Improvements in Machinery for Cutting or Holing Coal and other Minerals.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1899
Improvements in Machinery for Cutting or Holing Coal and other
Minerals.
I, FRIEDRICH SOMMER, Manager of Works, of Essen on the Ruhr, Rhineland,
in the German Empire, 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:-
This invention relates to machines for undercutting or holing coal in coal
mines and for analogous mining or quarrying operations, and has for its object,
to construct a light and handy machine which can be easily erected, wherever
required and at any desired angle.
The machine chiefly comprises a pair of rock-drills or rotary cutters placed
right and left, a holing shaft mounted between the said drills at right angles to
the same and armed with cutting tools, and means for turning the said drills
and the said shaft about their respective axes.
:-
In the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a machine embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 a
plan of the same.
The two parallel drill spindles S S are geared together with the transverse
holing shaft w by bevel wheels m, m², so as to impart rotary motion to the same.
In order to prevent grit or debris from falling between the teeth of the wheels,
each pair is protected by a casing y composed of two parts to facilitate inspection
and cleaning of the wheels, and to prevent the accidental turning or shifting
of the casings, they are rigidly connected by a cross-bar or stay 7. At their rear
ends the drill spindles or their continuations s are supported and connected by a
pair of crossbars or a rectangular frame 4, which forms bearings for the screw
nuts mounted on the screw-threaded part of the spindles, or as shown in the
drawing, on the detachable screw spindles connected with the drill-spindles SS
by couplings e, c. The cross-bar or frame is supported by a pair of adjustable
stands on legs and fixed in position at the ends by a pair of adjustable spikes
or sharp end pieces driven into the walls of the tunnel or drive, in which the
machine is mounted.
The diameter of the drills or of the boring tools is slightly larger, than that
of the casings 9, mounted on the drill spindles immediately behind the cutting
part, as shown by Fig. 2, in order to make room for the said casings. The
transverse shaft w is armed with cutters to distributed helically, in order to cut
one after the other, as illustrated by Fig. 2.
If rotary motion is imparted to one of the drill-spindles, it will be communi-
cated to the shaft to and to the other drill spindle, the two drills will perforate
the rock or coal in advance of the shaft w, and the latter will cut out the inter-
vening layer by means of the cutters fixed in the shaft; the necessary feed
motion being produced by the screw spindles s, which advance through the screw
nuts s¹, s¹.
The drill-spindles and the holing shaft may, however, be driven indepen-
dently of each other.

page_text: In the example represented by the drawing, the feed motion of the spindles 5, 8,
is produced by means of a crank k, two pairs of chain wheels p, p, and two
endless driving chains; the crank shaft being mounted in a bracket 6 fixed to
the transverse frame 1, and the chain wheels p being mounted on the crauk
shaft, while the chain wheels 2 are mounted on the feed screws.
The feed screws s have longitudinal grooves, and the hubs of the chain wheels
have feathers or studs projecting into the said grooves, so as to turn the screws,
without taking part in their axial motion produced by the nuts s¹.
Other suitable means may, however, lie adopted for turning the drill spindles,
and for producing the necessary feed motion. The débris cut off by the drilla
and the holing tool may be removed by, hand, or automatically by means of a
screw conveyor or other transporting device sot in motion by the machine. In-
stead of ordinary rock drills, analogous boring or cutting tools may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A machine for holing or undercutting coal and other minerals, comprising
in its construction a pair of parallel rock drills or boring tools and a holing shaft
mounted between the same, substantially as described.
2. A machine for holing or undercutting coal and other minerals, comprising
in its construction a pair of parallel drilling or boring tools, a holing shaft
mounted between the same behind the drills, and connected with the drill
spindles, so as to turn simultaneously with the same, substantially as described.
3. In a holing or coal-cutting machine of the type specified, the combination
of a pair of drill-spindles or boring spindles having feed screws coupled with or
formed on the same, with screw feed mechanism adapted to produce a slow and
uniform advance of the said spindles and of the holing shaft, when the spindles
are turned, substantially as described.
4. A holing or undercutting machine constructed and adapted to operate sub-
stantially as described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated this 15th dex of November 1898.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents, 37 and 39, Essex Street, Strand, London.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents, 37 and 39, Essex Street, Strand, London.