IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CUTTING AND GETTING COAL
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Gidlow, of Hollywood, Heaton, in the County of
Lancaster, Iron Master, and James Abbott, of Ince, in the said County of
Lancaster, Manager. of Works, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CUTTING AND GETTING COAL."
Sealed the 22nd January 1878, and dated the 3rd August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Gidlow and James
Abbott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd August
1877.
THOMAS GIDLOW, of Hollywood, Heaton, in the County of Lancaster, Iron
Master, and JAMES ABBOTT, of Ince, in the said County of Lancaster, Manager of
Works. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CUTTING
AND GETTING COAL."
The object of the said Invention is to provide apparatus or appliances to facilitate
the under-cutting of coal in mines, which shall be simple in construction, effective
in operation, and economical in maintenance.
-
For this purpose we employ in combination a worm wheel receiving motion from
any convenient power, preferably from a compressed air engine, to give motion to a
toothed wheel or disc, which in its.turn gives to-and-fro motion by means of a crank
pin and connecting rod to a cutter bar working in guides.
The framework for supporting the above-described mechanism may be supported
on wheels, so that it can be run along the face of the work to be cut; and retaining
and other devices, such as are well known in coal-cutting machinery, may be
adopted.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Gidlow and James Abbott in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd February 1878.
THOMAS GIDLOW, of Hollywood, Heaton, in the County of Lancaster, Iron
Master, and JAMES ABBOTT, in the said County of Lancaster, Manager of Works.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CUTTING AND
GETTING COAL."
The object of the said Invention is to provide apparatus or appliances to facilitate
the under-cutting of coal in mines, which shall be simple in construction, effective
in operation, and economical in maintenance.
For this purpose we employ in combination a worm or endless screw receiving
motion from any convenient power, preferably from a compressed air engine, to
give motion to a toothed wheel or disc; the said toothed wheel or disc in its turn
gives to-and-fro motion, by means of a crank pin and connecting rod, to a cutter
bar working in guides.
The framework for supporting the above-described mechanism may be supported
on wheels, so that it can be run along the face of the work to be cut; and retaining
and other devices, such as are well known in coal-cutting machinery, may be
adopted.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan view and Fig. 2 a side elevation of our improved coal-cutting
apparatus or appliances.
1 is the framework supported on wheels 2 which rest on the rails 3; 4 is a worm
or screw supported in bearings 5, and receiving motion from the compressed air or
other engines 6; 7 is a toothed wheel gearing with and receiving motion from the
worm or screw 4; 8 is the cutter bar, free to move to and fro in the guides 9; 10 is
a connecting rod attached to the cutter bar 8 at 11, and to the wheel 7 at 12.
It will be seen that when the engines 6 are caused to operate that the motion of
the worm or screw 4 and wheel 7 will give a to-and-fro movement to the cutter
bar 8 through the connecting rod 10, so as to cut or slice pieces from the coal being
operated upon; 13 is the coal.
Although the apparatus has been described as resting on rails, the rails may be
dispensed with. Means, such as a ratchet and pawl, may be employed to move the
apparatus forward along the face of the coal being cut.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry our improvements into effect, we claim apparatus or
appliances to be used in cutting and getting coal, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Gidlow have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JAMES JOHNSON,
Patent Office,
4, Clayton Sq.,
Liverpool.
Witness.
THOMAS GIDLOW. (L.S.)