Improvements in Means for Storing and Supplying Compressed Air for Use in Coal and other Pits or Mines for Ventilating or other Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 4th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 7th June, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Storing and Supplying Compressed Air
for Use in Coal and other Pits or Mines for Ventilating or other
Purposes.
We THOMAS ARCHER Junior of Dunston Engine Works Dunston in the County
of Durham Engineer and JAMES FAIRLEY of Cragghead and Holmside Collieries
in the County of Durham, Mining Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
According to this Invention air chambers are formed in or from old workings or
special chambers are constructed in the earth in proximity to the pits or mines
wherein compressed air is to be used and in connection with the said old workings
or special chambers are closed air tight and are provided with pipes or passages and
cocks for conveying the air to the place or places of utilization and emitting it as
desired for ventilating or other purposes such for example as for working machinery
forcing water or for clearing the workings and pit of gases in the event of an
explosion.
Dated thi th
1000
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the said Thomas Archer, Junior,
and James Fairley.

page_text: Improvements in Means for Storing and Supplying Compressed Air
for Use in Coal and other Pits or Mines for Ventilating or other
Purposes.
We THOMAS ARCHER Junior of Dunston Engine Works, Dunston in the County
of Durham Engineer and JAMES FAIRLEY of Cragghead and Holmside Collieries
in the County of Durham Mining Engineer 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 :-
According to this Invention air chambers are formed in or from old workings or
special chambers are constructed in the earth in proximity to the pits or mines
wherein compressed air is to be used and in connection with the said old workings or
special chambers means are provided for compressing and storing air therein―The
said old workings or special chambers are closed air tight and are provided with
pipes or passages and cocks for conveying the air to the place or places of utilization
and emitting it as desired for ventilating or other purpose such for example as for
working machinery, forcing water, or for clearing the workings and pit of gases in the
event of an explosion. The chambers are also fitted with safety valves and pressure
gauges to regulate and indicate the degree of pressure in the chambers.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a diagram which will serve to illustrate
generally our Invention the structural details being arranged in any suitable way.
Figure 2 is a view of one end of a chamber when formed in an old working, and
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively an end view and a horizontal section of a special
chamber fitted or built in a working. A Figure 1 represents an old working (or it
may be a special chamber as shown in Figs. 3 & 4) lined if necessary with cement,
lead, or other suitable material in such a way as to retain air under pressure supplied
by an air compressor E in communication with the space in A by the pipe f. From
the space A a pipe b provided with an outlet valve b' is led, by which the compressed
air can be drawn off from the space A as required. Branch pipes c each provided
with a cock d are connected to the pipe for conducting the compressed air into the
workings for ventilation or other purpose or for working machinery connected to the
said outlets c or for analogous purposes. There may be one or several air compressors
and air outlets in connection with the space A as desired.
The end or ends B of the chamber may be built up of brick or stone if desired but
we prefer to form them of metal and to provide them with man-holes e and with safety
valves g and a pressure gauge has shewn in Figure 2.
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 :-
The means for storing and supplying compressed air for use in mines or pits for
ventilating or other purpose substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 4th day of May 1887