IM- PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING COAL AND MINERALS FROM COLLIERIES AND MINES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Levick, of Cwm Celyn and Blaina
Iron Works, Monmouthshire, Iron Master, and Joseph Field-
house, of the same place, Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING COAL AND MINERALS FROM
COLLIERIES AND MINES."
Sealed the 13th January 1854, and dated the 22nd November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Levick
and Joseph Fieldhouse at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 22nd November 1853.
We, FREDERICK LEVICK, of Cwm Celyn and Blaina Iron Works,
Monmouthshire, Iron Master, and JOSEPH FIELDHOUSE, of the same
place, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING COAL AND MINERALS FROM
COLLIERIES AND MINES" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object a combination of mechanical parts
for the purpose of facilitating the raising of coal and minerals. For

page_text: this purpose a strong framing is constructed over the shaft of a colliery
or mine suitable for carrying the drum or drums on to which the
chains or ropes are wound, and it is preferred that such framing should
be in connection with and be part of the framing for the engine when
a steam engine is employed. The drum or drums used for winding on
and off the chains or ropes, in place of being at a distance from the
shaft, are placed immediately at the shaft, so that the ropes or chains
may be held correctly over the shaft by the periphery of the drum or
drums used. It is preferred to use two drums geared together, so that
one may be winding on whilst the other is unwinding; but where
desired one drum only may be used. The periphery of each drum
employed is made with two worms or grooves on the surface, the two
worms or grooves inclining across the axis of the drum in opposite
lirections, and with each drum two chains or ropes are used, and they
are wound on to the periphery of the drum and into the grooves or
worms by which the successive coils are kept separate.
The drums are of such diameter as not to require more than one
layer of rope or chain thercon when all is wound up.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Levick and Joseph Fieldhouse in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
FREDERICK LEVICK, of Cwm Celyn and Blaina Iron Works, Monmouth-
shire, Iron Master, and JOSEPH FIELDHOUSE, of the same place, En-
gineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Twenty-second day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Ier heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Frederick Levick and
Joseph Fieldhouse, Her special licence that we, the said Frederick
Levick and Joseph Fieldhouse, our executors, administrators, and

page_text: assigns, or such others as we, the said Frederick Levick and Joseph
Fieldhouse, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING COAL AND
MINERALS FROM COLLIERIES AND MINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Frederick Levick and Joseph Fieldhouse, or
one of us, by an instrument in writing under our hands and scals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Levick, on behalf
of myself and the said Joseph Fieldhouse, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object a combination of mechanical parts
for the purpose of facilitating the raising of coal and minerals. For
this purpose a strong framing is constructed over the shaft of a colliery
or mine suitable for carrying the drum or drums on to which the chains
or ropes are wound, and it is preferred that such framing should be in
connection with and be part of the framing for the engine when a
steam engine is employed. The drum or drums used for winding on
and off the chains or ropes, in place of being at a distance from the
shaft, are placed immediately at the shaft, so that the ropes or chains
may be held correctly over the shaft by the periphery of the drum or
drums used. It is preferred to use two drums geared together, so that
one may be winding on whilst the other is unwinding; but where
desired one drum only may be used. The periphery of cach drum
employed is made with two worms or grooves on the surface, the two
worms or grooves inclining across the axis of the drum in opposite

page_text: directions, and with each drum two chains or ropes are used, and they
are wound on to the periphery of the drum and into the grooves of
worms by which the successive coils are kept separate.
The drums are of such diameter as not to require more than one
layer of rope or chain thereon when all is wound up.
Hlaving thus described the nature of our said Invention, we will pro-
ceed to explain the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure shows a side elevation, and Figure 2 a front elevation, of
machinery constructed and combined according to our Invention. The
parts in this arrangement are suitable for an oval pit with a double
bond. a, a, is a strong framing which is shown to be of timber, but
other materials may be employed; this framing is built or constructed
over the mouth of the shaft or pit, and so as to carry the axes of the
drums b, c, in such position that the outer peripheries may come over
the middle of the shaft or pit, as shown; by this means the ropes or
chains used will, as the same are not coiled layer on layer on the
drums, will at all times hang correctly from the peripheries of the drums,
and so as to come in the plane of the centre of the shaft or pit. The
druns are each made of such diameter as only to require one coil of
the rope or chain on their surfaces. Each of the drums b, c, is formed
with worms or grooves inclining across the periphery, which keep
the succeeding coils of the rope or chain from coming on or riding
upon each other. There are two of such worms or grooves formed
on each drum, and two ropes or chains are used to each drum, one to
each worm or inclined groove d, d. In the Drawing it will be seen
that the two ropes or chains e, e, on the drum b, are wound thereon,
whilst the two ropes or chains e, e, on the drum c, are nearly unwound
therefrom. In each case the ends of the ropes or chains e are at their
upper ends fixed respectively to their drums and near the outer ends of
the drums, so that as the ropes or chains are wound or coiled on the
drums, the ropes or chains e come nearer and nearer together, and the
reverse takes place in the act of unwinding the chains or ropes e, e,
from a drum b, or c. The lower ends of the ropes or chains e, e, are

page_text: fastened to the ends of a chain f, which passes under a pulley g, carried
by the cross head h, as shewn; the axes 6', c', of the drums b, c, are
geared together by the cog wheel i; and it will be seen that as one of
the drums is unwinding its ropes or chains, the other drum is winding
up its chains or ropes. Motion is to be given to the axis of one of
the drums b, c, in any convenient manner. In the Drawing a steam
engine is employed, which, by a connecting rod k, gives motion to
the crank 1, which may be on the axis of the drum b, or c; but this
may be varied. The framing of the engine is bolted to and forms
part with the framing for carrying the drums. , is a cam which
works the valve gear of the engine; m, m, are the ordinary guides,
which being fixed above descend to the bottom of the pit or shaft,
and are there made fast, as is well understood. It will be evident
from the above description that where there is a circular pit or shaft,
or one that does not admit of working up and down at the same time,
then only one such drum will be employed; and we would state that
two such drums b, c, may be combined in other ways, either to work
both ways in the same pit or shaft, or for working two pits or shafts
where they are only at such a distance apart as will admit of two
drums geared together being of such diameter as to bring their respec-
tive peripheries over two shafts or pits. In the arrangement shown by
the Drawing the axes of the two drums are parallel to each other in
the same plane and at a distance apart, and they are geared together
by means of a cog wheel driven by the steam engine, such cog wheel
gearing with the cog wheels on the axes of the drums. The arrange-
ment shewn is for working up and down at the same time in an oval
shaft or pit, as before mentioned; but if it be desired for working two
pits simultaneously, then the worms or grooves on the drums would be
reversed, and the chains or ropes would be wound on and off the drums
at the opposite sides thereof.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, we would have it understood that it has before
been proposed to bring drums over the mouths of pits or shafts; we do
not therefore claim the same, when not constructed and worked as
herein shewn and described, and make no claim to the mechanical

page_text: parts separately. But what we claim is, the combination of parts
herein described, whereby the drums are cach constructed with worms
or grooves to work with two ropes or chains, as herein explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Levick, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
year of
Witness,
JNO. ALCOCK.
FRED. LEVICK. (L.S.)