Improvements relating to Air Doors and the like for Coal Mines or Underground Workings.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1896
Complete Concifination Loft 10th Sont 1907 Accented 16th Oct 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Air Doors and the like for Coal Mines or
Underground Workings.
We, ALBERT EDWIN HOLBROOK, of Holly House, Brynteg, Abertillery, Mining
Contractor, and JOHN FRANCIS HARDING, of 33 Castle Street, Abertillery, Miner,
both in the County of Monmouth, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of improvements relating to air doors and the like for
coal mines or underground workings, our object being to provide simple and
reliable means for effecting the automatic closing and opening of such doors by
the movement of a passing tram or wagon.
Our invention comprises a system of lever and link or other connections between
a movable rail or rails and the air or other doors, so arranged that the movement
of the rail or rails by a passing tram or wagon shall be transmitted to and erect
the opening of the doors to permit of the passage of the vehicle and the closing of
the doors after the vehicle is clear of the same.
In one convenient application of our invention we employ weights or springs
for the purpose of keeping the doors in the closed positions. A portion of the tram
rail or rails adjacent to the doors we provide with a joint and connect the same with
the doors by suitable levers, rods, or linkage. The wagon or vehicle in passing
over the movable rail or rails on approaching the closed doors produces a lateral or
other movement of such rail or rails which is transmitted by the linkage to the
doors and forces the same open against the resistance of the weights or springs.
The doors are retained in their open position until the vehicle has passed through
and is clear on the opposite side, when the weights or spring will act upon and
close the doors.
We modify the arrangement of the linkage or the means of transmitting the
motion of the rails or like movable parts to the doors to suit the particular service
to which we apply our invention.
1
1800
Improvements relating to Air Doors and the like for Coal Mines or
Underground Workings.
We, ALBERT EDWIN HOLBROOK, of Holly House, Brynteg, Abertillery, Mining
Contractor, and JOHN FRANCIS HARDING, of 33 Castle Street, Abertillery, Miner,
both in the County of Monmouth, do hereby declare the nature of this invention

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention consists of improvements relating to air doors and the like for
coal mines or underground workings, our object being to provide simple and
reliable means for effecting the automatic opening and closing of such doors by
the movement of a passing tram or wagon.
Our invention comprises a system of lever and link or other connections between
a movable rail or rails and the air or other doors, so arranged that the movement
of the rail or rails by a passing tram or wagon shall be transmitted to and effect
the opening of the doors to permit of the passage of the vehicle and the closing
of the doors after the vehicle is clear of the same.
In one cenvenient application of our invention we employ weights. or springs.
for the purpose of keeping the doors in the closed positions. A portion of the
tram rail or rails adjacent to the doors we provide with a joint and connect the
same, with the doors by suitable levers, rods, or linkage. The wagon or vehicle
in passing over the movable rail or rails on approaching the closed doors produces
a lateral or other movement of such rail or rails which is transmitted by the
linkage to the doors and forces the same open against the resistance of the weight
or springs. The doors are retained in their open position until the vehicle has
passed through and is clear on the opposite side, when the weights or spring will
act upon and close the doors.
We modify the arrangement of the linkage or the means of transmitting the
motion of the rails or like movable parts to the doors to suit the particular service
to which we apply our invention.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred
to.-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a pair of air doors with one arrangement of
our opening & closing mechanism. Fig. 2 is a part sectional plan of
the doors showing the connection therewith of the operating mechanism or
appliances, whilst Figure 3 is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 4 is an elevation showing a modified arrangement of our opening and
closing appliances.
The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same parts.
The doors A A¹ are normally kept in their closed position against each other
by the weights BB each weight being connected with the door which is further-
most from it, and thus the descent of the weights causes the doors to move towards
each other until they close together. The two doors are connected by the endless
chain or cord C working upon suitable guide pulleys as DD mounted on the door
framing, and so attached to the pair of doors that one door cannot move without
causing a movement of the other, in the opposite direction.
The door A is connected with the upper end of the lever E, the short arms E E
of such lever being connected with one end of the levers F F, the opposite ends of
which are respectively connected with the lengths of rail G G₁ adjacent to the
opposite sides of the door A, by the rods or link pieces H H. Each of such lengths
of rail G G is arranged in suitable guides and is provided at its end remote from
the door with a pivot like stud or connection.
When the doors are closed the levers and connections hereinbefore described
between them and the rails G G¹ cause the latter to assume and be maintained at
the tilted or inclined positions shown at Figure 3. But on the approach of a
wagon or vehicle on the rails towards either side of the doors, the tilted rails G G
are automatically depressed by the load imposed on them by the vehicle wheels,
such load being sufficient to raise the counter-weights BB and to open the
doors A A¹ by the arrangement of connecting levers hereinbefore described. When
the wagon or vehicle has passed through the door-way and its wheels are clear
of the movable rails GG the doors are closed by the descent of the weights BB
and the rails again raised to their inclined positions.

page_text: The doors are hung or suspended by the runners or pulleys J upon the
supporting bar K and they can thus be moved readily under the action of the
counter-weights BB, or by the force imposed by the passing wagon or vehicle
as described.
Either rail of the pair on each side of the doors can be made the movable rail;
thus at Figure 4 the rail remote from the lever E is the movable rail, whilst the
rail adjacent to the lever is fixed in the ordinary manner and forms no part of
the door operating mechanism.
To enable the colliers or other persons to pass through without opening the
main sliding doors A A' we provide a hinged side door such as L which can be
opened and closed independently of the main doors. When the side door is
closed the main door A¹ can slide over or past the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The automatic opening and closing of air doors and the like for coal mines
or underground workings by the movement of a passing vehicle, substantially as
described.
2. In combination with air doors and the like for coal mines or underground
workings, the use of a movable rail, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
3. The arrangement and combination of air doors for coal mines and under-
ground workings with means for the automatic opening and closing of same,
substantially as described and as illustrated.
Dated this 9th day of Sentember 1897
MARKS & CLERK,
1S, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.