IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR UNDERMINING, 'HOLEING,' AND CUTTING : COAL AND OTHER MINERAL
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Scarisbrick Walker, of Wigan, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR UNDERMINING, 'HOLEING,' AND CUTTING
: COAL AND OTHER MINERAL"
Sealed the 18th June 1869, and dated the 21st December 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Scarisbrick Walker
at the Oflice of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st December 1868.
!, JOHN SCARISBRICK WALKER, of Wigan, in the County of Lan-
caster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR UNDERMINING, 'HOLKING,'
AND CUTTING COAL AND OTHER MINERAL," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a method of "getting" coal, ironstone, or
other similar mineral by the process called undermining or "holeing,"
wherein a recess or channel is cut or grooved out near the bottom or
floor, and when the support is thus removed the upper part of the coal
or mineral is detached and brought down by inserting wedges above.
The Invention consists principally in the use or employment for such
[Price St.]

page_text: purpose of a peculiar form of disc cutter, mounted horizontally on a
short vertical shaft and driven by bevel gearing actuated by a compressed
air engine, the whole being mounted on a carriage supported on wheels
running on a tramway and propelled slowly along the face of the coal
or mineral by means of worms and worm wheels also actuated by the
same compressed air engine. The cutter consists principally of a disc
or wheel provided with a vertical rim or flange all round its circumference.
Inside this rim or flange is cast a circle of bevil teeth projecting upwards
from the face of the disc or wheel, but not so high as the edge of
the rim or flange above named. The outer edge or periphery of the
rim or flange is provided at intervals with snugs or projections between
which the teeth or cutters are fixed by means of keys. These teeth are
mounted in groups of four or five following each other, the first being
formed with a simple point in the centre, the second two points, and so
on, arranged in such a manner that each successive cutter acts upon a
different part of the groove or channel, and the whole group leaves no
part uncut. The face of the cutters is wider than the thickness of the
disc wheel with its rim or flange so as to afford plenty of room for
clearance and prevent the liability of the cutting disc or wheel becoming
jammed or wedged fast in the groove or channel. A semicircular shield
of plate iron with a strong rim or flange projects from the side of the
frame over the disc or wheel fitting inside the rim so as to prevent the
cuttings of coal or mineral from falling into and choking the teeth of
the bevil wheel. Instead of this shield (or as an auxiliary thereto), the
spaces between the bevil teeth may be cut or slotted quite through the
disc or wheel so that the cuttings would fall through, or failing that,
would be pushed through the slots or openings by the teeth of the
pinion instead of jamming the same and preventing the proper gearing
of the wheels. The bevil wheel is driven by means of a bevil pinion
keyed at or near one end of the crank shaft of the compressed air
engine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Scarisbrick Walker in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SCARISBRICK WALKER, of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-.
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Scarisbrick Walker, Her special
license that I, the said John Scarisbrick Walker, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Scarisbrick
Walker, my 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 OR APPARATUS FOR UNDERMINING, HOLEING,'
AND CUTTING COAL AND OTHER MINERAL," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Scarisbrick Walker, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal l'atent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
şaid Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Scarisbrick Walker, 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 and accompanying Drawings (that is to
say):-
This Invention relates to a method of "getting" coal, ironstone,
or other similar mineral by the process called undermining or "holeing,"
wherein a recess or channel is cut or grooved out near the bottom or
floor; and when the support is thus removed the upper part of the
coal or mineral is detached and brought down by inserting wedges
above.
The Invention consists principally in the use or employment for such
purpose of a peculiar form of disc cutter, mounted horizontally on a
short vertical shaft and driven by. bevil gearing actuated by a compressed
air engine, the whole being mounted on a carriage supported on wheels
running on a tramway, and propelled slowly along the face of the coal or
mineral by means of worms and worm wheels, also actuated by the same

page_text: or an auxiliary compressed air engine, or in any other suitable and
convenient manner. The cutter consists principally of a disc or wheel
provided with a vertical rim or flange all round its circumference.
Inside the arm or flange is cast a circle of bevil teeth projecting upwards
from the face of the disc or wheel, but not so high as the edge of the rim
or flange above named. The outer edge or periphery of the rim or
flange is provided at intervals with smugs or projections, between which
the teeth or cutters are fixed by means of keys. The teeth are mounted
in groups of four or five following each other, the first being formed
with a simple point in the centre, the second two points, and so on,
arranged in such a manner that each successive cutter acts upon a
different part of the groove or channel, and the whole group leaves no
part uncut. The face of the cutter is wider than the thickness of the
disc or wheel with its rim or flange, so as to afford plenty of room for
clearance and prevent the liability of the cutting disc or wheel becoming
jammed or wedged fast in the groove or channel. A semicircular shield
of plate iron with a strong rim or flange may be placed so as to project
from the side of the frame over the disc or wheel fitting inside the rim,
so as to prevent the cuttings of coal or mineral from falling into and
choking the teeth of the bevil wheel. Instead of this shield (or as an
auxiliary thereto) the spaces between the bevil teeth may be cut or
slotted quite through the disc or wheel, so that the cuttings would fall
through, or failing that would be pushed through the slots or openings
by the teeth of the pinion, instead of jamming the same and preventing
the proper gearing of the wheels. The bevil wheel is driven by means
of a bevil pinion keyed at or near one end of the crank shaft of the
compressed air engine. Instead of the bevil wheel and pinion a spur
wheel and pinion having teeth tapering inwards may be employed.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improve-
ments in Machinery or Apparatus for Undermining, 'Holeing,' and
Cutting Coal and other Mineral, I will now proceed to describe more
in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
'carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be clearly
understood have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative
thereof, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference
corresponding with those in the following explanation thereof.
In the annexed Drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a longi-
tudinal section, and Fig. 3 a plan view of my improved machine or
upparatus..

page_text: a, a, is the framework of the machine (made preferably of wrought
iron) carried by flanged wheels b, b, on the tramway c, c. This framing
supports the cylinder d, d, (see also face view Fig. 4) crank shaft e, e,
and other parts of a compressed air engine of the ordinary or other
suitable construction. The crank shaft e, e, turns in bearings, and has
keyed near one end the toothed pinion f, f, the teeth of which are
slightly tapered to enable it to gear with the open radial teeth g, g,
formed between the inner and outer rims of the cutter wheel h, h*, the
boss of which turns on a vertical stud i, i, carried by the frame a, a,
and arranged as herein-after described. The outer rim of the cutter
wheel h, h, is provided on its periphery with snugs or projections,
between which the cutters k, are fixed by means of keys.
"
ر.
In front
of each cutter is bolted a piece of metal which acts as the "break
iron" of a carpenter's plane, and prevents the cutters from attacking
the coal too deeply at once. This piece is lined with wood or other
similar substance, which can be easily pared away as the cutters become
worn. It will be observed on reference to Fig. 1 that the cutters are
mounted in groups of four or five, following each other, so formed and
arranged that each successive cutter attacks a different part of the
groove or channel cut by the wheel, and the whole group leaves no part
uncut, the face of the widest cutters being wider than the rim of the
wheel so as to allow of sufficient clearance, and the spur teeth 9, g, are
open or slotted completely through the wheel h, h, so as to allow the
cuttings to fall through the openings and thus prevent the choking of
the cutting wheel. The wheel , h, is made in two parts bolted together
when in use by means of plates 1, 1, (see Fig. 3, and also the detached
sections, Figs. 5 and 6). The boss of the part h turns on the stud i, i,
whilst the boss of the other part 4* is of a larger diameter and fits outside
on the former, so that upon unbolting and removing the plates 1, 1, and
lowering the stud i, i, by unscrewing the bolt m, m, as seen at Fig. 5,
the half h of the wheel can be turned half way round and brought
over the half h, so that the whole of the wheel lies beneath the frame
and the width of the machine is reduced by nearly one half. The
object of this arrangement is to facilitate the transport of the machine
from place to place and to enable it to pass through parts of the mine
where it would be impossible to introduce it with the cutter wheel in its
entire state. n, n, are four screws, by means of which a certain amount
of inclination may be given to the machine if desired, or whereby the
machine may be levelled if preferred, notwithstanding any inequality in

page_text: the level of the rails or tramway.
0, 0, (see Figs. 1 and 2) is a sheet
iron cover, which may be applied to the machine.
The machine may be caused to progress by driving one of the axles
slowly by means of a worm and wheel, actuated either by the same com-
pressed air engine, or by a small auxiliary air engine carried in the
vacant space of the frame a, a, in front of the rear axle, but I prefer to
fix a rope to the front part of the machine and draw it forwards by means
of a winch or crab placed in advance thereof. When the machine is
upon a slight incline it will advance without any external aid. It will
be evident that by a slight modification this machine can readily be
adapted to "hole" or cut the coal or other mineral at the sides or near
the top of the seam if required.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I
claim as my Invention the general construction and arrangement of the
machinery or apparatus for such purposes substantially as herein-before
described and represented in the accompanying Drawings, and more
especially I claim the peculiar construction and arrangement of the
cutting wheel and its appurtenances, as herein-before more particularly
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Scarisbrick Walker, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
Witness,
GEORGE DAVIES, C.E.,
Office for Patents,
Manchester,
JNO. S. WALKER. (L.S.)