The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-06-18
LIFE SAVING DEVICES
FOR MEN IN MINES
PATENTED BY GOVERNMENT EN-
clNEERs FOR FREE USE
or THE PUBLIC.

devices. five of which indirectly in
volve the saving of human life, and
the sixth the saving from waste OF
natural resources. In each instance
application has been made for patent
in order to retain these devices for the
use Of the people without the payment
of royalty and to prevent any COM
mercial concern from gaining mon
opoly in their manufacture.
Perhaps the most important OF the
inventions that are to be dedicated to
the free use of the people relate 10 I'M
provements in the rescue apparatus
worn by miners following disasters.
This apparatus which supplies oXy-
gen to the rescuer, permits him to en-
ter poisonous gases and carry on his
work for period of two hours In the
bureaus experience with this oxygen
breathing device three rescuers have
lost their lives and in each instance,
it is believed their deaths were due to
certain defects in the apparatus.
This led to desperate attempt up
on the part of the engineers to con-
struct an apparatus that would be
reasonably safe. The engineers found
considerable difficulty in the absorp
ton Of the poisonous matter OF the
breath in the apparatus, and also IN
the reduction of the high pressure
oxygen carried in the tanks ON the
backs of the rescuers.
Problems Are Solved.
/ Both problems were submitted to
William e. Gibbs, consulting engineer
of the bureau, and after research COW
ering several months the solution of
both problems is announced in appli-
cations made for patents. The caus-
tic soda which is used in the appar-
atus in taking up the poisonous eX-
halations of the breath has been so
adjusted as to permit a continuous
flow of the expired air. A series OF
successful experiments have already
been made upon this device.
/ The second problem, the reduction
of the oxygen pressure of 1000 pounds
to the square inch to the proper
amount needed by the rescuer, has
been accomplished by the invention
of a new type of valve. The appar-
atus at present reduces the oxygen
pressure, but supplies the oxygen at
a constant rate, no matter how much
the wearer needs. With the new
valve, the supply of oxygen is regu-
lated by the demands of the wearer of
the apparatus, and no oxygen goes to
waste through a relief valve, as in
the devices now in use. In making
these improvements for safety, Mr..
Gibbs has succeeded in reducing the
weight of the breathing apparatus
fully 40 per cent. The apparatus at
present weighs 40 pounds, which
proves serious handicap to the res
cuer in his work.
CoIIapsibIe Mine Cage.
A third invention is that of a COL
lapsible mine cage for use in rescue
work following a mine disaster Often
the mine cage is 50 badly shattered by
luC Sl6Cl VI CAplOSlOIS that IL CdIi llOl
be operated. In such instances, it Is
said, the collapsible cage would save
hours of delay in rescue work, and
perhaps be the means of saving many
lives. The designer of this cage is
George S. Rice, the chief mining en-
gineer of the bureau of mines.
j. W. Paul, engineer in charge of the
mine rescue work of the bureau Of
signalling device for use in shafts, es-
pecially following disasters. With
this Device a person descending a
shaft will be able to signal the hoist
is overcome and the apparatus falls
from his hands, a circuit is immedi-
ately closed and a gong in the engine
house gives sudden warning. Such
a device, it is asserted by Mr.. Paul,
would have been useful at the Cherry
mine fire in Illinois several years ago.
where so many men lost their lives.
The rescue crews there had to subject
themselves to unnecessary dangers in
descending the wrecked shaft because
Of lack of means Of signalling The
device is so arranged that in the alb
sence of human intelligence to direct
the giving of prearranged code of
signals, the gong on the surface and
in the engine house would ring con-
tinuously. which in every case would
be the signal to hoist Immediately.
| To Reduce Cost Of Radium.
| The bureau has also applied for a
number of patents on processes for
extracting vanadium. uranium and ra-
dunn from ores, such as carnotite ore.
These processes are the result of the
work Of the Denver Colo, laboratory
of the bureau Of mines and their pur-
pose Is to reduce the cost of making
radium and to prevent the monopoly
which goes with the so-called secret
processes The patents have been
asked for in the names Of Richard B.
Moore, in charge of the Denver labor
atory, and Karl Kthil, his assistant.
With the great demand for radium In
the treatment of cancer the bureau Of
mines looks upon this invention as
another possible means of saving hui
man life. 1t is estimated that these