242

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

February 1, 1918.

Plate, 2,000, 120s., part cargo; and Rouen, 1,300, 1,500,
and 1,600, 48s. 9d., neutral.

Swansea 'to Caen, 500 and 600, 48s., neutral; and Rouen,
700, 50s. 3d., neutral; and 1,400, 1,500, and 1,600, 48s. 9d.,
neutral

Later.—The following additional fixtures have been
arranged :—

Tyne to Gothenburg, 1,650, 150 kr.

Seaham Harbour to London, 1,100, 21s. 3d.

Cardiff to Rouen, 1,400, 48s. 9d., neutral; and Cherbourg,
500, 48s. 9d., neutral.

Swansea to Rouen, 1,450, 48s. 9d., neutral.

On the north-east coast, Swedish rates continue to fall,
and, whilst tonnage for other directions is very scarce,
ample shipping for Swedish destinations is on offer.
Licences are, however, difficult to obtain. At the time of
writing, only 140 kr. is quoted for Tyne to Gothenburg.

COAL, IRON AND ENGINEERING COMPANIES.
REPORTS AND DIVIDENDS.

Consett Iron Company Limited. — The directors have
resolved to pay an interim dividend of 2s. 6d. per share
on the ordinary shares, and 8 per cent, per annum on the
preference shares, on the 15th inst., to the members regis-
tered in the company’s books on January 26. An interim
dividend of Is. per share will also be paid to the members
of the Consett Spanish Ore Company Limited.

Gas Light and Coke Company Limited.—The report for
the year ended December 31 states that, after deducting
dividend paid for the June half-year, and providing for
fixed charges, a total balance is available of £555,292. The
directors recommend a dividend on the ordinary stock for
the last half-year at the rate of £3 14s. 8d. per cent, per
annum, which will absorb £304,248, leaving £251,044 to be
carried forward. The sales of gas show an increase of 6 per
cent. There has been an increase of 3,869 in the number
of consumers, and of 43,372 in the number of gas stoves
sold and let on hire.

Greenwood and Batley Limited.—Dividend of 7^ per
cent. (15s. per share), free of tax, on ordinary shares
(interim). Last year, no interim dividend.

Knowles (Andrew) and Sons Limited. — The directors
have decided not to make up the accounts, as usual, to
December 31, as it will be more convenient for all parties
if the accounts are made up to a date coincident with the
efid of the Controller’s year. The accounts will therefore
be made up to February 28 next. In the meantime, subject
to the sanction of the Controller, it is proposed to pay a
further interim dividend of 2 per cent.

Rossington Main Colliery Company Limited.—It is pro-
posed to increase the capital of the company from £500,000
to £750,000, and to consolidate the “ A ” and “ B ” ordi-
nary shares. The latter are held by the Sheepbridge Coal
and Iron Company and John Brown and Company.

Scottish Wagon Company Limited.—The report for the
year ended December 31 last states that the revenue account
shows a balance of £18,156, and after deducting interim
dividend there is left £11,541. The directors recommend a
further dividend, making for the year a dividend at the
rate of 7 per cent., less tax; to place to reserve fund £4,000
(making £74,500); and to carry forward £926.

Staveley Coal and Iron Company Limited.—The directors
have declared an interim dividend of Is. per share on the
fully-paid, and 9d. per share on the part-paid.

United States Steel Corporation.—The board has declared
the usual 3 per cent, dividend and the regular quarterly
dividend of 1^ per cent, on the common shares. The net
earnings for the December quarter were 59,724,000 dols.,
after allowing 60,950,000 dols. for war income and excess
profits taxes. The surplus for the quarter, after all deduc-
tions, is 16,258,000 dols.

NEW COMPANIES.

Argonite Limited. — Private company. Registered
January 18. To carry on the business of manufacturers
and dealers in all kinds of patent fuel and fuel savers, etc.
Nominal capital, £50,000 in £1 ordinary shares. Directors :
E. E. Barton, P. A. Adams, and two others. Qualification
of directors, £250.

Burrow Hill Silica Company Limited.—Private company.
Registered January 22. To carry on all or any of the busi-
nesses of excavating for silica, clay, sand, alumina, and
other minerals, etc. Nominal capital, £15,000 in £1 shares.
Directors shall be appointed by the subscribers. Sub-
scribers (one share) : G. M. Folkard and B. Thomas.

Smelters (Birmingham) Limited. — Private company.
Registered January 22. To carry on the business of copper-
smiths, iron masters, iron, steel, and brass founders, etc.
Nominal capital, £10,000 in £1 ordinary shares. Directors
shall be appointed by the subscribers. Qualification of
directors, £500. Subscribers (one share) : J. C. Parkes and
H. Mayhew.

This list of new companies is taken from the Daily
Register specially compiled by Messrs. Jordan and Sons
Limited, company registration agents, Chancery-lane, E.C.

OBITUARY.

In the late Sir George Hare Philipson, chairman of the
House Committee of Newcastle Infirmary, whose death, at
the age of nearly 82 years, occurred a few days ago, the
miners of Northumberland and Durham have lost a good
friend, a fact the executive committee of the Northumber-
land Miners’ Association recognised by passing on Monday
a resolution appreciative of Sir George’s life work.

Mr. John Davison, traffic manager to the Owners of
Bentinck West Hartley Colliery Limited, at Pegswood
Colliery, a position he had held for over 27 years, has
died from an apoplectic seizure.

Transport of Iron Ore in Scotland.—The handling of iron
ore cargoes at Glasgow harbour was discussed at a meet-
ing of business men concerned with the import, conveyance,
and receiving of such cargoes in the West of Scotland. Mr.
Fred Lobnitz, Director of Munitions in Scotland, presided.
Mr. Burton Chadwick, Director of Munitions Overseas
Transport, explained the object of the meeting was to
review the work of the past year, and find out what further
improvements could be made. The whole question was
narrowed down to saving the time of ships. Glasgow
during the year had done remarkably well in speeding up
the discharge of iron ore, and he described the figures show-
ing the progress made as astounding. The meeting dis-
cussed the discharging arrangements at Glasgow and Ayr-
shire ports; points affecting the rapid discharge at all ports,
and the position of discharge at iron and steel works.

ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS
RECENTLY ACCEPTED.

110731. Improvements in Percussive Rock Drills, etc.
G. H. Rayner, Grange Farm House, Carter Knowle-road,
Abbeydale, and P. Rayner, 19, Falmouth-road, Sheffield.—
The present invention relates more particularly to that
class of rock drills in which the distributing valves are
thrown from side to side partly by air pressure from the
main inlet, on some part of the valve area and partly by
compression of air in the cylinder by the striking piston,
such compression commencing at about the same time on
one end surface of the striking piston and the valve as the
other end surfaces of the piston come into communication
with exhaust; the exhaust being opened by the piston
passing ports in the cylinder wall. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal
sectional elevation of the cylinder and valve chamber of a
rock drill constructed according to the invention, and fig. 2
is a transverse sectional elevation on the line A B fig. 1.
The same letters refer to similar parts in both views.
Assuming the various parts to be in the positions shown in
fig. 1, air is admitted at port a, and passes by ports b, b2,
and b3 to the right hand surface or front end of the piston
P- Simultaneously air passes by ports c and c1 (see fig. 2)
to the annular groove g in the wall of the main cylinder,
and thence by the slot h and port i formed in the piston
also to the right hand surface or front end of the piston p.
There may of course be any desired number of such slots
h, and ports i. It will be observed that the left hand area
or back end of the piston p is in communication with
atmosphere via port e, and part of the left hand surface
of the valve v is also in communication with atmosphere
through port f which opens directly into the main cylinder.
The right hand surface of the valve v is wholly under
pressure from inlet a via port b ; therefore the valve is
held firmly in the position shown in fig. 1. Live air having
access to the right hand end face of the piston p, as before
described, the said piston is forced to the left. During its
travel it shuts off the slot h, from communication with the
annular groove g, but the pressure on the right hand face
of the piston is prevented from falling too rapidly by the
air fed through port b3, the size of which may be pro-
portioned as desired provided
area port b. The piston
during its travel to the left
closes the exhaust c, and
commences to compress the
air trapped in the back end
of the cylinder, and thus
exercises pressure on the left
hand surface of the valve v
to force same to the right.
The valve, however, is held in
position as shown in fig. 1
by the full pressure on the
whole of its right hand sur-
face until the piston has
passed the exhaust port e1,
(i.e., when travelling to the
left) and port b2 which opens
into the cylinder. The
pressure on the right hand
surface of the valve then
falls rapidly and the air
under pressure entering at

at port bl (combined with the pressure exercised by the air
thapped in the back end of the cylinder and compressed),
acts on the valve forcing same to the right. (It is desir-
able that port b2 may open to the cylinder at the same
time as or later than port e1 opens to put the cylinder into
communication with exhaust when the piston is travelling
to the left, in order to delay a little the moment at which
the valve will pass to the right). Air under pressure then
passes from port bl via port f to the left hand surface of
piston p forcing same to the right until the piston passes
the exhaust e. The air pressure then falls rapidly on the
left hand surface of the valve v and the air entering by
port b (together with the air trapped in the front end of
the cylinder and compressed after the piston has passed
the exhaust port e1) forces the valve to the left again, and
the parts resume the position shown in fig.l. It will be
understood that the valve v may be made in any desired
form, such as a disc, sphere or roller, or may be arranged
as a flap or wing valve, the principle remaining the same.
(Four claims.)

that it does not exceed in

SSI

apparatus consists of a square frame

111205. Automatic Stop Block for Trams or Tubs. D.
Pritchard, 7, Ivor-street, Cwmcarn, Cross Keys, Mon-
mouthshire. The
made of timber
and laid beneath
tramroad of any
incline. Placed
on top of one
side is a loose
pawl, which
allows trams to
pass upwards,
but should the
haulage rope or
shackle break,
the trams are
prevented from
running back-
wards by the
pawl, which auto-
matically falls
across the rail.
Fig. 1 shows the
plan of the ap-
paratus ; fig. 2
shows the eleva-
t i o n; fig. 3
shows the sec-
t i o n a 1 view
through the
pivot pin. The

apparatus is in the form of a framework of timber, con-
sisting of two similar pieces c and d forming a bed, on
which is secured a third piece B. The piece B is suitably
cut away, and has an inclined bearing surface, which in
conjunction with pivot f is such that the pawl A
slides inwards until it strikes the stop e, which latter is
secured to the piece d, the inclined bearing surface ensures
that the pawl a is always in the locked position, except
at such times as it is held open. (One claim.)

111000. Improvements in Breathing Apparatus. R.
H. Davis, 187, Westminster Bridge-road.—This invention
provides an apparatus which can be employed either as
self-contained regenerative apparatus or as apparatus of
the respiratory type, so that it is suitable for use either in
cases where the poisons in the atmosphere surrounding
the wearer are capable of being dealt with by the absorbent

7^7

7lb

o 1 EE

in the respirator chamber, or in cases where the prevalent
conditions are such as to render the breathing of the
surrounding atmosphere unsafe to the wearer even though
drawn through the absorbent contained in the respirator
chamber. Refer-
ring to fig. 1 the
improved appa-
ratus comprises a
mask a or a mouth-
piece of any of the
ordinary types, in
combination with
with a three-way
valve b having one
tube c leading to
the mask a and
two lateral tubes d
and e to which are
connected the
flexible tubes /
and g respectively.
The flexible tube
/ is connected to
one extremity of
a chamber h con-
taining material,
such as caustic
potash, capable of
absorbing carbonic
acid gas, the
other extremity of
the said chamber
being in connec-
tion with a flexible
air-tight bag i
through the
medium1 of the
fitting j to which
is also connected
a cylinder k of

compressed oxygen, and which is furnished with the relief
valve I. The other flexible tube g is connected to a
chamber m which contains a chemical substance suitable for
the absorption of poisons which may be contained in the
surrounding atmosphere, this chamber being open to the
atmosphere either directly through an inlet valve n of any
suitable construction. The lateral tube e of the three-way
valve b is furnished with an expiratory valve o of any con-
venient construction. In the drawing a rubber valve of
the pinch type is shown. By manipulating the three-way
valve b the apparatus can be used either as a respirator
apparatus, in which event the regenerative apparatus is
completely cut off, or as a regenerative apparatus, in which
case the respirator apparatus is completely cut off, the
oxygen cylinder being placed in communication with the
flexible bag by the wearer. In lieu of employing caustic
material in the carbonic acid gas absorbing chamber, oxy-
lithe, or a similar substance which not only absorbs the
carbonic acid gas but also generates oxygen when in contact
with the water vapour contained in the expired breath,
may be used. (Four claims.)

111053. Controllable and Removable Gas and Air
Nozzles for Coke Ovens, etc. D. Bagley, 92, Victoria-
street, Westminster.—This invention relates to gas nozzles
supplying and controlling the heating gases, or, alterna-
tively, the air for combustion to the vertical or horizontal
heating flues of rectangular coke ovens. Fig. 1 reperesents
a vertical cross section partly through the lower portion
of the heating flue, and through the passage communicat-
ing with the chamber beneath the oven at. right angles to
the oven; fig. 2 represents an enlarged section through the
control nozzle, and a top view of the same. The heating
gases are admitted to the tapering canal e from the pressure
main supplying gases to the

battery. The heating gases
ascend to the control nozzle
b consisting of the body b2
provided with an orifice
n on its under side of cross
section equivalent to the
flow of the maximum
volume of any heating gas
initially proposed to be or
which may eventually be
utilised for the heating of
the ovens, leading into
recess containing a conical
seating for the plug. The
plug bx, provided with a
lower orifice m of cross
section relatively less than
the orifice n contained in
the body of the complete
nozzle b is conical in form
on the under side to fit
the conical seating in the
recess of the body b2. Two
or more openings k com-
municate with the upper
orifice p of cross section
of greater area than the
orifice n of the body b2,
b2, and a chamber between
the inner wall of the body
b2 and the outer wall of
the plug b1. The top of
the body b2 and the under
side of the cap of the plug
b1 are formed similar to
one complete revolution of
a screw, the pitch being
proportionate to the
desired lift of the plug, the
cap of the plug seating
naturally on the screw
form top of the body.
When the conical lower
portion of the plug rests
on the conical seating of
the body, the flow of gas
is restricted to that passing
through the lower orifice m
of the plug. When the
plug is now turned through
a certain number of



degrees, the conical lower portion is raised to a degree
correspondingly creating a passage v for the gases be-
tween the conical lower portion of the plug and the
conical seating of the body, and the flow of gases
will be correspondingly increased, such increment of
the gases passing into the chamber formed between the
plug and the body recess, and through the openings k, thus