Abstract: A sample mount assembly for use with an X-ray diffractometer. The assembly includes a holder with an opening extending therethrough, an insert to fit into the holder through its opening, a substrate filter layer, and the exposed sample layer mounted on the filter. The holder's opening is larger at its lower surface than at its upper surface such, that the insert which is shaped as a four side truncated pyramid, can be placed into the holder from its lower surface but not through its upper surface opening. The layer filter with its mounted sample layer is sandwiched between the insert and holder to allow the sample to be exposed to incident X-rays through the holder's upper surface. Plastic tape or some other securing mechanism is used to secure the holder to the insert at the holder's lower surface. The result is a mount that allows easy installation and removal with automatic sample changers for X-ray diffraction of the membranes with no vertical offset and a flat, even, sample upper surface.

Abstract: A device used as a combined scrubber and water droplet eliminator which may be employed in removing particulate from air, especially in conjunction with an underground mining machine. The scrubber is made of a fibrous bed material and is rotatable by a motor forming part of a bed assembly. Adjacent to the rotatable bed are water sprays directed to spray towards and on the bed as it rotates. A suitable air movement device, such as a fan, draws dust-laden and water drop-laden air to the rotating bed. The air goes through the bed and the dust and water particles impact the bed's rotating wetted fibers and are forced radially directly outward. The bed's rotation takes place against the inlet portion of a stationary bell mouth assembly. An air seal caused by the air pressure differential seals the rotating bed to the inside surface of the assembly.

Abstract: An auger construction is provided which reduces the surface noise radiated by the auger and serves to at least partially isolate the auger from the remainder of the machine. The auger construction comprises an inner shaft and outer concentric shafts, the latter carrying the helical cutting blade and generally corresponding to the shaft of a conventional auger. An elongated annulus of noise and vibration dampening material is disposed between the inner and outer shafts. Preferably, the outer shaft is isolated from the machine by further noise dampening material disposed between the mounting flange and the proximate end of that shaft and between the free end of the inner shaft and the end of the hose in the outer shaft. A bore in the inner shaft is also filled with noise dampening material. A number of arrangements are disclosed for fixing the two shafts together so as to prevent rotational slippage therebetween.

Abstract: A chainless haulage system having at least three pairs of sprocket wheels, each pair disposed on a separate axle with opposed wheels on each axle aligned in a pair of parallel planes. Two pairs of sprocket wheels are disposed laterally offset from each other and serve as follower sprocket wheels, while a third pair is driven by conventional means. A pair of endless drive chains each having adjacent chain links in generally perpendicular planes respectively engage sprocket wheels disposed in the parallel planes to form a double strand of drive chain. The two endless drive chains are interconnected by a plurality of crossbars, each of which is formed of a pair of opposed chain links integrally connected by a connecting bar, the chain links of the cross bar inserted in series with the links of the endless drive chain. A hollow cylindrical roller is loosely disposed around the connecting bar of the cross bar.

Abstract: A method of augmenting the cutting operation of a cutter bit to reduce the cutting energy required and to reduce the respirable dust generated during the cutting operation. During the cutting operation of coal with a continuous mining machine greater than 90 percent of the primary respirable dust generated occurs in the crushing zone around the tip of bit. By applying a high pressure (2,500 to 5,000 psi) spray of water at or near the center of the cutting tip, as the tip touches the coal, tests have shown very substantial reductions in the airborne respirable dust generated and that there is lubrication and cooling at the cutter tip/mineral interface to provide for reduced sumping forces and lowered methane ignition potential.

Abstract: An improved method of in situ mining of a mineral bearing stratum. The method comprises drilling alternating rows of vertical injection and recovery wells to the depth of an aquiferrous mineral bearing stratum. Two horizontal branches are drilled at the bottom of each injection and recovery well. The horizontal branches are substantially parallel to one another and lie within the mineral bearing stratum. Leachant fluid is pumped under pressure into the injection wells to dissolve the minerals contained in the stratum. Leachant fluid containing the dissolved minerals is pumped out through the recovery wells. The method of the present invention requires substantially less drilling and pipe for extracting minerals from a given volume of a mineral bearing stratum and results in more constant mineral extraction rates than conventional techniques.

Abstract: An extensometer anchor for use in a mine borehole. The anchor has an anchor body that, when in an operative mode, is placed in the borehole. Extending at least partially around the outer surface of the body are one or more grooves whose major plane is generally perpendicular to the length of the borehole. Seated within each groove is a compressible resilient anchor member, like a ring, which remains loaded by a retaining device, such as a cotter pin, extending through it. Upon being pulled from outside of the borehole, the retaining device unloads the compressed anchor which then moves to expand outwardly in the borehole and firmly anchor the anchor body and attached extensometer within the mine borehole.

Abstract: A mine face ventilating method and apparatus are disclosed which serve to supply fresh air from a ventilated crosscut. A duct system containing a blower draws air from the crosscut and expels a jet of air out of a duct in the tunnel. Arcuately shaped troughs located at the end of the duct in the tunnel channel the air to the face of the tunnel. The troughs define an arc of between about 90.degree. and 180.degree. and provide substantially improved air "throw" as compared with conventional tubular ventilation piping.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for in-situ leach mining which utilizes multiple dhole branch wells whipstocked off a single main generally vertical well. Initially the vertical well is drilled into the earth so that it may intersect the ore zone of material to be recovered. The vertical well may be cased and cemented after drilling. Thereafter from this same well a plurality of branch wells are whipstocked or drilled which intersect the vertical well at an angle from about 2 degrees to 60 degrees. These branch wells extend into the ore zone. A submersible pump and drop pipe are placed in the main well and at some point below the intersection of the main well with the branch wells a packer is placed around the drop pipe. The drop pipe carries solutions to the surface from the pump.

Abstract: A lighting inverter for operating an electrical discharge lamp from a direct current power source. The inverter includes a resonant feedback inverter which converts the output of the d.c. power source to an alternating current output and regulates the a.c. inverter output voltage level by varying the frequency thereof. A ballast filter is coupled to the regulated output of the resonant feedback inverter and is formed by a series circuit of a ballast inductor and a ballast capacitor. Connected across the capacitor is the discharge lamp. Appropriate circuit parameters such as ballast inductance, ballast capacitance, inverter operating frequency, and the inverter resonant frequency are selected to maintain almost unity power factor at the input to the ballast filter.

Abstract: A portable calibrator for d.c. circuit breakers is provided which produces a low voltage, short duration current test pulse of a current level sufficient to trip the breaker under test. The current pulse is produced by a high power, high frequency d.c. to d.c. converter which is controlled by lower power signals. A static switch controlled by the converter output provides current protection for the converter. A feedback loop including a current transformer connected in an output transformer circuit provides control of the test pulse. A non-inductive shunt connected in a negative test lead monitors the test pulse during the period of application thereof, the shunt being connected to a sample and hold read-out circuit which includes metering for indicating the peak current value. A timer interlocked with the metering ensures that sufficient time is provided for the operator to read current value.

Abstract: A system for measuring the resistance of an earth electrode such as a coal mine safety ground bed. Current is circulated between the bed and an auxiliary current probe installed approximately ten times the maximum linear dimension of the ground bed under test. By measuring the voltage level between the ground bed and an auxiliary voltage probe placed about 62 percent of the distance from the ground bed to the auxiliary current electrode along the straight line between them, the true resistance of the ground bed can be determined. To sense the current value of the current flowing into the ground bed, a current transformer is placed around the lead to the ground bed. Voltage measurements are made with a high impedance voltage amplifier connected between the ground bed and the auxiliary voltage probe. Continuous monitoring of the measurements obtained without the presence of operator is achieved by using an analog divider and filter with their output terminal being connected to a recorder.

Abstract: An improved electrical cable coupler incorporates rotatable protective covers on its plug and socket members to automatically protect the plug and socket contacts against contamination when the plug and socket members are disconnected and to allow the contacts to be electrically engaged when the plug and socket members are connected together. Each protective cover includes one or more openings which correspond in number and location to the electrical contacts on the plug and socket members. Each cover is rotatable between a protective position in which its openings are out of alignment with the respective contacts to provide protection against contamination and an operative position in which the openings are aligned with the respective contacts to expose the contacts for electrical engagement.

Abstract: A vibrating wire stress meter and the method used to clamp its wire in position. The wire is highly tensioned diametrically across the sides of a hollow metallic cylinder and held there by two anchor tubes. A wedge and platen assembly in turn hold this cylinder in a rock borehole such that small stress changes in the surrounding rock cause the diameter of the cylinder to slightly change. This cylinder variation is transmitted to and measured by the preloaded wire by noting variations in its frequency or period of vibration. To cause the wire to vibrate a coil, magnet, and yoke are used as a plural pole electromagnetic plucker.Clamping of the wire is accomplished by highly tensioning the wire between two opposite hollow tubes that are seated in opposite aligned countersunk holes of the cylinder and then extruding the steel tubes around the wire. The wire extends through holes of those hollow tubes as well as the aligned holes in the cylinder walls which are diametrically opposite each other.

Abstract: A trapping and measuring device is provided for collecting and weighing wind borne particles of sand in the desert or the like. The device includes a rotatable trapping housing which is constructed to permit the wind to pass therethrough while trapping the sand carried by the wind. The column-like housing is mounted on a fixed base which contains a funnel and collector cup assembly together with a transducer for weighing the sand collected in the cup. A wind-catching plate attached to the rotatable housing provides orientation of the housing entrance openings so as to face the wind. A tortuous path provided within the trapping housing promotes release of the sand from the wind passing through the housing and screens at the exits block egress of the sand.

Abstract: A mine ventilation system and method are provided for continuously supplying fresher air to an automated mining machine located in a mine heading. A blower attached to a mining machine operates to suck fresher air into the heading from a tunnel with through ventilation and to exhaust the air out of the heading through a collapsible duct. A standby blower is provided which is activated should the machine blower not be functioning for whatever reason. This blower draws fresher air from the tunnel with through ventilation and blows it out through the collapsible duct, in a direction opposite to the normal air flow, and into the heading. The standby blower is located in the tunnel downstream of the heading and has an intake duct with an inlet upstream of the heading.

Abstract: A spray nozzle which is non-plugging and selfcleaning. The nozzle has a central main conduit with an externally mounted water discharge assembly encircling it at its front opened end. A mixture of air and a sealant is forced through the main conduit until it is expelled from the conduit's inwardly tapered front opened discharge end. The water discharge assembly, in the preferred embodiment, has two spaced concentric rings joined together. The rearmost ring serves to mount the assembly to the main conduit and to support a second ring having an internal hollow water conduit section. Near the discharge front end, the front ring is attached to the rear ring by several supporting mounts. The front or outer ring has a plurality of water discharge jets or openings which encircle the front of the main conduit and are fed through their internal hollow section by a water conduit.

Abstract: A vent device for relieving pressure buildup inside an electrical enclosure due to an internal explosion of gases. A mass of stainless steel foam covers an opening in the enclosure and stops any flames or particles from escaping but provides a large equivalent cross section opening to permit the gases to escape and vent the pressure buildup. An outer cover protects the foam mass from impact damage and shields it from high pressure water spray used in cleaning. The cover is vertically hung from a knife-edge and held closed by means of a permanent magnet. A predetermined pressure differential is sufficient to overcome the attractive force of the magnet and allow the protective cover to be pushed open.

Abstract: An extensible brattice and cantilevered support system therefor comprises a brattice panel having first and second top sleeves and a weighted bottom sleeve suspended from selected roof bolts by a support system comprising a support to which the brattice panel is mounted and which defines a track, and mounting apparatus for each roof bolt comprising a coupler connected to the panel support in sliding engagement with the support track, an elongate member connected to the coupler, an upstanding, roof abutting leg member connected to the elongate member at a location longitudinally spaced from the coupler, and a member connecting the elongate member in depending relation to the associated roof bolt at a position on the elongate member intermediate the coupler and leg member.

Abstract: A powder agglomerator and its method of use. The invention is used to take extremely fine flue dust particles in a collection bin and process them before sending the resultant agglomeration to storage or a further processing location. From its collection bin, the dust particles are discharged by gravity upon a lower rapidly rotating smooth horizontal disc. The bin discharge is offset slightly from the disc's center so that the particles are subjected to centrifugal force to move them to the disc's outer periphery. At the point where the particles are discharged on the disc, a liquid binder, like water, is sprayed on the particles to cause them to begin to agglomerate. After being sprayed, the wetted particles are agglomerated under the influence of centrifugal and tangential forces. When they reach the disc's raised edge, the particles are completely agglomerated at which time they fall over the edge into a discharge hopper located below.