An Improved Apparatus for Mining or Cutting Coal.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Mining or Cutting Coal.
We, THOMAS WRIGHTSON, of The Teesdale Iron Works, Thornaby-on-Tees, in
the County of York, Engineer, and JOIN MORISON, of Cramlington, in the County
of Northumberland, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to a machine or apparatus adapted for cutting or mining
coal and consists in the combination or arrangement of the several devices or
appliances hereinafter described.
The object of our invention is to provide a handy, portable and easily adjusted
apparatus which can be rapidly and rigidly fixed in the tunnel or working and
casily manipulated so as to apply effectively cutting tools to the face of the
coal.
In carrying our invention into effect we make use of an apparatus or machine
the main or essential features of which consist as follows;
Two jacks preferably adjustable by pneumatic pressure are set up on the floor
of the working and are connected together by tubular or other form of cross
bars fixed adjustably to one jack and adjustably or rigidly to the other of the
two jacks and the said cross bars with the jacks forming a complete frame which
is intended to carry a motor for driving the cutting tool and a winch feeding
the cutters by means of an endless chain, or other feed gear moved by attach-
ment to the motor or by hand. The jacks may be adjustable by toggles, screws
or other known methods, so long as their adjustment fulfils the object of our
invention in substituting this device for weight in the coal cutting machine.
Provision is made by means of a blast such as the exhaust from the motor to
In order to make the
keep the cutting tool from choking up with coal dust.
jacks in the pneumatic form fixtures by a tight fit between the floor and roof
of the working tunnel the jacks are constructed on the pneumatic ram and
cylinder principle so that by pumping air into the cylinder the ram is forced
outwardly. This ram is provided with claws or sharp pointed terminals to get a
good grip of the roof and the cylinder may be similarly furnished or not so long
as a secure grip of both roof and floor of the working is obtainable by extending
the ram under pneumatic pressure. Other provision may also be made for set-
ting these pneumatic jacks at an incline to the floor or basement on which they
stand. By having one pneumatic jack adjustably secured to the cross bars, the
The cutting tools are
two jacks can be set more or less apart as required.
extended from a motor mounted on the cross bars so as to slide or travel along
them. The cutting tools may be fixed on and drawn by bars, endless chain or
disc wheels. The motor may be of any convenient or suitable design, such as
a pneumatic or electric motor which can be operated by power supplied from a
distance, and the mechanism thereof is adapted to impart a rotation to the cut-
ting tool. The motion of the engine may be conveyed to the tool by a flexible
shaft band, gear wheel or other device or direct. The cutting tool may be made

page_text: hollow so as to afford a passage for a blast of air directed upon the point or cut-
ting edge of the tool to prevent choking from coal dust and the bearings may be
protected in a similar manner. The cutting tool motor is preferably duplicated
to drive two cutters at different levels so that the coal between the cuts is easily
detached. In order to carry the cutting tool across the face of the working a
winch is provided at one end of the frame with tackle extended therefrom to the
other end. By this means the cutting tool motor is drawn along the cross bars
in either direction at the will of the attendant in charge. The machine may
also be fed by screw or rack or other means. By turning cocks provided for the
purpose the air is let out of the pneumatic jacks, and the apparatus is then re-
movable to another position. The jacks, guide bars and motors are arranged so
that they are easily detachable one from the other to permit of the parts being
easily handled and set up in low workings.
1000
An Improved Apparatus for Mining or Cutting Coal.
We, THOMAS WRIGHTSON, of The Teesdale Iron Works, Thornaby-on-Tees, in
the County of York, Engineer, and JOHN MORISON, of Cramlington, in the County
of Northumberland, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:--
Our invention relates to a machine or apparatus adapted for cutting or mining
coal and consists in the combination or arrangement of the several devices or
appliances herein before described.
The object of our invention is to provide a handy, portable and easily adjusted
apparatus which can be rapidly and rigidly fixed in the tunnel or working and
easily manipulated so as to apply effectively cutting tools to the face of the
coal.
In an apparatus or machine embodying our invention the main features con-
sist as follows:--Two jacks constructed on the ram and cylinder principle and
preferably adjustable by pneumatic pressure are set up on the floor of the work-
ing and connected together by cross bars fixed adjustably to one or both jacks
which with the cross bars form a complete frame.
This frame may be utilised to carry a motor for driving the cutting tool, or
the motor may occupy a position independent of this frame. The cutters are fed
to their work by an endless chain or other feed gear moved by attachment to
the motor or by hand. The jacks are made adjustable in a manner which enables
them to exert endwise pressure for the steadiment of the machine as a substitute
for weight.
By means of our invention provision is also made to exhaust a current of air
blast from the motor to keep the cutting tool clear of coal dust which is important.
and the same means may be used to keep the bearings clear of dust which is of
less importance, roller bearings being used where friction would otherwise be
excessive.
The motor not being in itself a part of our invention may be of any suitable
kind, to operate from a distance and applying to the cutting tool its requisite

page_text: speed of rotation. The machine may be varied in its arrangement and in the
number of cutters it operates.
Reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which the same parts are
indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine or apparatus constructed in accordance
with our invention with direct acting tool driving motors mounted on the cross
bars, one motor to each cutting tool: corresponding to which Fig. 2 is a plan
view of same. Fig. 3 is a transverse view taken in section across the cross bars
and showing one motor mounted on two cross bars and driving by means of gear-
ing two outting tools mounted on other two cross bars. And Fig. 4 is a similar
transverse part sectional view but showing the motor mounted on its own wheels
instead of on the cross bars of the apparatus. In other respects the constructions
shown in Figs. 3 and 4 are the same the motor being readily detachable from
the driving gear of the drills or cutting tools.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 two jacks a a' constructed on the ram and cylinder
principle and preferably operated with pneumatic pressure are set up on the
Hoor of the working and are connected together by tubular or other form of cross
bars 6 fixed adjustably to one jack a¹ and rigidly or adjustably if required to
the other jack a the said cross bars with the jacks forming a complete frame
which is adapted to carry on each cross bar a motor c to be employed in driving
a cutting tool d and all embodied in one frame or carriage as shown for obvious
structural reasons. A winch e feeding the cutters by means of an endless chain f
or other feed gear moved by attachment to the motor or by hand is also mounted
on the cross bars b'. The jacks may be adjustable by toggles, screws or other
known methods so long as their adjustment fulfils the object of our invention
which is to force out the rams of the jacks so that the claws or sharp pointed
terminals g g pivotally mounted thereon take a grip of the roof with such force
that the apparatus rigid enough to do its work. The bottom of the cylinder
may be similarly furnished or not so long as B secure grip of both roof
and floor of the working is obtainable by extending the ram under
pneumatic pressure.
Other provision may also be made for setting these
pneumatic jacks at an incline to the floor or basement on which they stand
by pivotally mounting the cylinders or swivelling pins hh. By having
one pneumatic jack a adjustably secured to the cross bars bb, the two jacks
can be set more or less apart as required, but both jacks can be adjustable in this
respect if required. A cutting tool d is extended from each motor c. The
motors e which are to be taken as representative of suitable motors generally
may be regarded in this case as air driven motors of the three cylinder type and
rotating the shaft d of the cutting tool by direct action. This shaft is hollow
and the air from the motor exhausts through it thereby keeping the cutting tool
clear of coal dust. By driving two cutters at different levels the coal between
them is more easily detached.
In order to carry the cutting tool across the face of the working a winch e
is provided at one end of the frame with tackle such as an endless chain f pass-
ing over a pulley i to another pulley ; at the other end, this chain being con-
nected to a braoket or holdfast k on the motor. By this means the cutting tool
motor is drawn along the cross bars 616 in either direction at the will of the
attendant in charge. The machine may also be fed by screw or rack or other
means. By turning cocks provided at 11 for the purpose the air is let out of
the pneumatic jacks, and the apparatus is then removable to another position.
The jacks, guide bars, and motors are arranged so that they are easily detach-
able one from the other to permit of the parts being easily handled and set up
in low workings.
In Fig. 3 the cross bars are duplicated and the motor c is mounted on and
slides along the tubular bars 36 and the drills or tool shafts d d are mounted

page_text: on and slide along the tubular bars 662 but altogether as one block the said
tubular bars being adjustably secured as before to either side of each pneumatic
jack. Both drills are driven from one motor c by the spur wheel o and the
spur pinions o¹ o³.
In order to lock the motor c on to the tubular bars 636, we
provide locking bars ppl pivotally mounted at qq' so that by turning these bars
over on the tubes and driving in the keys rr the motor is rigidly and adjustably
held in position. By withdrawing these keys the motor is readily detached from
the drills. Roller bearings may be placed at s between the spindles of the drills
and the bearings thereof so as to reduce friction.
In Fig. 4 the extra cross bars are not required the motor being mounted on
its own roller bearings independently of the coal cutter. In all other respects
the construction shown is the same in both figures.
It will be readily understood from the foregoing description that various modi-
fications can be made, both in general arrangement of the apparatus and in
matters of detail without departing from what we have already described as the
essential features of our invention the construction illustrated in the drawings
being intended to explain what is suitable and practical for the purpose.
instance the special advantages of the frame as hereinbefore described are
applicable to a percussive machine which may be mounted thereon instead of a
rotary cutting machine.
For
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is;-
-
1. In a machine or apparatus for cutting or mining coal, as a means for rigidly
fixing the machine in position, the combination with two jacks of the cylinder
and ram type and having claws or sharp pointed terminals pivotally mounted
thereon of an upper and lower cross bar adjustably attached to either or both
jacks so that a frame is constituted which is adapted to carry cutting tools and
their accessories, the said jacks being operated preferably by pneumatic pressure
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated by way of example
in the accompanying drawings.
2. In the operation of mining or cutting coal, the employment of jacks prefer-
ably adjustable by pneumatic pressure and connected together by adjustable
tubular cross bars forming a rigid frame adapted to carry a motor or motors for
driving the cutting tools; suitable tackle such as a winch e and endless chain f
passing over pulleys and being provided to enable the cutting tools to travel
across the face of the working, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein before specified with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. In a machine or apparatus for cutting or mining coal in combination with
a frame as specified in Claims 1 and 2 of an upper and lower cutting tool each
driven by its own motor mounted and sliding as one block on said cross bars
the cutting tool shafts being hollow for the air exhausted from the motor to
blast away the coal dust from the cutting tools substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Math 0541.
LL 1000
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent,
Stockton-on-Tees, and Hull, Agent for the Applicants.