928

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

May 2, 1913.

scoops whereby such mechanism shall be more efficient in
operation and less liable to get out of order. To this end
the invention provides reversing mechanism for the scoops
which comprises a segment having a rack on each face with
which gear wheels upon the scoop shafts engage, said
segment being adapted to be rotated upon the completion
of the forward movement of the scoops to reverse same.
As an alternative mechanism for operating the scoops, the
scoop shafts may be provided with intermeshing pinions,
the turning and reversal of the scoops being accomplished
by the rotation of one of the shafts by means of a belt pulley
thereon, said pulley being driven through interconnected
belt pulleys from an electric motor, the carriage carrying
the scoops being propelled by means of a second electric
motor. The accompanying figures show a side elevation of
the improved apparatus, with a detail of the rearward end
of the ram and charger. (Three claims.)

7829 (1912). Improvements in Manufactured Fuel. W. H.
Aston, of Reliance Works, James-street, Worcester.—This
consists of a simple combination of clay, starch, tar and a
suitable waste material in certain proportions which
provides an effectual fuel. In the manufacture of the
substance the white or blue clay is intimately mixed with
liquefied starch so as to form a stiff paste or plastic mass.
The plastic mass is then introduced into a puddling mill
which cdntains the waste material or materials. A vessel
containing hot tar is situated on top or other convenient
part of the puddling mill. The plastic mass is well mixed
with the waste material or materials, the hot tar, meanwhile,
dripping into the mixture, and then forced through the
puddling mill and formed into tubular or grid shape.
From the puddling mill the substance passes to a dividing
or cutting machine and is then stacked in heaps to dry.
The proportions of the various ingredients that have been
found suitable are :—White or blue clay, 5 cwt. ; common
starch, |lb. liquefied with 2 gallons of water; gas tar,
8 gallons. To each hundredweight of waste or mixed waste
add 1 cwt. of clay and starch (puddled clay). (Three
claims.)

7885 (1912). Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically
Recording the Amount of Coal Supplied to Steam Generators.
W. Whitie, Kilmaurs, 25, Cloncurry-street, Bishops Park,
London, and E. A. Langley, 33, Earl’s Court-gardens,
London.—This invention relates to apparatus for electrically
recording, on a time chart, the amount of coal supplied from
the feed bunkers to the coal chute of mechanical stokers, in
generating stations. Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the
general arrangement of apparatus, fig. 2 is a front elevation
of one convenient form of recording instrument, and fig. 3
is a sectional side elevation of the said instrument. A time
graduated-travelling strip or chart a is employed moving
over a suitable drum or surface b. Mounted above the said

__£



■ibiiL.TiraiiJj

i e' 9

niiiiiiiin
IliBlIfHII



travelling strip a are provided one or more electromagneti-
cally-controlled styles or marking devices c which are
adapted to be drawn down on to the surface of the paper a
upon the closing of an electric circuit d e. The said electric
circuit controlling each style or pen c, and which includes a
coil e1 and a source of energy e*, is adapted to be closed by
a suitable plunger or other switch es operated by the
respective coal outlet valves f of the bunker or bunkers g,
as the case may be. Thus, in working, so long as the valve/
is kept open for feeding the coal to the stoker chute h
leading to the mechanical stoker, the switch will be operated,
the circuit closed and the style or pen c will be kept down
on the chart a so that not only will the number of openings
be recorded thereon but their duration, owing to the move-
ment of the chart. In a lighting station the number of
generators or furnaces in use can be seen by arranging the
styles or pens in suitable order side by side or by using
different coloured inks or markings. One very suitable
form of recording instrument for the purpose is shown in
figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. (Two claims.)

9086 (1912). Improvements in Miners9 Lamps. E. Kopel,
of Dolni Sucha, Post Office, Lazy, Austrian Silesia, Austria.
—This invention relates to miners’ lamps of the type in

which regulation of the burner and ignition thereof by
means of percussion pellets, are effected by a common
operating member. The object is to provide improved
means by which the regulation of the wick and the ignition
thereof may be effected. According to the invention a
spindle is provided passing through the bottom of the
lamp and adapted, when rotated, to operate wick-adjusting
mechanism, and when reciprocated, to operate wick-igniting

3+

7/

'®x

20

2fjUdz

4 i *

1



*r

4

9

2

2

9

FigZ.

8—
a	~

io "	*

« ^JMi|







mechanism, the arrangement being such that the two
movements can be effected separately, and so that adjust-
ment of the wick is possible without operation of the
igniter, and vice versa. Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical sections
through the igniting and regulating devices ; fig. 3 is a
longitudinal section through the operating parts of the
igniter ; fig. 4 is a section on the plane s—z. (Four claims.)

14406 (1912). An Improved Process for the Production of
Lump Coal from Small Coal without Agglomerates. H. J.
Phillips, Royal Colonial Institute, Northumberland-avenue,
London, W.C., and A. Phillips, The Nook, Tredegar, Mon-
mouthshire.—The small coal is first ground wet in cold or
hot water to a pulp of any desirable degree of fineness.
The excess of water may be decanted or drained off after
settling and the residual pulp pressed in moulds of any
required shape or size. The damp blocks thus made are
then introduced on trolleys or endless belts or the like into
a heated tunnel chamber so arranged that at the entrance a
temperature of about 100 degs. Cent, can be maintained,
which is gradually increased until at its exit any desirable
temperature between 105 degs. Cent, and 400 degs. Cent, can
be maintained. When the blocks have attained the
necessary temperature at the exit they are then reintro-
duced into similar shaped moulds to those used in the first
pressing, but of fractionally larger dimensions and heated
by superheated steam and repressed, the pressure varying
according to the class of coal used. It has been found that
different classes of small coals require different degrees of
pressure and temperature for their economic consolidation
into lump coal of desirable induration, which can only be
deduced by experiment, and these differences mainly
depend upon the degree of natural hardness of the coal at
ordinary temperatures, and the amount and nature of
bituminous matter present. It is found that when the
block of initially compressed coal is heated to a desirable
temperature, before repressing it becomes somewhat inci-
piently softened, and is thus capable of becoming conso-
lidated into a harder block than when repressed at ordinary
temperatures. For instance, the following is the modus
operandi found most suitable for the production of lump
coal from the small of a Monmouthshire seam of steam coal
having about 20 per cent, of bituminous constituents
present. The small coal is first ground in a tube mill to a
finely comminuted condition with about 60 per cent, of
water. The whole is allowed to settle in any convenient
receptacle, and the excess of water drained or decanted off.
The residual pulp now containing about 30 per cent, water
is conveyed by elevator or other means to pressing
machine, and there pressed into blocks at a pressure of
5 tons per square inch ; the bulk of the water still left
being thus squeezed out. The damp blocks thus produced
resting on trolleys or endless belts or the like are introduced
into the heated tunnel, the entrance of which is maintained
at a temperature of about 100 degs. Cent., which gradually
increases until at the exit the temperature is about 250 degs.
Cent. The trolleys or endless belts with the blocks
gradually career automatically or otherwise through
the tunnel until they have arrived at and acquired the
temperature of the exit, viz., 250 degs. Cent. The hot
blocks are repressed in a second press at 10 tons per square
inch in moulds (kept at 190 degs. Cent, with superheated
steam) of fractionally larger dimensions than those used in
the first pressing, after which they will be found to be
sufficiently condensed and indurated as to be practically
non-porous and weather proof. (One claim.)

16963 (1912). Improvements in or Relating to Electric
Blasting Detonators. J. Sou, Hotel de Noailles, rue de
Noailles, Versailles, France.—This invention relates to
electric blasting detonators of the kind which comprise a
metal tube having] in one end an insulated plug tightened
by compressing the tube and having one wire passing
through the plug and one wire in contact with the tube.
The invention comprises an electric blasting detonator in
which the electricity acts directly on to the detonating
charge of the detonator, one of the poles being constituted

by the widened end of a conductor placed along the axis of
the insulating plug placed above the charge. The trans-
mission of electric energy to the charge is effected by a
device which does not become deformed, arranged in a fixed
position in each primer and having uniform dimensions for
each primer. These arrangements ensure first of all an
absolute regularity of working. Moreover, there is no
danger of any disturbance in the charging or manipulations,
that would be liable to produce variations in the ignition.
The fixed position of the poles and their perfect insulation

are thus ensured. Fig. 1 is a section of a primer intended
to work in tension ; and fig. 2 is a modified construction
relating to a primer working in parallel with low-pressure
current. (Four claims.)

21103 (1912). Improvements in and Relating to Regulating
Devices for Pumps. The British Thomson-Houston Company
Limited, of 83, Cannon-street, London, E.C. (a communi-
cation from the Allgemeine Elektricitats-Gesellschaft, of
Friedrich Karl-Ufer 2-4, Berlin, Germany.—This invention
relates to improvements in regulating devices for pumps
such as feed-water pumps for boilers which are required to
supply water or other fluid against a greatly varying
counter pressure. The object of the invention is to provide
an improved regulating mechanism which will automatically
operate to complete the suction column after interruption.
The accompanying drawing shows a feed-water pump,
which operation is as follows : If, owing to the lack of water,
air enters the pump and interrupts the water column in the

M
■•is

suction pipe then the spring t will overcome the pressure
acting on the upper side of the piston r and the valve q will
open, thereby allowing the water from the reservoir 0 to
All up the suction pipe. During the upward movement of
piston r the end of conduit u is uncovered and steam will be
allowed to escape from the chamber I to the suction side of
the pump, thereby allowing the pressure in chamber I to fall.
Owing to the non-return valve/having closed, the pressure
in the upper part of the pipe g, and therefore in pipe e and
chamber h will have been maintained, and the piston d will
be forced downwards, causing the closure of the inlet
member of the prime mover. To damp the movements of
piston d lenticular throttling valves may be fitted in the
pipes e and m. (Four claims.)

22655 (1912). Improvements in Apparatus for Washing
Coal and other Minerals. A. France, of rue de I’Esperance
233, Liege, Belgium, and P. Habets, of Montegnee, Belgium.
—According to this invention the materials to be treated
are fed by a stream of water along a trough or launder over
a plurality of passages opening into the bottom thereof, and
through which passages ascending streams of water flow,
each of said ascending streams being obtained by the intro-
duction of washing water into a compartment communica-
ting below a vertical partition with the respective upward
passage, and also with a receiver arranged below said parti-
tion and having a discharge orifice, the arrangement being
such that the washing water divides at the bottom of the
partition and passes partly in an upward stream through
the aforesaid passage and partly in a downward stream into
the receiver, so that the heavier materials falling from the
launder down the ascending stream pass into the receiver,
from which they are discharged, any lighter materials
adhering to or falling with the heavier materials being
separated from them by the ascending stream and carried
back to the launder and away along the same. A number
of washing elements, each comprising an inlet compart-
ment and an upward passage, for an ascending may