The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-31
SIX DEVICES PERFECTED
BY MINING ENGINEERS
Fi'e Involve Saving OF Human Life.
md Other Conservation OF Not
urnI Resources.
RESCUE APPARATUS IMPROVED
certain Processes Patented with Pur-
pose OF Reducing Cost of Milking
Rnhium mud Prevent Monopoly.

human lifo and tho sixth tho saving
each instance. application has been
nude for patent In order to retain these
DEVICES for the uso OF the people with
out the payment OF royalty. and TO pre-
vent any commercial concern from
gaining Il monopoly In their manufac-
ture.
Perhaps tho most important OF tho
Inventions that arc to bo dedicated to
tho free use OF tho people rotate to
improvements In the rescue apparatus
worn by miners following disasters.
This apparatus which supplies oxygen
10 tho rescucr. permits HIM To enter
poi5onous gases, ana carry on his work
for n period OF two hours. in the
bureau OF Mines experience with this
oxygen breathing device. three res
cuers havo lost thoir lives. and In each
Instance X III beloved their deaths
were due TO certain defects In the APP
paratus. This led 10 "A desperate at
tempt upon the part OF the engineers
- construct an apparatus that would
10 reasonably safe, The engineers
found considerable difficulty In the alb
sorptlon or the poisonous matter OF
the breath IN the apparatus, and also
in tho reduction OF the high pressure
oxygen carried In tho tanks on tho
back OF tho rcscucrB. Both problems
were unlimited to William l.. Gibbs,
e, nhulting engineer OF tho bureau, and
after research covering several months.
tho solution OF both problems 10 an
nounood IN applications made for
patonts. Tho caust!o soda which Is
used In tho apparatus In taking UP tho
poisonous e1hnlations OF tho breath
hhs been 30 adJuBtcd as to permit II
continuous Tow Of tho expired a.. y
series OF successful experiments have
already been made upon this device.
NEW TYPE oF VALUE
SOLVES ONE PRoDLEM
Tho second probiem-thc reduction
az tho oxygen pressure OF 1000 pounds
to the aquarc inch 10 the proper amount
needed BY the rescucr--hu3 been ac-
corlpliEhed 3y tho Invention OF IL new
TIVE OF valve. The apparatus at pres
ont reduces tho oxygen pressure but
supplies the oxygen at n constant ratio.
no matter how much the wearer needs.
with the new waive. tho supply OF
oxygen IL regulated hy tho demands o.
the wearer OF tho apparatus. and no
oxygen goeB 10 waste through IL relief
relvo az IN the devices now in use.
in making these improvements for
tafety. Mr. Gibbs has succeeded in re-
ducing the weight OF tho breathing
apparatus fully 10 per cent. Tho APP
paratus NJ preseut weighs forty pounds.
which proves II serious handicap TO
tho rcscuer in his work.
\ third Invention In that OF col
lansib'c mine cn9e for use In rescue
work following mine disaster. often
tho mine cage is 80 badly shattered 10y
The effect Of explosions that Il cannot
p" operated In such instances. II Is
saimco. tho co!lapsiblc cage would
cave hours o! delay in rescue work md
perhaps he tho means Of saving many
lives. III" designer OF tlis cage tx
George $. Rice, the chief mining engi-
h"er or the bureau or Mines.
J. W. Paul. engineer IN charge OF tho
mine rescue work OF the Bureau Of
Mines. Is the inventor Of an electrical
siSnGting device for use in shafts, es-
ncci0liy following disasters, with this
oeNlce, rcrsou descending shaft
VIII 30 ahla 20 signal the hosting en-
t'rtcr III the man on tho cage Is over
come and the apparatus falls from HIS
hands. circuit is Immediately closed
ana gong In the cnRine-house gives
. sudden warning. Such a device. 1t
y claimed by Mr.. Paul. would have
heen useful ut the Cherry mine fire
In Illinois several years ago. where
- many men lost their lives The
rescue crews there had to subject them
solves 20 unnecessary dangers IN do
sc"ndins tho wrecked shaft, because OF
lack Of means Of signaling. The tevice
y 80 arranged that In tho absence OF
human Intelligence 70 direct the giving
OF prearranrcd code OF signals. tho
gong on the surface and In the engine
house would ring continuously. which.
~ ,
hoist Immediately.
PURPOSE rs TO REDUCE
COST or MAKING; uADII-N
The bureau has also applied for n
number OF patents on processes for ex-
tracing vanadium, uranium and radi-
VIM from ores. such rs carnot!te orc.
ihcso processes arc tho result OF tho
work or the Denver. Col, laboratory
~ the Bureau of Mines, and their pur-
pose Is 10 reduce the cost OF making
radium and to prevent tho monopoly
which goes with tho so-called secret
processes The patrons have been
asked Tor In the nnmea of Richard u.
Moore, In charge or the Denver labora-
DRY. and Karl kithil, his assistant.
with the great demand for radiuru in
me treatment Of cancer. the Bureau OF
Mines looks upon this Invention as
another possible means OF saving hu-
mnn life. il IS estimated that these
new methods viii cut the cost Of radi-
um fully onc-half and perhaps more.
ihey are 10 be for tho use Of any
CITIZEN OF the United States
sun another engineer OF the bureau.
aired q. Hegsein. in charge OF oil in
vestisations. has invented q now type
OF falvo or control casing head for
on wells, device that will at once
'hut off tho aow of gas or oil I'm a
new Wei. and In that way stop tho
enormous waste OF these resources that
mas been going on for years In tho
~ ltea States. The now valve h7s been
tried IN the Cushing oil field of Ok
iahoina, and has proved successful 1t
Is said That In the past, It has been
nlillcult to control many OF the wells,
and that millions OF dollars worth OF
on and gas have gone to waste. This
new device. which. like tho other
patents. is to DO dedicated to the pub
iic' Is expected TO stop much or this
waste.