Year: 1886

page_text: I, JAMES NEILSON, of Alma Boiler Works, 824 Gallowgate, Glasgow, Lanarkshire,
Boiler Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to a new or improved construction, or general
arrangement and combination of the parts, of a multiple drilling machine, specially
designed for boring the holes for steam-boiler rivet joint work, whether circum-
ferential or longitudinal, with the holes correspondingly radial or parallel; or for
girder or other angular or parallel boring work, and for boring the holes at various
desired pitches apart, simultaneously and automatically.
The nature and novelty of my said invention or drilling machine or arrangement
of mechanism, consist as follows:-In one convenient arrangement with three
boring spindles for boring three holes at a time, for general boiler work, at from
half-an-inch up to one inch in diameter and at any pitch from 2 inches to 4 inches,
and all in the same line or plane in one direction, but either parallel to each other
in the other direction, or radial or angled to each other in the direction or planes
through their centres at right angles to their common plane, the frame would
consist of a long carrying headstock, which might be permanently fixed (horizontally
or vertically) to any suitable rigid foundational framing, high enough to carry the
work on a crane, bogie, or otherwise, and I set and secure it in position opposite or
under the drills, according as it is a horizontal or a vertical drilling machine that
is to be constructed. Or otherwise, this headstock frame might have a planed sole
with angled or V edges, and be mounted on a corresponding fixed slide bed, to be
traversed by a screw or rack and pinion, as headstocks sometimes are in drilling
and other machines.
For a horizontal arrangement of this drilling machine, the said headstock
carrying the whole, has a strong vertical cheek projecting up from each end of the
sole and the full width of same, bored out with large cheeked bearing eyes, and
made to part in the centre with securing snugs for screw bolts; the top parts
lifting off as covers, for receiving and carrying the correspondingly turned and
shaped end disc bearing swivelling bosses, formed in one with a strong horizontal
broad web considerably eccentric, or to one side, of the centre line of the bearing
discs; which web and bearing discs form the swivelling frame or drill-stock carrying
all the bearing blocks and bushes of the drill spindles, so as to swivel in the said
[Price 8d.1

page_text: ring bearings at the ends of the main fixed head-stock. The central boring and
driving spindle is made in one straight piece or length, and is carried in journal
bearings bored in the centre of the swivelling discs of its carrying stock or frame,
so that whichever way this frame is turned in the fixed head-stock, this driven and
driving spindle and its drill will always be in the same straight horizontal line, and
BO may be driven by a belt pulley, or other stationary wheel gearing at its rear
end, carried back behind the headstock and rear ends of the other two boring
spindles. The other two boring spindles are made each in three lengths; the rear
lengths are mounted parallel on each side of the central spindle, in fixed bearings
in the rear swivelling disc and in a cross bearing block projecting up from the
carrying web of the swivelling disc or drill frame a considerable distance in front
of the rear disc, so that the central spindle can drive these side spindles by pinions
on them all in gear with each other, and preferably retained in position by collars
close inside the rear disc, so that all the spindles could be fed forward through
their bearing blocks and driving pinions. The front drill socket ends or parts of
the two side boring spindles, are each mounted in bush bearing blocks projecting
up from their retaining screw studs and nuts in lateral guide slots, formed in the
web of their swivelling frame and in which they are moved, two close in front of
and two some distance behind the front swivelling disc, by a right and left hand
screw spindle passed through corresponding screw snugs on the one side of each
pair of bearing blocks. These screw spindles would have square ends on them at
both sides for putting on a box hand-crank key, for setting these side boring
spindles to any parallel, radial, or angled pitch desired on each side of the central
spindle. To enable these front boring parts of the side spindles to be driven
(while set in these various boring positions) by their rear driving spindles working
in their fixed parallel bearings, they are respectively driven by an intermediate
short length of spindle connected by universal joint couplings at each end. Slightly
oblong bearing slots would be formed in the front swivelling disc for the side
boring spindles to be set at the different angles and pitches the holes have to be
bored in the work. The front socket ends of all the drilling spindles would be of
the same size, and project sufficiently beyond the front movable bearings of the
side spindles and end web of the frame to be fitted with the boring drills as nearly
uniform in shape and length as possible; and the rear ends of the side spindles
would project back behind their rear bearing carrying disc, so as to be fed forward
six inches or so. Each side spindle would be connected at its back end by a small
central non-revolving feed spindle connected by adjustable screws to the ends of a
short crosshead secured loose between two collars on the central spindle, so that as
this was fed forward it would feed the two side spindles forward at the same rate.
The back feeding screws which connect the side spindles to the crosshead on the
central spindle, are made adjustable to suit any slight difference in the length of
the cutting drills caused by breakage or sharpening.
When a flue or other circular part of a steam boiler is hung on a crane, or other
raising, lowering, and turning mechanical arrangement in front of the drills and
machine just described. The drill spindle carrying frame would be swivelled on
its end discs in the end bearing ring blocks of the table headstock, with the three
boring spindles and their cutting drills in vertical line for boring the rivet holes
of the longitudinal joints with the side drill spindles set parallel to the central
spindle at the proper pitch distance apart, all set as stated in a few seconds by the
right and left hand screw setting and retaining spindles of the shifting bearings of
the front side boring spindles. For the holes of the circumferential joints, the drill
frame would be swivelled a quarter turn to have the drills set in the horizontal
line, and have the outside spindles set by the right and left hand screws to bore
their holes radially to the common centre of the work and that of the centre drill.
To insure the accuracy of these two vertical and horizontal positions of the drill
frame, holes would be bored in the ring bearings of the table headstock and in
their swivelling bosses, and pins turned to fit these holes for insertion in the two
positions. A sheet-metal hinged or removable box or cover would be fitted over

page_text: the table head-stock to cover in all the three spindles and driving wheels and
mechanism of the swivelling drill frame to keep all dust or sand from getting in to
cut up the bearings and working coupling joints.
Although only two positions of the swivelling drill stock frame have been
described at right angles to each other for boring the holes, it will be understood
that this could be set to any other intermediate angle where the holes are required
to be joined for angular joint work. And more pin holes might be bored for
securing this frame at any desired angle in its swivelling end bearings in the
headstock. And a screw wheel could be formed or secured on one of the swivelling
discs, and have a tangential turning screw spindle working into it carried on
journal bearing blocks on the stationary headstock frame. These boring machines
might also be made for smaller and beavier work than the machine described for
boring other sizes of holes at different pitches apart. And the drill spindles might
each be made in one piece and be mounted parallel to each other at the pitch of
holes desired, without having the shifting and universal joint parts, which are only
required for giving different pitches and for radial and angular boring.

page_text: Improvements in Drilling Machines.
I, JAMES NEILSON, of Alma Boiler Works, 824 Gallowgate, Glasgow, Lanarkshire,
Boiler Maker do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon; that is to say :-
My said invention has reference to a new or improved construction, or general
arrangement and combination of the parts, of a multiple drilling machine, specially
designed for boring the holes for steam-boiler rivet joint work, whether circum-
ferential or longitudinal, with the holes correspondingly radial or parallel; or for
girder or other angular or parallel boring work, and for boring the holes at any or
various desired pitches apart, simultaneously and automatically.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters
indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures where shown, Figures 1 and 2
are a sectional side elevation and a sectional plan respectively, of a horizontal
arrangement of multiple drilling machine constructed in accordance with the
improvements of my Invention. While Figures 3 and 4 are end elevations, at the
driving and drilling ends respectively of the drilling machine shown in Figures 1
and 2, and all shown as with the swivelling drill stock and its gearing in the hori-
zontal position, that is as boring the holes horizontally to each other. And
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the machine corresponding to Figure 4, but with
the swivelling drill stock and its gearing turned round at right angles and set
wider apart, to bore the holes vertically over each other.
Referring to these Drawings:-The nature and novelty of my said invention, or
drilling machine, or arrangement of mechanism, consist as follows: In one con-
venient arrangement with three boring spindles D, D¹, D¹, for boring three holes
at a time, for general boiler work, at from half an inch up to one inch in diameter
and at any pitch from 2 inches to 4 inches, and all in the same line or plane in
one direction, but either parallel to each other in the other direction, or radial or
angled outwards to each other in the direction or planes through their centres at
right angles to their common plane. The frame consists of a long carrying fixed
headstock A carrying the whole of the working mechanism, which might be per-
manently fixed (horizontally or vertically) by flanges and bolts at A¹ to any
suitable rigid foundational framing, high enough to carry the work on a crane,
bogie or otherwise, and set and secured in position opposite or under the drills,
D, D D according as it is a horizontal or a vertical drilling machine that is to be
constructed. Or otherwise, this headstock frame A might have a planed sole with
angled or edges, and be mounted on a corresponding fixed slide bed, to be
traversed by a screw or rack and pinion, as headstocks sometimes are in drilling
and other machines.

page_text: of a notional arrangement of this drilling machine, as shown in the Drawings
the said headstock A carrying the whole, has a strong vertical cheek A² projecting
up from the sole A and the full width of same, bored out with large checked
bearing eyes, and made to part in the centre with securing snugs for screw bolts;
the top parts A lifting off as covers, for receiving and carrying the correspondingly
turned and shaped end disc bearing swivelling bosses, B, B¹ formed in one with a
strong horizontal broad web B2 considerably eccentric, or to one side, of the centre
line of the bearing discs B; which web B and bearing discs B form the swivelling
frame or drill-stock carrying all the bearing blocks and bushes of the drill spindles,
so as to swivel in the said ring bearings A2, A3, towards the ends of the main fixed
headstock A. The central boring and driving spindle D is made in one straight
piece or length, and is carried in journal bearings at B3 and D' bored in the centre
of the swivelling discs B, B¹ of its carrying stock or frame, so that whichever way
this frame is turned in the fixed headstock A, A' this driven and driving spindle D
and its drill will always be in the same straight horizontal line, and so may be
driven by fast and loose belt pulleys, P, P¹ mounted on a hollow spindle C in
suitable bush bearing blocks at A' formed on the headstock A at the rear end,
carried back behind the rear disc B of the drillstock B, B1, B2, and rear ends of the
other two boring spindles for that purpose; or otherwise the central spindle D
might be driven by wheel gearing at this rear end when preferred. The other two
boring spindles are made each in three lengths or parts D' d, d'; the rear
lengths are mounted parallel on each side of the central spindle D, in fixed
bearings in the rear swivelling disc B and in a cross bearing block D2 projecting
up from the carrying web B2 of the swivelling disc B or drill frame a considerable
distance in front of the rear disc B, so that the central spindle D can drive these
side spindles D' by pinions a, a¹, a¹ on them all in gear with each other, and keyed
or retained in position by collars close in front or inside the rear dise B, so that all
the spindles D, D¹, D¹ could be fed forward through these bearing blocks and
driving pinions. The first drill socket ends or parts d of the two side boring
spindles D¹ are each mounted in bush bearing blocks 2 projecting up from their
retaining screw studs d³ and nuts in lateral guide slots, formed in the web B' of
their swivelling frame or its continuation at the extreme front end, and in which
they are moved two close in front of and two some distance behind the front
swivelling disc B¹ by a right and left hand screw spindle c passed through screw
nuts or bushes c¹ in the centre of each pair of bearing blocks d². These screw
spindles c are retained in position by a central collar journal and stud at c² and
have square ends on them at both sides for putting on a box hand-crank key, for
setting these side boring spindles d, d to any parallel radial or angled pitch
desired on each side of the central spindle D, as indicated by dotted lines in
Figure 2. To enable these front boring parts d of the side spindles D¹ to be driven
(while set in these various boring positions) by their rear driving spindles D¹
working in their fixed parallel bearings D2, they are respectively driven by an
intermediate short length of spindle d' connected by universal joint couplings at
each end, or it might be other equivalent universal joint couplings. Slightly
oblong clearing slots d³ are formed in the front swivelling disc B₁ for the side
boring spindles d to be set at the different angles and pitches the holes have
to be bored in the work. The front socket ends of all the drilling spindles D, d, d
are of the same size, and project sufficiently beyond the front movable bearings d²
of the side spindles d d and end web A² of the frame A to be fitted with the
boring drills a², a², a², as nearly uniform in shape and length as possible; and the
rear ends of the side spindles D¹ would project back behind their rear bearing
carrying disc B, so as to be fed forward six inches or so.
Each side spindle D¹ is connected at its back end by a small central nonrevolving
screw feed spindle e connected by adjustable securing screw nuts to the ends of a
short crosshead E, carried by a deep eye or boss secured loose between two collars
on the central spindle D, so that as this is fed forward it will feed the two side

page_text: spindles D¹ forward at the same rate. The back feeding screws e which connect
the side spindles D' to the crosshead E on the central spindle D, are made adjust-
able by the nuts and screws at e to suit any slight difference in the length of the
cutting drills caused by breakage or sharpening.
For feeding forward the three spindles D, D¹, D¹ as described, for boring the
holes, the rear end of the central driving spindle D is mounted in its driving hollow
spindle C, by a long feather key and slotted recess, as shown at C¹ in Figure 1,
and the loose boss of the crosshead E has two pins el projecting from it, one on
each side, which take into slotted recesses in the double or bow lever E¹ fulcrumed
below the bracket E' secured to the rear swivelling head B of the drillstock. The
upper end of this lever E¹ is jointed by a pin and slotted joints at e¹ to a screw
spindle e³ passed through a recess in the swivelling boss B and has its front screwed
end passed through a rotating deep screw nut e rotating in the front swivelling
drillstock B¹. This deep nut e' has a bevel pinion f keyed on it inside the frame,
gearing into a corresponding bevel pinion f¹ keyed on the inner end of a short
spindle c carried on a bow bracket F secured to the inner face of the front
swivelling boss B₁ of of the drill-stock. This short shaft f' has a hand feeding
wheel F¹ keyed on its outer end, which on being turned by the attendant, turns
the screw bush f' and draws forward the screw spindle e³ and lever E¹ which
draws forward the whole three spindles D, D¹, D¹ simultaneously by the cross
pins e and crosshead E. Other equivalent arrangements however than this
described may be adopted for feeding forward the drill spindles D, D¹, D' simul-
taneously by the crosshead E, and this might be effected automatically by any of
the usual mechanical arrangements for doing so.
When a flue or other circular part of a steam boiler is hung on a crane, or other
raising, lowering, and turning mechanical arrangement in front of the drills and
machine just described. The drill spindle carrying frame or drillstock would be
swivelled on its end discs B, B¹, in the end bearing ring blocks A², A³ of the table
headstock A, with the three boring spindles D, D', D' and their cutting drills a² in
vertical line for boring the rivet holes of the longitudinal joints with the side drill
spindles & set parallel to the central spindle D at the proper pitch distance apart,
all set as stated in a few seconds by the right and left hand screw setting and
retaining spindles c of the shifting bearings d of the front side boring spindles & d.
For the holes of the circumferential joints the drill frame would be swivelled a
quarter turn to have the drills set in the horizontal line, and have the outside
spindles & set by the right and left hand screws to bore their holes radially to the
common centre of the work and that of the centre drill D. To insure the accuracy
of these two vertical and horizontal positions of the drill frame, holes would be
bored in the ring bearing A³ of the table headstock A, and in their swivelling
boss B¹, and a pin turned to fit these holes for insertion in the two positions as
shown at a³ in Figures 4 and 5. A sheet-metal hinged or removable box or cover
may be fitted over the table head-stock A, A2, A3, to cover in all the three
spindles D, D¹, d and driving wheels a a¹ and mechanism of the swivelling drill
frame to keep all dust or sand from getting in to cut up the bearings and working
coupling joints of these.
Although only two positions of the swivelling drill stock frame have been
described at right angles to each other for boring the holes, as shown in Figures 4
and 5, namely the horizontal and vertical positions, it will be understood that this
could be set to any other intermediate angle where the holes are required to be
jointed for angular joint work. And more pin holes a³ might be bored for securing
this frame at any desired angle in its swivelling end bearings in the headstock.
And a screw wheel could be formed or secured on one of the swivelling discs, and
have a tangential turning screw spindle working into it carried on journal bearing
blocks on the stationary headstock frame A. These boring machines might also be
made for smaller and heavier work than the machine described for boring other
sizes of holes at different pitches apart. And the drill spindles might each be

page_text: made in one piece and be mounted parallel to each other at the pitch of holes
desired, without having the shifting and universal joint parts d', which are only
required for giving different pitches and for different radial and angular boring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. The construction, or general arrangement and combination of the parts of
a multiple drilling machine, for drilling holes at different pitches apart, parallel,
radial or at other angles, in swivelling drill headstocks, all substantially as herein
described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In a multiple drilling machine, the construction and arrangement of a
swivelling headstock B, B1, B2, with three drill spindles D, D', D', having the two
outer spindles d, d, capable of being set to drill holes at various pitches, parellel,
radial, or at other angles to the central spindle, all substantially as herein described,
in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.