1012

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

May 26, 1916.

ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS
RECENTLY ACCEPTED.

5019 (1915). Improved Method of Briquetting. E. R.
Sutcliffe, of Leigh, Lancashire; and Pure Coal Briquettes
Limited, of Colum-buildings, Mount Stuart-square, Cardiff.
—Relates to an improved method of briquetting carbonaceous
substances of the character of coal, for the production of
blocks or briquettes of great hardness and toughness in a
manner that is expeditious and effective, and without sub-
jecting the raw material to heat, and without the use of a
liquid binder. The raw material to be briquetted is reduced
to a very finely comminuted condition in any. suitable
apparatus, such as a tube mill, and is subjected, dry, to
compression to produce compressed or compacted bodies of
any desired shape, and then broken up, crushed, or disinte-
grated into small pieces or bodies, the dry product of this
preliminary compression and disintegration being subjected
to a further or final compression, carried out advantageously
at a higher degree of pressure than that at which the pre-
liminary compression of the raw material took place. Eig. 1
represents a diagrammatic transverse section of a briquette
press such as used for. producing ovoid and other briquettes,
and is suitable for the preliminary compression; fig. 2, a
diagrammatic section of a pair of rolls employed for the pur-
pose of effecting the preliminary compression of the raw
material carried between the rolls upon a flexible band or
conveyor; and fig. 3, a diagrammatic section of a hopper and
plunger press adapted for the preliminary as well as for the
further or final compression, according to the method of the
invention. In fig. 1 the co-operating mould cylinders a a
are provided with moulds or recesses b of a symmetrical shape
suitable for producing a briquette in a flattened oval form or
of any other shape. The dimensions of the moulds or recesses
may be such that small nodules or bodies are produced which
do not require to be broken up before the further or final
compression. The raw material d, fed between the mould
cylinders a a, is compressed as the moulds or recesses b close,
and by such means blocks or briquettes more or less fragile
and liable to be broken into pieces on falling are produced.
The pre-pressing may, however, be effected between rolls of
comparatively large diameter, a1 a1, as illustrated in fig. 2,
between which the raw material in a very finely comminuted
dry condition or flour is passed, for example, upon a band or
conveyor o, which may be of wire, so that compressed flakes
or pieces are produced. In feeding the raw material d for
the preliminary compression, it is preferred to render the
material more compact by subjecting the receptacle in which
it is contained, or the conveyor o by which it is fed between
the rolls or into the press, to taps, shocks, or vibrations, so
that the raw material may be rendered more compact, and
may be fed into the
machine to a large extent
free from air. This may
be conveniently effected bv
providing a series of small
stamps to fall upon the
receptacle or conveyor, and
their operation may be
effected in a manner
similar to the stamps of a
stamp battery, or in any
other manner, so that
effective blows are im-
parted to the receptacle or
the conveyor, and trans-
mitted to the raw material
so as to cause it to become
compacted. The prelimi-
nary compression may be
carried out under condi-
tions that permit of the
lateral expansion of the
block under the stresses
imposed upon it, with a
view of securing an effec-
tive consolidation of the
particles, as, for example,
when a raw material
which binds with difficulty

is treated, but in general such conditions of pressure in the
preliminary compression of the raw material are not essential.
An important effect of the preliminary compression is the
considerable reduction in volume of the raw material, and the
reduction in content of air of the charge to be compressed, so
that the finely comminuted mass is thus in favourable con-
dition for effective consolidation into blocks or briquettes.
The product may then be crushed to small particles of a size,
for example, as may pass through a screen of | in. mesh, and
the material passed through the screen may then be sub-
jected to a further or final compression in one or more stages.
The breaking up or crushing may be effected in any suit-
able apparatus, as, for example, by passing the material
through a pair of toothed crushing rolls. In fig. 3 the dry
products of the preliminary compression are fed into the
hopper e. The mould a tapers outwardly towards the dis-
charge end, into which the material d to be compressed is
fed by means of the movable plunger b. The blocks are pro-
duced by compression of the charges between the movable
plungers b and c. The ends of the respective plungers
b and c are recessed at b1 and c1, so that thus the rear edge
of each block is rounded, while the front protruding edge
consequently formed upon the block will be crushed on the
final pressure being applied bv the plunger c. In starting
from the position indicated in fig. 3, the plunger b will move
forward to feed a further charge into the mouth of the mould
a, and the plunger c will at the same time move forward in
the opposite direction, so that thus the block at the front end
of the mould, and which has been produced in the previous
compression, will be finally compressed, while the first
compression is applied to the charge fed into the mould. The
plunger b will then return for a further charge to be fed into
the mould, and upon the plunger b again moving forward,
the finally compressed block at the front end of the mould
will be pushed out of the mould. By so providing the mould
tapering outwardly, the block on the first compression wi)l
have stresses imposed upon it, and upon being forced forward
in the mould will be free to expand laterally in the larger part
of the mould, so that thus the blocks produced are effec-
tively consolidated, and are free from cracks or laminations,
while being produced without subjecting the material to heat,
and without the use of a liquid binder. In the production of
cylindrical blocks of 3 in. in diameter and 2 in. in depth, a
uniform taper in the mould of in. is sufficient to ensure
the production of a block under the conditions indicated,
where the compression is carried out in two stages and the
degree of pressure is gradually increased up to a final pressure
of 10 tons per sq. in., and the block moved in the mould in

Fiff.2.

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the interval between the stages of compression. The further
or final compression may be effected in any other press, such
as described in the specification of the pending application
No. 20679 of 1914. The degree of pressure under which the
preliminary compression takes place may be relatively low,
and yet be effective. A pressure of from one to five tons per
square inch suffices, but the degree of pressure may be varied
according to the raw material employed and its capacity of
binding, while the degree of pressure applied for the further
or final compression may be from eight to 10 tons per sq. in.
The further or final compression may be carried out in a
single operation or in distinct stages. Where carried out in
a single operation, it is advantageous for the pressure to be
gradually increased up to. the final pressure that has to be
applied.- This method may be employed when a good coking
coal is used as the raw material, but with raw materials
which bind with difficulty it is advisable to effect the further
or final.compression in distinct stages, the block being moved
in the mould in the interval to permit of expansion under the
stress imposed. (Three claims.)

7842 (1915). Improvements in Shaker Conveyors. G. J.
F. Black, of 182, Newton-road, Burton-on-Trent, Derby.—
Has reference to trough conveyors of the shaker type for
conveying coal in coal pits and for other like uses where
material has to.be conveyed along a trough, and is directed
to provide a shaker trough conveyor of simple construction,
which can very readily be shortened or lengthened as
required, and in which the height of the top of the trough
above the ground line will be reduced to a minimum, the
construction of the conveyor and its operating mechanism

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being such that it will be subject to but little wear and
tear. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a shaker
conveyor operated by a compressed air engine; fig. 2 is a
plan; fig. 2* is a side elevation of upstanding bracket; fig. 3
is a part sectional side elevation of parts on a larger scale;
fig. 4 is a plan of the same; fig. 5 is a cross sectional eleva-
tion of the same on line X—X of fig. 3; and fig. 6 is a cross
section-al elevation of part of the shaker trough on line
Y—Y of fig. 3. The trough is made up in sections of suit-
able length, say, for instance, about 6 to 12 ft. each. Two
of these sections marked respectively A2, A3 and the ends
of two other similar sections A1, A4 connected thereto, are
shown in figs. 1 and 2. One of the sections, namely, A2, is
also shown in figs. 3 and 4, together with the end portion
of the section A1 and the end poriton of the section A3.
These sections are connected together by any convenient
means, so as to be quickly connected or disconnected, such
means, for instance, as the eye bolts 1, figs. 3, 4 and 6,
mounted on pins 2, carried by brackets 3 fixed to the sides
of the end parts of each section, and adapted to engage in
open topped lugs 4 fixed to the end portion of the adjoining
section, and secured by nuts-5 on .the eye bolts-1, which can
be tightened up after-the eye bolts have been turned down
into-the slots in the lugs 4. - Thus, by using the requisite
number of sections, the conveyor can. be made up to any
length desired. Each or some of these trough sections is or
are suspended from the lower ends of one or more pairs
of pendant side levers 6, 7, which are preferably formed in
a piece with a cross bar 8 underneath the trough, and on
which rest bearing blocks 9 fixed to the bottom of .the trough.
The upper ends of these side levers 6, 7 are jointed to
upstanding carrier brackets 10, 11 arranged in pairs and
fixed together at a convenient distance apart as by hiring
their bases bolted to the cross bars 12, 13. The jointing of
the side Ipvers 6, 7 to the tops of the carrier brackets 11, 12 is
preferably effected by the top end portions 14 of the side
levers 6, 7 being bent outwardly as shown in fig. 5, and
engaging in the bottom of V-shaped troughs 15, which are
formed on the tops of the brackets 10, 11. The bearing
blocks 9, fixed to the bottom of the trough are also prefer-
ably formed with inverted V-shaped troughs 16, to receive the
cross bar parts 8, and effectually prevent the displacement of
the cross bars. When in their normal position as shown in
figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6, the combined pendant levers 6, 7 and
cross bars 8 hang down about vertically, and in this position
the flat fore ends 17 of the blocks 9 rest against the wooden
or other buffer blocks 18 (which are fixed to the cross bars 12
which connect the two side brackets 11, 12 together) and
thus arrest the forward movement of the troughs and levers
in the direction indicated by the arrows in figs. 1, 2 and 3,
which is the direction in which the coal or other material is
to be conveyed. Suitable mechanism is provided for inter-
mittently and positively driving the combined shaker trough
in one direction, that is -in the opposite direction to that
indicated by the arrows in figs. 1, 2 and 3, in which it is
desired for the coal or other material to be conveyed. This
mechanism has the effect of. drawing the combined trough
backwardly and upwardly, so that it swings on, and with
the pendant levers which turn through arcs 19 (see figs. 1 and
3), and then the trough is suddenly released and moves down-
wardly and forwardly by gravity in the direction indicated
by the arrows in figs. 1, 2 and 3, until it is suddenly arrested
by the fore ends 17 of the cast iron blocks 9 fixed on the

bottom of the troughs coming in contact with the buffer
blocks 18, thereby causing the material in the trough to be
carried forward through a short space by its own inertia.
These brackets and levers with the buffer blocks 18 for the
blocks 9 on one trough are arranged at convenient distances
apart (about 6 or 9 ft. more or less) carrying the different
sections of the conveyor trough, and as the shocks of the
sudden stops are taken up by the buffer blocks 18 at so
many places, there is no undue stress on any one section
of the trough. Any suitable mechanism may be employed
for intermittently and positively moving the combined trough
and pendant levers, but the preferred arrangement is to
employ a lever 20, working in a horizontal plane, and
arranged partly underneath the trough and fixed on a vertical
fulcrum 21, at one side of the trough carried by the frame
38 of the engine or motor which supplies the power. The
end of this lever arm 20 being connected to the pull rod 25
as by the flexible wire rope connecting rod 22, which is
jointed to the end 23 of the lever 20, and at the other end
24 is jointed to the pull rod 25, which is connected through
the spring shock absorber to the angle bar 26, which is
riveted to the underside of the trough section A2. Said
spring shock absorber can conveniently consist, of -the flat
section coiled wire compression spring 27, which is mounted
on the pull rod 25, and bears against the outer end 28 of
the bracket 29, which is fixed to the face of the angle bar
26, in which , latter there is a hole 30 forming a guide for
the pull rod 25, which is also guided by passing through a
hole in the front part 28 of the bracket 29. Fixed on the
fulcrum 21 there is another lever arm 31, having a roller

32	mounted on its end, said roller being operated by a spiral
cam 33 (fig. 2), which is made with a sudden drop 34, and
is mounted on a shaft 35 adapted to revolve in bearings 36,
37 on the engine or motor frame 38. This cam shaft 35 is
suitably driven as by spur wheel 39 and pinion 40, the latter
being mounted on the crank shaft 41 of the compressed air
engine 42, so that as the shaft 35, with the cam 33, revolve
in the direction indicated by the arrow in fig. 1, the cam

33	acting on the roller 32 of the combined lever 31 and 20
causes the combined trough to move backwardly and
upwardly in the opposite direction to that indicated by the
arrows in figs. 1, 2 and 3, the trough swinging with the
suspension levers 6, 7 and cross bars 8, as aforesaid, and
then when the proper extent of backward movement of the
trough has been attained on the highest part of the cam 33
the sudden drop 34 in the cam allows the trough with the
levers and cross bars to move and swing downwardly and
forwardly against the buffer blocks 18 as aforesaid. The
stroke or travel of the combined conveyor trough may be
adjusted, for instance, by the roller 32 being made with a
wide face as indicated by the dotted lilies in fig. 2 and the
cam 33 being fixed on the cam shaft 35 by an adjustable
key and set screw, so that the cam 33 can be moved nearer
to or farther from the fulcrum 21 of the lever, thereby
lengthening or shortening the travel of the trough -as may
be required. The spring shock absorber absorbs the shocks
at the commencement of the backward movements of the
trough. The upstanding brackets 10, 11 with the cross bars
12, 13, to which they are bolted, must be securely fixed so as
not to shift with the repeated knocks on the buffer blocks,
and this can conveniently be done by the various pairs of
brackets being tied together by longitudinal tie rods 43,
which are made of the proper length to reach from one
bracket to the next, and are made with downwardly turned
ends, which engage in vertical holes in bosses 44 cast on the
side brackets 10, 11. These tie rods not only maintain the
various pairs of brackets at the proper distances -apart on
the longitudinal length of the trough, but -also keep them
square with one another. When the invention is used in
places where the roof of the workings is low, then, instead
of or in addition to employing the stretcher tie bars 43, the
upstanding brackets 10, 11 can be fixed by wedges being
driven in between the tops of the brackets and the roof, as
shown by fig. 2, the upstanding brackets for these positions
being made with flat extended tops 45 for the wedges to
bear against. (Six claims.)

9003 (1915). Improvements in Miners1' Electric Safety
Lamps. J. G. Patterson, of 49, Reddish-lane, Gorton, near
Manchester.—Relates to improvements in miners’ electric
safety lamps, and has for its primary object to provide an
improved -arrangement of the lamp bulb and its contacts, and
of the lamp protecting case and the light reflecting surfaces.
For this purpose the lamp bulb has an ordinary standard
socket piece provided with a pair of contacts and adapted to
be held in engagement with a p-air of spring plunger contacts
arranged side by side, and of different effective lengths by
means of a stop piece engaging the opposite end of the lamp

bulb. Fig. 1 is a detail section view of the upper portion
of a miner’s electric lamp having a dome glass; and fig. 2
is a similar, detail view of a lamp with a cylinder glass.
The lamp bulb a has the standard bayonet socket piece b,
which does not fit into a bayonet socket, the projecting pins
c thereon serving as guide members when inserted in a
pair of diametrically opposite longitudinal grooves d formed
in the hollow bore- e of a lamp bulb holder /, and thereby