IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FRESH AIR TO MINES AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Hugh Hughes, of Hatton Garden, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FRESH AIR TO MINES AND OTHER
PLACES."
Sealed the 4th June 1861, and dated the 10th December 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Hugh Hughes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th December 1860.
I, RICHARD HUGH HUGHES, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FRESH AIR TO MINES AND OTHER
PLACES," to be as follows:-
The air to be supplied is collected in a suitable reservoir or reservoirs adapted
to force air therefrom when required, by suitable pipes or conduits, to the
different parts of the mine or other place requiring fresh air. I prefer for the
reservoir apparatus similar to gas holders of gas works, having a moveable
upper part or dome, and water or other suitable joints, with means adapted to
lift such upper part or dome to admit of air being collected therein, whilst the
weight thereof may be regulated to the force required, and the air therefrom
will be conducted by a main or mains, and thence by branches readily attach-

page_text: able to channels, galleries, workings, or other places, as desired. The fresh
air may be, when required, dried in its passage from the reservoir. By these
means the amount of fresh air supplied during any period may be accurately
measured and registered.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Hugh Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th June 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
HUGH HUGHES, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Hugh Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Hugh
Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Richard Hugh Hughes, 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 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FRESH AIR TO MINES AND OTHER
PLACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Hugh
Hughes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Richard Hugh Hughes, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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, that is to say :-
The object of my Invention is to supply fresh air to mines and other places
by forcing it thereto and to the various parts thereof by suitable pipes or
channels under pressure, in place of simply providing. for its flow into and

page_text: through the mine or other place to be ventilated, as is the general practice.
In carrying out my Invention the air to be supplied is collected in a suitable
reservoir or reservoirs adapted to force air therefrom when required, by suit-
able pipes or conduits, to the different parts of the mine or other place requiring
fresh air. And I prefer for the reservoirs apparatus similar to gas holders of
gas works, having a moveable upper part or dome, and water or flexible or
other suitable joints, forming retaining means or packing between such upper
part or dome and the case or frame, such retaining means or packing being
adapted to admit of the dome sliding freely, and yet of preventing the escape
of air therefrom at such parts. There is also a passage to such dome adapted
to admit fresh air therein when such dome is being moved in one direction,
and to close when moved in the opposite direction; and there is another valve
passage adapted to be closed by its valve when motion is given to the dome of
the reservoir for the admission of fresh air thereto, and to open in the opposite
direction, so that the fresh air collected in the reservoir may be allowed to
pass away by such passage when the dome is moved in the direction for that
purpose. The upper or moveable part of the reservoir may be lifted by steam
engine or other suitable power, and its weight (which may be regulated) may
be the means of forcing the air therefrom through the desired channels, or
such moveable part may be moved in both directions by steam engine or other
power. The air may be conducted down the mine and into various chambers
or passages thereof, or to such other place as desired, by pipes or other ways,
with outlets at various places capable of being closed, when not required, by
taps, valves, or traps, also adapted to receive connections for flexible or other
branches, in order that currents of fresh air may be taken to channels, gal-
leries, workings, or other places where they are particularly required, and then,
if desired, closed or reduced when the occasion for them has ceased. The
fresh air may, when desired, be dried in its passage from the reservoir by
passing through channels or chambers heated by a furnace or furnaces or
otherwise. Registering apparatus, such as that applied to gas and other
meters, may also be applied to the moving part of the reservoir, which, by
indicating the number of motions thereof, will indicate the quantity of air
communicated in a given time. Thus may the amount of fresh air supplied
to the mine or other place during any period be accurately measured and
registered. Means such as described will be found useful in sinking shafts,
forming tunnels, or other workings, for the purpose of supplying fresh air
thereto, or air adapted to neutralize any unpleasant gas arising in a particular
locality; and in case of need, will be found useful in conveying messages, and
even food or water, when an accident may have taken place.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have it
understood that what I claim is, the method or system of forcing and distri-
buting air to mines and other places substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Hugh Hughes, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One 5
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
73, Chancery Lane,
Patent Agent.
RICHP. HUGH HUGHES. (L.S.)