IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR BORING ROCKS OR OTHER HARD SUB- STANCES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ellis, of 73, Northcote Road, Wands-
worth, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR BORING ROCKS OR OTHER HARD SUB-
STANCES."
Scaled the 16th July 1875, and dated the 11th March 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ellis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th March 1875.
I, WILLIAM ELLIS, of 73, Northcote Road, Wandsworth, in the
County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR BORING ROCKS OR OTHER HARD-
SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
-
This Invention relates to machines in which a chisel, jumper, or drill
is carried to and fro so that it may be made to strike a succession of
blows, and thereby cut or boro rock or other hard substance.
I construct my machine so that a piston works in a cylinder, and
carries to and fro a piston rod, to the end of which is fixed the jumper

page_text: or drill. Attached to or in one with the cylinder is a continuation of
the cylinder, through which the piston rod works, and in which I make
a slot or slots for the purposes hereafter described.
To preclude more friction than is necessary in the motion of the
valves I prefer to make the valve chamber cylindrical or partly cylin-
drical, and to have a valve at each end connected together by, and
pivoted on a spindle running parallel with the cylinder. The valves are
always kept against the face by means of a spring in each valve pressing
the valve away from the spindle. The spindle extends through the end
of the valve chamber and is continued to a standard or other bearing at
the end of the continuation of the cylinder. On this continuation of the
valve spindle I fix a saddle piece, the sides of which project beyond the
spindle and are curved. By oscillating this saddle picce and spindle
the valves are actuated, to effect this I place a collar on the piston rod
free to turn round, but moving to and fro with the piston rod; this
collar has a projecting arm which passes through the slot or one of the
slots in the continuation of the cylinder, and terminates between the
two projecting sides of the saddle piece, the projecting arm moves in
the slot to and fro with the piston rod, and along the curved sides of the
saddle piece, and so causes the saddle piece and valve spindle to
oscillate and move the valves.
By adjusting the curves on the sides of the saddle piece the stroke may
be lengthened or shortened, and the steam or other motive fluid may be
made to cushion; the piston at the end of each stroke may be cut off at
any part of the stroke, or may be used expansively.
I cause the drill or jumper to rotate at each backward stroke, by
means of a twisted or spiral bar, working in a washer in the end of the
piston similarly as in some other rock-boring machines; but I place the
ratchet wheel at the end of the bar outside the cylinder, and enclose
the pawl in a ring, which is surrounded by a friction strap so adjusted
by means of a small bolt and nut as to allow the ring and pawl to slide
round within it, and prevent a breakage in cases where any obstruction
absolutely prevents the jumper or drill from rotating.
I construct a suitable jacket or cradle in which the cylinder is free
to slide. To this jacket or cradle I fix a nut through which passes a
screw carried in bearings at each end of the cylinder. By turning this
screw by a handle or otherwise, the cylinder may be wound backwards
or forwards in the jacket or cradle.

page_text: The cylinder may be fed forward by the screw automatically in
proportion as the jumper or drill penetrates the rock or other hard.
substances; for this purpose I arrange on the screw a rachet wheel, in the
teeth of which works a pawl attached to a double headed tappet, this
tappet is pivoted at or near its centre so as to oscillate in one of the
slots in the continuation of the cylinder. I arrange the tappet so that
when the jumper or drill has penetrated so far that the cylinder requires
to be fed forward, the front end of the tappet is forced outwards during
the forward stroke of the piston by a collar or projection on the piston
rod, and the rear end of the tappet is thus forced inwards; but on the
backward stroke of the piston the rear end of the tappet is again forced
outwards by the collar or projection on the piston rod, and the pawl
then turns the ratchet wheel and screw partially round, the pawl being
so arranged on the tappet that the feed takes place on the backward
stroke, and thereby all undue strain is avoided. The ratchet wheel and
pawl can be put out of gear by a catch or other suitable means.
For the purpose of fixing the machine firmly to a stand or bar I
attach a clamp or universial joint to the jacket. I construct this clamp
or universal joint in two pieces, so that by removing the lower piece the
machine can be readily lifted from the stand or bar. One of the bolts
fastening the two pieces together passes also through the jacket, and
being conical at its upper end and fitting into a similarly conical hole in
the jacket secures the machine to the clamp or universal joint; the
universal joint allows the machine to be pointed in any direction
required, and the machine is firmly fixed in such direction by tightening
the bolt.
For the purpose of holding the jumper or drill the piston rod is
hollowed out at the end, and is divided so as to avoid unequal wear of
the sides into three or more parts by longitudinal slots, around which I
arrange a strap or clip; when this strap or clip is tightened it causes the
piston rod to grip the jumper or drill firmly and securely.
One form of stand on which to mount the machine I construct with
three legs, which may be lengthened telescopically, and which are so
arranged that the lower portion of any one of them can be removed, and
the remaining portion forms a short leg, thus allowing the machine.
to be set to work on uneven ground where it would be otherwise
impossible.

page_text: The forked portion of the stand which joins the hind leg to the two
front legs I make of sufficient size to allow the machine when boring
vertical or nearly vertical holes to be mounted within the fork and
between the three legs, and thus steadiness is ensured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Ellis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 31st August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ELLIS, of 73, Northcote Road, Wandsworth, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Ellis, Her
special licence, that I, the said William Ellis, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Ellis,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agreo
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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR BORING ROCKS OR OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Ellis,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Ellis, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by

page_text: This Invention relates to machines in which a chisel, jumper, or drill
is carried to and fro, so that it may be made to strike a succession of
blows, and thereby cut or bore rock or other hard substance.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section through my machine.
Fig. 2 represents a view of the forward end of the said machine.
Fig. 3 represents a transverse section on the line M, M, Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 represents a transverse section on the line R, S, Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 represents a view of the back end of the cylinder.
Figs. 6 and 7 represent the automatic or self feed; Fig. 6 being a
longitudinal section; and Fig. 7, a transverse section on the line V, W,
Fig. 6.
I construct my machine so that a piston A works in a cylinder C, and
carries to and fro a piston rod B, to the end B' of which is fixed the
jumper or drill. Attached to or in one with the cylinder C is a con-
tinuation C¹ of the cylinder, through which the piston rod B works,
and in which I make a slot or slots 8, 81, for the purposes hereafter
described.
To preclude more friction than is necessary in the motion of the
valves v, v, I prefer to make the valve chamber C" cylindrical or partly
cylindrical, and to have a valve v at each end, connected together by and
pivoted on a spindle D running parallel with the cylinder. A sectional
plan of the valve chamber is shown in Fig. 8. The valves v, v, are always
kept against the face by means of a spring in each valve pressing the
valve away from the spindle D. The spindle D extends through the end
of the valve chamber, and is continued to a standard C™ or other bearing
at the end of the continuation of the cylinder. On this continuation of
the valve spindle I fix a saddle piece E, the sides of which project
beyond the spindle D and are curved. A plan of the saddle piece E is
shewn in Fig. 9. By oscillating this saddle piece E and spindle D the
valves v, v, are actuated. To effect this I place a collar F on the piston
rod, free to turn round, but moving to and fro with the piston rod. This

page_text: 8
collar has a projecting arm F', which passes through the slot or onc
of the slots & in the continuation of the cylinder, and terminates between
the two projecting sides of the saddle picce E. The projecting arm F
moves in the slots to and fro with the piston rod and along the curved
sides of the saddle piece E, and so causes the saddle piece E and valvo
spindle D to oscillate and move the valves v, v.
By adjusting the curves on the sides of the saddle piece the stroke
may be lengthened or shortened, and the steam or other motive fluid
may be made to cushion the piston at the end of each stroke, may be cut
off at any part of tho stroke, or may be used expansively.
I cause the drill or jumper to rotate at cach backward stroke by means
of a twisted or spiral bar H working in a washor I in the end of the
piston, similarly as in some other rock boring machines, but I place the
ratchet wheel K at the end of the bar outside the cylinder, and enclose
the pawl p in a ring L, which is surrounded by a friction strap ƒ, so
adjusted by means of a small bolt and nut 9 as to allow the ring L
and pawl p to slide round within it, and prevent a breakage in cases
where any obstruction absolutely prevents the jumper or drill from
rotating.
I construct a suitable jacket or cradle O, in which the cylinder is free
to slide. To this jacket or cradle O I fix a nut P, through which passes
a screw Q carried in bearings at each end of the cylinder. By turning
this screw Q by a handle T or otherwise the cylinder may be wound
backwards or forwards in the jacket or cradle.
The cylinder may be fed forward by the screw automatically in pro-
portion as the jumper or drill penetrates the rock or other hard
substance. For this purpose I arrange on the scrow a ratchet wheel a,
in the teeth of which works a pawl attached to a double-headed
tappet d. In the machine represented in the Drawing this pawl is made
in the form of a wheel b, the teeth of which work in the teeth of the
ratchet wheel a. This tappet & is pivoted at or near its centre c, so as
to oscillate in one of the slots &¹ in the continuation of the cylinder. I
arrange the tappet so that when the jumper or drill has penetrated so
far that the cylinder requires to be fed forward, the front end d of the
tappet is forced outwards during the forward stroke of the piston by a
collar or projection G on the piston rod, and the rear end of the
tappet is thus forced inwards; but on the backward stroke of the piston

page_text: the rear end d" of the tappet is again forced outwards by the collar or
projection G¹ on the piston rod, and the pawl then turns the ratchet
wheel a and the screw Q partially round, the pawl being so arranged on
the tappet that the feed takes place on the backward stroke, and thereby
all undue strain is avoided. The ratchet wheel and pawl can be put out
of gear by a catch or other suitable means. In the machine represented
in the Drawing this is effected by loosening a conical headed bolt e
passing through the screw Q, which is made hollow, and fitting into a
sleeve carrying the ratchet wheel a.
For the purpose of fixing the machine firmly to a stand or bar I
attach a clamp or universal joint ⁄¹, ", to the jacket O. I construct
this clamp or universal joint in two pieces, so that by removing the
lower picce the machine can be readily lifted from the stand or bar.
One of the bolts fastening the two pieces 7, ", together passes also
through the jacket O, and being conical at its upper end, and fitting into
a similarly conical hole in the jacket, secures the machine to the clamp
.or universal joint. The universal joint allows the machine to be pointed
in any direction required, and the machine is firmly fixed in such
direction by tightening the bolt 1.
For the purpose of holding the jumper or drill the piston rod is
hollowed out at the end B', and is divided so as to avoid unequal wear
of the sides into three or more parts by longitudinal slots, around which
I arrange a strap or clip m. When this strap or clip mis tightened
it causes the piston rod to grip the jumper or drill firmly and securely.
One form of stand on which to mount the machine is shewn to a
reduced scale in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, where Fig. 10 is a plan; Fig. 11,
a side elevation; and Fig. 12, a front elevation. This stand I construct
with three legs n, m, n, which may be lengthened telescopically, and
which are so arranged that the lower portion of any one of them can
be removed, and the remaining portion ³ forms a short leg, thus
allowing the machine to be set to work on uneven ground, where it
would otherwise be impossible.
The forked portion of the stand which joins the hind leg to the two
front legs I make of sufficient size to allow the machine when boring
vertical or nearly vertical holes to be mounted within the fork and
between the three legs, and thus steadiness is ensured.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be used or carried into effect, what I desire to
secure by Letters Patent are,-
First. The construction and arrangement of valves, valve spindles,
saddle piece, with or without adjustable sides, and the means of actuating 5
them, substantially as described and set forth in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. The construction and arrangement of a friction strap sur-
rounding the pawl and ratchet wheel of the rotating device, substantially
as described and set forth in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The feeding of a machine forward in proportion as it borcs
rock or other hard substance by the construction and arrangement of a
double-headed tappet, worked by a projection or projections from the
piston rod, and actuating a screw.
1
Fourth. The division of the hollow end of the piston rod by slots into 1
three or more parts, so that the pressure on the jumper or drill may bc
brought to bear equally from all sides.
Fifth. The construction and arrangement of a tripod stand so that a
rock boring machine may be mounted on it to work between the three
legs, and with legs such that when the lower portions of them are 20
removed the remaining portions of them form short legs on which it
may stand.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ellis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
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