510

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

March 5, 1915.

ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS
RECENTLY ACCEPTED.

1960 (1914). Improvements in and Relating to Valves
for Air Compressors. The British Thomson-Houston Com-
pany Limited, of 83, Cannon-street, London, E.C. (A
communication from the General Electric Company, of
Schenectady, New York, U.S.A.) —Relates to device's for
preventing an excessive pressure in a tank or .reservoir for
the storage of compressed air, and consists of an improved
pilot valve of the kind in which the fluid pressure acts
upon the rear of the valve, and when below a pre-determined
value holds it in the closed position. The fluid pressure
also acts upon a spring-pressed diaphragm, having a lost
motion connection with the valve, and exerts a force in a
direction tending to open the valve. As the reservoir

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pressure increases, its action on the larger surface of the
diaphragm reaches a point when it overcomes the combined
effect of the spring pressure and fluid pressure on the rear
of the valve, so that the valve leaves its seat, and, the
pressure on both sides of the valve being- equalised, the
reservoir pressure acting on the diaphragm now against the
spring only causes the valve to be opened quickly and fully.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the improved pilot
valve; fig. 2- is a longitudinal section of the unloading
valve which it controls ; fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of
the outlet valve of the compressor; and fig. 4 is a diagram
showing the connections of the various' elements of the
system. (Four claims.)

2063 (1914). Improvements in Electric Battery Lamps.
F. J. Turquand, of Albion House, New Oxford-street,
London, W.C.—Relates to improvements in electric battery
lamps. The lamp is of a kind such as is described in patent.
No. 18756/09, and in which a cylindrical vessel containing
the' accumulator is hermetically sealed by a cover which
serves as a mounting for the electric bulb, the latter being
protected by a superposed glass dome, which is retained
upon a rubber seating by the pressure of a plate or ring held
down by tie-rods. According to the present invention, the
miner’s electric lamp or the like is improved in the' switch
for turning the light on and off, which is so provided that
coal gas cannot penetrate into any parts where sparking may

occur through interruption of the current. The switch com-
prises an internally threaded rotary member and an exter-
nally threaded bulb holder, with which said rotary member
co-operates, so that rotation of the former causes the make
and break to occur only within a gastight enclosure. The
lamp is also provided, according to the invention, with a
gastight translucent enclosed chamber for the lamp bulb,
comprising a dome and means for keeping the edge of same
pressed down upon a resilient and gastight washer resting
upon the top of the aforesaid rotatable member. Fig. 1 is
an elevation; fig. 2 a vertical section; and fig. 3 a plan.
(Three claims.)

2247 (1914). Improvements in Keps for Pit Cages
and the like. E. A. Davies, of Frondeg, Church Village,
Llantwit Fardre, Glamorgan.—Relates to improvements in
keps for pit cages and the like, and its chief object is to
provide means for supporting the weight of pit cages and
the like when same are at rest at the top or bottom of pit
shafts, and which are capable of being withdrawn or
released from under the pit cage without the weight of
the latter being raised off the supporting member. Another
object is to arrange the apparatus so as to prevent lumps of
coal or dirt falling into the same, and making the appliance
hard or stiff to operate. The invention consists
essentially of an inclined plane, pivoted at one end on a
pin, and of a roller adapted to travel along the inclined
plane when the appliance is operated, the inclination of the
plane- being a varying one. Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation
of the keps, as when supporting the weight of the pit cage;
fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the keps after being with-

drawn or released; fig. 3 is a front elevation; figs.
4 and 5 are details. When the pit cage K approaches; the
keps in an upward direction, the tumbler arm A is knocked
upwards by the pit cage K, as indicated by chain dotted
lines in fig. 1, so that it travels through a part of a true
circle around the pin B (which has a fixed centre) and away
from the pit cage K, so as to allow of the latter passing
upwards beyond the keps. The tumbler arm A, however,
only travels around the pin B for a sufficient distance to
allow of the pit cage K passing upwards beyond the keps,
or above the tumbler arm A. After the pit cage K passes
upwards beyond the tumbler arm A, the latter falls back
to its normal position automatically by reason of its own

weight, and the pit cage K is then allowed to rest on top
of the tumbler arm A, as in fig. 1. To withdraw or
release the keps, the operation is as follows :—The keps
shaft E is caused partially to rotate by any suitable means.
The arm or arms F, carrying the wheel G, being fixed to
the keps shaft E, travels in an iipward and circular direc-
tion, with the keps shaft E as centre. . This .operation
allows the roller or wheel G to travel along the arm D,
which is also at the moment travelling in an upward ■ and
circular direction around the pin B as centre. The releasing
of the a-rm.D allows the tumbler arm A to move in a down-
ward and circular direction, away and clear of the. pit cage
K. After the pit cage K has descended below the keps^ the
keps shaft E is then caused to partially rotate in the reverse
direction, -and the arm D is pressed downwards by - the
wheel or roller G back to its normal position, the latter
operation brings the arm A back upwards to its normal
position by reason of the heel or stop L on arm D pressing
against the heel or stop J on arm A. (Five claims.)

2305 (1914). Improvements in Rock Drills. A. A.
Thornton,. of, Quality-court, Chancery-lane, London, W.C.
(Communicated by Cleveland Rock Drill Company, of Cleve-
land, Ohio, U.S.A.) — Relates to rock drills fitted with a
throttle valve wherein the hammer piston. is controlled by
an automatic fluid operated valve.. The invention has for
its primary objects the provision of improved means con-
trolled by the throttle valve whereby, the movement of the
hammer piston is stopped while permitting the drill rotating
mechanism. to continue its operation; the provision of
improved means, for stopping and starting the actuation of
the main controlling valve without, stopping the flow of -air
through the hollow drill steel; and the provision of improved

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means controlled by the throttle whereby the exhaust port
is closed, and all of the air supplied to the machine is
directed through the hollow drill steel when the operation
of the main controlling valve and the hammer piston is
stopped. In the embodiment of the invention described, the
intermittent rotation of the drill steel is -also controlled by
the pressure fluid acting on known reciprocating piston
mechanism, whereby this rotary step-by-step movement is
assured in a positive manner. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal
section, with the operating parts thereof in one position;
fig. 2 is a similar longitudinal section through a portion of
the machine, with the operating parts in another position;
fig. 3 is an' enlarged section through the machine at the
throttle valve; and figs. 4, 5, and 6 -are diagrammatic
sectional views through the throttle valve, showing it in .its
various positions. (Six claims.)

4696 (1914). Improvements in and Relating to Graders
for Coal, Coke, and the like. T. M. Allison, of 22, Ellison-
place, Newcastle-on-Tyn-e.—Essentially comprises a box, or
chamber, or cylinder, of suitable length, but preferably as
short as possible, which box or chamber is preferably of

square shape in cross section, and which is perforated
entirely or iii parts only, and is made up in the usual way
of a number of portions or sections having different sizes
of mesh on the outside, which meshes are small at the inlet
end, and increase in size as they approach the outlet. This
box or chamber is provided with a central floor or floors
running diagonally, or parallel to the sides, or at an angle
to them, which angle may be altered if desired. This floor
or floors is or are perforated, or of perforated material, or
they may be partially perforated and partially solid, or solid,
and they may be flat or curved, and either continuous or in
sections, or they may be straight or staggered, i.e., the floors
in each succeeding section of different mesh need not be in
alignment with those of the sections adjacent thereto. These
arrangements may be an advantage for treating some kinds
of material, and a machine may be made to receive and
operate with either curved or flat floors, or some flat and
some curved. On these floors, on either side or on one side
only, are fixed propeller plates, or gills of suitable shape,
which also may be perforated, or partially perforated and
partially solid, and which may also be placed on the inside
walls of the chamber itself, if desired, but it is not a feature
of this invention that such blades or plates should be
attached to the inner face of the barrel, as this is a well-

known and usual feature with machines of this type. These
propeller plates or gills are set at a suitable angle, so as to
propel the material forward, and may be fixed or detachable,
or so mounted as to be capable of being turned to various
anglesj either separately or together, in which latter case
the turning may be carried out by means of a lever or bar.
running the length of the chamber, and they may also be in
regular or irregular positions, i.e., in curves, straight lines,
or staggered. In addition to the aforesaid propeller plates
or gills, teeth, plough points, brushes, or other devices
which are smaller than the aforesaid plates or gills, may
be fixed which serve to break up or separate the material
under treatment, and render the grading more efficient.
The chamber is mounted on an axis, preferably horizontal
and central, on which it may be turned easily, and at one
end—the inlet end—is provided with a surrounding trough
portion, either in one with or separate from the main-
chamber, and revolvable or fixed, which receives the material
to be treated. The accompanying drawing is a view in
perspective of the complete grader looking towards the
discharging end. (Three claims.)

• 20386 (1914). Improvements in or Applicable to Miners'
Safety Lamps. J. Prestwich, of Elm Bank, 172, Eccles Old-
road, Eccles,. Lancashire.—Relates to improvements in the
class of miners ’ safety lamps in which is an oil reservoir that
is screwed on or otherwise secured to a base plate, a glass
cylinder on said base, an upper ring supported on pillars
screwed into or otherwise secured to the base plate or to the
reservoir, one .or more gauze cylinders resting on the glass
cylinder and protected by a bonnet, which is locked by a

bolt pushed up when the oil reservoir is screwed or secured
otherwise to the base'plate, and engaging with a notched
ring within the base of the bonnet. The invention consists
in means for rigidly securing the glass cylinder and the
gauze cylinder or cylinders in the lamp independently of the
bonn-dt or hood, and for ascertaining, without requiring the
lamp to be opened, if or whether two or more gauze cylinders
have been placed in the lamp. Fig. 1 is a side view; fig. 2
is a transverse section of the same; and fig. 3 is a plan.
(Three claims.)

12789 (1914). Rope Lifter for Haulage Systems in
Mines. T. M. Lister,' No. 11, East-street, Grange Villa,
Co. Durham.—This rope lifter lifts the rope out of the full
way into the empty way ready for the empty set of tubs to
go up the incline. These inclines rise at the rate of 6 in.
to> the yard, and this makes it very heavy for boys to travel
up and down to move the rope by hand. Figs. 1, 2, and 3
show the lifter fitted to a tub. The lifter consists of an iron