July 17, 1914.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

161

generated, can be observed through a window provided in
the cover of the casing D, the graduation adopted being
preferably such as to correspond with increasing percentage
units of deleterious gases to be detected. The casing may
contain a recorder, whereby the voltage, and therefore the
degree of contamination of the surrounding atmosphere, can
be recorded and associated therewith, the variation of the
barometric pressure may also be recorded. By electric-leads
and a voltmeter above ground, the condition of the atmosphere
at any portion of a mine can at any moment be under
observation. (One claim.)

3703 (1914). Improvements in Mine Door Closers. T.
Ramsay, Roslyn, Kittitas county, Washington, U.S.A.; and
J. T. Tonge, Roslyn, Kittitas county, Washington, U.S.A.—
This invention relates to mine ventilation, and more especi-
ally to the trap doors which are employed in mines to pre-
vent the flow of air currents through the passages rather
than through the flues or pipes where they are intended to
flow ; and the object of the invention is to provide improved
means for closing said doors. This object is accomplished
in the manner hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed,
and as shown in the drawing, wherein is given a general
perspective of the interior of a passage-way in a mine
equipped with this invention. The mine passage-way P has
a track T, and at suitable points within the passage-way
are built bulkheads B, wherein are hinged doors D. If the
passage-way is narrow, as it usually is, the bulkheads will
be hardly more than upright beams lying close against the
side walls, and on one of which the door is hinged in any
suitable way, because there is very little space for the car and
its load to pass through the passage-way, and, of course, the
bulkhead could not be extensive. Its use it to close the
passage-way around the door opening, whereas the door
closes that. The purpose of closing the passage-way P is
to prevent the flow therethrough of air currents, and there-
fore to retain the fresh air in that part of the mine where it
is used, or to divert it from the passage-way into the flues,
pipes, or other channels, by which it can be conducted to
the point of use without being wasted in the mine or its
passages. In order to effectively close the passage, two
doors are ordinarily used, as seen in the figure, and these
are spaced not very far apart, so that after a team or a

group of miners passes through one door and it is closed,
it or they can pass through the other door and close that
and pass on. But through carelessness one door, and some-
times both doors, are left open, with the result that the
fresh air escapes, or foul air flows along the mine undesir-
ably. The purpose of the present invention is to positively
and automatically close one door as the other is opened,
and, if desired, to cause both doors to close automatically
when released by the workmen passing therethrough. The
numeral 1 designates a wire or cord connected with one door
at point 2 near its hinge, passing over suitable pulleys or
guides 7 and 8, between the doors, thence through an open-
ing 9 in the bulkhead B, around a pulley 6, and having a
short stretch attached to a point 3, on the other door, as far
from its hinge as was the point of attachment of the longer
stretch from the hinge of the first-named door. The point of
connection of each stretch of this cord or rope with the door
is on what might be called the leeward side in the direc-
tion of the air current, as indicated by the arrow 4. By
preference, we dispose a weight 5, on the cord between the
guides, and this weight is of sufficient size to cause the
automatic closing of both doors. The action of this device
is as follows :—Assuming that an operator approaches and
opens one door, he draws on the cord, which pulls around
the pulley and closes the other door, meanwhile raising the
weight, if there be one. Passing through this door he
releases it, and the weight slams it closed. When
he reaches the other door the action is repeated, for as he
opens this door he draws on the cord which pulls around
the pulley, and raises the weight 5, while it holds the first-
named door closed; and after the operator or workman has
passed through the second door and released it, the weight
descends, and this door slams, closed. (Three claims.)

3718 (1914). Improvements in Truck Pushing Conveyors.
E. Pocher, 10, Behrenstrasse, Herne, Westphalia, Ger-
many. — This invention relates to apparatus for pushing
mining trucks from the pitbrow on to the lift at the pit
mouth. With the known truck pushing apparatus of this
kind the drawback exists that the fixed or rotatably mounted
arm for throwing the pushing apparatus into and out of
operation projects into the space above the pit mouth in
such manner that it forms an impediment to the traffic.
The movable parts are also very difficult to construct, as
they are subjected to severe bending strains where the

'33

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leverage is greatest. The object of the present invention
is to avoid these disadvantages by providing the carriage
running over the pit mouth with a pushing member, which
is arranged to swing in a vertical plane, and in its normal
position is inclined downwards. The said pushing member
is provided with a counterweight or spring, so that it swings
up automatically, and is not in the way when out of use, but
can be placed in its operative position by simply swinging
it down. Means are provided whereby the pushing member,
having arrived at its operative position, throws into opera-
tion by means of a movable stop, a winding gear, prefer-
ably of the rocking pinion type, the pushing member being
moved forward to propel the truck. The movement of the
pushing member and the carriage is reversed by tipping

rocker arms of the reversing gear, by means of a gear con-
trolling rod moved by the truck, and the return of the car-
riage is stopped at that moment when the tipping element
of the gear controlling rod is disposed between the abut-
ments on the rocker arms. The invention is illustrated in
the accompanying drawing, in which fig. 1 is a side eleva-
tion partly in section of the truck propelling apparatus
according to the invention; fig. 3 is an end view for oper-
ating the carriage of the pushing member. (Two claims.)

4629 (1913). A Machine for Charging and Discharging
Gas Retorts and the like. H. E. Kew, 39, Kensington -
avenue, High-street North, Manor Park, E.—This invention
relates to apparatus for charging and discharging gas retorts
and the like, and comprises apparatus adapted to charge and
discharge simultaneously, and capable of use in modified
forms for charging only. The invention comprises a jointed
girder made up of two or more suitable lengths hinged
together in a manner to allow it to travel along a track
provided for it in the machine. The girder is fitted with a
rack to engage with a driving pinion, and is fitted with
push heads, which push the fuel into the retort, and are
automatically raised at the commencement of the return
stroke, and held in the raised position until the return stroke
is completed, when they are automatically lowered. A
shoot is moved to and from the retort with the girder a
sufficient distance to enter the mouth of the retort, the cor-
rect amount and time of such movement being secured by
an anchorage engaging with the girder or the machine as
necessary. To adapt the machine for use as a charger
only, the leading push head, which is made in one piece,
is omitted. Eig. 1 is an elevation of the complete appa-
ratus. The girder A comprises two lengths hinged together,
and is provided at the base with flanges to guide it along
the track B, which is a rail running along the coal shoot J.
The girder A is fitted with a lantern rack C, engaging with
the driving pinion D. Push heads E, made in two parts,
right and left hand, with flanges connected by cross bars
F, N, are placed on the girder A, the cross bars F passing
through holes in the girder A to form hinges, and the cross
bars N passing through slots in the girder A and through
slots in a long connecting bar 0. The coal is fed from the
hopper H by a push plate conveyor I, or a rotary drum,



down the shoot 8 into the shoot J, any loose coal which may
fall on to the lantern rack C falling through into the shoot
J. The shoot J is fitted with an anchorage K, engaging
with a slot R in the girder A, so that the shoot J moves
forward with the girder into the retort, until the bottom end
of K meets the stop 5, which turns the anchorage about
its pivot 10 on the shoot J into the slot 8, the shoot J being
thus held in the retort mouth until the end of the girder A
engages the anchorage K at 4, raising it out of slot S into
slot R, so releasing the shoot J and carrying it back. The
back length of the girder A is fitted with two side runner
wheels L, to run along the track M, which is formed with
two channels running from a vertical to a horizontal posi-
tion. The girder A is driven into the retort by the pinion
D, and pushes the coke in front of it, the coal being dropped
at the same time into the shoot J, the push heads E pushing
it along the retort; when the required charge is dropped, the
conveyor I is stopped as by a tappet pin on the girder coming
into contact with a clutch lever. The girder continues its
forward movement until it reaches its destination. At this
point the trip lever P is just clear of the track B; as the
girder A is drawn back the trip lever engages with the end
of the track B is turned about its pivot 9 in the girder, and
by engagement between a pin on P and a slot in the bar 0,
the bar is moved to the left in the fig., raising all the push
heads E and U. As the leading length of girder A returns
from the retort its end engages the trip lever Q at 1, and
rotates it about its pivot until it engages the pin T on the
connecting bar 0, and moves the connecting bar to the right
in the fig. to lower the push heads E on the leading length
of the girder A. The push heads on the back length of the
girder A are lowered as the ends of the two lengths come
into contact on the forward stroke; this engagement moves
the connecting bar on this length to the right, lowering the
push heads. The machine is placed on a suitable carrying
frame, and is travelled along in front of the retorts, and
placed in front of the retort to be charged. (Six claims.)

12979 (1913). Improvements in the Manufacture and
Production of Ammonium Sulphate. J. Y. Johnson, of 47,
Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, communicated from abroad
by the Badische Anilin and Soda Fabrick, of Ludwigshafen -
on-Rhine, Germany.—The correspondents have found that
the oxidation of ammonium sulphite in the form of solution
can be carried out easily and rapidly by treating the solution
with oxygen, e.g., with practically pure oxygen, or air in
the presence of a solid porous body, which is capable of
acting as an oxygen carrier while maintaining the solution
alkaline with ammonia. As examples of suitable oxygen
carriers we mentioned charcoal, fireclay, pumice, ferric
oxide and manganese dioxide; mixtures can also be
employed, for instance the porous oxygen carrier may contain
platinum, manganese compound, iron compounds, or cerium
compounds, and it is possible according to the invention to
employ in the solid porous state oxygen carriers or catalysts
even if they are soluble in acid. The oxidation herein
referred to is preferably carried out at a raised temperature
and, if desired, the production of the solution and its oxida-
tion can be carried out in the same apparatus. The
ammonium sulphite solution can also contain some solid
ammonium sulphite, which latter during the oxidation
gradually goes into solution and then becomes oxidised. A
simple method of maintaining the solution alkaline is to add
ammonia repeatedly or continually. The process according
to the invention readily permits of the production of
saturated or even of supersaturated solutions of ammonium
sulphate, from which the solid sulphate then separates out in
a pure state. It is often advantageous to carry out the

process according to the present invention under increased
pressure, since the reaction then proceeds even more rapidly,
and complete oxidation can be obtained in a very short time
when using oxygen or even air as the oxidising agent.
(Three claims.)

20746 (1913). Improvements in or relating to Pit Bottom
Decking Plant for Collieries and the like. NV. J. B. Leech,
Shepperton, Thornfield-road, West Park, Headingley,
Leeds; and the Rother Vale Collieries Limited, Treeton,
near Rotherham.—This invention relates to improvements
in connection with pit bottom decking plant, or under-
ground cage loading and unloading plant, for collieries and
the like. In the specification of a prior patent, No. 20755.,
dated September 11, 1912, is described a pithead decking
plant, having the usual decked tub lifts and drop cages, in
which the full tubs are discharged from either of the cages,
and the empty tubs are simultaneously loaded into the same
cage by means of a compressed air or other fluid pressure
ram apparatus arranged in front of each set of tub lifts, and
adapted to be put into motion for its working stroke by the
attendant, and to have an automatic return movement inde-
pendent of the attendant. The present invention consists
in a modification of this prior invention, whereby compressed
air or other fluid pressure ram apparatus of the type
described in the said prior specification may be adapted for
discharging the empty tubs from either of the cages, and
simultaneously loading the full tubs into the same cage at
the bit bottom, where space is comparatively limited, and
where tub lifts and drop cages are not employed. Fig. 1 is
a front elevation, showing the general arrangement of a pit
bottom decking plant having the present improvements
applied. According to the present invention a single ram
apparatus A and carriage B is mounted between the two sets
of tub rails C C. The carriage B runs on an intermediate
track D at the lower level E, parallel to the tub rails, and

extends upwards through a central longitudinal gap in the
upper deck or decks F, where it is supported by side guide
wheels G running in angle guides H fitted in the sides of
the gap. The carriage B is fitted in front with a series of
counter-balanced rocking push levers I, one for each deck,
these levers I being mounted on horizontal shafts J, which are
geared together (for instance, by vertical shaft K, and worm
gearing L) so as to be capable of simultaneous rotation by
means of a suitably placed controlling wheel M on the
carriage. The rocking push levers I remain normally in
an upright position so as to be clear of both sets of tub
rails C C, but they are adapted to be simultaneously swung
over either to the right or to the left, so that each rocking
push lever I projects over the track at its respective level in
readiness for engagement with the loaded tubs N on that
particular track. By this means the decked cages O arriv-
ing alternately at the pit bottom can be discharged of their
empty tubs, and simultaneously loaded with the full tubs
N. The carriage B may be fitted with a suitable automatic
stop P, released by the operator, and the full tubs N may
be controlled by the usual automatic stop (not shown),
actuated by the cage. (Two claims.)

26395 (1913). A New or Improved Checking Device, pre-
ferably for use in Coal Mines, for Checking the Number of
Corves or Tubs of Coal Delivered by the Miner, or for other

analogous purposes. E. Nack’s Nachfolger, Kattowitz O/S.
Germany.—This invention relates to a new or improved
checking device intended to supersede the method at present

(Continued on page 164).