THE EXTRACTION OF COALS AND MINERALS PROM MINES
Year: 1858

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Armand Joseph Demanet
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th April 1858.
I, CHARLES ARMAND JOSEPH DEMANET, of Number 43, Rue de la Science,
Brussels, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Corps du Génie, in the Service of His
Majesty the King of the Belgians, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "THE EXTRACTION OF COALS AND MINERALS PROM MINES," to be as
follows:-
The improved apparatus for extracting coals and minerals from mines,
which forms the subject of this Invention, is composed of two strong iron
screws, which extend from the bottom of the shaft where they turn in steps,
up to the surface of the ground where their upper extremities are set in bear-
ings in a head frame, in which they are capable of turning freely. The upper
extremities of the screws are provided with pinions, taking into a large toothed
wheel mounted between them on the shaft of a horizontal wheel, which is
driven by a crank rod actuated by a steam engine. By this means the two
screws will have rotary motion communicated to them in the same direction.
Upon these screws are mounted two platforms, provided at each of their
extremities with a strong female screw, through which the long vertical male
screws pass. These platforms form the top and bottom of a cage, which may
be divided into several compartments by horizontal partitions, upon which are

page_text: to be placed the trucks or boxes containing the coal, ores, or minerals. By
this arrangement it will be seen, that on rotary motion being imparted to the
screws in one direction, the cage will be raised, with its charge, and will be
lowered on the screws being made to rotate in the contrary direction. It will
also be understood that the speed to be imparted to the cage may be increased
or diminished, either by increasing or diminishing the pitch of the long male
screws, or giving them greater or less speed..
In order to prevent the screws from bending or twisting, they are supported
by spring holding clamps firmly fixed at certain distances to the sides of the
shaft, and which are made to open to allow of the passage of the cage by the
following means:-At the extremity of each female screw of the platform is
fixed an iron bar, which is wedge-shaped, and extends a little beyond the cage
both at top and bottom. The spring-holding clamps are formed of two arms,
between which the side bar is made to enter on the ascent or descent of the
cage; by this means they will be made to open, and are held in that position
during the passage of the bar or cage, but as soon as the cage has passed the
clamps, they will again close upon the screws.
Two sets of apparatus, such as that above described, may be set side by side,
and united by means of a connecting rod on the excentric wheels, so that one
apparatus will raise a full cage, and the other lower an empty one at the same
time. For this purpose, when two apparatus are thus worked together, the
thread or worm of one pair of screws must be set in a contrary direction to
that of the other pair.
The above apparatus may also be employed for raising and lowering work-
men, as it offers great security, and allows of the apparatus usually employed
for that purpose being done away with.