1242 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. December 11, 19)4. U.S.A.—Relates to apparatus of that kind in which the material is pulverised and afterwards sorted pneumatically, the larger particles being passed back to the pulverising machinery for re-pulverising, and the finer being passed to collecting receptacles. The invention also comprises a novel form of sorter for use in such apparatus. Fig. 1 is a front view of the complete apparatus; fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the sorter drawn to a larger scale than fig. 1. The operation of the apparatus is as follows :—Coal is fed into the hopper 12 of the grinding machine, where it is more or less completely reduced to powder. The finely - ground and powdered coal passes through the chute 13, and is picked up by the current of air entering the blower 16 through the inlet duct 15, and discharged into the dust collector 19. The quantity of air circulating through the blower and the air pressure in the dust collector can be controlled by means of the damper 27. This damper should be set so that there will be a slight quantity of air drawn into the pipe 14 through the hopper 12. From the dust collector 19 the heavier particles of coal and most of the fine dust are discharged through the pipe 28 into the top of the chamber 32 in the sorter. A small proportion of the fine dust is carried along with the air exhausted from the dust collector, but most of this fine dust is dropped in the expansion space 25 above the air discharge 20, and finds its way ultimately through the dust collector and into the top of the chamber 32. Any very fine dust which may be carried through the fabric 24 to the pipe 14 will go through A . / / Id5 the above-described cycle a second time. Very little coal dust will escape into the atmosphere through the fabric 23, for the reason that the pressure within the space 25 is approxi- mately that of the atmosphere, and there is no strong current of air passing out through the fabric 23. The slides 50 are partly opened to allow streams of air from the casing 59 to enter the chamber 32 below the deflector plates 35. These air streams carry the finer particles of coal through the openings 37 in the partition into the chamber 33. The stronger the air currents passing beneath the deflector plates the larger will be the coal particles carried into the chamber 33. The heavier particles of coal fall to the bottom of the chamber 32, and are discharged through the chute 75 into the hopper of the grinding machine to be re-ground. The strength of the air current passing beneath the deflector plates in the chamber 32 is regulated by adjusting the slides 50 to give the requisite opening. The doors 39 are adjusted to pass a greater quantity of air than the slides 50, so that some air will be drawn into the chamber 32 through the pipe 28 and chute 75. The greater part of the fine coal dust drawn through the openings 37 in the partition into the chamber 33 is dropped in the chamber 33 and is discharged through the chute 76 into the receptacle or bin 77. The very finest powder, however, is carried in suspension in the stream of air leaving the chamber 33 through the fan 64, and into the dust collector 67, whence it is discharged through a chute 78 into the receptacle or bin 79. (Four claims.) 28117 (1913). Improvements in Skips for Conveying and Discharging Coal, Coke, and the like. Robert Dempster and Sons Limited, of Rose Mount Ironworks, Eiland, York- shire, and W. Mitton, of the same place.—Relates to skips for conveying and discharging coal, coke, and the like, of the type in which the outlet doors are adapted to be closed by gravity, and to be opened by the weight of the material carried. The skip, according to the invention, is shaped like a vase pf rectangular plan, the doors conforming to this shape. The point of suspension of each door is therefore inside the plane of the door, and preferably is about verti- cally over the centre of gravity of the door when the skip is empty and door closed. When the skip is loaded the f£ 6 o o o weight of the material pressing on the inclined inner sur- face of the door tends to open the door on the release of the catch, the first motion of the door and coke in contact with it having a downward trend, which reduces to a minimum the friction between the door and the outflowing coke. When the doors are fully opened another part of the catch comes into operation and keeps them open. The catch mechanism comprises a rocking bar or lever connected to the doors by levers or links, and a pivoted locking arm controlling this locking bar in such manner that by the simple movements of the locking bar the doors can be allowed to open, locked open, allowed to close, and locked in the closed position. The annexed drawing illustrates an exemplification of the use thereof. (Two claims.) NEW PATENTS CONNECTED WITH THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Applications for Patents. 23269. Process for the manufacture of metallic tungsten and its alloys. J. C. Butterfield. 23270. Tell-tale appliances for indicating signals from pit bottoms or pit heads and the like. R. B. Brodie and A. Alison. 23276. Method of and means for moving vehicles and deposit- ing material in large accumulators or bings. W. L. Hamilton. 23286. Integral superheater for steam boiler. J. W. McLeod. 23303. Method of lubricating the clay column of brick making machines. G. A. Hodson. » 23304. Exhaust steam passages from steam turbines. Con- traflo Condenser and Kinetic Air Pump Com- pany Limited, and C. F. Higgins. 23305. Automatic coupling devices. P. Boucher and J. B. Boucher. 23329. Circular seatings for Lancashire boilers. M. E. Whitehead. 23330. Method of and device for coupling or uncoupling railway wagons and the like without alteration to the existing couplings. W. Horne and W. Morgan. 23336. Safeguard shunting apparatus. T. Powell. 23342. Axle boxes for railway vehicles. C. H. Woodhead, A. G. Elliott, and M. W. Middleton. 23353. Safety shackle for underground trams. S. ’Hale. 23371. Steam actuating and distributing valves for direct acting pumps. G. and J. Weir Limited, and W. Weir. 23372. Construction of winches, windlasses, and the like, and method of mounting same in their frames. J. Wigham. 23376. Manufacture of drying oils from products of distil- lation of mineral oils. Bataafsche Petroleum Maatschappij. 23406. Air compressors. G. Barr. 23408. Hoisting mechanism. Robert Dempster and Sons Limited, and W. Hargreaves. 23434. Valve gear for rock drilling and like machines. W. C. Stephens. 23436. Internal combustion engines consuming normally solid or semi-solid fuel. A. G. Bloxam. (Gas- motoren Fabrik Deutz, Germany.) 23455. Production of tin-plates and tin-plate substitutes by electrolysis. S. O. Cowper-Coles. 23460. Apparatus for purifying gas. W. Climie, junr. 23476. Explosives. B. J. Flurscheim. 23485. Secondary batteries or accumulators. J. C. A. Ward and Richard Pape Limited. 23516. Utilising waste products from locomotives and the like. J. S. Bean and H. Nash. 23531. Method of securing blades in the rotor of turbines and the like. E. C. R. Marks. (Terry Steam Turbine Company, U.S.A.) 23538. Elevated ropeways. J. P. Roe. 23546. Vessels and method of unloading cargo therefrom. J. Reid. 23550. Audible and visual indicators. J. J. C. Allison and J. Waller. 23556. Signalling apparatus for use in mines. J. Paton. 23573. Mechanical underfeed stokers. Erith’s Engineering Company Limited., and C. Erith. 23575. Manufacture of sulpho-benzoic and benzoic acids. A. Heinemann. Complete Specifications Accepted. (To be published on December 24.) 1913. 19391. Process for the treatment of heavy hydrocarbon oils. Myers. 26210. Weighing machines. Henry Pooley and Son Limited and Dobson. 26257. Apparatus applicable as a pump or compressor, blower, exhauster, and meter. Pew and French. 26574. Grab. Bull. 26756. Process of desulphurising sulphur-bearing shale oils. Hall. 27282. Turbines. Parker. 27709. Signalling apparatus employed in connection with the winding engines of mines and other works. Bayley and Froggatt. 27854. Multiple bearings and derrick sheaves and the like. Perkins, and Perkins-Macintosh Petroleum Tool •and Boring Company. 27855. Means for lubricating the axles of colliery wagons and the like. Jones. 27922. Producer gas and power installations. Lymn. 27931. Combined pitot and static pressure tubes. Ogilvie. 28015. Generation of steam from the heat contained in slags. Vautin. 28251. Toothed gear wheels. British Ingulated and Helsby Cables Limited, and Tennant. 28440. Production of pure iron, pure iron alloys, and phos- phorised pure iron and iron alloys. Carnahan. • 29662. Electric switches. British Thomson-Houston Com- pany. (General Electric Company, U.S.A.) 29822. Electric switches. Ellison and Jones. 29984. Electrical distribution systems. British Thomson- Houston Company, Whitcher and Wedmore. 1914. 182. Manufacture of wheels for wagons and other like vehicles. Brindley. 570. Electric induction furnaces. Harden. 1398. Manufacture of spring driving wheels for the trans- mission of power by chains, belts, or the like means and by spur gearing. Renold, and Hans Renold Limited. 1671. Locomotive boiler furnaces. Anderberg. 1690. Shackles for use with colliery and other trucks. Noel. 1731. Furnace bridges for internally fired steam boilers and the like furnaces. Hailwood. 3363. Heating of coke ovens, gas retorts, or the like. Woodall. 3465. Steam or gas turbines. Soc. Anon, pour 1’Exploita- tion des Precedes Westinghouse-Leblanc. 4816. Dust distributing truck for collieries. Allday, Collins, and Lyon. 5306. Construction of pump, motor, or like apparatus. Carey. 10284. Coke ovens. Summers. 14234. Apparatus for crushing ore or the like. Easton. 14369. Governing mechanism for rotary compressors and pumps. Akt.-Ges. der Maschinen-fabriken Escher, Wyss et Cie. 14784. Grinding or crushing machine. Fasting. 15398. Turbines. Hauer. 16243. Brakes for colliery trams and other vehicles. Sullivan. 22050. Toothed gear wheels. British Insulated and Helsby Cables Limited, and Tennant. Complete Specifications Open to Public Inspection Before Acceptance. 1914. 18502. Electrical switches. Siemens Schuckentwerke Ges. 22426. Boiler. Emmet. 23074. Power systems. Emmet. CAPTURING ENEMY PATENTS. List of British Patents which have been granted in favour of residents of Germany, Austria, or Hungary, specially compiled for the Colliery Guardian by Lewis Wm. Goold, chartered patent agent, 5, Corporation-street, Birmingham. Furnished in view of the new Patents Acts, which empower the Board of Trade to confer upon British subjects the right to manufacture under enemy patents. 11737/11. Prospecting. The presence and position of veins of metallic ore or subterranean water levels is indicated by means of the reflection of electric waves from the ore or water, the waves being transmitted from and received by antennae, which are adjustably inclined in opposite directions. H. Lowy and G. teimbach, Ger- many. (Dated May 14, 1910.) 15200/11. Percussive tools. The rotation of the tool in boring or like hammers is effected exclusively by helical grooves on the piston rod, which engage with corresponding grooves on the tool holder. The tool holder is prevented from rotating in one direction by pawls. R. Meyer Akt.-Ges. fur Maschinen und Bergbau, Germany. (Dated Nov. 9, 1910.) 15297/11. Sluice gates. A sluice gate is operated by utilising the pressure of the head water. J. C. Nyholm, Germany. 15447/11. Miners’ electric lamps. A miner’s lamp is sup- plied by two dry cells at different stages of exhaustion, connected in series, one fresh cell and one half exhausted being provided at the commencement of each working period. The variation of the available electro-motive force is thus reduced. Chemische Fabrik Gries- heim-Elektron, Germany. (Dated August 2, 1910.) 15796/11. Steam generators; water tube boilers. L. Stein- muller, Germany. 16433/11. Preserving wood. Farbenfabriken vorm. F. Bayer und Company, Germany. 16436/11. Steam generators; water tube boilers. L. Stein- muller, Germany. 16465/11. Centrifugal fans. Allgemeine Elektricitats Ges., Berlin. (Dated July 18, 1910.) 16507/11. Miners’ and like breathing apparatus. In miners’ and like portable breathing apparatus the pipe leading to the hood is connected to the pipe from the oxygen cylinder by two or more tubes, each provided with a pressure reducing valve, which valves are so connected that at least one is opened as the other or others are closed. F. Wanz, Vienna. 16709/11. Coke ovens. In a horizontal coke oven having vertical heating flues, each outlet from a main supplying gas to the heating wall is regulated by a valve, of which the stem extends through the brickwork to the exterior. Dr. C. Otto and Co., Germany. (Dated August 8, 1910.) 16735/11. Mine props. Telescopic mine props, in which the upper members are supported by filling material, are provided with movable bases supporting the filling material, and retained in position by screws or the like. W. Deutsch, Germany. 16781/11. Refuse consuming furnaces. O. Uhde, Germany. 16865/11. Furnace hoists. A. Frank, and Deutsche Maschinenfabrik Akt.-Ges., Germany. *** Copies of any of the above specifications can be supplied at the price of Is. post free. Application to Avoid or Suspend Patents or Licences. No. and year of patent. Grantee. Applicant. Date of hearing. 27415/11 Reinhard (props or stemples for mines) R. W. Lewis, trading as Edwin Lewis and Sons, Patent Tube Works, Monmore Green, Wolver- hampton. Dec. 17 PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. The “ Mechanical World ” Electrical Pocket Book for 1915. Manchester : Emmott and Company Limited. Price 6d. “ Proceedings of the Staffordshire Iron and Steel Institute,” session 1913-14 (Vol. 29); ‘‘Iowa Engineer” ?Vol. 15, No. 2), November; ‘‘The Journal of the South African Institute of Engineers ” (Vol. 13, No. 4), Novemoer, price 2s.; ‘‘Cassier’s Engineering Monthly ’ ; Vol. 46, No. 6), December, price Is. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. *#* Any of the following publications may be obtained on application to this office at the price named post free. REPORT ON EXPLOSION AT THE WHARNCLIFFE ‘SILKSTONE COLLIERY, NEAR BARNSLEY. By S. Pope and T. H. Mottram. (Cd. 7720). 6|d. Acts, 1914 : Finance (Session 2), 2d.; Trading with the Enemy (Session 2), 2|d.; Great Northern Railway, 4s. 7d. Trade and Consular Reports : Cyprus, 1913-14, 4d.; Jamaica, 1913-14, 4d.; Ashanti, 1913, 4d. Board of Education Statistics, England and Wales, Part 1, 1912-13, Is. 9d. Friendly Societies Annual Return Form, No. 5, 2|d.