IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRILLING HOLES IN COAL AND ROCK
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernst Gustavus Reuss, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRILLING
HOLES IN COAL AND ROCK."
Sealed the 10th January 1879, and dated the 18th October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernst Gustavus Reuss at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th October 1878.
ERNST GUSTAVUS REUSS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRILLING HOLES IN COAL AND ROCK,"
IMPROVE-
It has been proposed to effect the disruption of masses of coal or rock in mines,
tunnels, and other workings by means of cartridges caused to expand or burst by
charging then with compressed air or other fluid under very high pressure, the said
cartridges being inserted in holes bored in the coal or rock. In operating in this
manner, it is necessary that the holes for the reception of the cartridges should be
as straight and true as possible, and such as to fit the cartridge very accurately.
My Invention relates to apparatus for drilling such holes with accuracy to various
sizes and depths, for which purpose I have contrived drills of special construction,
means of conveniently adding lengths to their stems for drilling deep holes, and
means of adjusting the drilling apparatus to the required attitude on the face of a
working, and of holding it firmly in position, the arrangement for this purpose
being applicable generally for the adjustment and support of rock-boring apparatus,
and for guide or other pullies by which power is conveyed in tunnels, mines, and
workings. The drills which I employ for boring holes in coal, and which are
applicable also to the softer rocks, present cutting edges which, instead of grinding
or pulverising the material on which they operate, penetrate under the exposed
surface so as to cut off a shaving like a knife blade or plane iron. For holes of
moderate size, for example, one inch to two inches in diameter, the drill stem and
cutters may be made in one piece, the cutters being in the form of two wings
projecting from the stem with their edges set forward in the direction of rotation,

page_text: their front side sloped backwards from the edge, and their hinder sides rounded off
obliquely so as to give ample clearance, an angular drill point being formed centrally
between the wings to bore in advance of them a small hole, whereby the drill is
guided centrally forward. For drills of larger size, the cutters of similar form are
separate pieces inserted into slots in a head which is secured to or forms part of
the drill stem, and they are fixed by means of wedge keys which may have bevilled
ends projecting a little from the head so as to operate for broaching out the hole
behind the drill. A drill of the large size, besides having its main wing cutters
secured in the head described, may have in the front of the head a drill of the
smaller kind, boring a small hole in front which is enlarged by the cutters behind,
and broached out true by the ends of the wedges. In many cases however, it is
preferable to bore first a small hole by a separate drill, and then to enlarge it by a
drill constructed as a pin drill, having its cutter wings behind a projecting nose
piece which enters the hole already bored, and serves as a guide to the larger
drill.
For boring holes of considerable depth, it is often inconvenient in limited spaces
to employ long stemmed drills. In order to avoid this inconvenience, I make up a
long stem of a number of short lengths, each of which is screwed or otherwise
fastened to the next in order. Thus, beginning with a short stemmed drill screwed
to the spindle of the drilling machine, I cause it to revolve and advance till it has
bored a hole as far as it can reach; I then unfasten it from the spindle, which in
the case where it is screwed thereto, may be effected by reversing the direction of
rotation so as to unscrew the drill; I draw back the drill spindle, insert a short
length of stem between it and the drill which remains in the hole, and so on till the
hole is bored of the required depth. Instead of introducing these lengths between
the drill spindle and the drill itself, they may be added at the back end of the
spindle, each such added length acting for a time as the spindle, until it is advanced
and succeeded by another length.
For adjusting and steadily securing the drilling machine, I employ an apparatus
of the following description :-It consists of a strong plate or disc provided with
three or more setting screws, and having passed through its middle a strong
screwed stem fitted with a nut. On the circumference of this stem are cut three or
mere taper grooves, their depth being greatest towards the front end of the stem.
Each of these grooves is fitted with a key which has a gib head held in a recess of
the disc. I bore by a drill or jumping tool or otherwise a hole from 6 inches to a
foot deep in the face of the coal or rock, and into this hole I insert the screwed
stem with its keys, the disc being held nearly close up to the face. By means of
the setting screws bearing against the face, I adjust the disc to such attitude as is
desired relatively to the working, and I screw up the nut so as to draw the stein
outwards. The keys lying in the taper grooves of the stem are thus caused to
expand and to press firmly against the sides of the hole, so that the stem becomes
tightly held in position by them; and thus by tightening the nut on the stem, and
by screwing or unscrewing the setting screws of the disc, the projecting end of the
stem is made to take and to hold the attitude desired. On this stem I fit a boss,
securing it by a setting screw at any point and at any angle desired, and through
another hole in this boss I pass the stem of the drilling machine, securing it by a
setting screw. The drilling machine being thus attached by an adjustable universal
joint can be set as desired and is held firmly, the drill being directed truly in the
line determined for boring. For undoing this fixing, it is only necessary to unscrew
the nut and push back the stem, so that the keys become slackened in the hole, and
the whole can then be removed. This mode of adjusting and fixing a drill is
obviously applicable generally in mines, tunnels, or workings where it is difficult
or inconvenient to erect framing for the purpose, and where it is desirable to fix
apparatus to the face of rock or material which has to be operated on.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ernst Gustavus Reuss in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
April 1879.
ERNST GUSTAVUS REUSS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRILLING HOLES IN COAL AND ROCK."
It has been proposed to effect the disruption of masses of coal or rock in mines,
tunnels, and other workings, by means of cartridges caused to expand or burst by
charging them with compressed air or other fluid under very high pressure, the
said cartridges being inserted in holes bored in the coal or rock. In operating in
this manner it is necessary that the holes for the reception of the cartridges should
be as straight and true as possible, and such as to fit the cartridge very accurately.
My Invention relates to apparatus for drilling such holes with accuracy to various
sizes and depths, for which purpose I have contrived drilis of special construction,
means of conveniently adding lengths to their stems for drilling deep holes, and
means of adjusting the drilling apparatus to the required attitude on the face of a
working, and of holding it firmly in position, the arrangement for this purpose
being applicable generally for the adjustment aid support of rock-boring apparatus
and for guide or other pullies, by which power is conveyed in tunnels, mines, and
workings. The drills which I employ for boring holes in coal, and which are
applicable also to the softer rocks, present cutting edges, which instead of grinding
or pulverising the material on which they operate penetrate under the exposed
surface, so as to cut off a shaving like a knife blade or plane iron. For holes of
moderate size, for example, one inch to two inches in diameter, the drill stem and
cutters may be made in one piece, the cutters being in the form of two wings pro-
jecting from the stem with their edges set forward in the direction of rotation, their
front sides sloping backwards from the edge, and their hinder sides rounded off
obliquely so as to give ample clearance; an angular drill point being formed
centrally between the wings to bore in advance of then a small hole, whereby the
drill is guided centrally forward. For drills of larger size the cutters of similar
form are separate pieces inserted into slots in a head, which is secured to or forms
part of the drill stem; and they are fixed by means of wedge keys, which may
have bevilled ends projecting a little from the head, so as to operate for broaching
out the hole behind the drill. A drill of the large size, besides having its main
wing cutters secured in the head as described, may have in the front of the head
a drill of the smaller kind boring a small hole in front, which is enlarged by the
cutters behind and broached out true by the ends of the wedges. In many cases
however it is preferable to bore first a small hole by a separate drill, and then to
enlarge it by a drill constructed as a pin drill having its cutter wings behind a
projecting nose piece, which enters the hole already bored, and serves as a guide to
the larger drill.
Eor boring holes of considerable depth it is often inconvenient in limited spaces
to employ long stemmed drills. In order to avoid this inconvenience I make up a
long stem of a number of short lengths, each of which is screwed or otherwise
fastened to the next in order. Thus, beginning with a short stemmed drill
screwed to the spindle of the drilling machine, I cause it to revolve and advance till
it has bored a hole as far as it can reach; I then unfasten it from the spindle,
which in the case where it is screwed thereto may be effected by reversing the
direction of rotation, so as to unscrew the drill. I draw back the drill spindle, insert
a short length of stem between it and the drill which remains in the hole, and so on
until the hole is bored of the required depth. Instead of introducing these lengths
between the drill spindle and the drill itself they may be added at the back end of
the spindle, each such added length acting for a time as the spindle until it is
advanced and succeeded by another length.
For adjusting and steadily securing the drilling machine I employ an apparatus
of the following description-It consists of a strong plate or disc provided with

page_text: three or more setting screws, and having passed through its middle a strong
screwed stem fitted with a nut. On the circumference of this stem are cut three
or more taper grooves, their depth being greatest towards the front end of the stem.
Each of these grooves is fitted with a key, which has a gib head held in a recess of
the disc. I bore by a drill or jumping tool or otherwise a hole from 6 inches to a
foot deep in the face of the coal or rock, and into this hole I insert the screwed
stem with its keys, the disc being held nearly close up to the face. By means of
the setting screws bearing against the face I adjust the disc to such attitude as is
desired relatively to the working, and I screw up the nut so as to draw the stem
outwards. The keys lying in the taper grooves of the stern are thus caused to
expand and to press firmly against the sides of the hole, so that the stem becomes
tightly held in position by them; and thus by tightening the nut on the stem,
and by screwing or unscrewing the setting screws of the disc, the projecting end of
the stem is made to take and to hold the attitude desired. On this stem I fit a
boss, securing it by a setting screw at any point and at any angle desired; and
through another hole in this boss I pass the stem of the drilling machine, securing
it by a setting screw. The drilling machine being thus attached by an adjustable
universal joint can be set as desired, and is held firmly, the drill being directed
truly in the line determined for boring. For undoing this fixing it is only necessary
to unscrew the nut and push back the stem, so that the keys become slackened in
the hole, and the whole can then be removed. This mode of adjusting and fixing
a drill is obviously applicable generally in mines, tunnels, or workings where it is
difficult or inconvenient to erect framing for the purpose, and where it is desirable
to fix apparatus to the face of rock or material which has to be operated on.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front view and Fig. 2 a side view of a drill or boring tool suitable for
boring holes in coal. The central part A of the tool acts as a drill boring in
advance of the wing cutters B, which are made with chisel edges set forward so as
to cut shavings off the coal. The part C in Fig. 1 is a lengthening piece, of which
several can be added to the drill as the hole which it bores is deepened. For holes
of larger size the boring tool is made as shewn in the perspective view, Fig. 3, the
cutters and wedges for securing them being as shewn separately at Fig. 4.
In this
construction the central part D of the tool is a drill similar to that shewn in Figs. 1
and 2, boring a central hole in advance of the larger cutters E, which form part of
a gib-shaped piece inserted in a slot of the boring bar and secured by wedges F.
Either or both of the wedges F may be of steel, hardened and ground off to oblique
'faces at the ends, so as to operate as broaches, slightly enlarging the hole and
smoothing its interior surface behind the drill head. Fig. 5 shews a pin drill to be
used for enlarging a hole already bored nearly to the size of the central part G.
Fig. 6 is a side view and Fig. 7 a plan of a drill head which has interior as well as
exterior shaving edges, the interior edges leaving between them a cone of the coal,
which serves as a central guide for the drill. Fig. 8 is a side view partly in section
of the means of fixing the drill in any desired attitude. The apparatus for this
purpose consists of a strong stem H having a screw on its end with three taper
grooves cut therein, as shewn in transverse section at Fig. 9. In these grooves are
fitted keys h, which have gib heads secured between two plates I. These plates are
provided with three or four setting screws i, and a nut K fits the screw thread of H.
A hole being bored in the face of the mineral of sufficient size to admit the screwed
end of H with its three keys, the set screws i are screwed or unscrewed as required
to adjust the plates I to the required attitude, and the nut K being tightened up
the stem H is drawn forwards, while the keys h remain at the same depth in the
hole. The taper form of the grooves as H is drawn forwards, has the effect
of squeezing the keys with great force against the sides of the hole, and thus the
stem H is steadily fixed therein. On H is fitted a cross socket L, having one hole
through it fitting H, and another cross hole fitting the tubular stem M of the drill.

page_text: The socket L can be turned in any direction round H, and secured at any part of it
by a set screw, and in like manner the drill stem M can be secured in the socket in
any direction at any part of its length. Thus by suitable direction of the hole in
the mineral, and by the adjustment of the setting screws of the socket L on the
stem H and of the stem M in the socket L, the position and direction of the drill N
can be varied as desired within the limits of the apparatus.
Although I have shewn in Fig. 8 a form of drill suitable for being worked by
hand, obviously a drill worked by a strap or gearing from any convenient motor
could be mounted and adjusted in a similar manner, and the screw stem H with its
keys h, plates I, set screws i, and nut K might be used to support drills and boring
or cutting machines of other forms, or guide pulleys for leading straps or bands
along-tunnels or workings to drive such machines. I find it convenient to provide
on the stem a collar that can be fixed at any part of its length by a set screw
close up to the socket L, so that when the socket has been drawn back for the
purpose of withdrawing the drill from the hole in order to clear it, on pushing the
socket back against the collar the drill is brought just as far forwards as it was
before withdrawal. I also sometimes provide a keyway in the stem H, with a key
which can be fixed within the socket L by a set screw, so that the drill having been
adjusted to a particular angular attitude and the key tightened in position the drill
may be withdrawn, and when pushed back again it will have the same attitude as
it had before withdrawal.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim,―
First. The use for boring holes in coal and soft rock of drills having cutting
edges set forwards in the direction of rotation so as to cut shavings off the material
operated on, as herein described, and shewn in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive of the accom-
panying Drawings.
Second. The use for fixing and adjusting a drill or other tool in a mine, tunnel, or
working, of apparatus constructed and operating substantially as herein described,
with reference of Figs. 8 and 9 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernst Gustavus Reuss, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
ERNST
G. KEUSS. (L.S.)