Improvements in Apparatus to Prevent the Over Running of Colliery and other Winding Engines and Hoists.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 15th May, 1891-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus to Prevent the Over Running of
Colliery and other Winding Engines and Hoists.
We, PERCY WHEELER, of The Oldbury Carriage Works, Oldbury, Worcester-
shire, Manager, and WILLIAM GRIMMITT, of 108, Bromford Lane, West Brom-
wich, Staffordshire, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to apparatus for automatically controlling the
running of colliery, blast furnace and other winding engines and hoists so as to
prevent the cage or platform travelling too far or too quickly either at the top,
bottom, or at any intermediate points of the lift.
We will describe our invention as applied to control the winding at a colliery..
In carrying out this invention we employ two fixed cylinders of equal capacity
(preferably arranged vertically side by side) each containing a ram occupying about
one half of the capacity of its cylinder. These cylinders, which we will call the
large cylinders, are partly filled with a liquid such as water, and they are connected
together by a transverse pipe in which is a valve which can be set to control the
flow of liquid from one cylinder to the other. The said rams are connected by a
chain or otherwise to a drum which receives motion from the winding engine or
main winding drum so that when the engine is running the rams will move simul-
taneously therewith and with the cage one of the rams ascending and the other
descending and when the engine stops the rams will stop also. The said transverse
pipe is crossed by three vertical tubes in each of which is a plug, these plugs being
automatically lifted at certain stages of the run as hereinafter described so that
each or any of these plugs will obstruct the passage of the liquid from one cylinder
to the other. Each of the large cylinders has a separate smaller cylinder connected
with it in which is a float or buoy which rises and falls with the liquid in the corre-
sponding large cylinder. Near cach of the cylinders is a long screw connected by
suitable gearing with the said drum which moves the rams and on each of these
screws is a travelling pointer which moves along a scale simultaneously with the
rams. Fixed to the top of each of the said plugs is a tappet rod suitably counter-
balanced or not and on each tappet rod is an adjustable tappet with one or other
of which at certain pre-arranged points of the run, one or other of the said
pointers in rising comes into contact and lifts it and the plug corresponding
therewith.
When the engine commences to run, as for instance to draw up the cage, the
liquid displaced by the descending ram flows freely through the transverse pipe
into the cylinder occupied by the ascending ram and so long as this flow is unin-
terrupted no change is brought about in the apparatus above in part described;
but at the point where the ascending pointer reaches the word CAUTION on the
said scale this pointer lifts one of the plugs and partially obstructs the passage of
the liquid to the cylinder containing the ascending ram. At this point the engine-
tenter must instantly reduce his speed so as to allow the obstructed liquid sufficient
time to follow the ascending ram. If this slackening of speed be promptly attended
to the liquid in all the connected cylinders and tubes keeps its level and the
apparatus does not come into action but from any cause the engine runs so fast
as to cause the ascending ram to travel too fast for the obstructed liquid to follow
it, then the liquid in the cylinder containing the ascending ram instantly falls and
the buoy in the small cylinder connected with that large cylinder falls also and by

page_text: suitable trigger mechanism releases a suspended weight or weights which in falling
shut off the steam to the engine and detach the brake lever of the winding drum so
as to bring the engine and winding drum to rest.
The said trigger mechanism may be arranged as follows:-Each of the floats is
connected by a wire or otherwise to a lever which, when either of the floats fall,
moves the depending end of another lever into the path of some studs on the face
of a wheel which revolves with the driving gear of the rams or otherwise, so that
one or other of these studs will strike the depending end of the lever and move it
sideways around a central pin by which the lever is carried. This central pin has
a lip on which rest the arms or arm which support the weights for actuating the
steam stop valve and the break lever. When this central pin is turned as above
described the arm or arms fall off the lip and the said weights are dropped down
suitable guides, one of them by means of a chain led over pulleys or otherwise
losing the.steam stop valve, and the other weight detaching the break lever which
then falls and puts the break on to the winding drum. The pressure of the break
lever can be increased by a weight rolling or sliding thereon which as the break
lever falls moves to or towards the outer end of the same.
Although the engine-tenter must slacken his speed from the "Caution point" to
the top, yet after landing he can commence the downward run as fast as at any
other point of the journey, although the flow of water from one large cylinder to
the other may be obstructed by one or more of the plugs in the transverse passage.
This we arrange by providing an arm which automatically holds up the float until
the ascending index finger reaches the "Caution point" and releases the float so
that it is ready to act if required.
It will be seen that if the engine-tenter fails to reduce his speed at a point
determined by the colliery engineer so as to destroy the momentum of the moving
parts of his engine, in order to be able to bring the cage carefully out of the pit
mouth, then the said apparatus operates in the manner above described.
"
In the case of the engine-tenter commencing a journey, and after continuing for
a revolution or two, the engine "turns again," which is possible with a single engine
working with "tappets" or a loose eccentric, the difference of water level is at
once established by reason of that particular plug being already in its place
across the transverse pipe and so the float and float lever instantly fall as above
described.
I In case the engine should outrun the engine-tenter either through his being
unaccustomed to that class of engine, or through his valves failing to act or from
other causes, or through the crank-pin breaking, the engine or in the latter case the
drum only would run or revolve in the direction of the preponderating weight, and
at an accelerating velocity; which in mid journey would cause the water to rise in
one of the cylinders up to an overflow point and so commence filling a little vessel
attached to the above said lever which has the depending end, until it brought down
this lever and its pendent end into the stud circle and so cause the release of the
weights as above described.
If the engine-tenter forgets after he has landed the cage and starts the wrong
way one or other of the rams in rising above its usual height raises a lever (fitted
with adjusting screws) and throws aside the central pin of the trigger mechanism so
as to release the lever and the weights as above described.
If there be an intermediate inset as where two seams are worked from the same.
shaft then an additional lever is brought down a slide rod to be caught by the
pointer in its descent, this lever raises the plug by a chain passing over guide
pulleys. When this intermediate point is passed the stud in the descending pointer
leaves the arc described by the lever at a tangent, and the plug which was raised
falls into its proper place, its tappet coming into contact with the ascending pointer
if the intermediate inset should be near the bottom seam.
An additional lever arranged and operating similarly to the last mentioned is
also used in the case of sinkers repairing shaft and putting in a temporary scaffold
for that purpose, the said additional lever injusted to the proper place so that

page_text: the engine tenter will have to lower quietly on the scaffold or the apparatus will
stop him as before.
In a sinking shaft the said pointers are lowered down or otherwise adjusted on
the screws as the depth of the shaft increases.
When men are ascending or descending the shaft, a lever catch on the tappet rod
of the third plug is pulled into such a position as to come into contact with the arm
of the pointer which is nearing the top and thus raise that plug and assist the plug
already raised by the pointer to still further obstruct the flow of the water by
making its passage more tortuous. The point of contact of the lever catch is or
inay be the point mentioned in the 26th General Rule by which the men are to be
raised to the top at a speed not greater than three miles an hour. The diameter of
this middle plug is made according to the speed of the engine and cage.
If it be desirable at any time for the men to make half-speed journey all the way,
then the banksman pulls a cord and partly closes the said valve in the transverse.
passage between the two large cylinders so as to require a slower speed in order to
keep the water at its level. Should the banksman hear any unusual noise in
the shaft he can by a longer pull altogether close the said valve and so cause
the apparatus to stop the engine. The said valve is left wide open or not
at the discretion of the colliery engineer so that if he does not desire the engines
to be put to their highest speed he must obstruct the water at this point until
he has given the engine-tenter his maximum velocity, beyond which if he tries to
go the water will rise in one of the cylinders until the said little vessel is filled
with water enough to release the lever and bring down the weights as above
described.
The said plugs are or may be made of a gradually increasing diameter so as to
offer more and more obstruction to the flow of the liquid from one cylinder to
the other as the speed of the rams and the cage is nearing that point where
they stop.
Dated this 20th day of August 1890.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus to Prevent the Over Running of
Colliery and other Winding Engines and Hoists.
We,
PERCY WHEELER, of The Oldbury Carriage Works, Oldbury, Worcester-
shire, Manager, and WILLIAM GRIMMITT, of 108, Bromford Lane, West
Bromwich, Staffordshire, Mining Engineer, 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 has reference to apparatus for automatically controlling the
running of colliery, blast furnace and other winding engines and hoists so as to
prevent the cage or platform travelling too far or too quickly either at the top
bottom or at any intermediate points of the lift.
We will describe our invention as applied to control the winding in a coal pit
shaft in which there are two cages one going up as the other is going down, and
we will refer to the accompanying drawings which shew what we consider to be
the best method of carrying our said invention into practice but it is to be
understood that the said invention is not limited to the precise details illustrated.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation, Fig. 2 a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan of the said
apparatus; Fig. 4 is a sectional plan and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the
same; Fig. 6 is a back view of part of the same: Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are part
sectional elevations of the same; Fig. 11 is a front elevation, Fig. 12 a side
elevation and part plan, and Fig. 13 a plan of part of the trigger mechanism of
•

page_text: the same on an enlarged scale; and Figs. 14 and 15 are elevation and plan
respectively also on an enlarged scale of another part of the said trigger
mechanism; Figs. 15* and 16 are part sectional elevations of the said apparatus ;
Fig. 17 is a front elevation, Fig. 18 a side elevation, and Fig. 19 a plan of one of
the alarm bells of the said apparatus and its striking mechanism; and Figs. 20
and 21 illustrate other alarm bells as hereinafter described; Fig. 22 is a front
elevation and Fig. 23 a plan on a reduced scale shewing the connection of the said
apparatus to the steam stop valve and brake drum.
The same letters of reference and numerals refer to the same parts throughout
the drawings.
Referring firstly more particularly to Figs. 1 to 10 both inclusive in carrying
out this invention we employ two fixed cylinders marked respectively A¹ A² of
equal capacity (preferably arranged vertically side by side on the base B) each
containing a ram, (see Figs. 4, 7, 8 and 9) marked respectively C. C², occupying
from about one third to one half of the capacity of its cylinder.
These cylinders A¹ A2, which we will call the large cylinders, are partly filled
with a liquid such as water and they are connected together by a transverse pipe D
in which is the lock-up stop valve D2 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 4) which can be set to
control the flow of liquid from one of the said cylinders to the other.
The rams C1 C2 are connected by the wire rope C³ (see Fig. 7) led over the
guide rollers C4 to the drum E round which the said rope is coiled several times
and fixed. The drum E is fixed on the shaft e free to turn in the bearings formed
in the standards et which tie the upper ends of the cylinders A¹ A² together, the
standard et being fixed to two side brackets a² fixed to the cylinders AA². The
shaft receives rotary motion from a chain pulley on the winding engine or main
winding drum shaft by the driving chain e gearing with the wheel e fixed on the
shaft so that when the engine is moving the rams C¹ C² will move simultaneously
therewith and with the cages, one of the rams ascending and the other descending
and when the engine and cages stop the rams will stop also.
The said transverse pipe D is crossed by three or more vertical tubes. In the
arrangement shewn there are seven of these tubes (see Figs. 2, 4, 5, 9 and 10,)
marked respectively F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F F7 in each of which is a plug marked
respectively G G² G³ G G³ G G7. These plugs are automatically lifted or
lowered across the transverse pipe D at certain stages of the run, as hereinafter
described, so that the said plugs or one or more of them will obstruct the passage
of the liquid along the transverse pipe D from one of the large cylinders A³ A² to
the other of them.
Under ordinary circumstances, that is when the cages have not got to be
stopped at any intermediate points between the top and the bottom of the shaft
and when men are not travelling in the cages, only the two plugs marked G3 G4
(Fig. 5) are in action. These two plugs are suspended at the ends of the wire
rope G which is coiled round the drum G' on the shaft e' so that these plugs
move up and down simultaneously with the rams C1 C2 but as the drum G' is
smaller than the drum E the plugs G³ G have not such a long range of motion as
the rams C C²
Each of the large cylinders A' A2 has a separate smaller cylinder, see Figs. 4
and 5, (marked respectively H¹ H2) connected with it near its base and in each of
these cylinders H₁ H2 is a float or buoy (marked respectively H3 H4) which is
normally in the position shewn by Fig. 5, pressed upwardly against the contracted
top of its cylinder.
Near each of the cylinders A¹ A2 is a travelling pointer (see Fig. 1); these
two pointers are marked respectively 11, they are connected by cords or
chain 11 to the drum I' fixed on the shaft e¹ so that the pointers I¹ I² will move
along he corresponding index plates or scales 13 1 simultaneously with the
rams CC² and thus shew the positions of the cages in the shaft. Each division
on th scale represents the distance travelled by the pointer during one revolution
of the winding drum.

page_text: In Figure 1 the pointers I¹ 12 shew that the cage corresponding with the
pointer I ram C₁ and plug G³ is at the top of the shaft and that the cage
corresponding with the pointer 12 ram C² and plug G is at the bottom of the
shaft.
When the engine commences to run, as for instance to draw up the cage
corresponding with the pointer I ram C¹ and plug G³, the liquid displaced by the
descending ram C2 flows through the transverse pipe D into the cylinder A'
occupied by the ascending ram C' and so long as this flow is uninterrupted no
change is brought about in the apparatus above in part described, but at the point
where the ascending pointer I reaches the word "Caution" on the left hand index
plate or scale the bottom of the plug G³ has reached the transverse pipe D and
partially obstructs the passage of the liquid to the cylinder A' containing the
ascending ram C. At this point the engine tenter must instantly reduce his speed
so as to allow the obstructed liquid sufficient time to flow into the cylinder A¹ and
fill up the space being each moment vacated by the ascending ram C¹. If this
slackening of speed be promptly attended to, the liquid in all the said connected
cylinders and tubes keeps its level and the apparatus does not come into action but
if from any cause the engine runs so fast as to cause the ascending ram C¹ to
travel too fast for the obstructed liquid to follow it, the level of the liquid in the
cylinder A¹ containing the ascending ram C₁ instantly falls, and the float H³ in the
small cylinder H' connected with that large cylinder A¹ falls also simultaneously,
and by suitable trigger mechanism, as hereinafter described, releases the ends of
the two levers J and K which instantly fall and the lever J¹ drops a suitable
weight J which, as hereinafter described and shewn in Figs. 22 and 23, shuts off
the steam to the engine, as the other lever K₁ gradually puts on the brake of the
winding drum so as to bring the engine and winding drum to rest.
The said trigger mechanism the parts of which are shewn separately by Figs. 11
to 15 is preferably arranged as follows:-The floats H3 H4 (see Figs. 2 and 5) are
respectively connected by the two ropes H to the levers H H which are jointed
at H to the uprights 131. These levers are counterbalanced by the weights H
just sufficiently to keep the ropes H³ taut. The other ends of these levers are
connected by the chains H to the lever L' which is counterbalanced at L³ and is
free to move up or down about the fulcrum L which latter is formed in the
forked top of the central pin LA which can turn axially in the central boss of the
two armed lever L'. This lever L' has a horizontal fulcrum L supported in a
bracket L' about which the levers L' L' and pin LA can swing. On the central
pin L' is an adjustable projecting lip L on which rests the outer end of the long
arm M which is fixed on the shaft M2 free to turn in the bearings M³ M4. On
this shaft M2 are two short arms M5 M on which the ends of the two levers J K¹
above referred to rest. M' is a hand lever for bringing the arm M' up on to the
lip L. L is a weight on the pin. L to make the latter hang vertically to bring
the pin L back quickly into its vertical position, and to prevent it swinging to
and fro there are, as shewn in Figs. 7 and 8, two side tension springs L1 L. On
the face of the wheel e' are projecting studs es (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7) with which
when the lever L'is moved down to the position shewn by the dotted lines in
Fig. 12 the end of the lever L' will come into contact.
When one of the floats say H³ falls, through the engine running too quickly or
not being stopped at the proper time as above described, it pulls down the lever H
to which it is connected and this lever through the chain H pulls down the.
lever L' until its outer end engages with the studs e on the revolving wheel e
which turns the lever L' and the pin LA with the lip L until the arm M¹ being
unsupported falls, turning the shaft M2 and the short arms M M so as to allow
the levers J K to fall also and shut off the steam and apply the brake to the
winding drum.
In order to warn the engine tenter that one of the floats H H is falling so
that he may slacken speed before the lever L' has moved down far enough to

page_text: H"
engage with the stud wheel e as above described we provide (see Fig. 6) a gong
near the lever H6 and a similar gong H2 near the lever H. As one of the levers
say He moves down it lifts the tail end of one of the hammers H3 which in falling
strikes the gong H". The lever He then rests for a few seconds upon one of the
cross arms of the three armed lever H14 until the weight of the float H³ is
sufficient to depress this lever H and raise the counterbalance H¹ and immediately
bring the lever L' down into the stud wheel e'.
The method which we prefer to adopt for connecting the lever J' to the steam
stop valve is shewn by Figs. 22 and 23. Near the jointed end J2 of the lever J1
is a cross pin J³ on which is hung a weight J4 by a hook J' fixed to the said
weight. When released, as hereinafter described, this weight will fall and it is
guided by the upright bars Jº J7. A cord or chain J8 is led over guide
pulleys J J and fixed at one end to a pulley J (fixed on the stop valve
spindle J) and passed freely through a vertical hole in the weight J₁ and fixed to
a stop J3 below the weight. As the stop valve hand lever J14 is moved to and fro
to open and shut the valve the stop moves up and down below the weight J*. When
the lever J falls on being released by the arm Me as above described the hook Jo
instantly slips off the cross pin J³ and the weight J₁ falls on to the stop J¹³ and
turns the hand lever J" into the "shut" position and thus shuts off the steam.
When the weighted brake lever K falls on being released by the arm M above
described it is, as is well known, very important that the brake be applied gradually.
This can readily be effected by an air cushioning cylinder in which the air is com-
pressed by the brake lever K¹ falling and from which the air can only escape
gradually. An arrangement of this kind which we have found to answer well in
practice is shewn by Figs. 22 and 23 but it is to be understood that any other kind
of cushion for preventing the brake lever applying the brake too suddenly can be
used instead of this arrangement which we will now describe :-The brake lever K¹
turns on a fixed fulcrum pin K2 and its short arm is connected by the adjustable
rod K³ to the brake strap K* so as to apply the brake by a pull on the rod K³.
The bottom end K³ of the rod K³ is slotted so that under ordinary circumstances
the rod K³ does not interfere with the working of the brake. Part of the brake
drum is shewn and marked K6.
The brake lever K' is weighted by the weight K' suspended therefrom by the
rod K. In the arrangement shewn this weight K' is a hollow vessel connected by
the flexible tube K' to the water tank K. The weight K' is empty until it has
descended with the brake lever K¹ to such a position that the water will run in
from the tank K10 which thus increases the weight K' and puts more pressure on
the brake. The air cushioning chamber is marked K". It consists of an inverted
vessel suspended from the brake lever K' by the rod K and dipping into a
tank K3 containing water. When the brake lever K¹ is dropped from the
arm M³ which is released by the trigger mechanism as above described the air
in the vessel K" partly buoys up the brake lever K¹ until the air has had time
to escape through the tap K by which the egress of the air can be regulated. As
the air escapes the inverted vessel K" sinks lower into the water bringing down
the brake lever K₁ with it and so applying the power of the brake gradually.
When the air vessel K" has sunk so low into the water in its tank K13 that the
weight K' is below the level of the water in the tank K then the weight K' at
once fills with water and so augments the moments of forces acting on the brake
lever K¹.
In addition to the air escape cock K14, one or more air valves such as K15 K16 K"
may be provided and arranged to be automatically lifted one after the other as the
vessel K descends so as to allow the air to escape more and more quickly and
correspondingly, continue to increase the speed of descent of the brake lever K¹
after it has once started. These valves close corresponding orifices in the fixed
pipe K18 leading from the vessel K" and connected thereto by the water slide K¹.
The stalks of the valves K K K pass upwardly through holes in the horizontal

page_text: lever K20 and on each valve stalk above the said lever are adjustable lock nuts.
The lever K20 turns on a fixed joint pin K2 at one end and has an eye at the other
end K. A cord or chain K23 passes through this eye over a guide pulley K¹¹ to
a small pulley K fixed on the shaft e'. A weight K2 at the end of the cord or
chain keeps it taut. The other end of the cord or chain K23 is fixed in such a
position to the pulley K2 that when either of the cages is midway between the top
and bottom of the pit shaft the weight K is in its lowest position thus the
lever K20 will be lifted and lift the valves K K K one after the other when
either of the cages is at the top or bottom of the shaft. K is a rack free to
turn on a fixed pin K28 at its upper end so as to engage with a side projection on
the brake lever K' and prevent the same rebounding upwardly after it has been
released by the arm M5.
If the engine tenter forgets after he has landed the cage and starts the wrong
way, one or other of the rams C₁ C² in rising above its usual height (see Fig. 8)
raises one arm of the lever L by striking the corresponding adjusting screw L
or L³ therein, and the central pin L' and lip L moving sideways with the lever L
releases the arms M¹ M5 M and the levers J' K' fall and shut off the steam and
apply the brake as above described.
In each of the plugs G³ G₁ see Figs. 5 and 9 there is an annular groove g which
just corresponds with the transverse pipe D when either of the cages has reached
the top and thus allows the water in all the rams and cylinders to fall again to
one level.
Just below the level of the top of the cylinders H' H2 there is a pipe A³ (see
Fig. 7) communicating from the cylinder A' to the cylinder A2 to allow of the
water when it rises very high escaping from one cylinder to the other thus pre-
venting the water overflowing at the tops of the tubes or small cylinders.
The stop valve D is intended to be opened a certain distance and there locked
by the colliery manager so that if the engine driver runs his engine quicker than the
speed for which the valve is set the water will fall in one of the large cylinders A¹ A²
and stop the engine and drum as above described.
It will be seen that if the engine tenter fails to reduce the speed of the engine.
at the Caution point so as to destroy the momentum of the moving parts of his.
engine, in order to be able to bring his cage carefully out of the pit mouth, then
the said apparatus operates in the manner above described.
If the engine tenter commences to lower one of the cages, say the cage
corresponding with the ram C¹ (Fig. 7) down the shaft, and after continuing for a
revolution or two, the engine "turns again" which is possible with a single engine.
working with tappets or with a loose eccentric, the difference of water level is (if
the engine is running too quickly) at once established by reason of that particular
plug G³ corresponding with the ascending ram being already in its place across the
transverse pipe D (see Fig. 5) and so the float H³ and float lever H instantly fall
and bring the engine to rest as above described.
Although the engine-tenter must slacken his speed from the "Caution-point" to
the top, yet after landing he can commence the downward run as fast as at any
other point of the journey, although the flow of water from one large cylinder
to the other may be obstructed by one or more of the plugs in the transverse
passage.
This we arrange by employing the weights N' Nº (see Figs. 1, 2 and 5) one of
which say N2 automatically holds up the buoy H' connected with the cylinder. A²
containing the ascending ram C2 until the plug G³, which began to obstruct the
liquid at CAUTION when the cage now descending was being raised, is out of the
transverse pipe D when the passage of the liquid will be free, and the float ready
to act if required. If, whilst the buoy H' corresponding with the ascending ram C²
is being held up by the weight N2 and the plug G³ is across the transverse pipe D
as above described, the engine should reverse and run too quickly, then the other-
ram C¹ in ascending will draw the liquid away from the float H³ which with the

page_text: The
float lever H will move down and stop the engine as above described.
weights N¹ N2 are threaded freely on the endless chain N³ which passes round a
pulley N on the shaft e¹ and also round a pulley N° at the bottom and moves up
and down simultaneously with the rams C₁C². The chain N³ passes freely through
holes in the levers H H which holes are large enough to allow the taper
stops N6 N7 fixed on the chain N³ to pass through. The positions of the stops No N
on the chain N3 are such that one of the weights will be deposited on that float
lever corresponding with the ascending ram before the ram begins to ascend and
will by the corresponding taper stop be lifted off that lever to allow the float to
fall if required when the corresponding plug has lifted above the transverse
pipe D.
When men are ascending or descending the shaft an additional plug G7 (see
Fig. 10) is put in gear by the banksman or by the engine tenter himself as he pulls
the return signal which he gets from the cage and banksman respectively, and when
at a point decided upon by the colliery manager and corresponding to that men-
tioned in the 26th General Rule by which men are to be raised to the top at a speed
not greater than three miles an hour this plug G7 after being thrown in gear by the
signalling is raised across the transverse pipe D in addition to the one or more
plugs already in, thus making the passage of the water more tortuous and
demanding more time for the water to pass so as to keep the level of the water.
The plug G' depends by a rod O (see Fig. 10) from a lever O' free to turn on a
fixed fulcrum pin 02 at one end and furnished with an eye O3 at the other through
which a rod O passes freely. The rod O is fixed to the bottom end of the rope O³
which passes over the pulley O and round another pulley 07 fixed on the shaft e
so that as the shaft e' revolves the rod O will move up and down simultaneously.
On the rod O below the lever. O' are locknuts O¹³ which under ordinary circum-
stances do not lift the lever O¹. The pulley 0° is carried at one end of the
lever 08 (Figs. 1 and 2) jointed to the standard 09 and at the other end of this
lever 08 there is a counterweight 10 heavy enough to raise the plug G7.
The lever O has an arm 0" which is connected by the wire 012 to a hand lever
near the banksman and to another hand lever near the engine tenter so that either
of the men can allow the weight O to lift the pulley 06 and cause the lock
nuts 013 to lift the lever O¹ and bring the plug G into action at the proper
times. If the rod O should break the plug G' would fall to the bottom of the
cylinder F and the upper part 0" of the plug G7 would then close the transverse
pipe D and prevent the engine running too fast. In the same way if either of the
ropes which suspend the plugs G3 G4 should break that plug would fall to the
bottom of its tube and so intercept the water and bring the engine to rest.
The plugs G1 G2 in the tubes F' F2 are not used under ordinary circum-
stances but are for use in case of sinkers repairing the pit shaft and putting in
a temporary scaffold for that purpose or in other cases where the cage is required
to be stopped at some special place. When in use they receive up and down
motion from the drum G and the length of the ropes by which they are suspended
is such as to lower these plugs G1 G2 across the transverse pipe D at the proper
times as required.
If there be an intermediate inset as where two seams are worked from the same
shaft then the plugs G5 G6, see Figs. 15* and 16, are brought into play to arrest
the passage of the water in the pipe D at a certain time before the cage reaches
the said inset. Both these plugs are arranged in the same way the plug G³ serving
for one cage and the plug G for the other cage but for convenience of description
we will refer only to the plug G5 and its connections. The plug G³ is suspended
from the cord or chain Pi one end of which is fixed to a pulley P2 revolving with
the shaft e¹. This cord or chain 1" is led over a guide roller P³ and under a
pulley P³ connected to the top of the plug G' and then led away over the guide
roller P to a hand lever near the cage at the intermediate inset and to the engine
tenter and banksman so that the plug G can be lowered at will to come into

page_text: operation and stop the cage at the intermediate inset as required. The flanges of
the pulley P2 are made with holes as shewn to take cross pins to fix the end of the
cord or chain P¹ in any desired position so that when the cage has reached the
intermediate inset the plug G will be just commencing to rise from across
the transverse pipe D as shewn in Fig. 15* ready for the cage to move on to the
bottom of the shaft. When the cage has reached the bottom the plug G is raised
as shewn by Fig. 16.
In addition to the special warning gongs above mentioned there are two
bells QQ (Figs. 1 and 2) fixed to strike at the "caution points" by catches Q³ on
the pointers I 12 which raises the bell hammers QQ One of these bells is
shewn on
an enlarged scale by Figs. 17, 18 and 19. These bells and their
hammers are fixed by cramps Q Q so that their position can be changed as
desired.
R' R² are two gauge glasses (see Figs. 1 and 2) connected respectively to the
cylinder A¹ A² so as to shew the level of the water therein.
Instead of employing the two large cylinders A' A2 and their rams and smaller
cylinders and connections as above described, it will be evident that the apparatus
could be made to work with only one of these large cylinders and its corresponding
parts without departing from the nature of our invention but we prefer the
arrangement herein before described and illustrated by the drawings as the rams
counterbalance each other and the apparatus is more sensitive than if made with
only one of the large cylinders and its ram and small cylinder and connections.
And it will be evident that the so-called "cylinders and their rams may,
instead of being cylindrical, be square, hexagonal or of other form in cross section
without affecting the result.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
:―
1. In apparatus for preventing the over-running of colliery and other winding
engines and hoists, the employment of one or more liquid containing cylinders
or vessels in combination with means for automatically causing a difference of
liquid level in the said cylinder or vessel or cylinders or vessels when the speed of
the cage or cages is not reduced at the proper times, and means for causing the
said difference of liquid level to apply the brake to the winding drum and
to close the engine stop valve, all substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. In apparatus of the kind claimed by the first claiming clause hereof the
combination with the liquid containing cylinders or vessels (such as A¹ A²) of the
smaller cylinders or vessels (such as H³ H²) connected thereto and their floats H³ H*
and the mechanism for automatically causing a difference of liquid level in the
cylinders when the speed of the cage or cages is not reduced at the proper times,
consisting of the rams C1 C2 moving and stopping simultaneously with the cage or
cages, the transverse pipe (such as D) connecting the two cylinders together and
the moving plugs or valves controlling the flow of liquid from one cylinder to the
other all arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings for the purposes set forth.
3. In apparatus of the kind. claimed by the first claiming clause hereof the
mechanism for causing the difference of liquid level in the cylinder or vessel or
cylinders or vessels to release the levers (such as J₁ K¹) by which the brake is
applied to the winding drum and the steam stop valve closed the said mechanism
being arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus of the kind claimed by the first claiming clause hereof the
combination with the moving ram or rams (such as C₁ C²) of the mechanism for
releasing the levers (such as J¹ K') by which the brake is applied to the winding
drum and the steam stop valve closed, when the winding drum commences to
B

page_text: turn the wrong way, the said mechanism being arranged and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
5. Apparatus for preventing the over-running of colliery and other winding
engines and hoists arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of May 1891.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.