934 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 30, 1915. air is prevented from accumulating and setting up an undesirable pressure at any given point in the roads. And each return airway is isolated from adjacent intake air roads so as to obviate the possibility of ingoing air currents short circuiting into the return 'airways before reaching their intended return points. In this way any tendency for gob fires to break out is practically minimised. Additional inlets and outlets from the surface are provided, either by drifts or shafts, as the mine is developed, without any serious expense in extensive alterations to the underground work- ings. Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sketch plan of a colliery working in its initial stages arranged according to the improved method; fig. 2 is a plan showing the workings in a more advanced stage; fig. 3 is a plan showing the method as applied to the opening out and ventilating of -any particular part of an existing colliery from a point on any of the main intake airways; the same illustration also serves to show the application of the method in cases where faults are met with ; also the same arrangement would apply where drifts or headings are driven from the surface; fig. 4 is a plan showing a further development of the arrangement shown in fig. 3, two inlets and one outlet being provided; fig. 5 is a plan showing a further development of the arrangement shown in fig. 4, three inlets and two outlets being provided. (Five claims.) 21369 (1914). Improvements in Signalling Apparatus for Use in Mines. S. Chalmers, of 29, Watson-street, Mother- well, Lanarkshire; G. Black, of Brae Cottage, Hamilton- road, Motherwell, Lanarkshire; and J. Black, of Kincairnie, Shettleston, Glasgow.—Relates to signalling 'apparatus for use in mines of the type technically known as the non- accumulative type, and it consists in an.improved construc- tion of such apparatus wherein an additional pointer is pro- vided, the first pointer serving to register any cautionary signal, e.g., the signal denoting the intended carriage of men as distinguished from that of material, and the other pointer serving to give visual indication temporarily of any active signal, e.g., that denoting that the cage or the like is to be raised, lowered or stopped, means being provided for release from detention of the first pointer after commencement of the winding operation. A preferred construction embodying the invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the figure of the accompanying drawing. The pointer 2 is secured to the forward end of a shaft 4 equipped with a ratchet wheel 5, deriving step-by-step circular movements from a pawl 6 participating in the’impulses of the signalling system. The pointer 1 is secured to a tubular shaft 7 formed as a sleeve loosely surrounding the shaft 4,and equipped with a ratchet wheel 8, co-operating with a detent 8a which serves tem- porarily to retain the pointer 1 in registering position, said detent 8a being releasable on commencement of operation of the winding engine through the intermediary of a rocker 8 b suitably connected to a moving part of the engine. The pointer 1 is' connected to the pointer 2 by a one-way clutch, so as to participate only in the clockwise movements of the latter, such one-way clutch connection being constituted by a tongue 9 on the pointer 2 co-operating with one lateral edge of the pointer 1. The shaft 7 is also loaded so that the pointer 1 may return to zero position immediately the opera- tion of the winding engine is commenced. To permit succes- \ --j J sive step-by-step movements of the pointer 2, the ratchet wheel .5 is arranged to co-operate with a detent 10 normally out of engagement with the teeth of said ratchet wheel, but adapted to enter the interdental spaces for a short period subsequently to one step of the pointer 2 in clockwise direc- tion. Engagement of the teeth one after the other by the detent 10 is effected by repeated impulses, each impulse resulting in engagement by a pin 6* incorporated in the signalling system of one arm of a rocker 11, which serves to maintain -a loaded rod 12 out of engagement with the detent 10, the said loaded rod tending normally to retract the detent 10 from engagement with the teeth. . To post- pone the descent of the loaded rod until the next impulse, is effected, the rod 12 is connected suitably to, and is main- tained floating by, a procrastinating device, e.g., by clock- work, as indicated conventionally at 10a, or by . a cataract. To prevent contradictory signals from being given simul- taneously, such as the signal for lowering and raising, the teeth on the ratchet wheel 8, which correspond to the one signal of each conflicting pair, are nearer the centre of the wheel than the pitch line of the others, so that, when one of these is engaged by the detent, a slight movement to said detent will effect disengagement, and will result in its engagement with the preceding tooth. The requisite move- ment for disengagement of the detent from the shallow tooth is imparted to the rocker 8b, which is designed primarily, to receive complete actuation from the engine, said rocker being subject to impact by a beam 15 receiving oscillatory move- ments from a pin 16 on the member which carries the pawl 6, so that any active signal given subsequently to a conflict- ing cautionary signal will result in counter clockwise move- ment of the pointer 1 to the extent of one tooth, i.e.,. to the extent of one retrograde step on the dial. (Four claims.) 22719 (1914). An Improved Absorbent for Carbon Dioxide in Breathing Apparatus for Use in Mine Rescue Work or like Purposes. E. J. Bevan, of 4, New-court, Lincoln’s Inn, London, W.C.; and R. H. Davis, of 187, Westminster Bridge-road, London, S.E. — The absorption chamber of the apparatus is charged with a material made by grinding cellulose, preferably wood pulp, with a strong solution of caustic alkali, preferably soda. This material is itself known as an intermediate product in the manufacture of viscose, and one method of preparing it consists in incor- porating by means of an edge .runner 3 lb. of caustic soda liquor containing 11b. of caustic soda, with 21b. of ground wood pulp; the material thus prepared resembles bread- crumbs, except in colour. The advantages of this material are that it does not become hot during the absorption; that it exposes, per unit weight, a very large surface coated with caustic soda, set that a given bulk of it is a better absorbent, and of much less weight than the same bulk of caustic soda m lumps or sticks ; that it does not deliquesce; that it is easy to handle. (One claim.) MEW PATENTS CONNECTED WITH THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Applications for Patents. 5849. Excavating machinery. G. H. Dunlop. 5864. Regenerative furnaces. Wellman, Seaver and Head Limited, F. G. Smith, and A. V. Kemp. 5869. Boring tools. L. Renault. 5876. Production of toluene and like bodies (with by-pro- ducts) from other hydrocarbons. E. A. Ashcroft. 5886. Manufacture of nitrohydrocarbons. O. Silberrad. 5887. Electrical conductors. A. Marr and J. Lister. 5960. Carbonisation of coal. A. Illingworth and E. Garsed. 5977. Calorimeters. J. F. Simmance. 5982. Stands for miners’ safety lamps. C. Henderson and C. Hunter. -5988. Furnaces of steam boilers. N. D. F. Johnson. 5998. Explosives. R. A. Craig, R. Robertson, and E. R. Deacon. 5999. Instruments actuated by gravity, such as gradient meters and the like. T. C. Way. 6006. Pulverisers. M. Benjamin. 6013. Reciprocating pumps. J. W. Finney. 6020. Drilling machines. P. J. Le Sueur. 6039. Signalling in mines and the like. H. Davis. 6048. Manufacture of ammonium nitrate. W. T. Gidden. 6050. Reverberatory furnaces. Manchester Furnaces Limited, W. A. Russell, and J. Lord. 6053. Elastic fluid turbines. Warwick Machinery Com- pany (1908) Limited, and F. Samuelson. 6062. Treatment of steel. F. La Roche. 6066. Separators or covers for the plates of secondary bat- teries. Electrical Power Storage Company Limited, and C. C. Rattey. 6080. Appliance used in the manufacture of tin-plates or sheets and other like metal-coated plates or sheets. R. B. Thomas, H. S. Thomas, W. R. Davies, and E. P. Lewis. 6083. Draught installations for boilers. James Howden and Company Limited, and J. H. Hume. 6099. Machines for grooving and boring railway sleepers. A. Collett. 6143. Grates for burning fuel in steam boilers, firegrates, and the like. A. B. Lennox, A. W. Brewtnall, and J. Beckwith. 6146. Appliances for stoking or feeding fuel to the furnaces of steam boilers and the like. A. B. Lennox, A. W. Brewtnall, and J. Beckwith. 6152. Lathes for turning and finishing shafting, rods, bars, and the like. Coghlan Steel and Iron Company Limited, and G. Ford. 6156. Condensing steam turbine plants. K. Baumann. 6165. Machines for stoking gas retorts and the like. J. Terrace. Complete Specifications Accepted. (To be published on May 13.) 1914. 1676. Utilisation of peat. Rigby, and Wetcarbonizing Limited. 6919. Construction and cooling of internal combustion engines and air compressors and the bedplates thereof. Langford. 9542. Devices for use in connection with motors for pro- viding safety against firedamp or the like. Mond. (Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon.) 9554. Electric cables. Beaver and Claremont. 9585. Pumps or the like. Cloudsley. 9766. Rock cutting mechanism for tunnelling and shaft sinking. Marks. (Imperial Tunnelling Machine Company.) 9849. Method of distilling coal. Mellersh-Jackson. (Inter- national Gas Development Company.) 10067. Control of steam generators. Clarkson. 10228. Safety devices for supporting pit cages and like elevators. Kenney and Sheriff. 10440. Electric cables. Stell. 10600. Scotch marine boilers. Monhemius. 13125. Tarpaulin support for railway wagons and the like. Mabbett. 13600. Multi-stage centrifugal pumps. Geb. Sulzer (firm of). 14725. Feed water supply fittings for sectional steam boilers. James Howden and Company, and Hume. 15161. 'Cranes, shear legs, and like hoisting appliances. Ford. 15655. Rock drills. Humphrey, Mills, and Jenckes. 15778. Crucible and like furnaces. lonides. 15822. Hand drilling braces and like tools. Mitchell and Mitchell. 17220. Water tube boilers. Noble. 19392. Stills or evaporating plant for the distillation of tar, pitch, oil, and like heavy liquids or viscous sub- stances. Crossley and Brighten. 19402. Apparatus for cooling pistons. Kilburn. (Geb. Sulzer Akt.-Ges.) 20361. Treatment of subdivided ores for agglomerating or reducing them, and apparatus therefor. Grbndal and Nilsson. 24370. Method of adjusting the throw of variable throw eccentrics. Vincent, and Rotoplunge Rump Com- pany (in voluntary liquidation). Complete Specifications Open to Public Inspection Before Acceptance. 1914. 14267. Process for the treatment of the ores of certain metals. Lance. 1915. 3786. Heat treatment of manganese steel. Manganese Steel Rail Company. 5500. Machines for producing hollow bricks. Aktiebolaget Lean. 5677. Hoods of forges, furnaces, and the like. Ateliers Air and Feu and others. THE ACQUISITION OF ENEMY PATENT RIGHTS. The following list of British Patents, which have been granted in favour of residents of Germany, Austria, or Hungary, is 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, which right, when acquired, can be retained after the war, and is specially compiled for the Colliery Guardian by Lewis Wm. Goold, Chartered Patent Agent, 5, Corporation- street, Birmingham. It is desirable in the first instance to obtain the latest particulars upon the Patents Register. If any patent listed has been assigned to a non-enemy proprietor, the law does not apply. 22217/12. Jigging conveyors. Comprises a conveyor, in which the trough is supported by two sets of transverse flexible members, the lower members being secured at their centres to a fixed support, and the upper members fastened to the trough at their centres, the adjacent ends of the mem- bers being connected together by rods. W. E. Kreiss, Germany (dated September 30, 1911.) 22625/12. Centrifugal pumps; starting, facilitating. Maffei Schwartzkopff Werke Ges., Berlin (dated June 22, 1912). 22715/12. Metallurgical furnaces. H. Pape, Germany. 23099/12. Percussive tools. The distributing valve is formed as a sleeve co-axial with the cylinder, and is provided with shoulders and recesses which control the distribution. Pokorny and Witte- kind Maschinenbau Akt.-Ges., and W. Kuhn, Germany. . 23360/12. Screw pumps. Sulzer Geb., Germany. 23445/12. Lifts. Catch gear of mine cage type. Safety suspending apparatus for cages comprises sliding rods on each side of the cage connected by lever mechanisms to pivoted eccentrics, which are caused to grip the guides when the hoisting rope breaks. F. Gombert-Hofner, Germany. 23957/12. Railway vehicles; couplings, automatic. F. Hinderegger and J. Klee, Germany. 24014/12. Single chain grabs. Comprises a device for lock- ing and releasing the grab jaws in single chain grabs. C. H. F. Burgdorf, Germany. 24548/12. Agglomerating ores, etc. The process of agglomerating metalliferous material by mixing with finely divided fuel and flux, and blowing in a converter, is applied to arsenates, anti- monates, carbonates, chlorides, chromates, phosphates, sulphates, and vanadates of heavy non-volatile metals. The fluxes used are pre- ferably zinc distillation residues, which already contain finely divided fuel or carbides. The use of carbides facilitates the recovery of arsenic and antimony by distillation. C. Guillemain, Germany. 24565/12. Agglomerating ores, etc. J. Savelsberg, Ger- many (dated November 23, 1911). 24635/12. Tip wagons. A tip wagon body, which is mounted on rollers, and moved from side to side by toothed gearing, is provided with sides which are detachably connected to the bottom of their lower edges, and permanently connected at their upper corners to fixed end pieces on the under-frame. A. Preussler, Germany. 24643/12. Magnetic separators. In a magnetic separator, a roller of magnetic material, having deep axially extending serrations, is arranged bodily and approximately diametrically between the two poles of an electro magnet. The materials are fed over a stationary plate fixed to one of the poles, the magnetic material being conveyed by the roller into one compartment, while the non-magnetic material passes to a separate compartment. Maschinenbau-Anstalt Hum- boldt, Germany (dated October 27, 1911). *** Copies of any of the above specifications can be supplied at the price of 1«. post free. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. Any of the following publications may be obtained on application to this office at the price named post free. Census of England and Wales : Vol. 10, Appendix, 3s. 6d. Tropical Diseases Research Fund Report, 2s. 8d. Canada Handbook, with Maps, 3d. Statutory Rules and Orders, 1915 : (No. 278), COAL MINES EXPLOSIVES ORDER, l|d. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. Reid’s Handy Colliery Guide for Northumberland, Durham, and Yorkshire. Newcastle-on-Tyne : Andrew Reid and Company Limited. Price, 2s. 6d. “ Transactions of the Mining Institute of Scotland ” (Vol. 37, Part 4); “ The Truth About the Sino Japanese ‘ Con- versations ’ ” (London: The Chinese Students’ Union); “ Bulletin et Comptes Rendus Mensuels.de la Societe de 1’Industrie Minerale ” (January to March, Tome 7, No. 1); “The Resources of Tennessee’’ (Vol. 5, No. 2), April; “ The Beama Journal ’’ (Quarterly of the British Elec- trical and Allied Manufacturers’ Association, Vol. 1, No. 2), April, price Is.; “ The Iowa Engineer,’’ March; “ Transactions of the Institution of Mining Engineers ’’ (Vol. 48, Part 4), price 6s. Grimsby Coal Exports. — Returns for the week ending April 23 show that the coal exported from Grimsby was as follows:—Foreign: To Christians and, 260 tons; Dieppe, 383; Esbjerg, 1,215; Malmo, 277; Oxelosund, 3,492; Rotter- dam, 1,615; Sandees, 436; Skein, 576; Trelleborg, 3,577; and Treport, 888; total, 12,719 tons foreign, compared with 18,110 tons foreign and 630 tons coastwise during the corre- sponding period of last year.