1048 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. June 1, 1917. THE FREIGHT MARKET. Fixtures in the outward coal tonnage chartering market are even fewer than has recently been usual this week. At the Tyne, business has been wholly confined, with one exception, to the taking .up of comparatively small vessels for North French ports, at 45s. per ton for coke, and for London at from 19s. to 20s. per ton for coal. The excep- tion was the fixture of a 3,100-ton boat for Malaga at the record rate of 180s. Now comes the news that rates for neutral vessels, carrying coke to French Atlantic ports will be permitted to soar up to 73s. 3d. for Rouen, and 98s. for Bordeaux ! For British tonnage, the respective rates per- missible are 47s. and 60s. Such preferential treatment of neutrals will, it is feared, put a severe strain on the loyalty of those British ship owners who are at present clamour- ing for an increase in the Blue Book rates for requisitioned tonnage. Although chartering is very dull on the Tyne, the shipping traffic of the river is being more than main- tained, and the collieries are enabled to dispose of their entire output practically without any loss of time. Last week-end’s arrivals of requisitioned tonnage were unprece- dentedly large, it is stated, and included several boats which, being overdue, had inspired some anxiety. At South Wales, there is any number of freights on offer, but the difficulty of obtaining cargo space is severely checking business. Fixtures made are almost solely for French ports at the full maximum figures. Very high figures are on offer for tonnage for neutral destinations, but owners are withholding their boats. The market, indeed, is dominated by pretty much the same condition of things that prevails on the north-east coast. Homewards, the River Plate indicates 145s. from up-river and 140s. from down-river ports to the United Kingdom, an increase of 10s. on the week. These advanced figures have not yet attracted the requisite shipping, however. At the United States, Virginia to the Plate with coal is still quoted at 120s. Net form business from Northern Range to the United Kingdom is easier at 180s., but to French destinations steady at 200s. On heavy grain basis, 45s. is quoted for Gulf-Mediterranean charters, and 40s. from the Northern Range to the French Atlantic—figures which show no alteration on the week. At the Far East, Bombay to the United Kingdom is easier, at 300s. Kurrachee to the same destination is steady, at 250s. Calcutta to Genoa on jute basis is firm, at 280s. Madras Coast merchants continue to quote 500s. for kernels to Marseilles-French Atlantic ports. Burmah to France with rice is listed at 400s. Mediterranean ore freights are firm, with no diffi- culty found in utilising all tonnage offered. Tyne to Calais, option Boulogne or Dunkirk, 380, 45s., coke; Dunkirk, 450, 45s., coke; London, 950, 19s.; 1,700, 1,800, and 1,100, 20s.; Malaga, 3,100, 180s.; and North French Range, 400 and 600, 45s., coke. Cardiff to Algiers, 3,500, neutral, private terms; Bor- deaux, 3,000 and 3,200, 34s. ; Cherbourg, 1,100, 23s. 6d.; Havre, 1,200, 45s. 9d., neutral; Nantes, 2,400, 29s.; Rouen, 1,500, 24s. 6d. ; 1,500 and 1,400, 48s. 9d., neutral; and St. Brieux, 500, 25s. Swansea to Dublin, 200 and 300, 16s.; Rouen, 600, 48s. 9d., neutral; 1,500, 24s. 6cL; Bordeaux, 3,200, 34s.; and Tonnay Cha.rente, 700, 31s. coal, 31s. 9d. fuel. Port Taifeo* to Bordeaux, 3,000, 34s.; and Rouen, 1,500, 48s.. 9d., neutral. Glasgow to Gibraltar, 85s., May. Hi:!! to Rouen, 1,300, 53s. 3d., neutral. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. Any of the following publications may be obtained on application at this office at the price named post free. Index of Foreign Trade Catalogues. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. “ Kelly’s Directory of Merchants, Manufacturers, and Shippers of the World, 191/ “ Journal of the Franklin Institute” (Vol. 183, No. 5), May 1917; “Transactions of the North-East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders,” edited by E. W. Fraser Smith, secretary (Vol. 33, Part 4), May 1917, price 5s.; “ The Iowa Engi- neer ” (Vol. .17, No. 7), April 1917; “The Mining Con- gress Journal” (Vol. 3, No. 5), May 1917; “Tripoli Products of the Seneca Tripoli Company ”; “ Refractory Materials ” (a general discussion held by the Faraday Society on Wednesday, November 18, 1916), price 12s. 6d.; “The Journal of the Monmouthshire Colliery Officials’ Association ” (Vol. 4, No. 6), May 1917; “ Bulletin et Comptes Rendus Mensuels de la Societe de I’lndustrie Minerale ” (3c Livraison de 1916) Table des Matieres. McGill University :—Papers from the Department of Metallurgy (New Series, No. 1), “ Electric Furnaces as Applied to Non-Ferrous Metallurgy,” by A. Stansfield; Papers from the Department of .Meteorology (New Series, No. 1), “The Structure of Hailstones of Exceptional Form and Size,” by F. E. Lloyd; Papers from the Department of Geology (New Series, No. 1), “ Retarded Diffusion and Rhythmic Precipitation,” by John Stans- field ; Papers from the Department of Mathematics (New Series, No. 1), “ Concerning a Certain Completely Integrable System of Partial Differential Equations,” by C. T. Sullivan; Papers from the Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics (New Series, No. 1), “ The Torsion of Solid and Hollow Prisms and Hollow Prisms and Cylinders,” by Cyril Batho; Papers from same (New Series, No. 2), “ The Partition of the Load in Riveted Joints,” by Cyril Batho. Atmospheric Pollution.—The Committee for the Investi- gation of Atmospheric Pollution has been constituted an “ Advisory Committee on Atmospheric Pollution ” to the Meteorological Office, and a grant of =£500 has been allotted by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to cover the cost of the work for the current year, on the understanding that the cost of gauges, collection, and analyses is to be borne by the authorities which co-operate by setting up observing stations. Provision has also been made for the nomination, by each co-operating authority, of a person for appointment as a member of the advisory committee. The reports for the years 1915-16 and 1916-17, forming the second and third annual reports of the com- mittee, will shortly be published. The committee are anxious that the continuity of the work should not be endangered by stations suspending observations, and also that authorities in parts of the country not at present represented will consider the advisability of installing gauges. Full information as to method of working, with standardised instructions and blank forms for returns, can be obtained from the bon. secretary, Dr. J. S. Owens,< 47, Victoria-street, London, S.W. 1. ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 101539. A Process for Preparing Coal for Coking Pur- poses. C. H. Smith, 44, Hemlock-road, Short Hills, Essex, State of New Jersey, U.S.A.—This invention relates par- ticularly to treating coal having a high volatile or moisture content, or both, so that it will yield a coke adapted for metallurgical use. Heretofore, coking practice has demon- strated that in beehive ovens coals exceeding 32 per cent, in volatile matters (dry basis) will seldom yield a coke having a physical structure adapted for metallurgical use, while in by-product ovens the best results are obtained by utilising coals or mixtures of coals whose volatile content varies from 23 to 28 per cent. Coals having a 4 per cent, or more of moisture content also produce inferior results. These restrictions in the required character of coals for coking purposes have materially reduced the coals avail- able for coking, and hence have limited the industry accordingly. According tto this invention, the volatile or moisture content or both contents of the coal is first reduced by means of heating to the amount required for the production of good metallurgical coke, and the gases and vapours given out by the coal during said heating removed, the residual mass is then pulverised, and finally coked. The coal after being heated is preferably cooled before being pulverised. The coal is preferably subjected to treatment in two separate ovens, so as to reduce the volatile content of the coal in the first oven to the amount required for the production of the coke therefrom in the second oven. B represents a crusher of the usual type adapted to crush or pulverise coal. The hopper C is pro- vided with suitable means, such as a screw feeder for conveying the coal A from the crusher to the oven F located in the furnace D. The furnace D is provided with means such as flues E, in which are located suitable gas and hot air burners for heating the oven F. The oven F is pro- vided with a mixer G located therein, the oven and mixer being so constructed and arranged that the crushed coal A in the oven will be uniformly heated throughout. The oven F is connected with the cooler I by the feeder H, the cooler I being so arranged and constructed that the heated coal which it receives from the oven may be suitably cooled, using for this purpose either air or water, or both. From the cooler I the cooled ' residual mass passes to a crusher K, where it is again pulverised before it passes to the coking oven L. The period the coal is left in the oven F, and the amount of heat applied to the coal therein during said period, is determined and controlled so that the vola- tile content of the coal is reduced to less than 32 per cent., figured on a dry basis, when the treated coal is to be coked in a beehive oven, or the volatile content is reduced to from 23 to 28 per cent, when the treated coal is to be coked in a by-product oven, and in cases of coals having a high moisture content, the same is' to be reduced to less than 2| per cent. In order to reduce the volatile and moisture content, an exhauster M is connected to the oven F. The gases and vapours which are given off during the heating of the coal in the oven F are drawn off by the exhauster, and are then separated by the usual condensing and distil- lation processes well known to those skilled in this art into resulting by-products, including tar and oil products N, ammonia O, benzene and homologues P, heating gas R, and commercial or illuminating gas S. The heating gas R may be utilised for heating the oven F. Coal, when treated by this process, will produce a hard metallurgical coke, and at the same time yield a satisfactory percentage of the by-products contained in the coal. (Three claims.) .105539. Improvements in Link Joints for Conveyor Chains. J. R. Walker,. 30, Ulundi-road, Blackheath, S.E. —This invention relates to improvements in link joints for conveyor and like chains, such chains being constituted by alternate inner and outer links, and the link joints being of the kind consisting of spindles screw-threaded at their ends, and passing through bushes, and secured to the outer links by nuts fitted to the screw-threaded ends, each spindle being provided with lubricating means consisting of radial branches terminating' on the surface of the spindle. The present invention consists in the particular construction •of link joint hereinafter set forth wherein the central .. a —t\\\^ ipA-zzfe 15 -—\ ___$ 76'-"3 passage communicates with three radial branches, the lubricant being supplied by a Stauffer lubricator fitted to one end of each spindle, so that lubricant can be forced along the central passage to and through the radial passages to the surface of the spindle in contact, with the bush. Fig. 1 is a detail view of the spindle; fig. 2 showg'a porr tion of. a conveyor chain fitted with the improved link joint. In the drawings 1 denotes the bush, which is of mild steel, and is fitted in the usual way in the sides 3, 4, of the inner link. Passing through the said bush and through openings in the sides 6, 7, of the outer link is the spindle 9, which is secured in position by nuts 10, 11, the spindle being formed with shoulders 12, 13, to abut on the inner faces of the sides of the outer link. In the spindle 9 is drilled from one end a central grease passage 14 leading by way of radial passages 15, 16, 17, to longi- tudinal grooves 151, 161, 171. The central passage 14 is supplied with lubricant by means of a Stauffer or like lubri- cator 18, threaded into the spindle and communicating with the passage 14. The grease may be forced from the lubricator into the spindle by turning the lubricator by hand or mechanically. It will be apparent that with the arrangement described the various parts may be readily assembled or taken apart. (Two claims.) 105579. Apparatus for Controlling the Draught on Fur- naces. Drakes Limited, Ovenden, Halifax; and J. W. Drake, of the same address. — This invention provides means whereby the draught on the furnace may be auto- matically regulated and kept constant, thus preventing the disturbance of predetermined conditions in connection with the furnace. Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of the apparatus as mounted over a cavity or chamber adjoining the base of a chimney or uptake ; fig. 2 is a sectional plan taken on the irregular line A—B of fig. 1 when the parts have been moved under the actions of the chimney’s draught. Most of the parts of the apparatus are con- structed of sheet metal, which is comparatively thin; there- fore the parts of it which are illustrated as being cut through are shown in lines of increased thickness instead of being shown by section lines. An appropriate bell or other shaped device 2, which will cover or take over a sleeve 3, is mounted in order that it may move vertically over said sleeve 3 with a minimum of space between the outer periphery of the latter and the inner surface of the former, so that as little leakage as possible will take place through such space. Or the base of this bell 2 may be flexibly connected (as by a leather, rubber, or like cover- ing) to the annular piece 4 at the base of the sleeve 3. The bell 2 is connected by a light connecting rod as a cord or wire 5 to the arm of a lever 6, which is pivoted at 6u upon a horizontal support 7. This support 7 is mounted upon the vertical bars 8 and 8u. The other arm of the lever 6 has suspended from it by means of the connecting wire or cord 5a another bell 9. This bell 9 takes over a sleeve or fixed bell 10, which is mounted within it, and which has its upper end covered by the end wall 10u for the purposes hereinafter described. Through the walls of the bell 9 slots 9« (the lengths of which extend circumferentially) are formed, and correspond in number and size approximately with slots 105 formed through the walls of the inner bell 10. These slots in both cases are approximately of even width, while the width of the metal as 95 and 10c between these slots is rather larger, in order that same is enabled to cover the openings or slots in each case. Thus, when the outer bell 9 is in its normal position over the inner bell 10 (as illustrated by fig. 1) the portion 95 of the intact walls or uie saiu oen v cover the openings 105 of the inner bell 10, while the intact walls 10c of the inner bell 10 will cover the slots or openings 9a, which are through the walls of the’bell 9. The bell 9, with its counter - balancing weight 16u, is arranged to be heavier than the bell 2; consequently, when in its normal position the lower edge 2a of the bell 2 will occupy a position above the base or stop piece 4 surrounding the sleeve 3, and this space be- tween the lower edge of the bell 2 and the annular piece 4 ap- proximately equals the spaces 9a and 105 through the walls of the bells 9 and 10. As is illustrated, the bells 2 5' T- ’a I ■Kj 4- IDc 10" and 9, and the parts in connec- tion therewith, are mounted above a cavity or space 11, which is enclosed at its base and all its surrounding walls, except the opening 12, which leads therefrom into the chimney or uptake 13, and the opening 14, which leads through the upper wall of said cavity 11 into the bell and sleeve 2 and 3 respectively. A further opening 15 is also made through the upper wall of the cavity 11, to lead into the inner bell 10. As is before stated, the bell 9 is arranged to be slightly heavier than the bell 2, or this may be made adjustable by having counter-balancing weights 16 and 16« mounted upon the lever 6 to attain the object desired. As is before stated, the lever 6 is mounted upon its fulcrum, which is of a character that will reduce friction to a minimum in order that a comparatively small force acting upon the bell 2 is enabled to have the effect of causing same to descend to raise the bell 9, so that the slots made through same will be brought opposite the slots made through the walls of the bell 10 within it. As will be observed, the apparatus is mounted so that the uptake of the chimney 13 has free access to the interior of the chamber 11, the sleeve 3, and bell 2, as well as to the bell 10, so that the draught on said uptake when exceeding a certain power causes the bell 2 to descend by acting directly thereon to somewhat exhaust or suck away the air from within the chamber 11 and the sleeve and bell 3 and 2, whereas the same suction does not affect the actions of the air within the bell 9, since the cover 10tz of the bell 10 within it' is a protection against such action. From the foregoing description, it will be seen that when the draught on the chimney exceeds a given power, it has the effect of causing the bell 2 to descend and simultaneously causes the bell 9 to rise in order that cool air from the atmosphere may then be permitted to pass through the openings in the two bells 9 and 10 down into the chamber 11, through said chamber, and into the uptake 13, somewhat as indicated by the arrows, to counteract the draught in said uptake in order to bring it to its normal conditions, on which the descending of the bell 9 will again bring the parts into their normal positions. (Nine claims.) 105580. Improvements Relating to Miners' Safety Lamps. E. A. Hailwood, The Towers, Laneside, Chur- well, near Leeds.—In lamps provided with a combustion aperture, such as is set out in the specification of Letters Patent 18694/13, where it is desirable to adjust the posi- tion of the flame with regard to the combustion aperture, and in lamps having domes which require adjustment as to their relation to the flame, there is in the part of the lamp frame.into which the lock bolt operates to secure the lamp