1424

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

June 19, 1914.

just received in London :—Coal mining continued to make
very satisfactory progress, and the increase in output during
the year had exceeded expectations. The year’s operations,
moreover, had resulted in many new developments of con-
siderable importance, both in the older coalfields in the
Southern districts and in those which were being gradually
opened up further north. The total quantity of coal raised in
all districts of the State was 1,037,944 tons, valued at
.£403,767. The annual production had never previously
reached a million tons, and, when compared with the amount
raised in 1912, the figures last year showed a gain in
quantity of 135,778 tons, and in value of £65,503, while the
average value of 7s. 9‘3d. was higher by 3‘3d. per ton than
was the case in 1912. Examination of the figures showed
that there was a considerable increase in production in all
coal mining districts except Rockhampton, but the largest
proportional increase was in the case of the Clermont or
Blair Athol collieries.. The output of the Ipswich district,
which contributed over half the total, showed an increase of
11 per cent, over the figure for the previous year, that of the
Darling Downs district 20 per cent., Maryborough and Wide
Bay 30 per cent., and Clermont over 40 per cent., while the
output of the central district showed a decrease of about
18 per cent., the shortcoming in the last-mentioned case being
attributed to several periods of slack trade during the year.

New South Wales Coal Trade.—The exports of coal from
the port of Newcastle for the quarter ending March 31 last
amounted to 1,364,729 tons, representing an increase of 27
per cent, on the figures for the corresponding period of last
year. Of that quantity, 769,712 tons were for the other
States, New Guinea, and New Zealand, and 595,637 for
oversea countries. The figures plainly illustrate that New-
castle is gaining a great deal of her lost ground in Java and
the Straits Settlements. The export to Java reached
123,852 tons, as compared with 60,300 for the first three
months last year; whilst the quantity sent to the Straits
Settlements was 80,868 tons, as against 15,964. The
exports to Chile rose to 157,035 tons, an increase of over
28,000 tons.

New Zealand.

The Seddonville State Colliery, Westport, is to be closed
down at the end of the month, as it is almost worked out.

MINE MANAGERS’ EXAMINATIONS.

The following questions were set at the examination for
certificates of competency which took place recently at
Edinburgh, Newcastle, Sheffield, Wigan, Cardiff, and
Birmingham.

(The figures in parentheses against each question indicate
the maximum number of marks obtainable.)

For Second-class (Under-Managers’) Certificate of
of Competency.

Subject No. 1.—Mine Working.

(Five questions only to be answered; No. 5 is compulsory.)

1.	A coal face 100 yds. long has been holed or undercut
to a depth of 5 ft.; shot firing is resorted to in order to bring
down the coal. State fully what precautions you would
take. (60)

2.	In a main brow or incline rising about 1 in 4, coal is
to be lowered from a number of different levels on to the
main haulage road. Describe the various methods of doing
this. (60)

3.	In a seam 4 ft. 6 in. thick, dipping 1 in 3, it is
decided to take out a piece of coal 30 yds. square, on the
lower side of the level, for the purpose of holding dirt. How
would you proceed? Give your reasons. (60)

4.	What are the advantages to be derived from system-
atic timbering? Describe, with sketches, the various
systems you are acquainted with. (60)

5.	Set out a small district working a seam 4 ft. 6 in.
thick, with good roof and floor. Show full details. (60)

6.	Describe in detail the sinking of a shaft from one
bricking ring to the next. (60)

Subject No. 2.—Ventilation.

(Six questions only to be answered; No. 2 is compulsory.)

1.	Show, on the plan of a mine* which accompanies this
paper, how you would ventilate the roadways and faces of
the workings, and indicate the direction of the air currents,
and the positions of doors, stoppings, and air crossings, in
the usual manner. (50)

2.	What effective horse power does a mechanical ven-
tilator require to develop in exhausting 150,000 cu. ft. of air
per minute from a mine with a water gauge of 1 in. ? How
much air will the same ventilator draw through the same
mine with a water gauge of 3 in. ? (50)

3.	Sketch a safety lamp of the ordinary type employed
in testing for the presence of firedamp; state how you would
proceed to use it for this purpose, and what you would
expect to find if any firedamp were present. (50)

4.	State the different causes which tend to increase or
diminish the quantity of firedamp produced in mines at any
given time, and from what points or sources it is derived.

5.	Why is there dry coal dust present in some mines and
not in others, even when no water is given off by the coal or
other strata in either case? (50)

6.	What are the various means available for measuring
the quantity of air passing through a mine? Describe in
detail the steps you would take in the practical application
of one of them, making use of sketches to illustrate your
meaning ? (50)

7.	Show, by means of sketches, two methods of closing
the top of an upcast shaft in such a manner as to admit of
coal winding being carried on continuously without materially
interfering with the ventilation. (50)

Subject No. 3.—Explosions in Mines, Underground Fires,
and Inundations.

(Five questions only to be answered; No. 4 is compulsory.)

1.	In what parts of a mine would you expect to find
dangerous dust ? Describe conditions that would lead you to
conclude that the dust is dangerous. (20)

2.	What are the means usually adopted for preventing
injury to the fan in the event of an explosion? In the case
of injury to the fan, what would you do to enable you to
enter the mine? (20)

3.	State briefly the most common causes of ignition in
cases of colliery explosions, and describe the safeguards to
be adopted in each case. (20)

4.	Sketch a method of working a seam of coal liable to
spontaneous combustion, and give your reasons for the
method adopted. (20)

* See Colliery Guardian, June 5, 1914, p. 1244.

5.	Mark by a cross on the sketch in your answer to
question 4 the position of a supposed fire, and describe how
you would deal with it. (20)

6.	An old roadway which was driven in solid coal has
fallen in closely. It is supposed to lead to workings which
contain water, and it is proposed' to re-open it. What pre-
cautions would you take in doing so? (20)

Subject No. 4.—Machinery.

(Five questions only to be answered.)

1.	Briefly describe a Lancashire boiler, and say how it
differs from a Cornish boiler. (20)

2.	What kind of metal is used for the following articles :
—(a) Valves and valve seats of pumps; (b) pit rails; (c) the
pistons of engines; (d) the drawbars of trams (hutches,
wagons or tubs). What kind of wood is used for the following
articles :—(e) Wooden cage guides ; (/) engine brake blocks ;
(g) pick handles; (h) pit sleepers. (20)

3.	The speed of an electric motor is 720 revolutions per
minute, and on the motor shaft there is a pinion having 30
double helical teeth, the pitch circle being 10 in. diameter.
The motor is to drive a countershaft running at 240 revolu-
tions per minute. State the number of teeth and the
diameter of pitch circle of the toothed wheel required for the
countershaft. What are double helical teeth? (20)

4.	What are safety detaching hooks used for? Describe
one form of safety detaching hook, state how it works, how
it is taken care of, and what the dangers (if any) are, con-
nected with the use of safety detaching hooks. (20)

5.	Make two sketches (by hand or to scale), one a side
elevation, the other a front elevation, showing a cast iron
belt pulley 3 ft. in diameter, to take a belt 8 in. wide, and
to be mounted on a shaft 4 in. diameter. Show the width
of pulley face, and the provision you would make to keep the
belt in the centre of the face. Also show the diameter of
the wheel boss, and state how the pulley would be secured to
the shaft. (20)

6.	Explain the action of a direct acting steam plunger
pump. What steps would you take to discover the cause
of a pump refusing to work, supposing the steam end to be
all right? (20)

Subject No. 5.—Arithmetic and Surveying.

(Five questions only to be answered ; No. 6 is compulsory.)

1.	What is the cross sectional area of a circular shaft
15 ft. in diameter inside the walling? If the brick walling
be 18 in. in thickness, how many cubic yards of brickwork
will be required per yard in depth, and what will the walling
cost per yard for materials alone at 8s. 6d. per cu. yd. of
brickwork ? (20)

2.	A rectangular shaft, 20 ft. x 10 ft. inside the timber-
ing, is lined with 6 in. timber. * What quantity of timber,
in cubic feet, will be required per yard in depth? What will
the timber cost per yard of the shaft if the price be 3s. 4d.
per cu. ft. ? (20)

3.	What quantity of coal is contained in a square mile of
a coalfield in a seam 50 in. thick if the specific gravity of the
coal be 1’280, and the strata be level? What will be the
quantity if the strata dip at 1 in 3? (20)

4.	Write out an imaginary survey of a level, or heading,
and two branch roads to the coal face (six or eight bearings
in all) to show your method of booking your survey. Show
all details and measurements necessary for producing a
correct plan, assuming that the seam lies at a steep inclina-
tion, and that a fault equal in throw to the thickness of the
seam has just been crossed by the heading or level. (20)

5.	The following readings have been taken in levelling
with a straight edge. The readings are printed in the order
in which they were taken in the mine. Write out a specimen
page of a level book as you would book your levels in
practice; and reduce the levels, taking the starting point, A,
as 10 ft. above datum :—

From A. Rise 2’15.

,, 2’50.

,, 2'64.

,, 1’46. Centre of road to right.

,, 0’55.

,, 0’00. Centre of road to left.

Fall 0’44.

,, 1’15.

,, 2’00.

„ 1’75.

,, 0’75. To B. Face of road; on fault.

(20)

6.	Describe shortly how you would proceed to peg out on
the surface the course of an underground road which you had
surveyed, starting from the shaft. (20)

7.	On a common mining compass, or dial, the quadrants
are marked with east to the left and west to the right when
looking from the south sight through the north sight.
Explain why this is. (20)

Subject No. 6.—General Management and Mining
Legislation.

(Five questions only to be answered; No. 1 is compulsory.)

1.	Assume an accident underground, which has resulted
in a fatality, or take a case which has come under your own
experience. Write a full report of it such as you would send
to your manager. (20)

2.	What are the various regulations as to shot firing and
the treatment of explosives underground? (20)

3.	What are the provisions in the Coal Mines Act as to
travelling roads ? (20)

4.	Under what circumstances would you consider it your
duty to withdraw the workmen from a colliery or from a
district, and from a working place? (20)

5.	What are the regulations concerning safety lamps and
their treatment, and the special regulations relating to
electric safety lamps? (20)

6.	Under what circumstances and conditions are
telephones compulsory underground? (20)

Hull Coal Exports.—The official return of the exports of
coal from Hull for the week ending Tuesday, June 9, 1914,
is as follows:—Alexandria, 3,629 tons; Amsterdam, 665;
Abo, 251; Bruges, 1,665; Buenos Ayres, 3,193; Bremen,
427; Bergen, 2; Christiania, 233; Copenhagen, 505;
Corunna, 941; Cronstadt, 14,625; Drontheim, 289;
Fredericia, 996 ; Gefle, 3,439 ; Ghent, 197 ; Harlingen, 2,118 ;
Hamburg, 12,693; Harburg, 7,174; Helsingborg, 2,261;
Kragero, 657; Kalmar, 2,002; Libau, 396; Lulea, 3,722;
Malmo, 442; Newfairwater, 402; Oxelosund, 2,720; Oporto,
1,462; Rernau, 4,493; Rostock, 1,195; Rouen, 5,442; Reval,
4,339; Rotterdam, 5,690; Riga, 6,866; Stettin, 305; St.
Petersburg, 7,762; Stockholm, 450; Santos, 5,970; St.
Malo, 277; Wasa, 221—total, 110,116 tons. Corresponding
period June 1913—total, 90,010 tons.

ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS
RECENTLY ACCEPTED.

6358 (1913). Improvements in Respiratory Apparatus.
A. B. Drager, of 53, Moislinger Allee, Lubeck.—Relates to
cartridges or batteries used for respiratory apparatus for
regenerating the air exhaled consisting of a closed casing
containing a series of trays or dishes carrying chemicals.
The invention has for its object the provision of a cartridge
that can be used over and over again without risk of failure

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in any way. The improved cartridge according to the inven-
tion consists of a casing made of strong sheet iron or metal,
having a top or cover and if desired a bottom that is adapted
to be removed and replaced, while the dishes or trays which
are not connected together in any way are fitted loosely
inside the casing with just sufficient play to permit of their
removal from the top or the bottom. The accompanying
drawing shows a cartridge constructed according to the
invention in elevation partly in section. (Three claims.)

11730 (1913). Improvements in and relating to Wire Rope-
ways. Dr. W. Conrad, of 4, Lichtenwerderplatz, Vienna
19/1, Austria.—According to the invention excessive strains
upon the system are avoided by employment of a catch rope
capable of motion in both directions, for example similarly
to a rope drive, the movement of the catch rope caused by
clamping thereto of the car actuating brakes or other
stopping devices. Preferably the motion of the catch rope
puts into operation brakes in the hauling gear or upon the
hauling rope, the distance through which a point on the

hauling rope moves after applying these brakes being smaller
than the latitude of movement of the catch rope, so that the
brakes acting upon the hauling gearing are first put into
operation, and only after its failure or the breakage of the
hauling rope the catch rope is stopped arresting thereby the
car. In figs. 1 and 2, a diagrammatic representation illus-
trating respectively in section and in plan a device according
to the invention is given. Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the
car with its clamp and disengaging means. (Nine claims.)

12764 (1913). Means for Automatically Controlling and
Regulating Winding Engines or the like. The Butterley
Company Limited, of Butterley Ironworks, Derby, and C.
E. Drabble, of Woodland-villa, Heage-road, Ripley, Derby.
—-Relates to winding engines or the like, and its object is to
provide means for automatically controlling and regulating
the working of such engines, whether steam or electrically
driven, to prevent over or under-running; the apparatus being
operated from any revolving shaft of the engine, and causing
the steam valve to be closed at any predetermined point of
the run through the medium of a wedge bar and trigger,
being inserted in the valve operating linkage. The accom-
panying drawing is a side elevation. Assuming the engine
to be stopped-and run ..about to commence, the parts 9,
9a, 11, 11" and 12 of the valve operating linkage are in the
positions shown, the steam valve spindle 10 and weight 15
can now be raised by the starting lever 14 being moved from
right to left, and the engine then commences to rotate. At
the same time the screwed shaft 3a is rotated through the
bevel gearing 2 or the like and, let us say, is screwed out
of the nuts so as to lengthen the connecting rod as a whole.
This causes the pivoted lever 6 to move about its pivot 6a
and the slot 6b in its plate is so arranged that as the lever
moves, the wedge-bar 9 with which it is connected through

the medium of rod 8 is moved to the right until the wedge
9a is withdrawn from under the trigger 12, and the weight
15 is allowed to close the valve. The gearing is such that
this takes place when the proper and predetermined point of
the run is reached, when any suitable device forming no part
of this invention may be employed to put a brake into
operation and bring the engine to a standstill. Now the
engineman cannot open the valve, and thus cause the engine
to start again in the same direction since the wedge connec-
tion in the valve operating linkage is withdrawn as described
above. On operating the engine reversing lever 20, however,
from right to left the pin 7 which works in the slot 6 b in the
plate part of the pivoted lever 6 is moved to the other end of
said slot, and the latter is so arranged that this brings the