May 14, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1037 ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 8502 (1914). Improvements in and Relating to Mining Machines. R. J. Tugwood, No. 77, Chancery-lane, London, W.C. (A communication from abroad from the Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, First-avenue and Big Four Rail- road, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, U.S.A.)—Relates to mining machines of the side cutting type, which are adapted more especially to be used in room and pillar systems of mining. The type of machine concerned comprises an end- less cutter chain, for example, projecting from the main frame, which is propelled in the direction for making the cut by means of a feed rope passed over a winding drum, the rear part of the machine being prevented from slewing, and the machine being guided by a rope or chain connected with a fixture in the rear of the cut, and tensioned or controlled by devices on the rear or outer part of the machine. According to the invention, the cutting apparatus is provided with a reversible cutting device, and the propelling devices, which exert a forward draft on the inner end of main frame, are adapted for reversibility so that the draft may be exerted in either direction, according to the direction of the cutting. The cable, which sustains a counter pull on the outer end of the frame, and which will be hereinafter termed the retarding cable, is likewise adapted for use when the machine is cutting either towards the left or towards the right. It is 64 63 6Z 69/ I f '30 26 ^2 '39 rtg.rz. thus possible for the machine to operate or be fed in either direction, that is, either towards the right or towards the left, along the face of the coal. Fig. 1 is a general plan view of a machine embodying the improvements according to this invention, the cover being removed from the gearing; fig. 2 is a left side elevation; fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the right hand side of the machine, showing the applica- tion of the tilting shoe; fig. 6 is a detail section on the centre line of the feed drum; fig. 7 is a detail plan view, showing the application of the feed rope sheave to the right hand side of the machine in place of the tilting shoe, preparatory to cutting from left to right; fig. 8 is a detail plan view showing the details of the clutch by which the cutter chai?a sprocket is connected to the vertical power shaft; fig. 9 is a sectional view along the line 9—9 of fig. 1 looking toward the inner end of the machine frame; fig. 10 is a detail of the snatch block used in handling the machine; fig. 11 is a perspective view of the machine, showing the arrangement of parts preparatory to beginning the sumping cut; fig. 12 is a perspective view of the machine, showing the arrange- ment of parts at the completion of the sumping cut, when the machine- is to be’ fed from right to left across the face of the coal; figs. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 are diagrammatic views of the machine in the room of the mine illustrating the operation. (Six claims.) 682 (1915). Improvements in and Relating to Mining Machines. R. J. Tugwood, of 77, Chancery-lane, London, W.C. (A communication from abroad from the Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, of First-avenue and Big Four Rail- road, Columbus, Franklin, Ohio, U.S.A.) — The invention relates to mining machines of the side cutting type, which are adapted more especially to be used in room and pillar systems of mining. This invention consists principally in the employment, in connection with the retarding cable, of a winding drum combined with adjustable friction clutch parts adapted when tightened to drive the drum in the direction to wind up the retarding cable so that, if desired, the latter may be used for hauling the machine along the floor of the mine, but when loosened, to permit the drum to turn in the opposite direction with varying degrees of frictional resist- ance, so as to retard more or less the paying out of the retarding cable, and to thus control the movement of the rear end of the machine. The gearing between the motor and the drums is such that the drum for the propelling cable may be driven at a relatively slow speed, while the retard- ing cable drum may be driven in a direction to wind up its cable at a relatively fast speed. The retarding cable drum is suitably mounted on the outer end of the main frame, and guide sheaves, conveniently mounted on the main frame adjacent the drum, are provided, over which the cable can be passed so as to give it a fair lead in various directions. The winding drum for the propelling cable is also suitably driven through an adjustable friction clutch, and a safety clutch device is preferably provided to prevent overloading of the machine by the operator. A subsidiary feature of the invention consists in an improved arrangement of gearing for driving the propelling and retarding devices, comprising a master bevel gear and a shaft mounted transversely of the main frame on the outer end thereof, and carrying the afore- said friction parts. The master bevel in this case is geared directly with a bevel on the motor spindle. A further sub- sidiary feature of the improvements consists in providing worm gear on the vertical shaft above the master bevel, and in driving the latter by a bevel wheel on a countershaft which is driven by spur gearing from the motor spindle. In combination with the vertical shaft carrying the superposed sprocket wheel, master bevel, and worm gear, there is pro- vided a clutch for connecting and disconnecting the sprocket wheel with and from the vertical shaft. This clutch, owing to the nature of the mechanism and of the work to be per- formed, comprises any suitable form of cam operated sliding pin clutch. The invention is illustrated by the drawings accompanying No. 8502/14 above, and by the appended draw- ings, which are respectively longitudinal and cross sections. (Eleven claims.) 9151 (1914). Improvements in or Connected with Machines for Use in Mining Minerals, Particularly Adapted for Use in Mining Coal and the like. Mavor and Coulson Limited and M. Mavor, both of 47, Broad-street, Mile End, Glasgow.—Refers to coal cutting machines of the type exemplified in the invention described in the com- plete specification of application for Patent No. 11554 of 1913, wherein the body of the machine is mounted upon a carriage constituting a supporting base and supported at three positions, at one position midway between the sides in the region of the haulage end of the machine (hereinafter referred to as the tail of the machine) about an approxi- mately horizontal axis, and at two other positions in the region of the cutter member end of the machine, one on each side of the machine, the method of support being such that adjustments of the body relatively to the supporting base of the machine can be made at the head about the supports in the region thereof, by raising or lowering the body at that end for effecting what will be termed vertical adjustments, or by tilting the body about its longitudinal axis for effecting what will be termed tilting adjustments, or by a combination of these adjustments, and, further, if required, the method of support may be such that vertical adjustments may be made at the tail by raising or lower- ing the body about the support in the region thereof. This invention refers to an improved method of and to improve- ments in or connected with means for the support of the body above the base in the region of the head of the machine, and consists in the provision of two side head supports adapted to permit vertical and tilting adjustments to be made, without necessitating the provision of auxiliary means to prevent the body of the machine from swaying sideways, the required freedom being obtained for these adjustments and the support of the body without necessi- © o fating looseness in the connections at any of the positions of support. In providing head supports according to this invention, with the body of the machine in a transverse horizontal position, each axis of the two supports in one arrangement may be maintained in a separate vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal vertical plane of the body of the machine, or the supports may be arranged in planes which converge or diverge from the base, or are otherwise related. In construction, each of the side supports may be so mounted to extend from the body of the machine that their axes remain unchanged relative to the body of the machine, or -the side supports may be so mounted to extend from the base upon which the machine is carried that their axes remain unchanged relatively to the base. In the former of these cases the connection between each of the side supports and the base may be such as to give freedom of angular movement about a horizontal longitudinal axis, and one of the connections may be arranged to slide trans- versely relative to the base, for example, by the transversely free foot of the support being mounted upon a slipper adapted to slide in a transverse guide on the base. In the second case the connection between each of the side sup- ports and the body of the machine may be such as to give freedom of angular movement about a horizontal longitu- dinal axis, and one of the connections may be arranged to slide transversely relative to the body of the machine, for example, by the transversely free connection of the side support being provided with a slipper adapted to slide in a transverse guide on the body of the machine. In either case, freedom may also be given for the body of the machine to turn angularly about a transverse axis to permit vertical adjustments to be made. Fig. 1 is a side sectional eleva- tion showing a support, a modification of which is shown in side sectional elevation at fig. 2, and in sectional plan at fig. 3, and of which a further modification is shown in fig. 4. (Six claims.) 9196 (1914). Improvements in or Relating to Means for Detecting, Indicating, and Recording the Presence and Proportion of Gas in the Atmosphere ' of Mines. H. R. Webster, of The Oaks, Scotland-lane, Horsforth, near Leeds, Yorkshire.—In the provisional specification of Patent Application No. 29094 of 1913, is described an invention for detecting, indicating, and recording the presence and propor- tions of gas in the atmosphere of mines, by means of the distention of a diaphragm, placed across the open end of a porous vessel, acting on multiplying mechanical devices, such as levers, wheels, or combinations of these. It has now been discovered that the amount and rate of distention of the diaphragm with the same percentage of firedamp (methane) varies under the different conditions to be met with in manes, so that the indications are not always the same, i.e., correct. Such disturbing causes are the presence of other gases, for instance, carbonic acid, and water vapour, a sudden change of temperature or of barometric pressures, exposure of the apparatus to very strong air currents, the taking of two readings in quick succession, and stone dust and coal dust. The object of this invention is to render such apparatus immune to such disturbing influences, and the invention consists in means for effecting such purpose, as under :—The porous vessel is surrounded by one or two layers of cotton wool, asbestos fibre, glass wool, or the like, and between or within or without the layer or layers, caustic potash, a mixture of caustic potash and unslaked lime, soda lime, calcic chloride, and carbonate of soda and other chemical absorbents are interposed. Or the absorbents, if in granular or crystalline form, or in small pieces, may be carried between two gauze cylinders, so as to be readily removable and replacable. The cotton wool counteracts the 8_ mechanical effect of strong air currents, and to some extent any sudden change of temperature, whilst the chemical absorbents will remove carbonic acid, other acid gases, and moisture. To obtain an accurate counteraction to sudden changes of temperature, the middle of the diaphragm may be connected to one end of a strip of rubber or other suitable material under tension, which contracts by heat, and the other end to the porous vessel or other convenient fixed point. As it takes some little time after the maximum dis- tention of the diaphragm for the restoration of equilibrium, so that the pointer of the indicator returns to zero, a second reading cannot therefore be taken immediately after the first, except by adjustment of the zero mark. To avoid this delay, use is made of an already known device of a relief valve, normally held closed gastight by means of a spring, which is arranged at some convenient part of the porous vessel, and when pressed, opens to give free communication between the interior of the vessel and the surrounding atmosphere; so that when the valve is allowed to close again, the apparatus is in condition for taking a fresh indication, and the pointer is at the zero mark. According to the invention, the valve is opened automatically by screwing down the cap hereunder referred to into position. A metal vessel or cap is slipped over the porous vessel and fitted airtight against the metal ring (of the apparatus) carrying the diaphragm, which cap when being placed or screwed down into position automatically opens the relief valve. Also a small port or airway communicates between the space between the porous vessel and the outer cap and the under side of the diaphragm ; so that when the cover is on, there is perfect equilibrium, and the instrument cannot be affected by any external condition. Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an instrument constructed according to this invention; fig. 2 is a diametral section of a modified form of the instrument; and figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections on lines AA and BB respectively of fig. 2. (Five claims.) 15501 (1914). An Improved Holding Appliance for Sus- pending the Guide Ropes of Pit Gages. W. H. Becker, of 25, Park-place, Cardiff. — Relates to an improved holding appliance for suspending the guide, or conductor, ropes in pit shafts. The object is to provide a holding device which shall be an improvement upon a device for the same purpose for which Letters Patent bearing the number 27,563, and dated 1904, have been granted. The improved device com- prises an outer case, or frame, which may be made in two halves and bolted together, as shown in the accompanying drawing, or in one piece. In this case, or frame, the interior is tapered to receive inter-locking wedges, which embrace and grip the guide rope upon any desired part of its surface without involving enlargement of the ropes’ extremity. This case, or frame, is suspended by one or more links from the pit head gear, the object being to provide a holding appliance which, whilst it securely grips and sus- pends the guide rope, will not hold it rigidly and to the