US1116357A - System of mining coal. - Google Patents

Description

E. G. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING GOAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1911,

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. C. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24,1911.

1,116,357. Patented N0v.3, 1914.

7 SHEETSSHEET 2.

E. C. MORGAN. SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1911.

Patented Nov. 3

q 7 SHEETSSHEET 3.

E. C. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING GOAL.

V APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1911.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

E. U. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24,1911.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

S -Ev 0 0A 1 0 1 v A 1 1 MM 7% a/ NW av, M Q N @W E. G. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 24. 1911,

Patented Nov. 3, 1914,

7 SHEETS-EILEET 6.

NY 1% mQ ||$|||||r LM E. O. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING GOAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1911.

1,1 16,357. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

i 64 flyflm y a UNITED sTA ns PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND C. MORGAN, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed November 10, 1896, Serial No. 611,603. Divided and this application filed May To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDMUND C. MORGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Mining Coal, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to systems 'of mining'coal and its object is to provide an improved, efiicient and economical method for mining coal.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, and the novel features will be hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

This application is a division of my copendi'ng application Serial No. 611,603, filed November 10, 1896, for an improvement in apparatus for and system of mining coal, the apparatus herein disclosed to illustrate my improved method being the same as the apparatus disclosed in the saidcopending application.

While I have covered in the said co-pend ing application Serial No. 611,603 various general combinations of elements of the apparatus shown in the present drawings, I have presented claims covering the shoveling mechanism per se in my co-pend-ing application Serial Number 607 ,753 filed Feb.-

10, 1911, for an improvement in loading apparatus, as a division of said application Serial No. 611,603; I have also presented in a co-pending application Serial No. 848,331, filed July 1, 1914, for an improvement in mining and loading ap aratus, claims covering in combination the breaking-down mechanism and the loading apparatus disclosed in the present application. However, the methods covered by the claims of the present application may be carried out by other apparatus than the specific construction herein disclosed, except so far as such apparatus may be broadly covered by the c aims in the a plications above referred to.

Re err-ing to the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a general view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section of one form of apparatus which may be used for carrying out my improved system of minin coal; Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view of the same taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation and partially diagrammatic illustrat- Serial No. 629,246.

ing the method of removing the pillarsbetween ad acent rooms in a mine; Fig. 4 1s a view in side elevation illustratin an arrangement for automatically snubbing or enlarging the cut made by an under cutter preparatory to blasting out the coal above the undercut; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the frame in which the chain cutter is mounted, showing said frame as made up of sections for convenience in moving the machine from one part of the mine to another as will be hereinafter explained; Fig. 6 is a detached detail view in side elevation illustrating a modification for loading the coal on the mine cars; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the method of tunneling in the mine; Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view of part of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing the gearin for moving the shovel-carrying frame bac ward and forward; Fig. 10 is a top plan view or horizontal sectional view taken on the line 10, 10 of Fig. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line'll, 11 of Fig. 12, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 12, 12 of Fig. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 13 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the machine taken on the line 13, 13 of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters are used throughout the various views to designate the same parts.

I will first describe the construction and operation of the machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then point out the improved methods which may be carried out by the use of the said machine.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, A designates the framework, which is mounted on suitable traction wheels B, B, to form a truck for supporting the operating parts of the mining machine. The framework is of such form, size, proportion and arrangement as to roperly accommodate the in any suitable or convenient manner or by any suitably arranged mechanism adapted to such purpose, and I will presently -describe more fully an illustrative arrangement for accomplishing this purpose.

Suitably mounted upon the framework A of the machine is a motor C, preferably electric, arranged and adapted to operate the various parts of the apparatus as herein-. after described. The motor C may be supplied with current through suitable electric conductors D, or in any other well known manner. V

Loosely mounted on the shaft of theelectric motor C is a worm gear E, which is in mesh with the worm wheel Fmounted on a transverse shaft G extending across from one side of the machine to the other just above the platform A, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At its outer ends this shaft G carries sprocket wheels H which are connected by sprocket chains to the sprocket wheels J, which in turn are operatively connected to the track wheels B, B, so that when the shaft G is rotated the traction wheels will be driven. This mechanism is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 10. Any suitable well known form or arrangement of clutch K'may be employed for connecting the motor shaft to the worm E, so that when the motor operates the shaft will be driven and therefore also the traction wheels B, B. Whether the machine shall advance toward the wall of coal or be retracted therefrom after the clutch K connects the motor shaft to the worm gear E and the motor C is operated,

can be determined by the direction in which the current is sent through the motor. By suitably reversing the motor or effecting its operation the traction wheels may be driven in any desired direction to advance the machine to its work or to withdraw the same, or to move the entire machine from one part of the mine to another, and bysuitably manipulating the clutch K the driving gearing for the traction wheels may be thrown into or out of action.

It should be understood that by means of the traction wheels the machine is fed only up to the point where the cutters, hereinafter described, are in or near the position to begin the cutting of the coal for the reason that the resistance offered to the cutter during the operation thereof would be too great to be overcome by the traction wheels. After the machine has been moved up to the wall of coal it becomes important and necessary to brace the entire machine against the re sistance offered by the coal to the cutter, and to provide means for advancing the cutter into the coal while the machine is being braced. in order to accomplish this purpose 1 mount on the frame 1 in any suitable or convenient manner a pair of screwthreaded rode each being pivoted one 11,1 i ea? struction and arrangement it will be seen that when an endwise pressure is exerted upon the screw-threaded rods M in a direction away from the point where the cutters ,are operating, the toggle arms N, N will be actuated to force the anchor shoes 0, 0 farther away from each other and into firmer engagement with the, roof and floor of the tunnel, thereby securely and firmly anchoring the entire machine in proper position for efiicient and quick cutting operations. If the longitudinal pressure on the screwthreaded rods M, M is continued the ma-- chine will be advanced or fed forward away from the position of the anchor shoes and in a direction to advance the cutters into the coal. Whenever more convenient, the anchor shoes 0, 0 may be brought into contact with the vertical walls instead of the floor and ceiling of the tunnel and the machine may be braced in the manner before explained. v

In practice, when the anchor shoes are arranged to engage the floor and roof of the tunnel or room, I prefer to employ two or more longitudinal screw-threaded rods M, M, located at the respective sides of the machine, and also two or more pairs of toggle arms N, N and shoes 0, 0, so that by suitably arranging a pair of anchoring and feeding devices on one side of the machine and another pair on the opposite side, as indicated in Fig. 1, the machine may be varied in its direction of movement in case the forward feed departs from a straight line or it is desired to change the direction of the forward feed. This can be easily accomplished by. throwing the one or the other sets of anchoring and feeding devices out of action and permitting the other anchoring device to remain in action while the feeding mechanism is being operated. For instance, if the machine is to be turned toward the right from its straight line forward feed, the feed on the serewthreaded rod M, shown in the lower portion of Fig. 1, may be disconnected or reversed so that the anchor shoes U, 9, shown in the upper portion of Fig. 1, will be the only ones which would remain in firm position, and as the feeding mechanism on the screw-threaded rod 1V1, shown in the upper portion of Fig. 1, continued the advance of the machine, most of the cutting would take place at the left forward end of the machine and the resistance at the right forward. end of the machine would effect the turning of the entire machine to the right because no longer resisted or reacted by the bracing mechanism at the right hand side of the machine. When the machine had been laterall adjusted sufiicientlyin this manner, all t e bracing mechanism could then again be placed in such position that the continued movement of the inacgiine would be in a straight line as desire I will now describe the details of a suitableand eificient construction and arrangement for exerting the above-mentioned longitudinal pressure on the screw-threaded rods M, M, whereby the machine is first anchored and then fed forward to advance the cutter to its work and continuing such advance while the cutting is taking place. In the particular form shown I provide a gear P upon the shaft of the motor 0 to engage and drive a train of gears L, Q. The gearP is shown at the left hand end of the motor C in Fig. 2, and the train of gears L, Q are shown in the same figure immediately above the gear P, but this train of gears is shown more clearly in end view in Fig. 12. The gear wheel Q is connected to rotate with the shaft R suitably mounted in the frame of the machine and extends longitudinally from the gear wheel Q on one side of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1.

This longitudinal shaft R carries a worm gear U, which is in mesh with the worm gear wheel T, which is connected to rotate with a transverse shaft S. This transverse shaft extends entirely across and above the frame of the machine and carries at each outer end thereof the worm 23, which is in mesh with the worm wheel 22 mounted on the stud shaft 17. Each of the shafts 17 carries two gear wheels 18 and 19, the latter somewhat larger than the former as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These gear wheels 1.8 and 19 are mounted loosely on the shaft 17, but between them is a clutch 21, which when moved in one direction will effect the rotation of the gear wheel 18 and when moved in the other direction will effect the rotation of thegear wheel 19, provided that iii-either case the motor' C is operating and transmittin motion through the train of gears to t e shaft 17. Mounted on the screw threaded rods M, M are internally threaded traveling nuts 14, 14, each of which is provided with two gears 15 and 16, which are connected to the nuts 14 and rotate therewith.- Intermediate the gear 18 and gear 15 is a gear 20 for changing the direction of motion. By means of this construction it will be seen that when the gear 19 is idle and the gear 18 is actuated by the throwing of the clutch 21, the traveling nut it will be slowly rotated in one direction, whereas if the gear 18 is idle and gear 19 is acting the traveling nut will be moved 1n the opposite direction, and because of the ratio of the gearing it will be moved more rapidlyin'such opposite direction. I prefer to arrange the gearing so that when the gear 18 is actuated longitudinally pressure on the screw-threaded rod M wil be exerted to cause the anchor shoes 0, O to grip the roof and floor, or the side walls of the room, and to effect a feedin of the machine forwardly and so that if t e ear 19 is actuated the traveling nut 14: wil be moved in direction to release the anchor shoes. In such a'rrangement the anchor shoes may be released quickly by reason of the larger gear 19 with respect to the gear 16. In this manner the machine may be fed forward with considerable power while the cutting operation is being carried on and at such a speed as may be predetermined by the ratio of the gearing intermediate the motor and the gear 15. And furthermore, in order to save time the anchor shoes may be released quickly and replaced in another position, or they may be released quickly so that the machine may be moved to anot or location in the mine. It should he understood that the feeding mechanism on both sides of the machine is the same and is simultaneouslyoperated while the machine is being fed forward in a straight line. As before explained, however, if the direction of the forward feed of the machine is to he changed the anchor shoes may be released on one side while retamed in position on the other side. This may be effected either by releasing the clutch 21 on one side of the machine, or by throwmg it to, the opposite position so that while one side of the machine is being fed forwardthe bracin mechanism on the other side is being reiaased. By this operation the direction of the machine may be changed more quickly than if the clutch 21 on one side of the machine is simply thrown to its mid position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 12, a clutch 24: may be arranged on the shaft S between the worm gears 23. 23 to throw into or out of action the feedin mechanism on one side of the machine. or that side shown in the lower portion of Fi 1. With this arrangement the forward eed of the opposite side of the machine may be continued while the side on which the feeding has been discontinued will remain securely braced until the machine has been turned to a slight extent as desired when the clutch 24 may again throw the feeding mechanism on both sides of the machine into action so that the feeding thereafter will be uniformly in a straight line forward direction. From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the cutters. are advanced to the limits of the feed screws M, M, the latter may be moved in the opposite direction to advance the anchor shoes to a point closer to the machine. This is done by reversing the clutches 21, 21,

and replacing the same after the shoes are brought to proper position so that the forward feeding of the machine will be resumed.

I will now describe the cutting means and the means for actuating the same. In practice, ll prefer to use the usual sprocket chain cutters. Upon the front end of the framework ll mount a cutter frame 25, as shown in Figs. 2 and '11, in such relation that the chain cutter 26 mounted to operate thereon will operate in a horizontal plane to out the floor kerf, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 11. The cutter frame 25 may be supported in any suitable manner, preferably by means of the lower portion of the frame A, as shown in Figs. 2 and 11. This chain cutter 26 is actuated from the .shaft B through the bevel gears 27, mounted on the shaft R and arranged to engage and drive a bevel gear 28 mounted on the vertical shaft 29, which in turn is suitably mounted in the framework of the machine, as shown in Fig. 11. The vertical shaft 29 carries a sprocket gear 30 at its lower end which engages and drives the chain 26. The shaft 29' may be operatively connected to the shaft R at will by means of a clutch 31, carried by the shaft R.

It will be observed that I arrange the horizontal cutter 26 to out a horizontal kerf extending across the entire width of the room and that as the machine advances farther and farther into the vein or wall of coal the cutter cuts all the wa across to form the continuation of the cor of the room or tunnel. The sprocket chain cutter is suitably guided by sprocket gears at the four corners of the frame 25.

In order to cut the side walls of the room or tunnel at the same time that the lower horizontal kerf, or under cut, is being made,

and in order to facilitate the breaking away of the coal after beingcut, as by means of blasting, and so that after the coal is broken away the side walls will be left smooth and regular to permit the forward advance of the machine, I provide side cutters 32, 33 arranged to operate in vertical planes, as shown particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 11. I prefer to employ chain cutters also for making the vertical side cuts. In the construction shown a suitable frame 34 is provided for supporting and holding in proper position each of the side cutters 32, 33, and suitable direction sprocket wheels are provided as shown. The side cutters are actuated in the following manner: A short horizontal shaft indicated at 35 in Figs. 2, 10 and 13, carries a sprocket wheel at its outer end, to which the side cutter 32 is, connected. At the inner end of the shafts 35 is a bevel gear 36, which meshes with bevel gear 37 carried on the vertical shaft-29. From this construction it will be seen that when the shaft 29 is rotated, the side cutter chain 32 'vertical shaft 29 is rotated the structed in detachable sections. .an embodiment of this idea 1s shown ascaramass? is actuated. A similar arrangement is provided on the opposite side of the machine for actuating the side cutter 33, except that in such similar arrangement the vertical shaft 38 is rotated by the movement of the horizontal chain cutter 26. The horizontal chain cutter 26 engages a sprocket gear on the vertical shaft 38 and thereby rotates the latter shaft and the bevel gear 39 mounted thereon. The bevel gear 39 meshes with the bevel gear 40, which is connected to 1'0- tate with the short horizontal shaft 40, as shown in Fig-10, the shaft 40 corresponding to the shaft 35 on the opposite side of the machine. It will also be evident that when the clutch 31 is thrown to engaging position while the motor C is operating, motion will be transmitted to the bevel gears 27 and 28. The vertical shaft 29 will therefore be rotated and transmit motion through the bevel gear 36 and the shaft 35 to actuate the side cutter 32. The shaft 29 extends below the bevel gear 37 and carries at its lower end a sprocket gear 30, which engages the horizontal cutting chain 26 so that when the ear 30 and consequently the horizontal cutting chain is driven. This operation takes place at the same time that the vertical chain cutter 32 is operated, and because the horizontal chain cutter 26 engages the sprocket under the gear 39 and drives the sameso as to transmit power to the short horizontalshaft 40*,

the vertical chain cutter 33 is also actuated.

It will therefore be seen that when the clutch 31 is thrown into driving connection with the horizontal shaft R both of the vertical side cutters are operated at the same time the horizontal chain cutter is actuated.

In order that the entire machine may be withdrawn from the'wall of coal where the cutters have been operating, without undue friction from the cutters against the walls of the kerfs, it is desirable to have rovision for collapsing or folding the cutters so as to move them out of the way of obstructions. In order to accomplish this the side frames 34 and the horizontal frame 25, on

which the cutters operate, may be con- In Fig. 5

ried out in the case of the horizontal frame 25 upon which the horizontal cutter 26 is mounted. In Fig. 5 the frame 25 is shown as consisting of three sections 41, 42, 43, detachably bolted together at 44. By removing some of the links of tla chain cutter 26 any onev or more of the sections 41, 42, 43 may be removed. While I have not shown the frames 34 for the side cutters 32, 33 as made up of detachable sections, it should be understood that the said frames 34 may also be made up of sections as shown in Fig. 5, with respect to the horizontal frame 25. It

is also obvious that both the vertical frames 34 may be removed, with or without the cutterchains thereon, and said frames placed on the middle section of the horizontal frame 25 either before or after the end sections 41 and 43 of the frame 25 have been folded over on to the middle section. By this arrangement it will be evident that after the machine has cut into the coalto the desired distance and the machine is to be withdrawn to another location, the side vertical frames and the side sections of the horizontal frame may be placed on the middle section of the horizontal frame so that the machine can be easily moved to another place without being impeded by undue friction of the cutters or the cutter frames against the side walls of the room or tunnel.

I will now describe the blasting operation of my improved system of mining coal. In

the machine illustrated there is suitably journaled in the framework a shaft 45 extending transversely across the machine and carrying a gear 46 at one end which meshes with the bevel gear 47 carried by the vertical shaft 29. When the vertical shaft 29 is rotated, motion is imparted to the horizontal shaft 45. By means of a clutch 48 the rotation of the shaft 45 may be arrested or affected at will. Spaced apart on the shaft 45 are bevel gears 53, 53, which mesh with bevel gears 52, 52 carried by the depending arms or bearings 50,130, which are carried by the flat sheet metal plates 4-9, 49, the latter'being supported by the shaft 45. In -the depending arms 50, 50 are mounted short shafts 52, 52, each of which carries at one end a socket 51. Connected to the sockets 51 are boring tools or other type of tools 54 for forming the holes in which the blasting charges are to be placed. This arrangement for boring holes in the upper portion ofthe wall of the coal and dischar, ing the blasting material therein constitutes the breaking down operation in the present exemplification of the invention.

The shanks of the tools 54 are arranged to be detachably secured in the sockets 51 by means of the pins I The fiat plates 49 may be made of any desired width, but should each preferably extend about half way across the roof of th tunnel in which the machine is operating. These flat metal plates 49 are journaled to swing about the shaft 45 so that when the boring tools 54 are detached from the sockets 51 the plates 49 will swing around to an approximately vertical position facing the wall of the coal in which the holes have been bored. When the flat metal plates are thus permitted to rock about the shaft 45 until their outer surfaces are presented toward the blasting holes as shields, the gearing which drives the boring tools and other parts of the entire machine are protected from the effects of the explosion of the blasting charges. Heretofore in the operation of mining coal after the cutmachine is being advanced to its work, that 1s, while the under cutter and the side cutters are operating, the boring tools can be connected to the actuating shaft 29 so that holes will be bored at the same time that the slde and under cuts are made. When the cuts have been made to the desired depth, the boring tools 54 may be detached from the sockets 51 and removed by hand, the blasting charges placed in proper position and the shields 49 permitted to swing around to an approximately vertical position so as to occupy a position in front of the blasting holes, as before explained. It will also be seen that by cutting the coal on both sides as well as, making an under cut, a comparatively small blasting charge is all that is required to effect the breaking down of the coal as above explained, and this breaking down of the body of the cut coal may be effected without the loss of time incident to the withdrawal of the entire machine; and the detaching of the tools 524 and withdrawing the same takes but a small space of time.

In the operation of mining machines as heretofore carried out, wherein provision was not made for automatically removing the coal after being blasted, operators, after a blast had been made to break down the coal and while the machine was still withdrawn from the cuts, removed the coal which fell upon the floor of the room, either by hand or else manually by shovels before the machine could again be advanced to its work. This has consumed valuable time which might otherwise be employed in effecting another out preparatory to making another blast, that is, performing another breaking down operation of the cut coal. By using the machine illustrated this time may be saved by removing the broken down coal automatically under the control of the operator and without interfering with the continuous action of the machine in making the next cuts.

I will now describe a construction and arrangement for automatically removing the broken down coal without interfering with the continuous action of the machine in making successive cuts. The horizontal frame 25 upon which the cutter 26 operates is in reality a platform, as clearly indicated in the drawings, and receives the coal which is broken down or detached under the influence of the blast in the'holes bored by boring tools 54., 54. As this platform is carried by the machine frame A, it will be readily seen that no obstruction is offered impeding the progress of the machine as it is advanced to the next cut asthe cutters 26 cut away the floor of the coal for a small space below the platform 25, as shown in Fig. 2,.

The detached coal carried by the plat-v form 25 is removed therefrom in the following manner. Mounted upon the main frame A of the machine is a supplemental frame 57, which acts as a carrier frame for the coal scooping and conveying mechanism. Suitably mounted on the carrier frame 57 at the forward end thereof is a shovel 58 having a toe thereof presented forwardly and arranged to gather up and remove the coal from platform 25. The shovel 58 may be operated by the mechanism now to be described. In the form shown, the shovel 58 is pivotally mounted on horizontal gudgoons 0r pintles or trunnions, or the like, as

indicated at 59, so that said shovel maybe rocked'about its horizontal pivotal axis to the dotted line position shown in Figs. 2 and 11. By this construction it will be seen that when the shovel scoops up some of the coal it may be dumped on to the traveling conveyor 88,- as will be more fully hereinafter described. I

I will now describe the mechanism for tilting the shovel, referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 10. One of the gears of the train of gears L carries the short shaft 60, suitably journaled in the main frame of the machine. This short shaft 60 is flexibly con nected with the hollow shaft 61"by the pin and socket connection indicated at 62. The hollow shaft 61 is'supported inbearings 62, 62*, as indicated in Fig. 10.' These bearings 62, 62 are preferably secured to the trough or way 87, the flexible connection 62 permitting said trough or way to turn upon its pivot 56 as hereinafter set forth. Arranged within the hollow shaft to slide longitudinally therein but'adapted to rotate therewith as a shaft 63 carrying loosely upon the forward end thereof a pair of oppositely faced bevel gears 64;, 65, between which is a shiftable clutch 66, so that either of the gears 64 or 65 may be rotated as determined by the position of the clutch 66. The bevel gear 67 is arranged to intermesh with and be driven by the gears 64c, 65. The gear 67 is connected to rotate with the axle or pivot 59 of the shovel 58, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 10. From this construction it will be seen that one or the other gears 65, 645 is clutched to rotate with the shaft 68 when it is desired to efi'ect the tilting or swinging of the shovel about its pivot or axle, the

. misses shovel being tilted in one direction if the gear 65 is engaged by the clutch 66, and the shovel tilting in the opposite direction when. the gear 64 is engaged by the clutch 66.

It is important that the shovel'be ad vanced and retracted independently of the machine in order that the detached coal may be all or nearly all scooped up vfrom the platform 25. I will now describe an operative form of means for accomplishing this purpose. The pintles or gudgeons' 59 onwhich the shovel is mounted and by which it is supported, are mounted in the horizontal rack bars 6,8,which in turn aremounted to slide longitudinally in guides 69 in the supplemental frame 57 as shown in Figs. 2 and 18. The under sides of the bars 68, 68, are provided with rack teeth which mesh with the gear Wheels 71, 71. These gears 71, 71 are mounted upon the shaft 70, which is carried by the supplemental frame 57. By rotating the shaft 70 in'one direction or the other the gear wheels 71 will transmit motion in one direction or the other to rack bars 68, 68, so that the shovel 58 may be advanced to scoop up the coal from the platform 25- and then Withdrawn to the point where the operation of the dumping of the coal is to be performed. The longitudinal movement of the shaft63 does not render 95 the gearing inoperative for tilting the shovel because rotative connection between the hollow shaft 61 and the shaft 63 is maintained and the relative positions of the gears 64, 65, 67 with respect to the shaft 59 remains the same for all. positions of the shovel 58.

T will now describe a convenient arrangement of gearing for effecting a rotation of the shaft 70 in either direction at will. Intermediate the ends of the hollow shaft 61 105 is a gear wheel 72 which rotates with the hollow shaft and meshes with the gear 73 mounted on the shaft 7 i, which is pivotally journaled in the supplemental frame 57 Loosely mounted on shaft 74 are the oppo- 11 sitely arranged bevel gears 75, 7 6. A suitable clutch 7 7 may be employed to transmit motion from the shaft 74 to either of the gears 75 or 76. The bevel gear 78 is mounted on shaft 70 and intermeshes with than gears 75, 76. "From this construction it will be seen that theshaft 70 may be rotated in either direction at will by throwing the clutch 77 to one position or the other when the motor C is operating the hollow shaft 12 61; and as before stated, when the shaft 70 is rotated in one direction or the other the longitudinal motion is transmitted to the rack bars 68, 68, and therefore the shovel 58 is advanced or retracted as may be desired. 125

In order that the shovel may command the entire width of the room so as to remove all or nearly all of the coal broken down on to the platform 25, the supplementary frame 57 is pivotally mounted to swing horizontally upon the vertical step or pivot 56, as shown in Fig. 2. A suitable bearing 79 carried by the lower portion of the supplemental frame or carrier is arranged to engage a bearing flange 80, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The bearing flange 80 is carried by the main frame. and the bearing 79 is arranged in front of the bearing flange 80 so that the thrust of the shovel advancing mechanism is resisted partly by this bearing mechanism, and at the same time the supplemental frame is guided in its swinging movements. For the same purpose a bear ing 81 is arranged upon the main frame, upon which the forward end of the supplemental frame bears in order to steady and guide the samein its movements. This is indicated in Fig. 2 particularly. If desired and as shown, the bearings 79 and 81 may be anti-friction rollers in order to reduce friction.

The construction and arrangement of the mechanism for effecting a swinging movement of the supplemental frame upon the main frame may boas follows: Suitably mounted in the supplemental frame 57 is a segment rack bar 82, which meshes with a gear 83. On the upper side of the gear 83 is a bevel gear which intermeshes with the gears 841- and 85, between which is a clutch 86, which may serve to couple either of said gears 84, 85 to the shaft 74, whereby the gear 83 may be rotated in either direction at will, and hence the supplemental frame may be swung or moved in either direction at will because the segment rack bar connected thereto is actuated when the gear 83 is rotated. The rotation of the supplemental frame in this manner enables the shovel 58 to command the entire area 25.

In order to obtain the highest degree of efficiency and speed in mining coal and in the operation of the apparatus as above described it is important that the work of loading the coal into the mine cars be carried on concurrently and simultaneously with the operation of the machine. In the arrangement as above described this can be most conveniently and expeditiously effected by arranging the shovel to deliver the coal therefrom to the conveyer 88, which-in turn delivers it to the mine cars as indicated in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2, a trough or way 87 is connected to the supplemental frame 57, and is upwardly inclined from the forward end thereof, which latter is so relatively arranged with respect to the shovel as to receive the coal therefrom when said of the platform shovel is tilted as above described, the rear end of said trough or chute being arranged in suitable position to deliver the coal into a mine car as shown in Fig. 2. In the chute or trough 87 is mounted a" suitable form of endless carrier, which may be an endless belt or band 88, arranged upon and driven by pulleys on the shafts 89 and 90, respectii'ely located at the upper and lower ends of the chute or trough. The belt conveyer may be provided with cross pieces in order to prevent the coal from sliding back while being carried upwardly.

The shaft 90 is extended as indicated in Fig. 10, and carries at its outer end a gear 91, which is in mesh with the gear 92. The gear 92 is carried by a shaft 93, which is suitably mounted in the supplemental frame, the said shaft 93 carryin at its opposite end the bevel. gear 94, wine meshes with the bevel gear 95 which is on the shaft 74. A suitable form of clutch 96 may be employed to connect or disconnect at will the gears 94, 95, to or from the shaft 74, whereby the actuation of the carrier belt 88 may be started or arrested at will. From this construction. 5 it will be seen that when the motor C operates the train of cars L and the hollow shaft 61 is rotated t ie gears 72 and 73 transmit motion to the shaft 74, and when the clutch 96 is operated to connect the shaft 71 to the gear 94 motion is transmitted from the bevel gear 95 to the spur gear 92 and thence to the spur gear 91, which in turn r0- tates the sh'aft 90, and therefore the belt 88 will be actuated to convey the coal to the mine car.

In Fig. 6 I have, shown a modified form and arrangement for effecting a loading of the coal from the shovel to the mine car. In this form the chute or way 87 is not arranged upon an incline, but occupies a horizontal position, although mounted to swing on a pivot 56 as before. The shovel 58 is arranged to slide longitudinally with respect to the chute 87, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6. Suitably mounted in the supplemental frame is a rack bar 97, havin pivotally mounted upon the forward end thereof an ejector 98. Any suitable or convenient arrangement of gearing for posi- 11g tively swinging said ejector at will may be provided. the same gearing being relied upon to hold the ejector in its adjusted position. The rack bar 97 is mounted to move in a direction opposite to that in which the 5 bar 68* moves. A convenient arrangement for accomplishing this purpose is to drive both rack bars (38 and 97 from the same drive shaft 70 through the gear 71, which is mounted .between and in mesh with said rack bars, asshown in Fig. 6. \Vhen the shovel 58 has been adjusted to scoop up some of the coal on the platform 25, (this position of the shovel is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6), it may be retracted to the 1" point shown in full lines by rotation of the shaft 70. which corresponds to the shaft 70 in F ig. 2. After the shovel is retracted to the full line position shown in Fig. 6, the ejector 98 is lowered from its dotted line pothe opposite direction and carries with it the ejector 98. The ejector 98 during this operation not only prevents the coal from being advanced with the shovel, by acting a scoop or scraper, but also sweeps the coal rearwardly through the chute into the minecar 100, as clearly shown in Fig, 6.-

In this arrangement the shovel is open-ended and the coal is loaded on to the car by causin the ejector 98 to move thecoal out of suc rear open end of the shovel and thence along the chute 87. This arrangement is articul'arlv well adapted for operation in thin or shallow veins of coal where a particularly low framework is necessary.

1 By having the ejector 98 positively moved toward the rear at the same time that the shovel 58 is advanced, much time is saved in loading the coal on to thecar 100.

When the mining machine makes an undercut with the chain cutter it is often desirable to snub 0d the lower forward corner of the wall or body of the under cut coal in order that when the blast or breaking down operation is performed the body of the coal may be more free to break away and fall to such positions as to enable its being collected and carried away with greater facility and within less time. Heretofore such snu-bbing has been performed by hand, but in such case it was necessary to first withdraw the machine from the cutin order to give proper access to the wall of coal. ln Fig. 4 of the drawings l have shown an attachment for performing this operation of snubbing the lower forward edge of the body of the cut coal so that the entire mining machine need not be withdrawn and therefore valuable time will be saved and the operation performed much more efficiently. Besides, this snubbing operation may be accomplished automatically under the control of the operator and. during the (.peration of the cutting apparatus. In carrying this feature of my invention into prac- 'tical operation, two or more snubbing cutters 101 may be provided. These cutters are adapted to be detachably bolted to the front edge of the shovel 58. When the proper time to efiect the snubbing of the wall of the coal is reached in the operation of the .machine, an attendant bolts the snubbing cutters 101 in position upon'the shovel or to the bars 68 to project forwardly therefrom.

The shovel is then adjusted by the gear 71 meshing with the rack bar 68 and the snubbing is reflected as clearly indicated in Fig. +1 and without withdrawing the machine from the body of the coal which has been cut by the lower horizontal cutter and the or retracted iii-taste? vertical side cutters' After the proper snubbmg has been accomplished, the snubbing cutters are withdrawn by reversing the rotation of the gear 70, which as, beforeex plained, can be done by reversing the clutch 77, as indicated in Fig.10. After the snubbing cutters have been withdrawn they may be slid back into the floor of the shovel, as

indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. It should be understood that the snubbing requires the expenditure of but a small amount of power which can easily be applied through the shovel advancing mechanism, and it is also evident that the snubbing operation may be performed at the same time that the under cut and the side cuts are made and at the same time-that the blasting holes are being bored.

If an electric motor C for operating the several parts of the machine is employed as above described, it becomes a matter of importance to supply the operating current thereto in a manner that will permit of the advancement of the machine farther and farther into the bed of the coal. As an illustrative form of operative means for accom plishing the desired object I have shown suitable conductors D leading from the motor to a reel 102 suitably mounted to rotate upon the main frame; I have shown also flexible conductors 103 arranged to be Wound upon the reel 102, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or to be unwound therefrom as the case may be, the electrical connections being made in any suitable manner as readily understood by those skilled in the art, by leading the conductors 103 to insulated port-ions of the reel 102 and from such insulated por tions through the conductors D to the terminals of the motor C. I Of course it will be understood that the conductors 103 and the conductors D are the ordinary type of insulated conductors whereby short-circuiting is prevented, and the conductors 103 are connected to a suitable source of current supply. and unwinding the conductors 103 from the reel 102 synchronously with the advancing or retracting movements of the machine, the currnt is supplied to the motor for actuating the several: parts of the apparatus as above explained. The reel 102 may be conveniently rotatedsafrom the shaft 13 through the worm 105 and worm gear 104, the latter being mounted on the shaft of the reel 102, as shown in Fig. 2, being such that as the conductors 103 will bepaid By providing means for winding,

out or wound up in accordance therewith proper position for leading the current from the source of supply to the motor C for all positions of the machine in the tunnel in which the cutting operation is being performed.

In order to carry out the general system of removing the coal from the room after it is mined and to accomplish such removal automatically and without delay, it is desirable to make provision for the automatic withdrawal of the loaded cars and the coincident advancement of empty cars from and to the point where the coal is delivered by the delivering devices as above described. .as an illustrative form of arrangement for aecomplisl'iing this desired object 1 have shown a system-of tracks 150. upon which the cars 100 run. The tracks are shown as arranged after the fashion of a turn-out in a street car line, upon one branch of which the empty cars are run and upon. the other part of which the loaded cars are run, it being understood that in the germ-a1 op eration of a mining system a mine locomotive will be employed to run z. train of empty cars down the mine tracks to the particular run in which the machine is at work and thence on to the side or turn-out track and then removed from the other branch of the side or turn-out track below the. cars. It is not desirable. however. to depend upon the mine locomotive to remove the loaded cars from the point where the coal is loaded thereon. nor to advance the next succeedii'ig empty car into place to be. loaded. l therefore provide an automatic. arrangement whereby as fast as the cars are loaded they are temporarily removed to one side of the switch or turn-out and an empty car is advanced to take its place. Referring to Fig. 1, 100 designates an endless belt or cable suitably mounted upon guide pulleys 107, 108, 109, 110 conveniently arranged in proper positions. The pulleys 107 and 110 are mounted upon an arm or bar 111, adapted to be detachably connected in any suitable man ner to a support such as a portion of Lhemain frame as indicated by the connections, 112. The bar 111 arranged to extend transversely across the room, and the pulley 107 is mounted on one end thereof and the pulley 110 is mounted on the opposite end thereof. In a similar manner, the pulleys 108 and 109 are mounted in the respective ends of the bar 113 arranged to extend transversely across the room. In order that the bars 111 and 113 may not obstruct or interfere with the movement of the cars upon the tracks 105. 1 preferably arrange said bars underneath the tracks as shown. A

coupling link or connection 114, having a hook-shaped. extremity, is adapted to be detachably connected at one end to a car and at the oppositr end is adapted to be clamped to the belt or cable 106. An attendant may readily attach or detach the connection 114 to or from the car and the cable as occasion may require. From this description and arrangement it will be readily seen that one run or leg of the cable is arranged to extend along side of or in the direction of the tracks at one side of the turnout and that another run or leg of the cable is arranged to extend in the direction of the tracks on the other side of the turn-out, and that since the cable is arranged to form a loop the one leg or run is moved in one direction and the other leg or run is moved in the opposite direction, and therefore if as fast as the cars are loaded they are connected to one of the runs above mentioned and the empty cars are connected to the other run of the cable, a removal of the loaded and an advancement of the empty cars may be effected at the same time when the cable 106 is actuated. The cable 106 is shown as being actuated by gearing connected to the motor C. The vertical axle of the pulley 110 is provided with the bevel gear which meshes with the driving gear 116 mounted on the short horizontal shaft 117, which is driven through gearing 118 from the shaft of the motor C. A suitable clutch 119 may be employed to control the rotation of the shaft 117.

From the foregoing description it will be seen'that I make provision for the removal' of the cars as fast as they are loaded and the advancement of the empty cars into position to be loaded. This 0 eration may be performed immediately a ter the coal is broken down and carried into the cars. As fast as the machine advances into the bed of coal the track back of the turn-outs must belcngthened, but the turn-out tracks together with the cross-bar 113 must be advanced when the machine is advanced so that the connections 114: will occupy their proper relativeposit-ions with respect to the turn-outs so that the operation of carrying away the loaded cars and bringing the empty cars to proper position may be performed for advanced positions of the mining machine. It should therefore be understood that the machine should not be advanced during the operation of the car switching mechanism.

In the practical operation of my invention it is important to form runs parallel with each other and spaced apart a distance about equal to the width of the runs or tunnels, thus leaving intervening walls or pillars of coal of substantially the same thickness as the width of the run or tunnel'as supports for the coal above. After the particular portion of the mine being worked is exhausted, the illars or supports may be mined. In suc case it is only necessary to under cut the pillars, as the side cuts have already been made. In removing the pillars therefore, the side cutters may be omitted from the machine, together with the frames 34: on which said side cutters are mounted. In place of the side cutters and. side frames, I prefer to connect the side vertical plates 120 as indicated in Fig. 3, so that when the coal is broken down it will not be thrown oil the sides of the platform, but will be retained thereon so that practically all of the coal may be scooped up and removed as 0 before explained. The operation of removing the supporting pillars is otherwise sub: stantially the same as when a tunnel is being lengthened.

In Fig. 8 l have indicated somewhat diagrammatically a general outline of a mine wherein the principles of my invention may be carried out. In the usual practice of mining it is customary to sink hoisting shafts E, F and from said shaft to work off an entry or room 130. This is usually at first of comparatively short length, and from said room other rooms 130 are mined out to; connect with the air shaft F through which; fresh air is supplied to the mine. The room; or entry 130 is then continued as far into} the bed of coal as may be desired. Usually. the machines as above described are con-; structed to cut a room about 12 feet Wide,% butof course it will be readily understood so that rooms of any other dimensions may be cut by varyin the size and proportions of the machine. eading OK or from the room 130 other rooms may be mined out as indicated at 133, said rooms extending parallel with each other and having an intervening wall or pillar 1.34:, usually of the same general dimensions as the other rooms. As the occasion may require and in order to avoidl the necessity for objectionable great length of canvas for flue-purposes, breakthroughs or passages 126 may be formed through the intervening walls 0r pillars between adjacent rooms 133. for ventilating purposes as above explained. It will thus be seen that a single or as many machines as may be desired may be employed in a single mine until the mine has been thoroughly worked.

it should also be understood that instead of forming the dues for ventilating purposes at the roofs of the rooms, such fines may be formed along thevertical side walls of the ro ms. This arrangement is particularly well adapted for low rooms and in conncction with machines of the character requirin the flat type of machine. that is where vein of coal is unusually thin or shallow. l have not deemed it necessary to specifically shown the means for ventilating where the fines are formed along the side walls of the room. it is obvious from the foregoing description how thismay be done by carrying out the same principles as set forth.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings my improved method or system-cf coal and the aliases machine which may be used for carrying out such system or method of mining coal will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

I desire it to be understood that I do not confine or limit myself to the particular machine illustrated for carrying out my improved method or system of mining coal, as other machines may be used without de parture from the spirit and scope of my in vention as defined by the claims.

Therefore what I claim as new and useful and desire to have secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. The method of mining coal, consisting in simultaneously making vertical side cuts in the wall or solid of the coal and an undercut. and breaking down coal above said undercut between said side cuts while said cuttin operation continues.

Q. 'l lie method of mining material, consisting in making a U-shaped cut into the body of the material, and breaking down some of the materialwithin said out While the cutting operation continues. 3. The method of mining coal, consisting in cutting kerfs into the body of the coal. afterward breaking down the coal, and removing the coal away from between the cuts while the next cutting operation is being performed.

4. The method of mining, consisting 1n producing a plurality of parallel kerfs in a mine wall while breaking down some of the material from the mine wall, and removing the same immediately after being broken down.

The method of mining, consisting in cutting a plurality of slits simultaneously in the wall or solid of the material, and n hile said cutting takes place breaking down some material from between said slits.

6. The method of mining, consisting in cutting a plurality of kerfs simultaneously in the wall of solid of the material in its native bed, and breaking down material adjacent said kerfs while said kerf cutting takes Place.

7. The method of mining, consisting in making vertical side cuts in the wall or solid of the material and. also an undercut, and breaking down material above said undercut between said side cuts, the making of the said vertical side cuts and the making of the said undercut and the said breaking down of material. being carried on simultaneously.

8. The method of mining, consisting in producing an undercut in the wall of the material being mined, simultaneously making two kerfs spaced apart and above the plane of the undercut, and breaking down material above the undercut between said kerfs while the kerf-cutting continues.

9. The method of mining, consistin in producrng'an undercut in the wall oi the 13c material being mined, simultaneously producing an overcut above the plane of the undercut, and breaking down material adjacent said cuts while the kerf-cutting continues.

10. The method of mining coal,vconsisting in simultaneously makin a horizontal cut and a vertical side out w ile breaking down material between said cuts, and removing the material immediately after being broken down.

11. The method of mining coal, consisting in reducing an undercut and side cuts, snu bing off the lower forward edge of the coal above the undercut, and continuing the snubbing to break down more coal during the cutting 0 eration, and removing the latter as it is t us broken down.

12. The method of minin consisting in producin a lower horizonta kerf and ver' tical side erfs inthe body of coal, and while said kerfs are being deepened breaking down the coal between the side kerfs above the horizontal kerf by first snubbin off the lower forward edge of the cut b0 y of coal and continuing the snubbing operation toward the roof of the mine and repeating as the kerfs are cut deeper.

13. The method of mining coal, consisting in cutting a plurality of kerfs into the body of the coal, following such cutting by the breaking down ofcoal and continuing the breaking down thereof while the kerf cutting continues, and removing the coal from be tween the cuts as soon as it is broken down and while the kerf cutting continues and while the breaking down continues.

14. The method of mining, consisting in simultaneously producin a plurality of kerfs in a mine wall and ollowing the same by gradually breaking down the material as the cutting continues, and taking the material as it is gradually dislodged and carrying it away rom the mine wall.

15. The method of mining, consisting in simultaneously producing vertical side kerfs spaced apart and an under kerf, gradually breakin down material between the side kerfs a ove the under kerf beginning at the lower 'edge of the undercut bod of material and continuing upwardly an repeating this breaking down operation while the kerf cutting continues, and at intervals alternating with the said breaking down and carrying the broken down material away from the mine wall for loading into mine cars.

16. The method of mining, consisting in producing an undercut in the mine wall,

reaking down material above the undercut while said undercutting continues by repeated snubbin operations beginnin at the edge of the un ercut body of material, and at intervals interrupting the breaking down operation to remove the material from the mine wall and carrying it to mine cars to be loaded therein.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 17th day of May, A. D. 1911.

EDMUND C. MORGAN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. M. NIBBEN, CHAS. H. SEEM.

Images