IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY FOR CUTTING COAL AND SUCH LIKE MINERALS, AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Eaglesham, of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Coal
Master, and Hugh Rigg, of Bonnyrigg, in the County of Mid
Lothian, Colliery Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY FOR CUTTING COAL AND SUCH LIKE MINERALS, AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Eaglesham and
Hugh Rigg at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 22nd June 1874.
We, JAMES EAGLESHAM, of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Coal Master, and
HUGH RIGG, of Bonnyrigg, in the County of Mid Lothian, Colliery
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY FOR CUTTING COAL AND SUCH LIKE
MINERALS, AND Also to Haulage PURPOSES," to be as follows :-
:―
This Invention relates to a machine to be eniployed in cutting coal,
shale, or other minerals. The machine will be made of material of the
strongest description to suit such a purpose.

page_text: A framework is constructed of sufficient strength and size to carry
the motive power for the machine as it travels along the seam or face of
coal or other minerals it is employed cutting. On the said framework is
fixed a large driving grooved wheel geared into bevelled wheels and
pinions that convey the motive power simultaneously to the cutting
wheels and winding or dragging barrels or windlasses, which are all fixed
to said framework. The large grooved wheel is driven by endless chains,
belts, wire, or other ropes; or there may be used in place of said wheels,
and gearing one or more cylinders for receiving steam, water, or com-
pressed air, just as it may suit the appliances in the existing pits or
quarries. The said frame with the driving gear as described is fixed or
carried upon a longitudinal bar or axle running from end to end
underneath. At the extreme ends it is fixed on frames having slides in
centre of same, and the ends of bearings of the bar are fixed in blocks
fitted into said slides, so that the whole framework with its cutting and
motive power can be simply raised, or depressed, or canted to any angle
required by means of screws, tapped into said blocks at each end, working
up and down in the slides.
The frames carrying up the ends of axle are mounted on wheels which
carry the whole machine in the rails laid for the purpose.
The revolving wheel or disc is a plate carrying the coal-cutting
wheels, is driven by a spur wheel receiving its motive power from any
of the above systems. The teeth of spur wheel sink into the teeth cut
through the plate or disc. The diameter or size of plate is determined
by the depth required to be cut out. The cutting (revolving) wheels
are set in each side of the said disc, and in such a manner as to relieve
themselves from the coal without jamming. When the said disc revolves
the cutting wheels are also allowed to revolve instead of being fixed fast
to the plate. Thus, when the machine is dragged hard against the face
of the coal the said cutting wheels are revolving at ten times the speed
of large disc, thereby offering only one-half the resistance, or
causing one-half the friction necessarily created in all other machines
having fixed cutters. The cutters can also be attached to endless
chains, arms, or bars (they may not necessarily revolve, but will always
be loose).
We reserve the right of applying the revolving and loose cutting
wheels, otherwise the cutters, which come in direct contact with the
coal, shale, or other mineral, shall be revolving or loose cutters; also

page_text: the right of adapting as a motive power to said machines the belts,
chains, wire, or other ropes which are in use in the pits for haulage
purposes, at the same time embracing the usual motive powers of com-
pressed air, steam, or water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Eaglesham and Hugh Rigg in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 22nd December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
EAGLESHAM, of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Coal Master, and HUGH RIGG, of
Bonnyrigg, in the County of Mid Lothian, Colliery Manager, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said James Eaglesham and
Hugh Rigg, Her special licence that we, the said James Eaglesham and
Hugh Rigg, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said James Eaglesham and Hugh Rigg, 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 APPLICABLE
TO MACHINERY FOR CUTTING COAL AND SUCH LIKE MINERALS, AND ALSO TO HAULAGE
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James
Eaglesham and Hugh Rigg, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Eaglesham and Hugh
Rigg, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to a machine to be employed in cutting coal,
shale, and other minerals. The machine will be made of material of the
strongest description suitable for such a purpose.
A. framework is constructed of sufficient strength and size to carry
the motive and the cutting power of the machine as it travels along the
seam or face of coal or other mineral it is employed in cutting. On the
said frame is fixed a large driving grooved pulley keyed on an upright
spindle which conveys the motive power to the revolving cutting wheels
by means of intermediate spur wheels and bevelled pinions, and at the
same time to the winding or dragging barrels, as shown in the Drawings.
The said grooved wheel is driven by means of endless chains, belts, wire,
or other ropes; or there may be used in place of the above one or more
cylinders for receiving steam, water, or compressed air as the motive
power, whichever may best suit the appliances of existing pits or
quarries. The said frame with cither of the above driving gear fixed on
same is fixed or carried up between two end frames by means of studs
or journals keyed to blocks which slide up and down in slides formed in
the centre of each of the said end frames; thus, the whole machinc
besides being firmly held between the end frames can be raised, or
depressed, or canted to any angle which may be required. The means
employed for this purpose are two powerful screws passed through the
blocks fitted in the slides and acting as a nut. Other two screws are
employed almost in the same manner to cant or angle the machine to
suit the dip of the seam the machine is to be engaged in cutting.
The end frames are mounted on wheels whereby the machine can be
transported on rails.
The revolving wheel or disc is a plate carrying the coal-cutting wheels,
and is driven by a spur wheel receiving its motive power from any of the
above systems; the teeth of spur wheel sink into teeth cut through the
plate or disc. The diameter or size of plate is determined by the depth
required to be cut out. The cutting (revolving) wheels are set on each
side of the disc, and in such a manner as to release themselves from the
coal without jamming. When the said disc revolves the cutting wheels
are also allowed to revolve instead of being fixed fast to the plate; thus,
when the machine is dragged hard against the face of the coal the said

page_text: cutting wheels are revolving at ten times the speed of large disc, thereby
offering only one-half the resistance or causing one-half the friction
necessarily created on all other machines having fixed cutters. The
cutters can also be attached to endless chains, arms, or bars (they may
not necessarily revolve, but will always be loose).
We reserve the right of applying the revolving and loose cutting
wheels (or in other terms, the cutters which come in direct contact with
the coal, shale, or other minerals) either as revolving or loose cutters;
also the right of adapting as a motive power to said machines the
belts, chains, wire, or other ropes which are in use in the pits for haulage
purposes, at the same time embracing the usual motive powers of com-
pressed air, steam, or water.
The foregoing statements particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of our said Invention, and indicate in what manner the same is to be
performed or carried out in practice, and in further compliance with the
aforesaid condition in the said Letters Patent contained we will now
further and particularly describe and ascertain in what manner the same
is to be performed by referring to the Drawings accompanying these
Presents, that is to sav :—

page_text: as herein-before set forth and described, wherein the peculiar and
important features are the provision of revolving loose cutting wheels,
and the adaptation to our machine as motive mechanism belts, chains,
wire or other ropes at present used for haulage purposes, it being under-
stood that we do not limit ourselves to the use of the precise details
herein-before described, which we claim to modify so long as the sub-
stantial character of our said Invention be retained as described; nor do
we claim the use of such details per se and apart from the purposes of
our said Invention.
In witness whereof, wc, the said James Eaglesham and Hugh
Rigg, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth
day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-four.
Witnesses,
ROBERT RIGG,
Asst. Manager,
Polton Colliery.
JOHN DOUGLAS,
Station Agent,
Bonnyrigg.
JAS. EAGLESHAM. (L.S.)
HUGH RIGG.
(L.S.)