1292

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

December 18, 1914

rolling snowball, and the dust and the moistening proceed
alternately until the desired size is obtained. The accom-
panying drawing is a sectional elevation of the apparatus
which is used to carry out the process. (Two claims.)

11582 (1914). Improvements in and Relating to Explo-
sive Compounds. F. R. Burrows and J. G. Burrows, both
of 6, Center-street, Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada.—Relates
to explosive compounds of the kind comprising paraffin wax,
trinitrotoluol, aluminium, an alkaline nitrate, and per-
chlorate of ammonia. The explosive compound consists
essentially of the following ingredients, to wit :—Per-
chlorate of ammonia, 6 parts; potassium nitrate, 56 parts;
aluminium (30 mesh “water cooled’’), 18 parts; alpha
trinitrotoluene C6H2(NO2)3.CH3, 18 parts; pure paraffin wax,
2 parts. The ingredients are mixed in an ordinary incor-
porating mill, the potassium nitrate being first introduced
and kept in action for a period of about 30 minutes to effect
its reduction to a desired degree, after which the powdered
toluol and perchlorate of ammonia are introduced, the mass
agitated for a further period of 20 minutes, and the
aluminium and wax then successively introduced and the
mixture agitated and stirred for like periods at each succes-
sive stage of introduction. From the mill the compound
thus prepared is then passed on to a sifter consisting of a
revoluble screen drum having a discharge aperture covered
by a fine wire mesh cloth, through which the powder dis-
charges as the drum revolves. A number of brass and other
balls are placed in this drum to break up all hard lumps
and to disintegrate all the material to the desired degree.
The powder is then filled into paper cartridge cases by a
filling machine, and the cases folded and dipped in melted
paraffin, when the explosive in the form of cartridges is
then ready for use. This explosive compound possesses
great explosive power, is non-freezing, and consequently the
dangers experienced in the operations of thawing-out other
explosives is avoided, and it is also absolutely safe from
explosion by attrition or friction, or by fire, or by blows or
concussion from tools or the like. It does not give off any
injurious gases, as all gases are consumed in the explosive
action, may be manufactured with absolute safety at all
times, may be used in either wet or dry holes, and will
explode only by detonation, using a detonator of suitable
strength. It may be simply and cheaply manufactured,
allows holes to be charged and mis-fires to be treated without
risk, and, since it is not exploded by heat, a borehole may
be charged thereby without danger and without the neces-
sity o£ waiting until the bore is cooled. The alpha trinitro-
toluene, C6H2(NO2)3CH3, commonly known commercially as
either tolite,' trilite, trinol, or trotyl, employed in the com-
position, is a product of the distillation of so-called liquid
trinitrotoluol of commerce, and has been found superior in
every respect to the so-called liquid toluol in a composition of
this character, as it has certain properties which the said
liquid does not possess. The water cooled process aluminium
employed in this improved explosive compound is prepared
by pouring the molten metal on to a rapidly revolving wheel
which dashes, it in a spray into cold water. This process
produces large particles of granules, and gives the cooled
particles or granules very sharp points or edges, which
render the material susceptible to rapid ignition and com-
bustion. (One claim.)

25335 (1913). Improved Earthing and Bonding. Clip. J.
H. Powell, Edgecroft, Macclesfield-road, Alderley Edge,
Cheshire.—Refers to a metal clip supplied with a twin
washer for receiving an earth wire, and capable of being
quickly and accurately fitted to the various sizes of metallic
pipes in an electrical conduit system. The invention con-
sists of two elongated eye pieces stamped out of soft copper
or other suitable metal, which are made extensible by means
of lugs or arms for one part, and a sliding graduated piece
for the other part. The graduations on long part are so
arranged that when doubled over the lugs at the desired
distances, as shown in fig. 1, a metal strip is formed of the
exact length required, and this can without any further
adjustment be fitted to the metallic pipes. For example,
fig. 1 shows the graduated piece doubled over the lugs so as
to form a strip to fit in. pipe. The metal strip is bent

A

D

‘/t-

■5/s-

A

by hand round the metallic pipe as shown in figs. 2 and 3,
and is held in position by means of a nut and screw passing
through holes in the copper strip, and strengthened by two
specially shaped washers. The tongued clamping washer D
is fitted to engage the twin terminal washer C, giving a
parallel motion to the nut, and so pinching the strip at the
points A B when the nut is tightened up. The tongued
clamping washer also prevents the end of the copper strip
from canting inwards, so that the more tightly the nut is
screwed up, the greater the pressure at A B, and by which
means the strip is tightened round the pipe. The earth wire
is attached to the clip by means of the twin terminal washer,
the wire being placed between the lips of the washer, and
then bent round the screw or bolt, and when firmly screwed
up to position the wire is held tightly between the lips of
the terminal washer. (Two claims.)

26001 (1913). Improvements in or Relating to Apparatus
for Indicating the Presence and Estimating the Proportion
of a Gas Admixed with Air or Other Gases. H. R. Webster,
of The Oaks, Horsforth, near Leeds, Yorkshire.—Relates to
that type of apparatus which comprises a porous vessel, the
open end of which is closed by a diaphragm, preferably of
thin metal or other suitable material. If made of electric-
ally non-conducting material, the diaphragm is provided
with a metal contact piece, and the latter, or the metal
diaphragm, as the case may be, is electrically connected
with one terminal of a battery, which forms part of the
apparatus. When the apparatus is brought into an atmo-
sphere containing firedamp or other gases lighter than air,
the firedamp or gas passes through the walls of the porous
vessel more rapidly than the corresponding quantity of air

escapes from the vessel. An excess pressure is thereby pro-
duced inside the vessel, which distends or pushes out the
diaphragm. The end of a screwed metal rod is situated
immediately above or below the centre of the diaphragm,
according to the position of the porous pot below or above
the rest of the apparatus, and can be rotated so as to adjust
its distance from the diaphragm, that is, the distance
through which the centre of the diaphragm must move to
come into contact with the end of the rod. The screw is
usually adjusted so as to give an indication when the pro-
portion of gas is well below that necessary to give an
explosive mixture. It may be that the proportion of gas is
above or below that for which the adjustment is made,
and in order to ascertain this, the end of the rod is provided
with a head or micrometer device, having marks indicating
the amounts by which the end of the screwed rod is distant
from the diaphragm, which by previous tests have been
ascertained to correspond to certain proportions of the gas
to air; and preferably the marks are made to indicate such
proportions and not the amount of distension due to such
proportions. The apparatus is temporarily brought into the
purer atmosphere for the short length of time required to
restore the balance of pressure, and to allow the diaphragm
to resume its normal position. The metal rod is screwed
back to a mark beyond that which would indicate the
maximum proportion (100 per cent.) of gas possible in the
atmosphere surrounding the apparatus, and is then slowly
screwed down until contact is made, and indicated by the
lighting up of the lamp; when the turning of the screw is
immediately stopped and the proper proportion can be at
once read off. As after standing a short time, the con-
tinuance of the diffusion produces equilibrium of pressure
on both sides of the diaphragm, and the latter draws back

fl

FI&.2.

into its normal position, breaking the contact between the
diaphragm and the rod, and putting out the light or stopping
other indication whether visual or audible, it may readily
happen that the indication or warning is not observed during
such time, and the lamp when observed is giving no indi-
cation, though surrounded by a dangerous or explosive atmo-
sphere. The object of the invention is to avoid this serious
defect by causing the light or other indication to continue
after such equilibrium is established, until stopped by the
observer or other person duly appointed. According to the
invention an electro-magnet, energised by the current from
the battery, is provided, so as to hold the diaphragm in
contact with the rod, and thus keep the light or bell going
until attention has been drawn to the indication, and the
circuit broken by the person taking down the apparatus
moving a switch provided for the purpose. Or the magnet
may be utilised to make and retain connection to an auxiliary
or shunt circuit to. continue the indication after the
diaphragm has resumed its normal position. This object has
been attained by means of a release device, operated by
means, of an electro-magnet energised by the current from
the battery, said device releasing a gravity pulled contact
piece, so as to allow the latter to fall between two other
contact pieces, and to make electrical connection between the
latter, so as to keep a circuit passing through the lamp
closed. A gravity actuated device, however, only acts in
one position, or approximately in one position. Where the
diaphragm is of rubber or other non-conducting material, or
where the rod is not placed centrally over the diaphragm,
a lever, or an arrangement of levers, or other mechanism,
may be used for making the connection between the dis-
tended diaphragm and the end of the rod. Also the elec-
trical connection may be made by utilising the pressure
to raise a mercury column, the U mercury tube having legs
of different diameters to increase the sensitiveness of the
apparatus. For indicating and estimating the presence and
amount of gas in a mixture of gases, the apparatus with the
mixture inside the porous vessel is introduced into a vessel
containing the gas, or the gas may be inside the porous
vessel, and the apparatus introduced into a vessel contain-
ing the mixture. If the gas is such that diffusion takes
place outwards, so as to cause the diaphragm to sink
inwards, it is merely necessary to connect one end of a lever
to the centre of the diaphragm, the movement inwards bring-
ing the other end of the lever into contact with the screwed
rod. Or the attachment to the centre of the diaphragm may
be bent downwards, and then turned upwards, so as to come
in contact with the under side of a collar formed on the end
of the rod. The rod may be permanently fixed and not
screwed, where the presence merely and not the proportion
of the gas is to be ascertained. Fig. 1 is a vertical section
of a diffusion gas detector constructed in accordance with
this invention, and fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation
of the primary and shunt circuits in the apparatus. (Four
claims.)

27806 (1913). Improvements in Apparatus for Coaling
Ships. J. Scott, of 3, Knowsley-road, Bootle, Lancashire.
—Relates to apparatus for coaling ships, and is especially
applicable to large ships, such as Atlantic liners, in which a
comparatively large quantity of coal has to be taken aboard,
either in dock or harbour from barges through numerous,
coaling ports; and the object of the invention is to provide
power-driven apparatus carried from one of the upper decks
by which coal can be transferred from the barges to the
several coaling ports simultaneously by means of a series
of tipping buckets or the like adapted to be hoisted by means
of hoisting drums carried on fore and aft power operated
sectional line shafts, arranged preferably one on each side
of the ship, the gear being wholly or in part of a portable
character so that any portions which may interfere with the
working of the ship can, when not required, be stowed
away either on board ship, where each ship is fitted with the
complete outfit, or on shore, to be available for more ships

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than one. The coaling ports of ships of the class to which
the invention is applicable are arranged in a fore and aft
series, and are usually located at a uniform height above
the water line; they are spaced horizontally to suit the coal
bunkers, and, according to the present invention, the coal
is raised from the barges in buckets, which in their elevated
position are adapted to discharge into the coaling ports either
by tipping over or by the release of shutters or doors forming
the bottom of the bucket. These buckets require to be
hoisted clear of the ship’s side from the barge level to the
coaling ports by simple and sturdy gear adapted to be
manipulated by unskilled labour under conditions which
obtain in dock or when the ship is at anchor in a choppy sea
in a tide way. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the
length of the ship, showing the coaling ports, the barges,
and the general arrangement of the hoisting gear; fig. 2 is
an end elevation of one side of the ship; fig. 3 is a side
elevation showing the details of construction of the shaft
fittings; figs. 4 and 5 are views of modified forms of hoist-
ing drums. (Six claims.)

NEW PATENTS CONNECTED WITH THE
COAL AND IRON TRADES.

Applications for Patents.

23632 Railway and like hopper wagons. Metropolitan Car-
riage, Wagon and Finance Company Limited,
and W. H. Wigley.

23645. Semi-rotary wing pump for hand or power. W. G.
Boonzaier, and Boonzaiers Limited.

23669. Direct reduction of iron ores. C. A. M. Bucklev, R.
C. V. Whitfield, and E. V. Clark.

23680. Combined solid fuel and gas burning stove. A. J.
Lindemann and A. J. Lindemann and Hoverson
Company.

23710. Capel for attachment to colliery winding or other
ropes. J. H. Ashton and A. Godfrey, senr.

23719. Commutators of electric motors. F. Scales.

23735. Raising water. J. C. Grant and A. Jarvis.

23736. Supports for mine roofs. A. F. Ericsson.

23743. Signalling systems particularly adapted for mine
signalling. R. Lambourne.

23749. Protective arrangements for electrical systems. J.

F.	Watson, E. G. Waters, and Callender’s Cable
and Construction Company Limited.

23778. Electric thermostats. G. Wilkinson.

23799. Process for rendering iron and steel surfaces incor-
rodible. S. O. Cowper-Coles.

23824. Mine signalling apparatus. J. J. Kenleyside and W.
Bottom.

23835. Portable lamps. E. A. Hailwood.

23858. Miners’ safety lamps. W. Best.

23859. Automatic visual signal indicators for mine signal-
ling. S. Braddock and H. W. Pickles.

23872. Wet carbonisation. O. Soderlund, and Techno-
Chemical Laboratories Limited.

23894. Series-parallel controlling svstems for electric motors
and like apparatus. G. R. Radley.

23898. Adjustable counter sink for boring bits and the like.
A. Levinson.

23920. Apparatus for cancelling signals on pit signalling
mechanism. S. Chalmers, G. Black, and J.
Black.

23921. Signalling apparatus for use in mines. S. Chalmers,

G.	Black, and J. Black.

23945. Motors for jigging conveyors. T. J. Watson.

23955. Coal cutting machines. F. W. Hurd.

23978. Manufacture of railway or tramway rails. C. P.
Sandberg.

23979. Brakes for railway and like vehicles. W. Kissack.

23986. Steam generators. H. G. C. Fairweather. (Babccck
and Wilcox Company, U.S.A.)

(Continued on page 1294.)