Improvements in Ratchet Drills.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ratchet Drills.
I, CRAFTS WRIGHT HIGGINS, of 30, 37th Street, Chicago, in the County of
Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Secretary of The Schuttler
Manufacturing Company, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention, in so far as the drill proper is concerned, relates more particularly
to ratchet drills, and has for its object the improving and simplifying in various
ways upon the construction of such drills.
It is also my object to improve upon the frame which supports the drill, so
constructing it as to allow it to be easily and quickly adjusted either laterally or
longitudinally. This frame is also preferably provided with means for engaging
with the drill and for feeding the same to its work; and the invention consists in
the features and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.
In the drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the drill frame attached to a railroad rail;
Fig. 2, a cross section through the drill socket;
Fig. 3, a side elevation of the drill;
Fig. 4, a similar view, partly in section ;
Fig. 5, a central longitudinal cross section; and
Figs. 6 and 7, cross sections on lines 6 and 7 of Fig. 4 respectively, looking in
the direction of the arrows, the last four figures being on an enlarged scale.
The frame A is made, preferably, in the form shown in Fig. 1, consisting of
arms B and a cross bar B¹. In this form the arms are bent, as shown at b, to pass
under and engage with the flange and are provided with a number of holes b².
The cross bar B₁ is secured to the arms B by means of bolts B", which bolts pass
through the holes b¹ and holes in the ends of the bar B', this construction enabling
the bar to be adjusted toward and from the rail, as may be desired.
The carriage C, for supporting one end of the drill, fits over the bar B¹, being
preferably provided with a dovetailed lug c, fitting and sliding in the bevelled
groove 6 in such bar. By this means the carriage can be adjusted back and
forth on the bar B¹, as desired, being held in any desired position by means of
the set screw c¹. The carriage is also provided with a socket C, of suitable shape
to engage with the drill in the manner hereinafter described, and with a feed
screw C, by means of which the drill is advanced to its work.
The drill itself is shown more particularly in the last five figures of the drawings.
The drill spindle D is provided with a socket d for the reception of the drill bit
and carries a preferably bevelled gear D', having right handed ratchet teeth d¹
around the periphery thereof. Over this spindle fits a sleeve E, to which gears F
are secured by means of pins f in such manner as to be free to revolve on such
pins, but to have no other motion independent of the sleeve. These gears mesh
with the gear D' and also with a preferably bevelled gear G, loosely mounted
upon the sleeve E and provided with left handed ratchet teeth g around its
periphery. This form of construction as a means for imparting continuous motion
to the drill in whichever direction the operating handle of the drill be moved is
well known and in itself forms no part of my invention; but pawls are necessary
to engage with the ratchet teeth of the two bevelled gears, and my invention in
part consists in an improved pawl for this purpose. Furthermore, some means for
holding the sleeve to prevent its revolution is required in order that the bevelled
gear G may impart any motion to the drill, and these means it is one of the objects
my invention to provide, as now to be described.
of
Dest

page_text: For the purpose of protecting the parts of the drill from dust, &c., and to afford
a bearing for the pawls I prefer to enclose the gears, &c., in a suitable case formed
in two parts H H' of suitable form and dimensions to enclose the parts, as shown
in Figs. 3 and 4. These two parts of the case pass over the gears, &c., fitting and
revolving as shown, upon the spindle and sleeve. The two parts of the case are
held together by means of rings II, fitting over flanges ii. The operating
handle is secured to one of the parts of the casing, being shown in Fig. 4 as
fitting into a socket I on the part H'. In one of these parts H are mounted the
improved pawls J J', by means whereof I operate the bevelled gears. The con-
struction of these pawls is shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and 7. They are
pivoted at one end, as shown, and are provided with points or teeth ; j', adapted
to engage with the ratchet teeth formed on the peripheries of the bevelled gears.
The pawls are held in yielding engagement with these gears by means of
springs K K', preferably coiled, and held in place by means of projections kk',
formed on the pawl and the case H, one pawl extending in one direction and the
other in the other direction.
To prevent the sleeve E from revolving when the drill is operated, I preferably
make the end of this sleeve square, as shown in the drawings, although any desired
form may be given to it which will enable it to rigidly engage with the socket in
the carriage C in such manner as to prevent its revolution. For instance,
although I do not prefer such construction the end of the sleeve might be made
triangular in cross section, the socket being given in such case a proper shape to
receive and hold the end of the sleeve, so as to prevent the sleeve from rotating,
and when I claim a <
squared" sleeve I do this merely for brevity, and include
under the term all other suitable forms.
The drill having been constructed and put together as above shown and described
operates as follows:-
The frame A is attached to the rail at a desired point, and the bar and carriage
having been properly adjusted the drill point is placed against the rail and the
squared end of the sleeve E inserted into the socket C¹. As the handle is moved
in one direction the pawl J will trail upon the teeth d and the pawl J engage with
the teeth on the gear wheel D₁ and revolve the same, carrying along the drill
spindle D, to which such gear is fastened or with which it is integral. As the
handle is moved back the pawl J will trail upon the teeth and the pawl J¹
will engage with the teeth g on the bevelled gear G. This gear is loosely mounted
upon the sleeve, and as it revolves will revolve the bevelled gears F, which will
in turn act upon the gear D' and spindle D, revolving the same, since the sleeve
to which the bevelled gears F are attached is prevented from revolving by its
engagement with the carriage. In this way a continuous motion is imparted to
the drill, which may be fed to its work by means of the feed screw C. When
it is desired to adjust the drill to another point, the carriage may be moved along
in either direction upon the bar B', or this bar, together with the carriage, may be
adjusted along the arins B, as already described. In this manner I construct a
most efficient and easily operated drill. The manner of constructing the carriage
allows for any possible desired adjustment of the drill in any direction. The form
and construction of the pawls render them very strong, since the strain is directly
communicated through the pawls to their supporting pivots or spindles and not
wholly taken up by the teeth of the pawl, which might be easily broken off.
Again, the case which I provide wholly encunishes what I consider the strongest
the parts, is easily put in place,
and being held together by the rings
and at the same time the simplest possible form of construction.
While I have described more or less precise forms, I do not desire to be limited
strictly thereto, since I contemplate changes in form, material, and dimensions and
the substitution of equivalent members, as may be necessary or desirable. For
instance, the bar B₁ might be made adjustable along the arms B by other means
than by the holes B¹, and similarly the carriage C might simply embrace the bar B¹
without being dovetailed into it, the object of this part of my invention being to

page_text: construct a frame in which the drill carriage is both laterally and longitudinally
adjustable, and any other means for accomplishing this result will come within the
spirit of my invention. This frame may be used for any drill and in any desired
position, the arms B being suitably constructed for use in the desired position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In a drill, the combination of a drill spindle carrying a bevelled gear provided
with ratchet teeth on its periphery, a sleeve carrying bevelled gears engaging with
the gear on the spindle, a bevelled gear loosely mounted upon such sleeve and
engaging with the bevelled gears attached thereto, means for preventing the rotation
of the sleeve, an operating handle, and pivoted pawls engaging as the handle is
moved in one direction or the other with one or the other of the ratchet gears
whereby the drill is continuously rotated in the same direction, substantially as
described.
2. In a drill, the combination of a spindle carrying a ratchet gear, a sleeve
mounted on such spindle and having a squared end, gears mounted upon such sleeve
and engaging with the ratchet gear on the spindle, ratchet gear loosely mounted
upon such sleeve and engaging with the gears fastened to the sleeve, and means for
engaging with the squared end of the sleeve to prevent the sleeve from revolving,
substantially as described.
3. In a drill, the combination of a drill spindle carrying a bevelled ratchet gear,
a sleeve mounted on such spindle having a squared end and provided with bevelled
gears F, meshing with the ratchet gear on the spindle, a bevelled ratchet gear
loosely mounted on the spindle and operating handle, pawls connected thereto and
engaging with the teeth on the ratchet gears, and a rigid socket for engaging with
the squared end of the sleeve and preventing the same from rotating when the drill
is operated, substantially as described.
4. A drill frame provided with a laterally and longitudinally adjustable carriage,
whereby the drill supported by such carriage may be adjusted to any desired
position, substantially as described.
5. A drill frame comprising arms to hold the frame in place, a bar adjustable on
such arms, and a drill carriage adjustable on such bar, substantially as described.
6. In a drill, a cover for the operative parts, formed in two parts fitting together,
as shown, and held in position by rings fitting over flanges on such parts, substan-
tially as described.
7. The combination of a drill spindle carrying a bevelled ratchet gear, a sleeve
having a squared end fitting over such spindle and carrying bevelled gears F,
meshing with the ratchet gears on the spindle, a ratchet gear loosely mounted on
the sleeve and engaging with the bevelled gears thereon, and a frame provided
with a socket to receive and hold the squared end of the sleeve to prevent such.
sleeve from revolving when the drill is operated, substantially as described.
8 A drill frame comprising arms for holding the frame in place, provided with
two or more holes, a bar attached to such arms by means of bolts passing through
such bar and the holes in the arms, and a drill carriage engaging with and sliding
upon such bar, whereby the bar may be adjusted in one direction or the other
upon the arms and the carriage adjusted back and forth upon the bar, substantially
28 described.
9. The combination of a drill spindle carrying a bevelled ratchet gear, a sleeve
having a squared end mounted on such spindle and carrying bevelled gears meshing
with such ratchet gear, a bevelled ratchet gear loosely mounted on such spindle
and engaging with the bevelled gears, a two part case enclosing these gears and
journalled upon the spindle and sleeve, pawls pivoted in such case and engaging
with the teeth on the ratchet gears, and a handle secured to such case, whereby
the case may be moved back and forth upon the spindle and sleeve to operate the

page_text: drill by the engagement of the pawls with the ratchet teeth, substantially
described.
as
F. W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.