Improvements in Wedges or Implements for Breaking Down Stone or Coal.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 6th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 1st Mar., 188
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wedges or Implements for Breaking Down
Stone or Coal.
1, ROBERT THOMPSON, of King Street, Wigan, in the county of Lancaster,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In nearly all the compound wedges hitherto brought out, one or more wedges
press two bars apart at one or more points. The result of this is that no matter how
strong the bars are, with the great strain brought upon them they bend at the parts
unsupported by the wedges, and this bending, besides entailing great wear and tear
increases the friction. Now my invention consists, 1st. in forming the bars or parts
pressing against the coal or stone of several short pieces. 2nd. in pressing upon the
entire back thereof with the actuating pressure, whether that pressure be by
mechanical means, such as wedge, cam, or screw, or by a confined fluid or expanding
chemical. 3rd. in relieving the framework of strain, between the points of pressure,
by placing protuberances on it immediately behind the pressure blocks or pieces so as
to directly take up the pressure.
In carrying my invention into practice if mechanical wedging be the plan used, I
form the pressure blocks with backs oblique to their faces, and confine them in
guides in the frame in such manner that they shall have free motion transversely to
the frame in a direction vertical to their faces. Against their oblique backs corre-
spondingly oblique wedges press. These wedges have all similar obliquity and are
connected together by the same bar or its equivalent by which means each block is
forced out, or is allowed to fall in an equal distance by a given movement of the
wedge rod.
The frame immediately behind the pressure block projects beyond the rest, so that
pressure may only come upon it at this point, even if the hole or cut in which it is
placed be uneven. In manipulating the apparatus the wedge rod is slowly screwed or
otherwise forced forward, pressing out the blocks, and as these blocks are only on
the side next the piece to be broken off, the frame remains stationary, and is not

page_text: liable to be bent by unequal strains. If hydraulic pressure be used, a series of
hydraulic rams with solid cylinder ends projecting beyond the rest of the frame are
employed. These are all connected by channels or pipes with each other, and jointed
so that as many as are required can be added on, one beyond the other, the last
cylinder having no further channel or pipe or one plugged up. The first cylinder
is screwed to the end of a pipe, and at the other end of that pipe, a hand pump is
preferably fitted, so that the latter and the wedge are all in a single implement.
In manipulating the apparatus the implement is placed in the cut with the flat or
curved faces of the rams facing the block to he broken down. The pump projecting
outside the cut. The pump is set in motion, the cylinder ends, and ram faces soon
press equally against the block to be broken down, and against the back of the cut
respectively, and on further pumping, the strain is uniformly increased on all the
cylinders till the block breaks down.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wedges or Implements for Breaking Down
Stone or Coal.
I ROBERT THOMPSON, of King Street, Wigan, in the County of Lancaster,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
In nearly all the compound wedges hitherto brought out one or more wedges press
two bars apart at one or more points. The result of this is that no matter how strong
the bars are with the great strain brought upon them they bend at the parts
unsupported by the wedges, and this bending, besides entailing great wear and tear
increases the friction.
Now my invention consists; 1st. in forming the bars or parts pressing against the
coal or stone of several short pieces; 2nd. in pressing upon the entire back thereof
with the actuating pressure, whether that pressure be by mechanical means such as
wedge, cam or screw, or by a confined fluid or expanding chemical; 3rd. in relieving
the framework of strain between the points of pressure by placing protuberances
in it immediately behind the pressure blocks or pieces so as to directly take up the
pressure.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings in which-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a screw driven wedge as arranged for
wedging upward.
Figure 2 horizontal section of same viewed from beneath.
Figure 3 compound hydraulic wedge, vertical section as arranged for wedging
upward.
Figure 4 horizontal section of same viewed from below.
Figure 5 simple hydraulic wedge, vertical section as arranged for wedging
upward.
Figure 6 horizontal section of same viewed from below, reverting to Figures 1
and 2.
A is a wedge piece with flat or slightly rounded top open to the roof of the cut,
B a second wedge complementary to A. C feather and groove for same on
B and A respectively. D tube containing wedges; E projecting rim round the
orifice of wedge; F projection at back to take the direct and entire push of the
wedge, instead of part of the strain falling on the tube on each side. "G stem of
wedge, screw-threaded at H. I brass, bronze, or other screwed bush to act as a
nut, and by the turning round of which the wedge is driven forward. J annular
flange cap to hold the boss I held to the flange of the tube by screws K, and kept
from pressing too tight by distance ring J.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The tool as shown being inserted into the drill hole or cut, the bush I is turned,
screwing the wedge B forward and thus forcing out wedge A till the required effect
is obtained,

page_text: Referring now to composite wedge, Figures 3 and 4 A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are
as before. A1, A2, A3 are three cylindrical rams forced outward by the pressure of
water or oil in channel L below them, the pressure also acts on piston T of the
wedge B, forcing it forward.
Below each piece A. A A² the tube is made to bulge outward as at F. This is
done in order that the bulge only may rest on the coal or rock and thus the pressure
can be transmitted direct, as otherwise if there were a slight depression immediately
beneath the ram the tube would form a girder over the hole transmitting the pressure
to the next point of contact on each side, and thus a heavy strain would be brought
to bear on the tube. It will be noticed that the cylinders in which A, A', A² are
situated are separate pieces united together in interchangeable manner by flanges
and bolts or screws (not shown) and united also to tube and pump M, hereafter
described so that none, or any number of these cylinders and pistons A, A', A
can be united together at pleasure. N is a pump of which, O, is the piston or
plunger, P, the entrance valve, P¹ the delivery valve, the relieving apparatus
Screwed at Q¹ for filling the barrel when not under pressure and letting off the
pressure as desired. R.perforated piece to prevent valve " moving too far from its
seat, S tank to hold the oil or water used.
The reason for having all the rams or wedges to advance independently of each
other, yet all be actuated by the same force is that the coal may give at one point
more than at another, and by this plan, a given uniform pressure on the square inch,
or on the linear inch of drill hole can be obtained.
Referring now to Figures 5 and 6; Letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G and T are as in
other figures. U is a stem attached or linked to piston T to draw it and rod G
back when required. V stuffing box for rod U. W entrance for water or oil
from a force pump not shown. The mode of action is obvious from the foregoing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. In a wedging apparatus for wedging down coal or other mineral, a wedge,
the back surface of which is wholly or in very great part supported by its
complementary wedge, and the latter by the tube or framework of the apparatus,
projecting externally at this point, and resting against the coal or rock, whereby
the distorting strains so destructive to existing forms of wedging apparatus are
avoided.
2nd. In hydraulic wedging apparatus the combination of one or more wedges with
one or more rams free to move independently of each other, and the wedge or wedges
whereby the coal or rock operated upon is wedged down in part by the wedge or
wedges assisted to some extent by the rams, whilst the latter are holding the wedge
or wedges firmly in the hole and also in combination with such hydraulic apparatus,
the bosses F¹, for the purposes described.
3rd. The combination in one apparatus of a hydraulic ram or rams acting directly
on the coal, and a wedge also driven by hydraulic power.
4th. The several forms of wedging apparatus, constructed and arranged substantially
as set forth.
ROBERT THOMPSON.
Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents.