620 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. March 19, 1915. 13036 (1914). Improvements in Valves. R. Kilburn and J. Hopkinson and Company Limited, Britannia Works, Huddersfield, Yorkshire.—Relates to valves of the kind in which the valve body is made from a solid block of metal, cut, for example, from a solid rod or bar. According to the invention, the bridge through which the valve spindle screws is carried by pillars conveniently made in the form of eye- bolts. These eye-bolts may be connected to the valve block or body in various ways, for example, by a chain passed roiind the valve body, or by the bolts that connect the valve body to the pipe flanges. Preferably two pillars are used, the eye end of one being received and fitted in a recess in one end or face of the valve body, and that of the other being received and fitted in a similar recess in the other end or face of the valve body. There may be four or more bolts used for connecting the valve body to the pipes, and the recesses above referred to in the ends of the blocks are arranged, one of them co-axial with one of the bolt holes, jb! 3^ 0 3- M -/v E P-4 JT- X I ----rvs' and the other co-axial with another of the bolt holes, so that the bridge 'supported by the pillars lies diagonally across the valve body. The stuffing box through which the valve spindle works comprises in one form of it a box fitting in the valve chamber, and resting on a shoulder in said chamber. Said box is formed with flanges, through which the bridge pillars pass, and is held down by nuts on the bridge pillars 'Screwed down on the flanges of the box. The gland of the stuffing box is adjusted by separate studs and nuts carried by the stuffing box. In a modified construction the stuffing box is screwed into the valve chamber, and the gland is formed with flanges through which the bridge pillars pass, and is tightened or adjusted by nuts on said pillars. The above constructional arrangements are made feasible by ■ reason of the valve body or block being made in so short a form. Pig. 1 is a horizontal section on the line X—X, fig. 2; fig. 2 is a section on the line Y—Y, fig. 1; fig. 3 is a section on line Z—Z, fig. 1, showing one form of the improved valve; fig. 4 is a face view; and fig. 5 is a section on the line 4—4, fig. 4, showing the valve body separately. (Three claims.) 19523 (1914). A Pit Prop, or Support for the Roof and Sides in Mining, Tunnelling, Trenching, and the like Exca- vatory Processes G-. Morris, Elmfields, Mansfield-road, Warsop, Nottinghamshire, and L. H. Langrick, The Rocks, FIG. 15. FlC.IL FIG. If Warsop Vale, near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire—Is of the class of props or supports consisting mainly of iron, steel, or the like suitable metal, together with a timber plug or plugs as the case may require. The main column A con- sists of a metal tube, either cylindrical throughout or tapered at one end, or of a gradual taper throughout, the cross section being circular. Glands or collars B of iron, steel, or the like suitable metal, are employed to fit into or on the end or ends of the main column as the case requires. The glands are either made in one whole piece or in two halves, and are 'held in place by the flange of the gland coming in contact with and resting upon the main column. Where the glands are made up of two half glands, the halves are held together by means of metal rings H, or by bolts and nuts fitted into holes provided in the projections J on the half glands, and also through the flanges of the glands and main column where required. The body of the gland may either be cylindrical or a hollow truncated cone, to receive a plug of wood or the like suitable material C. Where a cylin- drical main column is used a gland and plug can be used at each end of the main column if required. Where one end of the main column is larger than the other end, as in the case of the column with one end tapered, and in the column which is tapered throughout, the gland and plug are to be used at the larger end. The main column Altogether with the gland or glands B and the plug or plugs G, as the case requires, fitted together as shown in’the drawings, constitute the prop or support invented. The use of the plug C, together with the gland B, is to form a gradually yielding resistance to the subsidence of the roof, or the crush of the sides of the excavation, as the case may be, so that the force is diverted from the main column and used up in forcing the plug further into the gland, thereby preventing the buckling up or breaking of the main column, and also preventing the support being forced up into the roof, or into the sides, as the case may be, the strata is not broken up, as in the case when rigid props or supports are used. When the plug C has been forced into the gland B as far as is desirable, the gland and plug can be lifted out of the main column, the plug taken out, and a fresh one put in its place, the gland and plug again inserted in the main column, the prop is then ready for further use. The taper of the main column where only one plug and gland are used, that is, when the main column is tapered at one end, or has a uniform taper throughout is to allow for the removal of the debris, which is forced up into the column on account of the metal end of the prop being in contact with the floor of the excavation. The debris is in a loose state, and not in a compact mass, thereby facilitating the removal from the inside of the main column after the prop has been used. The illustrations show, various forms. (Two claims.) NEW PATENTS CONNECTED WITH THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Applications for Patents. 3639. Turbines, turbo-compressors, and the like.. E. 0. Willis, legal representative of J. B. Willis. 3642. Apparatus for the automatic withdrawal of condensed steam from steam pipes and the like. W. B. Gibson. • 3668. Method and means for protecting apparatus on alter- nating current systems. A. G. Collis. 3674. Sheet metal piling. E. W. Swinner. 3675. Euel feeding apparatus. R. Niedergesaess. 3677. By-product recovery from gas producers and the like. N. Testrup, T. Rigby, and Wetcarbonizing Limited. 3679. Rail tie. B. J. Sheehe. 3705. Rock crushers. E. H. Moyle. 3710. Frames or racks for use in charging secondary electric batteries. J. G. Patterson. 3718. Turbine pump. V. H. Trevor. 3748. Miners’ safety lamps. E. A. Hailwood. 3774. Electric signalling apparatus. E. Walker. 3784. Pit props or the like. 0. C. F. Walton. 3786. Heat treatment of manganese steel. Manganese Steel Rail Company. 3792. Rolling mills. J. E. Fa well. 3800. Process for the manufacture of nitro compounds. H. Levinstein and J. Baddiley. 3804. Signalling apparatus for use in mines. J. Paton. -3812. Means or apparatus for quenching or cooling hot coke or other hot or incandescent substances. H. Blyth. 3815. Rotary screens for screening broken stone or other materials. D. T. Plant. 3820. Rotary pump. N. Tordoff and W. Slessor. 3821. Bending corrugated metal sheets at any angle across the corrugations. B. S. Weston. 3832. Axial flow steam or gas turbine. Akt.-Ges. der Maschinenfabriken Escher, Wyss et Cie. 3840. Apparatus for igniting miners’ safety lamps. R. Lambourne. 3841. Step by step signalling apparatus. Sterling Tele- phone and Electric Company Limited, F. G. Bell, - and FI. W. Barclay. 3874. Metal melting furnaces. I. Hall. 3907. Steam boilers. H. J. A. Bowers. 3953. Electric furnaces. E. K. Scott and F. Howies. 3992. Machinery for the transport of material. O. E. Richardson. 4002. Method of boring and charging with explosive long holes in clayey, water-logged, or other difficult soft ground. P. Rayner and G. Rayner. 4004. Valves and valve gear for percussive rock drills, tools, and the like. G. H. T. Rayner. 4005. Reversible rotary steam engine. G. H. Gregson. Complete Specifications Accepted. (To be published on April 1.) \ 1913. 29507. Explosive mixtures containing chlorates or per- chlorates. Marks. (Pela Campanhia Hima- layite.) 1914. 2985. Safety coupling for colliery tubs or trams. Rumsey. 3246. Pumps. Grayson. 3258. Grinding or crushing machinery. Moss. 6070. Electric switches or circuit breakers. Holt. 6088. Turbine plants. British Thomson-Houston Com- pany. (General Electric Company.) 6355. Coupling chains. Hine. 6388. Rotary apparatus suitable for use as engines, pumps, meters, and the like. Duncan. 6447. Process for the manufacture and production of a new explosive, and the new explosive and products comprising the same. Matthews. 6547. Conversion of heavy hydrocarbons into lighter hydro- carbons. Fenchelle and Perkin. 7391. Crushing, pulverising, and disintegrating apparatus. Mansfield. 8286. Safety devices for electrical winding mechanism Wauchope, and Stothert and Pitt Limited. 10972. Process of making gas. Burghi and Tenney. 11155. Manufacture of chains. Anderson. 12547. Pumps or compressors. McMichael and Williams. 13346. Graders for coal, coke, sand, and the like. Allison. 13936. Mechanism for charging horizontal or inclined retorts for carbonising coal or the like. Duckham. 14809. Steam generators. Shepherd. 15342 and 15440. Steam superheaters. Casey. 15942. Laminated springs for railway engines, trucks, and like purposes. Slater. 17688. Ambulances. Stockall. 18756. Railway rail joints. Prahl. 22425. Heating coal gas retort chambers and the like. Glasgow. (Rusby.) 22719. Absorbent for carbon dioxide in breathing apparatus for use in mine rescue work or like purposes. Bevan and Davis. 23303. Method of lubricating the clay column of brick making machines. Hodson. Complete Specifications Open to Public Inspection Before Acceptance. 1914. 12048. Control or regulation of motors. Vulcan Werke Hamburg und Stettin Akt.-Ges. 1915. 3004. Steam and gas turbine blades. Akt.-Ges. Brown, Boveri et Cie. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. *** Any of the following publications may be obtained on application to this office at the price named post free. Defence of the Realm Amendment (No. 2) Bill, Id. Legal Proceedings Against Enemies Bill, l^d. Consular Reports : Siam, Bangkok, 1913-14, 8d.; Persia, Bunder Abbas, 2Jd. Report of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies, 1913, 2s. 4d. Report re Weights and Measures Acts, 4|d. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. Explosives : Their Manufacture, Properties, Tests, and History. By A. Marshall. London : J. A. Churchill. The War and the Parting of the Ways. By C. H. Luke. London : Sampson Low, Marston and Company Limited. Price Is. “ The Engineering Magazine ” (Vol. 48, No. 6), March, price Is.; “ The War and British Policy ” (published by the Tariff Commission), price Is.; “Bulletin of the American Institute of Mining Engineers ” (No. 99), March; “ The Journal of the Franklin Institute,” March; “ Monthly Bulletin of the Canadian Mining Institute ” (No. 35), March; “The Mining Magazine” (Vol. 12, No. 3), March, price Is. SELF-COHTAIIED MILL Producing BUOYANT, MIXED or COARSE Dust at one Operation, from Run of Mine Shale. 20 MILLS SOLD THIS YEAR. Several Repeat Orders. WM. JOHNSON & SONS (LEEDS) LTD., Armley, Leeds Specialities : CRUSHING, GRINDING and SCREENING, BRIQUETTING, CEMENT and BRICKMAKING MACHINERY.