Year: 1886

page_text: I ENOCH MOULD of White Barn near Newcastle in the County of Stafford
certified Colliery Manager do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to bo
as follows:-
The object of my invention is to construct an improved appliance for breaking
down coal or other mineral, such appliance being portable, simple, durable and
effective.
My invention consists of a combination of segmental and central wedges
arranged in the form of double inclined planes together forming cylinders or
portions of cylinders, and so arranged that, when longitudinal motion is imparted
to the central wedges, such motion causes the segmental wedges to expand or
travel laterally, the resulting effect being somewhat analogous to that of an
expanding mandrel.
The motion imparted to the central wedge or series of wedges, may be effected
by means of a central screw or screws or by means of a central tube conveying.
water or compressed air, ar other fluid under pressure to a cylinder and piston,
whereby the central wedges are forced to travel in a longitudinal direction, and, in
so doing to drive the segmental wedges outwards against the sides of the bore hole
made for receiving the apparatus.
When using a single screw for applying the force, such screw passes longi-
tudinally through the central wedge or wedges; the inner end of the screw is fixed
to a nut or footstep. The footstep is sometimes attached by a dovetail joint to a
wedge a tongue suitable for driving into soft or easily bored mineral.
After inserting the apparatus in a suitable bore hole made in the mineral, the
near end of the screw or a nut upon the screw is turned by a spanner, or other
means, whereby the central wedges are drawn outwards; the friction of the
segmental wedges against the sides of the bore hole prevents the longitudinal
motion of the same, and the segmental wedges are therefore forcibly driven against
the sides of the bore hole, the enlargement of which splits the mineral into loose
blocks.
Instead of using a single screw to draw or drive the central wedges, I sometimes
use two screws (a right hand and a left hand) with the wedges formed with the
inclines in opposite directions, so as to act inwards and outwards at the same time.

page_text: When using hydraulic, pneumatic, or other motive power for producing longi-
tudinal motion of the central wedges, I place a central tube instead of a screw, in
the centre, and pass the fluid under pressure to a cylinder and piston, which may
be placed at the far end of the bore hole to drive the wedges or centre pieces
outward; thus by the arrangement of the double inclined plane system producing
expansion. The cylinder may be placed in a central position (longitudinally) and
drive wedges in opposite directions, as above described in respect to the screw.
Additional lengths of wedges may be attached to the mandrel by dovetail joints
or otherwise end to end, similarly arranged for expansive action; and the various
parts are made from templates so as to be interchangeable.
It is obvious that my said invention is capable of much variation in its details,
and in the size and number of its parts, and the metal used in its manufacture,
according to the purpose to which it is to be applied, and the nature of the material
to be operated upon.
By the use of my invention the expansive force is applied along the whole depth
of the hole instead of being confined to the front or back end of the same; and the
coal is split and broken in larger blocks than can be effected by the means at
present in use.
An Improved Appliance for Breaking Loose or Splitting
all Kinds of Minerals.
I ENOCH MOULD, of White Barn, near Newcastle, in the County of Stafford,
Certified Colliery Manager, 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:-
The object of my invention is to construct an improved appliance for breaking
down and splitting coal or other minerals; such appliance being portable, simple,
durable and effective.
.
My invention consists of a combination of segmental and central wedges,
arranged in the form of inclined planes together forming cylinders or portions of
cylinders, and so arranged that, when longitudinal motion is imparted to the
central wedge or series of wedges, such motion causes the segmental wedges to
expand or travel laterally, the resulting effect being somewhat analogous to that of
an expanding mandrel.

page_text: The motion imparted to the central wedge, or series of wedges, may be effected
by means of a central screw or screws, or by means of a central tube conveying
water or compressed air, or other fluid under pressure to a cylinder and ram or
plunger, whereby the central wedges are forced to travel in a longitudinal direction,
and, in so doing, to drive the segmental wedges outwards against the sides of the
bore hole made for receiving the apparatus.
When using a single screw for applying the force, such screw passes longitudinally
through the central wedge or wedges; the inner end of the screw is fixed in a socket
or footstep. To the footstep is sometimes attached by means of a dovetail joint, a
wedge or tongue, suitable for driving into soft or easily bored mineral.
After inserting the apparatus in a suitable bore hole made in the mineral, the
near end of the screw, is turned by a spanner, or other means, whereby the central
wedge or wedges is or are drawn outwards; the friction of the segmental wedges
against the sides of the bore-hole prevents the longitudinal motion of the same,
and the segmental wedges are therefore forcibly driven against the sides of the
bore hole, the enlargement of which splits the mineral into loose blocks.
Instead of using a single screw to draw or drive the central wedges, I sometimes
use two screws (a right hand and a left hand) with the wedges formed with the
inclines in opposite directions, so as to act inwards and outwards at the same time.
When using hydraulic, pneumatic, or other motive power for producing
longitudinal motion of the central wedges, I fit a central tube instead of a screw,
and pass the fluid under pressure to a cylinder and ram or plunger, which may be
placed at the farther end of the bore-hole to drive the wedges or centre pieces
outward; thus by the arrangement of the inclined plane system producing
expansion. The cylinder may be placed in a central position (longitudinally) and
drive wedges in opposite directions, as above described in respect to the screw.
It is obvious that my said invention is capable of much variation in its details,
and in the size and number of its parts, and the metal used in its manufacture,
according to the purpose to which it is to be applied, and the nature of the material
to be operated upon.
By the use of my invention the expansive force is applied along the whole depth
of the hole, instead of being confined to the front or back end of the same; and
the coal or other mineral is split and broken in larger blocks than can be effected
by, the means at present in use.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts; the scales to which the
several figures are drawn being varied for convenience of description.
Fig. 1 is a section of a portion of a coal seam, shewing the method of applying
my invention to the breaking down of coal. a is the coal, b is a sprag to support
the coal, c is the bore hole, with the improved appliance inserted therein.
In Figs. 2 and 3 the apparatus is shewn in section, to a larger scale, arranged to
be worked by the screw g. d d are the outer segmental wedges, and ee are the
central wedges. The wedges are also shewn, (to a larger scale,) in Figs. 5, 6 and 7;
Fig. 5 being a side view shewing the three wedges. Fig. 6 is an end view of the
large ends of the segmental wedges d d, and the small end of the central wedge e;
and Fig. 7 is an end view of the small ends of the segmental wedges d d and the
large end of the central wedge e. f (Figs. 2 and 3) is a socket or footstep into
which the screwed rod g is fitted so that it may rotate therein, being held in the
socket by two pins or rivets which enter a groove in the rod. The rod g has a
screw thread formed thereon which fits into corresponding internal screw threads
formed in the wedges e e.
The vertical line h indicates the face of the mineral.
On the screw g being turned by a spanner or otherwise, the central wedges e e
are drawn outwards, as shown in Fig. 3, and the wedges d d are thereby expanded
or driven outwards, as also shewn in the same figure, whereby the coal or other
mineral is split and broken.

page_text: Other arrangements of the wedges may be made use of; those shewn in the
drawings being only intended to illustrate the principle of the invention.
The wedges may be so placed round the rod 9 as to expand vertically or
horizontally; also some of the wedges may be placed to act in one direction, and
others in other directions, so as to split and break the mineral in the most
favorable manner for removal.
The rod g may be formed with a right and left hand screw, and be caused to force
the wedges in opposite directions longitudinally from the centre.
Figs. 4, 8 and 9 illustrate the method of working my invention by hydraulic
pressure. The end of the apparatus is fitted with a cylinder n and ram o. The
ram has a hole bored therein from end to end, as shewn in Fig. 4, and the rod g¹ is
similarly bored. The rod g¹ is screwed into the plunger o, as shewn. The outer
end g² has a coupling or union joint for connecting the same with an ordinary
hydraulic pump; by which arrangement the pressure of the water drives the ram
and the central wedges, outwards and thereby expands the segmental wedges d d
as before.
Analogous arrangements may be made for operating the wedges by compressed
air, or other fluid; and the cylinder and ram may be placed in a central or other
position to drive the wedges in opposite directions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The application and use of compound wedges, actuated by screw, hydraulic,
pneumatic, or other motive power, substantially as and for the purposes herein
before described and illustrated on the drawings.
2. The general construction arrangement and combination of the several and
respective parts, together forming my invention of an improved appliance for
breaking loose or splitting all kinds of minerals, substantially as herein before
described and illustrated on the drawings.