IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FIXING DRILLS, WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR FIXING APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUPPORTING, AND SUSPENDING WEIGHTS, AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Leopold de Breánski, of Greenwich, in the County of
Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FIXING DRILLS,
WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR FIXING APPARATUS FOR RAISING,
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Leopold de Breánski
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th April 1863.
I, LEOPOLD DE BREÁNSKI, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
FIXING DRILLS, WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR FIXING APPARATUS FOR
RAISING, SUPPORTING, AND SUSPENDING WEIGHTS, AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS
PURPOSES," to be as follows:--
This Invention relates, firstly, to the means of fixing or attaching drills to
the surface to be drilled, and is especially applicable to drilling holes in metal
plates, especially when fixed in a position more or less vertical or perpendicular,
for ship-building, boilers, bridges, and other constructive purposes.
In carrying out this part of the Invention the drill is provided with a
ratchet, lever, crank, or winch handle, and is mounted in a frame so as to be
capable of revolving as usual; and in order to attach the drill frame to any
desired part of the plate or other surface to be drilled, I employ a modification
of what are known as "pueumatic bells," consisting of a metallic bell. a di-c

page_text: or plate of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable elastic material, and an
exhausting piston, by means of which a partial vacuum is formed between the
disc and the surface to which it is applied, so that the requisite amount of
adlicsion is obtained by atmospheric pressure. I an aware that "pneumatic
bells" of the ordinary construction have been applied for fixing small articles
such as hat pegs to vertical or other surfaces, but such "pneumatic bells" have
always been liable to vacillation and displacement, and would be altogether
inadequate for the above purposes.
In order therefore to render "pneumatic bells" applicable to such purposes
I connect the outer edge of the flexible disc to the metallic bell by means of
a ring screwed to the flange of the bell.
By this arrangement the disc is prevented from swerving or oscillating, and
the steadiness and power of adhesion of the bell are very materially increased,
and they will adhere to almost any surface, whether flat, curved, or angular, if
the mouth and piston of the bell are formed accordingly. "Pneumatic bells "
thus constructed are applicable to a variety of useful purposes where great
power of adhesion and capacity for supporting weight or pressure are required,
such as, for instance, fixing blocks or pulleys to vertical or other surfaces (such
as ships' sides), for raising or suspending heavy weights, fixing steps or projec-
tions to vertical or other surfaces to enable workmen or others to ascend or
scale the same, also for fixing platforms to such surfaces to enable workmen to
stand thereon, and for an indefinite number of other similar or analogous
purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Leopold de Breánski in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th October 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LEOPOLD
DE BREANSKI, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of IIer reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Leopold de Breanski, Her special license that I, the said Leopold de
Breanski, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Leopold de Breanski, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at

page_text: 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
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FIXING DRILLS, WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE
POR FIXING APPARATUS FOR RAISING, SUPPORTING, AND SUSPENDING WEIGHTS, AND
FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Leopold de Breanski, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Offico within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Leopold de Breanski, 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 the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The chief object of this Invention is to provide a means for applying drills
to the drilling holes in metal plates or beams when fixed in a position inore
or less vertical or perpendicular, for example, the framing and plates of iron
ships, boilers, bridges, and other structures.
In effecting this object I provide the drill with a ratchet lever, crank, or
winch handle and mount it in an adjustable holder, using as a purchase or
support for the drill holder at any desired part of the plate or other surface
to be drilled a modification of what are known as "pneumatic bells," consisting
of a metallic bell or cup closed by a disc or plate of vulcanized india-rubber
or other suitable elastic material, which acts as an exhausting piston and forms
a partial vacuum between the bell and the surface to which it is applied, so
that the requisite amount of adhesion is obtained by atmospheric pressure
to resist the pressure of the drill and support the parts in position that carry
the drill.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn in several views the manner
of carrying out my Invention.
Fig. 1, Sheet I. shews in side view an arrangement of drilling apparatus
applied by means of a pair of pneumatic bells to, say, a vertical plate attached
to a ship's side for the purpose of drilling bolt holes therein; and Fig. 2 is a
front view of the same.
A, A, are the pneumatic bells, the action of which is to secure a firm
adhesion to the plate B by means of suction or exhaustion in front of the
diaphragm of the bells. The mode of constructing these bells so as to render

page_text: them adequate to the severe duties to which it is now intended to apply them,
will be hereafter explained in detail. The cylindrical stem A' of each bell is
passed through an eye formed in a coupling bar C. This bar forms a guide
for receiving a sliding saddle piece C', which is bored transversely to receive a
rod D, one extremity of which is fitted with a tapped socket. Through this
tapped socket passes a screw E, which is coned at its inner end to receive
the drill socket F, and to its outer end is keyed a hand wheel E', by turning
which the screw is protruded through the socket, and thus tho drill is
caused to follow up its work. On the drill socket F is keyed a ratchet
wheel G, which is embraced by the forked end of a hand lever II, that is
mounted loosely on the drill socket and carries a ratchet for working the
ratchet wheel.
It will now be understood that in commencing operations the drill is
brought near its work by adjusting the position of the guide bar C on the
stems of the pneumatic bells and securing it therein by the clamping
screws c, C.
It will further be seen that by simply shifting the saddle picce C' along the
bar C, the drill may be brought to position for boring a line of holes, and that
to shift it laterally it will only be necessary to slacken the clamping screw d,
when the rod D will be freo to slide in its socket, an 1 thus bring the drill into
a new position.
Fig. 3 shews in side elevation another arrangement in which one bell only
is used for securing the attachment of the boring apparatus, and in which a
hand crank is used for working the drill. In this example the bar C is formed
with a central socket, through which the cylindrical stem A¹ of the bell passes,
a firm connection between them being maintained by a clamping screw. Tho
bar C is fitted at its extremities with two eyes or sockets, one of which is
tapped to receive the screw E, which keeps the drill up to its work, while the
other receives a compound rod I, which is adjustable lengthwise, and is
intended by resting against the plate or beam B that is being drilled, to
counteract the thrust put on the opposite end of the bar C.
Fig. 4 shews, in partial sectional elevation, a further modification of the
drilling apparatus applied to a ship's side, with a bracket support for the
attendant workmen. The pneumatic bell A in this Figure is cast in one with
the stem A' and bracket A. Two of these will be required to carry the
platform K, and chains L let down from any fixed point, and connected to
the bracket, may be used to give further security to the workmen. The
brackets will be provided with tapped sockets to admit bearing screws M for
equalizing the strain of the load.

page_text: N is a pneumatic bell of a somewhat different form from those already
referred to, inasmuch as there is no fixed central stem.
a is a central sliding rod attached to the elastic diaphragm a¹ and furnished
with rack teeth into which a segment rack a takes, the same being operated
by a hand lever a³ for the purpose of drawing back the elastic diaphragm and
producing a partial vacuum between the diaphragm and the ship's side. When
this is effected the handle is secured in the dotted position by means of a
catch a*. Fitted into a socket in the bell, and firmly secured thereto, is a
stem b, which is formed with a socket at its outer end to receive a similar
stem for carrying a follower screw 6, which keeps the drill up to its
work. This drill is actuated by a band lever and ratchet wheel as before
described.
Fig. 5 shews the application of a pneumatic bell for carrying the pullies
of hauling apparatus. The cylindrical stem of the bell in this case forms a
stud axle for a pair of loose pullies.
I will now explain the manner in which I provide for the firm adherence of
the bells to their surfaces of support, and for their easy detachment therefrom
when the apparatus is required to be shifted in position.
In Sheet 11., Fig. 6 shows in longitudinal section my improved construction
of pneumatic bell on an enlarged scale as connected with a drill, but out of
action. It consists of a hollow cup-shaped metal casting A, the mouth of which
is closed by the insertion therein of a disc of strong vulcanized india-rubber 1,
or other suitable material; a holo is pierced in the centre of this disc for the
admission of the rod 2, the outer end of which expands into a flat disc between
which and a disc 3 the india-rubber is clamped. This I effect by first
applying a clamping nut 4, which nut works on a screw thread cut on the rod 2,
and I then apply the disc 3, which is tapped to take on to a screw thread
cut on the outside of the nut 4. The upper end of the rod 2 is screwed into
a hollow rod 5, to which is affixed a hand wheel 6 for effecting the exhaustion
of the bell. The hollow rod 5 is surrounded by the stem A' of the bell A, but
in such manner as to allow of its turning freely to draw up the rod 2, and with
it the diaphragm 1. The edge of the diaphragm is made secure to the bell
by means of a clamping ring 7, which is made fast to the casting by means of
screws as shewn. The cup of the bell is pierced as at 8, to prevent back
pressure when drawing up the diaphragmn by reason of confined air being
behind the diaphragm. In order to provide for the instant release of the bell
a taper hole is bored through the rod 2 to admit air in front of the diaphragm,
and thus to fill the vacuum between the diaphragm and the surface to which
the bell is attached. This taper hole is closed by an elastic pad 9 contained

page_text: within a small cup forming the termination of a rod 10, which lies within the
hollow rod 5. The cup of the rod 10 is tapped to allow of its binding on to
the rod 2, and thus pressing the pad tightly upon the central hole. A milled
head at the top of the rod 10 standing up above the wheel 6 allows of
this rod being raised to admit air down the rod 2 to the front of the
diaphragm.
Fig. 7 shews a slight modification of the manner of attaching the diaphragm
to the bell. In this instance the diaphragm is not inserted in the cup, but
lies flat against the lip. The same arrangement of clamping ring is however
employed.
Fig. 8 shews a further modification in which a flanged ring 11 is used for
clamping the edge of the elastic diaphragm. This ring is tapped and screwed
on to the lip of the bell, and it is further secured by means of screws set
equidistant around tho ring.
In all these modifications the stability of the adhering surface of the
diaphragm is secured, the tension put on the diaphragm having no tendeancy
to destroy contact so long as the strain put on the diaphragm by the central
rod in the act of producing the requisite vacuum is not allowed to contract its
diameter, or in technical phrase, does not allow its periphery to creep.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improved Apparatus
for Fixing Drills, which Invention is also applicable for Fixing Apparatus
for Raising, Supporting, and Suspending Weights, and for other analogous
Purposes," and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim the novel means above described for maintaining drills in position for
working, and for supporting and facilitating the raising of weights.
In witness whereof, I, the said Leopold de Bréanski, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.