Improvements in the Means and Appliances for the Use of Miners and Quarrymen in Getting Coal, Stone, and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 28th Jan., 1889
Improvements in the Means and Appliances for the Use of Miners
and Quarrymen in Getting Coal, Stone, and the like.
We, JOHN JOSEPH TENNANT of Lorne Terrace, Ashby-de-la-Zouch in the county of
Leicester, Electrical Engineer, and LEWIS SHARPE of Measham, in the county
of Derby, wholesale baker and Flour dealer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to Improvements in the means and appliances for the use of
miners and quarrymen in getting coal, stone and the like to facilitate the bringing
down of large masses of coal and other minerals by the employment of a series of
wedges acting in consort with each other and with segmental blocks or cases, to form
a combination of inclined planes wherewith greater expansion is obtained at the points
where mostly desired, and a steady, uniform breaking away of the coal or other
mineral is effected, a uniform pressure being maintained the whole depth of the bore
or drill into which the appliance has been inserted, and a larger break, or quantity of
the coal or other mineral is brought down than by the several apparatus now used
for the purpose of breaking down coal and the like without explosives. The chief
failing of appliances now in use is that the power of expansion becomes exhausted
before the break occurs, and the coal brought down, owing to the fact that the blocks,
or cases, employed cannot sufficiently expand and thus miners prefer to use explosives
in preference, because the get of coal is greater, the force of the explosion working
inwards by this our invention we obtain similar results without the use of explosives;
We are aware that wedges have been used in various ways, and having solid blocks or
cases, which are not successful in overcoming this important point, to obtain an
undiminishing force at all points, and more particularly in the heart of the bore or
drill, were the splitting oftentimes leaves a vacium between the block or case, and
the embrasure in the coal or other mineral. We by using a series of wedges,
and segmental blocks, or cases that the inclined planes on the inner faces of the
blocks or cases, come in combination with the inclined planes of the wedges, the centres
of the blocks or cases are held tensioned to the giving or splitting of the coal or other

page_text: mineral, and the wedges acting upon them and expanding the blocks or cases in
segments, the pressure is still kept up until the coal breaks, the pressure in the length
of bore or drill being proportionate a greater quantity of coal or other mineral is
broken down at one operation or insertion of the mechanical appliance hereinafter
referred to, than by the various mechanical appliances now in use, the wedges we
employ are constructed so that at their wide ends, for about an inch and a half; on
their upper and lower faces, are straight, or flat, so that in entering the blocks, or
cases, a steady movement is obtained by the combination of the inclined planes, so that
in the jamming of the blocks, or cases, against the coal or other mineral the expansion
is fully kept up, and each segment is kept at an equal angle, with the next segment,
all the wedges being moved in one direction, and at one time, either with their narrow
ends inwards, or outwards as may be most convenient, the appliance to hold the series
of wedges is provided at its base, with a steel block recessed to hold the end of a
screwed rod, of the length required, or other equivalent means, so that each wedge
traverses in one and the same direction, at the same time, and their widest parts
brought to the extremity of the segmental blocks, or cases, that all are expanded to
their widest capacity by the operator turning the outer end of the rod, which is fitted
with a suitable head, that it may be steadily turned by a ratchet brace, or other
suitable device, or driven home, as the case may be; and the same expansion will take
place the whole length of the drill. The rod is made by preference of mild steel and
about ths of an inch thick, so that if the hole happens to have been bored or drilled
uneven, or a little bent, the rod will give a little. The wedges are by preference
made of wrought Iron or mild steel, and steel nuts inserted in the wide ends of the
wedges, the smaller segment of the blocks or cases, is made of wrought Iron the larger
ones being of cast Iron, with all corners rounded off. We are aware that cones and
wedges have been used for getting coal and other minerals, but not in combination
with other inclined planes or segments of blocks, as described.
TL GELL
1000
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
No. 19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: and Quarrymen in Getting Coal, Stone, and the like.
We, JOHN JOSEPH TENNANT of Lorne Terrace Ashby-de-la-Zouch in the county of
Leicester, Electrical Engineer, and LEWIS SHARPE of Measham in the county of Derby
Wholesale baker and Flour dealer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in the means and appliances for the use of
miners and quarrymen in getting coal, stone and the like to facilitate the bringing
down of large masses of coal and other minerals by the employment of wedges acting
in consort with each other in the manner set forth in the drawing accompanying this
Specification.
Since putting into practical use our invention we find that by the combination of
inclined planes in the manner herein illustrated we can do away with, or dispense
entirely with the use of cases; one of the wedges acting in lieu of cases, or sections of
cases mentioned in our provisional Specification.
That our invention may be well understood we will now refer to the drawing
accompanying this Specification.
Figure 1. is a view of the appliance, or machine A, the end of the rod coming out
of the bore hole to which we attach a ratchet braco of any ordinary kind, the steel rod
is threaded at its lower end to about half the length of the rod at B, the screwed end
being fitted into the circular block C, and turns freely therein, the block being made
secure by the pins or screws C. The circular steel wedge D, fixed upon the rod is
moved forward by the traverse of the nut E up the screw when screwing the rod in
the proper direction. The loose shoe, or wedge F, being pushed end downwards in the
direction indicated by the arrow f when the wedge D has completed its traverse up
the inclined plane of the loose shoe or wedge F, their inclined planes being parallel to
each other the coal is gradually pushed down in an oblique direction from the top.
Gare the tamping pliars or their equivalents. H is the upper block which forms
a bearing in the hole. The screw is kept oiled through the hole C² covered by
a screw.
Figure 2. is a sectional view of the loose hollow shoe or wedge F, and the tamping
pliars G fixed in the end thereof.
Figure 3. is an end view on line J, of the shoe or wedge F having the tamping
pliars or their equivalents G extended.
Figure 4. is an end view of the wedge D, with the nut E, and lubricating
screw c² on line I. Our machine is employed in the following mannor, after inserting
it in the hole bored in the coal, with the fast wedge D, uppermost, the loose shoe
or wedge F, is then placed on the under side and pressed firmly down until the

page_text: inclined planes or faces of each come together-the outer end of the loose shoe, or
wedge F, being fitted with a pair of tamping pliars or their equivalents G, which are
opened out and forced into the sides of the bore hole-Or we may employ any other
suitable spike or stay to keep the loose shoe or wedge F from being forced backwards
or outwards during the process of screwing, the bearing block H, is made of a width
to correspond to the lower block C, and forms a bearing for the upper portion of the
appliance and can either be fast to the rod or loose as may be desired for the purpose
described.
By the employment of fast and loose wedges, the latter moving or expanding
as described and no wedge expanding at the top a great strain is taken off the rod
when the pressure is required to be put against the coal for pushing it down in the
direction indicated by the line f in the drawings figure 1.
The manner in which the coal or other mineral is brought down by pushing from
the back when using our appliance which differs from the various appliances used for
getting coal without exploding inasmuch that other inventions split the coal vertically,
while ours separates the coal in an oblique direction in the seams at the back, or
arches it at or near the bottom or inner end of the depth of the bore hole being
operated in the following manner.
A ratchet or other equivalent means is employed and put on the upper end A of the
rod B, and when the ratcheting proceeds the inner block takes its bearing at
the bottom of the hole causing the fixed wedge D, to be pushed forward and the other
wedge opening or expanding and pressing only the under side of the hole, the coal is
pushed down instead of being pulled down as is now the case, the loose wedge F being
held firm from moving backwards as before stated by the tamping pliars G, the
wedge D pushing the other wedge F downwards in the direction indicated by
the arrow and wedge shown in dotted line"; when this is done the wedges
are firm and fast jammed in the hole and by continued screwing the coal or other
mineral is pushed forward and downward at the same time. By having shoes, or
wedges with the outer sides, or that side to come against the sides or walls of the coal
straight, and their inner faces angular, the inclined faces of both are brought together
and jam the bore hole, and when the fast wedge forces down the loose wedge the coal
as before mentioned is arched from the back and ripped open along the back parallel
with the faces of the coal.
It is well known that in ordinary seams the holes are drilled horizontally, but in
fast tops, or ditched seam coal wedges as now employed whether cones, or other
similar shaped blocks have failed, but by inserting our appliance or machine nearly at
the top or roof of the coal it is brought down in an oblique direction and by the
employment of the hollow wedges with the flat sides coming against and fast to
the sides of the bore hole and the fast wedges moving outwards and forcing down the
hollow wedge in the manner described a larger amount and a greater weight of coal
can be brought down without making slack in a given time than is possible when
the coal or other mineral is broken or split vertically.
By the appliances now in use the power of expansion becomes exhausted before the
break occurs and the coal brought down owing to the fact that the blocks or cases
employed cannot sufficiently expand and they break the coal in the wrong direction,
thus the miners prefer to use explosives in preference because the get of coal is
greater, the force of the explosion working inwards.
By this invention similar results are obtained without the use of explosives and a
larger quantity of coal is brought down at one time, in the manner described.
We are aware that numerous kinds of wedges have been employed and used in
various ways and having solid blocks or cases, or cones working to open out blocks or
cases, and also cones driven in for opening or expanding blocks or cases, each and all
of which pull down the coal and are not successful in overcoming one important point
to obtain an undiminishing force at all points and more particularly in the heart of
the bore or drill where by the present method of pulling down or splitting a vacium
is often left between the blocks or cases and an embrasure in the coal or other
mineral.

page_text: This is avoided by the employment of wedges which fit when put together in the
bore hole, and by screwing the one riding upon the rod moves up the inclined plane
of the other until the loose one is expanded to its greatest capacity, or at right angles
to the other while the outsides of both are kept to the sides of the wall of coal,
and are held tensioned to the giving or splitting of the coal or other mineral and the
pushing forwards is kept up until the coal breaks, and thus obtaining a steady giving
way of the coal and the expansion being kept up until the actual breaking away of the
coal takes place. Both wedges are made of mild steel to stand any resistance and are
made of the shape
as shown in the drawings which facilitates the grip upon the wall
of coal during the process of screwing the machine. We stated in our provisional
specification that more than one set of wedges can be employed on one rod for deep
bores, or long bores as they are called and all made to move in one direction and at
one time this we are able to do by making the rod to the length of the long bore and
threading the rod at equal distances, and use a series of fast and loose wedges in the
manner described.
The amount of break of mineral is very great by the combined action of the fast and
loose wedges having inclined planes that we are able to do away with the use of
blocks, or cases entirely. The rod is made of mild steel and froin ths to two inches
thick, and if the hole happens to have been bored or drilled un-even the rod will
give a little the nuts riding upon the rod being of the same material. The machine
being made of mild or welding steel it will stand a great deal of wear and the wedges
being unlike those now used, moving with their flat sides firm to the sides of the
coal thus making the operation of breaking down coal or other mineral by mechanical
means practical by the use of the appliances herein described and set forth.
We wish it to be well understood that this our invention consists in the fact that we
bring the pressure to bear on the coal or other mineral in a different direction to that
heretofore considered the most advantageous. We do not so much attempt to
press down the coal "(though the wedges have to some extent that effect;)" but we
draw off the coal from its face in the use of the wedges as hereinbefore described as
a means of laying hold of the coal. The loose wedge or wedges protude in such a
manner as to firmly attach themselves to the material to be removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is:
A mechanical method and appliance which by its construction allows of the bore
hole to be made near the roof of the coal whereby the coal or other mineral is pushed
from the back by the fast and loose shoes, or wedges D and F, operated in the
manner and for the purpose of arching down, or obliquely breaking down the material
from the top near the roof, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-
before described and set forth.
al
Cantab 1000
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
"The Central" Office for Patents, &c.,
No. 19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.