IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AND INDICATING THE PRESENCE OF GAS IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF MINES AND OTHER PLACES to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM EDWARD GARFORTH of Normanton near Leeds in the County of
York Mining Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AND INDICATING
THE PRESENCE OF GAS IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF MINES AND OTHER PLACES to be
as follows:-
"
The object of my invention is to enable gas, especially when present in small
quantities, in the atmosphere of mines or other places to bo more readily and
certainly detected than hitherto, and without the, risk of an explosion should any
part of the lamp at which the test is male be defective.
Hitherto when it has been desired to test for the presence of gas in the
atmosphere of a mine it has been usual to raise the lamp slowly towards the roof
at the same time shading the greater part of the light by means of the hand, and
to observe the character of the cap of the flame. This method has several disad-
vantages notably the risk of an explosion should the ganze or any part of the Inmp
be defective, and that those descriptions of lamps which are the safest, are the least
sensitive and reliable in the indications which they afford of the presence of gas.
Now in my improvements I a lopt the principle of taking samples of the
atmosphere from the goaf or other part of the mine which it is desired to examine.
in a separate vessel, and test the sainple thus obtained at the lamp in an adjacent
part of the mine free from gas.
In order to take a sample of the atmosphere I employ a vessel made of india
rubber or other elastic, material, having a rigid mouth piece, so that when the bag
is compressed and allowed to expand several times in succession, it becomes filled
with a sample of the atmosphere surrounding it. When the vessel used is small, it
may be thus filled by hand; when larger, it may be attached to the end of a stick,
and thus raised to the higher parts of the goaf and pressed several times against the
roof and side to fill it. To prevent the gas escaping from the vessel or becoming
mixed with the outer air when it is taken to some distance to be tested at the
lamp, I provide a valve or valves within the mouthpiece. A small tube attached
independently to the vessel or to the mouthpiece serves as an outlet for the mixture
of gas and air.

page_text: To allow of the sample thus obtained being tested at the flame of the lamp,
I provide through the bottom of the lamp a small holo or holes leading from the
outside to the flame, the hole being covered by wire gauze at or near both ends.
When the sample mixture has not to be carried far and it is intended to test it
at a Davy or other lamp in which the flame is surrounded by wire gauze only, both
the valve or valves and the outlet tubes may be dispensed with.
It will be evident that the principle of my said invention is not altered, if the
vessel instead of being made of an elastic material is mado partly or wholly
telescopic or collapsible of flexible or other material so that its capacity can be
diminished by pressure and which is expanded by springs on tho release of such
pressure.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM EDWARD GARFORTII of Normanton near Leeds in the County of
York Mining Engineer dó hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AND INDICATING
THE PRESENCE OF GAS IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF MINES AND OTHER PLACES and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in, and by the following statement, referenco being had to the
accompanying drawing and to the letters and marks thereon :-
The object of my Invention is to enable gas or fire-damp, especially when present
in small quantities in the atmosphere of mines or other places to be more readily.
and certainly detected than hitherto, and without the risk of an explosion should
any part of the lamp at which the test is made be defective.
Hitherto when it has been desired to test for the presence of gas in the
atmosphere of a mine, it has been usual to raise the lamp slowly towards the roof,
at the same time shading the greater part of the light by means. of the hand, and
to observe the character of the cap of the flame. This method has several disad-
vantages, notably risk of an explosion should the gauze or any part of the lamp be
defective.
Now in my Improvements I adopt the principle of taking samples of the
atmosphere from the goaf, or other part of the mine, or any suspected atmosphere
it is desired to examine, in a separate vessel, and to test the sample thus obtained
at the lamp in an adjacent safe part of the mine or other place.
In order to take a sample of the atmosphere I employ a vessel mado of india-
rubber, or other elastic material, having a rigid mouthpiece, so that when the bag
is compressed and allowed to expand, it becomes filled with a sample of the
atmosphere surrounding it. When it is required to examine for gas high up in tho
roof of the mine, the bag is enclosed in a shield supported on the end of a stick.
The bag is kept compressed by pressing the shield over it. By means of a spring
or rod the shield is released, thereby allowing the bag to expand and become filled
with a sample of the suspected atmosphere. Or the telescopic vessel herein-after
referred to may be used. I find in practice that it is only necessary to compress
the bag once, in order to fill it with a sample of the surrounding atmosphere. To
prevent the gas escaping from the vessel or becoming mixed with the outer air when
it is taken some distance to be measured at the lamp, I provide when required
a valve or valves within the mouth peice. A small tube attached independantly to
the vessel or to the mouth peice serves as an outlet for the mixture of gas and air.
To allow of the sample thus obtained being tested at the flame of the lamp,
I provide through the bottom of the lamp a sinall hole or aperture leading from the
outside to the flame, the hole being covered by wire gauze at or near both ends.
When the sample mixture has not to be carried far, both the valve or valves
may be dispensed with. Owing to the size of the elastic bag or vessel (which
I have called the 'detector,' it can be placed in a break or crack in the roof where
an ordinary lamp even a small 'Davy' lamp could not bo put, and a purer sample
of the suspected atmosphere is obtained, than would be the case even a few inches
below the level of the roof,

page_text: It will be evident that the principle of my Invention is not altered if the vessel
instead of being made of an elastic material, is made partly or wholly telescopic or
collapsible, of flexible or other material, so that its capacity can be diminished by
pressure and which is expanded by springs on the release of such pressure.
And in order that my Invention may be more clearly understood reference is
given to the accompanying drawing and to the letters and marks thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
The figure shews a section of the bottom of a miners safety lamp with the elastic
bag or vessel (ie Detector attached thereto.
a is the bag or vessel made of india-rubber or other suitable elastic material,
having a rigid mouthpiece b, which is prolonged at the upper part as a small tube
or nozzle c. When this bag is compressed, the air contained therein is in great part
forced out and on the pressure being relieved, owing to its clasticity, it expands,
drawing in a sufficient quantity of the atmosphere surrounding it.
To allow of the sample thus obtained being tested at the flame d of the lamp,
I provide through the bottom or oil vessel e of the lamp a small tube f leading
from the outside to the flame. This tube is covered at both ends and preferably
also in the centre with wire gauze i. As a further protection of the flame against
strong currents of air a small valvo g is placed at the inlet, and is kept pressed
against its seat by the spring above it. The valve is raised to admit the contents
of the bag a by pressing the inouthpeice b against the underside of the valve. The
mouth peice b fits within the inlet of the tube f, and when the indin-rubber ring h
on the mouthpeice 6 is pressed against the bottom of the lamp, a perfectly tight
joint is made, preventing the admission of any air with the contents of the bag..
When the bag a is compressed, the sample is forced through the tube f near the
flame, gas if present at onco reveals itself by the elongation of the flamo in the
usual way, at the same time giving an additional proof, (when the proportion of
the gas is sufficiently great,) by burning with a blue flame on the top of the test
tube f. If gas is not present the distinction is easily noted, the flame keeping
about the same size, but burning with a somewhat greater brightness owing to the
increased supply of air forced upon it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare, that what
I claim is
1° The construction and application of the detector a for obtaining samples of the
atmosphere of mines and other places substantially as herein described and shewn
in the accompanying drawing.
2° The application of the detector a in conjunction with the lamp bottom c
having a test tube f for detecting and indicating the presence of gas in the
atmosphere of mines and other places substantially as herein set forth and shewn
in the accompanying drawing.
Date UNES Gwenty fourth day of February 1885.
Witness,
JOUN WHITE,
Calverley Green,
Altofts,
Normanton.
WILLIAM EDWARD GARFORTH.