Improved Method of and Machine for Cleaning the Wire Gauze Cylinders of Safety Lamps.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 29th Dec., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Machine for Cleaning the Wire Gauze
Cylinders of Safety Lamps.
We, GOTTFRIED GROSSMAN, Engineer, of 12 Schützenstrasse and FRIEDRICH
WILHELM RUHFUS, Merchant, of 23 Königshof, both of Dortmund in the German
Empire, 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 miner's safety lamps and consists in an improved method
of and machine for cleaning the wire gauze cylinders of said lamps.
The safety of the workmen employed in mines and of the whole mining industry
depends as far as explosions of fire-damp are concerned, in a high degree upon the
perfect condition of the wire gauze of the safety lamps. The object of this inven-
tion is to facilitate the keeping of said wire gauze cylinders in a perfect condition
by cleaning these cylinders, which are greatly exposed to dirt, by mechanical
means in a quicker and more thorough manner while saving the wire gauze, than is
possible by cleaning them by hand as hitherto done, because in cleaning by hand
they run very great risk of being crushed in and the cleaning although requiring a
much longer time is defective compared with that which can be obtained by means
of a machine.
On the drawing appended hereunto the improved cleaning machine is shown in a
sectional elevation and plan.
The machine consists of a base plate A with two pillars B. C. or their equivalents
screwed thereto, upon the upper end of which the top plate D is fixed. This top
plate and the pedestal E are formed with bearings for eccentrics formed or fitted
at each end of the vertical spindles H and I, the position of the eccentrics being
fixed by means of the slotted sectoral plates F and G respectively and studs as
shown. Upon the spindles H and I two hollow shafts K and L are respectively
mounted loose on said spindles and fitted with feathers by means of which they
rotate the brushes M and N, the shafts being driven by spur wheels O and P
gearing with a central wheel S. The two spindles H and I are arranged at
different distances from the central spindle U, which is supported in a boss of the
pedestal E and carries a rotary brush T, over which the cylinder Q of the safety
lamp to be cleaned is placed. By means of the eccentrics at their ends the
spindles H and I can be approached nearer to the central spindle and cylinder as
the brushes M and N wear off, and when this no longer suffices, the brush most
worn is removed and the other one placed upon the shaft K nearest to the central
spindle, while a new brush is placed upon the other shaft L which is farther from
the spindle so that a complete using out of the brushes is rendered possible. The
cylinder Qis fixed upon the boss of the wheel S by being pressed upon an india-
rubber washer S₁ by means of an annular cap R which is attached to the boss of
The wheel S is
wheel S by means of a bayonet lock or equivalent means.
connected to a bevil wheel S2 rotated by means of another bevil wheel on the
handle shaft V, a second pair of bevils rotating the spindle U with brush T when
the handle is turned. The gearing may be arranged to rotate the cylinder Q and
brush T in opposite directions, or in the same direction at different speeds, the
brushes M and N being rotated in the opposite direction to the cylinder Q.
The brushes M and N are fixed to flanges M' and N₁ respectively formed with
bosses having circular grooves, into which the forked ends of a transverse bar W

page_text: enter. A flat brush Z is fixed to this bar and a handle W', a pin X put through
the handle holding up the bar W and brushes when in the position shown on the
drawings. After fixing the cylinder Q over the brush T in the manner herein-
before described, the handle W' is turned by a quarter turn so as to bring the
pin X into the direction of the slot Y. On the handle being released, the
brushes Z, M and N descend upon the cylinder Q and with few turns of
the handle shaft the cylinder is perfectly cleaned, while deformation of the
same cannot take place.
Obviously the details of the machine and gearing may be varied or replaced by
their mechanical equivalents. More than two lateral brushes may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The method of cleaning the wire gauze cylinders of miners safety lamps by
revolving the same between two or more rotating brushes and under a flat brush,
while an inner rotary brush is revolved inside the cylinder in the opposite
direction to the same or in the same direction at a different speed, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2. The use and arrangement of a machine for cleaning the wire gauze cylinders
of safety lamps containing a vertical rotary brush over which the cylinder is fixed
upon a rotating plate or equivalent, two or more vertical rotary brushes acting on
the sides of the cylinder and a flat brush acting on the top of the same, said
rotary brushes and cylinder being rotated in opposite directions or at different
circumferential speeds, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
3. In a machine for cleaning the wire gauze cylinders of safety lamps by
revolving brushes the arrangement of two or more hollow shafts with rotary
brushes for cleaning the outside of the cylinder upon stationary spindles placed at
different distances from the wire cylinder and adjustable relatively thereto
substantially as and for the purpose herein before set forth and as illustrated by
the drawings.
4. The general arrangement or combination of parts of a machine for cleaning
the wire gauze cylinders of safety lamps substantially as herein before described
and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated thin o1nt In-
ha 1004
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, and 5, Clayton Square, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.