IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPLYING POWER TO AND IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND LOWERING PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Walker, of Eccleston, near Prescot, in the
County of Lancaster, Colliery Viewer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPLYING POWER TO AND IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND LOWERING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
December 1855.
I, ROBERT WALKER, of Eccleston, near Prescot, in the County of Lancaster,
Colliery Viewer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN APPLYING POWER TO AND IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND LOWERING
COALS AND OTHER ARTICLES FROM AND INTO MINES, to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, first, in applying a steam engine to work a crank
fixed on a cross shaft supported above the mouth of the pit or mine, to which
shaft the drum or wheel is attached for the chain or rope for raising and
lowering the coal and other articles from or into the mine.
Secondly, my Invention consists in the application of a wheel, with cogs or
teeth on its circumference taking into or between the links of a chain, for
raising and lowering coals and other articles from and into mines, also in
attaching pieces to the ordinary wire ropes, to take into recesses or on pro-
jections from a wheel, for the same purpose.
Thirdly, in working two mines with the same chain or rope, by causing the

page_text: chain or rope to pass over a toothed wheel, from whence it is guided to the two
mines; by this arrangement, the articles are raised from one mine while they
descend into the other, and vice versa.
Fourthly, in raising and lowering coals or other articles from and into
mines, by means of my improved chains or ropes passing over a toothed wheel
fixed on the ordinary drum shaft of an engine, and guided to the mouth of the
pit by pulleys; by this means, one of the cages is raised while the other
descends, and vice versa.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WALKER, of Eccleston, near Prescot, in the County of. Lancaster, Colliery
Viewer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Robert Walker, Her special license that I, the said Robert
Walker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Robert Walker, my 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPLYING POWER TO AND IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND LOWERING
COALS AND OTHER ARTICLES FROM AND INTO MINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I; the said Robert Walker, my executors, or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert. Walker, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-.
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: Specification thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
(that is to say)
The nature of my Invention consists, first, in the direct application of a
steam engine to work the drum shaft, when the same is supported above tlie
mouth of a pit or mine.
Secondly, in the application of a wheel, with cogs or teeth on its circum-
ference taking into or between the links of a suitably constructed chain, for
raising and lowering coals and other articles from and into inines.
Thirdly, in attaching pieces to wire ropes used for mining purposes, which
pieces take into recesses or enter between projections formed on a wheel to
prevent slipping.
Fourthly, in working two mines or shafts of mines with the same chain or
rope.
And, lastly, in the application of my improved chains or ropes for working
mines furnished with .steam engines placed in the ordinary position, and in
conducting the chain or rope to the mouth of the pit by suitable pulleys, by
which means the length of the chain or rope required is very little greater
than the depth of the pit.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood, and readily carriell
into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
7
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a coal-pit head; Figure 2 is a
side elevation; and Figure 3, a plan of the same. a is a strong wooden
framework of the usual construction, placed above the mouth of the pit or
.mine, and supporting the bearings of the cross shaft b.; to one end of this
shaft is fixed the crank c, which is turned round by means of the steam
engine d; the steam engine is supported upon suitable foundation, and the
connecting rod, which is indicated by a dotted line, is jointed below to the
cross head e, and above to the crank c. To the shaft b is fixed the drum or
wheel f, over which passes the chain' g; to each end of this chain is attached
a cage, only one of which is shewn in the Drawing, and marked h. The
circumference of the drum or wheel f has teeth or cogs taking into the spaces
between the links of the chain 9, consequently, when the shaft b is turned
round, the chain causes one of the cages to ascend and the other to descend,
and no slipping of the chain can take place, as the teeth or cogs coincide at
all times with the spaces between the links of the chain. By this means the
length of the chain required is very little greater than the depth of the mine
to be worked. In working the engine, it is evident that the direction of
rotation of the shaft 6 must be changed after each ascent and descent of the
cages, in the same manner as when the engine is placed in the usual position.

page_text: The object of this part of my Invention is to economize power and to diminish
the working parts, also to reduce the length of the chain required; and . I
wish to remark, that although I have shewn a vertical steam engine to work
the shaft b, a horizontal or other description of steam engine may be employed.
In Figure 4, I have shewn part of a drum or pulley, constructed. with
recesses to suit my improved wire ropes; Figure 5 is a transverse section;
and Figure 6, a plan of the same. In these views f, f¹, are the flanges of a
drum or pulley, which may be used in place of the one marked f, in Figures
1, 2, and 3, or in any other manner for mining purposes. i, i, is a flat wire
rope formed of two or more round ropes, to which are attached at suitable
intervals the pieces j, j; these pieces are recessed to fit the rope, and each
pair of pieces is united by two rivets passing through the rope and securing
the whole firmly together. The pieces j, j, enter in the recesses made in the
flanges of the drum or pulley, consequently, when motion is given the druṁ or
pulley, the motion is communicated to the rope for raising and lowering the
cages, as above described.
Figures 7 and 8 represent, in section and plan, a modification of this part of
my Invention.
In these views k, k, represent an ordinary flat wire rope, and
l, a piece of iron answering the same purpose as the pieces j, j, above
described; the pieces are rivetted to the flat wire rope, as shewn in the
Drawing, or attached thereto in any other convenient manner. The object of
attaching pieces to ropes, and making recesses in the circumference of the
drum or pulley over which they work, is to prevent the rope slipping.
On Sheet 2, Figure 9 is an elevation of two pit heads, shewing my im-
proved mode of working two mines or shafts with the same chain or rope.
a, a, are the frameworks, supporting the shafts b, b, and pulleys q, q; m is the
driving drum or wheel, which is supposed to be on the crank shaft of an
engine, placed in the usual position between the two mines or shafts to be
worked. The chain 9 is similar to the one shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3; or
a rope, with projections such as shewn in Figures 4 to 8, may be used; and
the drum or wheel m has cogs or teeth, similar to the drum f in the same
Figures. n is a guide pulley, for guiding the chain or rope to the left-hand pit
head. The cage h of the right-hand pit is shewn up, and the cage of the left-
hand pit is consequently down. As soon as the drum or wheel m is made to
revolve in the direction of the arrow, the cage h will descend in the right-
hand pit, and the other cage, being attached to the other end of the same
chain or rope, will consequently rise.
Figure 10 represents an elevation of a pit head, shewing the mode of
applying my improved chains or ropes for working the mine, when the steam

page_text: engine is placed in the ordinary position. m is the drum or wheel, with teeth
or cogs, around which passes the chain g, or a wire rope with projections; the
drum or wheel m is fixed on the driving shaft of the engine, in the same
position as the ordinary rope drums, and the chain g or rope is guided over
pulleys o, o, and p, p, to the mouth of the pit; to each end of the chain g or
rope is attached one of the cages h, therefore, when motion is given to the
drum or wheel m, one of the cages rises while the other descends, by which
arrangement, the length of chain or rope required to work the pit is only so
much longer than the depth of the pit as is required for bringing the chain or
rope from the mouth of the pit to the drum or wheel, and back again;
whereas in working pits or mines in the ordinary. manner, each cage is attached
to a separate chain or rope, and two drums are fixed to the driving shaft of
the engine, thereby requiring twice the length of rope or chain.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my improvements
in applying power to and in machinery for raising and lowering coals and
other articles from and into mines, I declare that I claim,-
First, the direct application of a steam engine to work the drum shaft when
the same is supported above the mouth of a pit or mine, as shewn and
described in reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Secondly, the application of the wheels with cogs, and the chain with open
links, marked f, m, and g, for raising and lowering coals and other articles
from and into mines.
Thirdly, attaching pieces to wire ropes, for the purposes described. in
reference to Figures 4 to 8.
Fourthly, working two mines or shafts of mines by means of one rope or
chain, as shewn and described in reference to Figure 9.
And, lastly, the mode of applying my improved ropes or chains for working
mines, as shewn and described in reference to Figure 10.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Walker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
H. B. BARLOW,
Manchester.
ROBT WALKER. (LS.).