IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR HOLEING, CUTTING, GETTING, AND DRILLING COAL OR OTHER MINERALS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Fidler, of Wigan, in the County of Lan-
caster, Colliery Proprietor, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY
FOR HOLEING, CUTTING, GETTING, AND DRILLING COAL OR OTHER MINERALS,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Fidler at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th
May 1866.
I, EDWARD FIDLER, of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, Colliery Pro-
prietor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR HOLEING, CUTTING, GETTING, AND DRILLING COAL OR OTHER.
MINERALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing a machine for the above purpose in.
the following manner:-In a suitable framing I mount transversely a rotatory
cutting bar or bars of iron, steel, or other hard and rigid substance of any
desired form, and either fluted or containing knives, knibs, teeth, or cutting
instruments dovetailed or otherwise attached to the said bar or bars in a.
longitudinal direction, or spirally, helically, or otherwise, the shape of such said
cutting instruments will depend upon the hardness of the coal or other mineral.
to be cut, drilled, holed, or operated upon; and this Invention further consists in-
combining the aforesaid transverse rotatory motion of the cutter bar or bars.
with a longitudinal or forward movement of the machine or framing con-
taining the said cutter bar or bars; the said framing also contains the motive

page_text: power or machinery necessary for propelling the frame and cutter bar or bars.
These bars may be further described as moving in a rotatory and longitudinal
direction, as they cut not only at their ends but likewise along the faces
thereof simultaneously and at one operation for the full depth required for the
holeing or cutting, and may be worked either horizontally or at any angle in
the coal or other mineral. The machine is fixed upon running wheels, and is
intended to travel along or in front of the coal or other mineral to be cut, and
may be kept up to its work, or the mineral to be cut by an ordinary
traversing motion attached to the machine, and worked by any suitable prime
mover, so that the operations of the machine will be self-acting.
The modus operandi of the above machine is as follows:-In commencing the
work the before-mentioned bar or bars will drill to the required depth for the
cutting, the usual distance of which is about three feet; and for this operation
I allow the cutters or teeth to project about th parts of an inch over the end
of the bar, and the drilling is performed by the bar or bars moving through
the spur driving wheel, in which is inserted a float key, the bar at the same
time rotating, This drilling motion is preparatory to the forward cutting or
holeing motion. And I would here observe that in working downbrow the
traversing motion above referred to may be dispensed with, as the weight of
the machine pulling against the bar in the holeing operation will be sufficient
to keep the bar or bars and cutters up to the coal or other mineral which it is
desired to operate upon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Fidler in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th November 1866.
. TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
FIDLER, of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, Colliery Proprietor, send:
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Fidler, Her special licence that I, the said Edward 'Fidler,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Fidler, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time.
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY
FOR HOLEING, CUTTING, GETTING, AND DRILLING COAL OR OTHER MINERALS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Fidler, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their bands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Fidler, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
that is to say:-
This Invention consists in constructing a machine for the above purpose in
the following manner :-In a suitable framing I mount transversely a rotatory
cutting bar or bars of iron, steel, or other hard and rigid substance of any
desired form, and either fluted or containing knives, knibs, teeth, or cutting
instruments dovetailed or otherwise attached to the said bar or bars in a
longitudinal direction or spirally, helically, or otherwise, the shape of such
said cutting instruments will depend upon the hardness of the coal or other
mineral to be cut, drilled, holed, or operated upon; and this Invention further
consists in combining the aforesaid transverse rotatory motion of the cutter.
bar or bars with a longitudinal or forward movement of the machine or
framing containing the said cutter bar or bars, the said framing also contains
the motive power or machinery necessary for propelling the frame and cutter
bar or bars. These bars may be further described as moving in a rotatory
and longitudinal direction, as they cut not only at their ends but likewise along
the faces thereof simultaneously and at one operation for the full depth
required for the holeing or cutting, and may be worked either horizontally or
at any angle in the coal or other mineral. The machine is fixed upon running
wheels, and is intended to travel along or in front of the coal or other mineral
to be cut, and may be kept up to its work, or the mineral to be cut by an
ordinary traversing motion attached to the machine and worked by any
suitable prime mover, so that the operations of the machine will be self.
acting.
The modus operandi of the above machine is as follows:-In commencing
the work the before-mentioned bar or bars will drill to the required depth for

page_text: the cutting, the usual distance of which is about three feet, and for this
operation I allow the cutters or teeth to project about th parts of an inch
over the end of the bar, and the drilling is performed by the bar or bars
moving through the spur driving wheel, in which is inserted a float key, the
bar at the same time rotating. This drilling motion is preparatory to the
forward cutting or holeing motion. And I would here observe that- in
working down "brow "the traversing motion above referred to may be dispensed
with, as the weight of the machine pulling against the bar in the holeing
operation will be sufficient to keep the bar or bars and cutters up to the coal
or other mineral which it is desired to operate upon.
And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheets of
Drawings accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters
- of reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
At Sheet 1 Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my improved machinery,
Figure 2 an elevation thereof drawn to a scale of 3 inches to a foot.
Sheet 2 represents a section of bracket drawn to scale of half size carrying
fly wheel and traverse motion over the crank shaft, as herein-after particularly
described and referred to. At each of the foregoing Figures I employ similar
letters of reference to denote corresponding parts in so far as such parts
appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures respectively.
A, A, are cylinders fitted with air-tight pistons; B, B, connecting rods;
C, C, cross heads; D, slide bars; E, crank shaft; F, mitre wheel for driving
fly wheel (shewn also at Sheet 2); G, worm for working traverse motion (also
shewn at Sheet 2); H, bed plate; I, steam or air chest; J, carrying wheels;
K, cutter bar fitted with steel cutters k, k; L, L, spur wheels for working
cutter bar; M, M, pedestals for crank shaft; N, steam or air branch i
P, exhaust or chamber in the bed plate H; R, R, excentric rods; S, S, wheel
and shaft with rack at s for working the cutter bar horizontally; T, tramroad
for the machine to travel on. As regards Sheet 2, 1 marks the first driving
wheel for the traverse motion; 2, fly wheel; 3, traverse wheel carrying chain
pulley; 4, chain pulley for propelling the machine forward; 5, bracket for
carrying fly wheel and traverse motion over the crank shaft E; H, portion of
the bed plate.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention for "Improved Machinery for Holeing, Cutting, Getting, and

page_text: Drilling Coal or other Minerals," together with the best means I am
acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I would remark in
conclusion that I hereby declare my Invention to consist in and I claim the
mechanical combinations and arrangements above described, with reference to
the accompanying Sheets of Drawings and the mode of operating therewith,
for the purpose of holeing, cutting, getting, and drilling coal or other minerals
as above stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Fidler, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Signed by the said Edward Fidler,
in the presence of Thomas
Swarbrick,
2, Bank Terrace,
Wigan.
EDWARD FIDLER. (L.S.)