IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR EXCAVATING AND MINING
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hunter, of Newmains House, Wishaw, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Iron Master, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR EXCAVATING
AND MINING."
Sealed the 24th April-1867, and dated the 80th October 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION' left by the said James Hunter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 80th
October 1866.
I, JAMES HUNTER, of Newmains House, Wishaw, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Iron Master, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR EXCAVATING
AND MINING," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to a certain arrangement of parts of apparatus by
which a very effective movement is obtained for actuating a pick or picks or
hammers used for excavating and mining. A fixed piston is employed, which.
the
fits into or between the annular space of a cylindrical segment, segment

page_text: being closed around the sides of the piston, sufficient freedom of motion,
however, being left that when steam or compressed air is admitted from a
central valve to one or the other side of the piston; the cylindrical segment is
caused to revolve or vibrate upon the fixed piston as the steam is alternately
admitted on its opposite sides from the two ports in the central valve, through
one of which the steam from the full side of the cylindrical segment is
exhausted, whilst fresh steam is being admitted through the other port to the
other side of the segment, the ports being opened and closed by the rotation
of the segment over the central valve. From what has herein-before been
described it is obvious that a very rapid oscillatory action of the segment is
obtained, and to adapt this for the cutting or dislodgement of material in
excavating or mining one or more picks are fixed into. the periphery of the
segment.
The apparatus is mounted on a carriage to facilitate transport and move-
ment as the work is going on. The steam or compressed air for supplying
the cylinder may be obtained from any convenient source.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Hunter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HUNTER, of Newmains House, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Iron
Master, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
'Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the. thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
James Hunter, Her special license that I, the said James Hunter, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Hunter, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR EXCAVATING AND MINING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Hunter, by an instrument in writing

page_text: under my hand, and. seal, 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 James Hunter, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to a certain arrangement of parts of apparatus
by which a very effective movement is obtained for actuating a pick or picks
or hammers used for excavating and mining, and consists as follows:-A fixed
piston is employed, which fits into or between the annular space of a cylin-
drical segment, being closed around the sides of the piston, sufficient freedom
for motion, however, being left that when steam or compressed air is. admitted
from a central valve to one or the other side of the piston; the cylindrical
segment is caused to revolve or vibrate upon the fixed piston as the steam is
alternately admitted on its opposite sides from the two ports in the central
valve, through one of which the steam from the full side of the cylindrical
segment is exhausted, whilst fresh steam is being admitted through the other
port to the other side of the segment, the ports being opened and closed by
the rotation of the, segment over the central valve. From what has been
herein-before described it is obvious that a very rapid oscillating action of the
segment is obtained, and to adapt this for the cutting or dislodgement of
material in excavating or mining one or more picks are fixed into the
periphery of the segment.
The apparatus is mounted on a carriage to facilitate transport and move-
ment as the work is going on. The steam or compressed air for supplying
the cylinder may be obtained from any convenient source.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now
proceed more particularly to describe the system, mode, or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference
being had for the sake of more complete elucidation to the several Figures
upon the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended,
that is to say
Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved apparatus to be used for
excavating, and mining;. Figure 2 is a horizontal section, and Figure 3 a

page_text: plan, whilst Figure 4 is a side elevation of the same; Figure 5 is a detached
elevation of one of the tools or picks for cutting into the face of the work,
and is fitted into the end of the vibrating lever. When in use in or working
in a mine, quarry, or elsewhere, the excavating apparatus is mounted on a
truck or other travelling carriage, which is propelled along a line of rails by
any convenient means.
The apparatus consists of the piston A, which is fixed firmly to or cast in
one piece with the bottom plate B. The segmental form of the piston A is
more particularly seen at Figure 2. Outside and enveloping the fixed piston A
is the cylinder C, and it is held down in place by the joint ring D, which is
bevilled off on the inner side, as shown at Figure 2, thereby when bolted to
the plate B forming an angular recess, into which the corresponding angular
projection a round the bottom of the cylinder C fits, the bevilled joint being
formed so that the cylinder C is free to turn therein when the steam or com-
pressed air is let into the cylinder on one side or other of the vane E. The
central piece F, containing the ports b and c, is fixed to the upper side of the
cylinder C, as shown in transverse section at Figure 1, or it may be made in one
piece therewith, and within it is situated the central piece G, to which the
steam or compressed air pipe H is connected as shown; this central piece
contains the port d, by which the steam or compressed air is distributed
alternately to the ports b and c, thence to the alternate sides of the vane E,
thus causing the vane and with it the cylinder C to be continually vibrated in
alternate directions on the fixed piston A. The sectional form of this central
piece G is shown at Figure 2, on either side the cavities and e¹ are left,
through which the used steam or compressed air exhausts, as herein-after
described. To the upper end of the central piece G there is fixed the lever I,
one end of which is formed into a handle for the attendant to hold in starting
or stopping the excavator, or adjusting the length of motion of the cylinder C
and cutting lever J; the opposite end of the lever I is furnished with a qua-
drant K, the quadrant being provided with two adjustable stops or tappets L,
which extend far enough downwards, as more particularly shown at Figures 1
and 4, to be struck by the lever J as the latter approaches towards either
extren.ity of its movement, so that by placing the stops or tappets L either
closer together or farther apart the extent of angular motion of the apparatus
may be regulated at the will of the attendant. Ou again referring to Figure 2,
the steam or compressed air is passing through the port 6 into the space f
and has carried the apparatus to very nearly one end of its stroke, it has,
however, a short distance further to move through before the stroke is

page_text: complete; at the position there shown the lever J has come into contact with
the stop or tappet L, and the lever J in moving through the remainder of its
stroke carries with it the lever. I through a distance sufficient to turn round
the central piece-G to an extent sufficient to bring the port d in the central
piece over the port c leading into the other side of the vane E, whilst at the
same instant-the port b is opened to the exhaust cavity, so that the steam or
compressed air just used for producing the backward stroke escapes, whilst
fresh steam or compressed air is admitted on the opposite side to produce the
reverse stroke of the apparatus; these alternate movements being continued
the continuous action of the apparatus is maintained. The lever J carrying
the excavating tool N is fitted into the socket O bolted to the outside of the
cylinder, as shown in the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and a series of holes is provided all around the cylinder, so that the
cutting lever J may be attached at any part thereof, and, if required, more
than one cutting lever may be applied. The centre lines in Figure 2 show
the relative and actual motions of the main moving parts of the apparatus.
It is to be understood that in place of using a complete cylinder C, a
cylindric segment may be employed, as mentioned in the previous part of
this Specification, in which case the fixed piston A is divided into two fixed
pistons forming abutments from which the steam actuates the moving parts of
the apparatus. The shape of the cutting tool or pick will of course principally
depend upon the nature of the material to be excavated, that which I have
shown at Figure 5 being well adapted for cutting grooves into a face of coal,
so that when two such grooves are cut on the upper and lower sides of the
coal requiring to be excavated, the intermediate block is left free for being
detached by wedges, or crowbars, or otherwise.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of apparatus to be used for
excavating and mining as herein-before described, or any mere modification
thereof.
Second, the use and application of a fixed or stationary piston or pistons on
wl ich a cylinder or cylindric segment is oscillated, the cylinder or cylindric
segment having a lever or levers with cutters, picks, or excavating tools fixed
thereto, as berciu-before described, in contradistinction to a moving piston

page_text: working inside a stationary cylinder, as hitherto used in certain excavating
and mining operations..
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hunter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-seven.
JAB. HUNTER. (L.S.)