846

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN,

AIay 5, 1916.

bottoms. Those between the ore bins having a group
of three bars each of 1 sq. in. section on each vertical
face, while those forming the end walls of the lime bin
and the end ore bin have the same sectional area of
tensile reinforcement, but on their inside faces only.

The sloping bottoms of the bins are 12 in. thick in
each case, and are reinforced in both directions, having
a 0-68 percentage of steel running both ways, in the case
of the ore bins, and 0’43 per cent, in the lime bin.

The lower edges of these sloping slabs react upon a
tension ring formed round the rectangular discharge
openings, the cross sectional area of these rings being,
in the case of the ore bins, 7’59 sq. in., and in the lime
bin 4’59 sq. in. In each case this tension ring is made
up of a group of six bars, round which are hooked tbe
ends of the bars forming the sloping slab reinforcement.

In the ore bins, these tension rings are suspended
from the beams forming the vertical sides by means of
eight raking bars, each of 1 sq. in. section, in the direc-
tion of the long slope, and six bars of the same section
in the direction of the shorter slope. A similar arrange-
ment, but with lighter section suspension bars, is
provided in the lime bin.

The longitudinal vertical walls of the bins are
reinforced in both directions to resist the horizontal
pressure from the ore and lime, and are also designed
as beams 110 in. deep by 12 in. wide to carry their pro-
portion of the load from the hoppered bottoms and from
the cantilevered deck on top.

The columns carrying the bunkers are of rectangular
section, measuring 21 in. by 18in. in the case of the
intermediate supports, and 18 in. by 18 in. in the two
end supports, the 18 in. dimension of the former being-
in the transverse direction of the structure.

The 18 in. square columns are .reinforced vertically
with four Isq. in. section bars, laterally stiffened by
means of in. diameter binders, spaced 9 in. apart, and
the 21 in. by 18 in. columns have six vertical bars, each
of 1 sq. in. section, which are laterally reinforced every
9 in. in height by means of two interlocking rectangular
ties of 5 in. diameter round steel.

The columns supporting the. bridge are 15 in. square
reinforced with four vertical rods, each of 0’77 sq. in.
section, each pair of columns being crossed braced as
shown on the drawings.

Fig. 3.—Cross Section through Bins] (j Ore,
2 Lime Bin).

The longitudinal beams of the foundation raft, as
before described, vary from 33 in. deep by 18 in. wide
under the ore bins to 21 in. deep by 15 in. wide under
the lime bin and bridge, and are heavily reinforced as
continuous beams to distribute the load from the
columns over the foundation slab, which is designed to
spread the ground pressure to f ton per sq. ft.

The base slab cantilevers out for a distance of
3 ft. 9 in. on each side, beyond the centre line of these
longitudinal beams, and is 16 in. thick under the bunkers
and 12 in. thick under the bridge, in each case being
reinforced in the top of the slab between the beams and
■in the bottom of the cantilevered slab projecting beyond
the beams.

The concrete aggregate used was Minera stone broken
to pass-1 in. sq. mesh, but rejected on 73K in. mesh, and
the proportions of the concrete were the usual 4:2:1
mixture.

The steel reinforcement was of the quality called for
by the British standard specification for mild structural
steel, about 52 tons of Kahn trussed and Kahn rib bars
being used.

On account of the complicated character of the
mechanical gear for operating the chutes, it was impera-
tive that the reinforced concrete structure should be
executed strictly in accordance with the specified dimen-
sions and levels, as in certain situations even a very
slight discrepancy would have rendered the gear unwork-
able. A precisely similar mehanical arrangement had
been used previously in connection with a series of
hoppers built in structural steel, in which material work-
ing to exact measurements is obviously a much more
simple matter than is the case when dealing with such
a material as concrete.

At the outset, some anxiety on this particular point
was expressed; but by careful consideration of this
matter when designing the details of the reinforcement,
and by careful construction and erection of the

temporary timber moulds, with a free use of wood
templates representing all the connections between the
gearing and the concrete structure, perfectly satisfactory
results were obtained, and the plant has now been in
successful working operation for several months.

The total cost of the reinforced concrete structure
amounted to .£1,553, and the work was carried out by
Mr. W. H. Brocklesby, contractor, of Birkenhead, under
the supervision of the district engineer of the Trussed
Concrete Steel Company Limited, who were responsible
for the detailed designs.

COKE OVEN MANAGERS’ASSOCIATION.

The members of the Midland Counties Branch of the
Coke Oven Managers’ Association, on Saturday, after
paying an invitation visit to the coke oven plant at the
Tinsley Park Collieries, near Sheffield, met at the
Applied Science Department of the University of
Sheffield, and discussed the important scheme formu-
lated by the council of the establishment of local
branches.

Visit to Tinsley Park Colliery.

The inspection of the up-to-date coke oven plant at
Tinsley Park proved both interesting and highly instruc-
tive. The coke ovens at Tinsley Park were ready to start
in August 1914, but owing to the war the heats were
reduced, and the plant did not start until the following
October.

The washery has a capacity of 75 tons of rough slack
per hour. The sizes of nuts made are :—No. 1, over
Jin. Rd. and through 1 in. Rd.; No. 2, over lin. Rd.
and through 1| in. Rd.; No. 3, over l|in. Rd. The
coking slack is 0 to Jin. Rd. The special feature in
connection with the washery is the extraction of dust
in the dry state before washing, which is afterwards
mixed with the washed coking slack.

The total amount of coal that has been treated to date
is 233,000 tons. The free coal in the dirt .is 0*5 per cent,
to 1 per cent., and the freed dirt in the coal is 2 per cent,
to 3 per cent. There are four drainage bunkers in the
washery for the uncrushed coal, each having a capacity
of 150 tons, and a service bunker for supplying the
ovens of a capacity of 600 tons. Owing to, taking out
the dust, the slurry troubles are entirely eliminated.

The battery consists of 40 ovens of the Koppers
regenerative type, and the by-product plant is designed
to treat the gases from 50 ovens. The manufacture of
sulphate is by means of the “ semi-direct ” process.

The output of coke per oven per week is 31 tons, and
the percentage of “ breeze ” works out at 1| per cent,
on the coke made.

The yields of by-products are as follow :—Sulphate,
311b. per ton of dry coal; tar, 101 gals, per ton of dry.
coal; benzol, 2-40 gals. per ton of dry coal.

The surplus gas is used for generating steam for the ■
by-product plant, and the remainder is sent forward, by
means of a Bryan Donkin “ booster,” to four Lancashire
boilers at the colliery.

Proposed Local Branches.

The President, Mr. George Chrisp (Dalton Main),
presided over the business meeting, and he submitted
the proposed scheme of the council relative to the for-
mation of local branches. The various clauses produced
a good deal of discussion, and several amendments were
made to the draft scheme.

The Staffordshire branch was responsible for the
various amendments, but failed to substantiate a case
in favour of the proposed rules being altered so as to
admit of the membership of the chief chemist of a coking
plant irrespective of his age.

Mr. E. M. Myers (Staffordshire), in formally moving
the amendment, contended that any man who was head
chemist, whatever his age, should be admitted as an
associate.

The President said the qualification had to be
accepted by the council.

Mr. W. Green strongly opposed the amendment,
remarking that he did not think it advisable to admit
anyone under 21 years of age.

Eventually the President asked Mr. Myers if he was
prepared to withdraw the amendment with regard to the
acceptance of head chemists irrespective of age.

Mr. Myers declined to withdraw it, saying that rejec-
tion of the amendment would be a great disappointment
to Staffordshire, and would probably cause the resigna-
tion of a member.

The amendment was not accepted.

With the exception of those already accepted, Mr.
Myers intimated that he would withdraw the remainder
of the amendments.

The scheme as amended and adopted provides that a
branch or local section may be formed by the council
whenever five or more members or associate members
(the majority of whom must be full members), residing
in or otherwise identified in interest with a locality or
district, make formal application in writing to the
council, to cause a local register to be made for that
purpose, and if the council consider that the formation of
such a local section is likely to further the objects of
the association, they may require the signatories to form
a provisional committee and submit draft rules under
which the business of the local section is intended to be .
managed and conducted, and may provisionally approve
such draft rules with any modifications they think fit.
A committee and officers may then be elected at a
meeting to. which all the signatories have received
written invitation not less than seven days previous to
the holding of such meeting. For such meeting to be
valid, not fewer than five members of the association
shall be present, the majority of whom must be full
members. Upon notice to the council that such com-
mittee and officers have been elected, and that such
draft rules as approved by the council have been adopted

at such meeting, the council shall allow the adopted
rules as the rules of the said local section, and from
the date of such sanction the said local section shall be
deemed to be constituted.

The rules of the local section shall contain the follow-
ing provisions :—(a) That the business of a local section
shall be conducted by a committee chosen from members
of the local register, consisting of chairman, honorary
secretary, and not less than three other members of
committee. The chairman and honorary secretary must
be full members of the association; (5) anyone whose
name appears on the association’s current list of
members, whether resident at or otherwise interested in
the place where the local section is constituted, shall
upon application to the hon. 'secretary be entitled to have
his name entered on the register without any entrance
fee, and to become and remain a member thereof on the
payment of the annual sectional subscription (if any),
and without having to submit to election; (c) amend-
ments in, alterations of, or addition to the rules of a
local section shall be submitted to the council, and shall
not become operative until they have been allowed by
the council, and notice of such sanction has been given
by the secretary of the association.

For defraying the expenses of a local 'section the
council may require that all members thereof shall pay
a small annual subscription. The expenses of a loca]
section shall be. defrayed out of the annual sectional
subscription of the members of such section, but the
council in its discretion may defray the whole of these
expenses up to 25 per cent, of the subscription income
derived from such local section, out of the general funds
of the society. A local section shall not, without the
previous written sanction of the council, pay or incur
any expenses except reasonable sums for printing,
stationery, advertising and postage required for conduct-
ing the business, the hire of rooms for meetings, and
where necessary, travelling expenses for its representa-
tive or representatives on the council. An account of
all expenses paid or incurred by a local section during
the year shall be made out and forwarded to the
secretary of the association not later than June 30 in
each year.

The committee of a local section may invite or receive
communications from any person, whether a member of
the association or not, upon any subject likely to further
the objects of the Association, and such communications
may be made by the reading of an essay or paper, or
the delivery of a lecture, and every such communication
shall, before or after such meeting as the circumstances
may require, be sent to the council for their considera-
tion, and the council may, with the consent of the
writer, cause the same (with or without any discussion
thereon), or any condensed abstract thereof, to be pub-
lished in the official Journal or the Year Book of the
association. The chairman of every local section duly
constituted shall become and remain during his term of
office an ex-officio member of the council, and where a
local section has at least 12 full members of the associa-
tion on its register, the honorary secretary shall also be
an ex-officio member of the council. ■ A local section
shall be further entitled to elect one additional repre-
sentative as an ex-officio member of the council for every
additional 10 members on its register who are full
members of the association, and every person so elected
must be a full member of the association.

Neither the committee of a local section nor any meet-
ing thereof shall cause to be published, or authorise or
countenance the publication of any notice upon any
matter or subject whatsoever, either in the name of the
association or in the name of the said committee or
section, to the general public; but all such notices or
communications necessary or desirable to be made, and
all correspondence and communications between a local
section and any corporate or public body or other society,
except .it relate wholly to the ordinary business of such
local section, shall be conducted through, or shall be
subject to the express sanction of the council.

The council may at a special meeting called for that
purpose, declare by resolution that a local section shall
be suspended in operation, or shall be dissolved :—(a)
If it shall appear that the further continuance of the
section is not in accord with or conducive to the interests
of the association, or the furtherance of its objects; (5)
whenever three-fourths of the members of the local
section vote in favour of a resolution proposed at a
meeting called for the express purpose that it is desirable
such section shall be suspended or dissolved.

After the scheme had been adopted, Mr. J. T. Price,
honorary secretary (Wath-on-Dearne), gave notice that
at the annual meeting of the association, he intended to
move the following important resolution :—“ That the
present system of control of th*e association (i.e., by a
council of five members, together with the president,
treasurer, and secretary, and a co-opted member from
each branch) be altered, and that the so-called parent
body become a branch, and that a general council be
formed for the whole country, made up of representa-
tives from different areas in proportion to the strength
of the branches.”

Mr. J. A. Lee asked whether any other branch had
been formed beside the Staffordshire branch; and the
President intimated that a North of England branch
had been formed, and that a South Wales branch was
in process of formation.

The President said they could not really decide any-
thing until the year was out, and then there might be a
South Yorkshire or Sheffield branch. A scheme would
have to be drawn up to form a council from the different
counties.

Air. Lee pleaded for a wider outlook on the part of the
members, so that the association would be of such
benefit to the industry that they all hoped it would
prove to be.

It was decided to accept an invitation to visit the
coking plant at the Waleswood Colliery, near Sheffield,
on Saturday, May 27.