88

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

January 12, 1917.

ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS
RECENTLY ACCEPTED.

; 12463 ,(1915). Improvements in Blasting Cartridges. W.
Weber, of Hayingen, Lorraine, Germany. :— Relates to a
modification of the blasting cartridge described in Patent
8606 (1915)., The metallic powders are wrapped in a bag,
and may be mixed with some quantity of an organic sub-
stance, or amorphous carbon, to obtain a more effective dis-
persion among the 'metallic powders of a part of the liquid
air, or liquid oxygen, contained in the cartridge. The
organic substance, or carbonised organic substance, which is
mixed with the combustible metallic powders, absorbs liquid
air, enriched with oxygen, either from the storage vessel pro-
vided for liquid air, or from the saturated mass surrounding
the baig. . This latter mass may also consist of a carbonised
organic substance possessing a great power of absorption
for liquid air. (Three claims.)

16968 (1915). Improvements in Rope-Testing Machines.
A. N. Faulkner, of No. 1167, First-avenue, New York,
U.S.A.—Relates to an improved machine for testing the
strength of rope or other material. Fig. 1 is a plan view;
and fig. 2 a side view. The machine comprises a frame
having horizontal members 10, and transverse end-members
11, supported by standards 12 secured to a base-plate 13, and
■the whole is strengthened by diagonal braces 15. At one
end of the frame is a braking mechanism 18, which serves
to retard the movement of the rope against a pulling action
exerted by mechanism 19 at the other end of the frame. By
the relative forces exerted by the drawing mechanism 19
and the retarding mechanism 18, a certain amount of pull is
exerted on the rope 20 between the points 21 and 22, and
thereby that portion of the rope momentarily between the
points* 21 and 22 is subjected to this testing pull. The
amount of resistance offered by the braking mechanism 18 in
proportion to the null, is ascertained by a scale 23 clearly
shown in fig. 3, which is so arranged that when the amount
of pull at the point 21 is in proper proportion to the amount
of retardation at the point 22, the scale beam 24 remains in
its normal position, but in the 'event of the pull being greater
or the retardation being greater, the scale beam 24 is moved
correspondingly, and thereby the operative knows that the
proper' relationship of the pull and retardation is not being
maintained. To carry out this operation, the braking
mechanism consists of a Prony brake, the drum 34 of which
is mounted on a shaft 30, supported in bearings 31 and 32,
and is surrounded by a flexible band 35, which band is
secured at 36 and at 37, and is operated by means of the

102282. Improvements in Steam Superheaters. V. Smith,
of 53, Bath-road, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.—Relates to
steam superheaters in. which the steam which passes from a
boiler is heated on its passage through bent pipes exposed
to the products of combustion, the steam passing through
such pipes from one box or header to another, and particu-
larly to the type in which the bent pipes are arranged in sets ■
of two or more, (arranged substantially in the same plane.
Fig. 1 shows, in transverse section, a pair of headers and a
set of connecting heater pipes ; fig. 2 is an enlarged view
of the upper portion of fig. 1, and shows in section the con-
nections between, heater pipes and means by which these
pipes are fixed to the headers; and fig. 3 corresponds to
fig. 1, but shows the headers nearer together, and the set
of heater pipes differently shaped. A are the headers, and
B .the set of heater pipes,' which is made up of two pipes b,
of'which the pairs of ends join respectively into short hori-
zontal pipes b1. The
pipes b lie in the same
. plane, and are shown
each to have an upward
loop b2, which lies be-
tween downwardly ex-
tending portions of the
pipes, the lower ends of
which curve round into
the upward loops. The
outer end b3 of each hori-
zontal pipe b1 is tapered
exteriorly, and enters
within a correspondingly
tapered hole formed
through the side of the
corresponding header A.
A screwed stud b4 pro-
jects back axially from
the inner end of each
---- ------ — ------- ------- .	'	horizontal pipe b1. One
the bearings of both slide together in their guide ways. Gear ., of these studs has a right-.
wheels 130, 131, on the shafts 30 and 45, cause these-shafts hand screw-thread, and the
to turn simultaneously at the same speed. The bearings 31 formed therearound.
and 32 are connected to a U-shaped stirrup 48, which is con- ,
nected at 49 with a rope 50, which passes over a pulley 51,
and over a second pulley 52, and has its end extending
upwardly to a hook 53 of the scale 23. The scale 23 is
arranged in the usual and well-known manner, and has
levers 24, 54, and weights 56, 57, and 58, operated in the
usual way, the entire scale 23 being secured at 60 by the
shackle 59 to an upright frame 61, which is supported on
the main frame. When the pointer 63 and the indicating
mark 64 are opposite each other, equilibrium exists between
the weighted scale and the amount of pull exerted on the
rope. The rope 20 to be tested passes from a suitable reel
or coil (not shown) over a pulley 67 secured to the shaft 45,
and then over a pulley 66 secured to the shaft 30. (Two
claims.)

100076. Self-Catching Screw Couplings for Railway Cars.
■ J. T. Jensen, of Hjorring, Denmark:—Relates to improve-
ments in self-catching screw couplings for railway cars, the
object"being to provide such a coupling which will permit the
cars to be automatically coupled without requiring manual
operation. The coupling can again be released by operating
a shaft or equivalent means from the sides of the railway
car, so that there is no necessity for the man who performs
this operation to go between the cars. Fig. 1 shows a side
view; fig. 2 a top view; and fig. 3 a longitudinal section
on the line A—B, fig. 2. The coupling is attached to the
railway car by means of a cardan suspension engaging the
coupling at the eye D. Suitable means are arranged on the
end plate of the car for holding up the coupling in a sub-
stantially horizontal position. E is a cylindrical rod, which
has a toothed wheel F keyed thereon, and at the other end is
connected with a screw-formed iron piece G, located in dis-,
placeable cylinder H, ending in two horn-shaped strips or
catches I. ' The latter are so arranged, as to form angles of
90 degs. to one another, and 45 degs. to the horizontal
plane. Connected with the cylinder H are two rods J, end-
ing in pawls K, and around the said rods are provided helical
springs as shown, M is a lever pivoted at N, and retained

□

m-

\ff9
_L jv







lever 38, having a handle 39, and pivoted at 40, and which
has one end 41 secured to the end 36 of the band 35. By
downward movement of handle 39, the band 35 is tightened
around the drum 34, and the individual friction blocks 42
exert thereby greater friction on the drum 34 than when the
band 35 is loose. By varying the pressure applied to the
handle 39, greater or less friction is exerted, and thereby
the-'movement of the shaft 30 is correspondingly affected.
The cross-rod 40 is sunnorted between curved arms 44, which
are secured at their rear ends to a shaft 45, which is mounted
in bearings 16, 17, which are slidably mounted in guide
blocks 25, 26, secured to the frame of the machine. The
bearings 31 and 32 are movable in "uide .ways 46 and 47.

" The shaft 30 passes through the arms 44, and hence said
arms secure the shafts 30 and 45 in fixed relation, so that

at the catch 0 engaged by the two-armed angle lever R, one
arm of which abuts against the one-armed lever P. When
the lever M is not retained by the catch 0, it falls down, into
the position L shown in figures in dotted lines, in which
position it engages with thie toothed wheel F, and locks- it.
V is a crank which can return the arm M to the position
shown in full lines, and the double crank can be rotated by
means of the shaft T, which extends at both sides of the,
railway car, and can be operated from here.z. When two
railway cars provided with such couplings are moved towards
each other, the catches I will guide the cylinders centrally
against one another, and the helical pieces G will screw into
each other, whereb- one or both of the tooth wheels F will

//

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■ d|M v

rotate, and the displaceable cylinder H, with the rods J and
the pawls K, will be pushed back, the pawls K slipping
below the lever P. If now the cars be moved away from
each other, the springs will carry back with them the
cylinder H, whereby the nawls K again pass the one-armed
lever P, thereby moving this so as to release the two-armed
anigie lever R. Hereby the catch 0 will release the lever M,
which falls down and engages a notch on the ratchet wheel
F, the rotation of which is hereby, prevented, and the
coupling is effected. The coupling can again be released by
turning of the shaft T, and therewith the crank V, which
raises the arm L out of engagement with the tooth wheel
F, which then again can rotate. (Two claims.)

One



other a left-hand screw-thread
_________________ A socket C is screwed upon these
studs, such as by means of a spanner applied to ia hexagdri
collar c, which is formed around the socket. By turning the
socket in one direction of rotation, the ends of the short
horizontal pipes b1 may be drawn inwards (the pipes b
springing as required) to allow their outer ends to be
entered within the corresponding holes of the headers, and,
by then turning the socket in the opposite direction of rota-
tion, the tapered ends b3 of-the pipes b1 may be entered and
tightly forced into the tapered holes of the headers. To
remove a set B of heater pipes, the socket C is turned in
the direction to withdraw the short pipes b1 from the
headers. In fig. 3 the pipes b depend vertically from,the
short horizontal pipes b1, and the two lengths of each pipe
simply curve round into one another at the bottom. The
sectional area of the interior of each short pipe b1 is (approxi-
mately equal to the combined areas of the two pipes b.
(Five claims.)

102386. Improvements in the Manufacture of Refractory
Bricks and Cement. T. Twynam, of Wynyard House, Coat-
ham-road,.: Redcar, Yorkshire.:—Relates to improvements in
the manufacture of refractory basic bricks and cement for
use in metallurgical furnaces. Raw. magnesite or raw dolo-
mite, or even ordinary limestone is finely ground under
rollers with sufficient water to thoroughly moisten it, a
certain definite amount of blast furnace slag being added in
the form of slag wool, which material possesses a very con-
siderable volume in comparison with the raw ground car-
bonate. Instead of grinding the material in a mill with
water, it may be passed dry through a ball-mill, and subse-
quently mixed with the requisite quantity of slag wool and
sufficient water in a suitable grinding mill. About 3 to 5
per cent, of slag wool gives good results both for bricks and
cement. The bricks should not be. very highly pressed before
being fired, as owing to the. escape of the carbonic acid, there
is with high pressure before burning a tendency to crack.
Owing to the presence of the slag wool in the brick, shrinkage
during firing is1 very small, and can be allowed for in the
size of the mould employed. The brick remains true to

shape, and is not distorted during firing, as is the case when
the carbonate .is used alone. Bricks made, as above are more
porous than bricks made in the ordinary way from the
previously shrunk material, and whilst they stand very well
when they do not come in actual contact with the slag, they
are not so well adapted for purposes underneath the slag
line. A composite brick, however, in which from 20 to 30
per cent, of highly shrunk ground magnesite is mixed with
the ground carbonate (magnesite or dolomite) and slag wool,
gives good results, and forms a serviceable brick for'all
purposes. Another excellent way of overcoming the porosity
is to make up the mixture of raw’ carbonate and slag wool
,into rough blocks, fire them at a high heat, and then re-grind
the shrunk material and make up into bricks in the ordinary
way, firing them as usual in the kiln. The blast furnace
slag wool used should be neutral in character, and pre-
ferably high in alumina. Slag wool from blast furnace slags
from ferro or spiegel furnaces, high in manganese oxide, also
gives very good results. A mixture of raw dolomite with
about 5 to 10 per cent, of slag made from a neutral blast
furnace slag when ground together, can be used direct in
the form of cement for repairing the interior of open hearth
steel or other metallurgical furnaces. (One claim.)

102327. Improvements in Miners' Lamps. M. Findlay,
of 38, Main-street, Shettleston, in the
Scotland.—Relates to improve-
ments in miners’ lamps, and
applies to those used by miners in
front of their cans. In the draw-
ing, A is the lamp. The hanger
is composed of two. hooks B C,
■formed from one piece of metal,
the lower extension D being
dered, or otherwise fixed to
body of the lamp. The
hooks B, 0 are hooked into
front part of the cap of
wearer, by which means the lamp
is held firmly and securely in
position, and moves only with the
movement of the head of the
wearer. The two hooks may also be
(Two claims.)

sol-
the
two
the
the

county of Lanark,

attached separately.

102352. Improvements Relating to Water Tube Boilers
Fitted with Superheaters. Babcock and Wilcox Limited, of
Oriel House, 30, Farringdon-street, London. (Communi-
cated by the Babcock and Wilcox Company, of New York,
U.S.A.)—Relates to water tube boilers haying longitudinal
water tubes and fitted with superheaters, and consists in the
provision of a superheater comprising curved tubes disposed
between and extending transversely of the water tubes. Pre-
ferably, such superheater is used in conjunction with a
primary superheater and functions as a secondary super-
heater. In a standard Babcock and Wilcox cross drum
boiler a primary U-tube superheater is arranged in the
triangle space below the horizontal circulating pipes and
above the inclined tubes. The headers of this superheater
are built into or supported upon the brickwork above a
baffle, bringing the hand-hole fittings above the third pass
of the boiler, where they are exposed only to moderate
temperatures. A secondary superheater is located within
the bank of generating tubes, where it will be subjected to a
relatively high degree of heat. This superheater may com-
prise one or more sets of tubes, receiving steam directly from
the boiler drum, or, if a primary superheater be also
installed, the steam therefrom may be delivered to one or
more sets of tubes which comprise the secondary super-
heater. (Four claims.)

102354. Improvements in Belt and Fixed Bucket Eleva-
tors. F. Marston, of Morenci, Arizona, U.S.A.—Relates to
improvements in conveyors, and more: particularly to
a bucket conveyor wherein the belt is guided round crowned

pulleys. The drawing is a
view, partly in elevation and
partly in section. 1 denotes
the belt adapted to pass
around the crowned pulley
2, and 3 is a bucket secured
to the outer surface of the
belt by bolts 4 and nuts 5, the
heads of the bolts being on
the inside of the belt and flush
with the inner face, while the
nuts 5 are placed within the
bucket 3. The bolts 4 are
arranged preferably at the
transverse centre of the inner
face 6 of the bucket, and
adjacent the opposite ends
thereof. In the construction

shown, the inner face 6 of the bucket 3 is curved trans-
versely concentric to the transverse curvature of the pulley
2, whereby a similar curvature is imparted to the belt 1,
thus giving a maximum of efficiency between the pulley 2
and the belt 1. In a modification, a plano-concave liner
plate is inserted between the bucket and belt. (Two claims.)

102422. Improvement in Coke Oven Recuperative Systems.
J. E. 'Christopher, Woodside, Hall-lane, Hindley.—Aims at
obtaining the high efficiency of a reversing system with a
lessened degree of fluctuation in temperature. Fig. 1 is a
sectional elevation of a coke oven with horizontal flues, the
lower part showing the invention; fig. 2 is an end sectional
elevation; and fig. 3 is an end sectional elevation on a larger
scale. Gas is fed into the flues in any desired manner. Hot
air from the recuperative system is admitted at C and D.
Combustion takes place in the flues E, F, and G, and the
waste heat nasses through the sole flue H to the chambers
J, filled with chequered brickwork or the like. During this
period the dampers M are drawn back by any desired system
of levers and the like, one such system being shown. To
bring about' a reversal, the levers N are turned to the posi-
tion shown dotted at P, by which means the dampers M are
pushed in, disconnecting the sole flue H from the chambers
J. Two sets of levers and the like are required, and are
reversed simultaneously. Thus, all levers with odd numbers
are in the position N, and all with even numbers in position
• P, during one period, and in reversed position during the
next. In fig. 3 the plain arrows show the position and direc-
tion of the currents during one period, and the broken arrows
show the position in the next period, namely, after a reversal.
Dampers 1,3, 5, and 7 are closed together, and, simul-
taneously, dampers 2, 4, 6, and 8 are opened together. Air
is supplied by passage R connected to chambers J by pass-
ages 5 and 8. It may be noted that during any of these
periods a chamber engaged in heating the air is sandwiched
between two chambers receiving waste heat. The air is
coming in the opposite direction to the waste heat, and picks