Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1898
I, CHARLES OTIS PALMER, of 32, Cedar Avenue, Cleveland, in the County of
Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a mining machine, a truck for conveying it to and from
its operating position, and a car carrying a motor by which the machine truck is
propelled and the mining machine is driven.
This inining machine has an arm which by means of worm gear is swung radially
round a vertical axis while a chain carrying cutters travels along the arm, an undercut
groove being thus formed extending some depth beyond the face of the working. -
When the groove is completed, the mining machine is withdrawn and the coal
over the groove is broken down.
The machine is provided with means of fixing it on rails and moving it along them,
its operating arm being held slightly inclined downwards, suitable springs allowing
it to yield in case of undue strain. As the groove is cut sloping somewhat downwards,
the floor of the working after a number of successive cuts, presents a serrated
appearance. The cutters are chisel ended bars held in links of the chain by wedges
in such a manner that they can readily be removed and replaced.
The truck for conveying the machine comprises a rectangular frame supported on
casters at its four corners. This truck is run over the machine which is then raised
by winches on the truck so as to be suspended from it.
The motor car has mounted on it an electric motor which is geared to an axle of
the car with suitable clutches so that it can propel the car more or less rapidly from
place to place, or slowly when the motor is driving the mining machine by a belt, the
car then travelling so as to keep the belt tight as the mining machine moves.
The conductors for the motor are wound on a barrel on the car as the car
moves in the one direction, and are unwound from the barrel as it moves in the
opposite direction. Instead of an electric motor, a motor of other kind such as a
compressed air engine may be employed.
Dated this 7th day of December 1897.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Coal Mining Machinery.
I, CHARLES OTIS PALMER, of 32, Cedar Avenue, Cleveland, in the County of
35 Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do

page_text: 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 a mining machine, a truck for conveying it to and from
its operating position, and a car carrying a motor by which the machine truck is
propelled and the mining machine is driven.
This mining machine has an arm which by means of worm gear is swung radially
round a vertical axis while a chain carrying cutters travels along the arm, an undercut
groove being thus formed extending some depth beyond the face of the working.
When the groove is completed, the mining machine is withdrawn and the coal over
the groove is broken down.
The machine is provided with means of fixing it on rails and moving it along
them, its operating arm being held slightly inclined downwards, suitable springs
allowing it to yield in case of undue strain. As the groove is cut sloping somewhat
downwards, the floor of the working after a number of successive cuts, presents a
serrated appearance.
The cutters are chisel ended bars held in links of the
chain by wedges in, such a manner that they can readily be removed and
replaced.
The truck for conveying the machine comprises a rectangular frame supported on
casters at its four corners. This truck is run over the machine which is then raised
by winches on the truck so as to be suspended from it.
The motor car has mounted on it an electric motor which is geared to an axle of
the car with suitable clutches so that it can propel the car more or less rapidly from
place to place, or slowly when the motor is driving the mining machine by
a belt, the car then travelling so as to keep the belt tight as the mining machine
moves.
The conductors for the motor are wound on a barrel on the car as the car moves in
the one direction, and are unwound from the barrel as it moves in the opposite
direction.
Instead of an electric motor, a motor of other kind such as a compressed air engine
may be employed.
I shall describe a machine embodying my improvements referring to the
acompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan of the mining machine with certain of the
top parts broken away; .Fig. 2 is an end view Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on
the line A 2 B 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan of the end of the rail for the machine track.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the chair with the end of the track attached thereto; Fig. 6 is
a transverse section through the socket, the rail, and the chair; Fig. 7 is a diagram
of the end of the working illustrating the mode of operating the coal cutter, Fig. 8
shews a preferred form of track suited for the serration of the floor; Figure 9 shews
the hand crank for operating the feeding mechanism; Fig. 10 shows the tilting
levelling shoe; Fig. 11 is a plan of an elastic support for the forward end of the
machine; Fig. 12 is a side view of the same with part broken away; Fig. 13 is a
transverse section through the levelling screw g of the same. Fig. 1 is a plan of
the cutter-block with side chain links attached. Fig. 2^ is an outside view of the
same, looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3A, which is an end view
with part broken away, showing the bevilled wedge; Fig. 4 is an end view of a
middle cutter-block with part broken away; Fig. 5^ is an end view of the wedge
shown in Fig. 3^; Fig. 6^ is a side view of the wedge; Fig. 7 is a side view of the
screw for the wedge; Fig. 8A is an end view of the wedge shown in Fig. 4^;
Fig. 9 is a side view of the same. Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line A1 B1
of Fig. 1^; Fig. 11 shews part of a link. Fig. 12 is a side view and Fig. 13ª is
an end view of a link pintle; Fig. 14 is a side view and Fig. 15 is an end view
of the pin that keeps the pintle from turning. Fig. 164 is a plan of part of a
cutter block having a modified form of wedge. Fig. 17 is a plan and Fig. 18ª is
an end view of the wedge W 2; Fig. 19 is a side view of a modified construction
of the wedge with a threaded shank; Fig. 20A is view of the side & of the wedge;
a

page_text: Fig. 1B is a plan of the truck with some parts broken away; Fig. 2B is a section on
line UV of Fig. 1B with parts broken away. Fig. 1° is a plan of the motor car with
part of the rope driving wheel and bevil gear broken away; Fig. 2c is a vertical
section on line A B of Fig. 1C; Fig. 3° is a vertical section on line CD of Fig. 1°;
Fig. 4° is a vertical section on line E F of Fig. 1°; Fig. 5° is an end view with part
of the conveyer reel broken away; Fig. 6C is a side view of the conveyer reel;
Fig. 7 is a plan of a working illustrating the operation of the motor when driving
the machine; Fig. 8° is a plan of the motor car with mine car attached during
transport.
is a large horizontal turret ring with a worm housing cs, having laterally
projecting lugs co on its exterior and an interior flange c* on its lower edge. A
frame bar c' passes round and is bolted to the extremities of the lugs c forming
three sides of a rectangle. By making the sides separate from the turret ring and
casting straight headless lugs on the ring, the steel casting of the ring is materially
simplified and allows of thinner material in the frame bar c', than is practicable
in a casting of one piece.
To the frame bar c', at its right hand corner is attached the track shoe c², and to
the left hand corner, the track shoe these shoes forming the two rear supports of
the machine. For the purpose of guiding the machine on the track, these track
shoes are furnished with downwardly projecting flanges x and which engage the
track rail on opposite sides. For preventing the machine from tilting off the track,
each shoe has a clip x' sliding in a groove in its top surface, this clip has a hooked
shaped end that engages under the top flange of the rail and is held in place by the
screw which passes through a slotted hole in the clip and is screwed into a tapped
hole in the shoe. When it is desired to lift the machine from the track, the screw *
is loosened and the clip is slid forward sufficiently to disengage it from the flange of
the track.
Under the turret ring c³ and bearing loosely on the under surface of its
bottom flange c is the cutter arm e, to the upper side of which is screwed by
bolts d³, and journaled in the turret ring 0, the worm wheel e¹ which rests
on the interior flange ct and acts as a journal for the cutter arm e, an opening
is made through the web of the turret ring, and flanges are formed on the out-
side of the ring on the top and bottom sides of the opening. Also vertical ribs
are formed at the ends of the opening connecting the flanges together and to
the web of the turret ring. These flanges and webs form a housing for the turret
worm. The outer side of the housing is also enclosed to protect the worm and
increase the strength of the turret ring. By this construction the turret ring is
reinforced at what would otherwise be the weakest point by the top and bottom
flanges, which add greatly to its strength, the vertical ribs also serving as braces
to take the end thrust of the worm. Engaging with the worm wheel e¹ is the
worm, which reaches through a hole in the side of, and is situated in the
housing on the exterior of the turret ring c³. By having the worm wheel
within the turret ring the height is reduced to a minimum, the worm wheel teeth
are protected from dust and injury from contact with external objects and the rotary
force is applied in the most direct manner. The cutter arme has a bow-shaped
contour on its cutting-side, and around its periphery revolves a cutter-chain h carrying
the cutters k² for operating on the coal. In the space between the sides of the arm
lie the lateral braces h¹, and at its extremities are placed the sprocket wheels h²
and for the cutter chain h. The idler sprocket wheel h², at the extremity of the
cutter arm e, is journaled on a pin between plates h secured together by the
countersunk bolts h³, that screw into the distance-pieces . The plates 4 slide
longitudinally between gibs formed by the chain guide plates 8 and the wheel h²
is pressed outwardly against the cutter chain h, by an adjusting screw h³, which
passes through the outer distance piece ho and screws into the brace h¹.
Through a hoss g¹ on the lateral brace go near the turret is screwed the leveling
screw g. The lower end of which rests in a cavity in the top of the levelling shoe g₁
which is prevented from dropping down when the machine is lifted by a countersunk

page_text: screw g³ which passes up through the shoe and is screwed into the end of the
screw g. The shoe g' is prevented from turning by a pin g2, which passes through
a hole in the brace go down into the leveling shoe. The shoe g is thus free to
accommodate itself to the irregularities of the floor, on which it lies flat without
tending to sink into the floor at one edge or the other. The leveling screw serves to
adjust and maintain the cutter arm at the required height to suit the irregularities of
the floor.
The part of the cutter arm which enters the kerf has riveted to its upper and lower
surfaces, and projecting somewhat beyond its periphery, the chain guide plates h³,
each having a flange, on its inner side.
Secured to the cutter arm near the center of turret ring c³ and rigid therewith is the
vertical pulley stud c on which revolves the pulley pinion d having an upwardly
projecting shank on which is secured by key c the driving pulley d. Journaled
within worm wheel e¹, and movable therewith, is sprocket wheel shaft d², and
secured on its upper end also within the turret ring is the intermediate gear c² that
engages with pulley pinion d³. Secured on the lower end of shaft is sprocket
wheel that drives the cutter. chain h. By enclosing the gearing within the
turret ring the height of the machine is much reduced and. the gears protected.
Passing through the frame-bar c7 and. journaled in the housing c at its opposite
end, is the rotary-feed shaft q on which is splined the turret worm e. Keyed to
shaft q.is the rotary feed worm wheel 92 which is driven by the rotary-feed
worm q®.
"
Passing vertically through and splined in the worm 96 and journaled in the worm
bracket q¹, is the rotary-feed worm-stud q having a square shank on its upper
end for receiving the hand-crank g' by which it is operated.
On the outside of the frame-bar cand fitting loosely around the feed shaft q
is the feed-chain sprocket wheel t, whose shank extends through, and is journaled
in said frame bar c. By journaling the sprocket wheel t upon shaft q, a long bearing
is secured for shaft q and a long support for the sprocket wheel t, to prevent it from
bending on its journal. This also makes a very compact arrangement and does not
require the further widening of the machine-frame. On the outside of the sprocket
wheel is fixed by screw t worm-wheel t³ worked by the worm t, the axis of
which has a square shank on its upper end to receive the hand-crank g', by which
it is turned.
The track y consists of the angle bars y² and y³ rivetted together. To the
under side of the end of a rail is attached the chair y having a hole 38. To
facilitate laying the track the rail joints are made at the chairs. In the end of the
abutting rail is a hole y' which coincides with the hole y³ in the chair, the two
forming one continuous hole through which passes the boss on the shoe y¹ of the
track jack y (Figure 8). The different sections of the track are thus held securely
together as well as tightly to the floor, by the jacks y' which press fir:nly downwards
and do not require the use of any loose wedges or bolts which are liable to be lost,
and require time for their insertion and removal.
.
In order to avoid the necessity of cutting a channel in the floor for the track
flange, I slope the cutter-arm, e, as shewn in Figure 3, so that the one end is on
a level with the floor at the working face of the coal, while the other end is above
it. The floor is thus cut in serrations that extend accross the working parallel to the line
of travel of the machine. The flanges of the track chairs y are made to butt against
the riser of the floor, as shewn in Figures 3 and 6. The upper ends of the jacks yo
are slanted backwards to resist more effectually the thrust of the machine due to the
reaction of the coal against the cutters. The tendency of the jacks y' to push
forward the track y is resisted by the riser y of the floor serration against
which the flange 3 of the chain presses.
The feed chain passes over the feed sprocket-wheel and under the idler
sprocket wheels t¹ and 18 on each side of it the chain being secured to brackets z
hooked to each end of the track. I prefer to support the track as shewn in

page_text: Figures, 5, 6, and 8 in which the chair is placed at the top of the floor riser instead
of being at the bottom of it as shewn in Figure 3.
Although I have shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3 my cutter arm e resting on a
solid support yet I much prefer the elastic support, one form of which is illustrated
in Figures 11, 12 and 13. This consists of a leveling screw brace 8 which is
attached to the cutter arm e by the bolts so. The cutter-arm e being formed with a
boss on its upper side to give it additional strength at the bolts 86. Near the middle
of said braces, and extending downwards, is a cylindrical boss having a vertical
hole in the centre. Situated below brace is the spring plate i2 carrying the
supporting springs between it and the leveling screw brace 8º. The spring
plate 2 has formed on its upper side a hollow cylindrical boss which is threaded on
the inside to receive the leveling screw g while its outside is formed to fit loosely in
the interior of the lug of leveling screw brace 89. The side of spring plate i² is
notched to receive the leveling shoe pin g². The spring plate is prevented from
turning by the key which slides in the brace 8º.
When the cutter carrier rests on a solid support a slight rise in the floor, or foreign
matter under the supporting foot, raises the cutter arm causing a greater rise of the
floor which is being formed by the cutter chain, this being repeated and increased in
the succeeding cut. A depression in the floor under the foot would lower the cutter
arm to a greater extent, and the depression in the floor would be repeated and
enlarged in the succeeding cut. When the cutter arm is raised as much as the
clearance allowed on the upper side between the cutter chain and the top of the kerf,
then the cutter chain, and perhaps its carrier, would come in contract with the top of
the kerf and any further rising of the cutter arm would stop or break the
machine.
In
But if the machine rests on an elastic support, this yields to a slight elevation
under it, and allows the machine to pass over the obstruction without injury, and
where the elevation is not too great, it may pass without raising the cutter arm.
the same way should a depression in the floor occur the elastic support goes to the
bottom of the depression without perceptibly lowering the cutter arm. The floor
then becomes smoother with each succeeding cut.
By turning the leveling screw by the crank handle g8 the cutter arme may be
raised and the floor slightly inclined upwards as the work progresses.
For operating the machine the track y is placed in position accross the workings
and held in place by the jacks y". The machine is placed on the track in the
position shewn in full lines Figure 7 on the left side of the working the cutter arm
being on the left of the machine. The machine is then hooked on the track y by
the track shoe clips the track brackets z are hooked on the end of the track, the
hauling chain 2 is passed around the sprocket wheels t, t, and 18, and the height
of the cutter arm is adjusted by the leveling screw g. A driving rope from an electric
or other motor, is passed around the driving pulley do and the machine is started.
The power is conveyed from the pulley do through gearing d³ and e² to the
shaft d² and the sprocket wheel e that drives the cutter chain h along the cutter
arm e.
One crank handle g³ is placed on the axis of the feed worm q' and by operating
through worm q6, worm wheel q², shaft q, worm e³ and worm wheel e¹, the cutter
arm e receives a slow rotary motion around the turret ring 05. Another crank
handle is placed on the chain feed worm stud tand, by operating through
worm to, worm wheel t³, sprocket wheel t and chain the machine is fed slowly
along the track.
By successive alternate revolutions of the worms 96 and to, the machine is moved
ou the track, and the cutter-arm e is turned so that the sprocket wheel h² at the
extremity of the arm assumes the successive positions shewn in Figure 7, and marked
1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th which last corresponds to the position shewn in Figure 1.
The chain feed only is then operated-moving the machine-to the positions
marked 5th and 6th when the machine has reached the end of the track. The chain
feed is then stopped and the rotary feed is again operated until the cutter-arm

page_text: reaches position 7th. The undercut being thus completed the arm e is then swung
back to the starting position on the left of the machine, the driving rope is discon-
nected, the track clamps are unhooked, the machine is loaded on its truck, and
carried to another working, the track is removed to one side, and the coal is broken
down in the usual way.
Figures "1" to "20" inclusive illustrate in detail the improved cutter chain and
the bit fastening of the cutters.
The cutter block or link that carries a cutter (Figure 1) is the middle link
of the cutter-chain and has side links 7 and 8 attached by pins ko. A mortise k¹
passes diagonally through k and holds the cutter 2 which projects beyond k and has
its outer end formed with a chisel edge. By the side of and opening into the bit
nortise k¹ is the wedge mortise, and in this mortise at the side of the cutter is placed
the cutter-wedge w. The side of the wedge next the cutter is preferably file-cut or
roughened, and the cutter ², which is also preferably file-cut or roughened on the
side next the wedge, being placed in the proper position in its mortise, the wedge
is inserted in its mortise from the front end and drawn tightly in by the
screw 88.
By this construction several very important advantages are obtained. The end
pressure of the coal against the cutting edge tends to drive the cutter longitudinally
into its mortise, but the wedge is carried along with it and forced more tightly in.
Thus the greater the thrust against the cutter, the more is the wedge tightened, and
the more securely is the cutter held in place. Thus a very moderate tightening of
the wedge screw makes a very secure fastening of the cutter.
The cutter may be made of a straight bar of steel sharpened with little or no.
forging by simply grinding the end, and after being inserted in its mortise it is very
quickly and easily clamped by a turn of the screw.
When the wedge is at a considerable angle to the cutter, I prefer to bevel the
wedge transversely on one of its diverging sides, as in Figures 1A, 2A, 3A, 5ª, 6^, and
19, and take the self-tightening end thrust of the cutter by the bevel of the wedge,
for otherwise, when the angle between the cutter and wedge great, there is no self-
tightening action.
When the angle between the wedge and bit is not great, I prefer not to bevel the
wedge; it is then made as shewn in Figures 8 and 94.
Figure 16 shews part of a cutter-block in which the cutter is held by a wedge w²
that is made to press the front side of the cutter; Figure 18 is an end view of the
wedge w² which is screw threaded above the plane of the cutter.
Figures 3 and 4* illustrate the lower-middle and lower-outside cutters, but the
upper-middle and upper-outside cutters are secured in a similar manner and do not
require any further description.
A modified form of the wedge and screw is shewn in Figure 19 in which the 4
wedge w³ has a threaded shank 3 on which is screwed a nut to draw it firmly against
the bit. The wedge in all these modifications is self-tightening as before
explained.
The pins for connecting the links are formed with countersunk heads on one
end and a screw thread and preferably a slight shoulder on the other end. The link 4
on one side has a countersunk hole in the end to fit the head of the pins-/* which
is screwed into the link on the other side. A notch g7 is formed on the inside
edge of the hole to receive a pin t, as shewn in Figure 11^. To prevent the pin ko
from unscrewing a small hole is drilled at the groove g7, partly in the pin and the
pin t5 is then driven into this hole with sufficient force to upset its inner end in 5
the notch g', as shewn in Figures 10 and 14^, and so prevent it from dropping
- out.
To separate the links the pin t is drilled out and the pin k is unscrewed.
The notch g may be formed in the pin 6, as shewn in Figure 12 and Figure 13ª.
In many mining machines, the wheels for transport have been attached to the 5
frame thus encumbering it with parts which were only a hindrance during the
cutting. Other mining machines are hauled by chains on to the trucks for transport.

page_text: My truck, however, is wheeled directly over the coal cutter which is raised and
suspended under it, as will be more fully described.
My mining machine truck illustrated in Figure 1B and Figure 2B consists, of a
somewhat elevated rectangular frame with a caster on each corner. The frame is
made of 2 side bars f, and 2 end bars f, which are bolted at the corners to the caster
frames at a height sufficient to allow the mining machine to pass under the
sides f. Each caster consists of an angle-shaped caster frame f¹, having a horizontal
flange upon both its upper and lower ends. On one side and two ends of the
truck, the bottom braces j³ are secured to the lower ends of the caster frames.
Diagonal braces 8 extend from the lower end of the caster frame f¹ to the side bars f
as shewn in Figure 2B.
Through the caster flanges j pass vertical holes in which is swivelled the caster
shank f Each shank f is forked at the lower end to receive the caster wheel ƒ,
which is journalled on the axle f³.
On the upper end of the shank f² a screw fi fixes the tiller f³. Rack bars f
toothed on their under sides pass transversely across the truck at each end and are
jointed to the tillers by pins f*.
In the end bars f is journalled the tiller shaft 2, having pinions 3, engaging the
racks f: A shoulder is formed on the shaft 2 inside the bearing; and between the
shoulder and the end bar is a friction disc 9 between which and the bar f is a
leather washer 4; on the end of shaft 2 is the tiller crank 5. The pressure against
the leather washer 4 is regulated by the nut 6 which tightens the washer 4 between
the friction disc 9 and the bar f. j are two winding drums having lifting chains,
attached to them. In cleats on the inside of the frame bar f, slides the lifting
bar 7, to which and to the winding drums j5 are attached the winding chains j".
In the end of the lifting bar 7, works a screw 8 having a crank handle on its
outer end.
To load the machine, the truck is first wheeled directly over the mining machine,
the machine entering within the frame from the side in which the bottom brace j³
is omitted. The lifting chains 7 are unwound from the winding drums, and hooked
on to the mining machine. The crank is then turned so as to move the sliding
bar 7, and winding chains jo, turning the drums and winding up the lifting
chains from the lower to the upper position, indicated in Figure 2B, thus
simultaneously raising both ends and sides of the machine.
This mode of raising renders the cutters less liable to injury than if the machine
was tilted sidewise and the cutters allowed to strike the floor, as would be the case if
one corner or end was lifted at a time.
To run the truck in a curve, the tiller crank 5 is turned in the one direction or the
other thus moving the rack bars f5, and the tillers f³.
My motor car frame, illustrated in Figures 1 to 8c inclusive, consists of a plat-
form m³ to which are bolted the brackets a¹ for the front axle a and the brackets a³
for the rear axle a² these axles having on them the wheels at and a³. The said track
wheels run on the mine track r, and are provided with flanges.
Near the middle of the platform m³ is mounted a motor, preferably an electric
motor, although a compressed air or other kind of motor might be used. The
shaft m¹ of the motor is above the platform m³, and has a bearing in a bracket b₁,
in which is held by a screw 68 the vertical axle b³ for the driving pulley 62, and the
bevel wheel b' fixed to b². The bevel pinion b is keyed on the motor shaft m¹ on
which is the motor armature m³. In the groove of the pulley 62 runs the driving
roper as will be explained hereafter.
•
The rear end of the motor shaft m¹ has a bearing in the bracket p³, and on its end
the motor worm m² is fixed by the pin m. On the hollow shaft n engaging with the
worm m², is the worm wheel n¹, and on one end of the shaft n, is the pinion n² and
on the other the worm n³. Through the hollow shaft n, and bearings at its ends runs
the internal shaft no, which is fixed in the shaft n by a set screw no. The pinion n²
gears with a wheel o, which revolves on the rear axle a², and has clutch teeth on its

page_text: side which engage with similar teeth on the end of the sliding sleeve o' and form
clutch oº. The wheel o, is prevented from sliding on its axle into contact with the
sleeve o¹ by a shoulder on the axle a² as shewn in Figure 3°.
On
With the worm n³, engages the worm wheel 8, which revolves on the hollow
shaft s¹, between flange $5 on one side and the leather washer on the other.
the shaft 8 in front of the worm wheel 8, is a friction disc s. On the shaft 8 is
screwed a nut 87, which presses the leather washer 86 against the worm wheel 8, pro-
ducing thereby the desired friction and thus regulating the amount of force which
is transmitted from the worm wheels to the shaft 8¹.
The hollow shaft s¹, with the worm s² formed on its end has the internal shaft s
running through it and through bearings in the brackets p³ and p* on its ends.
With the worm 82, engages the worm wheel o², which revolves on the rear axle a²,
and has on its side, clutch teeth engaging with similar teeth on the sliding sleeve o¹,
forming a clutch o³. The worm gear o² is prevented from sliding on its axle into
engagement with the sleeve o¹, by a shoulder on the shaft a², as shewn in Figure 3°.
The sleeve o slides longitudinally on a feather on the axle a², and its flange o³, runs
in the groove on the clutch lever o*, which is pivoted in the middle on the screw o³,
and can be moved by hand to the dotted position 08, thus engaging the clutch 08; or
to the dotted position o', engaging the clutch o. When the clutch lever 04 is in
middle position both clutches 08 and 0° are out of engagement and the axle a² is free
to revolve, the motor car being free to be moved by hand on the track whether the
motor m is running or not. When the clutch 0 is in engagement, the motion of
the motor shaft m¹ is transmitted through the worm m² and worm wheel n¹ on
the intermediate shaft n, to the spur pinion n² which gears with o on the rear axle a²,
thence it is transmitted through clutch o, to the sleeve of which, being keyed to
axle a², turns the wheels as causing the car to travel on its track r. Thus the
revolution of the motor shaft m2 is communicated to the wheels a5 by two different
paths; one by gear and clutch o°, the other by gear o² and clutch o³.
The gears o and o² have very different speeds; o gives a speed suitable for moving
from place to place, while o² gives a speed nearly corresponding to the feed or cutting
movement of the mining machine.
Keyed to shaft a² and revolving with it, is the sprocket wheel u around which
passes a chain u¹, which communicates motion to the pinion u² and reel shaft v, on
which it is fixed. The reel shaft 20, works in bearings in the reel supporting
brackets u³ which are bolted to the platform m³.
When the clutch 08 is engaged the motion of the motor shaft m¹ is communicated
to the intermediate shaft n³ as before; and from it through the intermediate worm to
the friction worm wheels on the friction shaft 83, and through the friction washer so and
disc s which is keyed on the shaft s¹, and from it through the worm s² to the worm
wheel o2 on the rear axle a². The clutch o8 being engaged the motion is
communicated through it to the sliding sleeve o¹, and thence through the rear
axle a², to the rear wheels a5, producing a corresponding motion along the track r.
On the shaft is journalled the conveyor reel u with flanged ends to which are
screwed the reel discs u made of wood or other electrical insulating material. To
the side of the outer edge of the reel discs us are secured the metal brush
ings us uº.
To the reel shaft by the side of the sprocket wheel u², is keyed the reel friction
disc u, and between it and the flange of the drum ut is the leather washer u³, the
desired friction of which is obtained by tightening the nut v against the washer v
which is kept from turning by being keyed on the shaft ve. The insulated electric
conductors 2 and 3 for the motor are wound on the reel ut; the end of the wire v²
terminating in the brush-ring u on one end of the conveyer reel, and the end of
the wire terminating in the other brush-ring u⁹. The other ends of the
wires are connected to the terminals of a dynamo. From these brush-rings u
and u the current is carried to the brushes v, and thence by the wires v5 to the
terminals of the motor m.

page_text: To the front end of the truck platform is attached the draw-head p in which is
held the coupling-bar p2 by the pin p'. To the other end of the coupling-bar p2 is
coupled the car c¹ or mining machine, as indicated in Figure 8°.
The wires 3 being connected to binding posts in circuit with a dynamo, the
operator now couples the motor car and train together, and by closing an electric
switch, completes the circuit through the electric motor m. The motor shaft m¹
starts, and as the clutch lever o* is in the dotted position o7, the clutch oº is engaged,
and the motion of the shaft m¹ is transmitted through the gear o to the truck
wheels a5, and the motor travels on its track. The direction of travel of the motor
car is governed by the direction of revolution of the armature m³, which depends on
the direction in which the electricity traverses the motor as determined by a suitable
switch of known kind.
If the motor car has to advance forward, pushing its train before it, then the
revolution of the rear wheels is communicated through the sprocket chain u¹ to the
reel friction disc u', and by friction through the leather washer 8 to the conveyer
reel ut, which unwinds or pays-out the electric wires ³ ³ at a speed depending on
the size of the sprocket wheels and on the amount of wire wound on the conveyer
reel. If paid out too slowly the wires v2 vs are tightened to a degree depending on
the amount of friction transmitted through the friction washer us, which is regulated
by the nut vand need never be sufficient to stretch the electric wires v² 3 more
than enough. On the other hand, should the wire be paid out faster than the motor
car moves and the wires become tangled on the floor, they may be wound up by
turning the reel by hand against the friction and winding up the slack wires.
Having run the motor car, with its mining machine coupled thereto in the same
manner as the mine car in Figure 80, into the working up near the working breast,
the electric current is stopped, the motor car is disconnected, and the mining
machine is set up at the left-hand side as in Figure 7°, and the driving rope rl is
reeled on the motor driving pulley 62, the idler wheels 65 and 66 and the mining
machine driving pulley de
The clutch lever o is now moved to the dotted position 0%, thus engaging
clutch 08, and the motor is started. The power both for feeding and cutting is
transmitted to the mining machine by the rope r¹, and the machine advances to its
work, from the left-hand side of the working to the right hand side while the motor
driving wheel 62 moves back to the position indicated by the dotted lines X keeping
the driving rope always tight.
Owing to the obliquity of the driving rope, the motor car does not move uniformly
with the mining machine. The motor car is geared to move slightly faster than the
feed of the mining machine across the working, the driving rope has thus initial
tension sufficient for driving purposes; by tightening the nut 87 on shaft s², the
power that passes from the worm wheel 8, to its shaft 81, and so to the wheels a5 is
regulated; when the tension of the rope r¹ exceeds that necessary for driving the
mining machine the friction disc slips. If the friction disc were dispensed with, the
pull on the driving rope would be limited by the traction of the wheels as on
the rails which however depends on the inclination and condition of the rails which
are liable to variation and not so capable of determining uniform tension as adjust-
able friction.
Besides furnishing power for mining or other machines, the motor car can collect
loaded cars from the different workings, and return empty cars for reloading, as shewn
in Figure 8°.
In long wall work the motor car travels on the mining machine track and the idler
pulleys 65 and 66 on jack y of Figure 7° are dispensed with and the driving rope is
very much shortened. By increasing the number of wrappings of the driving rope
it may be made strong enough to feed the mining machine to its work; and in this
case the mining machine is further simplified by omitting the feed chain 2' with its
attendant sprocket wheels and chain-bracket. To make the feeding sufficiently rapid
however the motor car may have to be loaded to increase the traction of the wheels.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The mining machine made with swinging arm, cutter chain and elastic support,
adapted for undercutting, constructed and operating substantially as described.
2. The track for the machine having rails connected and held down by screw jacks
in combination with a leveling screw having a shoe free to accommodate itself to the
floor of the working, and adjustable so as to cause the cutter to form a serrated floor
substantially as described.
3. The cutter chain consisting of links connecting blocks morticed to receive
cutters and tightening wedges made with bevilled sides substantially as described.
.4. The car for transport of the mining machine having casters and steering
mechanism, and chain barrels for suspending the machine substantially as described.
5. The motor car with gearing for driving the machine and with gearing and
clutches for operating the track wheels and the conductor reel, substantially as
described.
6. The combination of the mining machine with the motor car and driving rope,
arranged and operating substantially as described with reference to Figure 70
1000