December 1, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 1077 ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 14806 (1915). A Process for the Separation of Suspended Impurities from Gases or Gaseous Substances. W. E. Moulsdale, of 6, Castle-street, Liverpool. — Relates «to a process for the separation of suspended impurities from gases or fumes, the object being to purify such substancea by removing detrimental matter, or to recover valuable sub- stances. Fig. 1 is an elevation; fig. 2 a plan, the covers of the washing chambers and of -the separator being removed. 1 is the main carrying the gas to be cleaned, 2 a non-return valve of any desired form through which the gas passes to the pipe 3, and to the washing or cleaning chamber 4. The gas may be delivered to said chamber either by suction or pres- sure. The washing chamber 4 is divided into compartments by vertical diaphragms 5, arranged to cause the gaa entering the chamber through the pipe 3 to pass in a zigzag manner alternately above and below the plates and through the foam. A pipe 6 conveys a portion of the gas to be cleaned under pressure into a basin 7 forming the bottom of the washing chamber 4 containing the foam-forming material. The pipe 6 may also serve to convey the froth-forming material from a reservoir or other source of supply. That part of the pipe 6 located within the chamber 4 is provided with a number of branches, each perforated so as to distribute the gas and froth-forming material evenly throughout the chamber 4. & The basin 7 of the chamber 4 also serves as a receptacle for the sludge deposit separated from the gas under treatment. The froth or foam in the chamber 4 may be broken down as and when desired by means of liquid discharged from an arrangement of sprinklers or spraying devices 8 provided above the chamber 4, and the chamber may itself be cleaned and the deposited sludge washed away by means of these sprinklers or spraying devices. The gas and a part of the froth or foam pass from the chamber 4 through an outlet pipe 9, furnished with a sludge basin 10, to a separator 11 provided with vertical perforated baffle plates 12. The separator 11 is also provided with a sprinkler device 13, by means of which the foam is broken down and the gas separated from the foam and the solid material, such as dust adhering thereto. The cleaned gas passes into a pipe 14, and through a non-return valve 15 to a main 16, and the sludge is washed into a basin 17 at the base of the separator, and is finally discharged from the apparatus through the channel 18, to which the basin 7 is also connected. The froth-forming material in the basin 7 may be agitated by paddles, dashers, etc. The froth or foam-forming substances for carrying out the process may be of the type of those employed in processes for the separation of minerals by flotation. (Five claims.) 14809 (1915). Improved Apparatus for Atomising Liquids, especially applicable for Supplying Water under Pressure in a Spray Form for Use with Rock Drills. W. E. Kimber, of 37, Inman-road, Craven Park, Harlesden, London, N.W.— Relates to means especially intended for use in connection with rock drills, to enable a spray of water under pressure to be introduced, preferably through a hole formed in the drill bit or tool, into the borehole produced by said bit, for the purpose of allaying dust and removing the debris therefrom. The drawing is a vertical section, with parts shown in elevation. The apparatus consists of a closed tank 1, from the top of which a tube 2 projects to near the bottom, where it is closed, but is provided with a small opening 3, placing it in communication with the interior of tank 1. A second tube 4 is arranged concentrically in 2, and terminates a certain distance from the bottom, where it also is closed, but it provided with a suitable number of openings 5 in its periphery, at a certain distance from the bottom, and pierced in an upward direction. A clearance 6 is provided between the outer periphery of 4 and the outer tube 2, the upper end of such space constituting or communicating with the-outlet 7 for the atomised liquid to be produced, while the upper end of the inner tube 4 is connected at 8 with a suitable source of compressed air.~ The lower end of 2 is preferably intro- duced into a socket 10 fitted to the base of the tank 1, with openings 11 to permit the liquid 12 contained in the tank 1 to pass by the opening 3 of such tube to the annular space 6 between tubes 2 and 4, a piece of wire gauze 13, or other suitable material, being if necessary secured below said.open- ing 3, to prevent its obstruction by any solids which the liquid may possibly carry with it. The opening 3 at the lower end of the outer tube 2 is further provided with means for regulating the entrance of the liquid from tank 1, and consists of a central rod 14, operated by a hand wheel 15, and terminating in a point 16 constituting a valve seated in the opening 3, and the stem of rod 14 being screw-threaded at 17, so as to raise or lower the valve 16 when the rod is operated, and thus effect the required adjustment of opening 3. The tank 1 is fitted with handles 18, and its upper end is pro- vided with an opening, fitted with a screw plug or cap, and serving to charge the tank. The tank is filled with the liquid 12 to be atomised, the upper surface of which (through 9) is placed open to the pressure of the air in inner tube 4, so that the liquid will be forced through the opening 3 and upward through 6 between it and the inner tube 4, in which it will encounter the currents of air issuing through 5 towards the bottom of the latter, which will exercise an injector action on such liquid, atomising same, and causing it to continue its passage through 6 in the form of a fine spray mingled with the compressed air, and which -will issue from the upper end of 6 by the outlet 7, with which a suitable conduit will be connected to convey the spray to the point at which it ie to be utilised. (Five claims.) *\ . .... — f' 16050 (1915). Improvements in Mine Shaft Signalling, etc. F. Hird, of Lanark House, Old Charlton, Kent.—Has reference to mine shaft signalling, etc., and is designed to enable the movement of the engine or prime motor to operate a signal cancelling arrangement without, however, having any mechanical connection therewith, or to give an indication when the engine starts. Fig. 1 shows a side view; whilst fig. 2 is an end view. The metal disc a is mounted on the shaft b, carried by bearings c. The shaft is provided with a pulley d, which by means of the belt e is coupled to the winding engine. Embracing the edge of the disc a are the poles of a magnet /, which forms the second main part of the apparatus, and is supported by means of the pivots g and g1, on which it is free to swing, springs f1 being provided to constrain the poles to a radial line with the rotating mem- ber a. Projecting from the magnet is an arm or lever h, which when the magnet swings on its pivots in either direction operates to lift one or other of a pair of cams M, and so close the spring contacts j and j1. These con- tacts constitute a relay switch, and are arranged in an electric circuit k, in which is situated the actual device (not shown) for removing or “ wiping out ” the signal, or for giving a warning of the starting of the engine. When the winding engine starts, the disc a is rotated, and a consequent electro-magnetic force is set up between the disc and the poles of the magnet /, due to the eddy currents generated in the disc. This force is able to turn the magnet on its pivots g and g1, and to close the switch by means of the lever h. (Three claims.) or covering d is d 16405 (1914). Improvements in Detonators and in the Method of Preparing the same. Dr. E. Burkard, of Trois- dorf, Cologne, Ger- many.—Relates to detonators and to the method of pre- paring same. As an example, the de- tonating charge may consist of 0- 90 grm. of tetryl (tetranitro- methyl aniline) cov- ered by 0-2 grm. of lead azide (lead hydrazoate) pro- tected by a closed cap and a super- charge of 0-3 grm. of cap composition (with or without a perforated cap). — Fig. 1 is a longi- tudinal section of one form of con- struction; and fig. 2 of a modified form. In fig. 1, a is the tubular de- tonator capsule, which, as usual, is closed at one end; b is a usual deto- nating charge of a nitro-compound; c is a usual priming superposed thereon. An i-j * * vided over the usual priming c, and on it is provided a super-charge e of detonating material covered by a perforated cap or covering e. In fig. 2, the super-charge e and the perforated cap or partition f are omitted, and in their stead a small detonator g is superposed on d. A fuse h is crimped in the capsule a. (Three claims.) 101813. Improvements in Composition Fuel. E. H. Smirk, of Glen Esk, York-road, St. Anne’s-on-the-Sea, Lancashire.—Has for its object composition fuel that can be produced at a very moderate price. The composition fuel is made of coal dust, coke dust, small coal or coke, or other suitable pulverised or reduced carbonaceous matter, and brewer’s barm or yeast. These substances, with the addi- tion of water, are thoroughly incorporated together in suit- able proportions into a paste, and formed into blocks of suitable size and shape (also compressed if desired) and allowed to dry, or are baked in an oven. The barm acts not only as a binding or agglomerating agent, but also acts to produce a porosity in the blocks, thus allowing air to perco- late through them and so aid combustion. A very suitable mixture for firm hard blocks or pieces of fuel is to add barm 0 10-, 11 —I i a ! and water in the proportion of two parts of barm to one part of water. In a modification, sawdust is added, or other material, such as peat dust, tanners’ spent waste, dyers’ waste, coffee husks, spent hops, etc. (Four claims.) 28446 (1913). Improvements in Gas Producers. P. A. J. Cousin, of 84, Rue Faidherbe, Loos-lez-Lille (Nord), France. —Relates to improvements in gas producers of the kind pro- vided with a blast distributor having submerged blast outlets. The drawing illustrates in sectional elevation a portion of a gas producer constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention. The bearer ring o of the producer is constructed in the form of a cir- cular blast box or chamber provided with uniformly distributed blast outlets v directed towards the centre of the apparatus and at the desired inclination to enable the blast out- lets to be submerged beneath the water in the ashpit. The air is blown by the fan into a central distributor, where such is employed and into a circular col- lector 10, arranged round the producer chamber a and above the ash pit e, and adapted to com- municate with the peripheral blast box o by means of a series of branches 11. The pressure of the blast and the level of the water in the ash pit are regulated in such a manner that when the apparatus is in operation the water will cover the outlets of both distributors, and will thus compel the blast to pass through the water before issuing into the pro- ducer chamber charged with water vapours. (Two claims.) 101832. Improvements in Apparatus for Loading Coal or the like into Vessels, etc. S. Instone, of 60, Post Office- chambers, Docks, Cardiff.—Relates to apparatus for loading coal and the like into vessels, etc’., of the kind comprising a skip formed from a casing and a coned or pyramidal bottom por- tion movable rela- tively to one another and susnended by a single rope, and dis- charged by allowing the material to escape through the opening between the lower part of the casing and the coned bottom member when the two have moved relatively to one another. Fig. 1 is a transverse sec- tional elevation; and fig. 2 is a plan, a is a rectangular or other suitably shaped frame work, the lower por- tion of which is closed by a coned or inclined portion b, the whole device being so con- structed that relative motion between the framework a and the coned portion b is per- mitted when required for discharging. The device may be pro- vided with a chassis, to replace the usual truck into which the coal is loaded at the mine, or may be of such dimensions that it can rest’ upon the frame c of the truck chassis. The coal is taken from the mine, etc., and loaded with- in the device, which is thereupon trans- ported to the vessel, etc.,at which the coal d a- is to be discharged. The device is then secured to the crane, etc. The bottom portion b is formed with a central rod e, having a stop f, which may be adjustable to ensure that the device will be closed when b is its upper position, and in conjunction with such stop is a slide bar g, carried by the frame work, and having a keyhole h, one part of which is sufficiently large for the stop f to pass through, while the other part is of smaller dimensions. The bar g is controlled by a lever i, which may be operated automatically by the crane, etc., worked by hand in such a manner that when the device is being hoisted into the vessel, etc., relative movement between the parts is prevented by the stop / and sliding bar g, while when the contents are to be discharged the sliding bar g is moved so that the larger portion of the slot h comes into register with the stop /, and free relative movement of the framework to the lower portion of the device is permitted. (Three claims.) (For complete list of New Patents see over leaf.) PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. A Treatise on Mine Surveying. By B. H. Brough and H. Dean. 14th Edition. London : Charles Griffin and Company Limited. Price, 7s. 6d. net. “ Proceedings of the Mines Inspectors’ Institute of the United States,” June 1916; “Annual Report of the Asso- ciated Chambers of Commerce of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1915-16 ”; “Compressed Air Magazine” (Vol. 21, No. 11), November; “Mining Magazine” (Vol. 15, No. 5), November, price Is.; “ The Iowa Engi- neer” (Vol. 17, No. 1), October; “Journal of the South African Institution of Engineers ” (Vol. 15, No. 4), November, price 2s.; “Some Railway Myths and Fallacies ” (Part 1) (reprinted and adapted from articles published in the “ Railway News ”), price 6d.