May 21, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1087 producing the audible signals. Fig. 2 is a vertical section diagrammatically indicating a construction of apparatus for establishing series of relatively frequently repeated signals with longer intervals of time between the series. (Eight claims.) I 8438 .(1914). Improvements in Apparatus applicable for Use in the Discharging of Retorts. Drakes Limited, of Ovenden, Halifax, Yorkshire, and A. Walker, of “ Donwal,” King’s-road, Wallsend-on-Tyne, Northumberland.—Delates to apparatus applicable for use in the discharging of the contents of retorts which are of the horizontal or inclined type, and the object is to provide means for receiving the spent coke or fuel as it is being discharged from said retorts (as by being pressed or pushed from the opposite end thereof), so that in descending therefrom it is received on an inclined guiding surface, which will gradually conduct same to a travelling conveyor or otherwise, said inclined guiding sur- faces being of such a character as to permit a comparatively gradual descent of the coke or spent fuel in order to prevent same from being broken, as is the case when it descends directly to the ground, or by coming into contact with guiding devices which are a considerable distance apart from each other before reaching the ground. The apparatus employed is so constructed as to occupy comparatively little space in front or behind the retorts, and yet secure that gradual step by step inclination from the highest series of retorts to the ground which is necessary for preventing the coke from being broken. This economising of space, as well as the securing of the gradual descent, is secured by a combination of inclined plates or surfaces mounted in fixed relation to each other in a framework which can be traversed in front of the retort setting, such combination comprising, for each tier of retorts except the lowest, an inclined surface in alignment with the retorts leading on to a second inclined surface parallel with the front of the retort setting, which in turn delivers on to the corresponding inclined surface for the next tier below. For the lowest tier of retorts a single inclined surface only is employed—viz., one in .alignment with the retorts. In this apparatus a single machine serves all the tiers, the coke from the higher tier passing in turn in a zig-zag course over inclined surfaces in front of the tiers below until it eventually reaches the common discharge point. As a further feature of the invention, the travelling frame- work carrying the inclined surfaces is supported by runners engaging a rail at its base, and in addition by runners engaging a rail near its upper part. The accompanying drawing is a side elevation of .apparatus produced in accor- dance with the invention, the same being illustrated as being in proximity to the discharge orifices of a series of retorts. (Three claims.) 8439 (1914). Improvements in Mechanism for Screening or Sifting Coke, Coal or like Granulated Substances. Drakes Limited, of Ovenden, Halifax, Yorkshire, and A. Walker, of “ Donwal ” King’s-road, Wallsend-on-Tyne, Northumber- land. In the screening or sifting of coke, coal, crushed stone, and other granulated substances, it is often desirable that the particles of matter should have imparted to them a rolling movement, in order that other and smaller particles adhering to one side or the other of same may be thrown off. The object of this invention is to obviate certain disadvan- tages, and this is secured by forming the screening surfaces, consisting of series of projections or fingers, with plain or blank parts intervening between them, in such manner that same do not in any way impair,or deteriorate the substances being treated, but which permit such substances to travel over them with the rolling and other motions, while the extent to which said motions are imparted to said sub- stances may be regulated to be increased or decreased as may be found necessary. The accompanying drawing is a side sectional elevation of a sieve and its hopper or shoot constructed in accordance with the invention. (Six claims.) 17063 (1914). Improvements in Signalling Devices for use with Winding Engines of Collieries. E. B. Whalley,, of Whitehill House, Botherham, Yorkshire.—Delates to appa- ratus of the kind for indicating in a visible manner to the * winding engine men at collieries the nature of the signals they receive, and more particularly for indicating when men are on the cage, such signals remaining visibly displayed until they are complied with. The device can be operated direct by a mechanical connection from the existing electric or mechanical signal bells, .and does not necessitate any other alteration to existing signal appliances. Immediately the winding engine is set in motion? and the signals previously received have thereby been complied with, the visual indi- cator is automatically released and returns to the zero posi- tion, so that it can indicate the next signal given.. An arrangement is also provided whereby the same effect can be produced by the engineman pulling a -lever, so that- if signals have been given during his temporary absence, or if he is in doubt .about a signal, he can have it repeated before setting the engine in motion.. Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an improved signalling device, fig. 2 is a left hand view, fig. 3 is a right hand view, and fig. 4 is a plan of same. Immediately the winding engine starts to move, in com- pliance with the signal received, motion is also imparted to a lever i, which is attached from its upper end to a con- venient part. of the engine, which lever is mounted on a shaft j, resting in bearings in upright standards j1 fixed to the baseplate e, and the motion received by the lever i is com- municated to the shaftwhich is thereby caused to turn. To this last-named shaft is attached a long pawl k, engaging in the ratchet wheel c and connected by links k1 with the smaller pawl f. When the shaft j turns, the long pawl k is raised, and this in turn disengages the small pawl f. The previous movement of the drum a by the forked lever f1 when the ^signal was being given wound up a cord I1 round a grooved pulley I, mounted on the drum shaft b, and thereby raised a weight I2 attached to said cord. When the small pawl f is raised by the long pawl k the falling of this weight I2 revolves the drum a and returns it to its zero position, at which point a stop m on the periphery of the drum comes in contact with an upstanding bracket n, fixed to the baseplate e, and so ensures the exactness of the zero position. Attached to the periphery of the drum a is a pro- jection o, which, when the drum has been turned through a space of the first three teeth of the ratchet c, comes in contact with the projecting end of a rocking lever p (fig. 3), pivotally mounted in a sliding frame q, which is free to move up and down on a vertical pin r (fig. 1), mounted in a suitable framing r1 secured to the rear of the front plate h, said sliding frame q being controlled by a spiral spring r2 encir- cling the vertical pin r, and bearing on the top of the sliding frame q and the bottom end of the framing r1, which holds the vertical pin r. Any further movement of the drum a causes the projection o to push down the projecting end of the rocking lever p, which causes the lower end of said lever to be withdrawn from a notch s1 in a horizontal slotted slide bar s; this slide bar is thereupon moved horizontally by the action of a spring t. If, after the drum a has moved through a distance equal to the three teeth of the ratchet wheel c, there is a pause sufficient to allow the spring t to exert its maximum pull, the . slide bar s will then have moved its ultimate extent, which is limited by pins s2 in the front plate h engaging the ends of slots s3 in said slide bar s, in which position a lug u1 on the end of a bent lever u, pivoted centrally to the horizontal slide bar s, will be verti- cally below the bottom end of the rocking lever p. Any further S 5 •’Ml was .La 4- turning of the drum a will push down the rocking lever p, so that it will come in contact with the said lug u1, and cause it and the bent lever u to be tilted downward. When this happens a vertical bar v, connected by a pin to the slot u2 in the bent lever u, will move upwards, and the toothed rack v1 formed on said vertical bar will engage with corresponding teeth on .a wheel w mounted on a spindle secured to the front plate h, and will move a shutter w1 attached thereto, so that it comes opposite the before-mentioned opening g in the front plate h. The vertical bar v is held in position by pins ,v2 passing through slots in same, and secured in the front plate, which pins .also act as guides. The shutter w1 attached to the toothed wheel w will remain in position opposite the opening g in the front plate h until lifted up again by the movement of the toothed gearing, when the horizontal slide bar s will be drawn back to its original position by the movement of the engine .and the releasing lever, as previously stated. ‘ This operation is'effected by the following means :— Mounted on an extension of the bedplate e, at the right hand end .of the device, is -a cylinder x, in which is a piston xl, connected to the end of the horizontal slide bar s. A sniffing valve x2, with drain outlet x3, is fitted into the outer end of the cylinder. The inner end of the cylinder is provided with .an inlet passage x* (fig. 4) which terminates in a three-way cock y. This cock is actuated by levers z, z1, z2 (fig. 3) connected to shaft j. The operation of drawing back the horizontal slide bar s, and the other before-described parts connected therewith, is effected by reversing the lever i, which, .as before mentioned, results in the drum a being restored to its normal position, and it also causes the three- way cock y to open by the turning of the ,shaft j and the movement of the levers z, z1, z2, whereby fluid pressure is admitted to the cylinder x, and forces the piston x1 forward, thereby withdrawing the horizontal slide bar s. It may be here mentioned that the cylinder x and piston x1 also serve as .a dashpot to restrain the .action of the spring t on the outward stroke of the slide bar s, during which operation the three-way cock y would be open to exhaust by the restoration of the lever i to its forward position, and air would only be .allowed to filter slowly into the- cylinder through the sniffing valve r2. When the slide bar has been drawn back the .shutter w1 is raised, so as to uncover the opening g in the front plate h, which is effected by a roller on the end of lever u engaging an incline on the frame. On the shutter wl .appearing before the opening g in the front plate h may be printed the signal, “ men 3—1,” and, as described, this signal would only be seen by the engineman if a signal of “ 3 and 1 ” with a pause after the “ 3 ” had been given. If the signal had been “ 4 ”, without any marked pause after the “ 3,” the horizontal slide bar s would not have completed its full travel, and the downward move- ment of the rocking lever p would therefore.not have engaged the lug. u1 on the end. of the bent lever u, which is attached to the horizontal slide bar. s, the two being parallel to one another. Instead the projection.o on the drum would have continued its revolution by the fourth signal, -and passed the projecting end of the rocking lever p ; the spring r2 connected with' same would immediately lift the said rocking lever back to its normal position, and a projection s4 on the horizontal slide bar would meet a projection p1 on the end of the rocking lever p, .and so be prevented from travelling any further. Therefore, the toothed wheel w would not be moved, nor would the attached shutter w1, and the engineman would see through the opening g the number 4 ” painted on the periphery of the drum. If the engineman is in doubt about a signal, and wishes to have it repeated, he can operate the lever i by hand, when the indicator drum a will return to its zero position, and as the signal previously indicated has not been.complied:with, the sender will naturally repeat same. (Two claims.) 18036 (1914). Improvements in Steam Condensers. D. B. Morison, of Hartlepool Engine Works, Hartlepool, Durham.—Delates to. improvements in steam condensers of the tubular surface type, and has for object to increase the efficiency of a steam condenser by a construction or arrangement -of parts whereby the mean length of the lines of steam -flow . over, the condensing .surface .is shortened in a given condenser, in which the . direction of the lines of steam flow is wholly substantially downward, thereby % I A I I ' f-7/i / Vm I reducing the frictional resistance to vapour flow through the main or primary condensing chamber or chambers. According to the invention, the cross sectional contour of the outer row of condensing tubes is arranged and disposed relatively to the contour of the shell and to the outlet or outlets from the condensing chamber or chambers, so that the contour or periphery of the tubes in a plane parallel to the tube plate and over which, the steam space extends is considerably greater than the mean distance' between such contour or periphery and the outlet or outlets from the con- densing chamber or chambers. The accompanying draw- ings, figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, illustrate various ■ constructions according to the present invention. (Seven claims.) REW PATEMTS CORRECTED WITH THE COAL AISD IROR TRADES. Applications for Patents. 6944. Mode of and means or apparatus for extracting water - and other liquids from coal or other material. - C. Burnett. . " ■ 6955. Besetting gear for signal indicators employed in - mines and the like. B. B. Brodie and A. Alison. 6959. Steam generators. E. Atkinson. 6962. Eans. F. J. B. Mathie and B. Farrow. 6975. Method and means for mounting mica sight windows to smoke or fume helmets. J. Taylor. 6985. Continuously separating solids from liquids. J. van N. Dorr. 6986. Hydraulic cartridges. D. V. Sickman and H. B. Byers. 6994. Pulsating screens. E..B. Symons. 6998. Fuel levelling device for gas producers. P. B. Morgan. 6999. Gas producer. P. B. Morgan. 7000. Feeding mechanism for gas producers. P. B. Morgan. . 7004. Tubular heat interchanging apparatus. E. L. Pease. 7007. Apparatus for coaling vessels. L. A. de Mayo. 7019. Centrifugal machines for the separation of solid sub- stances from liquids. B. A.- Sturgeon. 7020. Steam traps. B. H. Paterson. 7022. Elastic fluid turbines. F. P. Jackman. 7045. Penstock, disc, and like valves. L. W. Lees. 7047. Manufacture of explosives. D. C. Boberts and O. Stuart. 7048. Bespirators. J. Harger. 7053. Steam regulating valves. Qockburns Limited, D. Cockburn, and D. MacNicoll. 7055. Glover, Gay Lussac, or like towers. J. Harris and D. H. Thomas. 7082. Welding. H. Sefton-Jones. (Automatic Welding Company, U.S.A.) 7083. Boiler furnaces. J. B. Cudlip and J. ,D. Garey. 7096. Feed water heating and water circulating apparatus for locomotive and other boilers. G. H. Willans and E. S. Luard. 7103. Apparatus for feeding pulverised or finely divided fuel. J. A. Law. (Quigley Furnace and Foundry Company, U.S.A.) 7105. Buffers of railway wagons and the like. B. Bamsden. 7112. Thermostats. H. E. Moul. 7113. Attachment for carrying miners’ safety lamps and the like. W. Holmes. 7119. Bolling metals. O. Filkin. 7121. Shaft furnaces or kilns for burning or calcining limestone, dolomite, and the like. J. Magis.'