Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 31st Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 1st Feb., 1887.
I, VALENTINE NEWINGTON GOLDSMITH of The Grange, Willesden Green in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
The object of this invention is to provide a staging from which percussive or other
rock drills may be worked for boring rock under water, and which staging is capable
of being easily floated from place to place on the surface of the water, and of being
easily and firmly fixed over the spot where the boring is to be executed.
For this purpose a float or barge is provided from which the drilling operations are
to be effected. The percussive rock drills are carried by the float, each drill mechanism
with the exception of a descending rod and bit being above the water. The float has
four pairs, or any other convenient number of pairs, of eyes or sockets fixed to its
sides one above the other one eye or socket of each pair being fixed near the level of
the deck, and the other eye or socket of each pair being fixed near the bottom of the
barge or float. In each pair of eyes or sockets slides a pole of wood, iron or other
suitable material, which pole must be long enough to reach from the bottom of the
water at the deepest place where the boring is to be done to above the top socket of
the pair. Close to each pair of eyes or sockets is an upright jib furnished with a
pulley and chain by means of which the pole can be caused to slide upwards or down-
wards through the sockets so that the point of the pole can be either at the bottom of
the water or on a level with the bottom socket or at any intermediate point.
Over the head of each pole is passed a chain-the ends of the chain are led vertically
downwards and passed under guide pullies carried by the float and then to a winch
barrel on the deck. By turning the barrel both ends of the chain can be wound up
simultaneously and the float thereby lifted if the pole at its lower end be bearing
against the bottom.

page_text: The operation is as follows:-The float is brought over the spot where the boring
operations are to be carried out and the four poles are lowered to touch the bottom of
the sea-the two ends of the chain passing over the top of each pole are then wound
up upon the winch barrels thereby raising the float somewhat in the water and causing
a portion of its weight to be taken upon the poles which then act as legs. The float
can in this way be raised to any extent required to give it immobility-when the
water is rough the float would have to be raised higher than would be necessary in
calm water.
The turning of each winch barrel is effected by a worm gearing into a worm wheel
on its axis-these worms are driven from a steam engine mounted upon the float.
The barrels of the winches are also each provided with a ratchet wheel for a pawl to
engage with to lock the barrel and prevent the chain from unwinding. This allows
of the worm being thrown out of gear and of the barrel being then turned round
quickly by hand labour to pay out chain or take up slack.
In some cases also I provide the float with water tanks into which water can be
admitted to cause the float to bear upon the poles or legs and I also provide a pump
worked by a small steam engine for introducing the water into the tanks-the water
can be let out through a valve at the bottom.
in 2
CART MADH & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Water.
I, VALENTINE NEWINGTON GOLDSMITH of The Grange, Willesden Green in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer (a communication to me from abroad by William
Rowdon Sanders of Palerino, Sicily) 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide a staging from which percussive or other
rock drills may be worked for boring rock under water, and which staging is capable
of being easily floated from place to place on the surface of the water and of being
easily and firmly fixed over the spot where the boring is to be executed.
For this purpose a float or barge is provided from which the drilling operations are
to be effected. The percussive rock drills are carried by the float, each drill mechanism
with the exception of a descending rod and bit being above the water. The float has
four pairs, or any other convenient number of pairs, of eyes or sockets fixed to its
sides one above the other, one eye or socket of each pair being fixed near the level of
the deck, and the other eye or socket of each pair being fixed near the bottom of the
barg or float. In each pair of eyes or sockets slides a pole of wood, iron or other

page_text: suitable material, which pole must be long enough to reach from the bottom of the
water at the deepest place where the boring is to be done, to above the top socket of
the pair. Close to each pair of eyes or sockets is an upright jib furnished with a
pulley and chain by means of which the pole can be caused to slide upwards or down-
wards through the sockets, so that the point of the pole can he either at the bottom of
the water or on a level with the bottom socket or at any intermediate point.
Over the head of each pole is passed a chain the ends of the chain are led vertically
downwards and passed under guide pulleys carried by the float and then to a winch
barrel on the deck. By turning the barrel both ends of the chain can be wound up
simultaneously and the float thereby lifted if the pole at its lower end be bearing
against the bottom.
The turning of each winch barrel is effected by a worm gearing into a worm wheel
on its axis. The barrels of the winches are each provided with a ratchet wheel, for a
pawl to engage with to lock the barrel and prevent the chain from unwinding. This
allows of the worm being thrown out of gear and of the barrel being then turned
round quickly by hand labour to pay out chain or take up slack.
The operation is as follows:-The float is brought over the spot where the boring
operations are to be carried out and the four poles are lowered by the crabs on the jibs
to touch the bottom of the sea, then and while the worm and screw are out of gear,
the slack in the two ends of the chain passing over the top of each pole is rapidly
wound up by turning the winch barrels, the worm wheel and screw are then put in
gear and by working them upon the winch barrel the float can be raised to any extent
to give it the required degree of immobility. When the water is rough the float
would have to be raised higher than would be necessary in calm weather.
In some cases also I provide the float with water tanks, into which water can be
admitted to cause the float to bear upon the poles or legs and I also provide a pump
worked by a small steam engine for introducing the water into the tanks-the water
can be let out through a valve at the bottom.
In some cases I provide for working the winches by steam power.
Having thus stated the nature of my said invention, I will proceed to describe more
fully the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
:
Figure 1, shews a plan of the float or barge and the mechanism carried by it; and
Figure 2 shows a section of the same float or barge and mechanism.
a, a, are the eyes or sockets fixed to the sides of the float or barge. b, bare the
poles sliding on the eyes or sockets, one of which poles is shown on one side of
Figure 2 in the position it assumes when the float or barge is fixed for boring; and
another pole on the other side of Figure 2 in the position it assumes when the Hoat or
barge is moving from place to place. c, c, are the jibs furnished with pulleys and
d, d, are the chains passing over the pulleys on the top of the jibs by means of which
the poles can be caused to slide upwards and downwards through the eyes or sockets;
e, e, are the chains passing over the heads of the poles b, b, led vertically downwards,
passed under the guide pulleys ff, and then on to the barrels of the winches g, g;-
is the boiler supplying steam for those parts of the machinery which are worked by
steam, are the water tanks which in some cases I provide and which are filled
with water by the pump k, and the pipes m, m, and m², m², to cause the float or barge
to bear upon the poles or legs. The turning of the barrels of the winches g, g, is
shown in the drawing to be effected by a worm worked by hand and gearing into a
worm wheel on the axis of each barrel, but the winches may, if desired, be worked by
steam by means of shafting and spur and bevel gearing, and clutches or by other
convenient means from a steam engine. One way in which this may be effected is
illustrated in Figure 1, in this figure a short length of shaft is shown with a pinion at
its end, working into a spur wheel on each winch barrel, any other convenient means
of transmitting power from a steam engine to the winches may however be adopted.
The same steam engine may also serve to work the pump k.

page_text: To fix the float or barge for drilling, the poles b, b, are lowered until they touch the
bottom of the water. The chains e, e, are then tightened by means of the winches g. 9,
thereby raising the float or barge somewhat in the water, and causing a portion of its
weight to be taken upon the poles b, b, which then act as legs. Then if it be required
to increase the weight upon the poles or legs, to add to the immobility of the float or
barge, the water tanks j,j, are filled with water by the pump k.
When it is desired to move the float or barge to another place, the water tanks j, j,
if full, are emptied by opening a valve which allows all the water to pass from the
tanks, through the pipes m³, m³, and through the bottom of the float or barge, the
chains e, e, are slackened by means of the winches 9, 9, and the poles b, b, are drawn
up from the bottom of the water by means of the chains d, d.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would state that I am aware that
a float or barge provided with legs which can be thrust downwards and made to bear
upon the bottom has before been used for carrying drilling mechanism for drilling
holes under water I do not therefore claim generally a barge or float so provided with
legs, but I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The arrangement of poles sliding in eyes or sockets fixed to the exterior
of the float or barge to enable the said float or barge to rest on the bottom of
the water.
Second. The arrangement of jibs and chains for hoisting and lowering the
said poles.
Third. The arrangement of chains and winches for suspending the float or barge
from the heads of the poles.
Fourth. The arrangement of pump and water tanks, by means of which the weight
upon the heads of the poles can be increased so as to augment the immobility of the
float or barge.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.