An Improved Mining Wedge, also Applicable for Splitting Wood, or Raising Weights.
Year: 1886

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Mining Wedge, also Applicable for Splitting Wood,
or Raising Weights.
I JAMES URWIN JACKSON of Number 153, Front Street, Boyne, in the County of
Durham, Blacksmith, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for AN IMPROVED
MINING WEDGE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR SPLITTING WOOD, OR RAISING WEIGHTS, to bo
as follows:-
"The Compound Draw-Wedge Coal-getting Rock, stone, or wood splitting, and
weight-raising Machine" is constructed and worked as follows:-
Its object is to split rock, stone, coal or wood and to lift any great weight from the
ground by placing the machine beneath the weight and working it as below mentioned.
There is a screw driving bar, propelled by a rachet lever, and on the driving bar,
are two wedges running on wheels, all of steel or iron. On each side of the wedges
is a concave bearing plate of steel the edges of which rest on the wedge wheels whilst
in motion. At the fore end of the driving bar is a loose washer between the fore
wedge and a fixed collar to reduce the friction. In the back wedge is a screw nut
through which the driving bar turns.
A hole is drilled in the coal in the most suitable place, and the machine inserted,
with the wedge extended on the driving bar to its full length, and the bearing plates
resting on the wedge wheels. The driving bar is then turned round by the rachet,
causing the wedges to approach each other, separating the bearing plates, and pressing
them against the coal or other material in which the machine is worked, and thus in
the case of coal or other mineral, splitting it and breaking it away, and in the case of
heavy weights, gradually raising them from the ground.
Dated this Fifteenth day of Nov 1886

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Mining Wedge, also Applicable for Splitting Wood,
or Raising Weights.
JAMES URWIN JACKSON 153 Front Street Boyne Colliery County Durham
Blacksmith 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 :-
A
Two concave plates J made of steel or iron. Two wedges K, also made of steel or
iron; with a hole through the centre of each. Wheels L are inserted in each side of
the wedges K. Two wheels L are in each set, bearing on each other. Each wheel L
projects a little above the flat surface of the wedges K. A steel screw driving bar I
is attached to the thin end of the inside wedge K2; and a nut G in two halves,
lengthwise, which has a flange on, forming a collar. The flange is on one end only;
and a thumb nut H on the other end. Three washers two plain ones F, & one E
with six sets of balls N in two balls N in each set; the balls N projecting a little
above each face of the washer E. Also a ratchet lever M made of steel or iron.
hole is bored in the material which is to be split. The back wedge. K2 which is
attached to the screw driving bar I is inserted in the hole, the two concave plates J
are also put into the hole level by the points of the wedge K². The outside wedge K
is put on the screw driving bar I, also level by the ends of the plates J. One plain
washer F is put on the screw driving bar I, resting against the outer end of the
wedge K, then the ball bearing washer E is also put on the screw driving bar I, and
the other plain washer I follows, the ball bearing washer E being close between the
two plain ones F. The nut G in two halves is then placed on the screw driving bar I,
resting against the outside plain washer F. The ratchet lever M is put on the two
half nuts G, and the thumb nut H screwed on the outer end of the two half nuts G,
to keep the ratchet M on. The nut G is revolved by the working of the ratchet M,
which brings the screw driving bar I outward, forcing the two wedges K together
between the two concave plates J, expanding the two concave plates J as they go
together, by this means splitting the coal, rock, or wood, or raising the weights. To
make the machine ready for another operation we take the thumb nut H off the two
half nuts G, then the ratchet M and the two half nuts G, and the washers F & E and
the outer wedge K are taken off the screw driving bar I..
Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
(1) Two wedges K working in conjunction with each other-and expanding the
plates J at the same time.
(2) The position of the wheels L in the wedges K, namely, resting on each other.
(3) The position of the balls N in the washer E also resting on each other.
(4) The nut G in two halves.