IMPROVEMENTS IN MINING SIGNALS, AND IN THE APPARATUS THEREFOR " EMPLOYED
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alan Charles Bagot at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th February 1883.
ALAN CHARLES BAGOT of Rugeley in the County of Stafford [Gentleman]
is IMPROVEMENTS IN MINING SIGNALS, AND IN THE APPARATUS
THEREFOR
"
EMPLOYED
This invention is designed for the purpose of securing the rapid and effective
transmission of Signals in Mines and consists of certain improvements in apparatus
previously described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me on the 12th day
of March 1877 N° 979.
First The apparatus which I call the transmittor the construction of which is
hereinafter described, is placed at the bottom of the shaft, the electric currents
transmitted by this instrument pass through an indicating dial or receiver on the
bank, or top of the shaft and thence to the Engine room where the Winding
Engines are stationed
I will first proceed to describe the peculiar construction of the transmittor which
consists of an arrangement of parts designed to secure the making and breaking of
a circuit by means of a rotating wheel provided with adjustable stops whereby a
complete electrical current shall be established however rapidly the instrument
may be worked. It further provides that the Signal transmitted remains indicated
to the sender and receiver, until the next signal is transmitted and further that
when left ready for use it shall be impossible for the instrument to stop in such a
position as to maintain the electric current thereby preventing waste of battery
power. 2nd The improvements relate to the improved construction of the
signalling keys to the electric gongs whereby spiral springs to break the current
automatically after the operator has completed his signal are avoided,. the improve-
ments here referred to consist in substituting a spring of hammered brass with an
intermediate carrier spring so adjusted as to give a rubbing surface on the brass of
a definite character or duration.
1
Third. The improvements consist in the improved construction of the single
stroke electric gongs whereby greater strength and rigidity of the working parts:

page_text: is secured, for this purpose. I provide an iron bridge to the poles of the electric
magnet at the end opposite to the movable armature and secure this bridge by
means of screws and angle irons to the iron bed plate in such a manner that whilst
the coils of the magnet may readily be removed no parts of the apparatus can be
disturbed from their true relative mechanical position to each other, the whole
being so enclosed in strong teak or other wooden case, so that no part of the
apparatus can be tampered with so long as the gongs are in a position that an
accurate signal could be given or received.
The same arrangement is also applied to the continuous ringing signal gongs
Fourth, These improvements relate to the receiver or instrument upon which the
orders transmitted by the transmittor are received. In order to prevent the possibility
of a wrong signal being received by the action of the lever armature of the
receiving electric magnet, the extreme end of the said lever is so constructed that
the action of the escapement upon it.is that of an inclined plane, and the lever is
so terminated that the action of it when the current passes through the receiving
coil in the first place receives the indicator and in the second place locks the
escapement thus preventing the momentum of the indicator urging it further than
was originally intended by the Operator.
Fifthly, The improvement consists in the interlocking by means of a contact
maker of the "kips" or "bolts" upon which the cages rest at the top of the shaft,
these are in motion with the levers that-release them in such a manner that when
either lever is withdrawn and the Cage is free to descend the shaft, the electric
current is closed and the corresponding arm of an electric semaphore signal, the
construction of which hereinafter 'described is withdrawn by the action of electricity
from the recognized position of "danger" to that of "safety" on replacing the
lever the circuit is broken and the arm of the semaphore previously retained flies
automatically to "danger By this means the Engine Driver can tell which cage
is up and shew in what position the kips" are in, when the Cage is free to
travel It also warns him of the arrival of the cage in foggy weather when unable
to see the pit head.
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"
The construction of the Semaphore signal previously referred to is such that it
may be actuated as follows: An electro Magnet is provided with a balanced
armature in such a manner that except when actuated by an electro current the
Armature is forced into such a position by the action of a spring that the motion
and corresponding position of the lever rods thereto connected actuate a semaphore
arm to stand horizontally at danger as on a Railway Signal, on a current passing
through the electro magnet the respective position of the lever rods are so altered
as to cause the arm referred to, to assume a position indicated as "safety."
Sixth The improvements relate to the protection of Engine planes or inclines
which are worked by power or not for the prevention of a common source of
accidents occasioned by miners meeting the train of tubs in the workings when using
such incline or plane as a road. In carrying out this part of my Invention I
provide an Electric circuit between the Stations on the incline plane or road fitted
with block instruments so constructed that on closing the circuit at either end the
current actuates an arrangement of lever rods connected to the armature of an
electro magnet in such a way as to indicate a position or signal of danger on both
semaphore and indicating instruments in that section. The person in charge of
the train resets the instruments at the point of departure to line clear or safe by
a simple mechanical arrangement of stop plugs, thus the semaphore or indicator at
the end of the incline to which the train is approaching stands at danger or train
on line, thereby warning minera going in of the approach of the train, whilst the
rear instrument or that at the end of the plane or road which the train has left
indicates safety or line clear for the miners to use the road for travelling in the
direction in which the tubs are going.
Finally, I employ an Anemometer with a view to securing the electric trans-
mission of the speed of the main air current of the mine. In carrying out this

page_text: portion of my Invention I place at the distant end of the mine a set of rotating
Cups subject to the action of the air passing through the mines, the spindle or axis
of the revolving cups give motion to a train of wheels which actuate through the
medium of a rack and pinion, the make and brake of an electric circuit in such a
manner that the circuit will be closed and again opened every time the Cups have
completed a given number of revolutions.