IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GETTING COAL OR OTHER MINERALS. WITHOUT. TO
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Fairbairn Hall and William Low, both of
Haswell Colliery in the County of Durham for an Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GETTING COAL OR OTHER MINERALS. WITHOUT
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Fairbairn Hall and
William Low at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th July
1883.
WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN HALL and WILLIAM Low, both of Haswell Colliery in the
County of Durham "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GETTING COAL OR OTHER
MINERALS, WITHOUT THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES; ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES
دو
Our invention relates to apparatus used for getting coal by splitting large masses
of such coal, with the aid of one or more holes first bored in suitable positions
into it.
It has heretofore ordinarily been usual to blast the coal by means of gunpowder
or other explosive introduced into the holes, a process of frequent danger and by.
which the coal is much broken and injured. Or, sometimes, apparatus has been
introduced into the holes and expanded by the pressure of water forced into it so
as to break down the coal.
Our present invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for so forcing
down the coal; by mechanical means only and without hydraulic pressure, in such
manner that the apparatus is simple, cheap, durable, and light, quickly applied and
easy to use, whilst the coal is not shattered or broken but is separated gently
though with great force.
Supposing that our invention is to be applied to apparatus introduced into holes
more or less horizontal drilled by machinery or by hand in the upper part of the
coal which is to be removed, the lower part of which has been holed or undercut
in the usual way; we take a hollow compound bar of sufficiently strong metal

page_text: such as iron or steel, and of such size that it will just freely enter the hole. This
compound bar consists of two parallel bars one above and one below united
preferably at their front ends the part which unites them being sufficiently thin
and flexible to allow the bars to separate sufficiently at a short distance from the
end when forced violently apart, by the means hereinafter described.
At the parts which are to be thus separated the bars are thickened for a sufficient
length so that their inner sides nearly touch, a space only being left between them
This wedge
into which the point of a wedge can enter and be thrust forward.
which is preferably of steel is of somewhat less width than the compound bar and
is formed upon or attached to the end of a strong central bar which projects
backward for a sufficient distance from the hole in which the apparatus is placed
as described.
The upper and lower bars of the compound bar first described are also carried
back for a sufficient distance from the mouth of the hole, and serve as parallel
guides to a moveable cross-head attached to or operating upon the central bar for
the purpose of forcing it and the wedge forward.
At the extreme outer end of the compound bar is arranged a transverse vertical
pin upon which turn the outer ends of two pairs of horizontal links the other ends
of which are jointed to the outer ends of two corresponding pairs of links the
other or inner ends of which are in turn jointed by a vertical pin to the crosshead
which actuates the central wedge bar as already described. If, therefore, the sets
of links described be separated at their jointed centres, the act of separation will
draw back or outward the crosshead which actuates the wedge bar and wedge,
whilst if their jointed centres be drawn together the crosshead and wedge will be
forced forward and inward, with a force increasing gradually as the jointed centres
of the links approach each other.
In order thus to draw together or to separate the links, we arrange a transverse
screw which passes through and works in a nut in the joint which connects the
sets of links upon one side and in a socket in the joint which connects those upon
the other side.
Collars and pins or other fastenings are arranged upon the screw to regulate its
movement, and a handle of any convenient kind can be fitted upon one of its ends
by which it can be turned round.
The respective upper and lower sets of links are separated sufficiently to allow
the screw to pass centrally between them, and we prefer to make the longitudinal
parallel bars which constitute the compound bar as described, in separate lengths
attached rigidly together when required by upper and lower transverse plates and
bolts and nuts or other fastenings, so that the apparatus can be more conveniently
moved from place to place and adjusted in its position.
The parallel bars may be more widely separated in the part of their length out-
side the hole, so as to allow more room for the links and cross head, and transverse
upper and lower stays between them may be arranged where convenient in order
to give greater rigidity.
The action of the apparatus is as follows: The compound bar being introduced
into the hole when the sets of links are sufficiently separated by the screw; and
the wedge consequently drawn back, the screw is then turned round and the links
drawn together, and by their leverage they force forward the crosshead and wedge,
the latter separating the two parts of the compound bar and splitting the coal
gently but with enormous force.
It will be seen therefore, that, we combine the force of the wedge, screw, and
lever, in order to obtain the desired separating action upon the coal, and in this
way we obtain very great force in the direction required by mechanism which is
very simple and easily operated.
⚫. The apparatus may be applied in any desired position, and may be used for the
purpose of getting or splitting other minerals or hard substances instead of coal.
Instead of the front ends of the bars being united by a flexible joint or band as
described they may be entirely divided, the bars being separated by the wedge

page_text: instead of being merely bent apart. And instead of being formed of two bars
only as described, the front end of the compound bar may be formed of three or
more parts, the wedge and the parts of the bars against which it fits being
preferably made conical. This form of the apparatus may be applied to other
purposes as well as for getting coal or other minerals, such for instance as
expanding the ends of boiler tubes.
Instead of a transverse screw as described above, the jointed links may be
brought together and separated by means of one or more levers or handles
connected with the links by suitably arranged connecting rods.
The position of the external vertical pin or joint upon which the sets of links
turn as described may be made variable and adjustable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed.
by the said William Fairbairn Hall and William Low in the Patent Office
on the 5th January 1884.
WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN HALL and WILLIAM Low both of Haswell Colliery in the
County of Durham "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GETTING COAL OR OTHER
THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES, ALSO
.
MINERALS WITHOUT
PURPOSES"
APPLICABLE TO
OTHER
Our invention relates to Apparatus used for getting Coal by splitting large
masses of such coal with the aid of one or more holes first bored in suitable
positions into it.
It has heretofore ordinarily been usual to blast the coal by means of gunpowder
or other explosive introduced into holes bored to receive it, a process of frequent
danger and by which the coal is much broken and injured. Or sometimes apparatus
has been introduced into the hole and expanded by the pressure of water forced
into it, so as to break down the coal.
Our present invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for so forcing
down the coal, by mechanical means only and without hydraulic pressure, in such
manner that the apparatus is simple, cheap, durable and light, quickly applied
and easy to use, whilst the coal is not shattered or broken but is separated gently
and gradually though with great force.
do
Our invention may be modified more or less in its details according to the varying
circumstances and materials to which it is to be applied.
Supposing first that it is to be applied to Apparatus introduced into holes more
or less horizontal drilled by machinery or by hand in the upper part of the coal
which is to be removed, the lower part having been holed or undercut in the usual
way, we take a compound bar of iron, steel, or other sufficiently strong metal and
of such size that it will just freely enter the hole. This compound bar consists of
two parallel bars one above and one below, either separated at their front ends, or
united by a part sufficiently thin and flexible to allow the bars to separate
sufficiently at a short distance from the end, when forced violently apart by the
means hereinafter described.
At the parts which are to be thus separated the bars are thickened inside for a
sufficient length so that their inner sides nearly touch, a space being left between
them only sufficient for the point of a wedge to be introduced and thrust forward-
This wedge which is preferably of steel, is of somewhat less width than the
compound bar and is fixed upon or attached to the end of a strong central bar
which projects backward for a sufficient distance from the hole in which the
apparatus is placed as described. The upper and lower bars which form the
compound bar described are also carried back for a sufficient distance from the
mouth of the hole, and serve as parallel guides to a moveable crosshead attached
to or operating upon the central bar for the purpose of forcing it and the wedge
forward.
At the extreme outer end of the compound bar is arranged a transverse vertical
pin upon which turn the ends of two pairs of horizontal links the outer or free
ends of which are jointed to the outer ends of two corresponding pairs of links the
other or inner ends of which are in turn jointed by a vertical pin to the cross head
which actuates the central bar and wedge as already described.
If, therefore, the sets of links described be separated at the centres where they
are jointed together the act of separation will draw back or outward the cross
head which actuates the wedge bar and wedge, whilst if their jointed centres be

page_text: drawn together the crosshead and wedge will be forced forward and inward, with
a force increasing gradually as the jointed centres of the links approach each
other.
In order to thus draw together or separate the links, we arrange a transverse
screw which passes through and works in a nut in the joint which connects the
sets of links upon one side, and in a socket in the joint which connects those upon
the opposite side, collars and pins or other fastenings being arranged upon the
screw to regulate its movement and a handle or lever of any convenient kind can
be fitted upon one or both of its ends by which it can be turned round. Sufficient
space is left between the respective upper and lower set of links to allow the screw
to pass centrally between them, and we prefer to make the longitudinal parallel
bars which constitute the compound bars as described, in separate lengths attached
rigidly together when required by transverse plates and bolts and nuts or by other
fastenings, so that the apparatus can be more conveniently moved from place to
place and adjusted in its position.
The parallel bars may be more widely separated in the part of their length
outside the hole, so as to allow more room between them for the links and cross-
head, and transverse stays may be arranged where convenient in order to obtain
greater rigidity.
In the accompanying drawing, which is in illustration of our invention figure 1
is a plan, and figure 2 a side view of apparatus constructed in the manner above
described Figures 3 and 4 shew a modified arrangement, and Figures 5 and 6
details of the same.
The
A is the mass of coal which it is desired to detach, shewn holed or undercut at B.
C is the hole into which the apparatus is inserted. a. a', are the two parallel bars,
shewn separated at their front ends at a². bars a. al. are shewn opened or
widened out at the point b. outside the hole C. At c. they are shewn thickened
and brought together so that when the strong wedge d is thrust between them
they are separated forcibly.
The wedge d is operated by the bar e which projects backward for a sufficient
distance from the hole C. The bars a a¹. are also carried back and serve as parallel
guides for a moveable cross head f. which operates the bar e. At the extreme
outer end of the bars a a¹ is arranged the transverse pin g upon which are pivotted
the outer ends of the two pairs of links h. ', the other ends of which are jointed
at i, . to the outer ends of two corresponding pairs of links k. k, the other ends
of which are in turn pivotted by the pin l, to the cross head f, A strong screw m.
passes through between the links and works in a nut n. in the pin and in a
socket o in the pin i, collars and pins at p. regulating the movement of the screw m.
which can be turned round by a handle or lever of any convenient kind fixed upon
its end at r.
The bars a, a, are shown in two parts, connected together at s. so that they can
be .conveniently separated when required,, and they are shewn stayed where
necessary at t. t.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The compound bar being introduced
into the hole when the sets of links h. ', . c. are sufficiently separated by the
screw m. the cross head f, bar e, and wedge d. being drawn back, the screw m. is
then turned round and the links h, h, k. . are drawn forcibly together, and by
their leverage they force forward the crosshead f, and wedge d, the latter separating
the front ends of the bars a a¹, and splitting the coal gently but with very great
force.
It will be seen that in the arrangement described and shewn, we combine the
force of the wedge, screw and lever, in order to obtain the desired separating action
upon the coal, and in this way we obtain very great force in the direction
required, by mechanism which is simple and easily operated. It is obvious,
however, that the method of applying force may be varied in varying circumstances.
For instance, where the material is soft and the power required is not so great
evers may be arranged to force the wedge forward, without the aid of a screw, or

page_text: the crosshead f, or bar e may be provided with a toothed rack into which gear the
'teeth of a corresponding toothed pinion or segment turning in bearings upon the
bars a. a¹ and operated by a handle or lever. Or the wedge d may have its point
directed outward instead of inward, a sufficiently strong bar being attached to it
and having its outer end connected to the links which are made moveable at g.
whilst the other links are pivotted to the bars a, a', 'at l' instead of to the
crosshead By this method of arrangement the. wedge d is drawn out by the
tension of the bar re instead of being thrust forward by its pressure and thus the
bar e and the remainder of the apparatus can be made lighter,
We sometimes prefer to connect the ends of the bars a. a¹ rigidly together as
shewn in figure 3 and we fit between them in the proper position two separate
blocks w. w, shewn separately in figure 5, the separation of, which by the insertion
between them of the wedge a (figure 6) splits down the coal.
The inner ends of the bars a. a. are shewn arranged and fixed at right angles to
their outer ends, so that they may serve as guides to the moveable blocks w. w..
which are kept in their proper position by a stop against their front ends inside
the bars where the latter meet at u, or a wedge may be arranged at this end of
the blocks as well as that at their other ends so that when the apparatus is in
operation the blocks w. w'. are separated at, both ends, and remain more certainly
,parallel as they separate.
A conical wedge or wedges may be used instead of that shown, and instead of
the two bars a. a. three or more may be used, separated in different directions by
the conical wedge or wedges; and this form of our apparatus may be used for
other purposes as well as for getting coal or other minerals, such for instance as
expanding the ends of boiler or other tubes.
Apparatus constructed according to our invention may be applied in any desired
position and may be used for the purpose of getting or splitting other mineral or
hard substances as well as coal.
As we have already stated, we do not confine ourselves to the precise form and
arrangement of the apparatus described and shewn, which may be modified and
varied to suit varying circumstances but having now described our invention
and the manner in which it is to be performed We claim ;-.
The Combination of two or more parts capable of being separated, after having
been inserted in a hole in the material which is to be treated, by the action of
one or more flat or conical wedges thrust or drawn between them by means of
screws or levers, or both, substantially as herein described and shewn in the
drawing,
In Witness whereof we the said William Fairbairn Hall and William Low have
hereunto set our hands and seals this third day of January in the year of our
Lord 1884