500 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN March 8, 1918. included in the term “the belt.” Chains, belts, and like articles in a flat or rectangular parallelogram cross section have been previously made of perforated and infibulated blanks formed from waste pieces of leather and soft material, or from metal made up from an assemblage or series of connected links. The said links have been made of special form and provided with shaped ends connected by a narrower neck or waist, and an elliptical or elongated hole at each end of such a size and shape that after the blank or link has been bent into the form of a staple, the next succeeding blank can be threaded through the said hole before being bent into the U-shape. This method of forming a chain or belt or the like of a series of con- nected links has necessitated the elliptical or elongated holes in the end of the link being made of a size that will permit of the widest part of each shaped end of a succes- sive link to pass through it, and when the link has been threaded through the said holes, turned into position, and folded into the U-shape, the holes are larger than are abso- lutely required for the bent portion of the neck to com- pletely fill the hole. In some cases the blanks have also been provided with necks or projections for connecting the links together. The object of this invention is to construct or form a belt having a plurality of sides of equal length, as, for example, in cross section, square, or polygonal, of an assembled series of links, which vary in size and shape with the width, thickness, strength, and cross section of the belt, said links being composed of perforated or slotted or infibulated or other blanks with or without a projection at one or both ends thereof, and when a projection is used it is parallel with the longitudinal centre of the blank so as to permit of the blanks being threaded through each other to form a belt in cross section with a plurality of sides or surfaces of equal length, and with one or two thicknesses of the blanks on each side of the belt, or alter- nately on each of its sides. (Nine claims.) 111956. Apparatus for the Distillation and Dehydration of Coal Tar, etc. T. C. Hammond and C. K. Richardson, District Bank Chambers, Huddersfield.—This invention, relating to apparatus for the distillation and dehydration of coal tar, mineral or vegetable oils and the like, and the debenzolising of wash and other oils and liquids, has for its object the provision of means for preheating the tar or oils or liquids before passing through the still proper, such means comprising a series of overlapping plates arranged step fashion above the heating apparatus and baffle plates, so as to be heated by the heat rising from the still and forming a passage or thoroughfare for the tar or oils or liquids in flowing from the source of supply to the inlet to the still, such preheating means also serving as a frac- tionater or performing the combined functions of a pre- heater and fractionater, whereby the lighter oils and water contained in the tar, oils or the like are vaporised and therefore removed and collected before the tar is distilled, said combined preheater and fractionater also pre- venting the escape of the heavier oils not intended to be extracted from the tar or liquids by local heating in the still. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a still showing the application of our improvements, and figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, plan view and cross section thereof. The still a may be of any known type or con- struction and heated by gas, steam or other suitable heating medium, the still in this instance being heated by gas supplied through the Bunsen burners b arranged underneath the still. In framework c at the upper end of the still we support a series of plates d, arranged step fashion each plate from the inlet end to the discharge end over- lapping a portion of an adjacent plate supported at a lower level than the preceding plate. The said series of plates are heated by the heat rising from the interior of the still, and they form a passage or thoroughfare for the tar or oils or liquids in flowing from the source of supply to the inlet to the still proper. The crude tar supply in this instance is fed through a pipe e and flows from the end e1 of the said pipe or to the topmost plate d, from which it flows over the succeeding plates to the lowermost thereof, and then falls into the bottom of the still at the further or inlet end thereof passing from thence along the still between the baffle plates a1 as indicated by the arrows in fig. 2, and finally discharging through the pipe /. The heat of the plates d of the preheater suffices to drive off the lighter oils and water contained in the tar or oils as it descends in a thin stream or film over the series of plates, the vapour being carried away by a pipe or pipes g to a suitable condenser. If local heating of any part of the still, or vapour tension, causes vaporisation of the carrying off of, say, anthracene or similar oil which it is desirable to retain in the tar or oils the said vapour rises into contact with the under surfaces of the plates d and condenses and falls back into the still, the combined pre- heater and fractionater thus eliminating the disadvan- tageous results caused by local heating in the still. Should the temperature of the still be such as to vaporise oils not affected by the passage of the tar over the preheater, such vapours not condensed by contact with the under surfaces of the plates d will pass through the spaces between each adjacent plate and enter the vapour pipe or pipes g leading to the condenser. (Two claims.) 112054. Improvements in Feed Water Regulators for Steam Boilers. A. Baldwin, Devonshire Brass Works, Keighley, Yorkshire.—This invention relates to improve- ments in feed water regulators for steam boilers, or those devices for automatically and intermittently feeding water thereto as same is evaporated so as to keep said water at a constant level. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an improved feed water regulator, as also the low water alarm and auto- matic valve operating device. In this invention a tube a is mounted in the upper surface or shell b of the boiler, this being held in position by the couplings c or by other appropriate means, said pipe or tube a leading outside the boiler b to the large or main feed pipe, which it prefer- ably enters at a position further away from the boiler than the main supply valve. The tube a extends for an appro- priate distance into the boiler b, and has mounted at its lower end a valve /, which is provided with a guard fl, this also holding said valve in position. The guard /r is carried by a plate g, which also has fixed to it a bracket g1, to which is fulcrumed at h1 the lever h, this being guided in a slotted guide h3. To the lever h is connected by the rod k1 a float k, which as the level x of the water within the boiler rises or falls is correspondingly moved, and thus operates the lever h; hence as said float k descends it allows the valve f to open or fall away from its seating and supply water to the boiler through the pipe a. The float k is counter-balanced by the weight h2 adjust- ably mounted upon the lever h. . Through the float k pro- jects an extension of the screwed rod k1, to which is con- nected a block m by means of the nuts m1, a link or rod k2 extending from said block m to be fulcrumed at m3 to a strap mA fixed upon the pipe or tube a. By means of the screwed rod k1 and the nuts m1, m2, the float k may be adjusted relatively to the lever h and the link k2 for any desired purpose. In connection with the improved (Il 5 _____° o- p water regulator, an alarm is employed such as that indi- cated at o in fig. 1. It is operated by a lever o1, fulcrumed at o2 to the bracket o3, and is provided with an adjust- able weight o4, while a link o5 (or chain or other suitable connection) extends between said lever o1 and the link k2. As the float k descends on the lowering of the level of the water x in the boiler, the link k2 operates the link o5 (or other appropriate connection), and moves the lever o1 with- drawing the rod o6, and allowing steam to pass to the alarm o to give audible warning to the attendant that the level of the water has reached a predetermined or dangerous position. To the weight h2 or to the lever h is connected a rod p, which extends to the lever p1, fulcrumed at p2 to the projecting part p3 carried by the plate q, which latter is provided with guides qx for a valve q2, this being opened or closed according to the movement of the lever p1 for the purpose of allowing steam to pass from the space in the boiler to the pipe s or to arrest same. The lever p1 is guided in a slotted guide p\ also carried by the plate q. The pipe s leads to a feed pump of any known construction or to a series of such pumps or to any other place where steam from the boiler may be desired to be used, and it will be seen that as the float k is lowered in accordance with the falling of the level x of the water in the boiler, the lever p1 will be oscillated on its fulcrum p2, and will cause the valve q2 to allow steam to pass through the pipe s to said pump or the like, and such escape of steam will continue until the float k ascends high enough to cause said valve q2 to be closed. The rod p may be adjustable by same being divided, these divided parts being connected together by the well-known kind of block p5, as shown in broken lines. (Six claims.) NEW PATENTS CONNECTED WITH THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Applications for Patents. February 25 to March 2 {inclusive). [Note.—Applications arranged alphabetically under the names of the applicants (communicators in parentheses. A new number will be given on acceptance, -which will replace the application number.] Adair, J. Steam, etc., engines. (3547) Allen, R. W. L., and Downes, C. Locomotive boilers with steam superheaters, and engines operated thereby. (3325) Anthony, A. H. Float-operated valves for boiler feed apparatus. (3531) Arzano, C., and Clerici, G. Manufacture of iron by elec- trolysis. (3431) Asquith, W. G., and Martin, W. J. Centrifugal fans, etc. (3419) Bailey, J. Steam boiler furnaces. (3285) (Bell, J. E.). Waste heat boilers. (3564) Bibby, J. Electric furnaces. (3726) Blanchard, C. Rotary engines. (3582) Brown, R. J. Wainwright-, and Bullock, P. W. Rotary pumps, etc. (3409) Burleigh, J. W. Dynamo electric machines. (3575) Burleigh, J. W. Dynamo electric machinery. (3690) Candlot, C. Conveyors, transporters, etc. (3342) Collins, J. N. Internal combustion engine. (3354) Davis, R. H. Breathing masks. (3410) Davison, P. R. Utilisation of exhaust gases of internal combustion engines. (3644) Day, D. T. Extraction of hydrocarbon products from shales and coals. (3521) Fairweather, J. H. Washing coal gas, etc., with oil. (3506) Franklin, E. S. Electric motors. (3601) Gardner, A. R. Rotary internal combustion engines. (3514) Gilchrist, A. L. K. Internal combustion engines. (3363) Hoveler, H. F. Liquid fuel burners. (3517) Hulley, H. Apparatus for spreading or spraying stone dust. (3618) Humbert, E. Process for making metals in electric fur- naces. (3420) Hunt, L. J. Alternating current dynamo electric machines adapted for synchronous working. (3379) Huwel, G., and Le Due, F. T. Coal gas carburettors. (3392) James, F. A. Rotary pumps. (3681) Kegel, O. F. Rotary internal combustion engines. (3514) Kemp, J. R. Rotary engine adaptable as motor, pump, or meter. (3332) La Devesa, R. R. R. de. Compounds for increasing calorific value of coal, etc. (3447) Leadbetter, T. A. N. Internal combustion engines. (3363) Leetham, S. Flues of boiler, etc., furnaces. (3581) Lymn, A. H. Producer gas plant. (3715) McDermott, P. J. Rotary engines. (3582) Matthewman, W. Internal combustion engines. (3507) Mavor and Coulson, and Moore, M. S. Compressed air engines for coal, etc., cutting machines. (3556) Plaisant, G. Dynamo electric machines. (3496, 3497) Rayner, G. H. T. and P. Valve apparatus for rock drills, etc. (3297) Rayner, G. H. T. and P. Percussive coal cutting machines, etc. (3346) Remy, M. E. de B. Two-stroke internal combustion engines. (3338) Rew, R. J. Water gas producer. (3282) Rideal, E. K., and Taylor, H. S. Removal of sulphur and sulphur-containing bodies from gases. (3702) Riley, R. S. Automatic stoker with moving dump plate. (3417) Sandy croft Limited. Alternating current dynamo electric machines adapted for synchronous working. (3379) Snowdon, F. Hanging bolts for facilitating treatment of re-lining of coke ovens, etc. (3455) Stone, G. de Holden-. Fluid pressure engine. (3659) Stothert and Pitt. Electric motors. (3601) Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson. Steam super- heaters for marine, etc., boilers. (3515) Tate, W. H. Internal combustion engines. (3363) Taylor, A. Transmission of electrical energy. (3676) Wade, F. E. Internal combustion engines. (3657) Washburn, P. Rotary internal combustion engines. (3514) Watterson, W. A. Arresting sparks and economising fuel in furnaces. (3340) Westinghouse Machine Company. Generating power. (3397, 3398, 3399) Willey, S. J. Steam generating. (3441) Willock, Reid and Company. Safety device for pneu- matic tools. (3468) Complete Specifications Accepted. {To be published on March 21.) [Note.—The number following the application is that which the specification will finally bear.] . 1917. 2488. British Thomson-Houston Company (General Elec- tric Company). Electric motor control systems. (113473) 2491. Farley, J. Smoke consuming furnaces and water heaters. (113474) 2590. Stanfield, J. R. M. Internal combustion engines. (113480) 3258. Oldham, O. Miners’ and like electric safety lamps. (113506) 3295. British Thomson-Houston Company (General Elec- tric Company). Systems of control for electric motors. (113509) 3398. Deutsch Luxemburgische Bergwerks- und Hiitten Akt.-Ges., and Klinkenberg, A. Manufacture of ingot iron and steel. (113512) 3867. Old, G. Internal combustion engines. (113517) 4587. Webster, H. J. Return flow steam boilers. (113528) 4862. Hollis, A. Apparatus for superheating elastic fluids. (113534) 5327. Morris, A. Reversible turbine. (113539) 5360. Burchett, J. H. P. Internal combustion engines. (113541) 5722. Stewart, A. W. System of ventilation. (113546) 6217. Schou, P. Pumps. (113548) 6985. Lanier, R. R. Apparatus for raising water. (113552) 10131. Dragerwerk H. and B. Drager. Inhaling apparatus. (108314) 16126. Rose, J. R. Apparatus for producing combustible fuel. (113585) 17036. Soc. P. Raffin et Fils. Process for the treatment of ilmenites or titanic iron ores. (111668) 17421. Wait, H. H. Wheels for steam turbines. (113589) 18439 and 18440. Rees, D. E. Steam generators. (113591, 113592) 1918. 276. Richmond Gas Stove and Meter Company, and Thompson, J. Metal heating, metallurgical, and analogous heating furnaces. (113594) Complete Specification Open to Public Inspection Before Acceptance. [Note.—The number following the application is that which the specification will finally bear.] 1918. 2929. Sandblom, G. E. Scale or encrustation removing apparatus. (113619) Government and Privately-Owned Wagons.—Following the combine of the Wagon Repairers Company, which will commence operations on March 31 next, there is a special call for private owners’ wyagons, and the Government are making a call for 5 per cent, of the private wagons in the country. Smaller merchants, with only 20 wagons, will not be affected, but as the number apparently required is 20,000, a large number of the private wagon owners will necessarily be called upon to give up a good quantity. A basis for payment has been issued, and it is announced that 6s. 6d. per week will be paid for 8-ton wagons, 7s. 3d. for 10-ton, and 8s. 3d. for 12-ton, including maintenance.