Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Mining, Splitting Rock, and analogous purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1896-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Mining, Splitting
Rock, and analogous purposes.
A communication from LOUIS THOMAS, of Ans-lez-Liège, Kingdom of Belgium,
Constructor.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
The present invention relates to improvements in wedges used in mines where the
use of powder for blasting stones is prohibited. The set consists of two bars of
approximately semi-circular section A and two wedges B1 and B2 which are
placed in a hole previously made.
When these wedges are thus placed, wedges B are joined at their ends in the
hole and all four form then a hollow square at the entrance; in this hollow is
placed the wedge C, a square end of which passes through a monkey E which has
inside four rollers F pivoted on four bolts G, so that they turn freely.
This arrangement allows the monkey E to slide freely along the whole length
of the bar D beginuing from L and is prevented from coming off at the end by a
pin J. This monkey has also a handle H which allows it to be thrown and
manipulated.
Fig. 1 indicates by a cross section the position and manner of placing the
parts A, B, B1 and B.
Fig. 2 shows various views of these several parts.
Fig. 3 shows details of the monkey.
Fig. 4 shows the wedge C.
Fig. 5 the position of the various parts of the apparatus when the wedge C is in
place.
Fig. 6 shows the position when the wedge C is driven to the bottom.
The wedge is driven home by means of the monkey E, which, being thrown
by the handle H (which may be at the top or at the bottom in order to allow the
rollers to roll on the bar D and facilitate the sliding of the monkey), strikes the
wedge C, strengthened at the end by a shoulder L and causes it to force a passage
between the wedges B, which bursts the stone in the desired direction.
The two bars A of approximately semi-circular section are only used to prevent
the stops of the wedge from entering into the stone. Fig. 2 shows the working
and arrangement of the four parts A, B, B1, B2 which enter into the previously
drilled hole and form the hollow square for the wedge C.
These wedges replace with great advantage all other wedges which are driven
in the stone by a hand-hammer, which is too light to produce sufficient work and
which is handled with difficulty by the workman.
In the following figures are represented modifications in the preceding arrange-
ments for the purpose of facilitating handling the monkey and for insuring perfect
guiding of the latter in all its movements.

page_text: Fig. 7 shows an apparatus where a rod H' is attached to the handle H of the
monkey by means of a hook and retained by a pin; the rod having at the other
extremity a handle such as represented on the drawing.
This red becomes very useful when the wedge is driven upwards because in
this case instead of the workman being obliged to be underneath he can stay
behind to avoid accidents in case the stone should fall.
The workman therefore not being afraid of an accident, works better and finds
the wedge more advantageous than powder, on account of its security, quick
placing, facility of movement and general utility.
Instead of using a rod as described above, in some cases the arrangement
represented in Fig. 8 may be employed with advantage.
A housing A¹ is here placed on the wedge, carrying a grooved pulley A² over
which passes a rope, cable, chain or the like H³, attached to the monkey handle.
Figs. 9 and 10 show the housing A' and the pulley A2 on a larger scale in order to
make the details of construction clear.
In order to manipulate it the monkey is drawn by the free end H of the
rope H³, which is especially useful when the monkey goes upwards, as several
workmen can get hold of the rope simultaneously.
The pin J (Figs. 7 and 8) stops the monkey on its return and at the same time
facilitates the removal of the wedge after the work; for this purpose the monkey
is allowed to come back up to the pin in order to give several good knocks.
In Figs. 11 to 14 is represented an arrangement of groups of four rollers F
instead of two as in Fig. 3, and the bar D in Fig. 13 has a square section whereas
in Fig. 14 this section is round.
Of course this bar may be of any suitable section and the rollers may be
arranged as desired in accordance with local conditions. In both cases, whether a
rod is employed as in Fig. 7, or a rope as in Fig. 8, such a handle as shown in
Figs. 11 and 12 may be applied directly to the lug H of the monkey.
In Figs. 15 and 16 is shown a modified device for securing the rope or the rod
to the monkey.
Instead of having one end pivoting in the other, the arrangement in these two
joints represents a hinge in which is placed a turn button which is turned as shown
in dotted lines in Fig. 16 in order to introduce the ring of the rod or rope and which
is placed in the position shown after the ring has been introduced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by ny foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what 1 claim is ;-
1. A system of wedges comprising two pieces such as A and wedges B which
are placed in a hole and form with the pieces B' and B2 a square aperture to
receive a wedge such as C provided with a collar L and a rod D carrying a
monkey substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 of the
accompanying drawings.
2. A monkey such as E with rollers.for the purpose of facilitating its sliding on
a bar D substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figs. 3
and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination with a system of wedges such as claimed in Claim 1 of a
monkey such as claimed in Claim 2, and a rod for manipulating the monkey,
substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination with a system of wedges and a monkey such as claimed in
Claims 1 and 2 of a housing carrying a pulley and a rope, chain or the like for
manipulating the monkey substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 8 to 1,
of the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination with a system of wedges and a monkey such as claimed in
Claims 1 to 4 of a modified form of guiding the monkey substantially as described
and illustrated in Figs. 11 to 14, of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 6. In combination with arrangements such as claimed in Claims 1 to 5 of a.
modification in the device for attaching a rod or rope to the monkey substantially
as described and illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of January 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.