February 18, 1916. THE • COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 333 ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 3449 (1915). Improvements in Self-Oiling Wheels for Colliery Corves and other Vehicles. Samuel Osborn and Company Limited, of the Clyde Steel Works; and H. Bradley, of 48, Bromwich-road, both of Sheffield.—Relates to means for securing the dustproof caps of self-oiling wheels (of colliery corves, etc.) to prevent same from becoming detached and lost, and consists in an improved formation of the wheel hub and screwed cap, to receive a securing pin. Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and fig. 2 a sectional front elevation of a wheel constructed according to the invention. The central boss a in the wheel is provided with a lug a1 projecting from its face, and preferably cast integrally with the boss. This lug a1 has a radial central hole a2. Instead of a lug a continuous projecting ring may be formed upon the boss, and have a hole or holes through it in any suitable position. In the outer face of the screwed cap b there are several specially formed grooves b1, approximately semi-circular in cross section, and extending radially from the circumference of the cap for a short distance, then branching off in a bifurcated form reaching almost to the central hexagonal or other shaped projection c by which the cap is screwed in place. When the cap b has been screwed in position it is adjusted so that one of the radial grooves b1 coincides with the hole a2, in the lug a1, or in the projecting ring on the boss a of the wheel. A split pin d is then inserted in the hole a2 so formed, and is caused to enter one of the radial grooves b1 up to the bifurcation. The pin d is then arranged so that the plane of its division coincides with the apex of the bifurcation, and on the pin being struck with a hammer, the two limbs separate, and pass down the grooves of the bifurcation. In this way the cap b is securely held in place and the pin d is effectively prevented from coming out. (Three claims.) 7083 (1915). Improvements in Boialer Furnaces. J. B. Cudlip, and J. D. Garey, of 35, Carleton-street, and 401, Douglas-avenue, respectively, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada. Relates to improvements in travelling-grate furnaces in which the chain grate is combined with a sub- sidiary grate adapted to receive the incompletely burnt fuel carried over the end of the chain grate. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation; and fig. 2 is a plan. A represents a boiler furnace with the travelling chain grate B, the water cooled bridge C and the dumping grate D mounted therein. The chain grate comprises the rotatably mounted drums 10 and 11, driven from any suitable source, and adapted to impart motion to the chain 12. At the back of the furnace and adjacent to the roller 11 is the shaking and dumping grate D, consisting of a plurality of ribbed members 14 rigidly mounted on the transverse shaft 15, which is rotatably mounted in journal 16 in the furnace walls, and adapted to be manually actuated by the lever 17, thereby providing means for freely removing the ashes from the furnace. To facilitate in delivering the unused fuel and ashes from the travelling grate B to the grate D a water cooled bridge C is located between them, the lower front edge of the bridge being in close proximity in the chain. This bridge is divided by the longitudinal baffle wall 18, which terminates short of one end of the bridge, the water feed and discharge pipes 19 and'20 being located at the other end so that the cooling water travels through the bridge before being discharged. . The air supply completing the combustion of the fuel on the grate D is controlled by the damper 21 pivotally mounted beneath the chain 12, adjacent to the drum 11. (Four claims.); 7103 (1915). Improvements in Apparatus for Feeding Pulverised or Finely Divided Fuel. J. A. Law, of 29, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C. (A communication from abroad by the Quigley Furnace and Foundry Company, of Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.)—Relates to apparatus for feed- ing finely-divided fuel to the combustion chamber of a fur- nace, of the type in which air under pressure is employed to blow the finely-divided fuel info the combustion chamber. Fig. 1 shows in plan and partly in section an example of the apparatus fitted to the wall of a combustion chamber; and fig. 2 is a rear elevation. A collar plate 2 fastened to the exterior of the wall 1 of the combustion chamber round the opening 31 therein, as by -means of bolts 3, 3, has, on the side remote from the combustion chamber, a collar or flange 4, into which the inner end of the main section 5 of the air tube is adapted to fit. The latter has an external circum- ferential groove 7 adapted to be engaged by radial set screws 6, 6 passing through the collar 4. The tube section 5 has an opening 8 (fig. 1) fitted with a stuffing box 9, having packing 28 and a gland 29 held in position by bolts 30, 30 (fig. 2), a bell-mouthed flange 10 provided with radial set screws 13, 13 fitting into a circumferential groove 12 (fig. 1), formed near that end of the air tube elbow 11, which is inserted into the flange 10. The stuffing box 9 is mounted on a plate 32 (fig. 1), to be fastened to the tube section 5 by bolts 33, 33, and covers the opening 8. The stuffing box 9 1 1 holds in the opening 8 a fuel supply pipe 18, connected by a T-casting 17 to a fuel nozzle 16. The further end of the T-casting is closed by a plug 34. The elbow 11 is formed with a peephole 14, in line with the axis of the tube 5, and provided with a pane 15 of mica, etc., forming part of a shutter 40, which may be pivoted at 41, so, as to swing aside for adjusting the nozzle 16, or cleaning it after removing the plug 34. The peep hole also serves as a means for allowing the combustion to be observed. (Three claims.) 8705 (1915). Improvements in the Removal and Loading of a Mass of Coke Located on a Quenching Bench. C. Still, of Recklinghausen, Westphalia, Germany. — Relates to improvements in connection with the removal and loading of a mass of coke located on a quenching bench. Its object is to improve and complete the separation of the small coke by the screen, by employing a grating formed of two plane surfaces which abut together at an obtuse angle along a longitudinal edge of the quenching bench, and are arranged in such a way that, in its passage over the grating, the heap of coke is obliged first to travel over a substantially horizontal portion of the grated surface, and, immediately thereafter, over a sloping portion of same. The drawing is a vertical section of a coke quenching bench provided with the device. The quenching bench I, in front of the oven k, is a large and nearly horizontal surface for storing the ejected mass of coke, and is provided on the side remote from the oven with a sloping load- ing ramp V. The trucks W receiving the coke to be loaded are adapted to run,underneath this ramp. A water gulley ll covered by a grid x serves to collect and carry off the surplus quenching water. At the place where the horizontal portion of the quenching bench joins the adjacent sloping surface which terminates in the loading ramp V, is arranged the grating r1, r2 for separating the small coke, the bars of which grating lie at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the quenching bench. The two sectional surfaces r1 and r2 of the grating form two planes, which “abut directly together at an obtuse angle, the one surface r1 being situated in the nearly horizontal portion of the quenching bench, whilst the other r2 is located in the sloping portion which forms the loading ramp. Below the entire space occupied by the grating r1, r2 is a hopper-shaped bunker t, which serves to collect the separated small coke, and is provided with discharge open- ings t1. The latter are closed by flaps t2, and discharge into a gangway y provided in the brickwork of the quenching bench. In this gangway a truck Z can be run on rails y1. At the place where the two surfaces r1 r2 of the grated screen abut together at an obtuse angle, supporting longitudinal girders i are provided, which are hung between cross beams f. At the one end (the left) these cross beams / are* secured in the floor of the quenching bench I, and at the other end they are supported by uprights g, the extremities projecting beyond these latter serving at the same time to support a shaft d, which extends over the full length of the quenching bench, is mounted in bearings e, and is provided at any convenient spot with a mechanical driving device. (One claim.) 18232 (1914). Improved Process of Treating Coal and Similar Substances to obtain Oils, Ammonia, and other Products. Dr. F. Bergins, of 1, Parkstrasse, Hanover, Germany.—Relates to the treatment of coal and other solid carbonaceous material of vegetable origin formed by natural or artificial carbonisation to produce directly by chemical con- version of the carbonaceous material liouid hydrocarbons or hydrocarbons of a low melting point, and consists in subject- ing the coal or the like to the action of hydrogen at pressures preferably exceeding 100 atmospheres, and at a temperature less than 600 degs. Cent. The hydrogen reacts directly with the coal, which is transformed into valuable hydrocarbons, either liquid at ordinary temperatures and pressures, or having a low melting point. The working temperature is preferably between 300 and 500 degs. Cent. Gases containing free hydrogen, such as water gas, could also be used, or substances or mixtures which give off hydrogen, such as calcium hydride, CaH2, the hydrogen in all cases, however, coming from a source other than the carbonaceous matter under treatment. It is advisable to work in the presence of a solvent for the products formed during reaction, a suitable diluting medium being, for instance, petroleum distillates. The nitrogen of the coal is obtained in the form of ammonia in the reaction vessel. This hydrogenation may be combined with a carbonisation process by subjecting wood or peat or other vegetable matter to heat treatment in a hydrogen-con- taining atmosphere at high pressure; the hydrogen being sup- plied from a source different from the wood, peat, etc., under treatment, the working conditions being such that not more than very small quantities of hydrogen, which are absolutely insufficient for the hydrogenation aimed at, could be formed from the wood, peat, etc., under reaction. The products pro- duced in the hydrogenation process consist mainly of hydro- carbons having different boiling points, and which resemble chemically the mineral oil hydrocarbons. By far the greater part of these substances is liquid at an ordinary temperature. The ash of the coal remains in the vessel as solid residues. The nitrogen of the coal escapes as ammonia with the hydro- carbons which have been distilled. The separation of the resulting condensed products can be effected in the usual manner by fractional distillation. (Five claims.) 23353 (1914). Safety Shackle for Underground Trams. S. Hale, Bryngwyn-cottages, Bedwas, near Newport, Mon. —If either of the links A break, the jaws B, which are riveted slack, will hold the trams together. When the two jaws 0 come together hard the jaws B will not break, because they are slack riveted. When the drawbar pulls the side of pin D goes against the edge of the hole G, and when the pin rises are carried away inde- the plates is minimised. the bottom H of the pin will go under the jaw 0. The rivet F is for holding the two sides of the jaws 0 together so that they will not widen. It cannot be shackled twisted. The snugs S are formed on the upper lip of the lower jaw; the pin°is a pointed one, and is guided into position by the snugs1 afore-mentioned, and it is bound to drop in the bottom hole of the jaw. (Three claims.) 24598 (1914). Improvements in Condensing, Scrubbing and Washing Apparatus used in the Manufacture of Gas. H. Pooley and G. B. Fiddes, of Gas Office, Leicester.— Relates to condensing, scrubbing, and washing apparatus employed in the manufacture of gases, and comprises an improved apparatus for removing tar, dust, and other impuri- ties, or for absorbing any of the constituents of coal or.other gases, for instance, benzol or toluene. It may be used in the manufacture of gases from anthracite, bituminous, or other coal or coke, and from any material where dust, tar, ammonia, carbonic acid, or other impurities are capable of removal by absorption by water, or by the use of any other solvent. The drawing is a vertical sectional view. The shell 1 is preferably cylindrical, disposed vertically, and contains baffle plates 2 in superimposed order. The baffle plates 2 are conical, and are superimposed with sufficient space between them for the free passage of the gas. The alternate plates have central openings 3, and the intermediate plates have holes 4 near the peripheries, so that the gas, as it passes vertically downwards, impinges on the plates 2, and follows a zig-zag course (indi- cated by the arrows) in order to pass through the staggered holes 4 and openings 3. At the peripheries of the plates 2 a liquid seal prevents escape of the gas. Gutters 5 collect and carry away the liquid and impurities, and these gutters form the liquid seal between the baffle plates, but admit of the escape of the tar and other impurities. The impurities extracted or separated from the gas by the baffle plates pendently, so that clogging of The depending flange 6 of each baffle plate extends into and rests upon the bottom of the gutter 5 of the plate immediately below. The lowermost plate has a deeper, ungapped flange 8, which rests upon brackets on the interior of the shell, or upon a platform, etc., extending across the bottom part of the apparatus. Bridge-like openings 7 pro- vided in the depending flanges 6 of the baffle plates are less in height than the depth of the gutters 5, so that when the latter are full of liquid, a seal is formed to prevent the escape of gas. The said openings, however, allow liquid to pass. (Two claims.) 24789 (1914). Improvements in Rotary Pumps. C. J. Rixen, of yEroskobing, Isle of /Fro, Denmark.—Relates to rotary pumps of the type in which the working chamber is in the form of a circular groove, wherein a piston works in conjunction with shut-off slides, reciprocated by a controlling mechanism and provided with recesses for the passage of the piston. It consists in providing the rotary body, whereon the piston is mounted, with inlet and outlet slots which lead into the working chamber; and further that the suction and pressure channels in the rotary wheel and the inner space of the case are spirally shaped or fitted with guiding paddles. The suction effect is increased owing to the centrifugal force of the liquid in the rotary suction channel, while the speed of the liquid projected from the outlet channel is converted into pressure owing to the shape of the case. The advant- ages of these arrangements are that the water, when at atmospheric pressure, passes into the pump at a moderate speed only, and is passed into the working chamber by a rotor in a similar manner to that of a centrifugal pump, receiving an increase of pressure which secures the complete filling of the working chamber. In the same way, the water at the pressure side receives an increase of speed, which is converted into pressure owing to the particular shape of the case. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the pump; fig. 2 a cross-section on the line A—A of fig. 1 ; fig. 3 a longitudinal section through the rotor; fig. 4 a cross- section through the rotor on the line C—D of fig. 3; fig. 5 a longitudinal section through the stationary body with the working chamber; and fig. 6 an end view of the body. The case 1 is closed airtight by the cover 2. The rotor 3 is located in bearings 4, 5. A suction port 6 leads to the suction chamber 7, and a pressure port 8 leads