IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING MINES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Jones, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Engineer and Iron Founder, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING MINES."
Sealed the 22nd July 1853, and dated the 16th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Jones at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th May 1853.
I, GEORGE JONES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer and Iron Founder, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING MINES" to be as
follows:-
I place the machine which I employ for this purpose at the top of
one of the shafts, and connect to it an exhaust pipe leading from the
particular part of the mine to be ventilated, or having branches to
different parts of the mine where foul or vitiated air is present; then
on the machine being set to work, the vitiated air will be drawn off*
through the pipe or pipes, and a downward current of air will be pro-
duced to supply the place of that so exhausted, whereby a continuous
stream of fresh air will be thrown into the back of the workings so
long as the machine is kept in operation. Or the machine might be
placed at the bottom of the shaft, or at any point intermediate of the

page_text: surface of the ground and the back of the spot at which the men are
at work; the outlet of the exhaust being at the surface, and the inlet
branched off as required to the different parts from which the foul air
is desired to be withdrawn. In coal mines where the works are
extensive I should in some cases employ the "bye pits" for fixing the
necessary apparatus, or the pumping or lifting engine shaft, as con-
venience might dictate, and more than one machine might be employed.
The same arrangements would serve also when the ventilation is
effected by blowing or forcing in air to the back of the workings, the
machine or machines being then driven in the reverse direction to that
in which they are worked when exhausting. The machine which I
prefer to use for the purpose before stated is my gas exhauster or
blower, previously protected, as the high velocity at which it can be
worked with little expenditure of power renders it peculiarly applicable
for these uses, and from the simplicity of its parts it is little liable to
be deranged while working, but other approved constructions of rotary
exhausting or blowing machines may be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 16th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE JONES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer
and Iron Founder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Jones, Her special licence
that I, the said George Jones, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Jones, 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

page_text: 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 George Jones, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain 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 George Jones, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:
My Invention consists in ventilating mines by means of an exhaust-
ing or blowing machine placed at the top of one of the shafts, and
connected to an exhaust pipe leading from the particular part of the
mine to be ventilated, or having branches to different parts of the
mine where foul or vitiated air is present. On the machine being set
to work, the vitiated air will be drawn off, while a downward current
of air will be produced to supply the place of that so exhausted. A
continuous stream of fresh air will thus be thrown into the back of
the workings as long as the machine is kept in operation. Or the
exhausting machine may be placed at the bottom of the shaft, or at any
point between the surface of the ground and the back of the spot at
which the men are at work; the outlet of the exhaust being at the
surface, and the inlet branched off as required to the different parts
from which the foul air is desired to be withdrawn. In coal mines
where the works are extensive I find it convenient to employ the
66
bye pits" for fixing the necessary apparatus, or the pumping or lifting
engine shaft, as circumstances may dictate. The same arrangements
would serve also when the ventilation is effected by blowing or forcing
in air to the back of the workings, the machine or machines being
then driven in the reverse direction to that in which they are worked
when exhausting. The machine which I prefer to use for the ventila-
tion of mines is my gas exhauster or blower, previously protected, and

page_text: herein-after referred to and represented in the Drawings. The high
velocity at which it can be worked with little expenditure of power
renders it peculiarly applicable for ventilation, and from the simplicity
of its parts it is little liable to be put out of order, but other approved
constructions of rotary exhausting or blowing machines may be used.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed 1 have given, as an illustration of
my improved method of ventilation, a section of a mine with the
exhauster or blower, and the arrangements of the pipes applied thereto
for withdrawing the foul or vitiated air from the back of the workings.
In Figure 1, the exhauster A, is placed on the surface and as near the
pit's mouth as convenient; the pipes B, for the withdrawal of the
vitiated or foul air are carried down the shaft, and are connected by
means of a branch pipe or pipes with the back of the workings so as
to exhaust as far as possible the foul air. The exhausting machine
being set to work causes a partial vacuum to be formed in the work-
ings, and a constant stream of pure or atmospheric air flows in to
supply the place of the foul air, whereby the working is purified and
ventilated.
Figure 2, represents an arrangement in which the exhauster is placed
at the bottom of the shaft. A, is the exhauster; B, the pipe to the
back of the working; and C, the pipe for conveying the foul or vitiated
air from the exhauster to the surface of the ground. It may be found
desirable in some cases to place valves or slides at different parts of
either the main or branch pipes to shut off any particular working or
workings.
In Figures 3, and 4, I have shewn respectively a front elevation and
end view, with one of the end covers removed, of the exhausting or
blowing apparatus, which I prefer to use in connection with my system
of ventilation. A, is the base plate, and B, the cylinder casing; C, C, are
two pistons of the peculiar form represented in the Drawings, which
are mounted on the shafts D, D), turning in collars in the end covers of
the cylinders; E, E, are two pairs of spur wheels mounted upon the
shafts of the pistons, and gearing into each other so as to preserve the
pistons in their proper relative positions during the whole of their
revolution, and also to communicate the motion of the lower piston to
the upper; F, is a strap pulley keyed upon the shaft of the lower piston,

page_text: and driven by a steam engine or other prime mover, whereby the
pistons are caused rapidly to rotate, and when placed in communication
with the arrangement of pipes represented in Figures 1, and 2, or any
other like arrangement of pipes that may from local causes or other
circumstances be rendered necessary, the foul or vitiated air will be
exhausted, while a continuous stream of fresh air will flow into the
back of the workings, and thus ventilate and purify the mine. By
reversing the rotation of the pistons fresh air may be forced or blown
into the back of the workings, the same arrangements of pipes being
observed as when the apparatus is used for exhausting. Should it be
found desirable, from the extent of a mine or from other local causes,
one, two, three, or more exhausters or blowers inay be used separately
or in conjunction with one another.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
The several methods and arrangements for ventilating mines by
means of exhausters or blowers, in connection with pipes and branches
for withdrawing the foul or vitiated air from such parts where it may
be desirable or where it may be present, and thus causing a constant
stream of fresh air to flow into such parts to supply the place of that
so exhausted.
I also claim the arrangements for forcing or blowing a stream of
fresh air into such places where foul or vitiated air may be present by
means of the blowers and arrangements of pipes and branches, all
as herein-before described and represented in the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Jones, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-three.