958 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN May 10, 1918. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late for inclusion in this column, see Leadeb and Last White pages. Abstracts of Contracts Open. Cheltenham, May 22.—Six hundred and fifty tons rough small steam coal, 60 tons house coal, 15 tons large steam coal, etc., for Town Council. Forms from borough engineer, Municipal Offices, Cheltenham. Cardiff, May 27.—Coal for schools (session 1918-19). Forms from the clerks of the respective groups, viz.:— Bridgend group, Mr. E. Preece, 61, Park-street, Bridgend ; Caerphilly group, Mr. A. EL Bullock, 5, Queen-street, Cardiff ; Gelligaer group, Mr. F. T. James, Council Offices, Hengoed ; Gowerton group, Mr. P. J. Arnold, 7, Rutland- street, Swansea; Maesteg group, Mr. R. Scale, Maesteg; Neath group, Mr. E. Powell, solicitor, Neath; Ogmore group, Rev Charles Williams, Ogmore Vale ; Penarth group, Mr. J. E. Williams, Herbert-chambers, Cardiff; Pontardawe group, Mr. A. W. Samuel, King’s Chambers, Swansea; Pontyclun group, Mr. W. 1'. Gwyn, Town Clerk’s Office, Cowbridge; Port Talbot group, Mr. A. H. Deer, Port Talbot; Swansea group, Mr. A. H. Thomas, Llansamlet. Letterkenny, May 13.— House and steam coal (12 months), for the Donegal District Asylum. Forms from the clerk. Rathmines and Rathgar, May 29.—For 500 tons of coal for the Urban District Council’s electricity works. Forms from the works. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON AND STEEL WORK, Ac. Johannesburg, June 3.—Tar.—16,000 tons of coal tar for Johannesburg Municipal Council. Specifications may be seen at the Enquiry Office, Overseas Trade Department (Development and Intelligence', 73, Basinghall-street, London, EC. London, May 24. — Plant. — 5,000 kw. steam turbine, water-tube boilers, coal conveyor, etc., for the Islington Borough Council. Forms (<£2 2s.) from the electrical engineer, 50, Eden-grove, Holloway. Melbourne, July 2.— Wire.—Galvanised iron wire, gal- vanised steel standard wire, copper wire, etc., for the Post Office. Copies of specifications may be seen at the Enquiry Office of the Departmeut of Overseas Trade (Development and Intelligence), 73, Basinghall-street, London, E.C., 2. Sheerness, May 18.— Pipes.— Steel and wrought iron pipes, two boiler-feed pumps, etc., for the Urban District Council. Forms (21s.) from F. W. S. Stanton, 3, Victoria- street, Westminster. THE FREIGHT MARKET. At most of the coal-shipping centres of the country, there is a very big demand for fuel on official account, and shipments are proceeding in requisitioned steamers at a rate which leaves little surplus for export to neutral customers. This fact greatly mitigates the hardship— from the collier point of view—contingent on the circum- stance that business in the outward freight market is held in check by the continued scarcity of neutral tonnage. That the possible aggregate of immediate business is suffering because of the shortage of foreign shipping is, of course, obvious; the present is one of those rare occasions, however, when the collieries are taking practi- cally no harm from the embargo which neutrals themselves —by the non-provision of tonnage—are placing on ship- ments to neutral destinations. On the north-east coast, Scandinavians are sending forward their boats with a fair amount of freedom, and fixtures recorded in the local market are, as a matter of fact, solely for Scan- dinavian directions. Even more such business could be done were it not for the present congestion of loading turns on official account. The rates recorded below indicate some additional hardness in figures, but, on the whole, there has been little change in transport prices on the week. For all other directions, there is a big enquiry for vessels at rates which are fully maintained. At South Wales, business done has been exclusively confined to fixtures for French Atlantic ports at scheduled figures, although here, again, there is no dearth of orders for most other directions with which we nowadays trade. The fixtures from the Mersey to River Plate at 120s., and Port Said at 200s., are interesting as indicating a firm market, as are also those from Ardrossan and Glasgow to Barcelona at the record price of 440s. Homewards, the River Plate is unaltered, but tending firmer at 225s. from lower ports to the United Kingdom. At the United States, the Virginia coal freight market is quiet at 80s. for the River Plate, and 85s. to Brazil. Mediterranean ore ports are taking up tonnage on Allied account at firm figures. Tyne to Christiania, 1,500, 152^ kr.; Gefle, 2,200, 195 kr.; Gothenburg, 1,800, 166 kr., and 1,700, 160 kr.; and Halmstad, 1,600, 165 kr. Cardiff to Caen, 600, 48s., neutral; Iceland, 1,800, 200 kr., neutral; Lannion, 130, 90s., sail; Rouen, 1,300, 48s. 9d., neutral; and Trouville, 700, 48s., neutral. Swansea to Caen, 1,100, 1,200, 1,400, 1,450, and 1,900, 46s. 6d., neutral; 650, 48s., neutral; and Rouen, 1,400, 1,600 and 1,700, 48s. 9d., neutral. Mersey to River Plate, 5,000, 120s.; and Port Said, 2,500, 200s. Ardrossan to Barcelona, 2*800, 440s., neutral. Glasgow to Barcelona, 4,000, 440s., reported. Neath Abbey to Honfleur, 700, 48s. 3d., neutral. Later.—The following additional shipments have been arranged :— Tyne to Gefle, 1,700, 2,200, 195 kr.; Gothenburg, 4,500, 170, kr.; 2,100, 162^ kr., option Stockholm, 187 kr. Cardiff to Caen, 900, 48s., neutral. Swansea to St. Malo, 500, 45s., neutral; La Rochelle, 2,300, 61s. 6d., neutral; and Tonnay Charente, 1,400, 61s. 6d., neutral. Port Talbot to Trouville, 700, 48s., neutral. Leith to Stockholm, 1,200, 187 kr. British Aid to Russia.—A statement of shipments to Archangel shows the aid given by Britain to Russia during 1915, 1916 and 1917. Russia’s coal needs were met to a great extent by Great Britain. In 1915, 680,000 tons were carried to North Russia; in 1916, over 1,000,000 tons; in 1917, 1,050,000 tons. invention for improvements in coal, coke or other material screens and has for its object to ing the spaces between the bars screen. As shown the inclined ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 113693. Improvements in Apparatus for Screening Coal, Coke, etc. J. G. W. Aldridge, A. W. Ranken, and T. A. Clare, 39, . Victoria-street, Westminster, S.W. 1.—This apparatus for screening relates to inclined bar provide means for clear- of the screen to prevent clogging, and at the same time agitating the coal or other material being screened in such a way that the forward movement of the larger pieces over the screen is assisted, and the separation therefrom of the smaller material considerably facili- tated. In the accom- panying drawings : fig. 1 is a side elevation of screening apparatus constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the iar screen a is suspended by links b below the mouth of the shoot c and receives a jigging motion from an eccentric d and rod e. The bars / carrying the fingers or teeth g which are arranged to project upwards between the bars of the screen, are fixed to the inclined supports h of channel iron. (Two claims.) 113721. Improvements in Centrifugal Pumps. S. Milne, Ila, Grange-road, Edinburgh.—This invention relates to multiple stage centrifugal pumps of the type in which the main casing is formed in sections, with the ports and passages arranged so that the fluid enters the suction end of the pump on both sides of the first impeller, and after leaving said impeller is directed to the entrance ports on both sides of the succeeding impeller, and so on to the impeller at the delivery end of the pump. The invention refers particularly to the kind of pump above described in which the fluid from each impeller passes into a diffuser having a plurality of separate passages adapted to lead and deflect the separate streams of fluid by easy curves until it is discharged in a direction parallel to the shaft to the next impeller or to the discharge outlet. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved constructional form of such pump. According to the present invention multi-stage centrifugal pumps or turbines comprise a plurality of rotors or impellers having inlets or outlets on both sides and interposed diffusers adapted to diffuse the delivery water and to divide the suction water and supply it equally to both sides of the succeeding rotor or impeller, said impellers being formed with parallel flat sides, the distance apart of which from the boss to the rim, is substantially constant, while the internal periphery of the diffusers is of substantially the same width as the rim of the impellers. In some cases grooves may be formed in the meeting rims of the impellers and diffusers, or packing rings provided, to prevent leakage at said rims, and, if desired, the water ports or passages may be lined with glass or other enamel to ensure smooth- ness without machining. (Four claims.) 113821. Improvements in Motor Driven Cranes or Hoists. H. O. Burge, “ The Thrid,” Hutton, Essex.— The invention relates to cranes, hoists, or haulage engines, and has for object means for changing from full speed to a steady creeping speed, or vice versa, when either hoisting or lowering. According to the invention, two hauling drums, separately driven and separately controlled, are employed. The haulage rope is wound on one drum, passes round a pulley, to which the load is attached, and thence round the other drum. Thus, movement can be imparted to the load by operating either one drum or the other, or, if desired, both together. In applying this invention to the particular object mentioned above, one drum is driven by a motor or engine capable of imparting full speed and power to the load, while the other drum is driven by* a constant speed type of motor or engine, so geared, and of sufficient power, only to give a creeping speed to the load. An automatic brake fitted to each motor or engine, so that on cutting off power from any one motor or engine the brake locks it. In an alternative arrangement an endless rope is used, the slack being taken up by a weighted pulley. (Two claims.) 113822. Improvements in Automatic Couplings for Rail- way Vehicles. G. J. Coles, 5, Lavender-gardens, Low Fell, Gateshead.—This invention relates to automatic couplings for railway and like vehicles, and has for its object to provide improved means for coupling together automatic couplings of different types, during the transition period while the couplings are being changed from one type to another, so that a vehicle having the later type of coup- ling can still be coupled to one having the former type of coupling. The means of the present invention are particularly intended for application to automatic couplings of the kind described in the Specification of a previous Patent No. 12419, A.D. 1908, in which a projection on each coupler head enters a recess on the opposing coupling and is locked therein by a pivoted detent which can be released from either side of the vehicle, but the application of the present invention is not confined to this particular coupling, but may be applied to other automatic couplings of the “ buffing ” type operating in substantially the same manner. (Two claims.) 113858. Improvements in Hooks for Haulage Purposes. P. Browne, Cairbre, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Water- ford, Ireland.—This invention relates to improvements in hooks for haulage purposes and has for its object to provide means by which breakages and undue strains on the tractive or other machinery are eliminated, and so that a tension hook is automatically released from the load when the latter exceeds a predetermined amount, means being also provided for registering variable loads. In accordance with the present invention, the drawbar has an outer forked end having spaced holes, in any pair of which is rotably and adjustably pinned a release or haulage hook having its stem slidably fitted in a socket end of a casing, so that by positioning said haulage hook in any pair of said spaced holes, a wider range and better method of adjustment is obtained without putting any initial tension on the spring which takes the load, thereby enabling such spring to act more like a buffer by decreasing the amount of travel at which said haulage hook becomes automatically released, and in combination with this method of adjustment in spaced holes, the spring may also be adjusted on the drawbar, or the travel of the haulage hook with drawbar may be increased to take greater loads without initially compressing said spring, thereby ensuring longer life for said spring and greater facility in making adjustments. A tubular or other casing is adapted to receive slidably a crosshead in longitudinal slots in said casing, said crosshead being connected to one end of a drawbar and backed by an adjustable spiral spring threaded over said drawbar. The other end of said spiral spring rests on a transverse partition in said casing, the drawbar passing through this partition and through the end of said casing, which forms a socket or distance piece. The other end portion of the drawbar is enlarged and shouldered to butt against said transverse partition, and is also forked and passes through the socket end of the casing. Outside the casing this forked end is provided with spaced holes in any pair of which is rotatably pinned a haulage hook having its stem or smaller end slidably fitted in a bore or opening spaced apart from said drawbar and in said socket end of casing, the arrangement being such that if a predetermined load on the hook and drawbar is exceeded, the hook travels with the drawbar until the stem or extension of the former is drawn out of the said socket end so that the hook is automatically tripped to one side and thus automatically separates or is released from the rope, chain or other object to which it had been fixed for haulage purposes, and thus, in the case of drawing ploughs, or the like, injurious strains are taken off the latter in case it meets with obstructions, such as stones, or stumps of trees, in the process of ploughing, and con- sequently undue strains are also taken off the motor tractor or other means of haulage when the strain on said hook and drawbar becomes excessive. The end of the casing opposite to said hook is centrally bored to receive a swivel or rotatable eyebolt for connection to the continuation of the line of haulage, such as a rope, or chain, or other object. Said casing is open on one or more sides, and is scaled or graduated on the outside to register with variable positions of said crosshead end or ends, this scale being in tons or other weight denominations, as desired, so that the load on the drawbar and < hook is indicated by reading the relative position of the crosshead on said scale. The hook or eyebolt is attached to the source of power, or to the object to be drawn. (Three claims.) 114019. An Intermediate Shunt for Aerial Ropeways. R. W. James, 11, Queen Victoria-street, London (a com- munication from M. J. Cary, S. J. Hally, and C. C. Stephen, all of the Colombo Commercial Company Limited, Slave Island, Colombo).—This invention relates to shunts for aerial ropeways, and has for its object the provision of means for shunting a carrier from the travelling cable on to a stationary shunt which can be put into operation at the will of the operator in order that loads may be removed from the carriers at intermediate stations as well as at the terminal stations. Further, that after the load has been removed, the carrier can be removed from one rope to another rope. The invention consists of a compensating lever which is pivoted upon one of the porter wheel supports, and carries at each end a porter wheel, over which the rope travels. The compensating lever carries a shunt bar, each end of which is inclined and has a depres- sion at its centre portion of sufficient length to take the trolley wheels of the carrier. This bar is so mounted on the compensating lever as to be raised or lowered at will in order that the bar may be either put into a position to receive the carrier and raise it out of contact with the rope, or to be placed in such a position as to be out of the path of the trolley wheels of the carrier when the carrier is to be sustained by the rope. (Five claims.) 114026. Manufacture of Fuel from Peat. W. Goodwin, Plas Newydd, Rhyl, and A. Macrae, Hill View, Dyserth, R.S.O., Rhyl.—According to this invention, the peat, recovered from the deposits in any suitable manner, is first treated in a mill, similar in action to that used for crushing sugar cane. In passing through this primary crushing mill a large percentage of the water contained in the natural peat will be expelled, and the crushed and partly dried peat is then in condition for further treatment. The peat in leaving the crushing mill is in the form of thin cakes, the fibre being nicely broken up. These cakes are then passed through a set of powerful rolls which are maintained at a high temperature, say, by means of superheated steam, or the rolls may be heated by electric resistances. In this way further moisture is removed. After passing the heated rolls, the peat retains a considerable amount of heat, and while in this condition it is conveyed to a storage chamber where it is allowed to lie until dry, or till required in the next stage of the process. In this next stage the volatile products are distilled from the peat, and for this purpose it is proposed to use a retort, or series of retorts, the heat for which is provided by electric resistance units which are immersed in the peat in the retort. In the crushed and partly dried peat with which the retort is primarily charged, there will still be some considerable amount of moisture requiring to be driven off, say, from 15 per cent, to 20 per cent. In order to assist in driving off this moisture, it is proposed to maintain in the retorts, by means of any usual type of pump, a vacuum of the required degree throughout the whole period of distilla- tion. The quantity of tar produced during distillation will, of course, vary with the quality of the peat used, but may be estimated at about 10 per cent, of the total weight of peat utilised, the peat being assumed to have 20 per cent, of its contents water. At the completion of four hours’ distillation, the whole of the tar products, and the like, will have been distilled, and at this point the current is switched off and the vacuum broken. By removing the bottom opening of the retort, the heated contents are dropped direct into a gas producer of suit- able type and capacity adapted to receive the whole of the coke of the retort charge. For convenience of working, this producer is located immediately beneath the retort, and in this producer the red hot peat coke is converted into carbonic oxide gas in the usual way, and is delivered for use, say, to the gas engines forming part of the plant, and which are utilised for generating the electric current necessary for the resistance units of the retorts. With such a process it is estimated that the yield of tar from the peat will be from 8 per cent, to 10 per cent., which tar may be converted into motor spirit evaporating below 180 degs. Cent, by any ordinary process of fractional distillation, the tar yielding, say, two-thirds of its weight as motor spirit. The remaining one-third may be recovered by fractional distillation in the form of heavy oil, boiling between 180 degs. and 250 degs. Cent., suitable for use in Diesel engines, or the like, or this one-third may be further split up into motor spirit and other by-products. Owing to the high per- centage of nitrogen in the peat, and in a form readily convertible into ammonia, a considerable amount of sulphate of ammonia can be obtained from the scrubber waters of a plant working in the way described, while the process would also be available for the production of