IMPROVE.. MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO MINES, COLLIERIES, AND UNDER- GROUND WORKINGS to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: RUTIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
I, HENRY MANTON, of 51 Lower East Street, Middlesborough, in the County of
York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVE..
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO MINES, COLLIERIES, AND UNDER-
GROUND WORKINGS to be as follows :—
"
The advantages of this my Invention for "Improvements in apparatus for
supplying air to mines, collieries, and underground workings" are, firstly the great
saving effected in the cost of working this my apparatus, as after it is once fixed
in connection with the downcast shaft no further cost, in supplying the air, is
entailed; and secondly, a clear course for the supply of the air is always obtained.
In the fan blast as ordinarily employed for supplying air to mines, collieries &c,
the working expense is very great; and, as around most pitmouths are fitted or
built the engine and boiler sheds, fitting shops, blacksmiths', shops &c, there is no
proper course for the air. Both these objections are, in this any invention, entirely
overcome.
My apparatus for supplying air to mines, collieries, and underground workings,
consists of a hollow or tubular column, built of brick, stone, iron or other suitable
material, and rising to a considerable height (say 60 or 70 feet).
This tubular column is placed near the pitmouth, and directly over an inclined
drift leading to the pit shaft. The diameter of the aperture in the aforesaid
column corresponds with that of the inclined drift. Revolving upon a rim, or
casing, at the top of column I bave a bend, or elbow of sheet iron, or other suitable
metal, or material, which forms the mouth of the ventilator. At the back of said
bend, or elbow, I place two brackets, and upon a horizontal shaft running from one
bracket to the other, there is a "fantail." A worm, upon the same shaft as the
fantail, gears into a worm wheel on a vertical shaft, which vertical shaft has
another worm at its lower end taking into a toothed wheel. To a shaft running
through this last mentioned toothed wheel is a pinion working in a toothed rack
fitted round the aforesaid rim or casing at the top of column. Upon the "fantail'
aforesaid being set in motion by the action of the wind, the bend or elbow, above
PD 0.27

page_text: described, forming the mouth of this my ventilating apparatus, is brought round
to take the air from which ever quarter the wind may blow, and is thus self
revolving.
To lessen the friction, when the mouth of ventilator revolves, I fit wheels, or
rollers, to the bend or elbow, above described. By being built to a height of 60 or
70 feet (more or less, as rendered necessary by the height of the surrounding
buildings) this my ventilating apparatus always obtains a clear air-course, and at
that height there is always a sufficient current of air to supply the largest mine.
The foul air may return by the ordinary upeast shaft with or without the aid of
furnace, fan blast, or other methods of exhausting air from mines as may be
required.
DAL

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
"
I, HENRY MANTON, of 51 Lower East Street, Middlesborough, in the county of
Yorkshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO MINES, COLLIERIES, AND
UNDERGROUND WORKINGS and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of referenco
marked thereon, that is to say:-
"
This my invention consists of Improvements in apparatus to be used for
supplying air to mines, collieries, and other underground workings, which said
Improvements entirely overcome tho objections found to exist in the usual methods
employed for that purpose. My invention consists in erecting a shaft of iron, stone,
brick, or other suitable material, of a sufficient height above the surrounding
buildings, directly over the "pit's mouth or over the mouth of an inclined drift at
a convenient distance from the said "pit's mouth," the said inclined drift com-
municating with the main pit at a suitable distance below the "pit's mouth." By
erecting the shaft of a sufficient height above the surrounding buildings I am
enabled to ensure a supply of fresh air to the mine or other underground workings.'
The opening or aperture of the said shaft should be at least of the same
superficial area as that of the mouth of the pit. On the top of the aforesaid
shaft I erect a cowl or other convenient appliance having an opening or mouth'
sufficiently large to supply the necessary quantity of fresh air to the mine, and on
the said cowl in any suitable position I mount or fix a fan or wheel which when
made to rotate by the action of the wind will through suitable gearing cause the
cowl to revolve on a circular groove and a horizontal circular toothed rack and
force the mouth of the said cowl to face the quarter from whence the wind blows,
so allowing the fresh air to enter the said cowl.and travel down the shaft into tho
mine.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings, on which letters of reference
are marked on all the Figs.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig 1. representa a vertical view in section of the shaft, and cowl in position
with its necessary working parts also the hauling or winding engine and engine
house together with the gangway or stairs leading from the said engine house to
the top of the shaft or tower around which is erected a platform so as to permit
of access being obtained at any time to the aforesaid cowl for making adjustments
to the same, or for other purposes. I have also shewn the landing or stage on
which the corf is run in order to be emptied of its contents.
Fig 2 represents a section of a shaft built of brick and erected over the mouth of
an inclined drift at some convenient distance from the "pit's mouth” thus allowing

page_text: leading into the main pit as hereinbefore mentioned. In this case instead of a
gangway or steps leading from the engine house or other building to the platform
around the top of the shaft, a series of steps or stairs may be erected around the
said shaft from the base of the same to the aforesaid platform.
Fig 3 represents an enlarged detached plan view of the cowl and its working 5
parts I prefer to use to carry out the object of my Improvements.
In Fig 1 a is the shaft built of iron and supported in position by girders of
which three or more may be used, 6 is the stage or landing on which the corf c is
run in order to be emptied of its contents, d is the "pit's mouth" e is the engine
house containing the hauling or winding engine, fis the gangway or stairs leading 1
from the said engine house e to the platform g around the top of the shaft a, and
h is the cowl hereinafter described and referred to in Fig 3.
Fig 2, in this view a is the shaft built of brick and erected over the month b of
the inclined drift, through which the fresh air travels into the pit c the mouth of
which is any desired distance above the junction of the said inclined drift with the 1
shaft.
1
Fig 3. In this view a is the fan or wheel fixed on a horizontal shaft 6 revolving
in suitable bearings or brasses on which a worm wheel c is fixed, gearing into
a cog wheel & fixed at the top of a rovolving vertical spindle e which when mado
to rotate by the action of the wind on the fan or wheel a causes a worm wheel 2
fixed at the bottom end of the vertical spindle e to gear into a cog or toothed
wheel g fixed on a horizontal spindle or shaft to rotato in a bearing fixed on the
back of the cowl at h. On the said horizontal shaft is fixed a toothed wheel i
which when made to revolve gears into and runs round on the circular horizontal
toothed rack j, thus forcing the mouth of the cowl to face the direction from 2
whence the wind blows and causing the wind to enter the mouth k of the cowl and
travel down the shaft into the mine.
เ
:
A number of bearings or brasses' are fixed around the lower part of the cowl, in
the top part of the said bearings runs a vertical spindle on which is a horizontal
wheel or roller m which bears or runs against the lower vertical portion of the 3
circular borizontal toothed rack j as a guide to the said cowl when revolving, and
at the lower part of each of the said bearing is a horizontal spindle on which are
rollers which said rollers n bear tho weight of the cowl and run round in a
circular groove o.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said 3
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is
The arrangement and construction of a cowl with its working parts so that it
shall by the action of the wind be caused to revolve and present its mouth to the
quarter from whence the wind blows, thus ensuring a supply of fresh air to enter
the mouth of the said cowl and travel down the shaft into the mine or other under-
ground working in the manner as horeinbefore set forth, described and illustrated,
in the drawings annexed.
:
Dated this Nineteenth day of T..-- TOOK