IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING COAL
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Knowles, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, and David Greig, of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County
of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING
COAL."
-Sealed the 18th April 1878, and dated the 7th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Knowles and David
Greig at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th November
1877.
ANDREW KNOWLES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and DAVID
5 GREIG, of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING COAL."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for cutting coal.
For this purpose we use a cutting bar mounted on a suitable carriage, travelling on
rails laid along the face of the coal. The carriage is drawn to and fro by means of
ropes or chains, actuated by manual or other power.
The cutting bar is made adjustable by a screw or other means to the depth of
cut required, and as the depth of cut increases, wedges are driven into the cut to
support the weight of the coal; these wedges are removed by the implement as it
traverses the face of the coal, the attendant replacing them after the cutting bar has
passed.

page_text: <
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Andrew Knowles and David Greig in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th May 1878.
ANDREW KNOWLES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and DAVID
GREIG, of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING COAL."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for cutting coal.
For this purpose we use a cutting bar mounted on a suitable carriage, travelling on
rails laid along the face of the coal. The carriage is drawn to and fro by means of
ropes or chains actuated by manual or other power.
The cutting bar is made adjustable by a screw or other means to the depth of
cut required, and as the depth of cut increases, wedges are driven into the cut to
support the weight of the coal; these wedges may be removed by the implement as
it traverses the face of the coal, or by an attendant, the attendant replacing them
after the cutting bar has passed.
Figure 1 shews a side elevation; Figure 2, a cross section; Figure 3, a plan; and
Figure 4, an end view of a travelling carriage with a cutter bar mounted upon it,
as above described; a is the bar which carries the cutter, it is mounted in guides on
the frame of the carriage, so that it can be moved endwise to and fro transversely
of the carriage. The bar is formed with rack teeth along one of its edges, into
these gear a pinion bon a vertical axis c.
On the upper end of the axis c is a worm wheel d, into which gears a screw or
worm e. On the axis of the worm e is a hand wheel f. By this arrangement the
cutter bar can by turning the hand wheel be adjusted to the depth of cut required,
and the depth of cut can be varied whilst the cutter is in action and without
stopping the forward movement of carriage. The cutter is formed to cut in
both directions, so that it is only necessary to traverse the carriage to and fro along
the rails laid on the floor in front of the face of coal, into which a groove is to be
cut, and each time the carriage is drawn- towards the winding engine to set the
cutter inwards to increase the depth of cut, the setting of the cutter inwards being
effected whilst the carriage is travelling.
Other arrangements for setting the cutter to cut to the required depth without
arresting the movement of the carriage may be adopted in place of that shown in the
Drawing.
To move the carriage to and fro along the line of rails we employ, as above
stated, ropes or chains, and we give motion to these by means of a winding engine.
Figure 5 shews an elevation; and Figure 6 a plan view of the winding engine
and general arrangement of the apparatus; A is a carriage arranged to travel on a
line of rails, as shown; on the carriage is an engine B driven by compressed air or
otherwise. On the crank shaft of the engine is a worm C, which gears into and
drives a worm wheel on a vertical axis D; on this axis are two toothed wheels E, E,
of different diameters, either one, or other of which can be made fast with the shaft
by a sliding clutch. The two toothed wheels gear with other wheels F on a vertical
axis G, which carries two winding drums, one for the hauling rope the other for the
return rope.
As the drums are revolved one rope is wound on to its drum whilst
the other is unwound.
When the cutter carriage is being drawn towards the hauling engine the smaller;
toothed wheel E is fast on the axis D; but when the cutter carriage is to be drawn
back away from the hauling engine the engine is reversed, and the larger toothed
wheel may be made fast with the axis D so as to draw back the carriage quickly.
The return rope is led over a pulley F¹ mounted on a frame G¹, as shown, the
frame can be secured by being wedged between the floor and roof of the mine.
The rope for hauling the cutter carriage forward may be secured to the cutter bar
and to the front of the carriage, as shown at Figure 6; at the forward end of the

page_text: carriage may also be mounted a bar H carrying a wheel I to run at the bottom of
the groove cut in the coal, as shown in plan view at Figure 7.
Other arrangements of winding or hauling engine for giving motion to the cutter
carriage by hauling ropes or chains may be adopted, the arrangement shown is
however well suited for the purpose.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner of performing
the same, we would have it understood that we claim,-
First. The combined arrangement of cutter carriage with hauling machinery for
cutting coal, substantially as herein described.
Second. The combined arrangements of cutter bar and carriage with the cutter
bar capable of adjustment to vary the depth of cut during the time the cutter is
in action.
Third. The combined arrangement of hauling engine for hauling the cutter
carriage to and fro, substantially as described, and shown in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Greig, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
DAVID GREIG. (L.S.)