June 19, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1385 A. HIRST 4 SON LTD. JEFFREY MANUFACTURING CO. LTD. JOHN THOMPSON. The exhibits on this stand represent coal-face machinery, of which mention may be made of a Crescent ” standard low-type compressed air longwall cutter, fitted with totally enclosed working parts. The cylinders, all bearings, and gearing are kept constantly flooded with oil by means of a small pump. The same oil is used over and over again, only a very small amount per week being required to make up for leakage. Another special feature is the silent running; all the gears are machine cut, and run remarkably smoothly, and the exhaust is silenced in a very efficient manner without putting any back pressure against the piston. . There is also a “ Crescent ” standard low-type elec- tric longwall coal cutter, fitted with totally enclosed motor, switch, and gearing. Flame-tight joints are A collective exhibit is made of the Jeffrey coal cutters, the agents for which in this country are Messrs. Hugh Wood and Company (Newcastle-on-Tyne), Mr. P. J. E. Kennedy (Manchester), and Messrs. Beckett and Anderson (Glasgow). The exhibit comprises a silent worm drive longwall chain machine, similar to that recently described in the Colliery Guardian (March 6, 1914, p. 514); a heavy duty shortwall machine for deep undercuts, and the latest type of heading machines. Two of the machines are equipped with d.c. motors, and one with a three-phase motor. FASTNUT LTD. The “ Fastnut ” washers are shown in sizes fromT3(T in. to 2 in.; “ Fastnut ” spanners, fastfit wrenches, and the fastgrip file and tool handle. A section is shown of a small boiler of the “ Dish-end ” type, also a section of large “Dish-end” boiler, 9 ft. 2| in. diameter. This possesses important constructional advantages over the old flat-end Lancashire type, there being no stays whatever, no stay rivets with liability of leakage, and more freedom for expansion and contrac- tion strains. It is the latest practice to fit in the flues a corrugated section about one-quarter their length, or the flues corrugated throughout. Both types of “ Thompson ” water tube boilers are also Fig. 1.—“Crescent” Standard Low-type Electric Longwall Coal-cutter. Fig. 2.—“ Crescent ” Coal Drill. (A. Hirst and Son Limited? Fig. 3.—“ Crescent ” Low-type Compressed-air Longwall Coal-cutter. (A. Hirst and Son Limited.) used throughout, mica is used for the insulation, and all cables are drawn through heavy steam tubing. The gearing is built on the same lines as the compressed air machine, with continuous lubrication. These “Crescent” machines are working on all grades from level to dips of 1-3, dry places and wet places, cutting in coal on bad floors and under bad roofs as much as 250 yds. per shift, and cutting in hard dirt as much as 160 yds. per shift, and giving outputs up to 300 tons per shift. Many of the machines, we understand, have run for two years on end without losing a single cut. The mechanical parts are built of steel throughout, the gearing is of great strength and durability, and the machines throughout have the finest work in them which it is possible to put in. Cutter wheels from 3 ft. to 6 ft. undercut can be supplied to suit any condition of holing, and the machines are built as undercut or overcut as may be desired. There is also a “ Crescent ” coal drill for shot holes on a face where the coal has to be blown. The machines are built for continuous current, or three phase A.C.; they are capable of drilling 60 holes per shift, 4 ft. deep on a face 100 yds. long. They are adjustable in every direction, and are extremely portable. SIGNALLING APPLIANCES. Messrs. Heyes and Company’s exhibit comprises a selection of explosion-proof bells, pushes, ringing keys, telephones, etc. The Wigan combined signal bell and indicator, which is also shown, has already been described in the Colliery Guardian (May 8, 1914, p. 1007). Signalling apparatus is also shown by Messrs. Gent and Company Limited, J. H. Milburn, and J. h. Wilkinson. MINERS’ SAFETY EXPLOSIVE CO. LTD. The stand is occupied principally by two large show cases, containing samples of the materials prepared and used by them in the manufacture of several explosives. There is a complete set of dummy cartridges of various types, showing the sizes in use for “ Ripping Ammonite ” from 5 lb. to 12 lb.; also those suitable for the new permitted explosives in the standard sizes in use in mines. Above the show case are panels containing photographs of the factory at Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, and the interior of some of the buildings showing the method of manufacture. There are also on view sections of lead blocks, showing the work performed by a certain charge of “ Ripping Ammonite ” compared with that performed by an equal charge of some other explosive. The methods of firing the explosives, both by means of ordinary fuse and electricity, are shown. G. ST. JOHN DAY (PATENTS) LTD. This firm show a number of their patent “ 1 Part ” and “ Mumps ” lamp-holders and accessories. These provide for adequate mechanical pressure, which may be adjusted and locked at any position in a simple manner. In the “ 1 Part ” lampholders, the body is in one part, there are no wood grip cords, nipple, back plate, nor fragile porcelain interior. Fig. 1 shows a section of a “ 1 Part ” adaptor, which are made for wiring with work- shop, circular, or twin flexible wires. A serviceable holder for outside applications is provided with live wire contacts. The connecting wires pass right through the Fig. 1.—Section of “ I Part ” Adaptor. Fig. 2.—Section of “ Mumps ” Holder with “I Part ” Interior. (G. St. John Day (Patents) Limited.) terminals, and are cut off close to the top, so that the wires butt up against the contact faces of the coupling member. The “ Mumps ” patent holders are guaranteed to carry 10 amperes, and are suitable for 5 to 1,000-candle power lamps. Lamps are locked in position by means of an adjustable contact, thus preventing theft or removal of lamps. These holders have also the maximum amount of insulating material surrounding and between the contacts, the only live metal parts exposed are the contact faces which engage with the contacts of the lamps. Fig. 2 shows a combination of the two types. PURDY PATENTS CO. Examples are shown of the “Purdy ” valve re-seating machine, valves, cocks, unions, graphite compound, etc. on view. The “ Thompson ” horizontal type water tube boiler is constructed of mild steel throughout, having large mild steel steam and water drums, and mild steel cross boxes, pressed out of one plate. The staggered headers are of the best quality mild steel solid drawn, and the circulation and connecting tubes are of solid drawn mild steel. The vertical type water tube boiler (under Sinclair patents) consists of upper and lower mild steel drums, into which pockets are pressed for receiving the tubes at right angles to their long axis, and which enables the tubes to remain straight. BLEICHERT’S AERIAL TRANSPORTERS LTD. Among the exhibits of this firm, an electro-winch line in natural size which works automatically will attract special attention. Four lofty supports carry an I girder on which the rail of the runway, with a length of 40 ft., is riveted. Current is conducted to the winch by engaging the lever of the portable controller on the ground level. The skip is then lowered, and remains sufficiently long in this position for it to be conveniently loaded, when it is again raised, the hoisting motor being automatically cut out and the travelling motor switched in when the highest permissible position is reached. The car then proceeds towards the unloading point, where it is tipped, and the travelling motor simultaneously reversed automatically for the return trip to the loading point. These movements are then continually repeated. Instead of an absolutely automatic traffic, semi-auto- matic working can be adopted, the individual movements being controlled by hand. If several winch cars are in use, the patent block system of the firm Bleichert’s Aerial Transporters Limited is adopted, with the object of preventing the possibility of collision between the cars. In the foreground of the stand, a working model of a wire ropeway, about 33 ft. long., will be noticed, built on the well-known Bleichert bi-cable system. The cars are filled from an elevated bunker in the loading station, and are then pushed by hand to the coupling point, where the apparatus couples automatically to the traction rope. The cars then cross the ridge of the hill, the traction rope negotiating the height with the aid of a set of rollers. The route then descends towards the unloading station, where the cars discharge their con- tents into bunkers without stopping, and the material can then be drawn off from these bunkers into railway trucks by means of escape gates. The unloading station also serves as return and driving station, the cars auto- matically passing the end return sheave in an inverted position and returning to the loading station, without detachment from the traction rope. The cars are fitted with the “ undertype ” coupling apparatus “ Automat,” and will negotiate gradients of 45 degs. and more. A plant which has a great resemblance with the model before us, has been installed by the Bleichert’s Aerial Transporters Limited for the Scatter Rock Macadams Limited. The great adaptability of the ropeway to existing con- ditions and the improvements introduced into their system in recent years by Bleichert’s Aerial Transporters Limited with the object of taking right or left hand curves, even on gradients, that is, spiral-shaped tracks, has rendered this system peculiarly suitable for the pur- pose of charging blast furnaces. On quite a number of modern ironworks, coke is now brought direct to the blast furnaces from coke ovens at a distance with the aid of a wire ropeway. The coke ovens can be installed in a central position, with means of communication to the different mines by means of railways or wire ropeways. This system has been adopted on the Makejewka plant of the Soci6t4 Gdndrale des Hauts-Fourneaux, Forges et Acieries, Russia. Here the coke ovens are located at a distance of about 1J miles from the blast furnaces, the coal being brought to the old and new coke ovens from