VENTILATION OF MINES

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14492, 5 October 1910, Page 5

VENTILATION OF MINES

Tin: question of devising an effective means of ventilating mines has long occupied the attention of mining experts and inventors. Many thousands of lives have been lost at various times in different parts of the world, owing to the presence of deadly gases, and dclvers in the bowels of the earth and all interested in their welfare will hail with delight any contrivance that will make for the betterment of existing conditions. Several appliances for ventilating mines are already in use, but an Auckland inventor claims to have perfected a ventilator which will be more effectual and economical than any now in use. The new ventilator, which is the invention of Mr. A. McLeod, of Freeman's Bay, consists of a. 4in pipe, which may be carried from the top to the bottom of the shaft of a mine. Where the branch drives go off there are horizontal pipes, at top and bottom, running the full length of drives, and perforated to ( carry off the carbonic oxide and carbonic acid gases (first-named gas rises and the other is on the. foot of the drive) to the large pipe in the ehaft. At the bottom of the large pine is a gas or other burner that sends a flame up the centre of the pipe. This ignites the foul gas and causes a suction draught in the smaller pipe. In this way it is claimed that the drive is cleared of all foul air or gas. The gas that ignites in the large pipe can, it is asserted by the inventor, be utilised as a fuel-saving expedient in connection with the furnace of the hoisting boiler. Mr. McLeod has erected a model of the ventilator in his workshop in Pattesonstreet. This consists of a 4in pipe, the head of which projects through the roof, whilst under the heel a gas jet is placed, and connected with this pipe are two smaller perforated pipes, each about 10ft long, representing those in a drive. Several demonstrations of the working of the system have been given by means of the model. It is claimed that there is absolutely no danger of back-firing, the ilame being confined to the vertical pine. Mr. McLeod has secured patent rights for his invention.