IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MINING COAL
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Lawton Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and Com-
pany, Patent Agents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MINING COAL."
A communication from abroad by Porter Sheldon, of Jamestown, Chautauqua'
County. New York.
Sealed the 7th November 1876, and dated the 6th September 1876.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John Lawton Haddan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on tho 6th September 1876.
JOHN LAWTON HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Patent Agents,
of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR MINING COAL." A communication from abroad by Porter
Sheldon, of Jamestown, Chautauqua County, New York.
The Invention relates to that class of coal mining machines for cutting coal that
are moved along the breast of coal in the galleries of the mine.
The Invention consists, first, in a tapering rotary cutter, formed with double
plain or grooved faces; second, in a tapering rotary cutter formed with double plain
or grooved faces, and the adjacent curved facés constructed with wedge-shaped
grooves for the reception of the cutters; third, in the combination with a coal-
mining machine, provided with fixed rear axles of a pivoted forward axle to serve
as a positive support for the machine on variable grades; fourth, the combination
with the winding drum and a counter shaft of spur wheels, endless chains, and a
double clutch to impart slow or rapid movement to the machine; fifth, in' certain
details of construction hereafter specified and claimed.
.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of the machine;
Fig. 2 represents the side rail of the machine with means for adjusting the axles
relatively to the same; Fig. 3 shows the forward axlo attachment to allow of the
self-adjustment of the same. A is the machine frame having side rails B, B¹, and
end rails or cross-bars C, C. The side rails are- formed with rectangular slots or
bearings, within which the ends of the rear axle D are secured. Adjusting
screws b, bl, squared at their upper ends for the application of a wrench pass through
the side rails, and are firmly attached to the ends of the rear axle. By turning
[Price 6d.]
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page_text: the adjusting screws the position of the frane carrying the revolving cutter may
be adjusted as desired. To the forward cross-bar of the machine the forward
axlo D¹ is pivoted at its centre c so that the wheels passing over an uneven surface
may yield and support the machine in any position. Oscillating engines E, E',
having their trunnions suitably journaled in bearing blocks & impart a rotary
motion to the double crank shaft F through pistons e, e¹. Eccentrics f. f, are secured
to opposite ends of the crank shaft F, and to each eccentric the eccentric straps g
and connecting rods are attached, while the opposite ends of the connecting
rods gare attached to the cranks g₁ of oscillating valves that serve to govern the
entrance and exit of motive power to the engines E, E. To the double crank
shaft F, and between bearing blocks h, h, the main driving gear wheel G is rigidly
secured and meshes with the cog-wheel II of the counter shaft H. The outer
end of countershaft H' is screw-threaded for the attachment of the rotary cutter I.
Cutter bar I is formed tapering from its inner end to its point, as shown, and
has plain faces i, i. The form of the cutter is such that its strength is gradually
increased with the leverage and its weight decreased from its outer to its inner
end, whereby the springing of the cutter bar is in a great measure obviated,
and also through the medium of the cut away or plain faces the cutter
bar readily clears itself of the coal cuttings accumulating in the cut in
front of the same. The rounded faces j, j, of the cutter bar are provided
with wedge-shaped grooves k, within which the cutters are firmly secured.
Pipes K, K¹, are attached to the outer trunnions of the oscillating engines through
stuffing boxes, or in any desired manner, and the said pipes connect with a rear
cross pipe K, which is curved downward and screw-threaded at its outer end. A
tapering pipe L, having air jets or nozzles, is screwed on the end of pipe K².
The engines are actuated by compressed air, and the exhaust is carried through
pipes K, K¹, K², into the pipe L, from whence it escapes through the jets l, and
serves to force the coal cuttings from about the rotary cutter and allow the same
to work without any obstruction from the constantly accumulating coal cuttings.
In order that the cutter may cut closely to the floor of the gallery I use but
a single or outside guiding track for the machine, and provide the machine with
double flanged track wheels M and plain or road wheels on the inner or cutting
side of the inachine. As the cutter shaft is not obstructed by any track, but on
the contrary moves near the floor of the gallery, the cutting bar will cut the breast
of coal close to or even with the floor, thereby saving the time and expense usually
incurred in cutting away a layer of coal above the floor that heretofore has been
left standing by the coal mining machines as heretofore constructed. As heretofore
stated, the cutter bar may be vertically adjusted by turning the set screws b, b', as
they serve to vary the height of the frame from the 1oad wheels. Upon the crank
shaft F the worm gear N is rigidly secured between the crank and central bearing
block. This worm gear ineshes with a cog-wheel on a longitudinal shaft O, the
saine having end bearings in the front and car cross-bars of the frame A. Upon
the forward end of shaft O the bevel-gear wheel m is secured, the same meshing
with bevel-gear wheel n of the transverse shaft P. The end of shaft P carries two
loosely-journaled spur wheels P1, P2, and between these loose pulleys the double
sliding clutch Q is secured to the shaft by a spline and groove. The double clutch
is formed with a central grove p, within which engages the end of the shifting bar R,
the same being provided with a slot q and attached to the frame by a screw or bolt
9. An operating lever S is pivoted at its lower end to the frame of the machine
and passes through an opening in the end of the shifting bar R. Endless chains
T, U, pass around the spur wheels P1, P2, of the shaft P, and impart rotary motion to
the winding-drum V, through the large and small spur wheels W, X, which are rigidly
secured to the axle of the drum; a rope is secured to the drum, and the opposite
end of the rope is secured to some fixed object in the gallery of the mine. When it is
desired to feed the rotary cutter forward rapidly against the coal the clutch is thrown in
contact with the inner spur wheel, and as the endless chain on the same passes around
the small spur wheel X, attached to the axle of the drum, the latter will be rapidly

page_text: revolved, and through the rope attachment winding on the drum cause the machine to
be drawn rapidly against the breast of coal. A slow motion is obtained by shifting the
clutch and causing it to engage with the outer pulley, the belt or chain of which passes
around the large spur wheel W of the drum. To stop the machine the clutch is
thrown midway between the loose spur wheels, when the drum will remain
stationary I do not claim a coal mining machine provided with outside flanged
wheels and inside plain or road wheels, as this construction broadly considered is
the Invention of G. D. Whitcomb, and is shown in his Patent dated January 18,
1876
Having fully described the Invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is-
1. A tapering rotary cutter, formed with its opposite sides grooved or flattened
substantially as and for the purpose set forth
I
2. The combination, with a tapering rotary cutter, having flattened faces, as
described, of a series of cutters secured within wedge-shaped grooves formed in
the curved faces of the cutter, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination, in a coal-mining machine, of a near stationary axle and a
forward main axle centially pivoted to the frame, substantially as and for the pur-
pose specified.
4. In a coal-mining machine, the combination with the winding-drum and a
counter shaft of spur wheels, a double clutch, and endless chains to impart a slow
or rapid movement to the machine, substantially as and for the purpose set
for th.
5. In a coal-mining machine, the combination with the spur wheels P1, P2, W,
and X, and endless chains T, U, of the double clutch Q, shifting bar R, and operating
lever S, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Lawton Haddan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
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