The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-03-18
SYSTEM OF SIGNALS
USED IN SHAFT MINES
TWO SHOULD BE MAINTAINED
IN ORDER TO PREVENT
ACCIDENTS
fEngineering and Mining World)

(Engineering and Mining World
A number of mines have underground
telephones connecting with engine
house, landings, offices, etc, so that in
case of accident or emergency the tel
ephone is used. Other mines have
repeat bells so that whoever is ringing
the signal will be able to hear the bells
Re is ringing. as well as feel the elec-
trical push button, the same signal that
is sounded in the engine room will be
sounded at the landing and at the vafi-
GUS levels at the same time, so that
there is less liability of mistake if the
bells are not working right. Two sep
arate signal lines should be in every
shaft; preferably of different kinds
as the telephone and electric bell
line, or the electric bells and the old
fashioned knocker line-so that II one
bell suddenly fails there is an auxiliary
or relay signal line ready. In some or
the western mines they use the cleo
trio lights as an auxiliary signal system
when the bells fail they flash the sig
nails; the lights are switched off and
on the same number of times that the
bells would be rung, this method only
being used in an emergency Thls
method requires the underground lights
TO be ON the same circuit as the lights in
| he engine house, so that throwing
a switch at any station flashes the Sig
nal to all the other stations, as well as
TO the engine house; or if the engineer
does not understand a signal he can
flash repeat signal.
Cornwall Mine Uses Electric Lights.
In the Dolcoath tin mine in Cornwall
they have a system using electric lights
and numbers. When a gate Is thrown
in for the skip or cage to rest on in the
shaft, a circuit is made with the engine
house, a red light burns in box set
up before the hosting engineer. This
red light Eliminates the number of the
level in the shaft and designates where
the gate is thrown across the shaft;
all numbers representing other levels
where the shaft is clear being shown
by a white light. If the signal given
to the engineer does not correspond
with the signal code for the level as
shown by the red light before the en-
gineer. or if gate fs ieft in and the
skin signals to a lower level the red
light illuminates the number of the
level where the gate is still across the
shaft. This shows the engineer at the
throttle that the shaft is not clear;
consequently he does not obey the
signal, but waits for a telephone mes
sage from underground and knows the
shaft is clear before moving the skip
or cage.
Should Be Standard Code
: Two separate distinct signal lines
is an economy as we'll as means OF
aceidnt prevention, for the delay and
loss consequent upon tying up hoist
ing plant while signal line is being
repaired will usually pay for several
signal system, while If there were
two separate systems, the hoist
need not be delayed when one gives out.
There should also be a standard code
of signals for all mines in any district,
so that skip-tenders, landing men, ana
engineers changing from one mine to
another would be familiar with the
signals in use. The printed code is
usually framed and hung up in sight or
the bell-man, but 1t occasionally hap
pens that the man cannot read English,
and so relies on his memory as ID
which is the correct signal to give.