IMPROVEMENTS IN MINING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOHN THOMSON KING of 4 Clayton Square Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN MINING MACHINES" to be as follows:-
The main object is to provide a compact portable and efficient machine for
under-cutting or holing coal or cutting grooves or recesses in rocks or other hard
minerals.
The invention consists essentially in the combination of a pair of endless chains
fitted with cutters and arranged to cut from a central point of impact outwards
with suitable driving and carrying appliances.
The said chains are mounted on a frame capable of being advanced or fed
forward as the cutters penetrate the coal rock or other material, and they are
driven by suitable gearing from the same engine or motor which gives the
advancing or forward action to the frame above mentioned.
In practice a machine under, my invention consists of a bed plate fitted with a
steam or air motor, a frame carrying the endless chains and cutters free to slide on
the said bed plate and bevel gear and screw and clutch mechanism for giving
motion to the said endless chains and sliding frame.

page_text: I JOHN THOMSON KING of 4 Clayton Square Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN MINING MACHINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The main object is to provide a compact portable and efficient machine for under
cutting or holing coal or cutting grooves or recesses in rocks or other hard
minerals.
The invention consists essentially in the combination of a pair of endless chains
fitted with cutters and arranged to cut from a central point of impact outwards
with suitable driving and carrying appliances.
The said chains are mounted on a frame capable of being advanced or put
forward as the cutters penetrate the coal rock or other material and they are
driven by suitable gearing from the same engine or motor which gives the
advancing or forward action to the frames above inentioned.
In practice a machine under my invention consists of a bed plate fitted with a
steam or air motor, a frame carrying the endless chains and cutters free to slide on
the said bed plate and bevel gear and screw and clutch mechanism for giving
motion to the said endless chains and sliding frame.
Fig 1 is a plan and figs 2 and 3 longitudinal vertical sections at a a and b. b.
respectively of a mining machine constructed under my invention Fig 4 is a side
view of the outer bearings of the screw. and driving shalt Fig 5 is a cross section
on the line c c of Fig 1, Figs 6 and 7 are views of the chain and cutters Fig 8 is-
a perspective view of the travelling carriage Fig 9 is an end view of the sliding
chain carriers partly in section and Fig 10 is a central cross section of Fig 9.
The machine has a stationery frame or bed plate 1 upon the sides of which are
two standards or brackets 2 one on each side for supporting the steam or air
cylinders 3 and 4 by which the machine is driven.
Bolted to the bed plate 1 near one end is a vertical frame or casting 5 in which
bearings for the driving shaft and screw are formed At the other end is a frame
or casting 7 also bolted to the bed plate in which are formed the outer bearings of
the shaft and screw.
Mounted in bearings 8 at one end of the machine is a power shaft 9 which is
driven by the steam or air cylinders 3 and 4 by cranks 10 at the opposite ends;
two engines quartering with each other being used for the reason that a fly wheel
to carry, a single engine over the dead point cannot be used because the cutters are
liable to strike an obstacle or piece of hard rock and stop and cause the machine to
be broken by the force or momentum of the wheel. The power shaft is provided
with a beveled pinion 11 which gears into a beveled wheel 64 mounted on the.end
of a shaft 12 extending lengthwise of the machine; said shaft being journaled in
the vertical castings or frames 5, 7 in bearing C. The shaft 12 is driven by the
power shaft 9 and in turn drives the chains and the feeding devices. It is key
seated throughout the greater part of its length and is provided with a beveled
pinion 15 for purposes to be explained placed alongside of the shaft 12 in bearings 6
in the same frames.5 and 7. but in a lower horizontal plane is a screw shaft 17
mounted loosely on the end of which directly under the worm 13 on the power
shaft 9 is a worm wheel 18. On the same shaft inside of the worm wheel is a
sliding clutch 19 which is connected to the shaft by a feather key and inside of
the clutch is a gear wheel 20 which is mounted loosely on the shaft but is in gear
with a gear wheel 21 mounted on the shaft 12 The sides of the worm wheel 18

page_text: and gear wheel 20 adjacent to the clutch 19 are provided with engaging teeth so
that the clutch can be thrown into gear either with the gear wheel or with the
worm wheel. When it engages the worm wheel the shaft 17 is driven from the
shaft 9 by means of the worm 13 mounted thereon and of the worin wheel 18 and
this causes it to turn in the proper direction to feed the cutters forward and when -
the clutch engages the gear wheel the shaft 17 is driven from the shaft 12 by
means of gear wheels 21 and 20 in the reverse direction which reverse movement
effects the withdrawal of the cutters The shaft 17 is placed at a lower level than-
the shaft 12 to permit of the worm wheel 18 being placed under the worm 13 on
the shaft 9 which is not necessary with the shaft 12 as it is driven by the bevel
pinion 11 and consequently can be on the same level.
It is now in order to describe the cutters and the mechanism for operating them.
The stationary frame 1 has two guide plates or ways 23 extending longitudinally
along its inner edges Resting on these ways are two flat sliding bars or carrying
arms 24 which at their inner ends are bolted to a sliding frame 25 The base
plate 26 of the sliding frame 25 is provided with flanges 27 which have the double
function of affording means for the attachment of the carrying arms 24 and of
extending under the ways 23 to hold the sliding frame down Stepped in the bed
plate 20 are two vertical shafts 28 and 29 the upper ends of which are journaled in
the top plate 30 of the sliding frame On each shaft 28 and 29 are sprocket
wheels 31 and gearing wheels 32 the latter meshing into each other On the upper
end of the shaft 28 is a beveled gear wheel 33 which incshes with the beveled
pinion 15 mounted on the shaft 12.
Extending between the standards 34 on the frame 35 is a trough 35 semi circular
in cross section This trough stands between the vertical shafts 28 and 29 being
on a lower level than the beveled gear wheel 33 and on a higher level than the
gear wheel 32 on the shorter shaft 29 The standards 34 of the frame 25 are bored
at the end of the trough for the passage, of the screw shaft 17 which extends also
through the trough.
On the inner faces of the standards 34 above the trough 35 are guides 22 and
placed in these guides is a semi circular nut 36 which fits down on the screw
shaft 17 being held in place by a lever 37 which is pivoted to a bar 16 extending
between the standards 34 The nut has a pin 38 which projects into a slot 39 in
the lever When the lever is depressed the nut is thrown into gear with the screw
and when the lever is raised the nut is raised off the screw.
On the outer end of each of the sliding bars or carrying arms 24 are two
sprocket wheels which are mounted in the following manner A cross bar or
plate 40 is secured to the under side of each sliding arm On the top of the sliding.
arm a block 41 is placed and on top of the block 41 is a second plate 42 similar to
the plate 40 The plates 40 and 42 and block 41 are all firmly secured to the
carrying arm 24 by riveting or in any desirable way so as to make a compact and
strong structure Between the outer ends of the plates 40 and 42 are shafts or
journals 43 upon which the sprocket wheels 44 and 45 are loosely mounted The
inner edge of the sprocket wheels 44 are nearly in line with the inner edge of the
sprocket wheels 31.
On the outer edges of the carrying arms 24 near to the wheels 31 are sprocket
wheels 46 the purpose of which is to support and prevent the sagging of the chains
as they pass over the edges of the frame The outer sprocket wheels 45 stand
beyond the outer edges of the frame 1.
The chains 47 are of peculiar construction They are composed of links 48
pivoted together by rivets 49 Each link is provided with a cutter 50 which is
keyed in as at 51 or secured in any other suitable manner When made up into a
chain 47 the ends of the adjacent links over lap each other so that the rivets 49
pass through the adjacent ends which are placed side by side This construction
leaves an open space 52 between the ends of alternate links-Outside of this open
space and overlapping the adjacent ends of the alternato links is a steel plate 53
which is secured in place by the same river 49 that passes through the ends of

page_text: •
adjacent links so that when the complete chain is made each rivet passes first
throu ha plate 53 which extends in one direction a link 48 extending in the
opposite direction a second link 48 extending in the direction of the first plate and
a second plate 53 extending in the direction of the first link 48 In such a chain
the cutters 50 are arranged zigzag-The same is also true of the spaces 52 so that
there is a cutter and a space opposite to each other in every compound link or section
shewn The Sprocket wheels are constructed with reference to this peculiarity
of the chain being provided with spurs or teeth 54 arranged in a zigzag manner
upon its periphery-These teeth take into the open spaces 52 and draw the chain
around The direction of the movement of the chains is indicated by the arrows-
They pass from the sprocket wheels 31 down the middle of the machine in lines
parallel with the ways 23 around the wheels 44 thence at right angles around the
wheels 45 and thence by the wheels 46 to the sprocket wheels 31 again The
points of the cutters 50 extend forward and when the machine is placed to cut
against a breast of coal or other material they strike the coal by a direct blow or
impact and then pass outward from the point of impact in opposite directions so
that the pressure of the cutters one one chain is against that of the cutters on the
other chain and all danger of the displacement of the machine is entirely obviated→
The effect of this motion is also to cause the cuttings to be carried outward and
discharged outside of the machine so that the machine is constantly clearing itself
and is not liable to become clogged or impeded in any way by the cuttings.
The peripheries of the sprocket wheels 44 and 45 project slightly in advance of
the outer face of the block 41 and the outer edges of the plates 40 and 42 To
prevent the chain while passing between the wheels 44 and 45 from pressing back
into the recess or space thus left between the two wheels and shrinking from its
work I bolt or otherwise fasten to the outer face of the block 41 a plate 55 which
is of sufficient thickness to stand flush with the peripheries of the wheels 44 and 45
This plate will keep the cutters up to their work by holding the chain in a straight
line and thereby preventing its yielding to the pressure.
In order to keep the chains at a proper tension I have provided the following
tension device At the inner ends of the sliding bars 24 I make a perforated
lug 56 and on the base plate 26 of the sliding frame 25 I make similar lugs 57
which extend out into line with the lugs 56 and are tapped and threaded In the
lugs 56 I place screws 58 the threaded portions of which extend forward through
the lugs 57 and engage the threads therein-In the sliding bars 24 1 make slots 59
two or more as may be necessary of a length slightly in excess of the length of one
of the links of the chain Extending up from the base plate 26 of the sliding
frame 25 are threaded bolts 60 provided with nuts 61 The operation of this
device is as follows-If any slack should occur in the chains it can be taken up by
loosening the nuts 61 and then turning the screws 58 so as to project the sliding
bars 24 farther outward When the movement has been sufficient to take up the
slack and tighten the chains the nuts 61 are screwed down so as to fasten securely
the sliding frame 25 and the bars 24 together.
I will now describe a particular construction I have adopted for journaling the
sprocket wheels at the outer ends of the sliding bars 24-This construction is
shown in Figs 9 and 10 placed loosely inside of the sprocket wheels is a thimble 62
which is internally threaded-This thimble being placed inside of the sprocket
wheel the latter is slipped sidewise into place between the plates 40 and 42 and
then two screws 43 are inserted through the plates from opposite sides one of the
screws being put through the plate 40 and the other through the plate 42. These
screws are screwed tightly into the thimble 62 and fasten it rigidly in place
between the two plates-The sprocket wheel being loose on the thimble turns
freely on it while the thimble serves to support the outer ends of the plates and
keep them from binding upon the edges of the wheels. The advantages of this
construction are that I secure the casy removal and replacement of the sprocket
wheels which being subject to great strain are more or less liable to wear and
injury Moreover the spindles of the wheels being removable without the necessity

page_text: of disturbing the attachment of the plates 40 and 42 to the sliding bar 24 I am
enabled to rivet them permanently to the bar and thus make a much stronger and
more desirable construction-The outer heads of the screws 43 coming flush with
the face of the plates 40 and 42 give a smooth surface and thus enable the sliding
bars to move in and out of the cut without impediment and cause it to work with
great nicety-The chains are of the same width as that of the sprocket wheels 44
and 45 with their plates 40 and 42.
The operation of the machine is as follows: The clutch 19 is thrown in gear
with the worm wheel 18. The worm wheel 18 and the shaft 12 are driven by the
shaft 9 The power to operate the wheels which turn the chains is taken from the
shaft 12 by means of the beveled pinion 15 at the rear side of the pinion 15 is one
of the standards 63 of the sliding frame 25 As before stated the pinion 15 is
keyed to the shaft 12 and turns with it. It meshes into the beveled gear wheel 33
on the upper end of the shaft 28 and causes the shaft 28 to turn and thereby
operates the vertical shaft 29 by means of the gear wheels 32 The sprocket
wheels 31 being mounted on the two vertical shafts 28 and 29 are turned thereby
and move the chains in the direction of the arrows. It is necessary to advance
the sliding frame with its bars 24 toward the breast of coal or other material
being cut as the cutting progresses. The rate of this advance depends upon the
nature of the material upon which the machine is being used. With hard material
it is necessarily slow while with softer material it may be increased correspondingly.
This advance is made by means of the screw 17 and nut 36 the construction of
which has been described-The screw 17 is operated by means of a worm 13
mounted on the shaft 9 meshing into a worm wheel 18 mounted loosely on the
outer end of the screw 17. The clutch 19 being thrown into gear with the worin
wheel 18 causes the screw 17 to be turned and the thread of the screw 17 acting
upon the thread of the nut 36 moves the sliding frame 25 with its bars 24 outward.
When the sliding fraine has traveled the desired distance outward and it is necessary
to cause it to be retracted the clutch 19 is thrown out of connection with the worm
wheel 18 and into connection with the gear wheel 20 This causes the motion of
the screw shaft 17 to be reversed and its thread acting in the opposite direction
upon the nut 36 causes the sliding frame 25 to be moved inward and to retract the
cutters from contact with the rock-When the sliding frame has been drawn
entirely back the entire machine is moved sidewise and caused to operate is the
same manner against another portion of the surface of the rock or coal.
The outer portion of the cutting edge of cutter 50 projects beyond the side of
the chain so that the cut in the rock shall be wider than the chain in order to give
clearance to the latter because there is always a tendency in coal and similar
formations of the sides to close inward and reduce the width of the cut. Especially
is this the case if the vein of coal rests upon a bed of fire clay because the latter
will swell as soon as the cut relieves it of a portion of the superincumbent weight
and partially close the cut-My construction of the cutters makes the cut sufficiently
wide to allow for this closing and so prevents danger of the chains becoming
jammed or caught therein.
The frame 25 and bars 24 constitute a sliding carriage which sustains and carries
the chains and their actuating mechanism-The cutters in one chain are always
made to come opposite to those on the other chain as illustrated in Fig 1. In case
the work is very severe and the great strain on the cutters causes the ends of the
bars 24 to give inward I can make them support each other against this strain by.
providing every two or more links as may be necessary with projecting blocks on
their outer faces such links having no cutters-Then as the chains move these
blocks come together and fill the space between the chains and prevent the bars
from being forced any nearer together or from springing inward.
The purpose of the trough 35 is to give an under bearing to the screw shaft 17
so as to enable me to use a semi circular or removable nut 30. It sometimes
happens that it is desirable to remove the nut out of gear with the screws to enable
the traveling carriage to be moved backward without operating the machine-The

page_text: most frequent cause of this is that the rock sometimes falls on the machine in such
quantity that it is dangerous to operate the machine until the rock is taken off In
such case the nut 36 may be raised by the lever 37 and the traveling carriage pried
back by a crow bar or other means until it is clear of the débris-When the nut 36
is raised off the screw the trough. 35 supports and sustains the screw while its
smooth inner surface presents no obstacle to the backward motion of the carriage
over the screw When the nut is in working position the trough supplies the
requisite under bearing for the screw.
In constructing the machine its various parts should be made powerful enough
to enable it to stall the engines so that in case the cutters meet an obstacle they
cannot overcome the engines will not be powerful enough to break the machine.
A great advantage of my improvement consists in the fact that the cutters are
working successively on the saine line of cut and this enables me to operate the
machine with much less power and more rapidly than in that class of machines
having a rotary cutter biting against the rock where the entire length of the cutter is
operating at once-Another advantage is that a clean cut is made thereby and no
further work on the breast is necessary at that point The cutters of the two
chains strike the breast side by side at a common point or center and then turning
cut outward in opposite directions a certain determined distance-No core in the
middle nor uncut portion at any point in the range of the cutters is left to be
subsequently broken down as is the case when drilling and similar machines
are used.
The construction described makes a compact portable efficient machine-I obtain
the advantage of two cuts_by_using-the-two-chains and as before stated the making
of these cuts in opposite directions from a central point takes the strain of the
cutters off the machine.
In practice the cutters 50 will not be mounted on every link-In some cases
there will be one on every fourth link and in others a less number.
I am aware that two rotary cutters revolving in opposite directions have hereto-
fore been combined with a carriage provided with mechanism to cause the carriage
to advance against the breast of coal and do not herein claim such devices.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
'
1 In a machine for mining coal and like purposes the combination of two
chains provided with cutters and arranged to move in opposite directions in a plane
or planes at right angles to the line of advance of the machine subtantially as and
for the purposes specified.
2-The combination in a machine for mining coal and similar substances of two
revolving chains provided with cutters mounted on suitable wheels to communicate
motion to them and moving side by side to the point of cut and then outward in
opposite directions substantially as and for the purposes described.
3-In a machine for mining coal and similar substances two chains provided
with cutters and mounted on suitable wheels for driving them side by side to the
point of cut and then outward in opposite directions in combination with a sliding
carriage carrying said chains and the mechanism for actuating the same substan-
tially as and for the purposes described.
4 In a machine for mining coal and similar substances two revolving chains
provided with cutters and mechanism for moving the chains in opposite directions
and at right angles to the line of advance of the machine in combination with a
sliding carriage for sustaining the chains and operating mechanism a nut mounted
on said frame and a screw shaft co-acting with said nut to move said frame
substantially as and for the purposes described.
5 In a machine for mining coal or similar substances two revolving chains
provided with cutters and mechanism for causing the chains to travel in reverse,
directions in straight lines and in planes at right angles to the line of advance of
the machine in combination with a stationary power shaft and a feather keyed

page_text: sliding pinion on said shaft connected with and actuating the mechanism which
operates the chains substantially as and for the purposes described.
6 In a machine for mining coal and like purposes the combination of two
cutters and mechanism substantially as specified for causing the cutters to move in
right lines in opposite directions at right angles to the path of the machine while
cutting substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7-The combination in a machine for mining coal and similar substances of a
travelling carriage carrying two cutter chains and mechanism for causing said
chains to move in a right line in opposite directions while cutting a stationary
shaft having a sliding key seated pinion for actuating the chain revolving
mechanism a nut on said carriage a screw shaft co-acting with said nut to move the
carriage in order to feed the cutters to their work and a power shaft connected
with and driving the other two shafts substantially as and for the purposes
described.
8-The two sliding bars each provided with two loose sprocket wheels or chain
sheaves secured at their outer ends in a cross frame and arranged parallel with
each other in combination with the two cutter chains and mechanism to move the
latter in opposite directions after reaching the end of the bars substantially as and
for the purposes described.
9 The cutter chain for mining machines composed of a series of cutter links
arranged with the lapping ends and support plates arranged on the sides of tho
chain parallel with and opposite to each cutter link whereby the cutters are placed
zig zag in the chain and the sprocket holes are in line with the cutters substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
10 The combination in a machine for mining coal and similar substances of a
pair of cutter chains moving side by side to the point of impact against the rock
having projecting cutters arranged opposite to each other or at corresponding points
on the two chains substantially as and for the purposes described.
11 The combination in a machine for mining coal and similar substances of a
pair of cutter chains moving side by side to the point of impact and then passing
outward in opposite directions having supporting blocks placed on the adjacent
sides of opposite links substantially as and for the purposes described.
J. T. KING,
Per J. Johnson.