CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ASCENDING AND DESCENDING MINES AND SHAFTS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE WITH, BY WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS THE VENTILATION OF MINES IS INCREASED
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Marlor, of Oldham, in the County of Lan-
caster, Coal Agent, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
ASCENDING AND DESCENDING MINES AND SHAFTS, AND IN THE APPARATUS
CONNECTED THERE WITH, BY WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS THE VENTILATION OF
MINES IS INCREASED."
Sealed the 2nd June 1854, and dated the 30th December 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Marlor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
December 1853.
I, JOSEPHI MARLOR, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Coal Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
ASCENDING AND DESCENDING MINES AND SHAFTS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH, BY WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS THE VENTILATION OF MINES IS
INCREASED," to be as follows:- -
My improvements consist in fixing within the shaft extending from the top
to the bottom of the mine a tube or tubes constructed of cast iron or timber,
made air-tight at the sides, which tubes may be either square or circular.
Within these tubes "cages" of the ordinary construction are employed to con-
tain the waggons and men, with this exception, that at or in the top or crown
of the cage is placed, two or more valves opening inwards, and at the edges or
sides of the said top are four (or other number) lateral valves so fixed that they

page_text: may be pressed outwards and against the inner sides of the tube by the pressure
of air contained in the said tube during the descent of the cage, the two valves
at or in the top being pressed upwards and closed by similar pressure. When
the cage is ascending, the valves at or in the top open, and the lateral valves
withdraw themselves from the sides of the said tubes, all friction between the
cage and the sides being removed during the ascent. At the bottom of the
tube is a door moving in grooves opening upwards, by which the communica-
tion between the tüibe and mine is carried on, this door being closed during the
ascent and descent of the cage. Above or near to this door is fixed an injection
valve to supply the tube with air at the time of ascending or winding up should
it be required, and near to the bottom of the tube also is placed an ejection
valve by or through which the air contained in the tubes is forced and driven
into the mine by means of the descent of the cage. Connected with this valve,
and fixed between it and the inside of the tube, is placed a safety valve opened
and shut by a rod or other communicating with the top of the shaft, which is
shut while the men are ascending or descending, thereby preventing the
air in the tube from escaping. In the event of the rope breaking when
the cage should be descending loaded or unloaded, the-air contained in the
tubes below the top of the cage will prevent the cage descending at a high
velocity, thus preserving the lives of such persons as may be on or in the cage.
The air expelled from the tube at cach descent of the cage will be in addition
to the ordinary ventilation which will be going on at all times as usual, as the
tube or tubes will occupy a portion only of the area of the shaft. All the coals
or other minerals are to be wound up within the tube or tubes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Marlor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
MARLOR, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Coal Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing. date the Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Marlor, Her especial licence that I, the said Joseph Marlor, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph
Marlor, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree

page_text: with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
ASCENDING AND DESCENDING MINES AND SHAFTS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH, BY WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS THE VENTILATION OF MINES IS
INCREASED," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Marlor, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Marlor, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
My improvements consist in fixing within the shaft, and extending from the
top to the bottom of the mine, a tube or tubes constructed of wood or cast iron,
made air-tight at the sides, which tubes may be either square or circular.
Within these tubes "cages" of the ordinary construction are employed to
contain the waggons and men, with this exception, that at or in the top or
crown of the cage is placed two or more valves opening inwards, and at the
edges or sides of the said top are four or any other number of lateral valves so
fixed that they may be pressed outwards and against the inner sides of. the
tube by the pressure of the air contained in the said tube during the descent
of the cage, the two valves at or in the top being pressed upwards and closed
by similar pressure. When the cage is ascending, the valves at or in the top
open, and the lateral valves withdraw themselves from the sides of the said
tubes, all friction between the cage and the sides being removed during the
ascent. At the bottom of the tube is a door moving in grooves opening
upwards, by which the communication betwene the tube and the mine is carried
on, this door being closed during the ascent and descent of the cage. Above
or near this door is fixed an injection valve to supply the tube with air at the
time of ascending or winding up should it be required, and near to the bottom
of the tube also is placed an ejection valve, by or through which the air con-
tained in the tubes is forced and driven into the mines by means of the descent
of the cage. Connected with this valve, and fixed between it and the inside
of the tube, is fixed a safety valve opened and shut by a rod or other suitable.
means communicating with the top of the.shaft, which is shut while the men

page_text: are ascending or descending, thereby preventing the air in the tube from
escaping in the event of the rope breaking when the "cage" should be descend-
ing at a high velocity, thus preserving the lives of such persons as may be on
or in the "cage." The air expelled from the tube at each lescent of the cage
will be in addition to the ordinary ventilation which will be going on at all
times as usual, as the tube or tubes will occupy a portion only of the area of
the shaft. All the coals or other minerals are to be wound up within the tube
or tubes.
But in order that my improvements may be the better understood and de-
scribed in detail, I have attached to these presents a Sheet of Drawings, being
upon a scale of about half an inch to the foot, the same letters having reference
to similar parts of the machinery or apparatus throughout. Fig. 1 represents a
tube made of any suitable material and air-tight (broken in the middle); at the
top of the tube or the mouth of the pit as shewn the cage and loaded waggon;
Fig. 2 shews a sectional view of a similar tube, with the cage descending;
Fig. 3 exhibits the "downcast shaft," with plan view of top of cage; Fig. 4
represents a plan of "upcast shaft." In Fig. 1, a, a, represents the cage
having the lateral valves b, b, b, at the top out of action, and shewing, by
dotted lines, the two upper valves c, c, open; d, d, is the tube having at its
bottom end a door e, fitted with "sash" or counterbalance weights. This door
should be closed during both the ascent and descent of the cage, and forms the
only communication for the traffic of the mine to the surface or mouth of the
pit. is the injection valve, through which air may pass from the pit to
the tube while the cage is ascending, should it from any cause be necessary.
I is the safety valve, furnished with a two-fold outlet. It will be evident, on
reference to the Drawing, that with the slide piece h down or closed (as shewn)
as well as the door e, any falling body in the interior of the tube (which fits
closely to the sides of tubes and opposes a surface to the entire superficial
area of the same) would be stayed and ultimately checked in its descent by the
condensation of the confined column of air beneath it, and by such arrange-
ment, that is, the closing the lower end of the air-tight tube, the lives of
any person in the cage would be preserved should the rope or chain break or
similar accident occur. When no person is descending or ascending, the inner
valve or slide piece h is raised or opened from the top of the tube by means of
a rack and wheel j in connection with a rod or chain k, or any other suitable
arrangement. is the outer lift or flap of the safety valve opening towards the
mine, through which the entire column of air enclosed within the tube may be
forced upon each descent of the cage. The mode of accomplishing such will
be better understood by reference to Fig. 2. a, a, exhibits the cage in its

page_text: descent; it will be an evident consequence that upon the rapid descent of the
cage the top valves c, c, will be closed by the upward pressure of the atmo-
sphere within the tube; simultaneously with the closing of the top valves the
whole of the lateral valves b, b, b, will be forced outwards and firmly against
the sides of the tube d, closing all communication with the upper portion of
the tube, and by the gravity of the cage and waggon forcing the whole of the
column of air contained in the tube through the valve or lift l, from whence it
may be directed or distributed to any part of the mine as required. But should
any person be descending in the cage, then the slide of the safety-valve
should be closed, the effect of which would be that should the rope or chain
break, no injury would ensue to the persons within the cage, in consequence
of the extreme condensation of the column of air beneath the cage to such an
extent as to become a perfect support. m is a space between two iron plates
to receive packing of leather or hempen rope cut crosswise to ensure the more
perfect action of the lateral valves; n is a bowl or plate in and on which the
loose chain may rest when slack, as well as in connection with the upper
portions of the framing of the cage, preventing any accidents occurring from
pieces of coal, stone, &c. falling from the mouth of the pit on to the cage.
In Fig. 3, 0, 0, 0, are slots for the shifting and regulating of the guide plates
P. p, placed on the top of the cage; Fig. 4 represents the "upcast shaft,"
shewn somewhat larger than the "downcast shaft," to allow free egress for
the rarified air.
Having now particularly described my improvements, I wish it to be dis-
tinctly understood that I claim the general arrangement of the apparatus herein
shewn and described, particularly the employment of air-tight tubes, in the
shafts of mines, together with the peculiarly formed crown or head of the
cage furnished with valves, as herein particularly described and set forth, for
the more perfect ventilation of coal or other mines or shafts.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Marlor, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
JOSEPH MARLOR. (L.S.)