IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL CUTTING, MACHINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Greig and Thomas Gillott, both of the
Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County of York, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL CUTTING, MACHINES."
Sealed the 31st December 1872, and dated the 1st August 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Greig and
Thomas Gillott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 1st August 1872.
We, DAVID GREIG and THOMAS GILLOTT, both of the Steam Plough
Works,, Leeds, in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL CUTTING MACHINES," to be
as follows:-
"
This Invention comprises a machine for performing that portion of
mine labour known as holing or under cutting, which consists in
cutting a groove along the working face at or near the bottom of the
seam of coal, and is also applicable to seams of ironstone, fire-clay, or
other mineral. It consists of a frame carried by wheels supporting by
suitable brackets a wheel carrying cutters at its periphery which revolve
with it for the purpose of cutting the groove before mentioned. This

page_text: wheel has a transverse motion in the frame to enable it to enter upon its
work without requiring an entrance groove to be previously cut by hand
and the same motion may be used to adjust the depth of the cut.
The machine is worked by an endless rope of steel, iron, or other
material passed round one of Fowler's clip or other suitable pulleys,
geared with the cutting wheel before mentioned, and the necessary
guide and tightening pulleys, the motive power being situated in any
convenient position.
The feed motion for cutting may be obtained by actuating the
travelling wheels by suitable gearing, or by so regulating the tension on
the driving rope so as to act upon the machine with such pressure and
in the required direction, or by a crab or capstan connected by rope or
chain with the machine actuated by an independent power, in order
to propel the machine along a line of rails parallel to the working
face.
If preferred, an engine can be arranged to work the machine, and also
haul the coal when broken down.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Greig and Thomas Gillott in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 1st February 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS' SHALL COME, we, DAVID
GREIG and THOMAS GILLOTT, both of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in
the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in
the thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
.successors, give and grant unto us, the said David Greig and
Thomas Gillott, Her special license that we, the said David Greig
and Thomas Gillott, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said David Greig and Thomas Gillott, our
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,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for:
"IMPROVEMENTS IN. COAL CUTTING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said David Greig and Thomas Gillott, our, executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands_
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 Thomas Gillott, on behalf of
myself and the said David Greig, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof, that is to say :-.
"
This Invention comprises a machine for performing that portion of
mine labor known as "holing or under cutting, which consists in
cutting a groove along the working face at or near the bottom of the
seam of coal and is also applicable to seams of ironstone, fire-clay, or
other mineral. It consists of a frame carried by wheels supporting by
suitable brackets a wheel carrying cutters at its periphery, which revolve
with it for the purpose of cutting the groove before mentioned. This
wheel has a transverse motion in the frame to enable it to enter upon its
work without requiring an entrance groove to be previously cut by hand
and the same motion may be used to adjust the depth of the cut.
The machine is worked by an endless rope of steel wire or other.
material passed round one of Fowler's clip or other suitable pullies,
geared with the cutting wheel before mentioned, and the necessary guide.
and tightening pullies, the motive power being situated in any con-
venient position.
The feed motion for cutting may be obtained by actuating, the
travelling wheels by suitable gearing, or by so regulating the tension on.
the driving rope so as to act upon the machine with such pressure and.
in the required direction, or by a crab or capstan connected by rope or
chain with the machine, actuated by an independent power in order.
to propel the machine along a line of rail parallel to the working.
face
▸

page_text: coal cutting machines constructed according to our Invention.
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a plan; Figure 2, a longitudinal elevation
partly in section; and Figure 3, a-transverse section of a coal cutting
machine.
In these Figures the running wire or other rope R from which the
motive power is obtained, passes round the clip pulley A and guide
pulley B, the clip pulley is secured to a shaft 6 carrying a pinion C, the
shaft b being placed in an eccentric bearing so as to be thrown out of
gear by turning the handle c¹ when required. The spur pinion C gears
with teeth on the cutting wheel D, which wheel carries cutters round
its circumference. The cutting wheel D and pulleys A, B, have their
bearings fixed to a sliding frame E, free to move transversely in the
main frame F, the movement being effected by screws f, f, mitre
wheels f¹, f¹, and shaft ƒ³. The main frame F is carried on four
wheels g running on rails h placed alongside the working face of the
coal to be cut. The height of the main frame is adjusted when the
levers jjjj, which carry the bearings of the axles of the travelling
wheels 9, 9, 9, 9, are raised or lowered by turning the shaft k, carrying
worms 1, 1, working into worm segments in connection with the levers j.
Hooks m are provided to attach chains or ropes to for propelling the
machine while working.
The action is as follows:-The machine is placed in front of the
working face, the cutting wheel D being moved transversely by the
screws ff, to allow of the "holing" being commenced. Motion is
communicated to the cutting wheel D by the endless rope R driven from
a hauling or special engine placed in any convenient part of the mine
and the cutting wheel D forced into the coal by the screws f, wheels f¹,
and shaft while working, and when the requisite depth is obtained,
a iorward motion is communicated by a chain or rope attached to the

page_text: hooks m and passed round the barrel of a crab placed at or near one
end of the working face, or motion may be imparted to the travelling
wheels by means of suitable gearing by the person in charge of the
machine.
When the height of the workings will allow of its being done the
driving pulley B may be placed on a horizontal shaft communicating
motion to the vertical shaft b by means of a pair of bevel wheels, and
the width of the machine made less than when the driving pulley is in a
horizontal position. This arrangement of machine is shewn on Sheet 2
of the Drawings. On this Sheet the same letters of reference are used to
indicate like parts to those shewn on Sheet 1, so that it is unnecessary to
give any further description of the several views of the machine which
are shewn upon it. By placing the pulleys A and B at right angles to
the position shewn by Figure 1 on a frame somewhat less in width than
the cutting wheel D, this construction of machine may be adapted for
under cutting the coal when driving headings.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that what we claim
is,-
1. The application of a clip drum driven by a running rope; to give
motion to the cutter of coal cutting machines, substantially as hercin-
described.
2. Mounting the revolving circular cutter of a coal cutting machine
upon a frame capable of being slid transversely across the carriage frame
of the machine so as to enable the machine to commence holeing without
a preparatory groove being cut, substantially as herein-described.
3. The combined arrangements of coal cutting machinery, substan-
tially as herein-described and shewn by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Gillótt, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
MITAS
ATTT OTH
THOS. GILLOTT. (L.S.)