IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING COLLIERIES AND MINES FROM EXPLOSIONS RESULTING FROM THE OPERATIONS OF BLASTING AND OTHER CAUSES, PART OF THE SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO EXTINGUISHING FIRES."
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Daye at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 8th July 1880.
JOHN DAYE, of Aberdare, in the County of Glamorgan. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SECURING COLLIERIES AND MINES FROM EXPLOSIONS RESULTING FROM THE
OPERATIONS OF BLASTING AND OTHER CAUSES, PART OF THE SAID IMPROVEMENTS
BEING APPLICABLE TO EXTINGUISHING FIRES."
This Invention relates to improvemonts in securing collieries and mines from
explosions, especially those explosions in coal mines, resulting from the operation of
blasting or shot firing as now carried on.
In the operation of coal mining, the following means are (or process is) adopted,
the use of which or the combination thereof in mining for coal, etcetera, constitute
the novelty of this Invention:-
Firstly. This Invention consists in the use of much smaller bore holes, and of less
charges in such holes for blasting or shot-firing purposes than are now used, by
which an economy is obtained of one fourth to fifteen sixteenth of the explosive
substances used and labour employed, and greater safety ensured by tho equivalent
reduction in the gases evolved by the combustion of the explosive substances
employed.
Secondly. The use of electric signalling (with or without telephonic communi-
cation) with electric shot-firing, any ordinary electric or telephonic apparatus being
employed for the purpose of securing greater safety in blasting operations, by which
the exact state of the mine at all parts, or those parts likely to be affected by the
blasting operations, can be signalled to the firer of the shot or shots at the time the
shots are to be fired, and immediately after the examination of the mine, so that no
time is allowed to elapse between the examination of distant parts of the mine
and the time of firing the shots, in which space of time gas may and does
accumulate.
Thirdly. Observing the varying amount of vapour in the atmosphere by hygro-
meters, and saturating the natural or artificial flowing currents of air, either wholly
or partially, when or where required in the mines with such aqueous vapour, or with
water or its equivalent, for the purpose of decreasing the conductivity and of
increasing the capacity for heat of and cooling the said currents of air, applying the
said saturated currents of air to inflammable gases given off by the coal or combustion
of gunpowder or other explosives to prevent their firing or exploding, and for the

page_text: purpose of neutralising the presence of or disposing of any fino coal dust which
exists in the various levels or workings of mines, and which flows in the atmosphere
of coal mines, especially near to where shots have been and are being fired,
and further, for the purpose of preventing spontaneous combustion in coal mines.
Fourthly. The use of solid inflammable clements, such as sand or dust, to prevent
the spreading of combustion (for instance, when a mine is on fire), in place of using
water, which often causes explosions, and ruins or shuts up collieries for different
periods of time according to circumstances.