Year: 1896

page_text: I, FREDERICK WILSON HURD, of 1 Alfred Terrace, Hillhead, in the County of
Glasgow, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to
be as follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to coal cutting machinery of the kind described in Hurd's
Patent Specification No. 14124A of 1892, and comprises improved constructive details
and combinations of parts of the machinery.
My improved machinery comprises an electric motor which may be such as is
described in the specification referred to, or of any other suitable kind which imparts
rotation to a longitudinal shaft, combined with improved mechanism for actuating
the cutting instrument, and constructed so as to admit of the instrument being
placed and moved in various directions, and so that certain operations can be effected
by it which could not be conveniently accomplished with previous forms of the
machine.
The longitudinal shaft has on its ends a bevil pinion gearing with a bevil wheel
fixed on a rotating shaft or on a tubular shaft which rotates on a shaft fixed in a
box or casing which is fitted to the motor part of the framing so as to be turnable
about the axis of the longitudinal shaft and it can be fixed in any desired position.
The tubular shaft is at right angles to the longitudinal shaft, and has on it a pinion
gearing with a pinion by means of which the cutting mechanism is actuated. The
pinion last mentioned is fixed on a shaft to which the cutter bar, when a rotating
instrument is used is fixed, and these parts are carried by a disk-like frame fitted to
the box or casing of the bevil-wheel shaft, so as to be turnable about the axis of that
shaft, means being provided for fixing it in any position and also for moving it
through an angle whilst the cutting instrument is working.
With the combination of parts that has been described the cutter bar can be made
to work horizontally or with more or less inclination at the top or bottom of a coal
face, and from the end of the machine or at either side of it; and either on entering
or leaving a cut the cutter bar may be made to swing in the desired direction whilst
cutting. Whilst the machine is working also, the inclination of the cutter bar may
be quickly altered so as to enable it to pass more easily over or under blocks or lumps
of extra hardness which may be encountered. With the active swinging movements
the machine can be made to cut out headings or spaces at the ends of new coal faces,
work which has heretofore required to be done separately by hand.
The improved machine is provided with a pivot socket on the underside of the
framing and under the centre of gravity or nearly so; and a pivot piece is provided to
fit the socket and which can either be carried in position by the machine, or be
separate to be placed under the machine when required. These parts serve the
purposes of a turntable. The pivot piece can be depressed by screw mechanisin, to
bear on the ground and to raise the machine with its wheels clear of the rails, and
then the machine can be turned into any position which may be best for cutting out

page_text: headings or for other work. Or when the pivot piece has been depressed the wheels
may be lifted by screw mechanism. The pivot piece and socket are also available for
transferring the machine from one line of rails to another having a different
direction.
Whilst a rotating bar is preferably used as the cutting instrument other known
arrangements of cutting mechanism may be combined with the improved machinery
herein before described, such as an endless chain or a disk with cutters, the driving
gearing being adapted to the particular instrument employed.
Dated th: Tander AL
SO 1000
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SP
ICATION.
Improvements in Coal Cutting Machinery.
I, FREDERICK WILSON HURD, of 1, Alfred Terrace Hillhead, in the County of
Glasgow, North Britain, Engineer, 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, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to coal-cutting machinery of the kind described in
Hurd's Patent Specification No. 14,124A of 1892 and comprises improved
constructive details and combinations of parts of the machinery.
Apparatus as made according to my Invention is shown on three accompanying
sheets of explanatory drawings, Figures, 1, and 2, on Sheet, 1, thereof being
respectively a plan and a side elevation of part of the apparatus. Figures, 3, and 4,
on Sheet, 2, are respectively a vertical section, and a horizontal section of part of
the apparatus. Figures, 5, and 6, on Sheet, 3, are vertical sections of separate
modifications of the driving mechanism adapted to suit different cutters. Figure, 7,
is a diagrammic view showing the machine in operation. Figure, 8, is a vertical
section of a detail. In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are
used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
My improved machinery comprises an electric motor which may be such as is
described in the specification referred to or of any other suitable kind which imparts
rotation to a longitudinal shaft, A, combined with improved mechanism for actuating
the cutting instrument, and constructed so as to admit of the instrument being
placed and moved in various directions, and so that certain operations can be effected
by it which could not be conveniently accomplished with previous forms of the
machine.
The longitudinal shaft, A. (which is carried in a suitable bearing, A 1, formed in
the framing of the apparatus) has on one end a bevil pinion, A 2, gearing with a
bevil wheel, B, fixed on a tubular shaft or sleeve, B 1, which rotates on a shaft, B2,
fixed in a box or casing, C, fitted to the motor part, D, of the framing so as to be
turnable about the axis of the longitudinal shaft, and it can be fixed in any desired
position. The connection of the box or casing, C, with the motor part, D, of the
framing consists of a turned or journal-like part, C1, on the box or casing which
fits and works in a bearing formed to receive it in the motor part, the journal-like
part being held in the bearing by a flange ring, C2, which is bolted to it. The
journal-like part, C 1, has a worm wheel, C3, keyed on it and working in a recess in
the motor part of the framing, this worm wheel being actuated by a worm, C4, carried
on a spindle, C 5, in the motor framing by means of which it can be worked so as to
give any required position of the box or casing, C, round the axis of the longitudinal
shaft, A. The tubular shaft, B 1, is at right angles to the longitudinal shaft, A, and

page_text: has on it a bevil pinion, B 3, gearing with a bevil pinion, E, by means of which the
cutting mechanism is actuated. The bevil pinion E, is fixed on or it might be
formed in a piece with a tabular shaft, E 1, to which the cutter bar, G, (when a
rotating instrument is used) is fixed by a groove and feather or equivalent to allow of
the cutter bar reciprocating whilst being rotated and these parts are carried by a
disk-like frame, H, fitted to the box or casing, C, of the bevil-wheel shaft, B2, so as
to be turnable about the axis of that shaft, means (hereinafter described) being
provided for fixing it in any position, and also for moving it through an angle whilst
the cutting instrument is working. For connecting the disk-like frame, H, to the
box or casing, C, the disk-like frame is made with a turned flange, H 1, which fits
and works in a counterpart rebate or recess formed in the box or casing the turned
flange being kept in position by a ring, C6, bolted to the box or casing. For turning
the disk like frame, H, about the axis of the shaft, B2, the frame is made with
internal teeth, J, with which a spur pinion, J 1, (seen in dotted lines only) gears, this
pinion being fast on the lower end of a vertical shaft, J 2, which has fast on it at its
upper end a worm wheel, J 3, with which gears a worm, J 4, on a spindle, J 5, turnable
in bearings in the box or casing, C, by a wrench or equivalent applied externally.
The cutter bar, G, is made to reciprocate in a similar manner to the cutting
instrument of the apparatus described in Hurd's Patent Specification No. 14124A
of 1892, but the mechanism for effecting the reciprocation described in that
specification has been altered to suit the apparatus being described. For
reciprocating the cutter bar, G, the tubular shaft, E I, has a worm, K, fixed or formed
externally on it which gears with wormwheels, K 1, (one on each side of it) which
turn on fixed centres, K2, in the disk-like piece, H. The wormwheels, K1, have
pins, K 3, fixed in them eccentrically, which are connected by links, K4, to a
crosshead, K 5, attached to a central piece, K 6, fitting in the tubular shaft, E 1, (or
it might be in the bearing, K 9, of that shaft) and made with a tapered recess in
which the cutter bar, G, is held. The crosshend, K 5, is attached to the central
piece, K 6, by means of bushes, K7, fixed to it and working on grooved parts or
collars, K 8, on the central piece, this mode of attachment allowing the central piece
to rotate with the cutter bar, G, whilst imparting to it the reciprocating movement
caused by the worm, K, and wormwheels, K 1. An opening closed by a flange, L, is
provided in the lower part of the disk-like frame, H, and through this opening or a
smaller opening in the flange closed by a plug, L 1, the cutter bär, G, which is held by
a pin, L. 2, can be adjusted."
In Figure, 5, a modification of the driving mechanism is shown which is adapted to
a disk cutter, M, of the kind described in Hurd and Simpon's Patent
Specification No. 3241 of 1872. In this arrangement the longitudinal shaft, A, acts
through bevil wheels, A 2, B, and B 3, E, on the cutter bar, G, which has fast on it at
its outer end a bevil pinion, M 1, gearing with teeth, M 2, on the disk from which the
eutters, M 3, project radially. The disk-like frame, H, is movable round the axis of
the vertical shaft, B2, and the axis of the longitudinal shaft, A.
In Figure, 6, a modification of the driving mechanisin is shown which is adapted to
suit an endless chain of cutters such as is described in Hurd and Firth's Specification
No. 1036 of 1872 or an endless wire rope with cutters attached to it
such as is described in Firth and Hurd's Patent Specification No. 571
of 1870. In this arrangement the longitudinal shaft, A, through bevil
wheels, A 2, and, B, and a shaft, B 2, drives a sprocket wheel, P, or it might be a pulley
on that shaft adapted for driving an endless chain or wire rope to which cutters are
attached. The vertical shaft, R2, is carried in a disk-like frame, H, similar to the
corresponding part of the modification first described, and which is movable round the
axis of the vertical shaft, B 2, and the axis of the longitudinal shaft, A.
With the combination of parts that has been described the cutter bar can be made
to work horizontally or with inore or less inclination at the top or bottom of a coal
face, and from the end of the machine or at either side of it; and either on entering
or leaving a cut the cutter bar, G, may be made to swing in the desired direction
whilst cutting. Whilst the machine is working also, the inclination of the cutter

page_text: bar, G, may be quickly altered so as to enable it to pass inore easily over or under
blocks or lumps of extra hardness which may be encountered. With the active
swinging movements the machine can be made to cut out headings or spaces, Q, (such
as are shown in Figure, 7) at the ends of new coal faces, work which has heretofore
required to be done separately by hand.
The improved machine is provided with a pivot socket, R, shown in Figure, 8, on
the underside of the framing and under the centre of gravity or nearly so; and a
pivot piece, R 1, is provided to fit the socket, and which can either be carried in
position by the machine, or be separate to be placed under the machine when required.
These parts serve the purposes of a turntable. The pivot piece, R 1, is preferably
screwed to the socket, R, (but it might be loose therein) and by turning it, it can be
depressed to bear on the ground and to raise the machine with its wheels, S,
(Figure, 1) clear of the rails, S1, and then the machine can be turned into any
position which may be best for cutting out headings, Q, (such as are indicated in
Figure, 7, and which give sufficient clearance for the machine at the beginning and
end of its traverse along two coal faces at right angles to each other or along one coal
face) or for other work. Or when the pivot piece, R 1, has been depressed the wheels, S,
may be lifted by screw mechanism of any suitable kind. The pivot piece, R1, and
socket, R, are also available for transferring the machine from one line of rails to
another having a different direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In coal-cutting machinery of the kind to which the Invention relates, the
constructing, combining, and arranging of the parts for holding, for driving, and for
adjusting the cutting instrument, and for moving it angularly when entting,
substantially as and for the various purposes hereinbefore described.
2. Providing coal-cutting machinery of the kind to which the Invention relates
with pivoting appliances acting like a turntable and being adjustable and operating
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of July 1897.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.