956 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. May 9, 1913. has so far been obtained by the actuating gear of any other type. This ratio may be expressed thus:— Let N = the number of revolutions of the engine per wind. „ n = the number of grooves in the disc. „ H = the ratio required. TbenN=R. n For instance, say that a drum 15 ft. diameter made 24 revolutions per wind, equal to a depth approximately of 360 yards, then, if there are eight spirals in the disc, the ratio would be ♦ 24 Q q . i -_ = 3, or as o : 1, o which means that for every 3 ft. of rope travel there is 1 ft. of disc travel, thus allowing for an exceedingly fine adjustment, whereas, in the screw type, one turn of a screw | in. pitch may mean one complete revolution of the engine—say, 45 ft. of rope to J in. of screw. Again, referring to the illustrations, although shown in fig. 1, the cut-off arrangement is again shown sepa- rately on fig. 2, where F is a way-bar shaft carrying the long lever D, and on the same shaft is another short lever G, and to this lever is coupled the “ pull ” and “ push ” rods H and I. These are plain, flat bars, to which the contacts J and K are attached. Variable adjustment is pro- vided for same, both by close holing, and by a quadrant placed at the foot of the short lever G, having serrated teeth, which allows of very fine adjustment. As the short lever travels to and fro, the contacts pull or push the throttle lever L, effectually cutting off the steam supply. As the engine runs alternately in either direction, one or other of the contacts is put out of operation by the action of the tumbler lever M, which being attached to the reversing lever, the adjustment the compound lever falls by reason of the attached weights, being steadied by any form of cataract cylinder or dashpot. Owing to the value of the compound lever system the weights required to bring a fairly large engine to a stop are comparatively light, and in most cases can be brought back to the potential position by hand, without the assistance of a winch or other device. In large engines or where steam brakes are already in use, the connection to steam and exhaust ports are easily arranged, from the same operating gear. The invention is thus exceedingly flexible, and can be adapted to almost any circumstances and any class of winding engine, either steam or electrically operated— in fact, for the latter it possesses great possibilities. Although one of the latest devices of the kind on the market, the “ Bayley ” gear is being adopted at several collieries, and, as the time for complying with the new regulations is fast drawing to a close, mining managers who have not as yet completed their installations are well advised in their own interests to look closely into the merits of this gear. Full particulars and prices may be obtained* from Messrs. W. Bardill and Co., engineers, St. Peter’s-gate, Nottingham, who are the sole makers and licensees, under arrangement with the inventors. A Conveyor Patent.—In the Chancery Division, on February 12, Mr. Justice Warrington gave his judgment in the case of Norton v. W. H. Barker and Son. This was an action for infringement in which the plaintiffs were the owners of Letters Patent granted in 1900 to George Frederick Zimmer for an invention relating to vibrating trough conveyors, the objects of which were to reduce vibration by balancing the conveyor trough, to reduce the power required to operate it, and to avoid the necessity of CENTRE OF CRANK SHAFT. -DEAD WEIGHT. — Emergency Brake System.— —Bayley Patent Safety Winder. — ________________ * Fig. 3. — DRAWINC N° 1190. — of the contacts are thus automatic. At the conclusion of each wind the throttle lever is locked, and is not released until the reverse lever is thrown into position for the next wind, thus preventing the ever-present possibility of starting in the wrong direction. As occasion may arise, however—say, as in the case of winding water, machinery, timber, or for inspection purposes, when the cage is required to ascend above the normal working level—provision is made by taking up the lever N (fig. 1) attached to the throttle lever, to put the whole gear out of action, to be restored again by its liberation. For winding men, arrangement is made for cutting off steam at an earlier period by a simple adjustment of the pull rod attached to the throttle valve. In cases where overspeeding gear is required (necessary only for deep shafts), a governor of the usual pendulum type is arranged and driven from the counter- shaft B which operates the throttle lever, cutting off steam when the fixed maximum travel is approached. In fig. 3 the emergency brake mechanism is shown separately. On the way-bar shaft F another short lever is fixed and fitted with a single contact bar O with contacts operating in either direction. Immediately under the ordinary foot-lever P is fixed the compound lever Q and connected to the foot-lever by the slot band It, which allows the free use of the former under ordinary working conditions. The compound lever is suspended by the lever S, which has its fulcrum at T, and attached to this lever is a contact, which in case of an overwind is overtaken by the contact bar O, and the support being removed making the conveyor trough heavier towards the driving end in the case of long conveyors. For the first object the patentee divided the trough into sections, the adjacent sections being caused to move in opposite directions, thus reducing vibration. The defence relied on was mainly want of subject-matter in the patent. His lordship held that the balancing method for reducing vibration and the particular method of balancing were well known; and that, in effect, the invention was one which had been used in a machine for the classification of goods; and that, having regard to the state of knowledge, there was want of novelty, and that the patent was invalid. The action was dismissed with costs. Partnerships Dissolved.—The London Gazette announces the dissolution of the following partnerships:—J. Mair and A. Glennie, carrying on business under the style of Austin and Co., as lift builders, engineers and millwrights at Dunn-street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne J. S. C. Barrie and O. Ingham, carrying on business as consulting and contracting engineers at Highbury-chambers, Newport, under the style of Ingham, Barrie and Co. ; H. E. Hall, H. O. Hall and F. Baring-Gould, carrying on business as engineers at High- street, Tonbridge, and at Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, and at Prince of Wales-road, Norwich, under the style of H. E- Hall and Co. ; H. Smith and D. M. Job, carrying on business as practical engineers and brassfounders at the Dynevor Engineering Works, Llanelly, under the style of Job and Smith ; C. F. Cartwright and N. C. Williams, carrying on business as manufacturers of pipe, brick and sanitary appliances, under the style of the Midland Pipe Company, at Polesworth ; S. Sharp and S. Wright, carrying on business as colliery agents and coal and coke factors, at Halifax, under the style of Sharp, Wright and Co. THE PANAMA CANAL AND THE COAL TRADE. Coaling Facilities at the Canal. It is understood that the Panama Canal Commission has invited bids for coal bunkers to be built at each end of the canal. The bunkers on the Atlantic side will store 200,000 tons of coal, and those on the Pacific side 100,000 tons. The Government—says the Black Diamond of Chicago—is kind enough to say it wants or will permit private coal companies to do business on the Canal, but create conditions which are practically impossible. On January 24, to answer numerous letters from coal companies and others who were requesting concessions from the Government to allow them to operate coaling plants along the Canal, a general letter was sent out. In this letter it is stated that under the so-called Taft agreement with Panama, coal and fuel oil may be brought into the canal zone by individuals and companies without the payment of duty to Panama. In the present undetermined state of future require- ments—particularly as regards Canal business and land necessary for Canal improvements in the vicinity of the terminals—it is not desired to enter into contractual relations with individuals and companies which would permit them to occupy under lease tracts of land, and land under water near the terminals, which might later be needed by the United States. It will be the policy of the United States to retain complete control of the terminals, water frontage and transportation by land and water across the Isthmus. It will not be the policy of the United States to attempt to monopolise the fuel business, and every possible means will be taken to encourage the establishment of private coal and fuel oil depots on the Isthmus under proper conditions. The Government plans are being laid out so as to afford ample wharf room and to provide ample modern coal- handling machinery for unloading colliers into the coal pile and reloading coal to lighters or barges. Likewise the Government fuel oil plants will ultimately be com- bined with the Government coaling plants, so far as wharfage is concerned. So far as concerned, it has been decided to set aside a certain ground area that will be served by the coal-handling machinery with the same convenience as the area occupied by the Government coal piles, for the storage of the different coal piles of the individuals and companies. This arrangement will obviate the necessity of any dredging, wharf construc- tion, or purchase of coal-handling machinery for private owners and companies, and at the same time will enable them to obtain the benefits of the rapid coal-handing machinery to be purchased by the United States. It would be expected that the cost of taking coal in and out of storage and of the wharfage facilities and dredging thus availed of, would be apportioned at a reasonable price per ton to all individuals and companies alike on an equitable basis. For the area to be occupied by the coal pile a rental charge based upon the cost of fitting up the area for private coal storage would have to be charged in addition. Assurance of satisfactory service can be given by the Canal authorities. It is expected that the Government coaling plant will be in operation before January 1, 1915. Suitable temporary arrangement will be made to take care of any business originating before the present plant is completed. Such a permanent plant will require no outlay for improvements on the part of individuals and companies, and will enable them to participate in the coal business on what appears to be more advantageous terms than if they should each proceed with the con- struction and installation of their own docks and coal piles and coal-handling machinery. Similar arrange- ments may be made at the smaller Balboa coal plant if necessary. It is stated that a large number of coal and oil lighters and barges will be maintained by the Government at each terminus of the canal. This will make the purchase and use of additional barges by individuals probably unnecessary. There remains to be discussed the taxes which will apply to dealers in coal and fuel oil on the Isthmus. Any taxes levied in connec- tion with private coal and oil depots will have two purposes in view for the interest of the Canal—first, to reduce the unnecessary duplication of plants; and, second, to encourage the carrying of large stocks of coal and oil. To accomplish this, there will be a tax based upon the cost of improvements, which will enable revenue to be derived in proportion to the investment made, which will probably be 1 per cent, per annum on the cost of improvement. The letter further states that all individuals or com- panies applying for coal and oil privileges on the Isthmus must furnish satisfactory evidence to Canal authorities of their ability, financially and otherwise, to conduct a business they wish to undertake. According to the Canal Record, published at Ancon, Canal Zone, it is planned to have a coal storage basin at