Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st May, 1875-Accepted, 20th July, 1895

page_text: Should the bottom come up, the action will be reversed the door being lifted up
in the direction of the rods. Should the pressure come in at the sides the
unbreakable or pliable bricks will be compressed in the same way.
Thus you will see that in all cases of pressure acting inwards, it simply com-
presses the bricks and leaves the door intact and in working order. Instead as in
the present method of having to renew the door posts, heads, sills and the like
every week or so. Owing to them being broken, thus saving time and considerable
expense.
An alternative arrangement to the rods is shown on one door post, by means of
a shoe made to slide down the door post, & cutting its own way through the bricks,
the bricks, closing round it again and making all air tight, as at E.
The shoe to be made out of 24" by " flat iron. The iron frame holding the shoe
would be plugged to the roof as in the case of the rods.
UNBREAKABLE VENTILATING DOORS TO BE FIXED IN LOOSE OR BROKEN
STRATA. SHEET No. 2.
In the case of broken strata where boles cannot be drilled and plugs inserted as
in solid strata, an alternative arrangement is provided and shown on Sheet No. 2.
and is formed by making a chair of a strap of iron 4 inches deep by " inches thick,
and fixed on the top of door head as in drawings at G.
Fixed in the chair by means of a sloping wedge is a prop reaching to the roof,
and being sufficiently keyed to hold it permanently as at H.
On the top of the prop is a horizontal key or wedge of wood or iron, keeping
the prop in position by being wedged up to the roof J. When the pressure comes
down it forces the prop through the chair and the prop cuts its own way through
the bricks. Thus keeping the door in the same working order.
The pressure coming from the bottom or sides acts in the same way as in the
case where the door is fixed in the solid strata.
The bottom of door is fixed in position same as before by drilling holes for stay
bars. The bricks are the same pliable unbreakable bricks as here before specified.
Unbreakable props for canvass doors or bratticing props. These props are shown
on Sheet No. 2. A chair K composed of wood, irou, or brick to be fixed on floor
and will be 12 inches deep, by 12 inches long by 8 inches wide, with a socket
through it at L. In this socket a prop M is keyed by means of a wood wedge N
sufficient to hold the prop and canvass in a permanent position.
When the pressure comes on the top of prop instead of breaking it, the prop
gradually slides down the socket, thus leaving the props unbroken and the canvass
still hung in the required position without making any escape for the air.
Another method of fixing these brattice props is shown in the drawings to answer
the above purpose, it is formed by two iron cramps P 4" inches deep by " inch
thick formed so as to grasp the prop R tightly and secured to each other by bolts,
nuts, and washers, one bolt on each side of post. Let the ends of the cramp rest
on two pieces of wood or brick at S so that the prop when the pressure forces it
down, will pass between the two pieces of wood or brick.
When the props & posts have travelled to the bottom they can be shortened and
replaced in position thus saving materials.
Pressure comes gradually in all cases and is constantly going on yet cannot be
seen, by these arrangements, the props can be seen when in danger as in the case
of the doors.
Dated this Second day of August 1894.
ELON WILLIAMS,
Castleford,

page_text: Improvements in Ventilating Doors and Bratticing for Mines.
ELON WILLIAMS 64, Longacers Castleford Miner 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:-
Herewith three sheets of drawings accompany this Specification, two sheets
being left with the Provisional Specification and one sheet herewith. Sheet No. 1.
left with the Provisonal Specification, shows the idea of constructing the ventilating
doors when fixed in good solid strata which is as follows.
The roof of the mine shall be taken down 2 ft. 6 inches above the top of the door
head. Four holes shall be drilled in the roof 8 inches deep or so that is two holes
above each door post and one on each side of door post.
In these holes ram wood plugs and in each plug secure one iron rod A 1 inches
diameter. So that there is one rod on each side of both door posts. On the door
hend secure two iron plates B horizontally 1 inch thick by 13 inches long by
5 inches wide projecting over each side of the door post and fixed directly over the
top of the door posts having one hole drilled through each projecting side for the
rods A above mentioned to pass through.
The plates B with holes act as guiders to the rods A, when the rods make a
downward or upward motion, the rods being fixed in the roof, the plates keep the
door in a vertical position.
The plates are to be so Exed that the rods in moving through them shall clear
the door hinges and other fastenings as at C. The door head, posts and cill are
framed together in the usual manner, when made of wood. If of iron girders to
be as specified hereafter.
Secured by screws to the bottom of the door frame and cill on each side of the
door adjacent to the brickwork are two iron stay bars D run into the ground and
plugged tight so as to keep the door frame in one position, the length of each stay
bar is about 8 inches. The door frame and door is therefore held in a vertical
position by means of the rods A fixed in the roof and passing through the plates B,
and the stay bars D plugged in the ground.
The space between the door head and the roof of mine also between the door
posts and each side of mine shall be filled with pliable bricks composed of the
following for ordinary purposes 8 parts stable manure 4 parts sawdust 1 part lime
1 part clay or sand 16th part tar. The whole to be ground together with water
and baked until dry, should the bricks be required for other purposes other than
for a door and it be therefore necessary that the bricks be harder and not quite so
pliable, this is to be done by adding more lime and sand and less stable manure.
In case of pressure coming in at the top the weight would compress the pliable
bricks, and the rods would keep the door in position and gradually as the weight
came down pass through the plates. Should the pressure come in from the sides
the bricks would be compressed and no injury done to the door frame.
If the
pressure came from the bottom the door would be lifted along the rods in the
direction of the roof and compress the bricks. In all cases of pressure acting
inwards the bricks prevent the door frame from being crushed and broken.
An alternative arrangement to the rods for holding the door is shown on the
same sheet and consists of an irun shoe E fitting tightly round the three sides of
the door post, and fastened to the back of the shoe E are rods which reach up to
the roof and are plugged tight as before. The shoe to be made of 2" x 2" flat iron.
When weight comes upon the rods, the shoe would pass down the door post and

page_text: cut its own way through the pliable bricks, which would close up after it had
passed. During this movement the door and frame are held in a vertical position
by the shoes and the stay bars at the bottom as before specified.
Sheet No. 2. left with the Provisional Specification, shows the idea of construction
for the ventilating door when fixed in loose or broken strata.
As holes cannot be drilled and plugs inserted in loose or broken strata as in good
solid strata, an alternative arrangement is shown by making a chair G of a strap
of iron 6 inches deep by inches thick and fixed on the top of the door head with
screws or bolts. Fixed in the chair by means of sloping wedge is a prop H
sufficiently keyed to hold the prop permanently. On the top of the prop H is a
horizontal key or wedge J of wood or iron, being wedged in between the prop and
roof. The bottom of the door is fixed in the ground as before with stay bars.
The door and frame is kept in a vertical position by being wedged in between the
roof and floor with prop H and wedge J.
The space round the top and sides of door would be filled with the same pliable
bricks specified before. When the pressure comes down it forces the prop through
the chair and the prop cuts its own way down through the bricks. The bricks as
before mentioned becoming compressed when weight comes in at either the top
sides or bottom.
Sheet No. 2. also shows the improvements in bratticing props for mines which
consists of a chair K composed of wood iron, stone, or brick and the like, to be let
into the floor, and to be 1 foot deep by 1 foot long by 8 inches wide with a socket L
through it. In this socket a prop M is sufficiently keyed by a wedge N to hold
the prop with canvass in a permanent position.
When pressure comes on the prop instead of breaking it the prop gradually
slides down the socket and can be taken out and shortened when it has run the
given distance to the bottom of the socket.
Another method is shown in drawing to answer the above purpose. A chair is
formed by two iron clamps P four inches deep by inch thick formed so as to
grasp the prop R tightly and secured with bolts and nuts and washers, one bolt at
each side of prop; the two ends of the iron clamps are to rest on pieces of wood,
iron, stone or brick S and when the pressure comes down, the prop passes through
the clamp and between the pieces of wood and the like.
Sheet No. 1 with the Complete Specification shows two methods of fixing the
door in either solid or broken strata. The door frames to consist of steel girders
framed together. The method shown on the left hand door post is as follows, the
side post or girder is stood on end, the head is locked into it by cutting away part
of the top and bottom flanges as at Z. Sliding up and down the web of the
girder is piece of iron Y bent circular at the top, with a slot cut in on both
sides in order that it may pass a bolt X with head nuts and, washers. The head
and washers are to hold the irons firmly when tightened up, and to keep them in
one position until pressure is brought to bear on the top. Then the irons will
travel downward in the directions of the web of the girder. Fixed to the bend of
the irons is a piece of 14" diameter bar iron about 6 inches long at W on the top
of which is a horizontal piece of iron 4 inches wide by 1 inch thick at V. By
this method the door frame is kept in a vertical position by the iron Y being fixed
tight up to the roof and the irons being held tight to the web of the girder by the
bolt X. On the right hand side of the door is a cast iron box T secured by bolts
to the flanges of the side and top girders. In the box is a block of iron or
metal S. 1. through which passes a 14inch bar fitted with threads, between the
block of iron and the side of box is a wood wedge R. 1. driven sufficiently tight to
hold the block and bar in position. The bar to be fixed to a 1" x 1" horizontal
piece supporting the roof as before, and by having a portion of the bar brought to
the square or octagon it can by means of a crew key be tightened up to any
pressure. When the weight came down the block of iron in the box would
gradually slide down to the bottom of the box.
The rest of the door would be fixed in the usual manner using the pliable bricks

page_text: as before specified to fill the spaces between the door frames and sides and head
of mine.
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:
1. The construction of ventilating doors of mines and the like so that when
pressure is brought to bear upon them they are not broken but remain in the same
vertical and working order, by the above specified methods, viz.:-by fixing the
doors with rods suspended from the roof or a shoe fitting on the door frame for a
solid strata and for a broken strata, by having a wood prop wedged in an iron
chair. The door frames to be made of either iron girders or wood posts.
2. The construction of, and framing together of iron girders for use as door
frames, and by means of irons fastened to the web, or by means of a bar with
threads working in a box to keep the door and frames in a working and vertical
position.
3. The composition of pliable bricks for use in mines for filling up the spaces
round the sides and top of doors and the like to be composed of the materials
specified above.
4. The construction of brattice poles so that when weight comes upon them they
are not broker on account of their being able to slide gradually down a given
distance in a chair of wood or the like.
Dated this 9th day of May 1895.
ELON WILLIAMS,
64 Longacer, Castleford.