US412262A - Mining-machine - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. KANGLEY.

MINING- MAGHINE.

No. 412,262. Patented Oct. 8, 1889.

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3 Sheets-3heet 3.

(No Model.)

J. KANGLEY.

MINING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 8, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @riucn,

JOHN KANGLEY, OF STREATOR, ILLINOIS.

MINING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,262, dated October 8, 1889.

Application filed June 29, 1888. Serial No. 278,598 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KANGLEY, of the city of Streator, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mining-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to that class of coal cutting or mining machines designed more especially for operating on the long wall or continuous face system wherein a horizontal cut is made at or near the lower edgeof the vein and along the full length of the gallery; and it has for its object to provide a strong, durable, and compact machine capable of making a cut inward beneath the vein and along the face of the latter, with special provision for cleaning the cut and removing the material detached by the cutters; also, for actuating, holding, and feeding the cutter, all as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved machine. Fig. 2 is asideelevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the frame of the machine, showing part of the gearing. Fig. l is a front end view of the machine. Fig. '5 is an enlarged View of the clearing mechanism detached. Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating a sectionof the clearing chain and scraper applied thereto. Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of one of the props and rail-clamps. Fig.8 illustrates in detail one of the cutters.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The letter A designates the frame of the machine, formed of metal or other suitable material and supported upon two sets of wheels A A, the wheels A on the inner side having plain faces resting on the floor of the gallery, while the outer wheels A are each formed or provided with double flanges embracing and riding upon a rail A which latteris placed in position parallel with the face of the vein or wall and detachably secured and held in place by a novel form of clamp composed of two sections, the one a constituting a chair extending beneath the rail and provided with a shoulder a on one side fitting against the side and embracing the flanged base of the rail, while the other end is provided with an outwardlydnclined flange or shoulder a The cooperating section a is adapted to fit against the inner face of the rail at one end and against the inclined shoulder 0. of the opposite section, so that when placed in position and pressed down the section a will be forced and held tight against the inner face and upon the flanged base of the rail, at the same time drawing the other section a. firmly in contact with the outer face of the rail. To insure the proper placing and more accurate holding of the two sections a a together and upon the rail, the section a is formed or provided with one or more lugs 00' passing beneath the rail. The shoe or chair thus formed is clamped upon and the rail firmly held in place by an extension-prop of, resting upon, connected to, or engaging the section a so that when placed in position and the upper section of the prop is extended or forced upward againstthe top of the gallery or other rigid support the shoe willbe clamped upon the rail and at the same time held firmly in place upon the floor or other sup port beneath the rail, so that it will be practically impossible either to disengage or loosen the rail or displace the rail or chain until the post or prop is shortened or otherwise released. Several of these props and chains located at suitable distances apart are employed for sustaining the rail in position, and as the machine advances a section of rail is added in advance of that upon which the machine rests while at work. The sections a to which the props are applied, are located on the outer side of the rail,.so that the machine can pass without weakening contact therewith.

All the operating mechanism of the machine is supported upon the frame or carriage A, and comprises a cutting mechanism, a clearing mechanism, a feeding mechanism which operates; to advance the entire frame, and a motor for driving the several mechanisms, as will presently appear.

The cutting mechanism comprisesa cutterbar B, projecting laterally from the innerside working portion of the cutter-bar is made in the form of a frustuin of a cone with the base toward the machine, and is provided with radial or other sockets for the reception of the shanks of cutters b. The cutters are spirally arranged about the periphery of the conical bar, so that as the latter is rotated and advanced the strain will at all times be equal. The cutting-blades are formed with diagonal cutting-faces-that is to say, with their cutting-faces inclined in two directions radially and tangentially to the cutterbar, so that the highest and most advanced point on the edge will be toward the outer end of the cutterbar. Moreover, .the spiral arrangement of the series of cutters is' such relative to the direction of rotation of the bar that they will tend to advance-or draw the bar inward as the latter is rotated. The object in thus constructing the cutter with diagonal cuttingfaces and arranging them spirally upon the bar is to assist in holding the bar in line and in a-Ineasure counteract the tendency to lateral movement of the rear end of the machine occasioned by the pressure upon the face of the cutters as the machine is advanced or carried forward.

In order to maintain the general level of the floor, especially where the inner supporting-wheels run, the tapering or conical cutterbar is disposed with its axis inclined to the horizontal sufficiently to bring the lower surface of the bar orouter ends of cutters in a horizontal plane or level with the floor-dine.

The boxes b,in which the cutter-bar is supported on opposite sides of the frame, are held inplace and removably secured in the bearings 19 by means of a block b and key bf, the former securely held between the ways by a bolt and the key interposed between said block and the side of the box. To withdraw or insert the cutter-barit is only necessary to remove the blocks and keys,when the bar and its boxes can be slid back through the open end of the ways or supporting-frame.

The clearing mechanism located in rear of the cutter-bar and substantially parallel thereto is designed to remove or withdraw from the cut the chips, &c., detached by the cutters. It comprisises a traveling belt or chain 0, supported in rear of the cutter on a bar C, the latter detachably secured to the main frame A. This belt or chain is provided with a series of scrapers or blades 0, and is ro tated-in the direction indicated by the arrow,

Fig. 1, around a'supporting-pulley cflmounted in bearings in the end of bar C, and a driving-pulley 0 mounted in the main frame A. The bar 0 is adjusted longitudinally to tighten the belt or extend the clearer by a screw 0 or equivalent device on the frame and is held firmly in adjusted position by bolts 0 Instead of securing the scrapers or blades 0 rigidly upon the traveling belt or chain, I prefer to make the attachment such as to permit the blades to be tilted in a manner to discharge or release the chips drawn fromthe cut in rear of the cutter and to prevent them from carrying "the chips back into the cut. To this end and as one illustration of the method of carrying this feature intopractice I hinge or pivot the scrapers upon the belt or a link of the chain, as at c, and locate a shoulder or stop, as at 0 in position to engage and support the scraper in operating-that is to say, when standing,verticallyrthe weight of the lower portion of the scraper serving to hold it vertically, while the shoulder c prevents it from swinging backward as it traverses the out. A track or bar 0 is arranged so as to engage an arm or projection c on each scraper to tilt the latter after it has emerged from the out and to hold it elevated during its passage into the cut in rear of the supporting-bar C. When the arm or projection 0 passes oi the track 0 the scraper at once drops down into vertical position, with its lower edge below the general level of the chain or belt and in position to engage and carry out the material lying in the bottom of the cut.

The feeding mechanism comprises a drum D, mounted in bearings on the forward end of frame A, to which is attached a rope or chain D, the other end whereof is connected to a post or other support in advance of the machine. On the shaft cl of the drum is mounted a loose worm-wheel d, with which engages a worm d on shaft 61 the latter carrying two loose gear-wheels d, engaging pinions d on a driving-shaft d. The pinions d are of different diameters, as are also the gears (Z hence the latter are driven at different speeds, and either set of gears may be caused to rotate the shaft carrying the Worm (1 A double clutch-section d riding on a spline, is interposed between the clutch-sections formed on the proximate faces of wheels d so that as the clutch-section d is shifted into engagement with either one of or the other of the wheels d the worm willbe driven faster or slower and the rate of speed correspondingly augmented or diminished, and when the clutch-section d is held clear of both wheels the motion of the worm will be suspended. A clutch d is interposed between the shaft d, carrying the winding-dru m, and the worm-wheel d for releasing the drum from the driving mechanism, so that the rope or chain can readily be removed or drawn off.

The cutting, clearing, and feeding mechanisms are all driven from a motor E, preferably an engine, driven by compressed air or other fluid pressure. The cylinders E of the motor are mounted upon the forward portion of the frame A in rear of the windingdrum, while the main driving or crank shaft E is supported in bearings e, mounted upon the castings b above the cutter-bar. To the crank-shaft E and on opposite sides of the crank, are secured pinions e, which mesh with corresponding gear-wheels e on a counter-shaft e having bearings or castings b Motion is given to the cutter-shaft by means of pinions 12 gearing with wheels 6 while the feeding mechanism and clearing devices derive motion from a bevel-gear f on the counter-shaft e said bevel-gear meshing with a bevebgear e on the driving-shaft c of the feeding devices and with a bevel-gear e on shaft e, which latter is connected through bevel-gears c with the shaft carrying the driving-pulley C of the clearing devices.

With a machine of this character, in which the cutter-bar is projected from the side and the feed or progressive movement is effected by drawing the machine bodily forward, a great strain is brought upon the cutter-bar in a direction tending to twist the rear end of the machine away from the out, and at the same time to cramp or jam the cutter-bar in its bearings. By means of the flanged wheels working on a rail on the outer side of the machine lateral movement of the latter is prevented, and the tendency in that direction is in a measure counteracted by the spiral arrangement and form of the cutter. To relieve the cramping action of the cuttenbar in its bearings, two driving-wheels c are employed and arranged to engage pirions mounted upon the cutter-shaft between but in proximity to the bearings, and the countershaft carrying said wheels e is arranged in front of the cutter-bar, so that as the boxes and pinions wear they may be forced up by the keys K7 and held in engagement with wheels e As is obvious, a clearing mechanism such as shown herein may be employed in connection with other forms of cutting mechanisms for drawing the chips out from in rear of the cutter and depositing them outside the face of the wall or cut and in rear of the machine.

As hereinbefore stated, the forward end of the rope or chain by which the machine is driven forward may be attached to any suitable stationary object; but I prefer to secure it in the following manner:

An extensible jack or post F, adapted to be clamped between the floor and a support above, is provided with a vertical slot or way f for the reception of ablock f carrying a screw f or equivalent adjusting device, to which. the end of the rope is attached by a swivel-connection f The'rope having been drawn off the drum, the post F is located and secured in position in front of the machine, the end of the rope attached to the adjustable member f, and the rope is drawn taut. The block f carrying the adjusting device to which the rope is attached, is permitted vertical movement upon the post to accommodate itself to irregularities in the surface over which the machine travels and to permit the end of the rope to be elevated as the machine approaches.

In operating the machine the rail supporting the outer side thereof is laid longitudinally with the face of the coal and at a distance sufficient to admit of the free passage of the machine along the face of the coal, and yet as close to the face as is consistent with that purpose, in order that the mining or cutter bar may enter as deeply as practicable beneath the vein. The rail is then made fast and kept in place by the application of the shoes and jack-screw posts, the latter making contact at their tops with the roof of the mine or other overlying support and resting at their lower ends upon the clamping-section of the shoe, so that when pressure is applied the roof and floor of the mine furnish points of resistance whereby the posts are rendered rigid and the rail is held firmly in position without the use of ties or cross-pieces of any kind. An initial opening or cut is prepared for the insertion of the cutter-bar and clearing devices at the base of the vein, where the machine is started and the latter mounted with its flanged wheels on the rail, the p1ain-faced wheels rest-ing on the floor of the mine. Steam or air is conducted to the motor through flexible pipes leading from the source of supply in the entries to the face ofthe workings when they are attached to the inlet-ports of the valves in the cylinders. The engine or motor being set in motion, the cutter-bar is rotated and the machine advanced by the winding up of the rope or chain, the rate of speed being adjusted or controlled by the shifting-clutch and diderential gears. 'As the machine progrosses, the chips made by the cutter fall in rear of the cutter-bar and are drawn outward from the out by the scrapers or buckets upon the clearing device. When the machine has advanced the length of the wall, a rail is shifted forward and secured in position, the anchor or post to which the rope was attached is loosened and carried forward and fixed in position, the drum is released by the clutch, and the cable drawn off and attached to the anchor, when the machine is in condition t operate as before.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a machine such as described, the combination, with the traveling carriage and the cutting mechanism supported upon and projecting laterally therefrom, of a clearing mechanism supported in rear of the cutter, the same comprising an endless belt passing around a supporting-pulley near the outer end of the cutter, and a series of pivoted scrapers orblades depending from said belt on horizontal pivots, substantially as described.

2. In a machine such as described, and in combination with the traveling carriage and cutter-bar mounted thereon and projected beyond the sides, a traveling-belt support parallel with the cut and in rear of the cutter and provided with pivoted scrapers depending below the belt, a support on the belt for each scraper, and a bar for engaging the scrapers to tilt the latter, substantially as described.

3. In a machine such as described, and in combination with the cutting mechanism thereof, a clearing mechanism comprising an endless belt or chain mounted to traverse the cut in rear of the cutting mechanism and provided with a series of blades or scrapers pivotally connected to said belt, shoulders to engage and hold said blades in operative position, and a track-engaging shoulder on the blades to tilt the latter and hold them elevated as they enter the out, substantially as described.

4. In a machine such as described, and in combination with the cutting mechanism thereof, an endless belt supported to travel parallel with the line of cut and located in rear of the cutters, scrapers or blades pivoted to said belt and depending therefrom, and a track or rail engaging said scrapers to discharge their load and hold them elevated when entering the cut, substantially as described.

5. In a machine such as described, the combination, with a rotary cutter-bar mounted upon and projecting beyond the side of a traveling carriage, of an endless beltencircling a roller supported in rear of the cutterbar, mechanism for driving said belt, so that the portion next the cutter-bar shall move in a direction from the outer end of the bar toward the mouth of the cut, a series of pivoted blades or scrapers mounted upon said belt, and a bar engaging the scrapers after they emerge from the cut to discharge the material, substantially as described.

6. As a means for detachably securing the guide-rail for a mining-machine in position, a shoe or chair formed in sections, and a jack or extensible prop interposed between the shoe and a superposed support and operating to clamp and hold the shoe and rail firmly in position on the floor, substantially as described.

, 7. In combination with the rail and the shoe engaging the same, a jack-screw or extensible prop resting upon said shoe and interposed between the latter and a superposed support, substantially as described.

8. In combination with the rail, a sectional shoe, one member provided with a shoulder to engage the'flange on one side, a crossbar extended beneath the rail and an inclined shoulder, the other section fitting between said inclined shoulder and' the'rail, and a post resting upon said last-named section and engaging a superposed support to clamp the sections onto' the rail and hold them firmly in place on the floor, substantially as described.

9. In combination with the rail, the shoe formed in two sections, the one passing beneath the rail and provided with a bearing for engaging the rail and a shoulder on the opposite side of the rail, the other section fitting between said shoulder and rail and provided with lugs projecting beneath the rail, and a prop resting upon said second section, with means for pressing upon a superposed support to clamp the two sections together and hold the chair and rail firmly in position, substantially as described.

10. In combination with a coal-mining machine of the character described, wherein the cutting devices are mounted upon a traveling carriage supported and guided upon one side by a rail, and in combination therewith, a series of shoes engaging and supporting said rail, and a corresponding series of props, each resting upon one of said shoes and against the roof or a superposed support, substantially as described.

11. The combination, with a machine of the character described, wherein the cutting mechanism is mounted upon a traveling carriage, which latter is drawn or carried forward by means of a rope or chain wound upon a drum, the latter supported upon said carriage, of a movable jack or post provided with a longitudinal movable block, and a tension device supported on said block and adapted to receive and hold the end of the rope or chain, substantially as described.

12. In combination with a mining-machine such as described, an extensible prop, a block movable vertically in guides in said prop and carrying a tension devicesuch as a screw-to which the rope for feeding the carriage forward is attached, substantially as described.

13. In a mining-machine such as described, in which the feeding and cutting mechanism are mounted upon a traveling carriage, the combination of the winding-drum and its shaft, the worm-wheel, the clutch for connecting said worm-wheel to the drum, the Worm engaging the worm-wheel, the drivingshaft, and the two sets of gears, with double clutch interposed between the driving-shaft and worm-shaft, substantially as described.

14. In a mining-machine such as described, in which the feeding, cutting, and clearing mechanisms are mounted upon a traveling carriage, and in combination therewith, the counter-shaft, gear-wheels on said countershaft connecting and transmitting motion from the pinions on the main or crank shaft to the rotary cutter, and a bevel-gear secured to said counter-shaft and engaging two gears located on opposite sides thereof, the one being formed with a diagonal cutting face or IO actuating the clearing mechanism and the edge from the outer side rearwardly and toother the feeding mechanism, substantially as Ward the axis of the cutter-bar substantially described. 4 as described.

10. In a machine such as described, the JOHN KANGLEY 'combination, with the rotary cutter-bar mounted in bearings on a movable carriage, Witnesses: of a series of cutters spirally disposed about JAMES W. DUNCAN, the periphery of the bar, each of said cutters THOMAS DURANT.

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