IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING MINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jonathan Wright Horsfall, of Camden Town, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VENTILATING MINES."
Sealed the 19th July 1870, and dated the 25th May 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jonathan Wright
Horsfall at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 25th May 1870.
I, JONATHAN WRIGHT HORSFALL, of Camden Town, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING MINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a method of ventilating mines, by means
of which a constant current of air is kept in the workings thereof, and
the foul gases taken therefrom in a more simple and economical manner
than hitherto. A tube or pipe is introduced into the up-cast shaft of the
mine, or into the shaft or portion of the shaft which is used as an outlet
for the air and for the gases generated or evolved in the mine. The
tube or pipe is carried nearly to the bottom of the shaft, the upper part

page_text: being carried to some height above the level of the pit's mouth. Into
the upper part of the tube or pipe ordinary or superheated steam
derived from any suitable source is introduced, and thereby a vacuum
or partial vacuum produced, to supply which the air contained in the
workings of the mine is necessarily set in motion and flows in a con-
tinual current from all parts thereof towards the vacuum or partial
vacuum, and carrying with it the noxious gases or vapours which have
been generated or evolved, such current being continued as long as the
steam is supplied to the tube or pipe. Instead of a single tube, two or
more tubes or pipes may be employed as before mentioned. The effect
of this arrangement is that the workings of the mine are ventilated in an
effectual manner without the employment of any expensive or complicated
mechanical arrangements.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jonathan Wright Horsfall in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JONATHAN
WRIGHT HORSFALL, of Camden Town, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Jonathan Wright Horsfall, Her special licence
that I, the said Jonathan Wright Horsfall, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jonathan Wright
Horsfall, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING MINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Jonathan Wright Horsfall, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain

page_text: the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jonathan Wright Horsfall, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
1
My said Invention consists of an improved method of and arrangement
of apparatus for ventilating mines by means of which a constant current
of air is produced and maintained in the workings thereof, and the foul
and noxious gases and vapours taken therefrom in a more simple,
efficacious, and economical manner than heretofore.
-
These objects are attained by means of the following arrangements
A tube or pipe is introduced into the upcast shaft of the mine, or into the
shaft or portion of the shaft which is used as an outlet for the air and for
the gases and vapours generated or evolved in the mine. The said tube
or pipe is carried nearly to the bottom of the shaft, or, if preferred, to the
bottom thereof, and smaller supplementary tubes in connection therewith
may be carried to any part of the workings of the mine. The upper part of
the said tube or pipe is carried to the level of the pit's mouth or to some
height above the same, or may terminate at a convenient distance
therefrom, and if desired in a larger tube. Into the upper part of the
tube or pipe ordinary or by preference superheated steam derived from
any suitable source is introduced by any means adapted for the purpose,
as will be well understood, and thereby a vacuum or partial vacuum is
produced, to supply or fill up which the air contained in the workings
of the mine is necessarily set in motion and flows in a continual current-
from all parts thereof towards the vacuum or partial vacuum, and carries
with it the noxious gases or vapours which have been generated or
evolved, such current being continued as long as the steam is supplied to
the tube or pipe.
It is manifest that instead of a single tube or pipe two or more tubes
or pipes may be employed as before mentioned, or one or more small
tubes or pipes may be placed in the upper portion of the larger tube or
pipe, which small tubes or pipes will, upon the steam being admitted
into the larger tube or pipe become quickly heated, thus causing the
vacuum or partial vacuum to be greater and more quickly obtained. The

page_text: steam blowing off the tops of the small pipes will also accelerate the
discharge of the foul air and gases.
The effect of the arrangements herein-before described is that the
workings of the mines are ventilated in an effectual manner without
the employment of any expensive or complicated mechanical arrange-
ments.
In addition to the above arrangements short lengths of tubing
connected with the main tube or tubes may be suspended from the roofs
of the workings, so that upon the vacuum or partial vacuum being created
the air and foul gases pass through the short lengths of tubing and rush
towards the upcast shaft with much greater velocity than they otherwise
would.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in
conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent are, the improved method of and arrangement
of apparatus for ventilating mines substantially as herein-before described
and set forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jonathan Wright Horsfall, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.
JONN. WRIGHT HORSFALL. (L.S.)