IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR CUTTING OR GETTING MINERALS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Simpson, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Mining Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR CUTTING OR GETTING
MINERALS."
Sealed the 29th August 1873, and dated the 3rd March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Simpson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd March 1873.
I, GEORGE SIMPSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR CUTTING
OR GETTING MINERALS" to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates principally to improvements in or developments
of the modes of working described in the Specification of Letters Patent
obtained by the present applicant, and dated 21st May 1870, (No.
1471), and includes improvements in the machinery or apparatus.
A part of the present Invention relates to the arrangements for
transmitting the power for driving the cutting or boring machinery in

page_text: the mine workings from a steam engine or other available motive-power
apparatus on the surface. And in cases where a number of separate
machines are to be actuated from one source of power, the power is
imparted in the first instance in any convenient way to a vertical
revolving shaft on the surface near the pit shaft, such revolving shaft
having on it as many pulleys as there are machines below to be driven,
each pulley having a lever clutch in connection with it for putting it
into gear with or out of gear from the shaft. Each pulley actuates a
separate endless wire or other rope or chain, which is led over guide
pulleys down the pit shaft, and thence along a drawing road or other
mine way to the face of the coal or other mineral, or to other parts in
the mine workings whereat the cutting or boring machinery is to operate.
In order that the endless rope may interfere as little as possible with
free passage along the road it is therein supported on single horizontal
pulleys, with flanges on their bottom edges and turning on pendent
vertical spindles or pins fixed as near the roof as possible, either to
single brackets carried each by one side post or to cross bars supported
by side posts on both sides. The single side posts are jammed between
the floor and roof with interposed springs to yield in case of the roof
*inking. One side of the endless rope passes on one side of each pulley,
and the return side on the other side of each pulley, so that one half the
number of pulleys usually employed for such a purpose are dispensed
with. The endless rope is led along the road to a point as far as con-
veniently possible in advance of the working face, and is passed with
one or more complete turns round a pulley on a vertical shaft at the
point whereat the power is to be taken from it. This vertical shaft is
upon a wheeled carriage resting on rails or trams such as those of the
drawing road, and is arranged with a screw and slide so as to be movable
on the carriage in the direction of the road a convenient distance, such
as three feet (the depth of a cut into the coal or other face).
In one modification the vertical shaft has on it a second pulley, a
separate belt, from which proceeds along the coal or other face to a
pulley at the further end of the face, the further pulley having a screw
or weighted lever applied for tightening the belt. Intermediately
between the two pulleys last mentioned the belt passes round a first-
motion pulley on the cutting or boring machinery, and thereby drives
that machinery, this machinery being by preference arranged as described
in the earlier Specification herein-before referred to, so that such first-

page_text: motion pulley does not partake of the progressive motion of the cutting
or boring tool. When the cutting tool has progressed as far as the frame
carrying the machinery will admit of, the frame is shifted along the face,
and the first-motion pulley rolls along the driving belt. When the coal
or other face has been holed or undercut along the space commanded
by the driving belt, the machinery is moved out of the way for clearing
away the mineral, and is subsequently replaced three feet (or other,
distance) in advance. The pulley of the main endless rope is shifted
along its carriage, and its slide is then blocked or jammed, and the
carriage drawn along under it ready for the next shift.
In another modification the coal or other face is undercut across
between two parallel drawing roads or horizontal or inclined mine ways
by an endless chain with cutters on it and stretched across from one
parallel road to the other.
In one of the roads or ways a main endless
driving rope is arranged, as already described, to actuate a vertical
pulley shaft movable along the road on a carriage; but instead of this
pulley shaft actuating a separate belt it directly actuates a toothed or
sprocket wheel for the endless chain of cutters, and fixed on it as low
down as possible or fixed on a separate shaft in gear with it.
The other
end of the endless chain of cutters is taken round a toothed or sprocket
wheel carried by a slide on a carriage in the other road or way, and the
screw shifting movements of both carriages are geared to the wheel
shafts so as to impart a suitable progressive movement to the chain
of cutters parallel to the roads.
In order to secure the proper working of the improved rope driving
arrangements, it is necessary to maintain a uniform tension on the main
endless ropes, notwithstanding any circumstances tending to make them
tighter or slacker at different times. For this purpose one or more loops
of each rope is or are arranged to suspend a pulley or pulleys in the pit
shaft, such pulley or pulleys being weighted to correspond to the desired
tension; and this contrivance is by preference applied to the return or
otherwise slack part of the rope as well as to the pulling part. Where
there is not space in the pit shaft this arrangement of suspended and
weighted pulleys may be applied above ground, and it may in some
cases be most convenient to place the pulleys on a loaded carriage
running upon an incline or bank. In some cases the desired uniformity
of tension may be obtained by means of a screw, weighted lever, or

page_text: spring, applied to the pulley, round which the inner end of the endless
Tope is passed in the mine.
It has been herein-before stated that each machine should have in
connection with it a separate main endless driving 1ope; in some cases
however one endless main driving rope may be used to drive two
machines, either where these are not both working at the same time, or
where the secondary driving belts connected with such machines can be
actuated from one pulley shaft worked by the endless rope.
The improved arrangements have been herein-before described, as for
undercutting a coal or other face after the roads or mine ways have
been formed for working on the longwall system, but it is obvious
that they may also be employed in driving, boring, or cutting apparatus
used in exploring, and in forming roads or horizontal or inclined mines,
ways, or galleries.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 1
filed by the said George Simpson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SIMPSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Mining
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Пerself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Simpson, Her special licence that I,
the said George Simpson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said (icorge Simpson, 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 AND
ARRANGEMENTS FOR CUTTING OR GETTING MINERALS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Simpson, my executors or

page_text: : .
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 George Simpson, 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 accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates principally to improvements in or develop-
ments of the modes of working described in the Specification of Letters
Patent obtained by me and dated 21st May 1870 (No 1471), and includes
improvements in the machinery or apparatus.
And in order, that my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same may be properly understood, I hereunto append two sheets of
explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to, and representing
modifications of apparatus and arrangements for carrying out my
Invention In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used for
marking the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
A part of my present Invention relates to the arrangements for
transmitting the power for driving the cutting on boring machinery, in
the mine workings from a steam engine or other suitable motive power
apparatus on the surface. And in cases where two or more separate
machines are to be actuated from one source of
The
power
power i's
imparted in the first instance in any convenient way to a vertical
revolving shaft 1 on the surface, as shown in plan in Figure 1 and in
This
sectional elevation in Figure 2, on Sheet 1 of the Drawings
vertical shaft 1 has on it a bevil wheel 2, to receive motion from a
horizontal shaft, which may be the first motion or crank shaft of a steam
engine, and is supported in a framing 3, situated near the pit shaft 4,
On the shaft there are two pulleys 5, or as many as there are machines
below to be driven, each pulley having a clutch in connection with it for;
Each pulley.
putting it into gear with or out of gear from the shaft 1.
actuates a separate endless wire or other rope or chain 6, which is made
to take upwards of a complete turn round it; and is, led over guide

page_text: pulleys 7, down the pit shaft 4, and thence along a drawing road or other
mine way to the face of the coal or other mineral, or to other parts in
the mine workings whereat the cutting or boring machinery is to
operate.
Figure 3 is a small scale diagram corresponding to a horizontal section
of a portion of a coal mine, and Figure 4 is a similar diagram corre-
sponding to a vertical section.
In order that the endless rope 6 may interfere as little as possible with
free passage along the road or mine way 8, it is therein supported on
single horizontal pulleys 9, with projecting flanges on their bottom edges,
and turning on pendent vertical spindles or pins fixed as near the roof as
possible, either to single brackets 10, carried each by one side post 11, as
shown in Figure 9, on Sheet 2 of the Drawings, or to cross bars 12,
supported by vertical posts 11, on both sides, as shown in Figure 8.
The posts 11 are jammed between the floor and roof, and where the roof
is liable to sink, springs 13 may be applied, as shown in Figure 9. One
side of the endless rope 6, passes on one side of each pulley 9, and the
returning part of the rope on the other side of each pulley, so that one
half the number of pulleys usually employed for such a purpose are
dispensed with.
Where the mine way is curved, as shown at 14, in the horizontal
sectional diagram Figure 12, on Sheet 2, the rope 6, is crossed between
the pulleys. The endless rope 6, is led along the road S, to a point as
far as conveniently possible in advance of the working face 15, and is
passed with one or more complete turns round a pulley 16, on a vertical :
shaft at the point whereat the power is to be taken from it. The vertical
shaft, on which the pulley 16 runs loosely, is upon a wheeled carriage
17, resting on rails or trams such as those of ordinary drawing roads in
mines, being fixed on a slide which can be moved along the carriage by
means of a horizontal screw shaft 18 in the direction of the road and to ;
a convenient distance, such as three feet (the depth of a cut into the coal
or other face).
In the modification shown in Figures 3 and 4, there is a second pulley
19, on the vertical shaft, which can be put into gear with the other
pulley 16, by means of a friction cone or other clutch, and a separate
rope or belt 20 proceeds from this second pulley along parallel to the
coal or other face 15, to a pulley 21, at the further end of the face, such

page_text: further pulley having a screw or weighted lever applied for tightening the
rope or belt. A convenient arrangement of this pulley 21, is shown in
plan in Figure 10, and in side elevation in Figure 11, on Sheet 2, the
pulley being carried by a slide 22, adjustable by a screw shaft on a
carriage 23, which is chained to a post 24. Intermediately between the
two pulleys 19, 21, last mentioned, the belt on rope 20 passes round a
first motion pulley 25, on the cutting or boring machinery, and thereby
drives that machinery, which machinery is by preference arranged as
described in my earlier Specification herem-before referred to, that is to-
say, so that such first motion pulley 25 does not partake of the progressive
motion of the cutting or boring tool When the cutting tool or set of
tools has progressed as far as its carriage 26 will admit of, the carriage
is slufted along the face, and the first motion pulley 25 tolls along the
driving belt or 1ope 20. When the coal or other face 15, has been holed
or undercut along the space commanded by the rope 20, the machinery
is moved out of the way to admit of the mineral being removed, and 18
subsequently replaced three feet (or other distance) in advance. The
pulley 16, of the main endless rope 6; is shifted along with the pulley.
19, along its carriage 17, and its slide is then blocked or jammed and
the carriage drawn along under it ready for the next sluft.
The carriage
17, is steadied and fixed so as to resist the strain of the rope, 20, by
telescopic screw jammung posts 27, and similar posts are used for fixing
the carriage 26 of the cutting or boring machinery.
Figures 5 and 6, on Sheet 1, are a plan and transverse vertical section
showing the cutting machinery which I prefer to use in carrying out
the herein-before described modification of my improved general
arrangements. The ends of the carriage 26 are connected by longi-
tudinal side bais 28, of T non which support and guide a slide or plate
29, having on it the cutting machinery. The first motion pulley 25
is on a horizontal shaft 30, which has fast on it a pinion 31, in gear with
a spur wheel on a second shaft 32, a pinion on which last is in gear with
a spur wheel 33, loose on the shaft 30. The spun wheel 38, is in one
piece with or fixed to a bevil pimon 34, which is in gear with a bevil
wheel fast on a vertical shaft 35, having on its lower end a pinion 36, in
gear with internal teeth on a horizontal disc or cutter wheel 37.
cutter wheel 37, is carried by a bracket 38, which is formed with a
tubular neck, down through which the shaft 35 passes, and which is
fitted to turn in a tubulai bush or bearing 39, cast on the plate 29, being
entered into the bearing from below and then held by a separate collar
This

page_text: ove
40, fixed to its upper end. The bracket 38, with the cutter wheel 37,
can thus be turned in under the carriage 26. The cutter wheel 37, is
made with a central boss, which is entered from below into the bearing
of the bracket 38, and a plate of larger diameter being then bolted
to the boss from the upper side holds it up. The cutters 41, are adjusted
in holders fixed on the periphery of the wheel 37, and are by preference
arranged in sets of three each, as shown in Figure 7, a narrow edged one
being followed by a two pronged broader one, and this by a still broader
one, so as to make the cut in a gradual manner as regards its width.
The plate or slide 29, is guided on the carriage bars 28, by three sels of 1
rollers 42, four bearing on the top edges, four on the bottom edges, and
four on the inner edges, and is moved progressively along the carriage
by means of a rack fixed to one of the side bars 28. A pinion 43, gears
with this rack and receives its motion through a worm wheel 44, worm
45, bevil wheels 46, and feed wheel 47, the last being acted on by a 1
reversible pawl lever actuated by a rod 48, from an eccentric on the first
motion shaft 30. The plate or slide 29, has a strut 49, hinged to what
may be termed its back end, and when it reaches the front end of the
carriage this strut prevents its return by bearing into the road surface.
A small winding barrel 50, on a shaft 51, having on it a spur wheel 52,
in gear with the spur wheel 33, is then put into gear by means of a
clutch lever, and winds up a chain or rope attached to the back end of
the carriage 26, and draws the carriage forward to a new position, the
jamming posts 27 being temporarily slackened to admit of this.
Figure 12, on Sheet 2 of the Drawings, is a horizontal sectional
Diagram illustrating a second modification of my improved arrange-
ments for cutting or getting coal or other minerals, which constitutes
an important and very economical and otherwise advantageous system
applicable where the mining operations are conducted on an extensive
scale. Under this system twenty feet or other convenient length of coal
or mineral face are undercut across between two parallel roads or mine
ways 53, 54, by an endless chain 55 with cutters on it, and stretched
across from one road 53 to the other 54. In one of the roads or ways 53
a main endless driving 1ope 6 is arranged, as herein-before described, to
actuate a pulley 16 on a slide movable along a carriage 17; but instead
of this pulley 16 actuating a separate belt or rope (20) it gives motion
through suitable speed reducing gearing to a toothed or sprocket
wheel 56 carried as lowly as possible, and which stretches and actuates
the endless cutter chain 55; the other end of the endless chain is taken

page_text: "
round a toothed or sprocket wheel 57 carried by a slide on a carriage 58
in the other road or way 54, and the screw or rack shifting movements
of each carriage 17, 58, is connected by adjustable feed gearing to the
respective wheel 56, 57, so as to impart a suitable progressive movement
to the endless cutter chain 55 in a direction at right angles to the
face 15; the endless cutter chain 55 may be constructed like such chains
already in use with short gibs; I however prefer to fit rollers to some of
the chain links to avoid the friction of the chain rubbing along the
bottom surface of the cut; thus instead of every second link being fitted
with a cutter there may be two links between each cutter link, one a
slotted link to gear on the tooth of the sprocket wheel, and the other a
link fitted with an antifriction roller. The carriages 17, 58, are of course
jammed in position during the cutting operation, and so as to keep the
endless cultei chain 55 às tightly stretched as possible. I may however
remark that any slight slackness of the chain will be no disadvantage as
it will merely render the line of cut slightly curved instead of being
straight
To carry out my improved system most advantageously there should
be at least two and by preference four lengths of face 15 worked together,
as indicated in Figure 12. Then distinguishing these faces as A, B, C, D,
the faces A and C should be undercut by separate endless cutter
chains 55, at one time, and when a suitable depth for removing is reached
the cutter chains 55 should be transferred to the faces B and D, which
can be cut whilst the mineral is being removed from A and C, the
mineral being in turn removed from B and D whilst A and C are being
cut.
In order to have the cutter chain 55 as low down as possible lengths of
rail are removed between the front and back wheels of the carriages
17, 58, an improvement which may also be adopted in the case of the
machine shown in Figures 5 and 6.
The mine ways or loads 53, 54, may be formed by means of the
machine shown in plan in Figure 13, and in transverse vertical section in
Figure 14, and which differs from that shown in Figures 5 and 6, and
herein-before described, in having substituted for the progressive move-
ment along the carriage 26 a circular progressive movement of the
bracket or gib 38 with the object of causing the cutter wheel 37 to
sweep through an arc in advance of the carriage. The gearing is
modified to suit this modification in a manner that will be easily under-

page_text: stood from the Drawings, the progressive feed details however not being
shown.
If preferred the system herein-before described with reference to
Figure 12 may be carried out without making the roads 53, 54, in
advance. The sprocket wheels 56, 57, for distending and actuating the
endless cutter chain 55 may be carried by gibs at the front ends of the
carriages 17, 58, whilst the upper part of the carriage framing may be
constructed to project into the coal face, a cavity being cut to receive it
preparatory to making each fresh cut along the face.
In order to secure the proper working of my improved rope driving
arrangements it is necessary to maintain a uniform tension on each
main endless rope 6 notwithstanding any circumstances tending to make
it tighter or slacker at different times. For this purpose one or more
loops of the rope is or are arranged to suspend a pulley or pulleys 59,
Figure 4, Sheet 1, in the shaft 4, such pulley or pulleys having
connected to it or them a weight 60 to correspond to the desired tension;
and I prefer to apply this contrivance to the return or otherwise slack
part of the rope as well as to the pulling part. Where there is not space
in the pit shaft this arrangement of suspended and weighted pulleys
may be applied above ground; and it may in some cases be most con-
venient to place the pulleys on a loaded carriage running upon an
incline or bank. :
In some cases the desired uniformity of tension may be obtained by
means of a screw, weighted lever, or spring applied to the pulley (21)
round which the inner end of the endless rope is passed in the mine.
I have herein-before proposed that each machine should have in
connection with it a separate main endless driving rope (6). In some
cases however one endless main driving rope may be used to drive two
machines, either where these are not both working at the same time or
where the secondary driving belts (20) connected with such machines
can be actuated from one pulley shaft worked by the main endless
Tone Gj.
My improved driving apparatus or arrangements may be advan-
tageously used with other cutting or mining apparatus besides that
herein described or delineated, and for under cutting or holeing a coal
face, or for, exploring, or for forming roads, or horizontal or inclined
mines, ways, or galleries; whilst wherever convenient the endless

page_text: driving ropes may be actuated by steam engines, horse gears, or other,
motive-power apparatus situated below the surface.
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 heheve to be novel and original and claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herem-before in part recited Letters Patent 18,—
1. The cutting or getting of minerals by means of improved
machinery and arrangements, substantially such as are herein-before
described.
2. The combining and arranging of the endless ropes for transmitting
the motive power to the mineral cutting or boring machinery, and the
parts for actuating the said ropes, substantially in the improved manner
herein-before described.
3. The supporting and gunding of the endless ropes on horizontal
pulleys, as and for the purposes herein-before described.
4. The arranging and combining together of the parts of machinery for
receiving the power from an endless rope and communicating it to a
cutter wheel or equivalent instrument, substantially in the improved
manner herein-before described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the
accompanying Drawings.
5. The cutting or getting of minerals by means of an endless cutter
chain stretched between two distinct carriages, frames, or fixtures,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said George Simpson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of September, in the year of
our Loid One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
0
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
GEO. SIMPSON. (L.s)