IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCK DRILLS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, OLIVER IMRAY of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCK DRILLS" and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly desoribed and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the operative parts of the drill, the screw, rod being
shewn in section.
Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same.
Fig. 8 is a central, vertical section.
Fig. 4 is a top plan view, the supporting frame being shewn in section.
Figs 5 and 50 shew the relation of the screw shaft to the nut sections.
Fig. 6 illustrates the connection between the braces or legs of the frame and the
screw rods which engage therewith.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the whole machine on a smaller scale, part of the
drill being broken off; and Fig. 8 is a modification of Fig. 5.
In the drawings I have shown the drill, and the devices for operating it, as being
mounted in an improved frame or support which I have devised. This consists of
the main frame, and a supplemental bracing frame. The main frame has the
parallel bars A A, preferably rounded at the top and bottom, to form connections,
as at A¹. B B are screw rods, one at the top and one at the bottom, rigidly
secured to the main frame, they being adapted to receive the braces C C¹, which
latter are shod with points or projections by means of which they can be fastened
directly to the roof and floor of a mine, or to other upper and lower holding
surfaces. C2 C2 are hand wheels by which the parts C¹ can be rotated, the latter
having internal threads, which engage with the rods B B¹.
To this main frame there is secured a supplemental frame consisting of two side
bars E E, preferably curved, about as shown, and having their upper and lower
ends bolted to the side bars of the main frame. E is a yoke or stirrup, the bars
of which are hinged at e to the supplemental frame, this yoke carrying the screw
rod E2, which engages with a rear brace E³. This brace receives the back thrust

page_text: from the drill, and has an internal thread which engages with the screw rod E³,
and a hand wheel e¹.
In the main frame A A is hinged or mounted the support for the drill, and its
feed screw, and the bed frame which carries the parts by which power is imparted
to the drill.
The drill and the other operative parts are adjustable vertically upon the main
frame, the adjustment being provided by means of lugs finto which the pivotal parts
of the frame enter, these lugs allowing the vertical movements of the drill support.
They have plates or bars fo on the outside through which are tapped holes to
permit the insertion of hand screws f' in order that they may firmly grasp the
frame. Preferably, small recesses or indentations are made at suitable distances
apart, as shown at f¹. After an adjustment has been made the screws are tightly
locked by means of jam nuts f*.
I do not wish, however, to be limited to any particular construction of devices
for adjusting as there are many now well known which may be substituted for
those above set forth. In fact, the drill can be operated to great advantage even
when the drill is not provided with this last described adjustment.
The drill may be, in its construction, of any well known, or of any preferred
style. The heel is seated in a socket formed in the end of the feed screw G. The
part which directly supports the feed screw, and at the same time imparts rotation
thereto, is the hub H¹ of the wheel H, and a sleeve H³, which projects inward from
the hub and is mounted in the tubular support F. This hub and sleeve fit (or one
of them fits) closely the screw, there being a spline or feather carried thereby which
is situated in a longitudinal groove formed in the feed screw, G¹, so that when the
wheel and sleeve turn, they shall rotate the screw, and at the same time, permit it
to be moved longitudinally to force the drill into the rock.
The tubular support F¹ is provided at one end with an outwardly projecting rim
or flange F, its outside diameter being substantially the same as the outside
diameter of the hub H³.
h, h, are clips screwed fast to the hub, and overlying the flange F, and extending
over the corner of the flange, as plainly shown in Fig. 3, so as to confine the parts
in proper working relation. Of course, any desired number of these clips may be
employed.
The feed screw is caused to move longitudinally by means of a nut at I I.
Preferably, this is formed in two parts which are inserted into a sleeve I' I¹, Figs
5 & 6, also formed in two separable parts. The nut sections I I may be held in
place and prevented from rotating by means of keys or any other suitable stops i³.
When the screw is revolving its threads engage with those on the nut sections and
compel the aforesaid longitudinal movement. By having the nut sections formed
separately from the supporting sleeve, they can be readily withdrawn after they
have become worn and new ones inserted, and the expense is much less than if the
sleeves and the nut sections were integral, as in Fig. 8.
•
Each of the sleeve sections I is formed with or secured to a plate i and these
plates are secured to the plate F by a dovetailed joint so that they will be held
thereby and yet, at the same time, be permitted to move relatively to it. Each
plate has a pin projecting upward through a slot in the plate F, and with
these pins there engages a lever J, having a cam-plate j, at the end. In this plate
there are slots J, J, into which enter the pins . The lever plate is mounted
upon a stud F³, carried by the plate F, and the slots J1 J1 are struck from centers
eccentric to the stud or pin F³.
It will be seen that when the lever J is moved in one direction, the pins ¿¹ will
be drawn inward towards the plane of the screw shaft, and when the lever is
moved in the opposite direction they will be thrown outward. With them will
move the nut sections I I, into or out of engagement with the shaft G¹.
The wheel H which, as above said, rotates the feed screw, and with it the drill
is in turn rotated by the main power pinion K. This is mounted upon a shaft K¹,
which passes through the center of the engine cylinder L

page_text: This cylinder is mounted upon, and rigidly secured to the above described
plate F, the lateral wall 7 of the cylinder being preferably cast with a supplemental
plate L', which projects sufficiently far to receive the bolts at 1.
As shown, the cylinder is cast with said side wall 7, and also with one end, or
face, wall. The other end, or face, wall 12, is formed separately from the cylinder,
and subsequently bolted thereto. At 13 there is a hollow cylindrical offset in which
the end of the shaft K¹ is mounted. The wall plate 18 is formed with a journal
cylinder , on the exterior of the end of which is a screw thread which engages
with the threaded cap 1, and through this cap passes the said shaft K¹.
The shaft K carries the piston M, which consists of a cylinder, preferably of
substantially the dimensions shown. The shaft K¹ passes through it eccentrically,
the piston being so arranged relatively to the shaft, and to the interior face of the
cylinder that it always preserves a tight joint with said interior surface.
Above the cylinder is the chest N, which initially receives the steam, compressed
air, or other motive agent, this chest having a coupling piece at N¹, to which a pipe
or rubber hose O may be secured.
P represents the abutment, or cut-off, the lower edge of which is permanently in
contact with the surface of the piston, and which is constructed with the feed
port p, for the steam or air. One end of said port is permanently in com-
munication with the interior of the steam chest, and the other end delivers the
steam to the rear side of the piston.
At Q the exhaust port is situated, the inner end of it being as near as practicable
to the abutment P. At the outer end of this exhaust port there is. a coupling, to
which, if desired, may be attached a pipe or hose.
The method of operating the machine will be readily understood: The main
frame is first set, and properly braced, above and below, and the supplemental
brace at the rear is made rigid in the required position. The parts of the nut I I
are withdrawn from the shaft, and the latter is drawn back, if necessary, and after
this the nut pieces I I are again brought into engagement with the screw. If
steam or air be admitted to the chest N the piston will be caused to revolve
continuously, it imparting at each of its revolutions, one to the pinion K. The
latter engages with the internal teeth of the wheel H, which, in turn, revolves the
feed screw.
As the screw revolves, it is caused to advance by reason of the
engagement of the nut with its thread.
I am aware of the fact that prior to my invention use has been made, in
constructing mining machines, of some of the elements separately considered, such
as a screw shaft, pivoting devices for joining the shaft to the main frame, etc.
But I believe myself to be the first to have devised a machine manifesting the
constructions and combinations appearing in the claims below. It will be seen
that some of these may be more or less modified by one acquainted with this art,
and therefore, I do not wish to limit each of said claims by the combinations or
constructions appearing in the others.
The screw is shown in the drawings and is above described as resting entirely
upon the hub or sleeve H2 of the gear wheel H; but, said hub or sleeve need not
be as long as represented, and the screw could have a supplemental tubular bearing
or support which would be non-rotary. The screw is supported, it will be seen,
independently of the nut.
By
Some of the advantages which I attain with the two nut sections might be
reached with a single nut, especially if it be arranged to slide rectilineally. I prefer
the tongue and groove joint, though other means of uniting the nut and the bed
plate will readily suggest themselves, which are the equivalents thereof.
having the elongated handle J the cam plate i can be operated very readily.
As the engine is situated centrally relatively to the screw the power can be
applied advantageously and the weight of the various parts uniformly distributed.
The offset frame E enables me to apply the rear Y-shaped bracing frame to great

page_text: advantage, as I can bring the arms of the latter together, and employ a single foot
.brace without interfering with the operative parts.
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
1. The combination with the drill, the screw shaft which carries the drill, and
the tubular bearing through which said screw passes, an expanded bed plate or
support secured to said tubular bearing and pivotally connected with the main
frame, the engine mounted upon said bed or support, the gear wheel about the axis
of the screw, and the mechanism which unites the engine with the gear wheel,
substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with the drill, the screw shaft, and the tubular bearing
through which the said shaft passes, of the expanded bed plate or support secured
to said bearing and pivotally connected to the frame, a rotary engine mounted upon
the said bed plate or support, the gear wheel mounted upon the axis of the screw,
and the power shaft connected directly with the piston and also directly with said
gear wheel, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the drill, the screw shaft, and the tubular bearing
_through which said screw passes, of the main frame, the expanded bed plate or
support connected with said tubular bearing and pivotally joined to the frame, the
engine mounted upon said bed plate or support centrally relatively to the screw,
the gear wheel mounted on the axis of the screw, the mechanism which connects
the engine with the gear wheel, and means for detachably connecting the screw
with the main frame, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with the drill, the screw shaft which carries the drill, the
tubular bearing or holder through which said screw passes, and the main frame, of the
bed plate or support attached to said tubular bearing or holder, the gear wheel
mounted upon the axis of the shaft, the means for imparting power to said gear wheel,
and devices which support the screw and its support pivotally upon the main frame
and which are also adjustable relatively to said frame, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of the drill, the screw shaft which carries the drill, the
tubular bearing or holder through which said screw passes, the engine connected
with said tubular bearing or holder, the gearing by which power is imparted from
the engine to the screw, and the detachable nut for connecting the screw with the
non-advancing parts, substantially as set forth.
.
6. The combination with the rotating drill, and the screw shaft which carries
the drill, of the support for said shaft, and a detachable nut secured to said support
by a tongue and grooved joint, substantially as described.
7. The combination with the rotating drill, the screw shaft which carries the
drill, and the support for said screw, of a nut which slides rectilineally towards
and from the shaft, and a lever with an elongated handle connected with the said
nut, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with the rotating drill, the screw shaft which carries the
drill and the support for said screw shaft, of the nut formed in two sliding sections,
a cam plate which engages with both of said nut sections, and an elongated handle
whereby the said nut sections may be moved, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination with the rotary drill and the screw shaft which carries said
drill, of the removable nut sections, the cam plate which moves the said nut
sections, and a tubular support which holds the screw independently of said nut
sections, substantially as described.
10. The combination with the rotary drill, and the screw shaft, of the sliding
nut support, and a nut removeable from said support whereby it can be removed
therefrom when worn, substantially as set forth.
11. The combination with the drill, the screw shaft the tubular bearing for the
screw having a flange F² at one end, the gear wheel having its hub mounted within

page_text: the said tubular bearing and the clip or clips which engage with the said flange
substantially as set forth.
12. The combination with the main frame having the adjustable braces for
securing it to the top and bottom of the mine, of the offset frame E and the rear
bracing frame having the upper Y-shaped part pivoted to the main frame and
having an extensible brace at the bottom whereby the main frame can be prevented
from back thrust, substantially as set forth.