Improved Apparatus for Preventing Overwinding in Collieries and other Mines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 14th Sept.. 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Preventing Overwinding in Collieries and
other Mines.
I MILES SETTLE of Darcy Lever near Bolton in the County of Lancaster Mining
Engineer and Colliery Proprietor do bereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows
This invention relates to the construction of an automatic arrangement to be applied
to the winding drum of a colliery or other mine which upon the cage arriving at a
certain height will apply a break to the winding drum and at the same time will shut
off the steam slide of the winding engine.
Supported upon the "head-gear" at the mouth of the pit at a certain distance
above the ground level (or otherwise conveniently situated) I have a longitudinal shaft
which is provided above the centre of the pit with two arins or levers at right angles
thereto.
The outer end of this shaft extends into the engine house and has a crank keyed
thereon.
This crank is connected by suitable links and levers to the slide or other valve which
admits steam to the winding engine so that if at any time either of the cages should
be wound above the proper height at the pit mouth, the cage or a stop projecting
therefrom comes against one of the horizontal arins upon the longitudinal shaft and
causes the lever at the other end to close the steam valve and thus stop the winding
engine and open the steam brake valve.
To the valve rod is also connected one end of a lever, the other end of which acts
on the short arm of a bell crank keyed, upon the end of a transverse shaft.
Fixed on this shaft is another lever which is in connection with the slide or other
valve of a small steam cylinder the piston of which is connected to the lever of a band,
111

page_text: or strap brake which is applied to a pulley or fly wheel attached to the winding gear
or drum, so that as the main valve cuts off the steam from the engine, the lever acting
on the bell-crank at the same time admits steam to the cylinder of the steam brake
and applies the brake or brakes to the winding drum.
The long arm of the bell-crank forms a hand lever by means of which the attendant
can at any time apply the brake to the winding drum without shutting off the steam
from the engine.
A. foot lever is also connected to the brake band by means of which he can apply
the brake without using the steam piston.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Preventing Overwinding in Collieries and
other Mines.
I MILES SETTLE, of Darcy Lever near Bolton in the County of Lancaster Mining
Engineer and Colliery Proprietor do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the construction of an automatic arrangement to be applied
to the winding drums of a colliery or other mine which upon the cage arriving at a
certain height will apply a steam break to the winding drum, and at the same time
will shut off the steam slide of the winding engine.
Hitherto this has been attempted to be done by means of slow gearing actuated by
the engines and so arranged as to shut off the steam and apply the brake when the
engine has made a certain definite number of revolutions but the action of this
arrangement has been uncertain as any expansion or contraction of the winding rope
would throw it out of time and stop the engine too soon or too late.
The principal feature of my invention consists in so constructing the apparatus that
the cage itself automatically stops the winding and applies the brake as soon as it
arrives at the proper level.
The manner in which my invention is to be performed or carried into practical effect
will be readily understood on reference to the four sheets of drawings hereunto
annexed and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1. on the drawings is a plan view of that part of my apparatus which is in or
connected with the engine house.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of part of the same.
Fig. 3. is a view corresponding with Fig. 1. of that portion of the apparatus which
which is connected with the pit mouth, and
Fig. 4. is a section of the upper portion or mouth of the pit drawn to a smaller
scale and showing the cage just ascending above the level of the same.
On Figs. 3 and 4 a represents the pit mouth and 6 the cage supported by the usual
winding rope.
On Figs. 1 and 2, c is a part of the steam pipe leading to the engine and d the cut
off slide or valve.
And on Fig. 1. e is the steam cylinder for the brake. is the brake band and ga
portion of the winding drum.
Supported upon the "head-gear" at the mouth of the pit at a certain distance above
the ground level (or otherwise conveniently situated) I have a longitudinal shaft /
(see Figs. 1, 3 and 4) which is provided above the centre of the pit with two arms or
levers i at right angles thereto (see Figs. 3 and 4).
The other end of this shaft (Fig. 1) extends into the engine house and bas a
crank or lever keyed thereon.

page_text: This crank lever k is connected by suitable links 1, 1 and levers m, m³ (see Fig. 2)
to the slide or other valve d which admits steam to the winding engine so that if at
any time either of the cages should be wound above the proper height at the pit
mouth (see Fig. 4) the cage b or a stop projecting therefrom comes against one of the
horizontal arms upon the longitudinal shaft and causes the lever at the other end
to close the steam valve d and thus stop the winding engine and to open the steam
brake valve in the cylinder e.
The steam valve lever n (see Fig. 2) besides being connected to the longitudinal
shaft has above explained also comes under the arm of a bell crank lever o keyed upon
a transverse shaft p and the other arm of which is connected by a link 7 (see also
Fig. 1) with the slide or other valve of the small steam cylinder e to the piston of
which is connected the lever e' of the band or strap brake which is applied to the
grooved pulley on the winding drum g or to a fly wheel attached to the gear; so
that as the main valve d cuts off the steam from the engine, the lever d' acting on the
bell crank o at the same time admits steam to the cylinder e of the steam brake and
applies a brake or brakes to the winding drum.
On the shaft p is also fixed a hand lever by means of which the attendant can at
any time apply the brake to the winding drum without shutting off the steam from the
engine.
A foot lever may also be connected to the brake band ƒ by means of which he can
apply the brake without using the steam piston.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
The improved apparatus for preventing overwinding in collieries and other mines. 2
constructed and applied substantially as liereinbefore described and illustrated by the
drawings annexed, and especially I claim the use of a lever or arm (or its equivalent)
extending over the pit mouth and so connected with the steam valve and brake that
whenever the cage is drawn above a certain definite height the said cage (or a bracket
or projection connected therewith) comes against the said lever (or equivalent) and
thus causes the steam to be cut off from the engine and the brake to be applied
automatically to the winding drum.