IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN MINING AND QUARRYING, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES, AND TO AIR
Year: 1875

page_text: 2. N.
LETTERS PATENT to Graham Stevenson, of Airdrie, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN MINING AND QUARRYING, PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES, AND TO AIR
D
Sealed
the 27th July 1875, and dated the 3rd February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, left by the said Graham Stevenson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd February 1875.
I, GRAHAM STEVENSON, of Airdrie, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN MINING AND QUARRYING, PARTS
OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES, AND TO AIR
BLOWING OR COMPRESSING ENGINES FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows, that
is to say:
This Invention has generally for its object to simplify and improve
machinery to be used in mining and quarrying, and to render the same

page_text: ↑
more efficient, economical, and durable, and more easily kept in order
than machinery commonly used for similar purposes.
The first part of the Invention relates to the compressing of air by
machinery on the surface, such air being conveyed by pipes to the
machines in the mine, or quarry for excavating or getting the coal or
other mineral, and one improvement consists in Icading the exhaust air
from the working machines back by a second line of piping to the com-
pressing engine. This exhaust air being very cold and containing little
moisture saves considerable power when being compressed over again,
which is ordinarily wasted through the action of the heat of ordinary
atmospheric air.
In one modification of the compressing apparatus there are two vertical
air cylinders, which with their air casings or receivers form the lower
part or base, and so dispense with a large part of the weight of base
plates and foundations that are otherwise required. Each compressing
piston is worked by four rods passing up through long pipes, which.
serve as guides to a frame head, to which are attached one or more rods
appertaining to an overhead inverted steam cylinder. The motions are
regulated and controlled by a fly wheel on a crank shaft placed just above
the air cylinders, and connected by rods to the frame heads above. The air
is forced out through openings formed all round or partly round the air
cylinders close to the ends, such openings being covered externally by
narrow elastic metal blades, which may be faced with leather or other
suitable material. These valve blades are each as long as the cylinder,
and each is fixed by screw bolts at its middle, so as to open by springing.
Each valve blade covers two openings, one at the top and the other at
the bottom of the cylinder. Casings are formed round the cylinders, or
a single casing enclosing both, to receive the air and lead it into the pipe
or main by which it proceeds. The piston of cach steam cylinder is cast
or formed with its top and bottom discs in the same piece, and pockets
or recesses are formed in one of the discs (or it might be in the ordinary
junk ring) to give access to wedges or to radial screws applied for
adjusting the packing rings or the internal springs bearing on the packing
rings. Or the said radial screws are formed or fitted with worm wheels
having in gear with them worms which can be turned by introducing a
key through a hole in the cylinder end. The packing rings are mado
the entire depth of the piston or nearly so, and are held by means of
flanges at the middle. To facilitate repairs of the stop valve on the
< T

page_text: steam pipe, this valve being an ordinary disc valve worked by a screw
spindle and hand wheel, the cover is made hollow or concave, and so as
to be fixed on a joint below the level of the valve seat, so that the latter
is completely exposed when the cover is removed.
The second part of the Invention relates to modifications of the steam
machinery for pumping water from the mine or quarry. The arrange-
ment herein-before described as for compressing air may be adapted for
pumping water by substituting pump barrels or cylinders for the air
cylinders either in the same positions or in lower positions with inter-
vening pump rods. By preference, however, and in order to work the
usual two sets of pump rods alternately so that they may balance cach
other whilst keeping them as close together as possible, they are according
to one modification connected to the overhanging ends of two horizontal
beams placed one a little below the other. The upper beam is centered at
its middle, and its back end is connected to the piston rod of a vertical
steam cylinder. The lower beam is centered at its back end, and at its
middle it is connected by links to a point of the upper beam half as far
behind the centre thereof as its front connection to the pump rods is
before that centre.
In another modification the alternately acting pump rods are con-
nected to rack bars gearing on opposite sides of a pinion actuated by an
automatically reversing arrangement of steam engine.
A very suitable arrangement of reversing engine, where the pumps are
of a large size, comprises two steam cylinders driving always in opposito
directions separate crank shafts arranged in the same line, but both
connected to a fly wheel shaft always revolving in one direction.
Between the crank shafts a duplex friction clutch is fitted, by preference
on a separate shaft, having on it a pinion or spur wheel for transmitting
the motion, the direction of which will be one way or the other accor-
dingly as the clutches are put into gear with one or other of the crank.
shafts, whilst the power of both cylinders will always act, that of one
directly, and that of the other through the fly wheel shaft. The steam
cylinders of this arrangement may be vertical, inclined, or horizontal,
and where inclined or horizontal the piston rod cross head is made
adjustable for wear of the guides by means of a wedge or wedges inserted
between the piston rod and the cross head; or the slide blocks on the
cross head may be fitted with eccentric bushes, the turning of which -
or less will adjust for wear like the wedges.
more

page_text: The third part of the Invention relates to improved mechanism for
regulating the speed' of the pumping and other heavy engines, the
said improved mechanism being also such as to immediately stop the
engines in the event of the breakage of any part, or at least prevent
them from acquiring increased speed.
In one modification the steam admission valves are worked by an
eccentric or eccentrics on a shaft suitably geared to a small fly wheel shaft
which has on it a crank connected to a heavy pendulum, and to a small
subsidiary steam cylinder, the speed of working of which is easily regu-
lated as its resistance is always the same.
In another modification the subsidiary cylinder with or without the
pendulum is combined with a motion worked by the main piston rod
cross head or other moving part of the main engine so as to cause a
stoppage or a practial shutting off of steam on any irregularity taking
place. The main cross head is arranged to give continuous rotation: to
one wheel and the subsidiary cylinder to another; and the parts are
proportioned and adjusted so that when the main engine goes at its
proper speed the two independently driven wheels revolve simul-.
taneously. Crank pins on these wheels are connected to opposite ends
of a lever on a slide which they move backwards and forwards in guides,
and when a difference of motion occurs the lever, on the slide. is.
necessarily turned more or less. The lever is formed with two horns or
projections, and when it is turned one of these acts on parts connected
to the rod of the eccentric which works the valves, and throwing the
rod out of gear stops the engine. Or the lever on the slide may be
arranged to act on the throttle valve, or both on it and on the eccentric.
rod.
The fourth part of the Invention relates to the conveying, carrying, or
raising of the minerals or materials in or from the mine or quarry. Two
hoisting or hauling ropes are by preference 'used, and in cases in which
the machinery is for convenience arranged to operate for some distance
from the mouth of the pit or shaft or from the point in a quarry to
which the load is raised vertically, and after, being so raised is moved
along in a horizontal or inclined direction; a carriage fitted with four
grooved wheels to run on a pair of clevated or suspended rails or rods is
provided with pulleys over which the winding rope or ropes pass, and
from which these ropes proceed down to the cage or truck containing thic
'

page_text: load. The load is first raised up to the carriage, and then the con-
tinuation of the winding action causes the carriage to travel along with
it on the rails. The clevated rails are arranged in a pair of lines to
obtain steadiness, and are made by preference in lengths of malleable
iron or steel bolted together by lugs formed at their ends and projecting
downwards, a construction which is of course also applicable with single
lines.
When the conveying or carrying apparatus is arranged for depositing
waste materials from the mine or quarry upon mounds or heaps on the
surface, the hauling or winding engine is fixed on a framing which is
mounted on two sets of wheels at right angles to each other so that it
can be moved casily to different parts of the mound on rails temporarily
placed under the proper wheels. The frame is constructed to overhang
the brow of the mound, and the hauling rope is passed round a pulley
on an overhanging jib so as to draw the truck to the extreme end and
tip it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patént,
filed by the said Graham Stevenson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 31st July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GRAHAM
STEVENSON, of Airdrie, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Graham Stevenson, Her special
licence, that I, the said Graham Stevenson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Graham Stevenson, my executors,
administrators, and 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 TO BE USED IN MINING AND QUARRYING, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVE-
•

page_text: MENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES, AND TO AIR BLOWING OR COX-
PRESSING ENGINES FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others).
that I, the said Graham Stevenson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 Graham Stevenson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is.to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :-
My said Invention has generally for its object to simplify and improve
machinery to be used in mining and quarrying, and to render the same
more efficient, economical, and durable, and more easily kept in order
than machinery commonly used for similar purposes.
Parts of my improvements are also applicable to steam engines and
to air blowing or compressing engines for various purposes.
The first part of my 'Invention relates to the compressing of air by
machinery on the surface, such air being conveyed by pipes to the
machines in the mine or quarry for excavating or getting the coal or
other mineral or for boring; and one of my improvements consists in
leading the exhaust air from the working machines back by a second
line of piping to the compressing engine. This exhaust air being very
cold and containing little moisture saves considerable power when being
compressed over again, which is ordinarily wasted through the action of
the heat of ordinary atmospheric air.
The further improvements comprised in my present Invention will be
best understood with the aid of the accompanying explanatory Drawings,
of which four Sheets are hereunto appended to be herein-after referred
to in describing the improvements. In these Drawings the same
reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever
they are repeated.
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1 of the Drawings are side and end

page_text: "L
"
clevations, partly in vertical- section of a modification of my improved
air compressing engine as proportioned for ordinary blowing purposes,
such as supplying air to blast furnaces. In this modification thore are
two vertical air cylinders 1, 1, which with their encompassing air casings
or receivers 2, 2, form the lower part or base of the entire structure, and
so dispense with a large part of the weight of base plates and foundations
that are otherwise additionally required. Each compressing piston 3 is
worked by four rods 4 passing up through long pipes 5 which serve as
guides to a frame head 6, to which are attached four rods 7 appertaining to
an over head inverted steam cylinder 8. For the four steam piston rods 7
there may be substituted a single one or other convenient number. The
guide pipes 5 which have stuffing boxes at their upper ends are attached
to pillars 9 carrying an entablature 10, on which are fixed the steam
cylinders. 8 with their valve casings. The motions are regulated and
controlled by a fly wheel 11 on a crank shaft placed just above the air.
cylinders 1, and having cranks at each end connected by rods 12 to the
centres of the frame heads 6. The air is forced out through openings or
ports 13 formed all round, or it might be partly round the air cylinders 1..
close to the ends, such openings. being covered externally by narrow,
clastic metal blades 14 which may be faced with leather or other suitable
material. These valve blades 14 are cach as long as the cylinder and
cach covers two ports 13, one at the top and the other at the bottom of
the cylinder, and is fixed by screw bolts at its middle to annular ribs
formed on the cylinder, so that each end of each blade
opens or moves,
away from its port 13 by bending when the air pressure acts on it from..
within, and returns or closes by springing back when the motion of the
compressing piston is reversed. Casings 2 are formed all round the
cylinders (or a single casing might enclose both) to receive the air and
lead it into the pipe or main 15, by which it proceeds away from the
compressing or blowing engine. The air enters the cylinders 1 through
dise valves 16 arranged in the cylinder ends, and provided with springs
to quicken their closing movements; and the air has access from beneath
a flooring 17 by a casing 18, to the upper inlet valves 16 and by a
channel 19 formed in the foundation. to the lower ones. With this
arrangement the air can be conveniently drawn from the external
atmosphere and be as free as possible from dust.
.
=

page_text: Drawings, these Figures being sections as at right angles to each other.
The piston is cast or formed with its top and bottom discs 20, 21, in the
same piece, and recesses are formed to receive eccentrics 22 arranged
to act as wedges for adjusting the internal springs bearing on the
packing ring 23. The packing ring 23 is made the entire depth of the
piston,, or nearly so, and is held by means of a flange or rib formed
round its interior at the middle of its depth, and engaging in a corre-
sponding groove formed round the piston body. The springs are applied
in pairs to the upper and lower parts of the packing ring 23 and the
eccentrics 22 are in pairs also; but one of cach pair of eccentrics is
made with a shank which, passing through a hole in the piston, is fitted
to the other with a square so that both are adjusted together, whilst the
two are fixed together by a screw nut on the shank, which nut secures
them in the position in which they are adjusted. Or the piston may be
made with the usual junk ring, or cover, 24, but as shown in Figures 5
and 6. In this modification radial screws 25 are arranged in the piston
body for adjusting the springs bearing on the packing ring 23, 'and these
radial screws have worm wheels 26 fast on them and in gear with
vertical screws 27 which can be turned by introducing a key through a
hole in the cylinder end.
'
Figures 7, 8, and 9, are vertical sections showing different applications
of an improvement I adopt in connection with the stop valve on the
steam pipe for the purpose of facilitating repairs. The valve is in each
case an ordinary disc valve 28 worked by a screw. spindle and hand-
wheel 29, and my improvement consists in making the cover 30 hollow
or concave, and so as to be fixed on a joint at or below the level of the
valve seat, so that the latter is completely exposed when the cover is
removed. The cover 30 has also cast on it the bracket for steadying the
screw spindle 29.
The second part of my Invention relates to modifications of the steam
machinery for pumping water from the mine - or quarry. The arrange-
ment, shown on Sheet 1 of the Drawings, and herein-before described as
for compressing or blowing air may be adapted for pumping water by
substituting pump barrels or cylinders for the air cylinders, either in the
same positions or in lower positions with intervening pump rods. By pre- 3
ference however, and in order to work the usual two sets of pump rods
álternately, so that they may balance each other whilst keeping them

page_text: as close together as possible, I, according to one modification, shown
in side and end elevation in Figures 10 and 11 on Sheet 3 of the
Drawings, connect them to the overhanging ends of two horizontal
beams 31, 32, placed one a little below the other. The upper beam 31
> is centered at its middle, and its back end is connected to the piston
rod 33 of a vertical steam cylinder. The lower beam 32 is centered at
its, back end, and at its middle it is connected by a link 34 to point of
the upper beam 31, half as far behind the centre thereof as its front con-
nection 35 to the pump rod is before that centre. Or the points of
connection of the two beams may be taken at slightly different positions
from those indicated, but so as to have the same results of causing
the outer ends of the two beams to move equally in opposite directions.
.
In another modification, which is shown in Figure 12, the alternately
acting pump rods are attached to rack bars 36 gearing on opposite sides
of a pinion 37 actuated by an automatically reversing arrangement
of steam engine.
A very suitable arrangement of reversing engine, where the pumps
are of large size is shown in plan in Figure 13, and in side elevation in
Figure 14, and comprises two steam cylinders 8 driving always in
opposite directions, separate crank shafts 38, 39, arranged in the same
line, and having a fly wheel on each, but also connected both to a third
crank shaft 40, which always revolves in one direction, and has one or
two fly wheels on it. The connection of each primary crank shaft 38, 39,
with the third 40 is by two rods jointed upon a slide block 41, fitted to
slide in guides between the shafts. Between the two primary shafts
38, 39, a duplex friction clutch is fitted by preference on a separato
length of shafting, having on it the pinion or spur wheel 37 for trans-
mitting the motion, the direction of which will be one way or the other
accordingly as the clutch cones 42, 43, are put into gear with one or
other of the crank shafts 38, 39, whilst the power of both cylinders 8
will always act, that of one directly, and that of the other through the
third shaft 40. The shaft with the pinion 37, and clutch cones 42, 43, is
carried, as shown separately in Figures 15 and 16, in bearings on a slide
or carriage 44 made movable in guides on the main sole plate 45, and this
carriage 44 is connected by a link to a lever 46, which may be connected
to a hand lever or to screw gear, or to á cylinder and piston worked by
steam or water.

page_text: The steam cylinders 8 of the last described arrangement may be placed
vertically, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, or they may be inclined or
horizontal, and when inclined or horizontal I make the piston rod cross
head adjustable for wear of the guides in the manner shown in Figures 17
and 18, that is, by inserting a wedge 47 (or wedges) between the piston
rod end 48 and the cross head 49; or slide blocks 50 on the ends of the
cross head 49 may be fitted on those ends with eccentric bushes, as
shown in Figure 19, the turning of which bushes more or less will adjust
for wear of the guides like the wedge 47.
In my Provisional Specification relative hereto I described as the
third part of my Invention certain mechanism for regulating the speed
of pumping and other engines, but not having as yet had opportunity
for perfecting such mechanism I do not now make any claim thereto..
What now constitutes the third part of my Invention relates to the
conveying, carrying, or raising of the minerals or materials in or from'
the mine or quarry. One of my improved arrangements under this head
is shown in the diagram, Figure 20, on Sheet 4 of the Drawings. Two
winding or hauling ropes are used for cach carriage or travelling frame
51, 52, and the two pairs of ropes for two such carriages are wound''
opposite ways on one drum 53, as shown in Figure 21. In Figure 20.
the parts are arranged to suit cases in which for convenience the winding
machinery and drum 53 operate at some distance from the mouth of the'
pit or shaft or from the point in the quarry to which the load is raised.
vertically, and from which after being so raised it is moved along in a
horizontal or inclined direction.
A carriage or frame 52, fitted according to one modification with four
grooved wheels to run on a pair of elevated or stretched rails or rods 54
is provided with pulleys over which the winding ropes (shown in red)
pass, and from which these ropes proceed down to pulleys on the cage or
truck 55 containing the, load, and thence up again to points of attach-
ment on the carriage 52. The load 55 is first raised up to the carriage-52,
and the continuation of the winding action causes the carriage to travel
along with it on the rails 54 as far as required. In descending the
carriage may go all the way down the inclined rails 54 (as indicated at
56), or if a stop is fixed on the rails at any point then when the carriage
reaches the stops in its descent any further unwinding will cause the
.
7

page_text: cage 55 to descend vertically from that point. The elevated rails 54 are
arranged in a pair of lines for each carriage, so that there are four lines
or rails for the pair of carriages in the arrangement now being described.
These rails or rods 54 are stretched over the framing 57 of the winding
machinery, and are fixed at their ends to bed plates 58, or it might be to
piles securely fixed in the ground, provision being made for tightening
up the rails at any time by screwing or otherwise.
The rails 54 are, by preference, made in lengths of malleable iron or
steel fixed together, as shown in section in Figures 22 and 23, by means
of lugs 59 formed at their ends and projecting downwards so as not to
be caught by the flanges of the carriage wheel 60. The lugs 59 may
be bolted together, as shown, or they may be connected by pins and
links, or by plain links embracing the pair of lugs, or in any other con-
venient way. Rails made in lengths connected in this way, but with
the lugs projecting further, may be used for very steep inclinations when
slides encompassing a little more than half the rails are substituted for
the wheels 60. When the load to be dealt with is comparatively heavy
or the rails 54 are apt to´sag under the carriage 52, I find it better to
fit this carriage with three pairs of wheels 60 or with four pairs, as
shown in Figure 24, and I arrange these wheels to suit an easy curvature
of the rails 54, so that these rails may not be overstrained by curving too
sharply under the wheels.
Figure 25 is a plan, and Figure 26 is a side elevation of an arrange-
ment of the conveying or carrying apparatus suitable for depositing
waste materials from the mine or quarry upon a mound or heap on the
surface. A long timber frame 61 is mounted on two sets of wheels 62,
63, arranged to run at right angles to each other, so that the frame can
be moved easily to any required part of the mound on rails temporarily
placed under the proper wheels. On a platform in the lower part of the.
frame 61 rails are laid for the wagon or truck 64 containing the
materials, these rails being in continuation of rails laid on the incline
of the mound up to the frame. A winding engine 65 is mounted at
the back end of the frame 61 so as to counterbalance the front end,
which is arranged to overhang the brow of the mound, and the hauling
rope 66 is passed round a pulley on an overhanging gib so as to draw
the truck 64 to the extreme end and tip it. The truck encounters stops
}

page_text: on coming to the extreme end, and the continuation of the winding
action then causes it to tip so as to empty its contents, as indicated by
dotted lines in Figure 26.
Figure 27 shows a modification of the front end of the frame 61
arranged for tipping the truck 64 inwards instead of outwards. The
winding rope 66 is passed round two pulleys on a cage 67 mounted on
trunnions, and constructed so that when the truck is drawn upon the
lower part of it the continuation of the winding action causes the
cage with the truck to tilt into the position indicated by the dotted
lines.
Figure 28 shows how an open ended truck 64 may be mounted in a
horizontal position on a special carriage 68 when the incline is so steep'
that the contents of the wagon would be spilled if the wagon were
inclined as much as the road.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner
of performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to
the precise details herein described or delineated, but that what I believe
to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
'
1. The returning of air used for working machinery in mines or 2
quarries by a second line of piping to the compressing machinery on the
surface, as and for the purposes herein-before described.
2. The combining together of the parts of air-compressing or blowing
engines, substantially in the improved manner herein-before described
with reference to Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
"
3. The application of spring blades for closing the air outlet ports of
the air-compressing or blowing cylinders, substantially in the manner
herein-before described.
2
4. The arranging of the inlet and outlet casings and passages of air-
compressing or blowing cylinders, substantially in the improved manner 3
herein-before described.
5. The constructing of pistons for steam cylinders, substantially in
the improved manner herein-before described with reference to Figures 3
and 4 of the accompanying Drawings..

page_text: WITH ICICIence Figures 20, 40, 41, OF the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Graham Stevenson, have hereunto
•
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, in the year
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
of
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
GRAHAM STEVENSON. (L.S.)