1498

THEw COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

June 26, 1914.

to one of the axles of the hutch, whilst the free end of the
bar trails on the ground, but with this arrangement the bar
only operates to stop the hutch, should a breakage occur,
when travelling up an incline. The hutch-joke, according
to the invention, is also connected by a rope, or chain, or
the like, to the haulage rope or to the connecting links or
other part of the hutch in advance, the point of connection
on the hutch-joke is such that so long as there is a pull on

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the connecting rope or chain, the rear or free end of the
hutch-joke is raised clear off the ground or track, and main-
tained in that position. Immediately that the tension on
the connecting rope or chain is released the free end of the
hutch-joke falls and stops the hutch. Figs. 1 and 2 are,
respectively, a plan and a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an
inverted plan of a hutch with the joke applied to the rear
axle, whilst fig. 4 shows the joke in its acting position.
(Two claims.)

11554 (1913). Improvements in or connected with
Machines for use in Mining Minerals, particularly adapted
for use in Mining Coal and the like. Mavor and Coulson
Limited and S. M. Mavor, both of 47, Broad-street, Mile-
end, Glasgow.—Refers to coal cutting machines, of the type
wherein the body is mounted upon a carriage and supported
at three positions, and the objects are to
provide improved means for rigidly supporting
the body of the machine upon its carriage, which will give
the necessary freedom to enable the required adjustments to
be effected without looseness in the connections at any of the
positions of support, and, if desired, to obtain an additional
or improved method of adjustment by providing a screw
support at its haulage end. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a
support, a modification of which is shown in side sectional
elevation at fig. 2 and in sectional plan at fig. 3, adapted for
use at the haulage end of the machine. Fig. 6 is an end sec-
tional elevation of supports for use at the cutter member end of
the machine. With a construction as shown at fig. 1, the
standard C fits closely within the guide E, the ball and
socket joint formed by the spherical socket B and corres-
ponding foot of the standard 0 permits tilting movements
of the body of the machine upon its carriage. In elevating
adjustments a motion of the body of the machine occurs in
the longitudinal direction, unless, in making an elevating
adjustment, the longitudinal axis of the machine is not
altered relative to the horizontal. In order to give freedom
without looseness in the connections and permit the move-
ments appertaining to this adjustment to occur at the haulage
end of the machine, under conditions where the longitudinal
axis of the machine alters relatively to the horizontal as

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elevating adjustments are made, as shown at figs. 2 and 3,
the sides C1 of the standard C may be made flat and parallel
to one another, and the interior of the guide E made with
sides correspondingly formed, and the front and back faces
C2 of the standard may be convexly curved, and the corres-
ponding interior faces of the guide E may be straight and
parallel and adapted to bear each at or about one horizontal
line of contact only. The front and back faces of the
convexly curved surfaces of the standard may be circular,
or a curvature of greater radius may be adopted, but of the
two forms, that shown at fig. 2 is preferable. For support-
ing the body at the cutter member end of the machine,
devices of substantially similar construction may be used,
but as freedom in some cases may be required about the
standard in all directions, instead of the form described
above, the interior of the guide E may be cylindrical in cross
section and the periphery of the standard C circular in cross
section, and in longitudinal cross section at all parts similarly
convex. For example, they may be spherical, or of a curva-
ture of greater radius, and arranged so that when the
standard G and its guide E are in or out of axial alignment
to approximately maintain a working fit. By this invention
a system of support is provided whereby the body, of the
machine is free to be tilted about a longitudinal axis, and is
capable of being adjusted vertically to meet the required
conditions, the cutter member end of the body, and conse-
quently the cutter member, being capable of vertical adjust-
ment either by adjustments made at the haulage end support,
the body then moving about the side supports as a fulcrum,
or by adjustment made at the side supports, or either of

them, the body then moving about the haulage end support
as a fulcrum. In a modified arrangement the whole vertical
adjustment of the cutter member end of the body may be
obtained by adjustments at the haulage end support, the side
supports merely acting as fulcra and being of appropriate
form, and the method of support may be such as will permit
the body of the machine being tilted. By supporting the
haulage end of the machine by means of a device, such as
described with reference to fig. 1, freedom for the body of the
machine to move in the longitudinal direction relatively to
its carriage must be given in the region of the supports at
the cutter member end of the machine. In cases where the
character of the supports is such as would not in themselves
prevent the body of the machine from swaying sideways,
provision may be made to check any such tendency. For
example, as shown in fig. 6, the carriage A may be fitted with
upright columns F for shoulders G formed on the sides of
the body to bear against. In fig. 6 the supports at the cutter
member end of the machine, each comprise a screwed
elevating spindle D having a foot corresponding to the
spherical socket B, and the standard 0, which is hollow and
screw threaded to receive the screwed spindle D, is formed
with a spherical head which fits into a spherical guide or
socket E. (Eleven claims.)

11956 (1913). Improvements in or relating to the Com-
bustion of Combustible Mixtures. 0. D. McCourt, 45,
Braxted-park, Streatham Common, Surrey, and Bonecourt
Surface Combustion Limited, of Parliament Mansions,
Victoria-street, Westminster.—The objects are to overcome
difficulties experienced with the process of surface combus-
tion ; to cheapen and simplify installations using said process ;
to dispense with the necessity of mixing the gaseous fuel and
air and the formation of an explosive mixture prior to the
initiation of combustion, and the storing and the supplying
of such explosive mixture to the refractory material in
contact with or in the neighbourhood of which combustion
takes place at a greater rate than that of back ignition and
to avoid all troubles from back firing. In the generation of
heat in accordance with the invention, there is provided a
mixing chamber, into which gaseous fuel and air are intro-
duced in substantially the proportions required to ensure full
and complete combustion, and wherein they become
thoroughly mixed and undergo partial combustion. Adjacent
to the outlet of the mixing chamber refractory material is so
disposed that combustion of the homogeneous combustible
mixture issuing from the mixing chamber is completed in
contact with or in the neighbourhood of the refractory
material in the manner characteristic of surface combustion.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention
differs from known processes of combustion in that an
explosive combustible mixture is not formed prior to the
initiation of combustion, that gaseous fuel and air are mixed
in substantially the proportions necessary for full and com-
plete combustion in a mixing chamber, that combustion is
initiated in the mixing chamber at the time the gaseous fuel
and air are being formed into a homogeneous mixture, and
that combustion is completed in accordance with the charac-
teristics of surface combustion. In every case the refractory
material must be so disposed or the stream of combustible
mixture issuing from the mixing chamber so directed that
the combustion of the mixture in contact with or in the
neighbourhood of the refractory material is flameless or at

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most forms merely a thin incandescent gaseous film of com-
bustion. In some instances, the surface of combustion may
be material to be treated. The precise form and construction
of the surface of combustion will, of course, be determined by
the particular requirements to be met. It is important that
the dimensions of the mixing chamber be so adjusted in
relation to the speed of travel of the gaseous fuel and air,
the temperature of the gaseous fuel and air, and the speed
of flame propagation through the mixture, that the gaseous
fuel and air will become thoroughly mixed, and combustion
of the homogeneous combustible mixture will be completed in
contact with or in the neighbourhood of refractory material
beyond. Mixing is satisfactorily effected provided the
mixing chamber is so formed as to keep the fuel and air
together during their transit through the mixing chamber,
and mixing may be accelerated by forming the mixing
chamber in suchwise as to compel the constituents of the
mixture to mingle with one another, and this in any suitable
manner. As combustion of the mixture is commenced in the
mixing chamber an excess of air above that theoretically
demanded is not required owing to the confining action of
the walls of the mixing chamber preventing the constituents
of the mixture parting company, and the necessity for
delivering the mixture from the mixing chamber at a speed
greater than that of ignition of the mixture is avoided, and
all difficulties due to backfiring are overcome. Further a
smaller difference of pressure may be employed for inducing
the flow of the combustible mixture, and this will result in
a cheapening in fan construction and reduction in power for
producing the difference of pressure. The mixing chamber
is formed of sufficiently refractory material to withstand the
heat to which it will be subjected. In apparatus for carrying
out this invention, the refractory material and or the mixing
chamber is or are contained in a receptacle surrounded
wholly or partly by the body to be heated or the refractory
material and or the mixing chamber is or are in or outside
a receptacle surrounding, wholly or partly, the body to be
heated. Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing an arrangement
in which the fuel and air are introduced separately and
continuously into the mixing chamber and combustion of
the homogeneous combustible mixture is completed jn the
furnace. Fig. 2 is a similar view to fig. 1, but in this case
the furnace body is more or less annular, and the mixture
travels much as indicated by the arrows. (Six claims.)

12119 (1913). Improvements in Means for Automatically
Gathering Up Slack in Operating Mechanism or Gear such

as Brake Operating Mechanism used on Cars, Wagons, and
other Rolling Stock. The Metropolitan Carriage Wagon and
Finance Company Limited, Saltley, Birmingham; H. C.
Grigg, of “ Roseville,” Dudley-road, Brades Village,
Staffordshire; and N. Swift, Century-road, Oldbury,
Staffordshire. — Relates to devices of the type having a
moving operating member travelling over or across a
stationary member, with a series of engaging detents or
other devices between the members adapted to co-operate in
any of a series of relative positions. The accompanying
drawing illustrates in side elevation a wagon to which the
invention is applied. In operation, supposing the brake-
operating handle 11 to be turned so as to bring the brakes
into action, the rocking lever 5 will traverse the surface of
the quadrant member 9 to a certain extent, this depending
upon the amount which the handle 11 has to be turned
before the brakes act. If this amount is excessive the rock-

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ing lever will traverse the quadrant member to such an
extent that the spring-pressed plunger 7 therein will, by
reason of its rounded face, ride out of the first hole or notch
10 in the quadrant member 9, and advance and snap into
the next hole therein, and owing to its square rear face it
cannot return, so that upon the brakes being next applied
undue turning of the handle will not be necessitated. The
quadrant member 9 is not absolutely stationary, but is
allowed to rock about the shaft 1 for a certain amount,
determined by the length of the slot 12* in a fixed plate
member 12 in which it works. The object of this is to
prevent the brakes being locked in engagement with the
wheel by an engaging plunger snapping into a hole just as
the brakes were coming into action, and it will be under-
stood that this amount of play of the quadrant member in
the slot 12a will be determined to suit requirements. (Five
claims.)

12191 (1913). Apparatus for Mixing, Washing and Screen-
ing Materials and for other purposes. F. G. S. Price, of
Nariva, Scotstounhill, Glasgow.—Relates to rotary mixing
apparatus of the type comprising two or more adjoining
chambers coaxially disposed, each chamber being formed
with a continuous passage, the walls of which are formed
as a scroll or spiral, the direction of curvature of which is
alternately right hand and left hand, the central convolute
of one chamber communicating with that of the adjacent
chamber by a passage or aperture, a screw or the like means
being provided thereat to facilitate transference of the
material from one chamber to the other. The invention

consists in a rotary mixing apparatus comprising two
adjacent chambers, the walls of the passage of one of which
chambers are provided with inwardly projecting blades to
further the mixing operation : combined with this feature
of construction is the feature that the scrolls or spirals are
deformed, one portion at least of each spiral wall being
straight, and more or less radially disposed in relation to
the chamber. Apparatus embodying the invention is illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings, in which fig. 1 is an
end elevation, fig. 2 a plan, fig. 3 an elevation looking in
the opposite direction to fig. 1, and fig. 4 a transverse section.
(One claim.)

12233 (1913). Improvements in and relating to the
Production of a Fuel. T. 0. Franke, of The London
Frankett Works, 7, Steele-road, Acton Green, London, W.
—Coke dross, when added to raw peat, is in accordance with
the new method first impregnated with animal or vegetable
oils or fat, paraffin, resin, naphthalene, asphaltum, or the
like. By this means the added substance, the purpose of
which is to serve as an abutment for the separate particles
of the peat to facilitate the pressing operation, is prevented
from absorbing water, whilst at the same time the added
substance and the substances employed for impregnating it
increase the heating value of the pressed material. (One
claim.)

12338 (1913). Improvements relating to the Heating of
Vertical Retorts for Carbonising Coal. k. M. Duckham, of
Waseda, Highfield, Ashtead, Surrey.—By the invention the
waste gases from the heating flues of the retort are caused
to pass through flues in contact with those through which
the primary or secondary air, or both, or cool producer gas,
pass around the lower part of the retort. In this manner
the air or gas to be heated may be, as it were sandwiched
between the hot retort and the waste gas flues. The inven-
tion is particularly applicable to the system of downward
heating of the retort, since the heating flues can be continued
downwards to constitute the waste gas flues surrounding or