1206

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

December 10, 1915.

ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS
RECENTLY ACCEPTED.

1283 (1915). Improvements in and, relating to Explosives.
A. Aubert, of Eugene, Saetre, Norway, and S. A. G.
Nauckhoff, of Vinterviken, Liljeholmen, Sweden.—By a long
series of experiments it has been found that the amount of
air contained in an explosive, has a great influence on the
rapidity of its detonation. This fact in some degree relates
to the dependence of the rapidity of detonation of the explo-
sive on its density, but it appears that the variations in the
amount or percentage of air contained in the explosive is
itself of very great importance for the variations of the
rapidity of detonation. This fact appears especially clear in
the plastic explosives. In the usual blasting gelatine (con-
taining 93 per cent, nitroglycerine and 7 per cent, nitro-
cellulose) the rapidity of detonation can, in consequence of
the variations in the percentage of air contained, vary from
less than 1,000 metres per second to over 7,000 metres per
second. It has been found that by evacuating, that is,
extracting the air from blasting gelatine, its rapidity of
detonation can be reduced, and that, on the contrary, by
admixing of air with the blasting gelatine, a high rapidity
of detonation can be obtained. This is also the case with
gelatine dynamites and other plastic explosives. The known
fact that most explosives, through storing, get a lower brisk-
ness (brisance) is thus to be explained. It has now been
found that for the manufacture of an explosive which shall
retain its contents or percentage of air, such porous sub-
stances must be added as do not lose their content of air.
The object of the invention is to incorporate air bubbles into
the explosive in such a way that the quantity of air incor-
porated is permanently retained, and thus to cause the
rapidity of detonation and the briskness of the explosive to
remain constant for a long time. The incorporation of the
air bubbles into the explosive is effected by the use of the
least possible quantity of additional substances, and it has
been found that cork in the form of small grains or powder
is especially well suited for said purpose. With the expres-
sion “ cork,” there is meant cork-substance in the widest
sense of the word as, for '.instance, cork from Quercus suber,
Quercus occidentalis, Quercus ilex, and Quercus pseudosuber
or other trees or plants. It is, however, of importance that
the cork powder be not ground too fine, so that the .air-filled
cells be spoiled. (Seven claims.)

15368 (1914). Improvements relating to the Separation of
Volatile Products from Solid Carbonaceous Material. Oil
and Carbon Products Limited, of Watergate House, Adelphi,
London.—The process of separation consists in maintaining
a number of regions occupied by the material within the
retort at temperatures increasing from the end where the
material is introduced by the indirect application of heat
thereto, moving such material through the retort under non-
oxidising conditions, and so regulating the temperatures,
and directing and controlling the withdrawal of the con-
densable volatile products that the different grades of volatile
matter-are evolved from all portions of the material at their
respective vaporising temperatures and thereupon conveyed
into contact with relatively cooler portions of the material
in its solid or partly vaporised state, whereby condensed
volatile matter is obtained in and can be removed from the
retort in liquid form. In carrying out the process the
different temperatures are preferably graduated uniformly,
and in order to operate continuously the material under-
treatment is made to travel slowly through the different
regions of the retort from the cold to the hot end thereof.
Moreover, fin order to assist in the travel of the evolved
vapours towards cooler regions, the known expedient of a
gaseous travelling medium is advantageously used, but any
known equivalent may be employed. Finally, in order to*
ensure that the condensed vapours in any one region of the
retort will not return into a hotter .region, where they would
undergo revaporisation and possibly decomposition or
“ cracking,” the retort is preferably inclined with its cold
end lowermost, so that the liquids resulting from condensa-
tion of hot vapours with relatively cooler material in the
different regions of the retort flow or trickle towards the
cold lower end. Under such conditions the volatile products,
evolved in any region of the retort and conveyed by the
gaseous medium towards the lower end are to a large extent
condensed by coming in contact with relatively cool material
and then continue to travel in liquid form down the retort,
from the relatively cooler lower end of which they are
removed still in liquid form, instead of being conveyed in
vapour form out of the retort and condensed separately. It
will be understood that when the volatile products corre-
sponding to any particular temperature are vaporised they



are immediately carried off by the gaseous medium into a
region or into successive regions of lower temperature, where
they come into contact with the relatively cool material in
the said region or regions, and .are thereby for the most
part condensed, the result being that there is no possibility
of the vapours becoming decomposed or converted into less
readily condensable vapours or gases. The temperature at
the hottest part of the retort need not be more than about
600degs. Cent., but even if the hottest part is above this,
temperature there is no decomposition or “ cracking ” of the
vapours. The above described heating effect takes place
with each of the several grades of volatile matter, so that
none of the several grades is overheated, but all are
immediately taken up at their respective vaporising tempera-
tures by the gaseous medium, and conveyed to a region or
regions where condensation begins to take place promptly.
The conveying of the material through the retort is most
conveniently effected by the well-known expedient consisting
of a helical blade on a rotary shaft. The uniformlv
graduated temperature of the material is conveniently main-

tained externally by providing an annular space around the
retort, and arranging one or more axial rows of gas and
air jets of graduated size in the said space. A graduated
heating may also be applied to the material from inside
the retort, as well as from outside, in such a way as to
heat the core of the material as well as its outer part. For
this purpose the conveyor may be adapted to act . also as a
conductor and radiator of heat as described, for example, in
the specification of application for patent No. 15381 of 1914.
The gaseous medium, which may be the washed and
purified uncondensable gaseous product from the retort, is
introduced in a cold condition and therefore serves to cool
the coke or similar vapour-freed material as it passes out of
the retort. The gaseous medium is made to travel through
the retort at a comparatively slow speed, and therefore
assumes the successively decreasing temperatures of the
successive regions through Which it passes. Fig. 1 is a
side elevation of a set of five retorts and their accessories,
•and enclosing brickwork, the lowermost retort being shown
in section; fig. 2 is an end elevation; and fig. 3 a plant
corresponding to fig. 1; fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the
line 4—4 of fig. 1. (Five claims.)

19468 (1914). An Air Regulator for Miners', or Cycle
Lamps. W. Thomas, Albania House, Brynamman, South

Wales. — Consists an the
combination, for the pur-
pose of regulating the
supply of air to the lamp,
of a fixed perforated
ring carried by the body of
the lamp, of a movable per-
forated ring co-operating
therewith, .and a milled or
roughened ring connected to
and actuating the movable
ring. The connection is pre-
ferably by means of a pin
or pins passing through the
wall of the body of the
lamp. The accompanying
drawing shows a sectional
side elevation of a lamp
provided according to the

invention. (Three claims.)

20581 (1914). Improvements in Pit Props and the like.
W. Gainsford, of ” The Cottage,” Aston, near Sheffield.—
The invention is of the kind in which a hollow metal tube is
filled towards its centre with a solid material, and in which
wooden plugs are inserted at one or both ends of the tube,
so as to abut in the tube against the solid material. It con-
sists in forming the prop of two or more lengths of metal
tubing, and inserting the plug of one end into the socket end
of another tube. At each other end of the tubes is inserted a
short piece of wooden plug, part of which is exposed, or, if
preferred, these plugs may be dispensed with, and the con-

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Crete filling continued to the end of each tube. The ends of
each tube may be turned over to form collars or flanges, or
flanges or collars may be secured to the tubes. The central
wooden plug, besides affording the means of cutting the prop
out, acts as a safety valve or weaker link, so that when a
heavy weight comes on it the plug breaks, and thereby pro-
tects the more valuable metal parts. Fig. 1 is an elevation
part in section showing one form of prop made in accordance-
with the invention; fig. 2 is a plan; fig. 3 is a longitudinal,
section of a modified construction of prop part in elevation :
fig.. 4 is a longitudinal elevation (part in section) of another
modification. (Three claims.)

21637 (1914). Improvements in and relating to Signalling
Appliances for Collieries and the like. R. Robertson,.
Aitkenhead Cottage, Bell shill-roa d; J. Bowman, Rosefield,.
Gardenside; and F. Ringrose, Calderbraes, Bellshill-road,
all of Uddingston, Lanarkshire.—Fig. 1 is an elevation of
the casing or general -arrangement of the apparatus for
signalling for collieries and the like, as constructed according
to the improvements of this invention; fig. 2 is an elevation
with the dial plate removed of the indicator mechanism,
while fig. 3 is a sectional elevation corresponding to same,
and taken on the line 3—3 of fig. 2; fig. 4 is a sectional
elevation of a portion of the indicator mechanism ; figs. 5 and
6 are elevations at right angles to each other of one form of
the cancelling gear. A rod 1 adapted to slide vertically in
suitable guides 2 adjacent to a ratchet wheel 3 mounted on
•an indicator dial spindle 4 carrying a pointer 5 is connected
preferably at its upper end by a wire rope or the like to a
lever or the like suitably arranged at the pit bottom, pit
head, or other locality from wThich the signals have to be
transmitted. As the rod 1 moves upwards, under the
influence of one pull on the signal rope, the cylinder is
raised by means of the spring rods 11 and crosshead 13, and
the pawl 7 moves over one tooth of the ratchet wheel 3, from
back of tooth to front. When the cylinder 14 has reached
a predetermined height, the spring rods 11 are forced apart
to release the projecting bars 12, and thus allow the cylinder
to fall. Oil, or other suitable fluid, in the cylinder 14 acts

as a cushion when the cylinder falls. A small groove 19
may be cut vertically at the circumference of the piston 16,
and the area of this groove determines the speed at which
the cylinder falls. As illustrated by figs. 2 and 3, instead of
the spring rods 11 having bars 12 being forced apart to
release the cylinder 14 being used, the bracket or arm 10
on the vertical rod 1 is preferably formed “ U ” shaped, or as
a fork (fig. 3), at its outer end, so as to engage under the
crosshead 13 of the cylinder 14. After the vertical rod 1
has moved upwards by one pull on the signal wire, and
the pawl 7 has moved over one tooth of the ratchet wheel
3, the pawl 7 rotates the said wheel the distance of one
tooth as the vertical rod falls again. The pin 8 extends
beyond the pawl 7 and through the slot 9 in the sides of
the guides 6, so that the pawl 7 may be held out of engage-
ment with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. A lever 24 is
formed with -a projecting stop arm 26 adapted to engage with
the teeth of the wheel 3 so that backward rotation of the
wheel is prevented, as the operating pawl 7 moves over
the teeth. The number of teeth on the ratchet wheel 3 is
always one greater than the highest number on the dial,
so that when an attempt is made to signal to a higher number
than that for which the indicator has been made the spring
pawl 7 will slip past. A “ side ” or “ false ” tooth 27 is
fitted to or forms part of the ratchet wheel 3 at this point,
and the fixed pawl 26 for retarding the backward rotation
of the wheel 3 is made of greater width than the spring
pawl 7, so that it may engage with the “ false ” tooth.

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As the cylinder falls to its lowest position, the end of the
lever 24 is lowered, and the fixed pawl 26 removed from the
ratchet wheel 3 and retained out of engagement. The pin
29 is released from the pendent lever 31 by a pin 32 on the
ratchet wheel 3 engaging a lever 33 connected to the pendent
lever 31 and oscillating same. The moving pawl 7 is held
out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 3 -after the engine
has started to wind by the inclined or angled surface 34 of
the one limb of the before-mentioned bell crank lever 23
engaging with the transverse pin 8 of the pawl 7, and
moving same backwards. As the vertical rod 1 is pulled
upwards by the signal rope, the end of the carriage 42 is
also pulled upwards, so as to force the carriage against the
strap 45 and the brake blocks 46 against the disc 44. As
soon as the engine starts to wind, the disc 44 rotates in one
direction or the other, and therefore the carriage 42 is moved
in one direction or the other. When the carriage 42 is
moved in direction of arrow, the end of same strikes against
the arm 41 of horizontal sliding member 39, 41, which in
turn actuates the bell crank lever 37, 38, which -through the
connecting rod 36 and bell crank lever 23 withdraws the pawl
7 from 'the ratchet wheel 3. When the carriage 42 moves in
the opposite direction of arrow, the other end of the carriage
strikes -against the one limb 53 of a lever 53, 54, the other
limb 54 of which is formed with a slot 55 adapted to engage
a pin 56 carried by the horizontally sliding member 39, so
that whether the disc 44 rotates in the one direction or the
other the sliding member 39 always moves in the one
direction. In some cases it may be desired not to withdraw
the pawl 7 from the ratchet wheel 3 by the moving of the
engine, and -as this may be, for instance, when “ three ” or
any predetermined number has been signalled, a cam plate

57	carried by the ratchet wheel 3 is arranged to push the
bell crank lever 23 to one side against the action of spring

58	(fig. 3), clear of the transverse pin 8 of the pawl 7.
As the speed of the disc 44 increases, the sleeve 59 of an
ordinary governor ball arrangement mounted on the disc
shaft 60 slides on said shaft, and a bell crank or other lever
61, 62, the one limb 61 of which is connected to said sleeve

59	by a fork, is moved on its pivot so as to depress the
other limb 62, which engages with a block or plunger 63
carried in suitable bearings 64 below a rail or the like 65
under one 43 of the wheels or rollers 43, 66 of the carriage 42.
This permits the carriage 42 to fall after it has been actuated
to withdraw the pawl 7 from the ratchet wheel 3. The other
wheel or roller 66 of the carriage 42 rests on the one limb
67 of a lever 67, 68, the other limb 68 of which is counter-
weighted. The weight of the carriage 42 holds the lever
‘67, 68, approximately horizontal against the action of its
weight. When the carriage 42 is raised the one limb 67
of -the lever rises with it (by means of the weight) and the
end of this limb, which is bent at right angles and formed
with a notch 69, then releases a spring-actuated cam shaped
lever 70 fitted to the one end of a connecting rod 71. the
-other end of which is formed with a slot 72 adapted to
engage a pin 73 carried by the horizontally sliding member