324

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

August 18, 1916.

ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS
RECENTLY ACCEPTED.

7505 (1915). Improvements in Pneumatic Conveying
Plant. A. W. Bennis, of Little Hulton, Bolton, Lanca-
shire.—Relates to improvements in material laden air or gas
conveying plant of the type in which wear-resisting material
is provided on parts which baffle or guide the stream, these
being coated with sticky or plastic material, so that parts of
the material being conveyed will stick and form a founda-
tion for a deflecting or guiding surface. When the wear-
resisting materials are inserted in pockets, means are pro-
vided at the back of the pockets whereby fresh material may
be inserted from the back. Pipe bends can be provided with
depressions or pockets only on the outside of the bend out
of the stream line to collect material from the stream con-
veyed to present a continuously changing deflecting surface.
Big. 1 shows the application of the invention in one form to
a bend shown in section, and fig. 2 is a plan partly in
section. The pipe 9 is provided on the outer side of the
bend with a detachable plate 6 containing a pocket of wear-

resisting material 5, the pocket 6 being of larger radius than
the radius of bend of the pipe (fig. 2), so that the material 5
is keyed at the places 8 into the pipe and prevented from dis-
placement. To facilitate access to the bends at each side a
door or the like 1 is provided large enough to allow the inser-
tion of a man’s hand to facilitate the removal of any obstruc-
tion which may have accumulated in the bend. Such
covers 1 can be arranged to be drawn down by a hinge bolt 3
and nut 4, to be secured or tied against the pipe, and are
preferably hinged at 2. The material used may be in the
form of plastic or semi-plastic nature into which may be
embedded such material as hard slag or hard clinker, so that
the face of the bend inside the pipe is formed of such and
similar hard wear-resisting material. These wear-resisting
materials may, if desired, have rough or jagged surfaces, so
that they will catch portions of the material being conveyed
and form a deflecting surface against which the material
will strike and rebound again in the direction in which it is
desired the stream should be deflected. (Five claims.)

9140 (1915). Improvements in Recording Devices particu-
larly applicable to Mine Signalling Apparatus. A. T.
McCartney,42, College-street,Buckhaven, Fifeshire.—Relates
to a machine that makes a visible record on paper of signals
given by a shaft signalling apparatus having a pointer and
shaft of the fly-back type returning to zero automatically;
when coupled up to said shaft, it makes spaces and punches
holes on a paper ribbon according to the number of signals
given to the winding engine-man, and shown by the pointer
of the shaft signalling machine. The device consists of two
plates of rectangular shape a, through which pass two
shafts b and c, with a toothed wheel on each and keyed to

their respective shafts, one of them, d, being smaller in
diameter than the other and having more teeth. This small
wheel d is keyed on flush with the end of the shaft b
(fig. 1), which passes through the plates at the left-hand side.
On this shaft b, between the plates, a key is fixed and a
small roller or spool / is also on the shaft. This spool f takes
on the paper ribbon (the end of the paper being put in a slot
on the spool), and goes round with the shaft when drawn
over the key, but when drawn off the key it is free, and
allows for the paper being drawn off when full. Passing
up the face of the small toothed wheel d is an arm of triangu-
lar shape g, a small cam or pawl h working on the end of
this arm on the inside, and engaging the teeth of the small
wheel d. This arm g is of a length to ensure that the bolt g1
on which it works forms a radius, larger than the big toothed
wheel e that works the arm g, and when at rest lies on the
top of the shaft c of the large wheel e (fig. 1), which has

12 teeth and is keyed to the shaft c, two or three inches from
the end, so as to leave a length of shaft sufficient to couple
up to the signalling shaft. The shaft c passes through the
plates a, which are held apart by distance piece bolts, one
at each corner, and when in position the wheel e is close
against the arm g and in front of it. To the left of this
wheel e is another pawl or cam i, which is caught by the
teeth of the wheel e when the wheel tqrns, thus raising the
arm g, and as the radius is different the arm is only raised a
little, and the tooth slips off, allowing the arm to fall on
the next tooth. Fixed to the top of the front plate at the
left hand corner is a small block of metal of a thickness to
ensure that the lever I -is brought out clear of the small
wheel d. This lever I is tapered at the top end, as shown in
the drawing, and to this end a pliable wire or cat-gut con-
nection z from the end of the arm g is .attached to raise the
arm and clear the punch from the ribbon. From the bottom
end of the lever I a pin ll projects, a small rod connection m1
is attached from the lever to the crank m, which is set out
far enough from the plate according to the thickness of the
pawl n, which works on the end of it and on the inside.
A rod or bar k, fixed to the face of the wheel e, comes in
contact with the pin I1 projecting from the lever I, working
by the connection m1, the crank m, with the pawl n on one
end, this pawl engaging the teeth on the right hand side of
the small wheel d, and when this bar k moves the crank m
it turns the small wheel d. The bar k is set to move the
crank m when the pointer and shaft of the signalling
machine to which it is coupled returns to zero. Pawls o1
and o2 are placed and fixed to the front plate to keep the
wheel d from running back the wrong way. On the right
hand side of the triangular arm g and at the end of it is a
slot g2, and in this slot a pin p passes through a hole of semi-
circular shape in the front plate, and is made fast to a
lever q working about its centre. To the bottom end of this
lever q, between the two plates, a -rod r is connected by a
pivot joint, and to the other end of this rod r is connected
another lever s, with a punch t secured to the top end. Both
of these levers q and s are in the centre of the space between
the plates, and work in brackets y, which are bolted to the
plates. The paper ribbon x passes in front of the punch t
over a narrow plate u, with a felt pad attached, from a
spool v underneath, and this spool works on a bolt w, which
can be pulled out to allow the spool v to be taken out. Fig. 1
represents a front view, and fig. 2 an end view. (One
claim.)

8948 (1915). Grip or Clamp for Wire Rope or Other Rope.
J. E. Mortimer, of No. 34, Victoria-street, Westminster,
S.W.—Relates to rope grips or clamps of the type comprising
two blocks or clamping members furnished with semi-
cylindrical recesses to receive the wire or other rope and
means such -as bolts and nuts, for clamping together the two
clamping members with the rope between them. Fig. 1 is an
elevation, fig. 2 is a plan, fig. 3 is a plan of one of the clamp-
ing members showing the part cylindrical recess, and fig. 4
is an elevation showing the clamp screwed up and deformed.
The clamping members a, b, are each formed of a more or
less oblong flat plate or piece of metal, perforated at c near
each end for the free passage of a bolt d, and each member
is provided between the said two holes with a part cylindrical
recess e to receive the two ends or two parts f and g of the
rope to be gripped or clamped together. The two members
a and b are placed with their recessed sides facing each other,
and the recesses are formed at right angles or perpendicular
to the axis of the bolt holes c. Each recess is, moreover,

provided with a series of parallel grooves h
(fig. 3), not having a cutting edge, and the
longitudinal and terminal edges of the
recesses are preferably rounded or cham-
fered at i so as to lessen the tendency to
nip or shear the individual wires or strands
or fibres of the wire rope or other rope.
The tops of the grooves or threads h are
preferably flat, so as not to cut the strands
of the wire rope engaged. As the greatest
stress comes on the middle of the clamping

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members a and b, already somewhat
weakened by being recessed, the said
members are suitably made widest or
thickest in the middle to partly compen-
sate for the loss of strength due to the
recesses and taper slightly towards the ends.
The clamping members are, however, rela-
tively weaker at the centre than elsewhere,
to enable them to bend when the bolts are
tightened up and so close in the sides of
their part cylindrical recesses on to the sur-
face of -the rope to be gripped. Exter-
nally, the ends are suitably rounded or

curved at k more or less concentric with the bolt holes c and

the adjacent extreme edges of these rounded ends k of one
clamping member are adapted to come into contact when a
certain amount of screwing up has been performed and the
clamping members have been bent, so that any further
tightening of the bolts tends to accentuate the gripping
qualities of the clamping members on the rope. (Four
claims.)

9268 (1915). Improvements in Valves for Pneumatic
Drills. Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Company
Limited, of Elswick Works, -and G. Holt, of 64, Highbury,
West Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.—Relates to improve-
ments in valves for pneumatic drills, and the provision of a
central rotary valve, or an oscillating valve which will both
feed and exhaust, say, four cylinders, the peripheral surface
of the valve being divided into such a number of parts as
will equal the ratio given by dividing the speed of the crank
shaft by the speed of the valVe. Provision is also made for
reversing purposes. The live air is fed into the peripheral
surface of the valve, where it is carried round to the ports
by means of pockets suitably cut or otherwise formed on the
said surface of the valve. In the same way, the air is
received from the exhaust port on to the peripheral surface
of the valve and is carried round in a pocket to the exhaust
passage and exhausted. The valve has a very slow move-
ment, and so reduces friction, and by it being perfectly
balanced by the flow of air, the passages can be reduced to a
minimum, thus increasing the efficiency of the apparatus.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a pneumatic drill with a
valve according to the invention ; fig. 2 is an elevation of the
valve; fig. 3 a section on line C, D, fig. 2; and fig. 4 a
sectional elevation, with the openings in the bushing shown
in dotted lines in the reversing position and with angle lines
also shown in dotted lines, a is the pneumatic casing con-
taining the pneumatic cylinders b and c, the crank chamber
d and valve chamber e, an inlet or live air chamber f and
exhaust passage g and ports h and i which give access to
the cylinder. The casing a is built up in the usual manner
of a number of separate pieces (fig. 1), and the casing a is

provided at one end with the cover j, in which are the neces-
sary bearings for the tool holder k—provided with the usual
recess for the reception of the tool—and at the opposite end
are covers I and m in which the sleeve n and spindle o are
carried; these parts being provided with the screw threads
for operating the tool holder. On the sleeve n is also keyed
the hand wheel p for propelling purposes, and to the spindle o
is fixed the V-shaped centre-piece q. The crank shaft
chamber, in which the crank r rotates, is mounted in the
bushed bearings <$, t, and u provided respectively in the
covers m, m1, and j. The tool holder is geared to the crank
shaft by means of the gearing v, w, x, and y, which are
respectively mounted on or fixed to the tool holder k and
upon the stud z—fixed to cover j—and spindle 1 of the
crank shaft. The spur wheels v and x are respectively geared
with the pinions w and y. The pneumatic cylinders b and
c are arranged at or about, say, an angle of 90 degs. to
each other, being about 45 degs. on either side of the neutral
axis, and the valve chamber is arranged between them. The
valve chamber is located between the cylinders b and c, and
the valve 2 is arranged to run within a brass or other
bushing 3 which is fitted to the chamber. The bushing 3
is provided with an opening 4 which communicates with the

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inlet chamber f and also with reduced and countersunk
openings 5 and 6 arranged to communicate with the ports h
and i whereby access is given to the cylinders b and c. The
angle of the ports h and i is arranged at, say, about 126 degs.
to each other, as shown in dotted lines at fig. 4. The
valve 2 is cylindrical, and is provided with the flanges 7 7,
and arranged to rotate or oscillate in the chamber e. The
valve 2 is capable of rotation by means of its connection to
the spur wheel v, at about one-fifth of the speed of the crank
shaft. One live air passage and one exhaust passage is pro-
vided, the live air passage leading into the inlet to the
cylinder and the other passage into the exhaust chamber g.
8 and 9 are the exhaust passages which communicate with
the exhaust chamber g, suitable holes and openings 10 and
11 being formed in the bushing 3 to permit of the exhaust
passing from the valve chamber e to the exhaust chamber g.
The circumference of the valve 2 is divided into as many
equal parts as that into which the speed of the crank shaft
is divided. Each one of the divided parts is arranged to pass
a fixed point, namely, a port for every revolution of the shaft.
The inlet and exhaust ports arc formed by means of vertical
projections 12 and horizontal projections 13, the projec-
tions 12 being arranged at about a right angle to the
periphery of the valve, and the projections 13 at or about
parallel to the axis of the valve. The space between the
periphery of the valve and the bushing 3 and the projecting
division pieces 13 form respectively the inlet and exhaust
passages 14 and 15. The projections 12 form the ends of
the passage, and the division line between the inlet and
exhaust spaces or pockets 14 and 15 forms an indented line,
as shown at fig. 2. The two separate sets of inlet and
exhaust passages or pockets run parallel with the outer sur-
face of the valve 2, and are arranged respectively to open
into the passages 16, 17, and 18. To accommodate the
movement of the bush 3 the air passages h and i leading
from the chambers e to the cylinders b and c and from the
air chamber f are milled away in the form of pockets h1, i1
shown in dotted section lines at fig. 4, the limit of which is
equal to the movement of the bush 3. The movement of the
bush is obtained by connecting to it a handle 19 arranged to.
work in a slot 20 formed in the casing a. The length of the
slot 20 will control the movement of the handle or lever 19,
and its ends act as stops for regulating the movement of the
bush. (Five claims.)

16835 (1915). Improved Process for Freezing Water-
bearing Strata in Boring Operations and the like.
A. Notzny, of 13, Wilhelmstrasse, Gleiwitz O/S, Germany.
—Consists in the employment of liquid air or its constituent
elements as the cooling medium or refrigerant, and such
liquefied gas is either introduced into the ordinary freezing
pipes or injected directly into the water-bearing strata.
These gases when liquefied remain liquid at atmospheric
pressure Boreholes are sunk in several places from the
surface of the ground or from deeper levels, through the
solid, loose or movable water-bearing layers which are to
be cut through, into impervious rock, and are lined with
pipes which may be either closed or open at their lower
ends. The liquefied gas is then admitted into these pipes
and evaporates. The evaporation gradually decreasesowing
to the increased cooling effect on the surrounding strata and
the freezing of the water-bearing layers, and finally the
liquefied gas remains practically quiescent in the pipes with
little evaporation taking place until the sinking of the shaft
is completed. When the freezing operation is completed
and the sinking of the shaft, including the formation oi
lining in the frozen ground, is finished, the liquefied gas
still in the freezing pipes is then available for -any other
purpose for which liquid air is usually employed in mines
The freezing pipes, which generally stand vertically, may
also be connected one with another by suitable headers so
as to admit to the adjacent pipes the vapour formed during
and after the introduction of the liquefied gas. In this
manner the vapour may be utilised for cooling the pipes or
for pre-cooling those pipes into which no liquefied gas has as
yet been admitted. (Three claims.)

15929 (1915). Improved Haulage Clip. J. Bowditch, of
74. Madtland-road, Islington, New. South Wales, Australia.
—Relates to devices by means of which mining skips and the
like are temporarily attached to a travelling hauling rope,
and comprises a main member having means whereby it may