274 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. July 31, 1914. ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 1580 (1914). Improvements in or relating to Coke Oven Doors. H. Bareuter, of 34, Haskenstrasse, Essen-West, Germany.—A proper joint round the door is obtained by forming a springy packing rim by means of a flexible plate surrounding the door and firmly secured to it. The pressure on the door can be effected in various ways, for instance, directly, by a compressed air piston or by levers. Eigs. 1 and 2 show the coke oven door with the packing device. The door comprises a casting a into which the sheet metal plate b is tightly inserted. This plate is backed by springs c, which are inserted, for instance, in recesses in the door, and the plate carries a packing rim d (fig. 4 and 5), consisting, for instance, of asbestos. This asbestos strip is preferably held in a seating e formed of separate d & pieces, in order that flexibility of the plate and of the packing strip shall not be affected. The plate b is covered with an asbestos plate / for protection against the effects of high temperature. At the sides of the door, preferably protecting plates g are arranged. By covering the coke oven wall with sheet metal plates h, the effect can be increased. In the construction shown in fig. 1, the door is pressed in position by eccentrics or cams i mounted on a spindle I carried in the angle irons k. Fig. 3 shows a smaller pressure device with levers n loosely mounted on the rod m supported in the angle irons. Figs. 6 and 8 show a pressure device com- prising a compressed air cylinder o and piston p. Fig. 9 shows a device for pressing the coke oven door, which device is thrown in and out of gear by the door winch. (Five claims.) 4436 (1914). Improvements in Apparatus for Under- ground Electrical Signalling in Collieries. E. Edwards, of 59, School-street, Llanbradach, near Cardiff.—Relates to electric signalling in connection with underground haulage in collieries of the type in which a series of gas-tight chambers is disposed in an electric circuit and contact is made or broken by pulling the conductor or cable against the action of a spring. According to the invention the gas- tight boxes are electrically connected by one wire of the circuit and are linked together by the other or pull wire, one end of each link or section of the pull wire being attached to a terminal of one box and the other end being attached to a spring-pressed piston carrying a contact disc within another box, said disc being adapted to complete the electric circuit within the box. The make and break mechanism in each box comprises, inter alia, a spring which normally tends to keep the electrical circuit broken. By a sufficiently strong pull exerted on the negative or pull wire in respect of any of the boxes, the resistance of the spring can be overcome, and when this is done the circuit is established and the bell in the engine room is sounded, giving the desired signals. On relaxation of the pulling strain, the spring rebounds and breaks the circuit. Sparking resulting from the circuit making and breaking action takes place harm- lessly in the gas-tight box. Fig. 1 represents, partly diagrammatically, an installation of apparatus for electrical signalling in underground haulage according to this inven- tion. Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections of the gas- tight boxes, showing the mechanism contained therein for making and breaking the electrical circuit. (Three claims.) 4528 (1914). Improvements relating to Steam Turbine Driven Centrifugal Pumps.—G. and J. Weir Limited, engineers, Holm Foundry, Cathcart, Glasgow, and J. Petermoller, in the service of the said company.—Relates to centrifugal pumps driven directly by steam turbines, the turbine and pump rotors being mounted on a common shaft. The object is to allow of the construction of a unit of this nature which can be put into action quickly without previous heating up, and without serious risk of injury due to unequal expansion, and in which, moreover, the axial clearances between the rotor and stator of the pump can be kept extremely small. The pump is of the single stage, single admission balanced type, and the turbine of the single pressure stage impulse type, the rotor of the turbine, therefore, having very little tendency to axial movement due to steam pressure. The turbine and pump rotors are mounted on a common shaft, but within separate casings. The pump suction is arranged at the side of the pump remote from the turbine, and a bearing provided for the common shaft between the turbine and the pump, and a second hearing on the other side of the turbine. There are provided means for adjusting the first-mentioned bearing in a direction parallel to the axis of the shaft, and the shaft is provided with a guide collar on each side of this 0 F-ig I Hill bearing, each of the two collars being adapted to engage— when necessary—with one or other side of the bearing, in order to limit the axial movement of the shaft and prevent the rotor of the pump from coming into contact with the stator. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a unit according to the invention, and fig. 2 is a plan—drawn to an enlarged scale—of the middle bearings, and illustrates the means for adjusting this bearing. (One claim.) 22135 (1913). Improvements in Centrifugal Pumps and the like Apparatus. E. S. G. Rees, managing director of The Rees Roturbo Manufacturing Company Limited, of Wednesfield-road, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.—Relates to centrifugal pumps or the like apparatus, wherein the impeller or rotor discharges into a free vortex within the fixed casing of the pump or the like. It is proposed, for the purpose of enabling such a free vortex to act as an efficient device for the conversion of kinetic energy into potential energy or head, to encircle the free vortex completely or partly by a hood sd disposed that the water upon leaving I the free vortex, and particularly upon that side of the pump from which the discharge pipe leads, will be diverted out- wardly parallel or substantially parallel to the shaft, being constrained to pass around the edges of the cylinder or hood before entering the discharge pipe. The hood may be provided with blades on the inside forming expanding channels which control the direction of the water discharged from the free vortex and convert any kinetic energy remain- ing in the water into pressure. The accompanying drawing is a longitudinal section of a centrifugal pump embodying the invention. (One claim.) 24168 (1913). Improvements in Steelyard Weighing Apparatus. W. and T. Avery Limited, of Soho Foundry, Birmingham, and R. R. Gibbs, general manager, of W. and T. Avery Limited, aforesaid.—The objects are to print the consecutive number or other identification mark of each weighment, together with the weight, upon a tape and ticket, to utilise an inked ribbon in conjunction with the printing means, to prevent a record being obtained when the machine is locked within its casing, and generally to improve the construction of said apparatus. The accom- panying drawing is a front outline elevation of a steelyard constructed in accordance with the invention, showing its •«z kz__.......... position within the casing, the lid of the casing being open. A record can only be obtained upon the tape v when a ticket has been inserted in the slot t, the ticket forming a pad of sufficient thickness to afford contact from the printing roller n and the under surface of the ticket through the two parallel lengths of inked ribbon, and the tape to the printing type on the peripheries of the discs h and e. In this manner simultaneous and replica records are obtained upon both ticket and tape from an inked ribbon, the ticket being withdrawn from the machine for use out- side, and an inside record is obtained upon the tape, and retained within the apparatus until such time as it is removed, and a fresh supply of tape inserted. (Three claims.) NEW PATENTS CONNECTED WITH THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Applications for Patents. 17117. Means for charging and discharging gas retorts. H. J. Toogood and R. Dempster and Sons Limited. 17145. Method of burning cement, ores, and the like materials. E. C. R. Marks. (G. Polysius, firm of, Germany.) 17146. Rotary kilns for burning cement, ores, and like materials. G. Polysius (firm of). 17163. Steam or gas turbines. Akt.-Ges. der Maschinen- fabriken Escher, Wyss et Cie. 17169. Distillation of shales, coal, bitumen, and other car- bonaceous material, and apparatus therefor. C. White. 17173. Lifting jacks. Tangyes Limited, and E. Johnson. 17220. Water tube boilers. E. E. Noble. 17231. Protective gate attachments for the bottom of the shafts of mines. D. J. Lloyd. 17236. Method for the preliminary cooling of incandescent coke. W. Walch. 17260. Utilisation of peat. T. Rigby, and Wetcarbonising Limited. 17270. Measuring gauges. A. E. L. Scanes. 17271. Fluid ejectors. A. E. L. Scanes. 17285. Treatment of steel. A. Hethey. 17301. Conveyors. A. W. Broad and P. Swanson. 17334. Scotches. H. C. Adam and J. C. Adam. 17364. Installations for discharging or unloading trucks. P. Karsch. 17371. Turbines. J. H. Corthesy and W. K.-L. Dickson. 17372. Rivetless lattice girder. J. Paschen. 17379. Automatic protective devices or cut-outs for electric circuits. Siemens Schuckertwerke G. m.b. H. 17380. Automatic couplings for railway and like vehicles. A. W. Broad and P. Swanson. 17381. Automatic brakes for railway rolling stock and method of applying same. A. W. Broad and P. Swanson. 17407. Briquette machines. F. H. Rogers. (St. Louis Briquette Machine Company.) 17425. Furnace electrode. W. E. Evans. (Elektro- chemische Werke G. m.b. H., Germany.) 17426. Method of and apparatus for producing flows in the molten masses of electrical furnaces. W. E. Evans. (Elektrochemische Werke G. m.b. H., Germany.) 17449. Deep well pumps. F. C. Russell, A. E. Russell, and A. M. Russell. 17453. Driving and reversing gear for planing and like machines. J. A. Paterson and Widnes Foundry Company Limited. 17454. Machines for boring, facing, milling, and other metal cutting operations. W. A. Pearn. 17465. Control systems for electric motors. N. W. Storer. 17469. Manufacture of fuel. W. Smith. 17471. Centrifugal pumps. R. Siegel. 17475. Process for the recovery of ammonia and other com- pounds. F. Duvieusart. 17502. Manufacture of coke. A. M. Duckham. 17548. Arrangement for regulating the working of hauling or winding machinery. Siemens-Schuckertwerke G. m.b. H. 17581. Device for use in splicing wire ropes and the like. H. R. Beckett. 17584. Reversing regenerative furnaces. L. L. Knox. 17593. Electrical indicating or signalling apparatus. C. Campbell. 17598. Process for hardening and improving the condition or quality of materials such as iron, steel, and the like. A. Hirschl. 17604. Weight indicating weighing apparatus. W. A. Benton. 17607. Signalling apparatus more especially for use in col- lieries. W. H. Davis. 17625. Method of and means for supporting the loose roof in coal pits and the like, for permitting the safe removal of the fallen material and other like purposes. W. Davies, W. E. Foxwell, and I. Morgan. 17629. Grinding or crushing machinery. A. H. Moss. 17630. Apparatus for coating plates with tin, terne, or like metal or alloy. P. B. Taylor. 17656. Safety explosives. A. C. Pearcy and Curtis’s and Harvey Limited. 17667. Vertical retorts for carbonising coal or the like. A. M. Duckham. 17668. Apparatus for discharging vertical retorts for car- bonising coal or the like. A. M. Duckham. 17678. Method of operating gas producers with withdrawal of the slag in a liquid state, and apparatus there- for. H. Coppers. Complete Specifications Accepted. (To be published on August 13.) 1913. 9392. Utilisation of peat. Rigby, Andrew, and Wetcar- bonising Limited. 14498. Method of and means for detecting dangerous atmo- spheres in mines and for operating an alarm therein. Schauli. 16496. Shackle for haulage and other purposes. Wilding and Wilding. 16530. Apparatus employed in casting metals. Ferman. 16638. Process of corrugating metal tubes and the product thereof. Brinkman. 16800. Sewage disposal. Testrup, Rigby, Andrew, and Wetcarbonising Limited. 16909. Rotary pumps and the like. Collis and Collis. 17110. Automatic vacuum breaking devices for steam con- densers and other vessels under vacuum. Cole, Marchent and Morley Limited, and Morley. 17128. Manufacture of derivatives of toluene. Verge. 17154. Automatic safety suspending apparatus for pit cages, hoists, and the like. Paton and Williamson. 17449. Apparatus for charging refuse destructor and other furnaces. Leask. 17840. Apparatus and process for producing and inhaling oxygen. Budai. 17877. Treating illuminating and heating gases for purify- ing them and obtaining useful products there- from. Athion Ges. 19422. Mechanism for operating ore concentrating units. Deister. (Continued on page 276).