US1336039A

US1336039A - Coal-mining machine

Info

Publication number: US1336039A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1920-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 1937-04-06

Description

MNR NNNNQQNN ANN w ma l f W m wm A n .d w 4 Ml .D w a Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

nu Sv .m m.. 2. B W w 'v m .m m .IN .mm .Wbwwww m SXNNNNA I n M m n m n m n h Ur e IN .I M NMSN \\\\%%\\\\\.\\M ww: mm n, a MWL-v V. m M n III I h. I o W N N I N. INI ...I m... .I w. Q ..,I. .h.. R www NN.-. um. .....III I II I %NIWW\\ o II Q) MM. w .W Q\ mu mv muy h( I IDI I .Iwxhww\. .\\I\ QN I k. @am I ...wwII IDI 9m, Nm. Nm, QN I.

G. MCCARTER.

COAL MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2| I9IB.

1,336,039. Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET @Mme/n to:

117 @7, SH01/m31 G. MCCARTER.

COAL MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.2, 191s.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

GEORGE MCCARIER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

COAL-MINING MACHNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Application ed December 2, 1918. Serial No. 265,027.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE MoCAn'rmi, a citizen of the TUnited States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new :inf usei'ul Improvements in Coal-Mining ehines, of whichthe following is a specilication.

rlhis :invention relates to mining machines and more particularly to that class of machines especially designed for mining coal and known as short wall machines.

Short wall mining machines, as at present constructed and. employed in room and pillar mining, are provided with single cutters ot theV endless or chain type which cut into the working lace ot the coal near the floor line of the mine and 'form a horizontal channel or hert which undermines the coal face so that the body of coal above said channel. may be broken down and removed by blasting. Vv' hen a sii fle cutter machine is used the channel or ke t formed in the working face ot' the coal is necessarily narrow with the result that the body ot coal above said channel` after being blasted. has only a short disainrc to drop or fall Iand the dislodged mass olz coal often wedges or locks so as to render it necessary for the miner to manually remove the same. The removal ot this locked or wedged mass o? coal not only necessitates additional labor on the part of the miner but, owing` to the tact that the coal must be broken up with a piel: or other tool to dislodge the saine, citen results in an uiidcsirable product l-:nown as slack coal.

ln order to overcome these objections, have devised a short wall mining machine having a pair ot endless cutters so arranged that when they enter the working face of' the coal, spaced longitudinal channels or l-:erts are produced delining an intermediate stratum or coal which latter may be readily removed by the miner so as to forni an opening or snmp extending the entire length the working tace and ot' suliicient height to produce enough drop or fall .tor the body otticoal above said snmp when shot or blasted. to prevent locking or wedging and at the same time cause the body of dislodged coal to be broken into relatively lumps and thrown or spread laterally beyond the working 'face and in posit-ion to be conveniently removed by the miner. Owing to the l'aet that the body oi' coal above the sump when blasted is thrown or spread laterally beyond the working face, the collection of gaseous fumes at the rear oi' the sump is prevented and the entire mass ot' coal rendered readily accessible, thereby reducing to a minimum liability of lire in the mine due to the ignition of said fumes.

The primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a double cutter short wall mining machine of simple, durable and compact construction which will cut or mine coal sni'liciently high on the working face to permit ready dislodgement of the upper stratum-of coal with a minimum amount ot slack and, consequently, enable the coal to be mined more expeditiously and with less labor, expense and danger ot lire than heretofore.

The invention further aims to provide a self-regulating machine capable of cutting either to the right or to the left by merely reversing the positionof the picks or cutters and readjusting the propelling cable.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a. mining machine including` oppositcly disposed thread bars having pulleys adjustably mounted thereon and over which extends a propelling cable leading to suitable winding drums on the rear of the machine so that by adjusting the pulleys on the threaded bars the machine may be used tor cutting either st 'aight or curved working iaces.

ihn-ther object is to provide a truck for transporting the machine from one room ot the mine to another and means operable by the motive power oi the machine for propelling the truck, said motive power also serving to unload the machine from the truck.

A further object is to provide a nove form of belt or conveyor adapted to receive the coal cuttings and discharge them at the rear of the machine.

A still further object oli the invention is generally to improve this class of machines so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency.

ilther and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds. In the drawings wherein l have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

"Figure l is a top plan view of a short llO wall miningmachine constructed in accorn ance with the present iin/ention7 showing the machine feeding to the left to forni a lateral out in the working face;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewj tal/en on the line 2 2 of Fie. l;

Eig. 3 is a rear elevation;

Fig. 4l is a top plan view showing in full lines the machine after it has been removed from the truck and restingon the pan, ready to make the longitudinal out or sump, said li -ure showing in dotted lines the gosition of the parts as the out enter the worin ing;lr face;

Fig 5 is a top plan view with the pen re 'ers moved and showin o' the propelling cable reversed in order to make a right hand .lateral cut;

v6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the ni chine in position on the truck employed for transporting said machine from one room another;

Fig. 'Y is a top plan view of the machine being shown dotted he truck, lines l thereon,

Fig. 8 is a ton wir vieu." or the sunzort- :it n l ing nan, the macho enig lines on the pan and just Inoval therefrom;

Fig. 9 is a detail longit flinal view showing the construction of one the swivel pulley supporting sleeves of tiread bars;

coal face formed by reniovi coal between the upper an uw lilnels, and Fig. l2, the position assumed the oal when the body of coal above the sump is blasted.

Corresponding and like parte are referred to in the following descrigrition and inde cated inail the *views of the drawings by the seine reference characters .he improved machine "oi-mine' the suo- -niatter of the present inve i a supporting; base 5 havinv bolted or otherwise rie-"diy n to. rrogecting longitu nelly from the or ward end of the casing 6 are vertical .i cutter bars l', each provioed wpair of spree-liet wheels C and 8 over whirn q "ll is trained an endless or chain cutter 9. no

' endless chains 9 provided with spaced sockets 10 in' which are seated re'txreible teeth or cutters 1l of any desired construction, said cutters .icing retained within the sockets by means of screws 13 so that by loosening the set screws i3 t ie cutters may be readily removed from the sockets and reversed and thus adapt the machine for cutting either to the right or to the left as wiri be more fully explained hereinafter, .Flach cutter bar is provided with a suitable tension device for regulating7 the tension of the adjacent chain 9, a corventional interni of tension device being tted at lil in l of the drawings. rll9 of course7 be understood that one of the tension de- 'vices le will be employed for each cutter. is before stated, the machine i provided with a pair of cutters arranged in spaced vertical relation so that when they enter the working` face of the coal longitudinal keri's er channels l5 are produced.

Arranged at the front of the casing is a vertically disposed shaft- 16 to which the sprocket wheels 8 are lfoyed or otherwise rigidly secured so as to rotate, 'therewith and mounted on the upper end of said shaft is a beveled gear l? which meshesI with a correspondingly beveled pinion 18 carried by e. sliding sleeve i9, the latter being slidably mounted on the power or driving` shaft 90 of a gas engine or other suitable motor.I indicated at Q1. he inoter 2l is house( -vwithin n, sui `able hoed 22 and when a gas engine is employed as the motive powerJ a suitable radiator 23 will be arranged at one end of the hood and a fuel tank at the other for supplying fuel to the engine. Arranged at the rear of the machine are a plurality of vertically disposed

drums

26 and 27, preferably three in number and around which is wrapped a propelling cable 28 for the purpose of feeding the machine forwardly to produce a longitudinal cut or sump in the working face of the coal and laterally to produce a side cut. The

drums

26 and 27 are keyed or otherwise secured to vertical shafts 28 and 29, the lower ends of which project within the casing G while the upper ends thereof are provided with beveled pinions 30 which mesh with corresponding' pinions 3l on a horizontal shaft 32 so that said drums will rotate in unison. The lower end of the shaft QQ of the central drum 26 is journaled in a bracket 33 arranged within the casing and secured to said shaft above the bracket 33 is a worm gear 34 which meshes with a worin 35 on a longitudinal shaft 36 also arranged within the casing7 as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Slidably mounted on the forward end of the longitudinal shaft 36 is a sleeve 3'? having spacer'. oinions o8 and 39 secured thereto, the forward end of the shaft 3G and the sleeve 3T arried thereby being journaled in a bracket 40. The bracket 4L() is secured to the front wall of the easing" 6 and is provided with an opening adapted to receive the lower end of the vertical shaft 16. Keyed or otherwise secured to the vertical shaft 16 is a beveled gear Li2 adapted to mesh with the pinion 39 so that when the pinion 18 is moved into mesh with the gear 17 motion will be transmitted from the line shaft 2() of the motor 21 through the medium of the vertical shaft 16 to the pinion 39 and inasmuch as the sleeve 3T carrying the pinion 39 is keyed to the shaft 36, motion will be transmitted through said shaft 36 and worm 35 to the central drum 26 and thence through the medium of the horizontal shaft 32 and

pinions

30 and 31 to the drums 27 for the purpose or' regulating the drat of the propellin'Jr cable 2S.

rhe opposite side walls of the casing 6 are bent or deilected inwardly at L13 to form recesses or pockets in which are journaled longitudinally disposed rollers etwhich bear against the floor ot' the mine when the machine is traveling either to the right or to the lett ot the sump.

It will, of course, be understood that when the floor of the mine is soft or soggy suitable metal strips may be placed thereon so as to prevent the machine from sinking into the ground and in which event the rollers 4A: will bear against said metal strips instead of engaging the ground directly.

Extending longitudinally of the casing 6 at the rear of the cutters 9 are spaced conveyer belts 45, which receive the coal cuttings from the channels 15 and discharge said coal cuttings through an opening L16 at the rear of the casing. The belts 45 are trained about front and rear transverse shafts 117 the rear shaft i7 being provided with oppositely disposed pinions'iS adapted to mesh with corresponding pinions t9 mount-J ed on the vertical shafts 2S of the end drums. The beveled pinions 49 are keyed to the verticle shafts 2S but are free to slide thereon, each beveled pinion at!) being provided with a yoke and an operating lever 50 by means of which said beveled pinion may be thrown into and out of gear with the adj acent beveled pinion 48 according` to Whether the machine is traveling to the lett or to the right.

Arranged on one side ot the machine is a guard or scoop 51 having its outer edge tapered in the direction of the cutters and its rear end provided with an upstanding plate 52 to prevent the coal cuttings from being thrown laterally at the rear of the machine and direct said coal cuttings on to the conveyer belts 45.

ln mining machines as at present constructed the coal cuttings from the sump are deposited on the mine ioor in the path or rai-vement of the machine and this necessitates the. employment of one or more miners to shovel or otherwise remove the coal to periit the passage ot the machine. ln order to dispense with the additional time and labor in removing the coal cuttings and also to insure a clean path for the passage of the machine in making a lateral cut, I have provided the guard or scoop 51 which, as before stated, receives the coal cuttings and directs them on to the belts 15 for discharge at the rear end of the machine. rl`he guard 51 is bolted or otherwise detachably secured to the side of the casing 6 so that said guard may be readily reversed and placed on either side of the machine according to the direction of travel of the machine in making the lateral cut in the working face.

Arranged on opposite sides of the casing 6 and preferably near the top thereof are longitudinally disposed thread bars 53 having their opposite ends rigidly secured in suitable anchoring brackets 54. Threaded on each bar 53 is a nut 55 having a reduced terminal flange 56 which ts in a correspondingly shaped groove 5T Jformed in a split sleeve 58 so as to form a swivel joint between the same, as best shown in Figs. 9 and 9Z1 of the drawings. Secured to or formed integral with the sleeves 58 are upstanding brackets or arms 59 on the upper ends of which are journaled sheaves or pulleys 60 for the reception ot the propelling cable 28. Suitable screws 59 are threaded in openings in the mating sections of the split sleeves for the purpose of clamping said sections to the nuts 55 and thus preventing swinging movement of the arms 59 after said arms have been ad# j usted longitudinally oi. the thread bars. lt will, oit course, be understood that there is suihcient friction between the interengaging threads on the nuts and thread bars 53 to prevent accidental turning ot the nuts on said thread bars, but if found desirable or necessary suitable jamb nuts 55 may be employed for locking the nuts 55 against rotation after adjustment.

By forming the bracket-carrying sleeves and nuts 55 in this manner said parts may be adjusted longitudinallyT ot the machine so as to permit said machine to cut laterally either to the right or to the left. The adjustment oi the roller-carrying sleeves 5S on the thread bars 53 also adapts the machine for cutting either straight or curved working faces, as it is obvious that by moving the roller-carrying sleeve on one side of the machine in one direction and the roller-carrying sleeve on the opposite side of the machine in another direction, the'entire mae chine and particularly the cutters thereof may be canted at any desired angle. By reversing the position of the rollers on the thread bars, the machine may also be adapted for cutting either to the right or to the left as will be more fully explained hereinafter. The nuts are preferably provided with exterior angular faces 61 so as to permit said nuts to be conveniently grasped with a wrench or other tool for the purpose of adjusting the nuts and roller-carrying sleeves longitudinally of the thread bars.

For the purpose of transporting the inachine from one room of the mine to another, l employ a truck of the construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. Sai-d truck comprises a bed plate 62 having wheels 63 journaled thereon and adapted to travel on a suitable track 64. The rear axle 65 of the truck is provided with a beveled gear 66 and pivotally mounted on said axle on opposite sides of the gear 66 is a yoke 67 in which is 'journaled a diagonal shaft 68 carrying oppositely disposed

pinions

69 and 70. Slidably mounted on the shaft 66 is a sleeve 7l having a forked arm 72 to which is connected an operating lever 73, the latter being` pivotally mounted at 74 so that by tilting the leveil 73 the pinion 7() hay be moved into and out of engagement with a pinion :3. The pinion normally projects through an opening 74 formed in the bed plate si? the truck for engagement with the yiinion 75 which latter is carried by a vertical shaft 7 6 arranged within the casing 6. rlChe pinion 7 5 is secured to a sleeve 77 which is keyed to the vert-ical shaft 76, the upper end of said sleeve being provided with a pinion 78.

adapted to mesh with the pinion oo on the sliding sleeve 37, as best sh wn in Fig. 2 of the drawings. An operating lever 79 is connected with the sliding sleeve S37 so that by moving said lever in one direction the pinion 39 will be caused to mesh with the beveled gear 4:2 and throw the pinion 38 out of mesh with the pinion 78 and when moved in the opposite direction the pinion 3S will mesh with the pinion 7 8 and the pinion 39 will be disengaged from the gear 42.

The sleeve 19 is provided with a beveled pinion SO adapted to mesh with a beveled gear 81 on the upper end of the vertical `shaft 76, there being an operating lever 5&2 connected with the sliding sleeve 19 for the purpose of moving the pinion SO into and out of engagement with the beveled 81.

It will thus be seen that when the` gear 39 is in mesh with the beveled gear 42 and the lever S2 is moved so as to cause the pinion to engage the beveled gear 8L motion will be transmitted from the line shaft oi the motor 21 through the .v'ertical sl .ft 76 and pinions 7 5 and 70 to the truck vlor the purpose of propelling the machine from .i room to the other without affecting the cutters or drums at the rear end of the machine. It will also be seen that when the pinion 39 is moved out of engagement with the beveled gear 42 and the pinion 38 into engagement with the pinion 7 8 motion will be transmitted from the motor through the vertical shaft 7 6, pinion 38 and longitudinal shaft36 to the

drums

26 and 27 to wind the propelling cable thereon for the purpose of unloading the machine from the truck without affecting the cutters. However, when the lever 82 is operated to move the pinion 18 in engagement with the beveled gear 17 and the pinion 39 is moved into engagement with the beveled gear 42, motion will be transmitted from the line shaft of the motor to the sprocket wheels to rotate the cutters and at the same time motion will be transmitted through the gears 42 and 39 to the drums so as to cause the cutters to operate and at the same time feed the machine either longitudinally for sumping or laterally for producing a horizontal cut or channel in the coal face.

The method of mining the coal is shown diagrammatically in Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive of the drawings, and by reference thereto it will be seen that the spaced endless cutters form longitudinal channels or kerfs 15 in the working face and between which is an intermediate stratum of coal, indicated at 83, which latter may be readily removed by the miner so as to form an opening or sump Sie extending the entire length of the working face and of suflicient height to produce enough drop or fall for the bodv of coal 85 above said sump when shot or blasted to prevent locking or wedging and at the same time cause the body of dislodged coal to be broken vinto relatively large lumps and tl'irown or spread laterally beyond the working face and in convenient position to be removed by the miner, as best shown in Fig. of the drawings. Owing to the fact that the body of coal above the sump, when blasted at the point 86, is thrown or spread laterally beyond the working face, as shown in Fig. 12, the collection of gaseous fumes at the rear of the sump is prevented and the entire mass of coal rendered readily accessible7 thereby reducing liability of re in the mine, due to ignition of said fumes to a minimum. Should the gaseous fumes for any reason accidentally collect and ignite, the entire mass of coal as well as the interior of the sump is accessible to the miner for the purpose of extinguishing the fire.

In order to remove the exhaust from the `aiotor there is provided a hose 87, one end of which is connectedto the muli'ler of the engine and at the other end thereof extended to an air passage so that the exhaust from the engine will not contaminate the air within the mine.

In connection with the machine, I use an auxiliary frame or pan7 indicated at 88, and on `which the machine is supported when transporting it on the truck from one room to another and in making the initial longitudinal cut or sump. This pan is indicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings and comprises an openwork structure having brackets 89 extending laterally from the four corners thereof and provided with terminal guides or pulleys 90 over which extend the propelling cable 28. 1 also employ in connection with the machine suitable rib hooks 91 to which ,the ends of the propelling cable are anchored during the different movements of the machine in a manner now to be described.

ln operation the machine together with the pan 88 is placed on the bed plate 62 of the truck and the lever 82 operated to throw the beveled gear 8O into mesh with the beveled pinion 81 thereby transmitting motion from the motor through the medium of the beveled pinions 75 and 7 Ll `to the rear axle of the truck and causing the truck to travel on the track 64 to the place of use. Then the truck reaches the working face of the mine the wheels of the truck are anchored in any suitable manner and the lever 73 operated to disengage the pinion from the pinion 75. One end of the propelling cable 28 is then anchored to one of the rib hooks 91, as best shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings after which the sleeve 38 is shifted longitudinally of the shaft 36 so as to bring the pinion 38 into mesh with the pinion 7 8 which transmits motion from the motor through the vertical shaft 6 and longitudinal shaft 36 to the drums, thereby winding the propelling rope on the drums and forcing the machine olf of the truck to the position shown in Fig. a of the drawings. A rib hook or anchor 92 is then driven into the floor or other portion of the mine and the propelling cable 28 passed around a pulley 93 on said anchoring hook with one end of the cable fastened to one of the pulleys or hooks 90 on the pan. |The lever 82 is then shifted so as to move the pinion 18 into engagement with the beveled gear 17 and the sleeve 37 moved longitudinally of the shaft 3G so as to cause the pinion 39 to engage the beveled gear 42 and transmit motion to the

drums

26 and 27. With the parts in this position, the propelling cable will move the machine longitudinally on the pan from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4t of the drawings to the position shown in dotted lines, that is to say, it will cause the cutters to enter or sump into the working face and at the same time slide the machine off the pan and permit the pan to be readily removed. After the machine has been sumped into the working face for a distance of approximately six feet, one end of the propelling cable 28 is secured to an anchor 94 on one side of the machine and the other end of the propelling cable secured to a rib hook or anchor 95 on the other side of the machine, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and in which position the mot-or through the operation of the mechanism, previously described, will cause the cutters to move laterally and produce the spaced channels or kerfs in the working face previously referred to. In order to cause the machine to travel in the reverse direction to that shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, or, in other words, to the right, the position of the pulley-carrying sheaves 23 is reversed by adjusting said sheaves longitudinally of the thread bars to the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings and connecting the ends of the propeller cable to the anchors 96, as shown in said figure. After the position of the roller-carrying sleeves has been reversed the position of the cutters or teeth are also reversed in the manner before stated and when the parts are so arranged the machine will cut laterally to the left. After the coal in one room has been cut in this manner the machine is placed on the pan and loaded onto the truck by means of the motor by merely passing the propelling cable over the proper guide pulleys and in which position said machine may be conveniently transported on the truck to the next room as will be readily understood.

The machine is self-regulating in character and all operations thereof are performed by the motor by merely adjusting the operating levers and propelling cable as previously set forth.

In this connection it will be noted that the working face of a coal mine in pillar and room mining is generally approximately six feet in height and as the cutters of the present invention each form a kerf approximately three inches in width with an intermediate stratum of coal six inches wide, when said stratum of coal is removed by the miner the sump will be approximately one foot high, thus affording a suflicient drop or fall for the body of the coal above the sump to prevent locking or wedging of the coal incident to blasting which is a very desirable feature as it not only prevents the formation of an undesirable product known as slack coal, but also insures lateral spreading of the coal beyond the working face so that the coal may be readily removed by the miner in less time and with less danger of lire than heretofore.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A mining machine including vertically spaced endless cutters mounted to cut forwardly and laterally in the working face, means operatively connected with the cutters for simultaneously rotating the same, a conveyer arranged at the rear of the cutters,

and a scoop arranged on one side of the Inachine for directing coal to the conveyer when the machine is making a lateral cut.

2. A mining machine including cutting mechanism, means for operating the cutting mechanism to cut forwardly and laterally in the working face. a conveyer adapted to receive the coal cuttings from the cutting mechanism and discharge the same at the rear of the machine, and a scoop arranged on one side of the machine for directing coal to the conveyer when the machine is making a lateral cut.

3. A mining machine including a casing having oppositely disposed openings, vertically spaced endless cutters projecting through the front of the casing, means for simultaneously operatingA lthe cutters, an endless conveyer arranged at the rear of the cutters, and a scoop adapted to be attached to either side of the casing at the openings therein for directing coal on to the conveyer When the machine is making a lateral cut.

4. A mining machine including` a, cutter, means operatively connected with the cutter for actuating the same, thread bars disposed at opposite sides of the machine, drums arranged at the rear of the machine, rollercarrying sleeves engaging the thread bars and adjustable longitudinally thereof, and a propelling cable extending over said drums and the rollers of said sleeves for attachment to an anchor.

5. A mining machine including a supportingframe.l vertically spaced endless cutters mounted for rotation onthe frame, a motor for actuating the cutters, an endless conveyer mounted at the rear of the cutters, drums mounted for rotation on the frame and operatively connected with the motor, a connection between certain of the drums and the conveyer for rotating` said conveyer, thread bars disposed on opposite sides of the frame, sleeves engaging the thread bars and adjustable longitudinally thereof and provided vvith guides, and a propelling cable extending over the drums and the guides on said sleeves for attachment to suitable an- .chors 6. A mining machine including a supporting frame, vertically spaced endless chains mounted for rotation on the frame, reversible cutters carried by the chains, a motor operatively connected With the chains for rotating the same, a conveyer arranged at the rear of the chains and adapted to receive coal cuttings and discharge the same at the rear of the machine, oppositely disposed thread bars carried by the frame, cable guides engaging the thread bars and adjustable longitudinally thereof, drums mounted for rotation on the frame and operatively connected with the motor, and a propelling cable extending around the drums and over the guides for attachment to suitable anchors.

7 A mining machine including a supporting frame, a vertical shaft carried by the frame and provided With spaced sprocket Wheels, endless cutters engaging the sprocket Wheels, a gear on the upper end of the vertical shaft, a; motor, a clutch on the driving shaft ofthe motor and movable into engagement with the gear of the vertical shaft, a

gear secured to the vertical shaft between the sprocket Wheels, a plurality of drums' mounted for rotation on the frame and provided with depending shafts, the shaft of one of the drums being provided With a Worm Wheel, a longitudinal shaft having one end thereof provided with a Worm engaging said Wheel, and a pinion on the other end of the shaft movable into and out of engagement with the second-mentioned gear on the vertical shaft.

S. A mining machine including a supporting frame, a plurality of drums mounted for rotation on the frame and each provided with a depending shaft, a vertical shaft mounted for rotation at the front of the machine, cutting mechanism operatively Connected with and rotated by said vertical shaft, a gear Wheel secured to the vertical shaft, the depending shaft of one of the drums being provided with a Worm Wheel, a longitudinal shaft having one end thereof provided With a Worm engaging the Worm Wheel, a pinion mounted on the other end of the longitudinal shaft and movable into engagement With the gear on the vertical shaft, a motor for driving the vertical shaft, an endless conveyer arranged at the rear of the cutters and including a shaft having oppositely disposed pinions, and pinions car- ,ricd by the vertical shafts of the other drums and movable alternately into and out of engagement with the pinions of the conveyer shaft,

S. A mining` machine including a supporting frame, vertically spaced endless cutters mounted for rotation on the supporting frame, a vertical shaft operatively oonnected with the cutters for rotating the same, a motor for driving the vertical shaft, a gear Wheel secured to said vertical shaft, a plurality of drums mounted for rotation on the frame, a longitudinal shaft havingl one end thereof operatively connected with y one of the drums, a sleeve slidably mounted on the other end of the longitudinal shaft and provided with spaced pinions, a second vertical shaft, a pinion carried by the sec ond vertical shaft, and means for shifting` the sliding sleeve on the longitudinal shaft to alternately cause the pinions on the sleeves to engage the gear wheel on the first-mentioned vertical shaft andthe pinion on the secon d-mentioned vertical shaft.

l0. A mining machine including a supporting frame, a vertical shaft mounted for rotation on the frame and provided with spaced sprocket wheels, endless cutters trained about said sprocketv wheels, abeveled gear secured to the upper end of thevertical shaft, a motor, a sleeve mounted on the driving shaft of the motor and provided with spaced pinions, one of Which is movable into engagement with the gear of the vertical shaft, a. second Agear secured to the vertical shaft, a plurality of drums mounted for rotation on the supporting frame and provided With depending shafts, one of which is provided With a Worm Wheel, a longitudinal shaft having a Worm at one end engaging the Worm Wheel, a sleeve slidably mounted on the other end of t-he longitudinal shaft and provided with spaced pinions, one of which is movable into engagement With the second gear on the vertical shaft, a second vertical shaft having spaced pinions, one of which is engageable by the adjacent pinion on the sliding sleeve of the motor drive shaft and the other engageable by the adjacent pinion on the sliding sleeve of the longitudinal shaft.

ll. A mining machine including a supporting frame, vertically spaced cutters mounted for rotation en the frame and including a driving shaft, a motor operatively connected with the driving shaft of the cutters for actuating the latter, a plurality of drums having their axes of rotation disposed in vertical plane, a propelling cable extending around said drums, means for transmitting motion from the driving shaft to one of the drums for rotating the same,

and means for disconnecting the motionl transmitting means from the driving shaft and operativelyr connecting said means uith the motor for rotating the last mentioned drum Without affecting the cutting mechanism.

l2. A mining machine including' a casing, endless cutting mechanism mounted for r0- tation Within the casing and projecting longitudinally beyond one end thereof, a motor for actuating the cutting mechanism, a plurality of drun'is mounted for rotation on the casing, means for rotating the drums from the cutter operating mechanism, oppesitely disposed thread bars secured to the casing, sleeves engaging said thread bars and adjustable longitudinally thereof, upstanding arms carried by the sleeves and provided with terminal rollers, and a propolling :able extending around the drums and over the rollers.

i3. A mining machine including a casing, spaced endless cutters mounted for rotation on the casing and including a driving shaft, a. motor operatively connected with the driving shaft for rotating the cutters, a plurality of drums mounted on the casing at the rear thereof and each provided with a beveled pinion, a horizontal shaft having beveled pinions engaging the adjacent beveled pinions of the drums for rotating said drums in unison, a connection between one of the drums and the driving shaft of the cutting mechanism for rotating all of the drums, longitudinal thread bars on 0pposite sides of the machine, sleeves threaded on said bars and provided with upstanding brackets having guide rollers, and a propeiling cable extending around the drums and over said guide rollers.

il. A mining machine including cutting mec ianism, means for operating the cutting mechanism, longitudinally disposed thread bars arranged on opposite sides of the machine, rotating drums arranged at the rear of the machine, nuts threaded on the thread bars, sleeves svviveled on the nuts and provided with upstanding arms having guide rollers, a propelling cable extending around the drums and over the rollers, and means for rotating the drums from the cutter operating mechanism.

l5. A mining machine including a casing, cutting mechanism carried by the casing, means for operating the cutting mechanism, a plurality of drums arranged at the rear of the casing and operatively connected with and rotated by the cutter operating means, and a conveyor arranged at the rear ot' the cutting mechanism for discharging coal cuttings through an opening in the rear of the casing.

i6. In a coal mining machine, a casing, spaced endless cutters carried by the casing and including a driving shaft, means for rotating the driving shaft of the cutters, terminal and intermediate drums mounted for rotation on the casing and each provided with a depending shaft, means for transmitting motion from the driving shaft of the cutters to the depending shaft of the intermediate drum, a conveyer arranged at the rear of the cutters and having a shaft provided with terminal pinions, pinions carried by the depending shafts of the terminal drums but movable alternately into engagemcnt with the adjacent pinions of the conveyor shaft, and a connection between all of the drums for causing them to rotate in unison.

17. A mining machine including spaced cutters, a motor for operating the cutters, thread bars disposed on opposite sides of the machine, roller-carrying members mounted on and adjustable longitudinally of the thread bars, drums mounted for rotation and operable by said motor, and a propelling cable extending around the drums and over the rollers of said members for feeding the cutters longitudinally or laterally of the working face.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

GEORGE MCCARTER. [Ls]