWARDS. “Group No. XX. “Catalogue No. 1027. “Product, Models of Improvements in Steam-engines. “Name and address of exhibitor, Frederick E. Sickels. “The undersigned, having examined the products herein described, respectfully recommend the same to the United States Centennial Commission for Award for the following reasons, viz: “These exhibits possess great historical interest. “In the year 1842 Mr. Sickels patented the trip or liberating cut-off, an invention which, in a variety of forms, has come into use wherever steam-engines are made. In applying this invention to poppet valves, Mr. Sickels prevented these valves from striking their seats by his invention of the dash-pot, in which he availed himself of the incompressibility, the indestructibility and the divisibility of water, and which is now employed for this purpose in all such applications. “In 1848 he patented an improvement in the method of controlling motive power, by which method steam is applied at the present time to various uses, notable among which is the steering of steam vessels, the steersmen turning the wheel precisely as in steering by hand, but all the force being exerted by the steam. “CHARLES T. PORTER, “Reporting Judge. “Approval of Group Judges, HORATIO ALLEN, CHAS. E. EMERY, EMIL BRUGSCH, F. REULEAUX, N. PETROFF.” [Illustration: JAMES MOORE]