Improvements in Electrical Communicating Apparatus for Mines and other places.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1892-4ccepted, 31st Dec. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Communicating Apparatus for Mines and
other places.
I, ALEXANDER FERRIE MABON, of 10, West Campbell Street, Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Optician and Electrician, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to construct and arrange electrical com-
municating apparatus in an improved manner for situations in which such apparatus
is liable to rough usage and various deranging influences have to be guarded
against. My improved apparatus is advantageously applicable in underground
roads in mines in which rope haulage is employed, and in other roads and places
where it is necessary or desirable to have the power of transmitting an electric
signal from any part of the road or space traversed by the electrical conductor or
conductors.
In carrying out my invention have the conductor or conductors connected to
switch or contact mechanism contrived so that a pull applied to any part of the
conductor or conductors will make or break contact in a manner to cause the
transmission of a signal to the station from which the conductor or conductors
extend.
In one modification of the apparatus one conducting wire which is covered with
an insulating coating is arranged as a core and is combined with a number of outer
bare wires which serve for the return current, the whole forming a strong cable
not easily injured by usage to which it may be subjected. The switch or contact
mechanism is arranged upon a plate to which the outer wires are fixed, and the
core wire is attached to a sliding bolt controlled by a spring. When the conductor
cable is pulled the spring bolt moves a small contact lever, or switch so as to com-
plete or interrupt the circuit and thereby cause the transmission of a signal to the
station.
Instead of the conductor being made with several wires it may consist of two or
other small number, twisted together, one of them having an insulating coating.
Or again where local conditions admit of it the earth may be used for the return
current, a single wire or two or more wires combined being used for the outward
current.
The switch or contact mechanism is, when desirable arranged in a completely
closed casing so that sparking may not ignite inflammable gas if present externally.
And in some cases the switch or contact mechanism may with advantage be
arranged to be moved past the contact or break position so as not to prevent the
transmission of signals from another part of the same conductor or cable.
Dated this Sixth day of February 1892.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Communicating Apparatus for Mines and
other places.
I, ALEXANDER FERRIE MABON, of 10 West Campbell Street, Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Optician and Electrician, 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:→
My said invention has for its object to construct and arrange electrical
Price Sal

page_text: communicating apparatus in an improved manner for situations in such apparatus is
liable to rough usage and various deranging influences have to be guarded against.
My improved apparatus is advantageously applicable in under ground roads, in
mines in which rope haulage is employed, and in other roads and places where it is
necessary or desirable to have the power of transmitting an electric signal from
any part of the road or space traversed by the electrical conductor or conductors.
In carrying out my invention I have the conductor or conductors connected to
switch or contact mechanism contrived so that a pull applied to any part of the
conductor or conductors will make or break contact in a manner to cause the trans-
mission of a signal to the station from which the conductor or conductors extend.
In one modification of the apparatus one conducting wire, which is covered with
an insulating coating, is arranged as a core and is combined with a number of outer
bare wires which serve for the return current, the whole forming a strong cable not
easily injured by usage to which it may be subjected. The switch or contact
mechanism is arranged upon a plate to which the outer wires are fixed, and the
core wire is attached to a sliding bolt controlled by a spring. When the conductor
cable is pulled the spring bolt moves a small contact lever or switch so as to
complete or interrupt the circuit and thereby cause the transmission of a signal to
the station.
Instead of the conductor being made with several wires it may consist of two or
other small number, twisted together, one of them having an insulating coating.
Or, again, where local conditions admit of it the earth may be used for the return
current a single wire or two or more wires combined being used for the outward
current.
The switch or contact mechanism is, when desirable, arranged in a completely
closed casing so that sparking may not ignite inflammable gas if present externally.
And in some cases the switch or contact mechanism may, with advantage, be
arranged to be moved past the contact or break position so as not to prevent the
transmission of signals from another part of the same conductor or cable.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I have here-
unto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon:-
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a haulage road or "level" of a mine. This view
shows the method of fitting up my communicating apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a coupling for the clectric wires.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view, showing the mechanism in the interior of the
coupling.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the coupling.
Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of the contact mechanism.
Fig. 6 is a section, showing the mechanism as it appears when the circuit is
closed.
Fig. 7 is a section, showing the contact mechanism as it appears when the cable
is pulled sufficiently to move the contact past the closed or signalling position.
Referring to the drawings, whereon the same reference letters, wherever repeated,
indicate similar or like parts :-
When my communicating or signalling apparatus is fitted in, for instance, a
mine, an electric bell and battery is fitted, preferably, at the top or bottom of the
shaft, as at A, Fig. 1, and the electric wires D from the battery are led along the
wall of one road or level B of the mine, to the part where the miners arc working.
The wires or conductors D are connected at intervals by means of contact
couplings C. When it is desired to ring the bell at A, and thereby give a signal,
the cable D is merely pulled at any place between the couplings C. Everytime
the cable is pulled, the electric bell at A rings, so that messages or signals can be
transmitted from the interior of the mine to the shaft or pit-head.
The cable D is made up of, preferably, an inner wire 'D', which is covered with
an insulating coating, so as to form a core, and one or more outer wires D2, which
is, or are, or may be, left bare. When several outer wires D' are used, they are,
by preference, twisted round the core in the manner shown at Fig. 2. The electric

page_text: current passes along the core wire D¹ and returns by the wires D2, when the circuit
is completed.
The couplings C are constructed as follows:-Each coupling has a cylindrical
metal casing E, which is open at both ends. In one end is inserted loosely a plug F,
having a hole F¹ bored through it. This plug is screwed at its outer end and has
fitted on it a cap G. The inner end of the plug is recessed out and an externally
and internally screwed vulcanite, or other insulating cup H, having a small hole in
its bottom, inserted in the recess. Screwed into the cup, is a small screw plug I,
having a tapped hole I' in it. The ends of the outer wires D2, which are passed
through a central hole in the cap G, are jammed and held in place against the
outer end of the plug F, by screwing down the cap G and pressing the intermediate
washer G tightly against said wires. The core wire D' is passed right through
the hole F' of the plug F, and cup H, and bent over in the inside of said cup, as
shown. To hold the core wire firmly in place, and to make contact, the screwplug I
is screwed down tight against it. A plug J, of similar construction to the plug F
and having the wires D1, D2, of the second section of the cable attached to it, is
inserted in the opposite end of the casing E. The plug J has a pin Ji passed
through it and through slots J2 in the casing, so as to render it immovable. The
position of the plug can be adjusted by means of the screw nuts J³.
K is a bolt, which slides in grooves K', made in the inner surface, at each side,
of a vulcanite or other insulating cylinder L. The bolt, which is preferably made
of brass is cut out as shown at Fig. 5. Pieces of vulcanite or other insulating
material K2 K3 are fitted in the bolt. The thin bridge K is made of any suitable
metal. The bolt has a screwed projection N on it, which screws into the hole I¹ in.
the cap I. A spiral spring M is attached to the opposite end of the bolt and this
spring has fixed on it, about midway in its length, a washer M', which bears against
the end of the vulcanite cylinder L. This spring M, at its end M2, has a disc
with an insulating rim, on it, which bears against and makes contact with the brass
screw plug I, which, in its turn, is inserted in the vulcanite cup H², and bears
against the wire D'in the plug J.
The cylinder L is recessed at its front end, and pivoted in the recess is a metal
contact lever O of L shape. The lever O is pivoted at the angled part, as shown.
Bearing on the arm 02 of the lever is a plate spring P, which is bent up at the
middle, and at its bent part bears against and makes contact with the casing E.
The lower arm 01 of the lever O normally, as shown at Fig. 4, bears against the
piece of vulcanite K', and therefore does not make contact with the bolt K.
The cylinder L is held rigidly in the interior of the casing E, by a small
screw E, (Fig. 3) which is passed through the casing and enters the cylinder.
The couplings may be fitted in brackets P, having rings P¹ on them, through
which the coupling is passed. The brackets may be slotted, as shown at Q, Q','
and be secured to the supports, by coach nuts, for the purpose of being easily fitted
up and removed.
-
With this apparatus, the + electric current, preferably, passes from the battery
along the wire D', through the cap I³ in the screw plug J, then through the
spring M, bolt K, and cap I in the plug F, where it meets with and passes along
the 2nd section of wire D¹ to the next coupling and so on, throughout the system.
The current, preferably, passes along the wires D³, through the plug J, pin J',
casing E, and plug F, where it meets with and passes along the second section of
wires D', to the next coupling and so on throughout the system. If it is desired
to make a signal at the pit-head or shaft, it is only necessary to pull the left hand
part or second section of the cable D, when the plug F, and bolt K, are pulled
out, against the action of the spring M, and the bridge K comes into contact with
the contact lever O, thereby completing the circuit, through the lever O, spring P
and casing E, and thereby ringing the bell at A. When the cable is let go, the
spring M pulls back the bridge K' of the bolt K, out of contact with the lever O
and at once breaks the circuit and stops the bell.
As it is evident that, should a heavy body, such as a prop or the like, fall on the

page_text: cable D, it will, so to speak, pull it and ring the bell, and, as long as it bears on
the cable, the bell will continue ringing. Also the system will be short circuited,
and signals will not be able to be transmitted from any other part of the system,
farther away from the battery. To prevent the continuous ringing of the bell, in
such cases, and to enable messages to be transmitted from other parts of the
system, I have so constructed the mechanism, as will be seen, that, should a heavy
body fall on the cable, it will first pull out the bolt K till the bridge K* strikes
against the arm O' of the lever O and closes the circuit, thereby calling attention
to the fact that an accident has occurred, but, when this is done, and the bolt is
drawn out still further, the lever O will eventually be turned right over, as shown
at Fig. 7, and the arm 02 will then bear on the piece of vulcanite K³ and at once
break the circuit. It will be seen, that, when this happens, signals may be again
transmitted from any section of the system.
The spring P tends to keep the lever O in its normal or non-signalling position.
The couplings may be fitted on the wall, or to the props, or be laid on the
ground, as desired.
My system is greatly superior to the two uncovered-wires system, as the wires in
this system are often short circuited and are very liable to be broken.
The communicating apparatus besides being used in mines and other underground
workings, can be used for communicating on trains, for use on board ship, in hotels,
and in other situations where suitable.
When the apparatus is used on trains, the sections of cable can be hooked
together between the carriages.
Irstead of having a cable D, two wires, one or both of which are insulated, may
be used.
If so desired, in some cases, only one wire (D¹) may be employed, the earth
being used for conveying the return current.
Branch wires and couplings may be fitted on the system.
The contact mechanism can be fitted on a plate, or in a box, if preferred.
The construction of contact mechanism may be altered, without departing from
the invention.
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. Electrical communicating apparatus, in which contact is made or broken, and
signals transmitted by merely pulling the conductor or cable, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2. The construction of coupling, substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
3. The combination with the sliding spring bolt K, of the contact lever O, and
enclosing insulating cylinder, or its equivalent, substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 4th day of November 1899
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.