Year: 1898

page_text: We, ROBERT THOMAS RELF, of the Firm of R. T. Relf & Son, of 12, Portland
Square, Plymouth, in the County of Devon, Contractors, and GEORGE WESTLAKE,
of 12, Portland Square aforesaid, Foreman to R. T. Relf & Son, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for boring blast or other holes in rocks,
and it comprises improved means whereby a series of drills may be worked from
a single motor and by fewer men than is necessary to drill the same number of
holes with machinery as heretofore used. Our invention also comprises an
improved construction of boring bit.
According to our invention we arrange two parallel shafts geared together
and adapted to be driven, for instance, through the medium of a belt and pulley
from a suitable engine or motor such as a vertical steam engine.
Upon the parallel shafts are arranged as many pairs of cone friction wheels as
there are boring rods to be operated, the friction wheels of each pair being
arranged in such a manner that the large end of one is adjacent to the small
end of the other and rice vâ, and the said friction wheels are of such a diameter
that there is a space between them corresponding with the thickness of the boring
bar to be used in conjunction with them. Each of the friction wheels of a pair
has a certain length of its periphery cut away so that the space between the
friction wheels for a part of their circumference is greater than at the other
part. With this arrangement when motion is imparted to the friction wheels the
boring rod which is gripped between them is lifted for a certain distance until
the cut away portions of the friction wheels come adjacent to the said bar when
the latter drops; the continued rotation of the friction wheel then again causes
the bar to be gripped and lifted and then again dropped and so on. The several
pairs of friction wheels upon the parallel shafts are so arranged that they grip
their respective boring rods at different times so that the strain upon the motor
is maintained as uniform as possible. Suitable guides are provided for the boring
rods to hold them steady when they are released by the friction wheels.
It will be obvious that the apparatus hereinbefore described including the motor
must be mounted upon a portable platform to permit of the apparatus being
readily moved from time to time as required.
1
£ Databon 1808
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Rock Boring Machines.
We, ROBERT THOMAS RELF, of the Firm of R. T. Relf & Son, of 12, Portland
Square, Plymouth, in the County of Devon, Contractors, and GEORGE WESTLAKE,
of 12, Portland Square aforesaid, Foreman to R. T. Relf & Son, 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-
This invention relates to apparatus for boring blast or other holes in rocks,
and it comprises improved means whereby a series of drills may be worked from
a single motor and by fewer men than is necessary to drill the same number of
holes with machinery as heretofore used.
According to our invention we arrange two parallel shafts geared together
and adapted to be driven, for instance, through the medium of a belt and pulley
from a suitable engine or motor such as a vertical steam engine
Upon the parallel shafts are arranged as many pairs of cone friction wheels as
there are boring rods to be operated, the friction wheels of each pair being
arranged in such a manner that the large end of one is adjacent to the small
end of the other, and the said friction wheels are of such a diameter
that there is a space between them corresponding with the thickness of the boring
bar to be used in conjunction with them. Each of the friction wheels of a pair
has a certain length of its periphery cut away so that the space between the
friction wheels for a part of their circumference is greater than at the other
part. Suitable guides are provided for the boring rods to hold them steady when
they are released by the friction wheels.
It will be obvious that the apparatus hereinbefore described which is especially
intended for boring holes under water must be mounted upon a platform or raft
to permit of the apparatus being readily moved from time to time as required.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of apparatus constructed according to our inven-
tion; and,
Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the same:
Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of the same drawn to a larger scale; and,
Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation drawn to a still larger scale and illustrating
a detail of the apparatus.
a is the raft or platform upon which our apparatus is mounted, b, bare frames
or uprights upon the said platform and c, d are two parallel shafts arranged in
suitable bearings upon the said uprights and preferably in such a manner that a
central line between the two shafts is beyond the edge of the raft as shewn in
Figure 2. e, e are wheels gearing the two shafts c, d together and causing them to
run at the same speed and f is a belt pulley mounted on one of the said shafts
over which a belt driven by a suitable motor, such for instance as that shewn at g
in Figure 2, runs. h, i are the pairs of cone friction wheels and j, j are the rods
adapted to be operated thereby and each of which is designed at its lower end
to carry a drill k.
The cone wheels h, h which are carried by the shaft c are keyed to the said
shaft whilst the wheels i, i are free to slide on the shaft d in order to increase
the distance between the surfaces of the said wheels h, i but are caused to rotate
therewith by means of keys or feathers l. Each wheel i has arranged in conjunc
tion with it a lever m fitted upon a plank n carried on the uprights b, b which

page_text: lever m serves for moving the wheel i longitudinally upon the shaft d and in
conjunction with each lever m is a cam o or any other device for locking the said
lever.
As hereinbefore stated each of the friction wheels h, i has a portion of its
periphery cut away, for instance as shewn in Figure 2 and more clearly in Figure 4,
so that after the rod j held between each pair of wheels has been lifted a certain
distance (corresponding with the portion of the peripheries of the two wheels which
are not cut away) the space between the friction wheels will suddenly increase
and so allow the rod ; to fall.
In order that the rod j shall be retained between those parts of the friction
wheels which run at uniform speed, we provide above each pair of wheels h, i a
guide p which supports the rod laterally but which is cut away at q see Figure 3,
to permit of its being turned back to the position indicated by the dotted lines in
Figure 2 to disengage it from the said rod.
As shewn, the rear end of the guide p is carried by a bridge-piece r supported
on the shaft c adjacent to two collars s, s which prevent its movement longitu-
dinally upon the shaft.
When it is desired to stop the working of a rod j it is only necessary to slide
the wheel upon its shaft by means of the lever m so as to increase the space
between the said wheel and the wheel h. When a rod is to be operated the
lever m is pulled over so as to cause the said rod to be gripped between the two
wheels h, the lever being locked by means of the camo shewn in Figure 3.
On the front of the platform are arranged pipes or tubes t, t through which the
rods j, j pass, the said rods being provided at certain points with enlarged
portions u, u which practically fit the tubes and serve to steady and guide the
boring bars or rods.
These tubes or pipes are in practice made in lengths designed to be readily
connected and disconnected to suit the rise and fall of the tide.
When the machine or apparatus is moored into position for boring, the parts
of the pipes t, t are connected together so as to render them of a length sufficient
to extend from the raft a down onto the surface of the rock. These pipes guide
the bits at the boring end, to commence the boring, and also serve to prevent the
bored holes from being filled up by the mud, sand or shingle on the surface of the
rock. ¹, are holes in the pipes t, t to allow of the escape of the sludge formed
by boring.
When the holes are bored to the depth required, the rods and bits are drawn out
by means of suitable tackle specially fixed for the purpose on the raft, and this
having been done, canisters charged with dynamite or other explosive and having
long fuses attached are dropped down these pipes to the bottom of the bored
holes. The pipes are now removed, with the same appliances as used for drawing
the boring rods; the ends of the fuses which are above the surface of the water
can then be ignited when desired. This mode of working is very safe and saves the
expenses of a diver and a staff of attendants.
In the drawing we have represented the apparatus as being adapted for working
five drills simultaneously, it is to be understood, however, that the apparatus
may be arranged for a greater or less number of drills as required.
In practice the several pairs of friction wheels upon the shafts C, d are so
arranged that they grip their respective rods at different times so that the strain
upon the motor is maintained as uniform as possible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is;-
1. In rock boring apparatus the combination of a pair of cone wheels mounted
upon shafts geared together in such a manner that the large end of one is adjacent
to the small end of the other one of which wheels is fixed to its shaft whilst the
other is capable of being moved longitudinally upon it, and a boring bar or rod

page_text: running between and being gripped by the said cone wheels, a portion of the
surface of each of which is cut away so that at each rotation of the cone wheels
the bar is lifted and then released and allowed to fall, substantially as described.
2. Rock boring apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings and operating as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Dated the 13th day of February 1899.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicants.