IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING to WINDING DRUMS AND TO FANS FOR VENTILATING COLLIERIES AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Scarisbrick Walker, Thomas Ascroft Walker, and
Edwin Robert Walker, all of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical
Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING to
WINDING DRUMS AND TO FANS FOR VENTILATING COLLIERIES AND OTHER
PURPOSES"
Sealed the 8th July 1879, and dated the 11th January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Scarisbrick Walker,
Thomas Ascroft Walker, and Edwin Robert Walker at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents on the 11th January 1879.
JOHN SCARISBRICK WALKER, THOMAS ASCROFT WALKER, and EDWIN ROBERT
WALKER, all of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineers. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO WINDING DRUMS AND TO FANS FOR
VENTILATING COLLIERIES AND OTHER PURPOSES."
In the guibal fan as ordinarily constructed there is a very heavy strain on the
shaft. It has therefore to be made of large diameter and is consequently very
costly.
Now the first part of our Invention is designed to give all the strength and
rigidity of a very large shaft while using one of smaller diameter. There are two
strains affecting it, a torsive strain and a transverso one, the latter being caused by
the weight of the fan sustained on three points between the bearings considerable
distance apart. The torsive strain is caused by the work performed, and is easily
Bustained by a lesser shaft than those commonly used, but the combined strains are
very severe on the shaft. We therefore construct round the shaft a cast iron or
other strong casing built up in the manner of a cylinder or series of cylinders
joining the spiders so as to form a rigid beam. To beds on this solid beam or to
the spiders forming a part of it, the large bars forming the framework of the
fan aro bolted; or in place of this, or in addition to it, we encase the outsides of the
ends of the fans with an annular plate, or attach annular belts or rings so as to
strengthen the fan and prevent lateral slip wetween the sides of the fan and the
walls of the fan chamber, and sometimes put in diagonal struts or ties, or both.
The second part of our Invention consists in a mode of and mechanism for pre-
venting the continued ingress of the air in one direction from bringing the fan shaft

page_text: out of truth laterally, it being as at present constructed apt to cut into the bearings
sideways. It consists in putting a broad flange or step facing the fan on the
bearing between the fan and the engine; on the shaft we place a collar or nut to
work against this step, the collar or nut being capable of adjustment laterally,
either by a screw thread on the shaft or other suitable arrangement. If a screw-
thread be cut in the shaft and nut, we construct the nut in two halves and bolt
them tight onto the shaft so as to lock the thread, and as an additional precaution,
put one or more stout set screws or cotters through the nut into slots in the shaft.
As the nut and step wear the former can be screwed up to the fan and re-locked.
The stout wrought iron bars forming tho framework of the fan are liable to work
loose where bolted or rivetted together, the holes wearing oblong; to remedy this
defect we rivet over the joint on one or both sides a clamping or saddle piece bent
with an indentation to overlap the crossing frame, and rivetted or bolted on each
side to the other frame, a main rivet or bolt passing through all in the centre of tho
joint.
These improvements, though only described for ventilating fans, are also applicable
in part to drums for winding engines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Scarisbrick Walker, Thomas Ascroft Walker, and Edwin Robert
Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th July 1879.
JOHN SCARISBRICK WALKER, THOMAS ASCROFT WALKER, and EDWIN ROBERT
WALKER, all of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineers. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO WINDING DRUMS AND TO FANS FOR VEN-
TILATING COLLIERIES AND OTHER PURPOSES."
In which Fig. 1 is a partial side view; Fig. 2, transverse section of a fan with
vanes removed; and Fig. 3, end view of screw abutment.
In the guibal fan as ordinarily constructed, there is a very heavy strain on the
shaft. It has therefore to be made of large diameter and is consequently very
costly.
Now the first part of our Invention is designed to give all the strength and
rigidity of a very large shaft while using one of a smaller diameter.
There are two strains affecting it, a torsive strain and a transverse one, the
latter being caused by the weight of the fan sustained on three points between the
bearings a considerable distance apart. The torsive strain is caused by the work
performed, and is easily sustained by a lesser shaft than those commonly used, but
the combined strains are very severe on the shaft. We therefore construct round
the shaft A a cast iron or other strong casing B built up in a manner of a cylinder
or series of cylinders C, C, joining the spiders D, D, so as to form a rigid beam.
To beds on this solid beam or to the spiders D, D, forming a part of it, the large
bars E, E, forming the framework of the fan are bolted. To the ends of bars E, E,
the transverse vanes are bolted, and sometimes the ends of these vanes are
strengthened by annular or disc plates G or belts or rings. These also assist the
fan in preventing lateral slip between the fan and the fan chambers.
The second part of our Invention consists in a mode of and mechanism for
preventing the continued ingress of the air in one direction from bringing the
fan shaft out of truth laterally, it being as at present constructed apt to cut into
the bearings sideways. It consists in putting a broad flange or step H, Figs. 2 and 3,
facing the fan on the bearing between the fan and the engine. On the shaft we
place a collar or nut I to work against this step, the collar or nut being capable of
adjustment laterally, either by a screw thread J on the shaft or other suitable
arrangement. If a screw thread be cut in the shaft and nut, we construct the nut
in two halves, as shown in Fig. 3, and bolt them tight onto the shaft so as to lock
the thread, and as an additional precaution put one or more stout set screws K or
cotters through the nut into slots in the shaft. As the nut I and step M wear the
former can be screwed up to the fan and relocked.
The stout wrought iron bars E forming the frame-work of the fan are liable to
work loose where bolted or rivetted together, the holes wearing oblong. To remedy
this defect we rivet over the joint on one or both sides a clamping or saddle piece L,
bent with an indentation to overlap the crossing frame, and rivetted or bolted on
each side to the other frame, a main rivet or bolt passing through all in the centre
of the joint.
These improvements, though only described for ventilating fans, are also applicable
in part to drums for winding engines.
Having now described our Invention and the best mode of carrying it into effect,
wo wish it to be understood that we make no claim for the arrangement of spiders D
or bars E, nor yet for the vanes of the fans nor the pulleys of the winding drums,
but what we believe to be new and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,
1st. The manufacture of fans with a strong hollow cylindrical or equivalent shaft
or series of hollow sections surrounding the main shaft, substantially as and for the
purpose described,

page_text: 2. The mode and arrangement herein described of and for preventing the
speedy loosening of the rivets or bolts in the framing bars of large fans or winding
drums by saddle pieces, such as L, L.
3. The mode of and arrangement for preventing or taking up the wear caused
by the side pressure of the wind by means of an adjustable flange screwed on the
shaft, substantially as described and shown in Fig. 3.
4th. The combined arrangement for strengthening and increasing the efficiency of
colliery and other fans, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Scarisbrick Walker, on behalf of myself
and the said Thomas Ascroft Walker and Edwin Robert Walker, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
JOHN SCARISBRICK WALKER. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALFRED J. BOULT,
of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
Solicitors of Patents,
6, Lord St., Liverpool,
and
323, High Holborn, W.C., London: