Improvements in Coal Cutting Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1894
Improvements in Coal Cutting Machines.
We, ISAAC WANTLING, Merchant, JAMES JOHNSON, Manufacturer, and
EUGENE ZIMMERMANN, Druggist, all of Peoria, in the State of Illinois, United
States of America, 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:+
Our invention relates to certain new and useful Improvements in Coal Cutting
Machines.
More particularly our invention relates to a machine adapted for coal cutting,
which object is performed through the agency of a cutting head, which is fully
explained and illustrated in Letters Patent of the United States of America
granted to us numbered 475,833, dated May 31st, 1892, under the title of Coal
Cutting Machine. This application for Patent is for certain improvements
thereon, relating particularly to the construction and formation of a cutting head
and certain auxiliary attachments essential in the economical and effectual
operation of the device, which relate particularly to adjusting means, the manner
of feeding, and the carriage structure upon which the main operative parts are
mounted.
Our invention consists essentially of two rotary disks obliquely mounted and
provided with cutting tools or blades upon the circumferential periphery of the
respective wheels and also upon their outside faces. It further consists in
providing a forwardly tapering expanded head upon which the cutter_carrying
wheels are mounted, said head having a rearwardly extending perforated tubular
stem within which is carried the shaft, which carries the driving gear that meshes
with the internal gear of the rotary disks, of a sleeve inclosed also in a perforated
tubular stem, and suitable turning mechanism operated from the power applied for
turning the said sleeve and shaft and of certain adjusting and feeding means, and
still other points of detailed structure that will hereinafter be more particularly
explained.
That our invention may be more fully understood reference is had to the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine with the head thereof in adjustment for
mining purposes.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine showing a portion thereof in section.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing a section through the stem and
sleeve carried in the perforation in the stem, a shaft carried in the sleeve
and the expanded portion of the stem upon which disks are designed to be
mounted.
Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged detail view, showing a section through
line X, X, of Figure 3.
Fig. 5 is a detail view showing an adjustable mechanism supported in the
main frame work or a cross piece thereof within which the stem F is designed to
be carried.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view, showing a section through line e, f, Figure 5.
Fig. 7 is a front view of the rotary heads in adjustment.
Fig. 8 is a view of a certain gear connection.
Fig. 9 is a detail view of a coupling.
T
101

page_text: .
Fig. 11 is a detail view showing an adjusting mechanism.
Fig. 12 is a detail view of a turn-table upon which the machine is mounted.
Fig. 13 is a detail view showing manner of securing cog wheel upon the thread
bar by means of clamping nuts.
In the drawings A, is the main frame work within and upon which are supported
the main operative parts of the machine; B, is a bar connecting the frame work A
with a truck which is designed to support the entire machine, there being a similar
bar on the opposite side of the machine in the same relative position, both of
which said bars are rigidly bolted to the main frame work A, and are connected
at their lower extremities with the rod E, which bears across the truck and is
suitably journaled to provide for its free movement; C is the main body of the
truck, which is provided with a suitable axles and wheels.; D is a circular plate
bearing upon the upper surface of the truck and centrally pivoted thereto by
means of suitable bolt, and upou which is supported the superstructural parts of
the machine, the plate D being designed to be turned upon the body C, for the
purpose of adjusting the machine in position for operation, the structure of the
said plates being such as to facilitate an easy operation for this purpose;
F is a stem cored out internally and expanded at its forward end to form a
circular body with obliquely and forwardly tapering sides; H are wheels, which
are journaled upon studs e, projecting from the sides of the expanded portion Fl
of the stem and are provided upon their peripheries with a number of suitably
adjusted cutting tools, and at their outer sides with cutting tools, and are
internally toothed as at f. The said stem F is supported in the main frame
work A, by passing through a rectangularly formed aperture in the forward part
thereof, and is provided with a similar and suitable bearing at its rear portion,
which is supported on a cross frame piece L, guided by the inner face of the
frame work A, vide Figure 5. I is a tube within the stern F, and connected at its
rear portion with the power shaft J; J is a shaft within the tube I, and is
designed to move backwardly and forwardly therein, the same having a spline and.
groove connection with the tube as illustrated in Figure 4, which causes the
turning of the shaft with the tube; K is a bevelled pinion secured to the forward
extremity of shaft J', which meshes with the internal gear of the wheels H;
O is a threaded bar journaled as at a, upon the uprights N, N' and is designed to
facilitate a forward movement of the stem F for purposes hereinafter mentioned ;
P is a toothed wheel fixed upon the rear extremity of the threaded bar and
meshing with a toothed wheel Q, which has tubular extensions on each side
(Fig. 9) into which the ends of the tube I and motor shaft J are respectively
inserted; R is a clamping nut formed in two sections hinged together so as to
enable the nut to be clamped over the threaded bar O. The nut R has a contact
relation with the upright piece N³, which is secured to the stem F, and lies
directly under the bar O, and is hollowed out at its upper end to conform with the
shape of the said bar. M is a rod which extends across the frame work and is
journaled in suitable boxes at its sides and has one end provided with a crank
arm m, designed to turn it as a windlass to wind up a chain 'n, which is connected
therewith and with the cross piece L which supports and has a fixed relation with
the stem F. The windlass and chain so connected with the stem are intended
to draw the same back as will hereinafter be more particularly explained.
S (vide Figure 11) is a post mechanism used in raising and lowering the cutting
machine. It consists essentially of an upper bar provided with a threaded bar at
its top, which may be screwed up or down to accommodate it to different lengths
of arm, a threaded bar journaled in the upper and lower frame portions of the
post, a movable bracket through which the thread bar works, gear mechanism, and
a crank arm for operating the said bracket up or down upon the threaded bar as
may be desired, and a bifurcated arrangement swivelled upon a pin projecting from
the bracket for carrying the forward end of the stem F, and a pin for securing
the same in position, thus providing an arrangement for raising and lowering the
cutting head as will hereinafter be more particularly explained. In Figures 5

page_text: and 6, T is a carrying sleeve formed of two sections, and provided with a
rectangular perforation within which the stem F is designed to be fixedly carried,
the said sleeve being carried in a circular opening in the cross frame piece L, and
within which opening it is designed to be turned for the purpose of shifting the
head into different positions, that is from the vertical to the horizontal and the
reverse, the said sleeve being provided with arms extending from its periphery and
perforated at their extremities for the reception of a bolt for securing to the
cross piece I, or standard N' in proper position for either horizontal or vertical
cutting as may be desired. There are two of these sleeves, one mounted in
the cross piece L which slides with the stem F and the other mounted in the
forward extremity of the frame A, through which the stem F slides in its forward
and rearward movement.
In Figures 3 and 7, V, V, are grooves cut in the circumference of the expanded
head F, at the top and bottom portions thereof as indicated in the drawings, the
grooves being cut to a considerable depth and parallel with the rearwardly extending
stem. The purpose of such grooving is to provide a passage for a rib which is
left when the cutter head progresses forwardly in a direct line.
It will be seen upon examination of the drawings, that the machine in operation
will leave such ribs as above referred to, one above and one below, when the cutter
head is adjusted in a vertical or horizontal position, as the cutter wheels on account of
being carried upon the forwardly tapering expanded head F¹ will have an oblique
forward bearing starting from a point immediately in front of said head and
1ravelling in opposite directions. In fact, all said cutting tools as they pass the
said point in their revolutions will gradually diverge from a vertical plane through
the forward central point, and practice has demonstrated that while the cutting
tools will make a full and complete clearance for themselves at all times, and for
the expanded head at the point immediately in front that a central seam or rib is
left above and below beginning at a point at the top and bottom where the cutting
tools on the wheels fail to contact with the coal, and gradually widening in
proportion as the wheels are adjusted to diverge until the vertical line through the
center of their axis of rotation is reached. The provision of the said grooves
enabling the head to progress forwardly, the ribs so formed enter therein and thus
prevent any obstruction to the forward passage of the head; the said grooves
being made of sufficient depth to provide for the unobstructed passage of the ribs
therethrough, this provision enables the cutter head as a whole (which includes
the expanded portion F" thereof as well as the wheels H) to bear forwardly
without obstruction until the full length of stem on which the cutter head is
carried is driven.
The machine represented may be used both for cutting and mining coal, that is it
may be used to cut a horizontal opening at the base of a strata of coal, commonly
called mining coal; and it may be used to cut a vertical opening in the vein
of coal.
For the purpose of cutting a horizontal opening in a body of coal, the head is
adjusted in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings with a cutting
head or the expanded portion F' thereof bearing the wheels H in a horizontal
position, that is so that the cutting edges or tools will bear in a horizontal position.
The other parts of the machine being in the relative positions shown in said figures
and power being applied, the tubular extension or knuckle X will be turned and
will transmit a corresponding movement to sleeve I which is connected therewith,
which turning of sleeve I will cause shaft J also to be turned because of the spline
and groove connection therewith, (shown in Figure 4) such turning of shaft J,
which supports at one extremity the pinion K, will cause the wheels H to be
turned because of the meshing relation of pinion K with the cogs of wheels H,
such turning of wheels being in opposite directions with relation to each other, and
when the said wheels are forced in contact with the body of coal, an opening will
be cut therein. The cutting head is fed forwardly by the feeding mechanism
consisting of the thread bar O journaled in the supporting frame work of the.

page_text: machine driven from the cog wheel on knuckle X, which meshes with cog wheel P
on, the said thread bar, and the clamping nut R having a detachable relation with
said thread bar O, which has a contact relation with the upright N¹ connected
with the stem F, which said stem is suitably supported in the frame work of the
machine. As the thread bar O turns in the proper direction with the clamping
mut R secured there around the said clamping nut will be fed forwardly, and
because of the contact relation thereof with upright N' connected with the stem
and cross piece L the said stem will be borne forward with the ends of this
supporting cross piece L sliding in the recesses of the frame piece A, as shown
in Figure 5, this operation being simultaneous with the operation which rapidly
revolves wheels H. This feeding process, which is accomplished through the
instrumentality of the thread bar O and clamping nut R and the other connections
will force the cutting head in contact with the adjacent body of coal, and the
cutting tools upon the circular peripheries of the respective wheels H being
properly adjusted for a given direction of rotation will cut into the said body as
the head is fed forward and the tools b, etc., adjusted upon the sides in the relative
positions shown will assist in clearing the opening thus cut for the passage of the
head and the grooves V, in the expanded stem will allow any core that may be left
to pass therethrough. The head being fed forward the length of the stem, it will
be necessary to draw the head and stem back to their original positions, which is
accomplished through and by means of the windlass mechanism consisting of the
bar M connected with the cross piece L by means of a chain, the said chain being
wound upon rod M by means of the crank arm m which operation is performed
after the clamping nut R has been released from the thread bar O. The clamping
nut being again secured upon the thread bar and machine adjusted to drive a cut
in another location, which may be directly at the side of the hollow previously cut,
the operation is resumed and continued until a new cut is made and so on
indefinitely.
For the purpose of cutting a vertical opening the cutting head is turned to a
vertical position and in order to so turn the head and stem, the bolt which passes
through the extensions i, on the sleeve T is removed, and the head is then turned
to the vertical position desired when the bolt is inserted to securely hold it in this
position, and when properly fixed power is applied as before, and the head is fed
forward in the same manner, the operation being identical with that as previously
explained in connection with the operation for cutting a horizontal opening.
To facilitate the turning of the machine or the head thereof from side to side,
the turn-table formed of body C and circular plate D suitably pivoted together
are provided which it will be seen will enable the machine to be turned in any
direction desired, which is found particularly advantageous in the mining process
as it is there necessary to turn the head either to one side or the other or from side
to side after the different openings have been cut to place it in position to cut new
openings, it being necessary in each instance to readjust post S, but the stem
or head is neither raised nor lowered, but is continually in the same position of
elevation.
When it is desired to cut a vertical opening in a body of coal, the cutting head
is. adjusted in a vertical position and driven in to make a cut, which having been
made, the head is then withdrawn and adjusted to contact with the coal cither
above or below the opening just made, and it is so adjusted by means of the post
mechanism and is again fixed in the proper position, and in this manner one
cut after another is made above or below the opening to constantly enlarge
the same.
In cutting openings in a body of coal, it may happen that the cutting head or
the cutting tools thereon may come in contact with exceptionally hard substances,
and it might happen that it would be impossible for the head to cut through the
hard body without breaking the cutting tools thereon; to prevent such breakage,
the feeding mechanism or thread bar O has the cogged wheel P, which drives the
said thread bar, clamped thereon rather than keyed, by means of nuts screwed up

page_text: in close contact so as to force the said wheel against a collar on the opposite side to.
make a firm impingement, that would be sufficient under ordinary circumstances to
resist the reaction attendant upon cutting through ordinarily hard substances, but
when exceptionally hard substances are encountered the resistance to the forward
feeding may be sufficient to cause the clamping nuts to be turned when the
resistance causes the thread bar to turn slower than the driving gear as the cog
wheel P, which is a part of such driving gear will be governed by the turning of
knuckle X. In this manner the machine will automatically accommodate itself to
contact with substances impossible to cut without breaking the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we:
claim is―
1. In a coal cutting machine, the expanded head F1 grooved as at V, and^
forwardly tapering to provide an oblique forward bearing for the cutting wheels H,
all substantially as described and shown.
2. In a coal cutting machine, the expanded head F, grooved as at V, and
forwardly tapering to provide an oblique bearing for the cutting wheels H, and:
having the rearwardly extending perforated stem F, for supporting the driving-
mechanism for operating the cutting wheels H, all substantially as described and
sliown.
3. The combination in a coal cutting machine of the cutting wheels H, provided
with suitable cutting tools and with internal gears, a gear wheel meshing therewith
rotated by suitable mechanism, the expanded head integrally connected with the
rearwardly extending stem and forwardly tapering to provide a wedge shape
formed with grooves in its sides parallel with rearwardly extending stem upon
which the cutting wheels are mounted, all substantially as described and set forth.
4. In a coal cutting machine, the combination with the stem F, bearing the
cutting wheels H, shaft J, and sleeve I, of the mechanism for turning the said stem
consisting of the sleeve T, provided with an opening through which the stem is
carried journaled in a circular opening in the frame work A, and cross piece L,.
and provided with extension I, provided for securing bolt, all substantially as
described and shown.
5. In a coal cutting machine, the combination with the stem F, internally bored
having the expanded head F', forwardly tapering to provide an oblique bearing
surface and grooved as at V, of the wheels H, internally cogged and provided
with suitable cutting tools, the shaft J, bearing the pinion K, in mesh with the cogs
of the wheels H, and the sleeve I, having a spline and groove connection with
shaft J, and suitably actuated for rotation, all substantially as described and set
forth.
6. In a coal cutting machine, the combination with the stem F, internally bored
and having the expanded head F', forwardly tapering to provide an oblique bearing.
surface, and grooved as at V, of the wheels H, internally cogged and provided
with suitable cutting tools, the shaft J, bearing the pinion K, in mesh with the
cogs, and the wheels H, the sleeve I, having a spline and groove connection with
shaft J, and suitably actuated for rotation, and the thread bar O, provided with
clamping nut R, for bearing relation with stem F, for feeding the stem forward,.
and while the wheels H, are rotated for the purpose of cutting coal, all substantially
as described and set forth.
7. In a coal cutting machine, the stem F, internally bored and having the
expanded head F, forwardly tapering and grooved as at V, carrying the wheels H,.
internally cogged and driven by pinion meshing therewith connected with shaft J,
the rearward extension thereof centrally bored and supporting shaft J, and
sleeve K, with the frame work A suitably grooved for sliding projections
provided upon the rearward extremity of said stem, and with an opening in its
forward part for the passage through of said stem, and supported on arms B,.
journaled in boxes on plate D, connected therewith for tilting the machine and

page_text: supported upon pivoted plate D, bearing upon plate C, of the truck providing for
the turning of the head from side to side, all substantially as described and
shown.
8. In a coal cutting machine, the combination of the stem F, provided with the
forwardly tapering expanded head F' the cutting wheels H, internally cogged and,
shaft J, provided with gear wheel K, meshing with cogs of wheels H, the sleeve I,
having the spline and groove connection with shaft J, the frame A, within which
the stem F, is carried and suitably formed to enable the said stem to slide back
and forth therein as shown, and provided with arms B, rigidly secured to the sides
thereof, and connected below by shaft E, journaled in boxes on plate D, to enable
the machine to be tilted up or down, and the plate C, and D, supported upon a
truck suitably pivoted at their central point to enable the cutter bead to be turned
from side to side, the feeding mechanism consisting of shaft O, suitably journaled
and connected with power by suitable cog wheel as P, and provided with clamping
nut R, having threaded relation with threaded bar O, and designed to contact
with projection N³ connected with stem F, which provides for the forward bearing
of the said stem F, as the clamping nut R, is fed forward on threaded bar O, and
suitable connections therewith, all substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 20th day of December 1893
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.