US1174444A - Heater for mining and for other purposes. - Google Patents

Description

J. R. QUAIN.

HEATER FOR MINING AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1915.

1,174,444. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

Fig.1.

Witnesses.

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JQHN ROBERT QUAIN, 3F LONDON, ENGLAND.

HEATER FOR MINING AND F93. OTHER EUR-PGSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. fl, 1916.

Application filed March 16, 1915. Serial lIo. 14,761.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ROBERT QUAIN,

a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at l? Victoria street, London, S. W., England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Heaters for Mining and for other Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to heaters for mining and for other purposes.

In certain mining districts of cold countries such as Siberia, Alaska, and the Klondike district of Canada, it is necessary to thaw the ground before mining operations are possible, and for this purpose metal tubes are usually employed, which are forced into the ground where it is to be worked, after steam has been applied until the ground is thawed.

Now the object of this invention is to provide a heater that does not depend for its utility on the use of steam and one in which greater heat is capable of being applied and to provide a heater that is more convenient and effective. p

According to the invention I provide a heater as a tube having at its lower extremity a spiked or pointed shoe, and I mount within this tube an electric resistance element, so that the heat generated by the passage of current through the resistance wire is readily conductedto the outer surface of the shoe and the outer surface of the tube, so that on the heater being introduced into a hole first formed to receive it in the ground that is to be prepared for working or on its being forced into position the heat generated is transmitted to the adjacent ground. A number of such heaters may be introduced into the ground to be worked, whereby the ground is quickly thawed= By such means mining can be very expeditiously carried out.

The invention is illustrated by way of ex ample in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of such a heater, Fig. '2 is a detail side elevation of the head of the heater, Fig. 3, is a sectional plan on the line :c-w (Fig. 1), Figfi is a sectional plan on the line y'y (Fig. 1),

Fig. 5 is a sectional planon the line z-z (Fi 1), while Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of t e resistance element within the socket fitting by which it is carried.

In carrying the invention into effect as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, I provide the heater in tubular sections a a which may be connected together by screws as at a or by other suitable means such as is usual, for example, in well-boring outfits, and I mount or screw at the lower extremity of the tube a a spiked or pointed shoe 1). I

I prefer to provide this latter with an upwardly protruding part 6 which is adapted to pass into the central hole or cavity 0 in I the electric resistance element d, so that thus an annular space is formed in the lower part or section a of the heater into which the electric resistance element d fits.

The upper part b of the shoe 7) is advantageously made of a slightly larger diameter than that of the lower section of the heater, so that thus the hole made in the frozen ground is slightly larger in diameter than the main part of the heater andthus the heater may readily be withdrawn therefrom.

I may employ any suitable form of electric resistance element [2, but I prefer that illustrated in -vertical section in Fig. 1, which consists of an integral double tube d d of fused silica, the inner tube al having a resistance filament e such as nickel-chrome wound upon it, the respective extremities of which are secured to integral-buttons of silica (i d secured upon the inner tube. The outer tube d is fused at-its respective ends to the inner tube 03 as illustrated and thus the annular space between the tubes is completely inc'losed and may be filled with an inert gas or exhausted, while at the upper end small tubes 7 of silica -are fused to the upper edge of the double tube d d and are provided for a lead or mercury seal g. The conductors h are respectively secured to pieces of conducting wire it which are fused in the upper ends of the tubes 7, while the lower ends of the tubes 7 are nipped at the filament .9. At one side the conducting wire k may'pass through a loose tube of silica j so-as to avoid short circuiting the convolutions of the resistance filament e across which it traverses.

The inner tube (Z is preferably provided with a thread of fused silica e or is otherwise formed to provide helical grooves within which the resistance filament a may lie so that thus contact of adjacent convolutions may be avoided. Such a resistance element d is advantageously-mounted within a cylindrical socket fitting is adapted to loosely fit and to slide into position in the lower tubular section a of the heater. This fitting k may be provided of any suitable metal and the resistance element may be fitted therein, for example, by causing the integral tubes f f to embed within a plaster of Paris or cement filling Z; while the fitting it may extend downwardly from the part at which the filling Z is provided, and be cut into a number of longitudinal strips 76 of a length corresponding to the length of the resistance element d. Each alternate strip k may be turned inwardly at its extremity as indicated in Figs. 1 and 6 to engage beneath the lower edge of the resistance element (2.

The fitting it is contracted at its upper extremity to form a central boss m, into which the lower end of a centrally disposed tube n may pass, the end of the tube at being advantageously brazed or otherwise permanently secured to the boss m. The conductors h advantageously pass through holes provided in a non-conducting plug 0 fitted in the lower extremity of the tube 11,. A screw threaded connecting collar p is provided to connect the upper end of the tube a to the flexible metallic tube g, which passes upwardly through the upper section a or sections of the heater, for connection with a source of electric current supply.

The lower end of the resistance element d carried within the socket fitting it rests upon a spiral spring r carried within the recess b formed in the shoe b while similarly the upper end of, the socket fitting k rests under a spiral spring 0" whose upper end bears against the plate or collar 8 which is secured in position by means of screw pins 8 at the upper end of the lower tubular section a, so that thus the resistance element (1 while being firmly held in position, is so mounted as not to be directly. subject to the shocks that would be imparted to the tool in its use. I

It is preferred to arrange around the outer tube d of the resistance elemental and within the bore of the heater means for insuring contact and effective conduction of heat between the electric resistance element and the casing or tube. Such means "may take any suitable form, for example, coils or rin s t of spiral metallic wire may be app ied around the lower part of the element d which while permitting of the easy introduction of the socket carrying the electric resistance element into position will insure direct metallic connection with the tubular section a. Similarly the upwardly protruding part b of the shoe 7) may have coils or rings 13 of spiral metallic wire applied upon it as indicated, for the purpose of in- I I provide the upper end of the uppermost section a of the heater with a head it for the purpose ofhammering or of applying pressure to the heater. The head it is provided with a hollow boss M for the reception of the upper extremity of the part a of the heater, and with a view to render the head it capable of easy removal I provide upon it a cam lever 11?, which is mounted upon a pin a between brackets 10*, integrally formed upon the boss 'u the latter being provided with a slot at a position between the brackets 14 within which the cam lever is disposed. The inwardly protruding edge of the cam lever u is provlded with a series of serrations by which the upper end of the section a of the 'heater may be engaged, and be gripped against a corresponding series of serrations a (Fig. 3) provided in an opposite position on the inner face of the boss u, so that thus when the cam lever u is brought into the position indicated in Fig. 2, the upper extremity of the tube a is firmly secured against the opposite side of the boss u.

The metallic tube 9 through which the conductors it pass may be conveniently diverted outwardly through a lateral hole u in the head. The head it may be provided with a' diametricalhole for the reception of handle u by means'of which the heater may be manipulated...

The shoe 6 may be provided of any desired or suitable shape. It may, for example, have a transverse section of square shape, or with threads or blades in a similar manner to an earth auger; or. instead or in addition threads or blades may be provided upon the casing or outer tube of the heater.

In the use of the apparatus the heater may its reception or where the character of the ground permits the heater may be forced into position by applying pressureupon the handle it or pressure may be applied by hammering upon the head it. Where the heater is used in forming the hole the provision of threads or blades upon the shoe or upon the. lower end of the casing may facilitate the operation.

It will thus be understood that according to the character of the ground to be worked the manner of use of the tool may be modified while furthermore according to necessity a resistance element of any particular be placed in holes that are already bored for length may be provided or more than one such element may be used arranged in axial line or disposed in parallel positions while the casing of the heater and the manner in which the respective resistance elements are connected may be modified accordingly.

It will furthermore be understood that the casing or tube may be provided in sections so that the tool may be formed into any particular length as may be required according to the conditions of working.

I prefer to provide the casing or tube sections of steel.

Further I may employ either continuous or alternating current andwhere alternating current is employed the magnetic eddy current action upon the part b or core will serve to assist in raising and maintaining the heat necessary for the effective use of the tool.

I claim 1. A heating tool comprising a casing or tube, a shoe mounted at the lower extremity of said casing or tube, said shoe having an inwardly protruding part forming an annular space at the lower end of said casing or tube, an electric resistance element of annular form mounted within said annular space and elastic metal rings mounted between the said element and the said casing or tube and the inwardly protruding part of said shoe respectively substantially as described.

2. A heating tool comprising a casing or tube, a shoe mounted at the lower extremity of said casing or tube, an electric resistance element mounted within said casing or tube, and a removable head mounted upon the upper end of the said casing or tube, said head being provided with means for securing it to the said casing or tube and with a handle by means of which the tool may be manipulated, substantially as described.

3. A heating tool comprising a casing or tube, a shoe mounted at the lower extremity of said casing or tube, an electric resistance element of silica completely inclosed and free of air and having integral tubes of silica provided with seals through which the current passes to and from the electric resistance wire of the said elementmouilted within the said tube and adapted to impart heat to the lower extremity of the said casing or tube and to the said shoe substantially as described.

4. A heating tool comprising a casing or tube, closed at its lower end and having at its lower end an inwardly protruding part forming an annular space, an electric resistance element of silica of annular form completely inclosed and free of air adapted to fit Within the said annular space, and spiral springs between which the said element is mounted within the tube, substantially. as described.

JOHN ROBERT QUAIN. Witnesses:

WILLIAM EDWARD Evans, R. O. HUGHES.

said casing or Y

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