IMPROVEMENTS IN MINING OR GETTING MARLS CLAYS SANDS AND Gravels. IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FORHAT PURPOS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Mills, of Hanley, in the County of Stafford,
Brick Manufacturer, and THOMAS DAVID BROWN, of St. George's, near
Wellington, in the County of Salop, Civil Engineer, for an Invention of
“ IMPROVEMENTS IN MINING OR GETTING MARLS CLAYS SANDS AND Gravels.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Mills and Thomas
David Brown at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
8th November 1881.
JOSEPH MILLS, of Hanley, in the County of Stafford, Brick Manufacturer, and
THOMAS DAVID BROWN, of St. George's, near Wellington, in the County of Salop,
Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MINING OR GETTING MARLS, CLAYS, SANDS,
AND GRAVELS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE,"
The mining or getting of marls, clays, sands, and gravels is ordinarily effected
from the surface, the sinking being commonly termed an
open hole."
This method of working is wasteful, inasmuch as the inclination of the strata
generally gives rise to a slip and prevents the further working of the material.
The object of our Invention is to prevent this waste, and to work the strata or
measures to their full depth; and our said Invention consists in the following
method of mining or getting the said marls, clays, sands, and gravels, and the
apparatus employed for that purpose.
We sink a series of rows of vertical shafts, pits, or holes, preferably square or
oblong, in horizontal section, and very near to each other. The said shafts, pits,
or holes, are made and worked in the following manner-Having sunk one shaft
or pit, and obtained therefrom the marl or material contained in the strata worked
through, we sink a second shaft or pit, the said second shaft or pit being at a
sufficient distance from the first to admit of an intermediate or third shaft or pit
being afterwards sunk between the first two.
The waste material obtained from the working of the second shaft is employed
to fill the first or already worked shaft. After the second shaft has been worked

page_text: another shaft at a sufficient distance therefrom to leave room for an intermediate
one is sunk and worked, the refuse material being used to fill up the shaft last
worked. Having sunk and worked a row of shafts or pits, each at such a distance
from the adjacent ones as to admit of an intermediate shaft being sunk between
them, we next proceed to sink the said intermediate shafts, filling them up with
the refuse material, as before described.
Having completed the working out of one row of shafts, we proceed to make
and work in a similar manner a second row, but this second row of shafts is sunk
at such a distance from the first row as shall leave room for the subsequent sinking
between them of an intermediate row. In this way we proceed until the required
area has been worked, it being understood that in the sinking of the shafts or pits
of cach row and in the sinking of the several rows the method of alternation
herein before described is observed.
Although we prefer to sink and work the shafts by the alternative method we
have described yet we do not limit ourselves to sinking and working the shafts
in any particular order. For example, the shafts of each series may be sunk and
worked in succession, and without leaving a space for sinking a row of shafts after
the first row has been sunk and worked; or spaces may be left between the shafts
first sunk sufficient to sink two or more shafts, but these and other minor details
we do not think it necessary here more fully to particularize.
By this method of working the whole of the valuable material contained in the
different strata is obtained, the material of cach stratum when desired may be
kept separate, slips are avoided, and the working can be continued in weather
which would prevent working according to the ordinary method.
We support-the-walls-of-the-shafts or pits during their sinking by any of the
well known methods of timbering or walling. When the shaft has been worked
to the desired depth the timbers are taken out and used again for another shaft,
and after the removal of the timbers the used up or worked out shaft is filled up
with refuse material, as before described.
Although we prefer to make the shafts, pits, or holes square or oblong, in hori-
zontal section, yet we do not confine ourselves to any sectional figure of the said
shafts, pits, or holes.
In carrying our Invention into effect no fixed plant is required, and the moveable
plant we employ consists of a platform or carriage moving on a tramway. The
said platform or carriage is provided with a combined steam engine and boiler,
winding gear, and grinding mills. This moveable plant, besides serving to raise
the material from the pits, also serves to recover the timbers out of the exhausted
pit which is being filled up.
In timbering the shafts as the sinking proceeds we place boards round the
sides. We place planks on opposite sides, and other planks on the remaining sides,
the latter being driven between the former so as to tie the whole together. On the
back of each plank is an iron plate having a screwed hole in it to receive a screw
pin that carries a block, by which diagonal pieces of timber are secured. By this
arrangement the sides of the shaft are very efficiently supported, and the timbers
are readily recovered for working the next shaft, and this with safety to the
workmen.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Mills and Thomas David Brown in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd April 1882.
JOSEPH MILLS, of Hanley, in the County of Stafford, Brick Manufacturer, and
THOMAS DAVID BROWN, of St. George's, near Wellington, in the County of Salop,
Civil Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MINING OR GETTING MARLS, CLAYS, SANDS,
AND GRAVELS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
"
"
The mining or getting of marls, clays, sands, and gravels is ordinarily effected
from the surface, the sinking being commonly termed an
open hole."
This method of working is wasteful, inasmuch as the inclination of the strata
generally gives rise to a slip and prevents the further working of the material.
The object of our Invention is to prevent this waste and to work the strata or
measures to their full depth, and our said Invention consists in the following
method of mining or getting the said marls, clays, sands, and gravels, and the
apparatus employed for that purpose.
We sink a series of rows of vertical shafts, pits, or holes, preferably square or
oblong in horizontal section, and very near to each other. The said shafts, pits, or
holes are made and worked in the following manner:-Having sunk one shaft or
pit and obtained therefrom the marl or material contained in the strata worked
through we sink a second shaft or pit, the said second shaft or pit being at a
sufficient distance from the first to admit of an intermediate or third shaft or pit
being afterwards sunk between the first two.
The waste material obtained from the working of the second shaft is employed
to fill the first or already worked shaft. After the second shaft has been worked
another shaft at a sufficient distance therefrom to leave room for an intermediate
one is sunk and worked, the refuse material being used to fill up the shaft last
worked. Having sunk and worked a row of shafts or pits each at such a distance
from the adjacent ones as to admit of an intermediate shaft being sunk between
them, we next proceed to sink the said intermediate shafts, filling them up with
the refuse material as before described.
Having completed the working out of one row of shafts, we proceed to make and
work in a similar manner a second row, but this second row of shafts is sunk at
such a distance from the first row as shall leave room for the subsequent sinking
between them of an intermediate row. In this way we proceed until the required
area has been worked, it being understood that in the sinking of the shafts or pits
of each row and in the sinking of the several rows the method of alternation
herein before described is observed.
By this method of working the whole of the valuable material contained in the
different strata is obtained, the material of each stratum when desired may be
kept separate, slips are avoided, and the working can be continued in weather
which would prevent working according to the ordinary method.
We support the walls of the shafts or pits during their sinking by any of the
well known methods of timbering or walling. When the shaft has been worked
to the desired depth the timbers are taken out and used again for another shaft,
and after the removal of the timbers the used up or worked out shaft is filled up
with refuse material, as before described.
Although we prefer to
zontal section, yet we do
shafts, pits, or holes.
make the shafts, pits, or holes square or oblong in hori-
not confine ourselves to any sectional figure of the said
In carrying our Invention into effect no fixed plant is required, and the move-
able plant we employ consists of a platforın or carriage moving on a tramway.

page_text: The said platform or carriage is provided with a combined steam engine and boiler,
winding gear and grinding mills. This moveable plant, besides serving to raise the
material from the pits, also serves to recover the timbers out of the exhausted pit
which is being filled up.
>
In timbering the shafts as the sinking proceeds we place boards round the sides.
We place planks on opposite sides and other planks on the remaining sides, the
latter being driven between the former so as to bind the whole together. On the
back of each plank is an iron plate having a screwed hole in it to receive a screw
pin that carries a block by which diagonal pieces of timber are secured; by this
arrangement the sides of the shaft are very efficiently supported, and the timbers
are readily recovered for working the next shaft, and this with safety to the
workmen.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which our Invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in vertical section, and Figure 2 in plan, the method of
mining or getting marl or clay which we prefer to adopt in carrying our Invention
into effect. The manner in which we sink and work the series of rows of shafts,
pits, or holes will be best understood by an examination of the plan, Figure 2.
We first sink the shaft or pit marked a of the first row of shafts, and having
obtained the marl or clay therefrom we fill the said empty shaft with stones to
form a drain; we next sink and work in succession the shafts marked b, c, d, the
shaft being sunk at a sufficient distance from the first shaft a to admit an inter-
mediate shaft being sunk between the shafts a and b, and in like manner the
shafts c and d are sunk at such a distance apart, and the shaft c is sunk at such a
distance from the shaft bas to admit of intermediate shafts being sunk between
them. The last shaft d of the first row after it has been worked is filled with
stones to form a drain, as described with respect to the first shaft a. In Figure 1
the first shaft a is represented filled with stones for the purpose described. Having
sunk and worked and filled up the shafts a, b, c, and d'in the order described, we
next proceed to sink, work, and fill up in succession the intermediate shafts e, f,
and g. The waste material obtained from the working of the last shaft under
operation is employed to fill the previously sunk shaft.
The first row of shafts having been thus sunk, worked, and filled up, we proceed
to sink, work, and fill up in a like manner the row of shafts marked h, i, k, l, m, n, o,
theso shafts being sunk at a sufficient distance from the first or worked out row of
shafts a, e, b, f, c, g, d, to leave room for an intermediate row of shafts between the
second row and the first row. The second row of shafts is worked in the alternate
order before described, that is, the shafts marked h, i, l, and l, are in succession
sunk, worked. and filled up, and afterwards the intermediate shafts m, n, and o.
The intermediate row of shafts 8, p, t, y, u, r, is next sunk, worked, and filled up.
In working these shafts they are worked in the following order, namely, the
shaft p, q, and, are first worked in succession, and afterwards the shafts s, t, and u.
In this way we proceed until the required area has been worked, the method of
alternation described in the sinking of the shafts or pits of cach row, and the
sinking of the several rows being adopted.
In
When the shaft under operation has been worked to the desired depth the
timbers are taken out and used again for another shaft; and after the removal of
the timbers the used up or worked out shaft is filled up with refuse material.
Figure 1 the shaft h is shown filled up, the timbers having been removed from it.
The worked out shaft h, Figure 1, is represented partly filled up, and the shaft h
Figure 1, is represented partly worked, the timbers being arranged in it as the
sinking proceeds.
Instead of sinking the rows of shafts or pits in the manner represented in
Figure 2, they may be sunk in the oblique direction represented in Figure 3. In
this case the shaft is first sunk; next the shafts 2, 3, and 4, of the alternate row
next the shaft 5 of the intermediate row; next the shafts 6, 7, of the alternate
row; and next the shafts 8, 9, of the intermediate row, and so on.

page_text: Although we prefer to make the shafts or pits square or oblong in cross section,
yet we do not limit ourselves to any sectional figuro of the shafts or pits we sink,
and although we prefer to sink and work the shafts by the alternate method we
have described, yet we do not limit ourselves to sinking and working the shafts in
any particular order. For example, the shafts of each series may be sunk and
worked in succession and without leaving a space for sinking a row of shafts after
the first row has been sunk and worked; or spaces may be left between the shafts first
sunk sufficient to sink two or more shafts; but these and other minor details we do
not think it necessary more fully to particularize. Figure 4 represents a series of
rows of shafts of a circular figure in cross section, and Figure 5 represents a series
of rows of shafts of an octagonal figure in cross section. We sink, work, and fill
up the shafts or pits, Figures 4 and 5, in the manner before described with respect to
the square shafts or pits, Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 6 represents in side elevation, and Figure 7 in front elevation, the
moveable plant which we prefer to arrange at the side of the row of shafts being
sunk for working the said row of shafts, one of the shafts being marked a in
Figure 6. The said plant consists of the platform or carriage b moving on, the
tramway c. The said platform or carriage is provided with a combined steam
engine and boiler at d; winding, barrel and gear at e; and grinding mills at f
The moveable plant represented is used for raising material from the shafts or
pits, as well as for recovering the timbers out of the exhausted shafts or pits.
Figure 8 represents in plan our method of timbering the shafts or pits, and
Figure 9 represents in edge view, and Figure 10 in front elevation, a portion of the
timbering drawn to a larger scale. The thin boards x placed at the sides of the
shaft or pit are supported in their places by equi-distant framework constructed in
the manner represented. This framework is made by placing on opposite sides of
the shaft the planks h, h, and between them other planks g, g, are driven. Each of
the planks and has a block i at its middle, fixed by the screw bolt taking
into a screwed hole in the iron plate l. Between these blocks i, i, the diagonal
pieces of timber or trusses m, m, are secured as represented. By this means the
sides of the shafts are very effectually supported, and the timbers are readily
recovered for working the next shaft.
The several frameworks in the shaft may be bound together by bands or hoops
of iron in short or long lengths, the said bands or hoops being fastened to the
planks either by the screw bolts by which the blocks i, i, are secured to the planks
or by independent screw bolts.
Although in carrying our Invention into effect we prefer to employ the
noveable plant described and to adopt the method of timbering the shaft described,
yet we do not liinit ourselves thereto, as plant or apparatus of other kinds and the
ordinary method of timbering may be employed.
In mining or getting sands and gravels according to our Invention, we proceed
in the manner described with respect to the mining or getting of marls or clays.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our
Invention of "Improvements in Mining or Getting Marls, Clays, Sands, and
Gravels, and in Apparatus Employed for that Purpose,"
First. The method or methods herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings of mining or getting marls, clays, sands, and gravels, that
is to say, sinking a series of rows of vertical shafts, pits, or holes, each row of
shafts or pits being sunk close to the next row, and the shafts or pits of each row
being sunk near to each other, the sinking and working of the shafts or pits of
each row, and the sinking and working of the several rows being effected by
preference by the method of alternation described and illustrated.
Secondly. The apparatus or moveable plant hereinbefore described and illustrated
in Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying Drawings to be used in mining or getting
marls, clays, sands, and gravels by our improved method or methods.
Thirdly. The arrangement herein before described, and illustrated in Figures

page_text: 8, 9, and 10 of the accompanying Drawings, for timbering the shafts, pits, or
holes sunked and worked according to our improved method or methods.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Mills, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
JAMES BEBBINGTON,
Hanley,
Staffordshire.
JUDER MILLS. (L.B.)