550

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

March 15, 1918.

application to the Treasury for sanction to issue the
balance of the deferred share capital amounting to .£425,000
at par.

Vulcan Motor and Engineering Company (1906)
laimited.—The directors state they are once more able to
submit a very satisfactory report on the work of the com-
pany for the twelve months ended September 30, 1917, but
owing to the fact that the amount payable for munitions
levy is not yet settled (and it will be a very considerable
sum), it has been decided to publish the balance-sheet only
with the balance of undivided profit, subject to the
payment of the munitions levy, when the amount can be
definitely arrived at. The directors feel justified in
declaring another bonus of 2s. per share on the ordinary
shares of the company (free of income tax) on account of
the profits to March 31, 1916.

NEW COMPANIES.

Boving* Engineering Works Limited.—Private com-
pany. Registered office, Imperial-buildings, 56, Kingsway,
W.C. 2. Registered March 1. To carry on the business of
constructional engineers and ironfounders, etc. Nominal
capital £70,000 in 30,000 XT preference shares, and 40,000
£1 ordinary shares. Directors, J. O. Boving and others.
Qualification of directors, £100.

Central Colliery (Bucknall) Limited.—Private
company. Registered office, Central Colliery, Bucknall,
Stoke-on-Trent. Registered March 4. To carry on the
business of ironmasters, steel makers, steel converters, etc.
Nominal capital, <£2,000 in £1 shares. Directors, Emma
Bill and H. Millard. Qualification of directors, £100.

English. Oilfields Limited. —Public company. Regis-
tered March 6. To search for and win oils, shale minerals
and natural gas of all kinds, etc. Nominal capital, £300,000
in 300,000 £1 shares. Minimum subscription to precede
allotment, seven shares. Directors shall be appointed by
the subscribers. Qualification of directors, 100 shares.
Remuneration of directors, £350 per annum. Subscribers,
E. Baker, S. M. Goddard and H. W. E. White.

Societe Americaine de Machines-Outils Limited.—
Private company. Registered March 4 To carry on the
business of mechanical, industrial and consulting engineers,
etc. Nominal capital, £40,000 in 10,000 £1 preference
shares and 30,000 £1 ordinary shares. Directors, O. C.
Setback, J. A. Moore, B. Anzani and one other.

Wilkins (Henry) Limited. —Private company. Regis-
tered March 6. To carry on the business of iron merchants,
etc. Nominal capital, £7,500 in 750 £10 shares. Qualifica-
tion of directors, £500. Subscribers, H. Wilkins and H. T.
Wilkins.

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.

THE FREIGHT MARKET.

There is the usual attenuated list of fixtures to record in
the outward chartering market this week. On the north-
coast business has been confined to one fixture for Drontheim
at 140 kr., one for Gothenburg at 155 kr., and one for Stock-
holm at 162| kr., Tyne loading in each case. These rates
show that Drontheim is steady, Gothenburg easier and
Stockholm weaker. In no other direction has there been
any fixture reported up to the time of writing. The scarcity
of neutral shipping is quite unimproved, th£ owners
appearing to have made up their minds that even higher
rates should be conceded, an idea to which exporters do not
subscribe, and against which, indeed, they have set their
faces. Thus, even more than the 410s. recently paid for
Barcelona discharge is being demanded by shipowners, but,
thus far, merchants show no disposition to pay. Coasting
business has been wholly neglected since the new fixed rates
came into operation. For all neutral destinations fully
late figures are being quoted. At South Wales most of the
business done has been for French Atlantic ports at the
scheduled figures. The only exceptions are another fixture
for the carriage of patent fuel to Dakar at 90s. 9d. and the
engagement of a vessel for Gibraltar at 100s. The conditions
with reference to tonnage supplies, etc., are similar to those
on the north-east coast. It is interesting to note that a
2,700 ton vessel for Hull or Mersey loading to Lisbon has
been taken up at the even hundred shillings. It is good
to know that, besides the vessels on offer in the open
market, there has been a fairly good supply of official
tonnage available to meet Allied requirements.

Homewards, the River Plate market is steady at about
200s. to the United Kingdom, but with little business
passing. At the United States, coal freights are based on
about 125s. from Virginia to the Plate. Rates from the
Northern Range to European ports are well maintained.
All Far Eastern quotations are upheld without difficulty.
The Mediterranean and Bay ore ports quote firm figures
for suitable carriers to the United Kingdom, and business
is brisk.

Tyne to Drontheim, 1,250, 140 kr.; Gothenburg, 2,100,
155 kr. ; and Stockholm, 2,600, 162| kr.

Cardiff to Brest, 1,600, 48s., neutral ; Bordeaux, 2,300,
69s., neutral; Caen,, 600, 48s., neutral; 1,100, 46s. 6d.,
neutral; Dakar, 1,100, 90s. 9d., patent fuel; Gibraltar,
5,000, 100s.; Havre, 1,200, 45s. 9d., neutral; and Rouen,
1,200, 1,300, 1,500 and 1,600, 48s. 9d. neutral.

Swansea to Rouen, 1,500, 48s. 9d., neutral; Caen, 900,
48s., neutral; and 1,100, 46s. 6d., neutral.

Cardiff or Newport to St. Malo, 900, 22s., Allied ; and
Rouen, 1,300 and 1,400, 48s. 9d., neutral.

Hull or Liverpool to Lisbon, 2,700, 100s

Fowey to Portland (Me.), 3,000, 30s., china clay.

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

Tyne to Bilbao, 2,800, 300s.; and 4,000, 310s.

Cardiff to Gibraltar, 5,000, 100s.; Rouen, 1,400, 48s. 9d.,
neutral; and River Plate, 6,500 and 9,500, 120s.

Swansea to Havre, 1,500, 45s. 9d., neutral; Caen, 1,100
and 1,400, 46s. 6d., neutral; and Rouen, 1,570 and 1,600,
48s. 9d., neutral.

By far and away the most interesting of the foregoing
are the two -fixtures from Tyne to Bilbao, the rates paid
comparing with 180s., which previously stood as the record
figure for the Spanish Atlantic. On the other hand, the
Cardiff-River Plate fixtures at 120s. compare with 150s.
paid for Buenos Ayres a fortnight ago.

The French authorities intimate that, in future, sheets of
chrome or nickel steel, containing less than > per cent,
of chrome or nickel, shall, on importation into France, be
assessed for duty as sheets of ordinary steel, according to
kind and thickness.

ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS
RECENTLY ACCEPTED.

112106. Improvements Relating to Pit Props. S. A.
Cosgrave, The Elms, Sutton-road, Walsall, Stafford ; and
the Malcast Foundry (1915) Limited, Crescent Works,
Pleck-road, Walsall.—This invention relates to pit props,
and has for its object to provide an improved prop shoe
or extension, which permits the prop to yield sufficiently
under the pressure of the earth without crushing. The
invention consists of a tapered iron socket, which receives
one end of the prop, and allows the prop to adapt itself
to the load which it carries. The accompanying draw-
ing illustrates partly in section a pit prop shoe constructed
in accordance with this invention. In carrying the inven-
tion into effect as shown, a malleable iron shoe a or exten-

sion is made to a tapered form internally,
desired externally. Preferably the upper
end of the shoe is reinforced by a collar b
cast integrally with or shrunk on the shoe.
In use, one end of the prop c is shaped to
enter the upper end of the shoe, and then
the combined prop and shoe are placed in
position in the mine working. By the
pressure of the earth, the prop is pushed
further into the shoe, and in the event of
an increase of load the prop is pushed stil’
further. Or the shoe being hollow is
pushed into the earth. The prop is
thus able to yield in the direction of its

and also if

length sufficiently to accommodate itself

to the pressure, and risk of crushing of the prop is thereby
reduced or eliminated. Two or more props (virtually
forming a single prop) may be inserted in the same shoe.
If the extension afforded by one shoe is insufficient, two
or more shoes are nested together. For this purpose both
the outsides and insides of the shoes are similarly tapered
as shown. The shoe may be applied to either end or
both ends of the prop. (Three claims.)

112119. Improvements in Furnace Grates or Firebars.
W. H. U. Morley, 1, Preston-street, Fleetwood, Lanca-
shire.—This invention has reference to furnace grates and
firebars for steam boiler and other furnaces, and has for
its object to provide furnace grates and firebars which will
promote combustion and reduce smoke, and which will be
more durable than those commonly in use. Fig. 4 is a
perspective view of two firebars laid together in position
side by side; while fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line
a—b (fig. 4) of four bars laid together in position. Each
bar consists of an upper portion 1, on which the fuel rests,
and a web or depending part 2, which in cross section
diminishes towards the bottom 3. The upper portion 1 of
the bar is formed at the ends with side lugs or enlarge-
ments 4, 5, which strengthen the top portion of the bar,
and act as distance pieces, against which adjacent bars
abut; while at spaced intervals between the two ends of
the bars, lugs or enlargements 6 are provided at one side,
and similar lugs or enlargements 7 at the other side,
enlargements 6 and 7 alternating with each other. These
enlargements 6, 7, also act as distance pieces against which
adjacent bars abut, so that the intervals 8 at one side of
the bar, and the intervals 9 at the other side of the bar,
constitute airways for air to travel up into the furnace.
The upper portion of the bars at the top of the lugs 6 is
inclined or chamfered at 10 in one direction, and the upper
portion of the bars at the top of lugs 7 is inclined or cham-
fered at 11 in the opposite direction, so that the tops 1
of the inclines 10 and the tops 1 of the inclines 11 are
offset from each other if viewed in plan, though they both
lie in the same plane if viewed in elevation. The faces
of the lugs 5 lie coincident with the faces of the lugs 7,
and the face of lugs 4 lie concident with the faces of the
lugs 6. When the bars are arranged side by side and
supported at the ends on the usual bearers, each two
adjoining bars abut at the lugs or enlargements 4, 5, as
they do also at the lugs or enlargements 6 and 7, which
extend from the top of the bars to the bottom 3 of the
web, so that the inclined upper parts 10 and 11 of the
bars form a plurality of grooves 12 (with ridges 1 at each
side) for the dust to deposit in, while the spaces 8 at one

za

Vs

a Is

side of the bars, and the spaces 9 at the other side of the
bars, form airways for the air admitted under the fire
grate to travel up, which air passes through the openings
13 between the ridges 1 into the furnace, and aids com-
bustion therein. It will thus be seen that when two bars
are placed side by side, a plurality of spaced grooves are
provided, located in alignment with central ridges or mid-
feathers, interposed in the spaces between the ends of the
grooves so as to alternate therewith, such central ridges or
mid-feathers having interstices between the bars through
which air admitted under the grate can travel into the
furnace. The web of the firebar in cross section diminishes
towards the bottom 3 by both sides of the web converging
or being inclined one towards the other, the result being
that the air enters the channels (formed by the airways 8,
9) where there is a large area, and by reason of the channels
contracting in area, the air is relatively compressed in
volume, which causes it to rush through the openings 13
with an augmented force. This air, in passing up the
spaces 8, 9, between the web portions, gets heated to such
an extent that it readily combines with the products of
combustion, so that the carbon, hydrogen, and other com-
bustibles in the furnace are consumed ; and, furthermore,
such air in passing up said spaces is so led or cast against
the webs that the bars are prevented from becoming unduly
heated, thus rendering them less liable to burn and
deteriorate at the top edges. The dotted lines in the cross
section (fig. 5) help to illustrate the way in which the web
diminishes towards the bottom 3 in the intervals between
the lugs or enlargements. The faces of the said lugs 6 and
7 are perpendicular. The lugs or enlargements 6, 7 are
preferably made wide at the top, but diminish in width
towards the bottom 6^, so their edges 14 form inclined or
rounded surfaces, up which the pricker bar or other imple-

ment employed by the fireman will slide, should it impact
against them, and thus form no obstruction to the imple-
ment performing its duty of removing clinker and the like.
(Six claims.)

112155. Improvements in Furnaces for the Combustion
of Pulverulent Fuel. J. E. Muhlfeld, Scarsdale, West-
chester, New York; and V. Z. Caracristi, Bronxville,
Westchester, New York. — This invention refers to
improvements in or relating to furnaces for combustion of
pulverulent fuel, such as pulverised coal, coke, lignite,
peat, or other like material, in a powdered state, and the
present invention is especially designed for use with
apparatus for feeding a mixture of pulverulent fuel and
air to furnaces such as described in Patent Specification
No. 13067/1915, although same may, if desired, be used
in conjunction with any other suitable fuel feeding appar-
atus adapted to feed a mixture of such pulverulent fuel
and air under suitable conditions. The figure is a vertical
longitudinal central section through the locomotive and a
portion of its tender showing one form of the invention.
The boiler comprises, as in ordinary practice, a firebox or
furnace 950, a waist or cylindical body portion 951, and a
smokebox 952. The firebox is closed at the bottom by a
tight double ash pan 953, with intervening raised portion
953c, and a plurality of fire tubes 954 extend through the
waist from the firebox to the smokebox, which latter is
provided with an open stack 955. A conical casing 956, in
the smokebox, conveys the products of combustion from
the tubes to the casing of an exhaust fan 957, located at
the front of the smoke box, and rotated by a suitable
motor 958, which, in the instance shown, is electrically
actuated, and effects an exhausting draught, by which the
pcrducts of combustion are drawn into the stack and dis-
charged therefrom to the atmosphere. 'The exhaust steam
is discharged from the cylinders 959 to the atmosphere
through an open or unrestricted exhaust pipe 960. The
pulverised fuel used for the generation of steam in a
boiler is carried in a fuel bin 961, located above the bottom
of the water tank 962, supported on the frame 963 of the
tender. Pulverised fuel from the bin 961 is delivered to a
power-actuated blower 964, by which it is conveyed
through a conduit 965, and thence through a mixing
chamber 968a into the fire box, below a deflecting arch or
bridge 966, with which the firebox is fitted at the forward

955

SW"

end of the main combustion chamber, said arch or bridge
966 being extended sufficiently to provide a relatively con-
tracted passage for the products of combustion. The blast
of air furnished by the blower 964 is comparatively small
in volume and high in determined pressure. As the fuel
passes out of the conduit 965, it meets in the mixing
chamber 968«, and is mingled with, an additional supply
of air (coming through the conduits 968) to properly sup-
port combustion; which additional supply of air is fur-
nished in larger volume and at lower pressure by a power-
actuated blower 967, this additional supply of air being-
delivered therefrom through the conduit 968, discharging
upwardly into the firebox towards the arch 966, the said
conduit 968 extending in advance of the mouth of the
conduit 965 to thereby form the mixing chamber 968a.
Upon the completion of the combustion of the pulverised
fuel in the firebox, the gaseous products of combustion
are drawn therefrom through the aforesaid contracted
passage over the arch 966, and through the tubes 954, by
the exhaust fan 957, and discharged through the stack
955. The blowers 964 and 967 are rotated by independent
motors 969 and 970 respectively, electric current for which,
and for the fan motor 958, is supplied by a generator 971,
actuated by a turbine motor 972, through which steam is
supplied through a valve-governed pipe 973 leading from
a turret 974 on the boiler. In order to effectively main-
tain combustion under varying conditions of service, it is
necessary that the pressure and volumes of the supplies of
air from the blowers 964 and 967 respectively and the
speed of rotation of the exhaust fan 957 shall properly be
proportioned and independently regulated and adjusted
by the operator, as may from time to time be required.
To this end is provided a controller 975, which is located
in the cab 976 of the locomotive, within convenient reach
of the operator, and is connected by conductors 977 with
the generator 971, and provided with switches 978, 979,

980,	by which the current from the generator may be inde-
pendently and regularly supplied to or cut off from the
motors 958, 969, and 970 respectively, as desired, said
motors being connected with the switches by conductors

981,	982, 983 respectively. (Eleven claims.)

112203. Coal Saver to be Employed in Fire Grates.
W. H. Everill, Bethel Chapel, Regent-street, Burslem,
Stoke-on-Trent; and J. E. Vernon, Moorland-road,
Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent.—This invention relates to a new
or improved coal saver to be employed in fire grates, the
object being to produce a coal saver of a novel and inex-
pensive character, capable of being quickly heated by the
fire in the grate, and to throw out a considerable amount
of heat therefrom. The coal saver is preferably con-
structed by means of moulding from fireclay or from a
mixture of fireclay and other suitable plastic material,
although if desired it may be made of cast iron or other
suitable material. The plastic fireclay or the like material
is pressed or moulded to fit the back of the fire grate, the
front face of the block being flat, whilst its back face is
formed with a large recess or cavity open at its lower end
and communicating with a series of recesses or grooves
extending from the top of the block and diminishing about
half-way down the recess or cavity. The said recess or
cavity is preferably deeper at its lower open end than
where it joins with the upwardly extending grooves or
recesses hereinbefore referred to. To support the block or
coal saver, a little distance away from the grate bottom,
projections or feet are formed at the bottom of the coal
saver or block, to enable the flame or heat to freely pass
up through the chamber, which is formed by the cavity in
the block and the back of the grate, and up through the
grooves or recesses communicating therewith, thereby
heating the whole of the block, which throws out a con-
siderable amount of heat. To allow for expansion and
contraction, to prevent the block cracking or breaking, it
is provided with holes or slots passing through the front
face of the block into the large recess, and also, if desired,
into the smaller grooves or recesses communicating there-
with. Instead of employing a large recess or cavity and
grooves or recesses extending therefrom to the top of the