IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING MINERA
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Rothery and Andrew Rothery, both of
Waterloo Main Colliery, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineers,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
39
Sealed the 28th November 1871, and dated the 2nd June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Rothery and
Andrew Rothery at the Office of the Commissioners of .Patents,
with their Petition, on the 2nd June 1871.
We, JOSEPH ROTHERY and ANDREW ROTHERY, both of Waterloo Main
Colliery, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING COAL, STONE, AND OTHER MINERALS," to be as
follows:
This Invention relates partly to a form and arrangement of the
cutters employed in machinery for cutting coal, stone, and other
minerals.
The object of the first part of our Invention is the cutting of a much
narrower groove than has heretofore been found practicable by con-

page_text: tinuous revolving or rotatory cutters, whereby the power required is
considerably reduced and less waste of the coal or other mineral is
effected.
Facility is also afforded by means of our Invention for cutting a
groove to any desired depth without reference to the size or diameter of
the rotatory cutter employed.
According to one form and arrangement of cutters we propose to employ
an endless chain saw, the several links of which are composed of saw
blade metal, and all of them have saw teeth formed on their outer edges.
This endless chain saw makes a groove of about one-half inch in width
and is curved round a small carrier pulley situate between the ends of
two steel plates-forming a jib which are connected at the opposite end
to the carriage of the machine. At the carriage end of these two steel
plates, and situate between the plates themselves, is a chain driving
wheel, the periphery of which is recessed to receive some of the links of
the chain saw. The said driving wheel may be driven either by hand or
by power, as is well understood. If desired, the inner carrying pulley
may be dispensed with and the chain simply passed over a semicircular
guide groove formed in the end of the steel carrying plate or jib, the
outer links or those which come in pairs being arranged so as to slide
along the outer edges of the groove, whilst the central links slide along
the centre of the groove.
'
According to another arrangement of cutter, which is also capable of
cutting a groove to any desired depth without reference to the diameter
of the saw, we propose to combine two parallel disc saws or other
revolving cutters with a combined driving and cutting chain situate
between the circular saws or cutter discs. The parallel circular saws or
cutter discs are made fast to the outer ends of the axis of a chain pulley
which is situate and revolves between them. We have found that
circular saws of a diameter of from seven to twelve inches will answer
well in practice. The said saws are driven or rotated by a pitch chain
which passes round the chain pulley above referred to, and this chain
carries at suitable intervals clearing tools, such, for example, as short
segments of circular saws attached to projecting portions of some of the
inks, for the purpose of removing or clearing away the core left between
the two parallel rotatory saws or cutters. It will thus be seen that this
chain performs the double function of rotating the circular saws or
cutters and of clearing out the groove as fast as it is made by them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Rothery and Andrew Rothery in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 2nd December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
ROTHERY and ANDREW ROTHERY, both of Waterloo Main Colliery,
Leeds, in the County of York, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of June, in the year
of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Joseph Rothery and Andrew Rothery, Her
special licence that we, the said Joseph Rothery and Andrew Rothery,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Joseph Rothery and Andrew Rothery, 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 OR
APPARATUS FOR CUTTING COAL, STONE, AND OTHER MINERALS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Rothery and Andrew
Rothery, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, 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 performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Joseph Rothery and Andrew
Rothery, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our Invention comprises various improvements in the machinery or
apparatus for cutting coal; stone, and other minerals, one important
object of our Invention being the cutting of a much narrower groove

page_text: than has heretofore been found practicable by continuous revolving or
rotatory cutters, whereby the power required is considerably reduced and
less waste of the coal or other mineral is effected.
Facility is also afforded by means of our Invention for cutting a
groove to any desired depth without reference to the size or diameter of
the rotatory cutter employed.
In one arrangement we employ an endless chain saw formed of a
series of links, each link being provided with saw teeth and constituting
part of a saw, the whole being rivetted together, having two links
parallel to each other, the teeth of which are set outwards or from each
other to cut the groove sufficiently wide to enable a blade or jib which
carries the saw to follow easily in the groove, the centre or single link
or saw having each tooth set alternately for the purpose of taking away
the core left between the two parallel links or saws, thus forming a chain
saw of any length required to suit the depth of cut or groove required
to be made. The endless chain saw is fitted on to a drum or driving
wheel and carried round a small carrier pulley situate between the
ends of two steel plates forming a jib, these plates being connected at
the opposite end to the carriage of the machine. At the carriage end
of these two steel plates, and situate between the plates themselves, is a
chain driving wheel, the periphery of which is recessed to receive some of
the links of the chain saw, the said driving wheel being driven either by
hand or by power, as is well understood. If desired the inner carrying
pulley which goes into the groove in the coal may be dispensed with and
the chain simply passed over a semicircular guide groove formed in the
end of the steel carrying plate or jib, the outer links or those which come
in pairs being arranged so as to slide along the outer edges of the groove,
whilst the central links slide along the centre of the groove in the jib.
The diameter of the drum or driving wheel is made. to suit the inner
circle of the two parallel links for the purpose of driving or giving
motion to the endless chain saw; the centre part of the driving wheel
or drum has three projections, each to fit between the two parallel
links or saws, and act against the centre one. The chain might be
formed with one cutting link, and the one opposite a simple plain curved
link without cutting teeth, or the chain saw might be formed with only
one link put together without rivets and kept in position by running in
the groove of the jib. The steel from which they would be made would
have to be made for the purpose thus ☑

page_text: Another important improvement in this class of machines is being
able to cut vertical cuts either by hand or power at right angles to the
line of cleavage of the coal, that is behind the jud or buttock, by
which means the coal can be displaced without the use of gunpowder
by simply driving a wedge with hand hammer in the line of cleavage,
the other three sides being already liberated, the coal being worked
endways on.
One method of applying the endless chain saws is as follows:-For
holeing or undercutting at the face of the coal about to be got off an
upright pillar is fixed, by screwing or otherwise, to the bottom and roof,
and carries one end of a round bar of iron, the other end of which is
fixed loose into a bracket or plate of iron made for the purpose, and
fastened to the side of the coal by means of wood plugs inserted in the
coal, and to which the plate or bracket is made fast on a level with the
other end, or at the same inclination as the coal about to be cut, and on
this horizontal bar is a hoop or stud to which the machine is attached
by simply putting the stud through the long slot hole in the blade or jib
of the machine. A cord is also fixed to the machine, and the other
end is taken round the small pulley attached to the before-mentioned
bracket or plate and back to the machine and round a small drum or
pulley on one of the shafts of the machine for the purpose of travelling
the machinery along the jud or buttock of the coal, whilst cutting or
holing, either by hand or power, to the back of the jud or buttock. The
upright is then removed and fixed ready for the machine to commence
and cut a vertical cut from top to bottom of the seam. The block of
coal is then loose at three sides and the bottom, and can be removed, as
before described, without the use of blasting.
According to another arrangement of cutter, which is also applicable
to cutting a groove of any desired depth, either vertical or horizontal,
without reference to the diameter of the saw, we propose to combine
two parallel disc saws or other revolving cutters with a combined
driving and cutting chain situate between the circular saws or cutter
discs.
The parallel circular saws or cutter discs are made fast to the outer
ends of the axis of a chain pulley which is situate and revolves between
them.
We have found that circular saws of a diameter of from seven to
twelve inches will answer well in practice. The said saws are driven or

page_text: purpose of taking away the core left between the two parallel saws or
links.
Fig. 5 is a machine in position for making the horizontal cut of the
same construction as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The same letters (with
additions) are used in this Figure as in Figs. 1 and 2 to indicate similar
parts.
In making the horizontal cut from a to b the machine is set in motion
as in Figs. 1 and 2.
The saws are kept up to their work by the attendant holding the end
of the rope L fixed round pulleys, as shown. As the groove is cut the
machine slides along on the iron bar or shaft M, and as soon as it
reaches the point N it can be applied to make the vertical cut, after
which a wedge may be inserted near the roof of the block and the block
of coal brought down without blasting.
Fig. 6, plan of machine driving an endless chain saw by steam or
other power without speed wheels, as in the hand machines. Fig. 7,
elevation of same machine. In this Figure is shown small circular
saws for cutting vertical grooves. Fig. 8, end elevation of same.
The steam or other power shown drives the shaft on which is fixed
the bevel wheels O, O¹, which gear into smaller bevel wheels P, P¹,
as shown, by gearing into which they drive the endless chain saw Q.
Two pairs of bevel wheels are shown, so that horizontal cuts may be
made on either side of the machine by changing the saws from one
shaft to the other, as the case may require. This machine travels on
rails, as shown. The saw is kept up to its work by the attendant
actuating the rod R by means of the handle at the end of the rod, as
shown.
The method of making a vertical cut is sufficiently exemplified by
Fig. 7, where c is the saw driven from a wheel on the shaft by means of
the endless chain. The attendant has control over the chain saws by
means of the handle S, shown in dotted lines.
Fig. 9, plan of a pair of circular saws fitted on a jib parallel to one
another; Fig. 10, elevation of same.
The saws T are driven by the driving chain U working over the
chain pulley at the end of the jib A¹, either by hand or power
machinery. The coal between the saws is removed as they cut the coal

page_text: by means of the toothed driving chain U, as before explained; Fig. 11
is an elevation of the driving chain, and Fig. 12 is a plan. By these
Figures the mode by which the chain U works over the jib is exemplified.
Fig. 13 is a plan.
Fig. 14, a side elevation of another form of machine, the saws and
general construction being of the same kind as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
but the driving power is somewhat different.
The internal toothed wheel Z is fixed on a side plate running loose on
its shaft, and gearing into and driving a pinion X fixed on shaft carrying
drum or driving wheel.
The internal toothed wheel may be driven by hand as shown, or by
other means. It also shows the method by which the saws may
be
tightened or slackened. The pillars and supports are used as in
Figs. 1, 2, and 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of our Invention, and in what manner the same may be per-
formed or carried out in practice, we hereby declare that we claim the
Invention of improvements in machinery or apparatus for cutting coal,
stone, and other minerals," the nature whereof is set forth in the first
part of this Specification by the words preceding the words Description_
of the Drawings, it being understood that the mechanical details per se
and apart from the purposes of this Invention are not claimed as new.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Rothery and Andrew
Rothery, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-
seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
JOHN SHAW,
Waterloo Main Colliery.
(L.S.)
JOSEPH ROTHERY.
ANDREW ROTHERY. (L.S.)