920 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. November 10, 1916. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late for inclusion in this column, see Leader and Last •White pages. Abstracts of Contracts Open. Brighton, November 14.—400 tons of good house coal for the Guardians. Forms from the Parochial Offices, Princess- street. Felling, November 25.—Coal and coke (six months) for the Urban District Council. Forms from the surveyor, Council Buildings. Fulham, November 20.—Coal and coke (six months) for the Cancer Hospital. Forms from the secretary. Gibraltar, November 21.—Best Cardiff steam, South Wales small, Newport large, best quality Durham unscreened, anthracite large, and anthracite nuts (12 months). Forms from the Sanitary Commissioners’ Office, Gibraltar. Kirkcaldy, November 13.—Ho-use coal, steam coal, treble nuts, and churls (six months) for the District Joint Hospital. Forms from A. Beveridge, solicitor Kirkcaldy. Long Lawford (Rugby), November 27.—£30 worth of good coal, delivered to cottage's. 'Tenders to E. Wright, clerk to the United Charities of Sir Edward Boughton and others. Oldham, November 13.—Steam coal (eight or 12 months) for the Electricity Committee. Forms from F. L. Ogden, Electricity Works. Stretford (Manchester), November 21.—Best Lanca- shire rough slack or equal quality for Electricity Works (12 months). Tenders to the chairman, Electricity Committee, Council Offices, Old Trafford. Wakefield, November 20.—Coal (12 months) for the Elec- tricity Works. Forms from the city electrical engineer, Town Hall. Warrington, November 22.—Coal dust (12 months). Forms from the stores superintendent, Cheshire Railway Lines, Warrington. Wigan, November 15.—Quick firing slack (12 months) for the Corporation. Tenders to the town clerk. Youghal, November 13.—Best steam lump and house coal (six or 12 months) for the Auxiliary Asylum Committee. Forms! from the Asylum. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON AND STEEL WORK, Ac. Aberdeen, November 23.—Stores.—Steel castings, galva- nised, single wire ropes, engine packing, iron castings, nails, steel boiler tubes, axles, telegraph material, etc. (six or 12 months), for the Great North of Scotland Railway Com- pany. Tenders (Is. each) from the stores superintendent, 80, Guild-street, Aberdeen. Barry, November 20.—Stores.—Iron, steel, wire ropes, etc. (six or 12 months), for the Barry Railway Company. Forms from the secretary, Barry Docks, Glamorgan. Bristol, November 13.—Stores.—Local tenders for cast- ings. Forms from the city engineer, Queen-square. Carmarthen.—Rails.—About 240 lineal yds. steel bridge rails (new or second-hand). Apply to county surveyor. Chatham, November 15.-^-Stores.—Picks, shovels, incan- descent electric lamps, iron bars, etc. (12 months), for Town Council. Forms from borough surveyor, Town Hall. Dublin, November 14.—Stores.—Bolts, nuts, rivets, car- riage fittings, forgings, rail fastenings, steel axles, copper tubes, iron, etc., for the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland Company. Forms (6d. postal order) from the storekeeper, Stores Department, Broadstone Station, Dublin. Dublin, November 15.—Stores.—Brass fittings for lamps, iron castings, files, tool steel, fish bolts, tubes, galvanised sheets, signal wire pulleys, tin-plates, etc., for the Great Southern and Western Railway. Forms (6d. each) from the storekeeper, General Stores, Inchicore, Dublin. Durban, January 3.—Steam Turbine, etc.—3,000kw. steam turbine, alternator, and condensing plant, for the Corporation. Forms from the borough electrical engineer, Municipal Buildings, Durban. Enniskillen, December 1. — Stores. — Copper plates, tubes, iron castings, spelter, edge tools, galvanised sheets, screws, pressure gauges, springs, etc., for the Sligo, Leitrim and the Northern Counties Railway. Forms (Is. each) from the secretary, Enniskillen. Milton Regis (Kent), November 14.—Plant.—Sulphate of ammonia plant for the Urban District Council. Forms from the manager, Gas Works. Sydney, December 16.—Turbines.—Two steam turbines and two sets of condensing plant. Tenders to the Board of Water Supply, 341, Pitt-street, Sydney, New South Wales. Specifications may be seen at the Commercial Intelligence Branch' of the Board of Trade, 73, Basinghall-street, London. Warrington, November 22.—Stores.—Iron bars, tele- graph materials, wrought iron tubing, spikes, fencing, signal wire, pulleys, tin-plates, etc. (12 months). Forms from the stores superintendent, Cheshire Railway Lines, Warrington. Australian Colliers’ Strike.—In connection with the coal strike, Mr. Jensen, Minister for the Navy Department, haa commandeered all the Australian coal supplies, the Common- wealth warships and transports having first call. Every- thing possible will be done to prevent any harassing of indus- trial concerns. The Scottish Australian Mining Company has received a telegram to the effect that there was a general strike at all the collieries of the northern and southern areas of the New South Wales coal field. The strike extends to Victoria, Tasmania, and Queensland. Hull Coal Exports.—The official return of the exports of coal from Hull to foreign; countries; for the week ended October 31 ia as follow :—Amsterdam, 141 tons; Aarhuua, 675; Aaleaund, 47; Bergen, 5; Christiansund, 106; Chris- tiania, 764; Copenhagen, 2,637; Dunkirk, 642; Gefle, 2,831; Gothenburg, 914; Harlingen, 695; Havre, 1,262; Honfleur, 1,659; Langes und, 243; Naples, 984; Rotterdam, 1,362; Rouen, 2,439; Stockholm, 1,098; Treport, 1,317—total, 19,821 tons. Corresponding period October 1915—total, 55,051 tons. Corresponding period October 1914—total 39,315 tons. These figures do not include bunker coal, ship- ments for the British Admiralty, nor the Allies’ Governments. ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED- 12360 (1915). Improvements in Rotary Compressors and Exhausters. J. Johnston and the Globe Pneumatic Engi- neering Company Limited, all of 1, Victoria-street, London, S.W.—Relates to improvements in rotary compressors and exhausters of the type comprising two drum-like or rotary members mounted one within the other and eccentrically to one another, and having an annular liquid piston occupying the space 'between the members, and provided also with a liquid seal for preventing the leakage of the air or gas being operated upon. The drawing is a sectional elevation of one form of device in accordance with the invention. In carry- ing the invention into effect in its application to a com- pressor or exhauster comprising one or more spiral vanes or threads a upon the inner rotary member and a shrouding plate b, there are provided an outer drum-like casing c, and an inner spiral thread carrying member d, mounted in bear- ings e, surrounding a fixed hollow shaft f, in one with a fixed disc g, located within an annular chamber h in the inner rotary member, so that the annular chamber is divided into two portions, each of which may be formed with vanes or blades. The chamber h communicates with a fixed inlet i, which communicates with an annular space k in the shaft f, and communicating with an apertured boss I. The arrangement is such that the liquid for the annular piston has first to flow into the chamber h, in which, during the rotation of the machine, it rises to a level until it can over- flow through an aperture n into the space between the rotary members, or into a passage communicating therewith, and during the operation of the machine the liquid in the pocket- like space or chamber assumes different levels in the two compartments formed by the fixed plate or disc, due to the pressure or vacuum produced by the machine, the annular U-shaped -body of liquid thus formed serving as a completely effective liquid seal or packing for maintaining the pressure or vacuum produced by the machine. (Four claims.) 14165 (1915). Improvements Relating to Tubular Appa- ratus for Heating, Cooling, Condensing, and Cleaning or Purifying Fluids, and the like. C. J. Goodwin and O. Gutt- mann and Sons, all of 60, .Mark-lane, London, E.-C.— Relates to circulating devices for use in connection with tubes through or around which fluids are passed for the purpose of heating, cooling, condensing, cleaning, or purifying the same. Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional elevations, taken at right angles to one another, of the device arranged with a condenser or like tube, a indicates a tube of a condenser, in which is inserted a member b of spiral form, having a decreasing pitch towards the end c, so as to impart a spiral motion progres- sively to fluids passing in the direction of the arrows d, through the tube a. The action of the device b on the fluid is to set up a swirling action which amounts to a substan- tial increase in the circum- ferential velocity and not the axial velocity of the fluid. As a result of this action, additional friction is produced on the walls of the tube owing partly to centrifugal force and the increased length of paths which the fluid is caused to take. Hence, fluid which in the ordinary way would pass in a line practi- cally coincident with the axis of the tube is caused repeat- edly and with increasing speed to change places with the portions of the fluid nearer the circumference of the tube, so that every particle of fluid is brought into direct contact with the cooling medium, thereby effecting a much more rapid and uniform cooling than has hitherto been possible. The device will operate in a similar manner when flu'ds are being heated or subjected to any treatment where it is desirable rapidly to attain a uniform condition throughout in the fluid treated. Moreover, the combined effect of the centrifugal force, the increased speed, and the increased friction, is to promote the deposit'on, on the walls of the tube, of liquid or solid particles which may have condensed, or separated out from the fluid under treatment. (One claim.) 14565 (1915). Improved Apparatus for Removing Coke Discharged from Retorts or Furnaces. Drakes Limited and J. W. Drake, both of Ovenden, Halifax, Yorkshire.—Relates to apparatus for use in the removal of coke that has been dis- charged from retorts, coke ovens, or furnaces, and especially for use in the removal of said coke when discharged from tiers of horizontal or inclined retorts used in the manufacture of gas. The drawing is a sectional end elevation. A indi- cates the outer wall of the building, said wall being opposite the tiers of retorts B situated within the building. 2 is a vehicle which consists of framework 2a forming the base, and supported by wheels a, so that all the parts mounted thereon may be caused to travel over the floor or base of the retort house in front of the series of retorts B. The supports 2b carried by the base 2a of the vehicle carry shoots c, c1, c2, c3, at an appropriate height for the series of retorts B, and also carry rails 2c, 2d, so that a supplementary vehicle 3 can travel over them from its lowest to its highest position. Ab the main vehicle 2 moves in front of the retorts B, when one of the lowest retorts is to be discharged, then the vehicle 3 is in its lowest position, so that the contents from such retort are received by said vehicle. When the other retorts at a higher levell have to be discharged, then their respective shoots c—c3 receive the discharged contents, and conduct same into the vehicle 3, which will have been raised on the rails 2c, 2d, to the desired height. Mounted upon the main i, to properly centre the the sections. Inside the vehicle 2 is appropriate motor mechanism, such as an electric motor 4, to transmit motion to winch or crane mechanism 5, the ropes 5c from which take over guide pulleys 5a to be secured to the vehicle 3. The full vehicle 3 travels over rails 2c and 2d, and discharges its contents on to an inclined plate 7 extending through the wall A. This incline 7 is succeeded by another incline 7a (at a lower level) of refrac- tory or other suitable material, so that the discharged coke is retained thereon by a hinged door 8, where it may be cooled by water from the hose pipe 9. Beneath the incline 7a is a trough or gutter 10, which drains away any water, etc., washed from the coke. On lowering the door 8 (which is counter-balanced by weights 8a taking over guide pulleys 8b) the coke on 7a falls by gravity into the truck 11. The mam vehicle 2 travells over rails 12, 12a, in order to carry the whole of the superstructure into any position desired within the building, motion being transmitted to the wheels a, a, of said vehicle by an electric or other motor. (Five claims.) 101572. Improvements in Internal Fittings for Boiler Tubes. T. Henderson, of The Coppice, Clifton Hampden, Abingdon, Berkshire.—Relates to linings for boiler tubes of the kind made from fireclay or other such material which will become incandescent when sufficiently heated. Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic general view of the arrangement of the sections with rings between them; fig. 2 is an end view of a boiler tube, in which the linings have been placed; fig. 3 is a view of part of a tube with the linings in position; and figs. 4 and 5 are two views of a ring. The sections a a are separated by rings b. As shown in figs. 2 and 3, the sections are made in two parts a1, a2, the parting edges of which are slightly thick- ened, as shown at c, and pro- vided with projections d to en- gage with sockets in the rings b to assist in securing correct alignment. The sections have openings e, some of which are provided with external flanges f. These openings are set spirally, so that the flanges will serve the double purpose of centring the sections in the boiler tubes g, and causing the hot gases passing up the space h between the outside of the sections and the inside of the tube, to travel spirally, as indicated by the arrows in fig. 3. In figs. 4 and 5, the ring has external ribs rings in relation to the tubes and ring is a spiral flange k, which will impart a spiral move- ment to the gases passing in the inside of the tube, and thus tend to prevent the direct rushing through of the hottest gases in the centre of the section, by breaking up the outer- most of the gases inside the tube, which would tend to act as heat insulators for the gases in the centre of the tube. (Five claims.) 101605. Improvements in Cancelling Mechanism for Signalling Devices for Collieries and other Mines. H. H. Gainey, of Splott-villas, Carlingcott, Peasedown Saint John, near Bath, Somerset.—Relates to cancelling mechanism for signalling devices such as are used in connection with the winding gear of collieries and other mines of the kind wherein a ratchet wheel with which a pointer moves as one is adapted to be advanced step by step by a driving pawl against the action of a spring tending to restore the pointer to normal position, and wherein said ratchet wheel is retained in the position to which it has been advanced by a retaining pawl, means being provided for disengaging said retaining pawl from the ratchet wheel before the completion of. the first step of the next signal to be given, so that the pointer before giving the fresh signal may return to zero position and cancel the previous signal. Fig. 1 is a front view of a signal indi- cator as fitted with the cancelling mechanism; and fig. 2 is a back view. 1 is the signal wire connected to the arm 2 of a centrally-pivoted four-armed cross-shaped lever, said arm 2 causing the bell 3 to be sounded by acting on a pivotal striking hammer 4. 5 is a ratchet wheel fitted with a spring (not shown) which bends always to turn the ratchet wheel backward, and thus cause the indicator pointer 6 to be restored to zero, whilst normally a -retaining pawl 7 prevents this return movement by engaging the ratchet wheel 5. A link 8, having a hook at one end, is adapted to be moved between the back of the dial plate 9 and a guide 8a, and engages by its hook a lug 10, which projects from the pawl 7. The pawl 7 is pivotal about a pin 11 fixed to the dial plate 9, and projecting rearwardly therefrom; and a spring 7* tends to keep the pawl 7 in engagement with the ratchet wheel 5. The nose of the pawl 7, which engages the ratchet wheel 5, projects laterally towards the front of the dial plate 9 through an aperture 12, whilst the link 8 is pivotally mounted on a pin 13 carried by the arm 2 of the cross-shaped lever, and extending towards the rear of the dial plate 9 through a slot 14. To the hooked link 8 is pivotally con- nected at 15 the upper end of a connecting rod 16, which,