Abstract: A valve device takes the form of a multi-part cartridge with a hollow stepped housing containing a stepped rod. A control piston at one end of the rod is opposed by the force of a main spring in a main chamber remote from the control piston. A valve closure member is axially displaceable relative to the rod. The valve closure member is normally held against a valve seating but pressure on the control piston displaces the rod and causes the valve closure member to be lifted from its seating via stop faces. An auxiliary chamber in the housing leads via a connection to some consumer appliance and forms, the downstream side of the valve. A compensating piston on the rod member opposes a face of the valve closure member open to the auxiliary chamber. A further spring in the auxiliary chamber holds the valve closure member on its seating. The valve can open independently of the control piston should the pressure on the upstream side of the valve exceed the consumer pressure.

Abstract: An electro-hydraulic control system for a mineral mining installation has a series of valve blocks, each contain a number of valves which are operated in dependence on electrical signals to cause hydraulic appliances of roof supports to operate. To allow emergency operation, when there is a power failure or when the control system fails or is otherwise inoperative, further manually operable valves are connected by a flexible, multi-core connecting cable to the valve block of the associated support. The emergency control valves can operate hydraulically controllable direction control valves of the control system and by-pass the electrical controls. The support can then be controlled purely hydraulically, at least in its main functions, using the emergency device.

Abstract: A pressure-relief valve device has the stem of a valve member guided within a sealed bore of a guide piece screwed into or onto a sleeve-like housing. A spring in the housing acts on a pressure disk to create closure force on the head of the valve member. A connector, which may provide a plug-in connection to some equipment to be controlled, is in screw-threaded engagement with the guide and can be removed to provide ready access to the valve member without disturbing the remainder of the assembly and its setting. The valve member has a piston opposite the head which fits in a recess in the connector. An end wall of the recess forms a stop limiting the closed position of the valve and an end face of the guide forms a complementing stop face limiting the open position of the valve.

Abstract: A non-porous hydrogen diffusion membrane, and the utilization thereof for e separation of hydrogen from gas mixtures. The non-porous hydrogen diffusion membrane distinguishes itself in that it is constituted of TiNi or TiAg with an atom ratio of about 1:1. These titanium alloys presently contain about 45 to 55% of atoms of one or the other of the components and are utilized at temperatures in excess of 300.degree. C. in the form of thin sheets of foils.

Abstract: A mine roof support has a slidable extension at the front end of an auxiliary roof cap pivoted for swinging up and down on a main cap. To prevent the extension from being extended when the angle of inclination of the auxiliary cap is too high an insulative cylindrical block is fitted to say the auxiliary cap to partially rotate as the auxiliary cap pivots. A flattened region on the block supports a metallic plate and indexes as the auxiliary cap pivots. A resiliently-mounted proximity switch on the main cap senses the presence of the plate and produces a signal to prevent the extension from being extended.

Abstract: The invention relates to a distributor for controlling hydraulic distribution between hydraulic consumers of a mine roof support unit and hydraulic supply lines extending along a mine working. The distributor comprises a supply block provided with a plurality of pairs of main hose connections and a plurality of branch hose connections. The hose connections of each pair of main hose connections are connected by a respective main passage. Each branch hose connector is connected to a corresponding main passage by a respective branch passage. The supply block is provided with two sets of shut-off valves, the shut-off valves of one valve set being arranged in the main passages, and the shut-off valves of the other valve set being arranged in the branch passages. The hose connections of each pair of main hose connections are connected into a respective hydraulic supply line, and the branch hose connections are connected to the hydraulic consumers of the roof support unit.

Abstract: A distributor block for interconnecting a hose bundle to a control device of a pressure fluid control system in an underground mine working has internal passageways for connecting valves of the device to individual hoses. Bores in the block receive detachable elongate coupling members which themselves have internal bores and plugs for engaging in sockets within the control device. The coupling members are journalled in the block for slight transverse and angular movements within seals.

Abstract: A pressure-relief hydraulic valve device for mining equipment is composed of a hollow sleeve mounting a guide with a through bore slidably receiving the stem of a valve member. The stem is provided with a blind axial bore leading to a set of radial bores and a seal in the bore of the guide co-operates with the radial bores to form a valve. A spring accommodated in the sleeve acts through a shaped pressure member to urge the valve member to a position with the valve closed. Pressure fluid in equipment to be protected acts on the valve member and excess pressure displaces the valve member against the spring force to open the valve and permit the escape of fluid via an outflow chamber and outlets in the sleeve. The pressure member has a piston like flange guided within the sleeve against which the spring bears and the underside of the flange of the pressure member is shaped to provide a concave guide face in the outflow chamber.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for convertion of steam and hydrocarbon, or steam and coal, into a product gas which contains hydrogen. The conversion rate is augmented by effective extraction and removal of hydrogen as and when hydrogen is generated. Within a reaction vessel wherein the conversion takes place, a chamber for collection of hydrogen is formed by the provision of a hydrogen-permeable membrane. The chamber is provided with a hydrogen extraction means and houses a support structure, for example, in the form of a mesh providing structural support to the membrane. The membrane may be of a pleated or corrugated construction, so as to provide an enlarged surface for the membrane to facilitate hydrogen extraction. Also, to further facilitate hydrogen extraction, a hydrogen partial pressure differential is maintained across the membrane, such as, for example, by the counter pressure of an inert gas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the simultaneous actuation of a plurality of hydraulic consumers by means of intrinsically-safe electro-hydraulic valves. The consumers are connected by hydraulic directional control valves to a pressure line and/or a return line. These hydraulic directional control valves can be connected in a predetermined manner, via pre-control valves to a control line. The pre-control valves are pressureless, and possess electro-magnets with a current consumption of less than 50 milliamps. By connection of a series-connected electro-hydraulic directional control valve means, the pre-control valves are connected to the control line, and at the same time are hydraulically locked.

Abstract: A hydraulic control arrangement comprises a first hydraulic ram, a second hydraulic ram, and a hydraulic control circuit associated with the first and second hydraulic rams. Each of the hydraulic rams has a cylinder, a piston reciprocable within the cylinder, and a piston rod fixed to the piston. Each of the hydraulic rams has a cylindrical working chamber and an annular working chamber positioned on opposite sides of its piston. The piston rod of each hydraulic ram constitutes the cylinder of a respective metering ram, a respective metering piston being reciprocable within the cylinder of each metering ram to define a metering chamber therewithin. The hydraulic control circuit includes a line, which interconnects the two metering chambers, and a hydraulic valve positioned in a hydraulic fluid supply line leading to the cylindrical working chamber of the second hydraulic ram.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the working stoke of the hydraulic props of a mine roof support unit is disclosed. The control apparatus comprises a control valve whose input side is connected to a hydraulic pressure line, and whose output side is connected to a working chamber of each of the props via a respective supply line. A sequence valve is provided in the supply line leading to one of the props. The sequence valve is such as to open the associated supply line when subjected to a predetermined hydraulic pressure, this predetermined hydraulic pressure being at least approximately equal to the hydraulic pressure necessary to overcome the resistance to the working stroke of another of the props. The sequence valve has a tubular valve body, a valve closure element mounted within the valve body, and a valve seat positioned within the valve body. A spring is provided for biassing the valve closure element towards the valve seat.

Abstract: A mine roof support unit has a roof shield for supporting the roof of a mine working, and a goaf shield for screening off the goaf space of the working. The mine roof support unit is provided with dust suppression means constituted by a flat-section spray nozzle arranged along the front edge of the roof shield, or along the top edge of the goaf shield. The spray nozzle is directed upwardly away from the roof support unit and towards the goaf space.

Abstract: A hydraulic coupling device is connected to a multi-line hose comprising a plurality of hydraulic lines housed within a flexible sheath. The coupling device comprises a cylindrical nut, a plurality of plug pins housed within the nut, and means for holding the plug pins within the nut. The plug pins are each connectible to a respective line of the hose. The holding means comprises a holding disc, a retaining disc, and a sleeve. The sleeve is connected to the sheath of the multi-line hose. Each of the plug pins is provided with a pair of longitudinally-spaced collars which define therebetween a peripheral groove. The retaining disc is provided with a respective aperture for each of the plug pins. Each of the apertures has a diameter which is slightly greater than the diameter of one of the collars of the associated plug pin. The holding disc is provided with a plurality of radial slots. The peripheral groove of each plug pin engages within a respective radial slot of the holding disc.

Abstract: A compact hydraulic control device for use with mining apparatus is composed of a housing block containing tappet-operated valves. A multi-part cam shaft serves selectively to operate the valves by displacing the tappets by manual control effected by external levers. To automatically restore the cam shaft back into a neutral position as a "dead-man's handle" restoring system use is made of a pair of piston and cylinder assemblies mounted as detachable cartridges in parallel locations within bores in the housing block and having push rods which act on a cam of the cam shaft under the action of hydraulic or pneumatic pressure medium.

Abstract: A connecting device usable with hydraulic or pneumatic multi-line hoses in mineral mining has a block containing bores interconnecting bore-outlets formed on end faces of the lock extending perpendicularly to one another. The bore outlets are disposed on common pitch circles on the end faces at equal spacings. Detachable fittings mate with the end faces. One of these fittings holds plug-pins in identical sockets formed by the bore-outlets. The other of the fittings is coupled with a multi-line hose with similar plug-pins which locate in sockets formed by the fitting in correspondence with the associated bore outlets. Provision is made for one of the plug-pins of each group to serve as alignment means for the other components and the plug-pin of the one fitting and corresponding socket of the other fitting can be re-orientated around the pitch circles of the end faces at will.

Abstract: A hydraulic connecting device is disclosed, the device being for interconnecting a multi-line hose and a coupling device. The hose has a plurality of flexible hydraulic conduits bunched together within a protective sheath. The coupling device has a plurality of plug pins held within a casing by a retaining disc. The casing is attached to the protective sheath by the connecting device. The connecting device is constituted by a clamping sleeve, which is connected to the protective sheath, and a connecting sleeve, which is connected to the casing. The two sleeves are telescoped together at end portions thereof and are joined together by means of a rotary connection which resists tensile forces. The rotary connection is constituted by a releasable securing element.

Abstract: A mine roof support has a main roof-engaging structure 2 carried by hydraulic props 6 in known manner and an auxiliary roof-engaging structure at the front end of the main roof engaging structure. The auxiliary roof-engaging structure can be swung up and down and is itself of multi-part construction with one component 7 directly linked to the main structure and another selectively extendible forward component 8 mounted to the one component. One hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 9 is provided for swinging the auxiliary structure and for setting the structure against the roof and another such unit 10 is provided for selectively extending and retracting the forward component thereof. A hydraulic control arrangement 16-18 associated with the units ensures that when the forward component is being advanced the roof setting pressure acting on the auxiliary structure is automatically reduced.

Abstract: For separation of hydrogen and its isotopes by diffusion through a membrane irtually impermeable to other gases, a non-porous hydrogen-permeable metallic membrane is provided on the gas access side with a coating of an alloy of palladium with at least 45 atomic % Cu or at least 50 atomic percent Ag or at least 7 atomic % Y, the membrane itself containing Cu, Ag or Y respectively in a concentration at least equilibrated with the coating at operation temperature. Preferably the membrane consists of a metal of niobium and/or tantalum bases especially of an alloy containing from 10 to 30 % Ti, 3 to 10 % V, 0 to 25 % Nb and at least 30 % Ta, all by weight, and preferably it is of a composition of 20 to 25 % Ti, 5 to 7,5 % V, 0 to 25 Nb, and at least 50 % Ta, being saturated with copper and or silver, while a copper and/or silver palladium alloy coating is used.

Abstract: A hydraulic coupling comprises a coupling device and a connector. The coupling device has a casing which houses a plurality of plug pins. The plug pins are held in place in the casing by means of a retaining disc. The connector is provided with a plurality of bores which define sockets for receiving the plug pins. When the coupling device and the connector are connected together, the plug pins and the bores define fluid passageways through the coupling. One of these passageways is provided with a non-return valve for preventing fluid flow through that passageway when the connector is separated from the coupling device. The non-return valve is housed within one of the bores of the connector, and the coupling device is provided with a valve-opening member for opening the non-return valve when the connector is attached to the coupling device.