1104 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. November 26, 1915. will be noted that the clearing relays have other armatures of which no mention has been necessary in the operation described. They would come into play if one of the other stations was signalling. The precise arrangement and inter- connection of the armatures and contacts of these clearing relays is not material so long as they fulfil this condition that line 60 is only connected to negative when all the clearing relays save one are excited. (Three claims.) 20258 (1914). Improvements in the Utilisation of Blast Furnace Slag and in the Recovery of Products therefrom. T. Twynam, of Wynyard House, Coatham-road, Redcar, Yorkshire.—By allowing the molten blastfurnace slag to flow directly into water, or by causing water jets to act on the molten slag in a closed receptacle, or by other convenient means, the heat contained in the slag is readily caused to generate steam, which can advantageously be used in low- pressure turbines, or other suitable apparatus, to generate mechanical energy, and at the same time the blastfurnace slag is granulated, and is obtained in a form very suitable for chemical treatment, without the necessity for any other generate steam, which can advantageously be used in low- pressure turbines, to develop high-tension electricity, which in its turn, is used for directly combining atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen in any suitable form of furnace, and thereby obtaining nitric acid, which acid is used to decompose the granulated blastfurnace slag for the purpose of obtaining from it the silica, alumina, lime, magnesia, potash, etc., which form its chief constituents, in a commercial form. It is pre- ferable to treat the granulated slag with moderately concen- trated nitric acid (say, about 30 per cent, real acid), and to keep the temperature from rising. The silica is left for the most part in the insoluble form, and it should be the object of the operator to keep as much silica out of solution as possible. The nitric acid should be neutralised by means of the slag as completely as possible. When this is accomplished, the liquid containing the nitrates of the bases is separated from the insoluble silica, etc., by any convenient means, such as filter presses. The gelatinous silica, after washing, is used for any convenient purposes, such as brickmaking, mixing with lime to form a mortar or cement, or as (unless it is very completely washed) it usually con- tains a little nitrate of lime, it has a value for fertilising pur- poses on many soils, when air dried. The solution of the nitrates separated from the insoluble silica is best digested with a sufficient amount of hydrate of lime to effect the pre- cipitation of the alumina, magnesia, and manganese oxide contained in it. The precipitation is accelerated by heat. Instead of using pure milk of lime, it is preferable to use dolomitic lime, using sufficient of it to give lime enough to precipitate the above oxides, the magnesia in the dolomitic lime being left insoluble, and in admixture with the precipi- tated oxides. The precipitate is separated from the nitrate of lime solution by the aid of filter presses, and after washing is digested in soda solution, whereby the alumina is separated from the magnesia and manganese oxide. The aluminate of soda solution is treated by the known methods to obtain pure alumina. The insoluble magnesia and manganese oxides are dried and calcined, and form an excellent material for the manufacture of magnesia bricks. The solution of nitrate of lime is evaporated to obtain the solid nitrate, which has a large use for agricultural purposes. It is generally prefer- able to mix it with sulphate of potash or sulphate of ammonia to overcome its deliquescent properties. There is usually a certain amount of potash in blastfurnace slag, and this is ultimately obtained in admixture with the nitrate of lime, so increasing its value for fertilising purposes. (Two claims.) 22576 (1914). Improvements in or relating to Axle Boxes of Railway and like Vehicles. J. T. McWilliams, of No. 21, Pearce-road, Lillooah, District of Howrah, Division of Burd wan, Bengal, British India.—Relates to that type of F&2 axle box in which the journal is lubricated by means of a disc affixed to the end of the journal, the lower part of its periphery dipping into oil contained in the axle box, so that oil adhering to said disc is carried up above the journal and is there thrown off by centrifugal force into troughs formed on the inner sides of the box which conduct it to a tray or slipper located above or on the brass, and by centrally arranged holes in the said tray or slipper, which register with corresponding holes in the brass, the oil is conducted to the journal. According to the invention there is combined bined with the disc adapted to throw oil centrifugally from its periphery, one or more scrapers, preferably spring pressed on to the disc, which can collect a further supply of lubricant from the side of the disc to lead the same to the slipper. Big. 1 is a longitudinal section of the tray or slipper; fig. 2 is a half elevation and cross section; and fig. 3 is a plan of the same; fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the axle box with journal and oil disc, and showing the tray or slipper in operative position. (Seven claims.) NEW PATENTS CONNECTED WITH THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Applications for Patents. 16071. Method and means for compressing scrap metal. T. Sharp and G. Raine. 16074. Drill shanks and sockets. E. E. Cammiss. 16076. Safety sustaining gear for inclined rope railways and the like. J. R. L. Allott and E. Dean. 16084. Fuel economisers for use in fire grates. M. Jay. 16088. Gas producers. L. Nelson. 16108. Apparatus for discharging and quenching coke. S. N. Wellington. 16110. Furnace for melting metals. H. N. Davis and W. R. Twigg. 16113. Watt meters and like instruments for the measure- ment of electrical power. H. E. Trent. 16147. Earth boring tool. B. B. Hill. 16164. Steam superheaters for locomotive and other fire tube boilers. W. H. Lewers. 16182. Docking or fastening cams to rotating shafts. F. Hall and T. N. Bailey. 16185. Electric insulators. A. R. Muller. 16204. Reducing valves, particularly adapted for use in.con- nection with breathing apparatus. Hanseatische Apparatebau-Ges. vorm. L. von Bremen & Co. 16206. Axle or shaft bearings, specially applicable for corves and similar mine wagons. J. King. 16221. Combined container, shield, and stand for use in con- junction with solidified hydrocarbon fuel blocks or other fuel substances. H. H. Kelsey. 16222. Preparing quick igniting fuel blocks for camp stoves and like purposes. H. H. Kelsey. 16225. Rock drilling machines. J. H. Veasey. 16233. System or arrangement of mechanism for igniting the fuel charge of internal combustion engines. H. G. Harley. 16245. Safety sustaining gear for inclined rope railways and the like. J. R. L. Allott and E. Dean. 16261. Production of toluene and its homologues. S. Pearson and Son Limited, and J. S. Smith. 16268. Boiler furnaces and the like. V. R. Chadwick. 16269. Method of operating coal gas generating apparatus. A. E. White. (Riter-Conley Manufacturing Com- pany, United States.) 16271. Magnetically operated prime mover. W. H. Higgins. 16289. Chains of coal cutting machines for carrying the picks or cutters. P. J. McDermott and H. N. Wood. 16298. Furnaces fed with pulverulent fuel. K. H. V. van Porat and M. V. Nya Aktiebolag. 16335. Domestic fire grates for coal, coke, and other fuel used in lumps or pieces. E. M. A. St. John Mildmay. 16337. Liquid fuel supply filters for internal combustion engines. G. P. R. B. Kinnear. 16342. Fuel-fed frictional ignition lighting devices. W. Bower. 16348. Production of benzene, toluene, xylene, and other hydrocarbons. G. P. Lewis. 16365. Multiple drilling machines and the like. F. T. Green. 16370. Coal separators and the like. Rochester Engineering Company Limited, and W. Todhunter. 16374. Gas-cap observation chart and key for self-instruction in mine gas testing (for mining students). W. Hurst. 16381. Drilling and boring machines. C. and P. Houston. 16394. Tilting crucible furnaces and the like. Alldays and Onions Pneumatic Engineering Company Limited, and E. W. Nicholson. 16396. Liquid fuel supply arrangements of internal com- bustion engines. J. Higginson and H. Arundel. Complete Specifications Accepted. (To be published on December 9.) 1914. 20975. Ovens. Turner. 21062. Machines for drilling, boring, and like operations. F. E. Adams* Pressure Tool Company, and Adams. 23014. Liquid fuel for internal combustion engines. Heyl and Baker. 23387. Fuel supply apparatus for explosion motors. Hansen- Ellehammer. 24108. Controllers for electric motors. Pickerings Limited and Fothergill. 24631. Electric insulators. Soc. Ceramica Richard-Ginori. 1915. 619. Driving mechanism for use in power engines. Froehlich. 1387. Boiler and like surfaces. Holehouse. 3489. Process for preventing the formation of, and remov- ing, scale in steam boilers and the like. Schlaepfer. 3502. Induction motors. British Thomson-Houston Com- pany. (General Electric Company.) 3669. Automatic boiler-feed admission regulator. Ellis. 4857. Rope grips. Doust and Lumbers. 5269. Process of treating steel. Ross. 5391. Water-tube generators. Canhac. 5618. Process for the direct production of refined iron and refined steel from titaniferous iron ores. Loke and Loke. 7103. Apparatus for feeding pulverised or finely divided fuel. Law. (Quigley Furnace and Foundry Company.) 11364. False grate or fuel economiser for domestic fire- places. Whalley. Complete Specifications Open to Public Inspection Before Acceptance. 1915. 333. Apparatus for cleaning out the fire tubes of steam boilers. Reiter and Gruenwald. 15142. Machine for making insulators. Simonson. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. *** Any of the following publications may be obtained on application at this office at the price named post free. Consular Reports, etc., 1914: Japan, Hakodate, 2|d.; Japan, Osaka, 3d.; Bulgaria, 2d.; United States, Philippine Islands, 2|d.; China, Tsinan and Tsingtau, Id.; Egypt, Port Said, 2|d.; United States, St. Louis, 4d.; Japan, Shimonoseki, 2d.; Congo, Katanga, ljd.; British Solomon Islands, 1914-15, Id. Statutory Rules and Ordera, 1915 : (No. 1,057) Customs, Order in Council, l|d. Italian Decrees re Enemy Merchant Vessels, l|d. Factory and Workshop Report for 1914, Is. 7d. Patents and Designs Act Partial Suspension Bill, Id. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. Transactions of the Institution of Mining Engineers. (Vol. 50, Part 1.) 12s. The Magnet of Commerce. (First Series, No. 2.) London : Great Central Railway Company. South Wales Coal Annual, 1916. By J. Davies and C. P. Hailey. Cardiff : The Business Statistics Company Limited. 7s. 6d. net. “ Monthly Bulletin of the Canadian Mining Institution ” (No. 43), November; “Electro Plating with Cobalt,’’ by H. T. Kalmus (Bull. 334 of the Mines Branch, Canadian Department of Mines); ‘ ‘ Transactions of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland ’’ (Vol. 58, Part 7 ; and Vol. 59, Part 1); “ Transactions of the North- East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders ’’ (Vol. 32, Part 1), November, price 5s.; “ Bulletin of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy’’ (No. 134); “ Coal Mine Fatalities in the United States during July 1915,’’ compiled by A. H. Fay (U.S. Bureau of Mines); “The Journal of the Franklin Institute’* (Vol. 180, No. 5), November, price 50c.; “Compressed Air Magazine’* (Vol. 20, No. 11), November; “The Iowa Engineer’’ (Vol. 16, No. 1), October; “Annual Statistical Report of the American Iron and Steel Institute for 1914 ’’ (Bureau of Statistics, American Iron and Steel Institute); “The Engineering Magazine’’ (Vol. 50, No. 2), November, price Is.; “The Canbelego, Budgery, and Budgerygar Mines; Part 2 of the Cobar Copper and Gold Field,’’ by E. C. Andrews (Mineral Resources, No. 18 of the Geological Survey, Department of Mines, New South Wales), price 7s. 6d. Hull Coal Exports.—The official return of the exports of coal from Hull to foreign countries for the week ending Tuesday, November 16, is as follows :—Amsterdam, 978 tons ; Barcelona, 1,008; Boulogne, 1,980; Dunkirk, 1,050; Gothen- burg, 3,473; Gefle, 854; Havre, 630; Harlingen, 646; Karachi, 195; Matadi, 1,110; Norkopping, 1,378; Oporto, 1,469; Rouen, 14,415; Rotterdam, 1,392—total, 30,578 tons. The above figures do not include bunker coal, shipments for the British Admiralty, or the Allies’ Governments. Corre- sponding period, November 1914, total, 47,018 tons; corresponding period, November 1913, total, 29,344 tons. The Institution of Mining Engineers.—A special general meeting of the institution will be held in the Philosophical Hall, Park-lane, Leeds, on Tuesday, December 14, at 12.45 p.m., to approve the following alteration in the by-laws of the institution, in order that the same may be allowed by the Lords of His Majesty’s Privy Council, as provided by the Charter. By-law No. 1 shall read as follows :—“ (1) The objects and purposes for which the Institution of Mining Engineers was constituted by Royal Charter in 1915 are :—The advancement of coal and iron ore mining and allied industries, and the promotion of the acquisition of the knowledge necessary for the control and direction of mining operations in relation to stratified deposits.’’ Instead of :—“ (Old by-law No. 1.)—The advancement of mining and allied industries; and for the •promotion of the acquisition of the knowledge necessary for the control and direction of mining operations, more particularly in relation to stratified deposits.’’ STEAM AND HYDRAULIC PIPES & CONNECTIONS. ROPE PULLEYS. HEADGEAR PULLEYS with Steel Arms, Split or Solid. WM. GREEN 4k GO. (ecclesfield) LTD., Engineers and Iron founders, Ecclesfield, near SHEFFIELD. MACHINE OR GENERAL CASTINGS. Light or Heavy. Quick Despatch. 47th Year of Publication. NOW READY. 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