IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BORING, MINING, AND EXCAVATING OR CUTTING, IN MOTIVE POWER ENGINES, AND IN PRESSURE GAUGES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Munro, of Tillanburn, and Robert Scott, of
Cambusnethan, both Places being in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR BORING, MINING, AND EXCAVATING OR CUTTING, IN MOTIVE POWER
ENGINES, AND IN PRESSURE GAUGES."
Sealed the 20th November 1863, and dated the 26th May 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Munro and Robert
Scott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 26th May 1863.
We, JAMES MUNRO, of Tillanburn, and ROBERT SCOTT, of Cambusnethan,
both Places being in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers, d>
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR BORING, MINING, AND EXCAVATING OR CUTTING, IN MOTIVE POWER ENGINES,
AND IN PRESSURE GAUGES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention comprises various improvements relating to boring and other
mining operations and excavations or cuttings, and in part applicable to steam
or other motive power engines, the object of the improvements being generally
increased efficiency with simplicity of construction.
The Invention further comprises an improved and simplified modification

page_text: of pressure gauge specially designed for application to the boring apparatus
herein-after described, but also applicable otherwise.
In a modification of boring apparatus embodying a portion of the improve-
ments, boring rods, which may be of the ordinary kind, are suspended from
the rim of a pulley or segmental frame, mounted upon a horizontal axle or
centre stud. The pulley or segmental frame works against or nearly in contact
with the vertical face of a drum-shaped chamber piece, which is formed with
two separate segmental chambers, disposed concentrically with the axis of the
pulley or segmental frame. In each chamber there is a segmental piston, and
the two pistons are attached to the pulley or segmental frame by pins which
pass through segmental slots; in the adjacent vertical face or cover of the
chamber piece passages and valves are provided to admit steam from a boiler
to each chamber, but in this modification to act on one end only of each
piston. The pistons are packed at the end acted upon by the steam, the
packing consisting by preference of loose pieces pressed outwards by the steam,
and the slots in the covers are disposed beyond what may be termed the
working parts of the chambers, so that the pistons never uncover the slots to
the steam.. In working, it is proposed to keep one chamber always in com-
munication with the boiler, in order that the steam pressure in it may bear up
part of the weight of the rods, and in that case the lifting and dropping of the
rods will be effected by alternately admitting steam into and exhausting it from
the other chamber. To avoid lateral strain in working, there may be two
pulleys or segmental frames, one on each side of the steam chamber piece, the
piston pins working through slots in both sides, and being attached to both
pulleys or frames. The pulleys or frames are also connected at their outer
rims, the rods being suspended between them. With a similar view there
may be two chamber pieces, with a single pulley or segmental frame between
them. The steam chamber piece may be formed with one, two, or more
chambers and pistons, according to circumstances. When two or more
chambers and pistons are used, the action of the apparatus may be varied to
suit the work by modifying the manner of the exhaust from one or some of the
chambers, such modification being obtained, for example, by adjusting the
exhaust valve mechanism to open more or less gradually. It is, however,
preferred to vary the action by modifying the pressure in what may be termed
the constant pressure chamber or chambers, such modification being obtained,
according to one plan, by forming the boiler with a separate compartment for
supplying the constant pressure chamber or chambers, the steam in such
separate compartment being maintained at a suitable pressure, which may or
may not differ from the pressure in the other part of the boiler.

page_text: According to another plan, a chamber is formed in connection with the pipe
or passage communicating between the boiler and the constant pressure.
chamber or chambers, and sufficient steam having been admitted into this
chamber to attain the requisite pressure, the stop valve is so nearly closed as
to barely admit the fresh steam necessary to make up for leakage and loss
from radiation without elevating the pressure. An outlet valve or cock is
fitted to the chamber to permit steam to escape when its pressure is too high.
The chamber or the separate boiler compartment herein-before referred to must
be provided with a special pressure gauge, in order that when the proper
pressure has been ascertained, any change may be at once checked on inspecting
the gauge. For this purpose a gauge is preferred of the following simple
construction: The pressure of the steam is received, by preference, through
the intervention of a liquid in a bent tube on the under side of a small piston,
which acts on a small lever, either made of a suitable weight or is acted upon
by adjustable weights or springs. This lever indicates through a short range; up
to five pounds, for example, and on reaching the limit of its range it begins to
act on a second lever, which indicates through a second stage, say from five to
ten pounds. In this way any convenient number of simple levers are arranged
to indicate successively higher stages, each lever receiving the pressure of the
one below it near its fulcrum, and communicating the pressure upwards by a
point considerably further from its fulcrum. The indications may be exhibited
in various ways; in one plan the several stages are arranged in a vertical line,
but with a small interval between each stage, the pointers, of which there is a
separate one for each stage, being seen through apertures, but only one at a
time, namely, the one indicating the range in which the pressure at the time.
happens to be.
The winding apparatus used along with the boring rods and apparatus is by.
this Invention constructed and arranged in the following manner:-One winding
barrel is worked directly by two steam cylinders acting on cranks at right
angles to each other, and a pinion on the same axle or shaft gears with a spur
wheel on the axle or shaft of a second barrel. On the first barrel there are
fixed two ropes or chains in such a way that when one is being wound up the
other unwinds. These ropes are passed over pulleys, and are used for hoisting
or lowering the boring rods. In hoisting, the rods, being attached to the rope
which happens to be unwound, are hoisted up, and a portion is detached.
The next portion is then attached to the other rope, which has now become
unwound, and the motion of the winding barrel is reversed; and in this
way the successive portions of the rods are elevated without having to lower

page_text: the rope between each lift. As each portion of the rods is being drawn up in
this way, the preceding portion is lowered by the unwinding action, and its
bottom end being moved out laterally, it is laid down horizontally, and so far
as its weight goes it assists the lifting of the next portion of the rods. The
pulleys over which the ropes pass are by preference suspended by or mounted
on springs, to reduce the shock on starting to wind. The second barrel is for
winding the rope by which the sludge pump is lowered into the bore. This
rope is wound on an outer barrel, which is connected to the central barrel or
shaft by a frictional appliance adjusted to yield on the occurrence of a strain
approaching what might break the rope. When the weight of the boring rods,
gradually increasing with the depth of the bore, comes to exceed the power of
the first barrel, the hoisting rope or chain may be transferred from it to the
second barrel, which has increased power. Instead of ordinary steam cylin-
ders, two steam chamber pieces of the kind herein-before described may be
used, being connected to cranks at right angles when winding; and the same
chamber pieces may be made available for the actual boring operation by
arranging them to act simultaneously on a pulley or segmental frame placed
between them, connecting gear being provided to throw either movement into
or out of action, as may be required.
It is proposed by this Invention to sink mine shafts or to effect cuttings or
excavations of various kinds by means of a massive ram, working in guides,
and fitted with one or more chisels. The ram is traversed over the space to
be excavated in lines, either crossing or surrounding the space, and the portions
between or within the lines are then broken up and removed in the ordinary
way. The ram may be worked by a steam chamber piece of the kind herein-
before described, or by any convenient reciprocating mechanism, the movement
being communicated by means of ropes, chains, or rods.
For mining, quarrying, or excavating purposes, a chamber piece of the kind
herein-before described, and which may be worked by steam or compressed air,
is arranged in a portable form on wheels or otherwise; and to the pulley or
pulleys, or to a piece or pieces mounted and actuated in the same way, there
are attached a number of picks, which are made to reciprocate by the action of
the steam or compressed air. This apparatus is brought to bear on the coal or
other material to be excavated, and is moved forward by hand or by feeding
gear worked by the machine itself.
Where a simple and convenient arrangement of motive power engine, to be
driven by steam or other fluid, is required of a moderate power, various modi-
fications, comprising the chamber piece with segmental chambers, and pistons

page_text: herein-before described, may be advantageously adopted. In one such modifi-
cation a forked connecting rod is jointed on the piston pins working through
slots in opposite sides of the chamber piece; or the connecting rod may be
jointed to a pair of pulleys or vibrating frames, oscillating on centres concentric
with the chambers, the other end of the connecting rod being jointed on a
crank in the ordinary way. In this application the chambers and pistons are
of course double acting, the steam being admitted alternately to either end of
each chamber. Each piston is provided with packing at both ends, and there
is such a distance between the two packings that neither ever passes the end
of the slots in which the cross pins work.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Munro and Robert Scott in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
MUNRO, of Tillanburn, and ROBERT SCOTT, of Cambusnethan, both Places
being in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reigu, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said James Munro and Robert Scott, Her special licence that we, the
said James Munro and Robert Scott, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said James Munro and Robert Scott,
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, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BORING,
MINING, AND EXCAVATING OR CUTTING, IN MOTIVE POWER ENGINES, AND IN
PRESSURE GAUGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
James Munro and Robert Scott, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or one of our, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Munro and Robert Scott,
do hereby declare the nature of our 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
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:-
Our said Invention comprises various improvements relating to boring and
other mining-operations and excavations or cuttings, and in part applicable to
steam or other motive power engines, the object of the improvements being
generally increased efficiency with simplicity of construction.
Our Invention further comprises an improved and simplified modification of
pressure gauge specially designed for application to the boring apparatus
herein-after described, but also applicable otherwise.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the
same may be properly understood, we have hereunto appended two Sheets of
explanatory Drawings, to be herein-after referred to, and representing various
modifications of apparatus embodying our improvements. In these Drawings
the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts in all
the Figures in which they occur.
A modification of boring apparatus embodying a portion of our improve-
ments is shown in side elevation and in plan in Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1
of the Drawings. A steam chamber piece, which forms an important part of
the arrangements, is shown with one side open in Figure 3, and in transverse
section in Figure 4. This chamber piece 1 is for giving the jumping or
reciprocating motion to the boring rods, and it is in the form of a drum or
pulley, being made with two separate segmental chambers 2, 2, and 3, 3,
disposed concentrically with its axis, and of a rectangular section radially. In
each chamber there is a segmental piston 4, 5, and the two pistons have pins
6 fixed in them, which pass out through segmental slots (indicated by dotted
lines in Figure 3) in the sides of the chamber piece, and are externally fixed
to two pulley rims or frames 7, which work on the sides and circumferential
edges of the chamber piece 1, being connected by and supporting a circle of
wooden staves 8, so as to form therewith a single rigid drum or pulley. This
drum or pulley 7, 8, may be made segmental, or so as to extend only partly
round the chamber piece 1, but we prefer to make a complete drum of it, as
shown. It may also be made entirely of iron, if wished. The chamber piece 1
is provided with passages 9, 10, and a valve 11, to admit steam from a
boiler (12) to each chamber 2, 3, but in this modification to act on one end

page_text: only of each piston 4, 5. The pistons 4, 5, are each packed at the ends acted
upon by the steam, by preference by loose pieces, as indicated by dotted lines
in Figure 4, such loose pieces being pressed outwards by wedges or other
pieces or small pistons, to the inner ends of which the steam pressure has
access by an opening 13 in the face of the piston. The pistons 4, 5, are of
considerable length, and the slots in the covers are disposed beyond what may
be termed the working parts of the chambers, so that the pistons never
uncover the slots to the steam. In working one chamber, 3 for example, is
kept always in communication with the boiler, in order that the steam pressure
in it may bear up part of the weight of the rods, and in that case the lifting
and dropping of the rods will be effected by alternately admitting steam into
and exhausting it from the other chamber 2. Instead of the arrangement
shown in Figures 3 and 4, there may be two steam chamber pieces, having
a single pulley frame (7) between them, and with the slots and connecting
pins at the inner faces only of each chamber piece.
In another modification shown in Figures 5 and 6, the sides 14 of the
chamber piece, instead of being stationary, form part of and move with the
pulley or drum 8, and the stationary or fixed parts consist of the central
portion 15 and the abutments 16, which divide the steam chambers 2, 2, 3, 3,
from each other. The pistons 4, 5, are formed or fixed between the moving
parts 14, 8, and packing is applied along the inner edges of these pistons,
round the circular edges of the stationary centre 15, and entirely round the
edges of the abutments 16, the packing consisting, by preference, of loose
pieces pressed outwards by the steam as in the other modification. The steam
chamber piece may be formed with one, two, or more chambers or pistons,
according to circumstances. When two or more chambers and pistons are
used, the action of the apparatus may be varied to suit the work by modifying "
the manner of the exhaust from one or some of the chambers, such modifica-
tion being obtained, for example, by adjusting the exhaust valve mechanism
to open more or less gradually; or a separate weighted valve may be
arranged in the exhaust pipe, as shown at a, in Figuro 4; to this appliance,
however, we make no claim, as we find it has been before proposed. We,
however, prefer to vary the action by modifying the pressure in what be
termed the continued pressure chamber or chambers, such modification being
5 obtained according to one plan by forming the boiler with a separate com-
partment for supplying the continued pressure chamber or chambers, the steam
in such separate compartment being maintained at a suitable pressure, which
may or may not differ from the pressure in the other part of the boiler.
may
Figure 7 is a vertical section of a convenient modification of portable boiler

page_text: for carrying out this part of our Invention. In general the pressure will not
require to be so great in the separate compartment as in the main part of the
boiler, and the compartment may therefore be conveniently formed outside of
the main body of the boiler, as shown at 17, the contents of the compartment
receiving their supply of heat through the main boiler. If necessary, a flue
may be carried round in contact with the separate compartment 17, or it may
be heated by a separate fire; or it may be a separate small boiler detached
from the main boiler. The separate compartment 17 is provided with a
separate safety valve (not shown), and with a pressure gauge, whereby to
observe and regulate its pressure, and we prefer to use a pressure gauge of the
simple and improved kind shown in Figure 8, and herein-after described..
According to another plan a chamber is formed in connection with the pipe or
passage communicating between the boiler and the continued pressure piston
chamber or chambers, and sufficient steam having been admitted into this
chamber to attain the requisite pressure, the stop valve is so nearly closed as
to barely admit the fresh-steam necessary to make up for leakage and loss
from radiation without elevating the pressure.
This chamber may obviously
be a mere enlargement of the steam pipe or passage, or of the piston chambers
or chamber itself, the object being to provide a larger volume of steam behind
the piston or in immediate communication therewith than is displaced by the
movement of the piston, so that the compression due to the displacing move-
ment of the piston may not excessively increase the pressure, such volume of
steam being capable of regulation as regards its pressure independently of the
main boiler. An outlet valve or cock is fitted to the separate chamber to
permit steam to escape when its pressure is too high, and to be used in
conjunction with the steam stop valve in regulating the pressure. Like the
separate boiler compartment (17) the separate chamber must be provided
with a special pressure gauge, in order that when the proper pressure has been
ascertained any change may be at once checked on inspecting the gauge. The
gauge we prefer to use is shown in Figure 8 with the dial removed. The
pressure of the steam is received, by preference, through the intervention of a
liquid in a bent tube on the under side of a small piston, according to a common
construction. The rod 18 of this piston acts on a small curved lever 19, which
moves or indicates through a short range, up to five pounds for example.
The lever 19 acts on a second lever 20 above it, and this again on a third 21
(and further levers might be added in the same way). The levers are
centered alternately at opposite sides in such a way that as the pressure
increases the point of transmission from one lever to the next above it
approaches the outer end of the lower lever and the fulcrum of the upper

page_text: one. Weights or springs may be applied to each lever or only to the upper-
most one, to which, in the Figure, a spring 22 is shown as applied, whilst the
position of a weight, if used instead of a spring, is indicated by dotted lines
at 23. The indications may be exhibited in various ways; in one plan the
several stages are arranged in a vertical line, but with a small interval between
each stage, the pointers of which, in the plan referred to, there is a separate
one for each stage being seen through apertures, but only one at a time,
namely, the one indicating the range in which the pressure at the time
happens to be. A simple arrangement is shown in Figure 8, comprising a
rack 24, fixed on the piston rod 18, and actuating a pinion on the same spindle
as a spur wheel, gearing with a pinion on the spindle of the pointer 25, which
works over a graduated dial (not shown).
to facilitate its transport; but when
inclined position, as shown upon a
The boring rods 30 are suspended
In arranging the steam chamber piece to work the boring rods, it is fixed
upon a pair of wooden bearers 26, which pass through it and form part of a
rectangular framing 27, Figures 1 and 2, which is provided with shafts 28 for
a horse, and with an axle 29 for wheels
working the framing 27 is erected in an
framework 28 immediately over the bore.
by a strap or flat rope 31, which is attached to the drum or pulley 7, 8, as
best seen in Figure 3. It is fixed at its end 32, and passes under a con-
pressing plate 33, adjusted to let the slack of the strap pass a little, as
required, with the jerks of the descending rods, but on elevating the rods the
strap is firmly held by a plate 34, made to bear on it by the action of the
steam itself when admitted to act on the piston. The plate 34 is acted upon
by a bent lever 35, the other end of which is acted on by a piston 36, in a
little cylinder formed in the middle of the chamber piece, and which receives
steam by a passage from the chamber 2.
Another modification of the holding plate is shown at Figures 5 and 6, the
plate 34 being permanently fixed, but so as to let the strap 31 pass freely,
except when a plate and piston 36 beneath on being pressed outwards by the
steam nips it against the plate 34. The valve 11 (Figure 4) is worked by a
rod c (seen in Figure 2), which extends in both directions across the side of
the chamber piece, and has its ends slotted to receive adjustable pins, which
are acted upon by tappet pieces fixed on the frame or rim 7. To prevent the
concussion of the pistons in their chambers the port in the continued pressure
chamber 3 may be placed so that the piston passes it and encloses a cushion
of steam, whilst a small clack valve opening inwards is provided to admit
steam into the cushion space.

page_text: The winding apparatus used along with the boring rods and apparatus is,
by our Invention, constructed and arranged in the following manner :-One
winding barrel 37 is worked directly by two steam cylinders 38 acting on
cranks 39 at right angles to each other, and a pinion 40 on the same axle or
shaft gears with a spur wheel 41 on the axle or shaft 42 of a second barrel.
On the first barrel 37 there are fixed two ropes or chains (43, 44, Figure 1)
in such a way that when one is being wound up the other unwinds. These
ropes are passed over separate pulleys at 45, and are used for hoisting or
lowering the boring rods. In hoisting, the rods, being attached to the rope
which happens to be unwound, are hoisted up and a portion is detached; the
next portion is then attached to the other rope, which has now become
unwound, and the motion of the winding barrel 37 is reversed, and in this
way the successive portions of the rods are elevated without having to lower
the rope between each lift. As each portion of the rods is being.drawn up
in this way the preceding portion is lowered by the unwinding action, and
its bottom end being moved out laterally it is laid down horizontally, and so
far as its weight goes it assists the lifting of the next portion of the rods.
Instead of there being two separate ropes it is obvious that a single rope with
its two ends free will answer the same purpose if the rope is wound a suffi-
cient number of times round the barrel to enable the barrel to wind it. The
pulleys at 45, over which the ropes 43, 44, pass, are by preference mounted
on or suspended from springs 46, to reduce the shock on starting to wind.
The barrel on the second shaft 42 is for winding the rope by which the
sludge pump is lowered into the bore. This rope is wound on an outer
barrel 47, which is connected to the central barrel or shaft 42 by a frictional
appliance adjusted to yield on the occurrence of a strain approaching what
might break the rope, or the frictional appliance may be arranged to be under
the control of the attendant. The outer barrel 47 is formed with a grooved
clutch collar to be acted upon by a hand lever 48; and at the other end of the
barrel there are pointed projections disposed so as to enter cavities in the side
of the spur wheel 41. To cause the barrel to be driven a pressure is applied
by the lever 48 to force the barrel against the wheel, and if the resisting strain
is too great the barrel projections are forced out of the cavities in the side of
the wheel, and the wheel turns without the barrel. The same lever 48 is also
used in lowering the pump to regulate the unwinding action, in doing which
it is moved in the opposite direction, and thereby draws the barrel 47 against
a stationary frictional brake block v. On taking out a pin which holds the
shaft 42 in position, the same lever 48 serves to move the shaft across, so as

page_text: to take the wheel 41 out of gear from the pinion 40. When the weight of
the boring rods, gradually increasing with the depth of the bore, comes to
exceed the power of the first barrel 37, the hoisting ropes or chains 43, 44,
may be transferred from it to the second barrel 42, which has increased
power. Instead of ordinary steam cylinders two steam chamber pieces of the
kind herein-before described may be used, being connected to cranks at right
angles when winding; and the same chamber pieces may be made available
for the actual boring operations by arranging them to act simultaneously on a
pulley or segmental frame placed between them, connecting gear being
provided to throw either movement into or out of action, as may be required.
A portion of our said Invention relates to the sinking of mine shafts or to
the effecting of cuttings or excavations of various kinds by means of a massive
ram working in guides and fitted with one or more chisels or digging tools.
The ram is traversed over the space to be excavated in lines either crossing
or surrounding the space, and the portions between or within the lines are then
broken up and removed in the ordinary way. The ram may be worked by a
steam chamber piece of the kind herein-before described, or by any convenient
reciprocating mechanism, the movement being communicated by means of
ropes, chains, or rods.
Figure 14, Sheet 2, is a plan, and Figure 15 is a sectional elevation,
showing as much of one modification of arrangements for carrying out this
improvement as will make it easily understood. The details shown are
suitable for excavating a rectangular pit or shaft. This shaft having been
excavated to a short depth in the ordinary way, there are fixed on it by wedges
or screws two frames 99, and on these sliding guide frames 98 are fitted, such
guide frames being formed with one or more guide eyes for the vertically
reciprocating rams 97; as the cutting goes on the guide frames 98 are
moved horizontally along the frames 99 by grooved or toothed wheels fast
on the spindles 96, and acting on the insides of the frames 99. These
spindles 96 may be turned by hand or by a feed movement derived from the
steam chamber piece or other motive engine. The guide frames 98 are
constructed with several guide eyes, in the manner shown, in order that the
ram may be transferred from one eye to another, when it can thereby be
brought better to bear on a corner or other part. If the excavation however
is circular, or with rounded corners, the one guide frame (98) can be worked
completely round it, and separate frames are not required for the different
sides. To assist in breaking up the middle block a transverse bearer may be
placed across the frames 99 at any part, and a guide frame with its ram may
be employed thereon, as indicated at 95.

page_text: For mining, quarrying, or excavating purposes a chamber piece of the
kind herein-before described, and which may be worked by steam or compressed
air, is arranged in a portable form on wheels or otherwise, and to the pulley
or pulleys, or to a piece mounted and actuated in the same way, there is
attached one or more picks made to reciprocate by the action of the steam or
compressed air. This apparatus is brought to bear on the coal or other
material to be excavated, and is moved forward by hand or by feeding gear
worked by the machine itself.
Figure 9, Sheet 1, is a plan, and Figure 10 is an elevation, of one modifi-
cation suitable for coal hewing, being arranged for the system of working
wherein a thin cutting is made beneath the block or mass of coal to be
detached. The chamber piece 1 is fixed horizontally on a low framing or
carriage 61, mounted on wheels, and a pick 62 is fixed in the movable frame
in connection with the segmental piston or pistons, and the steam or com-
pressed air being admitted by the pipe 63, the pick is thereby made to
reciprocate through an arc, and cut the groove into the coal by degrees. . In
this modification a hand wheel 64 and bevil gear is applied to one of the
carriage axles to move the apparatus along as the cutting progresses.
Another modification of apparatus is shown in plan and elevation in
Figures 11 and 12, and in it the piston or pistons are fixed upon a movable
centre piece, and the chamber piece 1 is made to enclose all but the central
parts. A square hole is made through the centre piece, and a square shaft 65,
fitted therein, carries the pick 62 at its lower end; the shaft 65 is fitted with
'clutch collars at its upper end, and a clutch lever 66, applied thereto, serves
to raise the pick a little for widening the groove or cutting, the facility for
doing which is an important feature. The chamber piece 1 may be fixed
in a vertical position for cutting the usual vertical grooves into the coal face.
Figure 13, Sheet 2, is a side elevation of a modification of our improved
excavating apparatus arranged as a "steam navvy" for making cuttings above
ground for railways and the like. In this arrangement a steam chamber
piece 1, arranged to give an angular reciprocating motion to a pick 62, is
arranged to slide in guides in a frame 67, which is jointed upon a turning
platform 68, carried by a carriage 69. A steam boiler 70 is mounted upon
the platform 68, and there is also fitted thereon an endless chain of scoops 71,
worked by a small donkey engine 72, and serving to elevate the earth cut away
by the pick or picks 62, and deliver it by the discharge spout 73, into a cart or
waggon. Chains and winding details are also provided for setting the guide
frame 67 to the angle of the cutting to be made, and for gradually raising or
lowering the chamber piece 1 and pick 62 as the work progresses..

page_text: Where a simple and convenient arrangement of motive power engine, to be
driven by steam or other fluid, is required of a moderate power, various modi-
fications, comprising the chamber piece with segmental chambers and pistons
herein; before described, may be advantageously adopted.
In one such modification a forked connecting rod is jointed on the piston
pins working through slots in opposite sides of the chamber piece, or the
connecting rod may be jointed to a pair of pulleys or vibrating frames oscil-
lating on centres concentric with the chambers, the other end of the connecting
rod being jointed on a crank in the ordinary way. In this application the
chambers and pistons are of course double acting, the steam being admitted
alternately to either end of each chamber; each piston is provided with packing
at both ends, and there is such a distance between the two packings that
neither ever passes the end of the slots in which the cross pins work.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, we have to state that we do not restrict
ourselves to the precise details herein described or delineated.;. but that what
we believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to us
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
1. The arranging or combining of the parts of boring, mining, and excavating
or cutting apparatus substantially as herein-before described.
2. The working of a reciprocating tool for boring, excavating, or cutting
by the direct action of a piston or pistons moving angularly in a segmental
chamber or chambers, and arranged or combined substantially as herein-before
described.
3. The working of a pick or similar angularly moving tool by means of a
piston or pistons rigidly attached thereto and moving in a segmental chamber
or chambers, substantially as herein-before described.
4. The using of a continued pressure chamber or its equivalent, capable of
having its pressure regulated independently of the main boiler to act in con-
nection with a piston or pistons of any suitable kind for partly sustaining the
weight of the boring rods, substantially as herein-before described.
5. The arranging or combining of the parts of winding apparatus used in
boring substantially as herein-before described.
6. The effecting of excavations by means of a heavy ram or tool carrier
working in guides in a frame traversing along guide frames or bearers
substantially as herein-before described.
7. The arranging or combining of the balancing and indicating details of
pressure gauges substantially as herein-before described.

page_text: 8. The arranging or combining of the parts of angularly reciprocating
motive power engines substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Munro, in behalf of myself and of
the said Robert Scott, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square,
Glasgow.
JAMES MUNRO. (L.s.)