IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR APPLYING HYDRAULIC POWER TO MINING AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Brown Jordan, of South Lambeth, in the
County of Surrey, Mechanical Engineer, and John Darlington, of
Moorgate Street Chambers, in the City of London, Mining Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR APPLYING HYDRAULIC
POWER TO MINING AND OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Brown Jordan
and John Darlington at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 26th December 1866.
We, THOMAS BROWN JORDAN, of South Lambeth,, in the County of Surrey,
Mechanical Engineer, and JOHN DARLINGTON, of Moorgate Street Chambers,
in the City of London, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR APPLYING HYDRAULIC
POWER TO MINING AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention chiefly relates to machinery for applying hydraulic power to
boring in mines and other places.
The machines are variously arranged according to the kind of work to be
performed, and the situation in which they are to be used; they consist
mainly of cylinders, pistons, and mms driven by hydraulic power, or by a
combination of water and atmospheric pressure, and mounted in frames for
fixing them in position for use.

page_text: From the peculiar position and circumstances under which these machines
have to operate it is essential that they should be not only very compactly
arranged, but also light and portable, so that they may be readily moved from
place to place, and be capable of being fixed to drill or cut holes in any
direction in confined situations.
1
Our first arrangement, which is chiefly based on the employment of a
turbine, accomplishes these objects to the extent of being workable in any
situation where one or more men can bore or cut a hole. This machine
consists of a short metallic cylinder in which a piston is fitted, and rendered
tight as usual for hydraulic pressure; there is no valve to this cylinder, the
water is freely admitted, and its pressure is constantly tending to force the
piston to the bottom of the cylinder, and it is this force which is applied to
cut or bore the hole; but as it is requisite to produce a rapidly repeating
percussive action the piston rod is constantly acted on by a "snail cam" on
the axis of a shaft which is put in motion by a turbine. Every revolution of
this shaft lifts and partially rotates the piston rod, to the lower end of which
the boring tool is attached, and since the piston within the cylinder is subject.
to and falls under the pressure of the water driving the turbine we obtain by
this means a blow of whatever force we require, either by altering the
diameter of the piston or the pressure of the water employed. We have also
the power of repeating this blow as rapidly as is found requisite by varying
the quantity of water passing through the turbine.
In many mines there is
sufficient pressure at command from the pumps forming a part of the pit
work, but we prefer gaining a pressure of water by employing one or more
accumulators, because this form of apparatus is thoroughly under control, and
enables us to intensify the hydraulic pressure for effective use in any gallery,
heading, shaft, or other mine opening.
In our second arrangement of the boring machinery we fit a long cylinder
of small bore with a hydraulic piston. and by means of a rotary valve, ordinary
slide or cock alternate the pressure to the opposite sides of the piston, so as
to make the up-and-down stroke. The necessary valvular movements may be
effected by any of the usual methods, but in some instances we prefer working
the valve or cock by hand for the purpose of retaining the intelligence of the
workman in directing the mechanical power of the machine. The rotary
valve is formed by fitting the end of a perforated cylinder as the face of a
slide valve. The end of this cylinder and face of the valve is somewhat
greater in diameter than the remainder of it, or stem, which passes through a
double cup leather collar in the cover of the pressure chamber. In this
way the excessive pressure on the back of the slide which is found to be

page_text: destructive and inconvenient in valves of the usual construction is obviated
without giving up the valuable principle of keeping the valve in contact with
the slide face by the pressure of the fluid. This pressure can be adjusted to
a reasonable and convenient amount by the difference between the area of the
face and the stem of the valve. The boring bar, as in the first machine, is
attached to the lower end of the piston rod by a socket and clamp. In each
rock boring machines the cylinder is fitted in a frame formed of bars con-
nected at their ends by cross pieces, in order to keep the bars strictly parallel.
The top head carries a fixing centre screw, or otherwise a swivel plate or loop
for securing the machine in place when at work. Screws are cut on these
bars or side rods for the greater part of their length, on which nuts are fitted
with long barrels and cogged driving gear for advancing the machines as the
hole deepens. The rotary valve before described is applicable to other
purposes where hydraulic power is employed.
Another form of machine in which the movements are obtained as above
described is mounted on a small cast-iron bed without side rods or screws,
except for fixing. The cylinder and working parts of the machine are fixed
in any part of this bed by a clamping or stopping bolt, which passes through
holes in the sides of the bed frame, and secures a buffer formed of elastic
rings to receive the reaction of the blow, which is not excessive, because of
the short fall given to the boring tool, the work being accomplished by short
rapid strokes. In this modification of our machinery we rotate the borer by
the same movement which actuates the valve by fixing a paul on the handle
of the valve working into a ratchet wheel on a shaft concentric with the valve.
A cogged wheel on the other end of this shaft transmits the motion to the
piston rod and turns it over a definite part of a revolution at every return of
the piston.
Another arrangement of the machine first described consists in using a pair
of hydraulic cylinders instead of the turbine to drive the cam and shaft. The
cylindrical valve is used in this apparatus for alternating the pressure of the
water on the pistons. This plan is applicable to machines of any size or
power for heavy work. In some cases we find it advisable to use a com-
bination of water and atmospheric pressure, and for this purpose the external
arrangements of framing and fixing are made on either of the plans already
described; but the active portion of the machine consists of an internal and
external cylinder, the inner one being the water cylinder, the outer the air or
vacuum cylinder. The water cylinder is fitted-with-a-piston -and a stuffing-
box at its lower end; a rod works through the stuffing box which carries the
borer; the top of this cylinder has no cover, but the rod on this side of the

page_text: piston is the full diameter of its bore, and works through it. This large part
of the rod is, in fact, a ram, the bottom of which being leathered forms the
piston for the water to act against in the up-stroke in order to lift the boring
bar. The outside cylinder is of much greater diameter, and the space between
the inner and outer cylinders is fitted with an annular piston which is con-
nected by a cross head and three or four rods to the central ram; this
cylinder is also open at the top. A slide valve, rotary valve, or cock is
employed to feed water to the inner cylinder for lifting the borer, and also the
piston of the outer cylinder, and by this movement a vacuum is formed under
the annular piston. The water is then discharged by the next movement of
the slide, and the borer is driven to the bottom of the hole with the force of
atmospheric pressure on the large piston.
The machine last described is also applicable to sharpening the borers and
performing other forging by a simple modification and rearrangement of its
parts. For borer sharpening we fix the bar when heated in a hydraulic vice
and a die which is counterpart of the required form in connection with the
piston rod; this being brought into contact with the hot bar by the rapid
action of the pistons gives the required form with speed and precision. For
swage forging we fix the lower swage or die in the hydraulic vice and the
upper one to the piston rod, and place the material to be operated upon between,
giving it such movements as are requisite to produce the required form,
For the purpose of applying power to the drawing off stuff from what are
called "sinks" in mines, and other underground openings we use a
portable rotary engine so constructed that it can be readily applied to any
ordinary tackle, such as is now used in mines, and worked by manual labor,
This engine is worked either by water pressure only, or by a combination of
water and atmospheric pressure as before described. If by water only we
prefer using a pair of cylinders driving cranks which are set at right angles to
each other on the outer ends of the crank shaft, and the valves for alternating
the pressure to the different sides of the pistons are worked by the usual
means, or by the rotation of the cylinders without external gearing. The
central portion of the crank shaft carries a pair of mitre wheels and a clutch
for fixing either of them to the shaft. These wheels gear into a similar wheel
fixed on the axle of the tackle barrel, and the clutch gives the power of
reversing the fixing either wheel to the shaft, and thus making it the driver.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Brown Jordan and John Darlington in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 24th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
BROWN JORDAN, of South Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Mechanical
Engineer, and JOHN DARLINGTON, of Moorgate Street Chambers, in the City
of London, Mining Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her Most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Thomas Brown Jordan and John Darlington, Her special licence that
we, the said Thomas Brown Jordan and John Darlington, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Brown
Jordan and John Darlington, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Ix
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR APPLYING HYDRAULIC POWER TO MINING AND
OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Thomas Brown Jordan and John Darlington, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or one of our or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Brown Jordon, on behalf of
myself and the said John Darlington, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that
is to say:
Our Invention relates to certain novel applications of hydraulic power or of
power obtained by a combination of water and atmospheric pressure. The
various portable rotary or other hydraulic machines herein-after described by
which we propose to utilize such a power present also, in great part, novel
combinations and adaptations of mechanical appliances; these machines are

page_text: more especially applicable to the drilling or boring of rocks, whether for mining
or other purposes; and for the drawing or raising of various substances from
sinks or winzes, or other underground openings; and as they will be frequently
employed in difficult or confined positions their component parts are not only
very compact, but light and portable. Under certain circumstances, as, for
instance, in many mines, there exists sufficient available water power to
actuate our machines, but where this is not the case the necessary pressure is
obtained by water derived from "accumulators" placed in convenient positions,
whether on the upper surface of the ground, or in underground galleries, and
is conveyed to the machine through iron pipes combined in some instances
with flexible tubing.
That our Invention may be fully understood we shall proceed to illustrate
it by various examples; and to this end reference will be made to the Sheets
of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon.
On Sheet 1 are represented various examples of machinery designed for
purposes herein-before mentioned. Fig. 1 presents an elevation, and Fig. 2
a horizontal section (taken through the line A, B, marked on the clevation)
of one of our proposed hydraulic machines for boring.
A, Fig. 1, is a short metallic cylinder in which a piston is suitably fitted
for hydraulic pressure. There is no valve to this cylinder into which the
water is permitted to flow freely, and the pressure of the water thus admitted
constantly tends to force the piston to the bottom of the cylinder, and it is
this force which is applied for cutting or boring. B is a piston rod carrying a
small disc or plate C, which is raised by the action of a cam D fixed on a
shaft E; this shaft is turned by a tangent wheel G, which is set in motion by
means of a turbine F. Every revolution of the shaft E lifts and partially
turns the piston rod B, to the lower end of which the boring tool H is attached.
And since the piston within the cylinder is subject to, and falls under, the
pressure of water driving the turbine, a blow is obtained, the force of which is
regulated either by increasing or diminishing the diameter of the piston, or by
increasing or diminishing the pressure of the water employed; this percussive
action of the boring tool is a distinctive peculiarity in our Invention, to which
we point attention; the tool produces the desired effect not by an even slotting
movement but by a rapid succession of blows. The piston within the cylinder A
is prevented from striking or coming in contact with the cylinder bottom by a
buffer M composed of india-rubber or other elastic material and fitted on the
top of the rod B. The cylinder A carrying the piston from which the boring
tool H depends is fitted to a frame N, N, which is advanced as the borin

page_text: proceeds; this movement of the frame is effected by turning with the hand a
handle R, fixed on the end of a shaft on which are placed the bevel wheels J, J,
which gear into the wheels K, K, that in their turn run upon bars L, L,
upon which are cut male and female screws. It will thus appear that the
boring tool has three motions communicated to it, firstly, a boring motion
given by the forward stroke of the piston; secondly, a rotary motion on its
axis, caused by the action of the cam D; and, thirdly, an advancing or a
progressive motion.
Fig. 3 represents an elevation, and Fig. 4 a, in part vertical section of
another arrangement of a machine, in which the pressure is applied alternately
to the opposite sides of the piston, so as to make the up-and-down strokes by
means of an ordinary slide valve worked either by hand, a cylinder, cylinders,
or by a small turbine, the said valve being fitted directly to the cylinder or
removed to any convenient position, and driven by a turbine or hydraulic
cylinder.
A is a working cylinder, fitted with a hydraulic piston; B is a slide valve:
C is a boring bar, attached to the lower end of the piston rod by a socket and
clamp D, D. is the frame formed of bars connected at their ends by cross
pieces E, E, the top cross piece carrying (in the present instance a fixing
centre screw F) any convenient apparatus for securing the machine in place
when at work. For the purpose of advancing the cylinder as the boring
proceeds, screws are cut on the bars D, D, for the reception of nuts G, G,
fitted with long barrels and cogged driving gear. A handle H, or in its place
a small turbine, serves to work the valve, and at the same time to move or
forward the cylinder B; these results are effected by means of a small rod I
connected with the top of the valve rod and acting upon a detent wheel J,
which turns the shaft K (see Fig. 4) and the wheels L, L, and thus give
motion by means of the central pinion M to the cogged nuts N, N. When
it is intended to remove the boring bar C from the hole which it has made
the pawl O, Fig. 1, is raised; then by turning the handle P the cylinder
may be screwed back to its original position. In order to impart an axial
motion to the piston rod and advance it a certain definite degree of a single
revolution at every return of the piston, the upper end of the piston rod Q is
hollowed and fitted with a nut having a rectangular hole slotted in the centre;
through this hole is passed a spiral or twisted rod R, the upper end being
fastened to a ratchet wheel S, which is constrained by the detent springs W, W,
(see Figure of a partial section on the line C D to turn in one direction
only. In this way the piston rod and boring bar will be slightly turned during
one half of the stroke, and the ratchet wheel and twisted bar be subject to a

page_text: corresponding movement during the other half. On the piston rod Q is a
buffer X, composed of elastic rings to check any reaction that may occur.
In some cases we use a combination of water power and atmospheric
pressure, and then the details of our boring apparatus assume some such
combinations and forms as those offered by the Figs. 5, 6, and 7; Figs. 5
and 6 are respectively a front elevation and a vertical section of the boring
cylinders and parts adjacent. and Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken through
the line E, F, on the elevation. In order to render this apparatus readily
portable we remove the slide valve, as already noticed, to some convenient
position, retaining however a proper communication between it and the
cylinders by means of tubing; Fig. 8 is a plan of the valve gearing, and
Fig. 9 a longitudinal section through the centre of the valve. The dotted
lines on Figure 8 show the plan and direction of position of the ports and
the waterways.
The action of this machine may be thus described;-The water from the
pressure main enters at C, Fig. 8, and passes through the valve chamber to
the top part of the cylinder. As the sectional area of the piston rod is made
equal to half the cross sectional area of the cylinder the area of the front side
of the piston, or of that side to which the piston rod is attached, is equal to
half the area of the other side, and therefore as the full pressure of the water
affects the front of the piston. while the pressure on the back of the piston is
alternated by the slide valve, the piston moves both ways under equal pressure.
In the forward stroke we have the pressure on the full area of the piston
acting against the pressure on half its area, and in the back stroke the pressure
is acting on half the area against that of the atmosphere only, a resistance which
will be inappreciable seeing that we propose to use hydraulic pressure of from
700 to 1000 lbs. per square inch, and therefore the pressure under which
each stroke is made becomes practically equalized, although the area of the
rod is equal to half the area of the cylinder. The valve gearing just described
works the ram D of the boring machine by alternately filling and emptying
the water cylinder B; this is done by communicating simultaneously to the
cylinders B and I the required water pressure through a flexible pipe which
unites the nozzles G and H. The return stroke of the piston in the cylinder I
is made by the water pressure on its crank side, and that of the piston in the
boring cylinder A by the pressure of the atmosphere in consequence of the
vacuum produced under it by the upstroke. The annular piston J, Fig. 6, of
the air cylinder is connected with the ram D by three side rods and a cross head
which are prevented from turning by sliding on the frame rods; whilst the
requisite turning of the borer is provided for by so rifling the ram that it

page_text: shall make a certain given portion of a complete revolution during its upstroke
through the ratchet wheel K (shown in Fig. 7), the bore of which is rifled
in conformity to the rifling of the ram; this wheel cannot turn during the
upstroke because it is detained by the click L and prevented from turning
round in the direction it would then be driven by the ram; but on the return
stroke the wheel itself turns in the opposite direction because the click L then
slips over one or more cogs, and therefore on the next return stroke the borer
must again turn in the same direction as before, and so on for each stroke.
A small relief valve is fixed in the annular piston J to permit the escape of
air which may have entered by leakage or other cause. The forward progress
of the cylinder A as the work advances is accomplished by the screw wheels
M, M, Fig. 5, and the ratchet wheel, click, and lever N; the lever is struck
up by a cam on the side rod, and then the shaft, wheels, and nuts make the
necessary advance. If the next down stroke be stopped by the borer striking
the bottom of the hole before the piston completes its stroke the forked lever
O, Fig. 7, will not be struck down to take another cog; but if the piston
arrives nearly at the bottom of its stroke when the borer strikes, then the cam
on the rod strikes the lever and the click takes over another cog preparatory
to moving it forward by the next upstroke, so that the forward feed will
always be in proportion to the progress of the hole, and its rate will
depend upon the hardness of the rock. On referring to the Figures of the
valve arrangements it will be seen that the water discharged from the cylinders
B and I passes into a small cistern P, Fig. 9, under the bed plate, and is
delivered a few inches above its under surface. The object of this is to prevent
the possibility of the water in the eduction ways being thrown out of them by
the violence of the return stroke when the pressure is suddenly taken off, as
it is desirable to keep these ways full of water and at the same time to exhaust
the cylinder as rapidly as possible by sufficiently large ports; by this mode of
discharging the spent water any passage of air into the waterways is rendered
impossible, and no waste of water from the cause referred to can arise. The
cylindrical lugs Q, Fig. 9, cast on the lower part of the cistern, are for the
purpose of passing a bar through for moving the cistern conveniently from
place to place. Instead of working the large annular piston J by a ram D
it may be worked by means of a cam and turbine arranged as described and
shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
A second part of our improvements consists in applying power to the
Arawing of stuffe from shafts, sinks, or winzes, and other underground

page_text: On Sheet 2, Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 an end
view of a portable rotary engine worked by water pressure only.
A, A, are two fixed hydraulic cylinders; B, B, piston rods; C, C', slide
valves worked by excentrics; E, inlet stop valve; F, main shaft fitted with
driving cranks; G, G, driving and reversing wheels; H, clutch; J, wheel
fitted to tackle or winding roller, and K rod and handle for reversing the
action of the tackle roller. The water for driving such an engine is admitted
through the stop valve E, and through passages formed in the bed plate L
direct to the valve chambers, and thence to the top of the respective pistons;
the annular surface between the piston rods and cylinders being one-half the
area of the under side of the piston. Motion is communicated to the pistons
by admitting the water underneath in the upstroke. The water thus admitted
is, in the down stroke, discharged or exhausted through passages in the bed
plate similar to those for admitting the water. The valve O¹ is shown in a
position for exhausting the water, and the valve C is about to open for the
admission of water to the under side of the piston.
A modification of this engine is shown on Sheet 3; here it will be seen
that we make use of oscillatory cylinders, and place the valves upon the
cylinders in order to alternate the pressure.
Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section; Fig. 2 an end, and Fig. 3 a side
elevation of a horizontal engine in which the passages for the inlet and outlet
of water are in the bed plate; the passage of the water through the valves
and to and from the cylinders being the same as already described in Sheet 2.
Each cylinder is mounted on two trunnion bearings marked A, A¹, one
trunnion being used for the inlet the other for the outlet of water. B is
the inlet passage; C shows a chamber (dotted) round the inlet trunnion fitted
with two double cupped leathers; D is a hole (dotted) in the trunnion for
the admission of water to the top and bottom of the piston. The outlet trunnion
in the trunnion bearing A' is constructed in a similar way to the inlet trunnion.
E, Fig. 2, is the outlet pipe. The slide valve F. Fig. 1, is moved by the
oscillation of the cylinder by means of a fixed are or link G and a crank H
connected with a shaft and lever I.
Another modification consists in placing the oscillating cylinders in a vertical
position and using one trunnion for the flow of water.
Fig. 4, Sheet 3, represents a front view, and Fig. 5 a vertical section of
one of the cylinders and valve.
A. Fig. 5, is the inlet; B is the trunnion for the inlet of water; C, Fig. 4,
is the discharge pipe from cylinder; D is a link for reversing the valve; E,

page_text: Fig. 5, is the articulation of the reversing link; F, Fig. 4, is the reversing
rod and lever; G, Fig. 5, shows the commencement of the tackle roller which
has a second driving cylinder and working gear attached on the opposite end
of the shaft or roller.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be carried into effect, we wish it to be understood that
we do not confine ourselves to the various details in the several parts of the
machines herein-before described; but what we consider to be novel and
original and therefore claim is,-
Firstly, the application of a turbine in conjunction with the pressure of water,
on a piston to lift a rock cutting or boring tool, so as to give the required
blow.
Secondly, the application of a turbine, ram, or piston, worked by water, to
lift a rock cutting or boring tool, and to produce a vacuum in a separate
cylinder, so as to give the required blow by atmospheric pressure.
Thirdly, the application of hydraulic pressure for boring rocks when the
valve, cock, or other mechanical appliance for alternating the pressure to
opposite sides of a piston is moved by hand gear, or by a turbine, or other
rotary machine, either combined with or separated from the body of the boring
machine.
Fourthly, the application of hydraulic pressure for boring or cutting holes
in rocks or mineral substances, the water being admitted by any suitable
arrangement of valves and passages, in conjunction with a piston or pistons,
so as to produce a rapidly percussive and rotative action, substantially as
herein-before described.
And, fifthly, we claim the valvular arrangements and gear in connection
with the general combination of the parts of the rotary engines, substantially
us herein-before described, as means of applying hydraulic power.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Brown Jordan, on behalf of
inyself and the said John Darlington, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
THOMAS BROWN JORDAN. (L.S.)