IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR BLASTING ROCKS, AND THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME TO THE FORMATION OF TUNNELS
Year: 1860

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by Gustave Biehler, at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration on the
9th April 1860, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GUSTAVE
BIEHLER, of Salins, Jura, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession " IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
FOR BLASTING ROCKS, AND THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME TO THE FORMATION
OF TUNNELS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the
same, and have made solemn declaration that I am the true and first Inventor
thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Gustave Biehler, do hereby declare that
the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal fully describes
an ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed.
This Invention relates to a novel construction and arrangement of cartridge
to be applied to the blasting of rocks for the purpose of removing them for the
formation of tunnels, shafts, and galleries of mines, and other similar excava-
tions, or for working quarries, and other uses where blasting is required, and
also to an improved mode of forming tunnels, in which the improved cartridges
forming the first head of Invention are employed with advantage.

page_text: b
The object of the improved cartridge is to obtain a greater explosive force
than has hitherto been obtained with cartridges of the ordinary construction.
This is effected by constructing the cartridge (see Figures 1 and 2) in such a
manner as to leave a space al round it between the aperture bored in the
rock and the case containing the powder, by which means increased explosive
effect is produced by the sudden expansion of the air confined in such space
when the powder is ignited. For this purpose the case a containing the
powder is made of similar diameter than the aperture in which it is to act,
and is provided at each extremity with flanges of paper 6 fitting the aperture
in order to keep the cartridge in the centre and leave a space all round. An
iron rod c of sufficient strength to resist the blows of the rammer passes
through the interior of the cartridge from end to end. In order to avoid
accidents this rod is provided with a copper tip at its lower extremity and at
its upper end, which is formed like a nail head in a disc d of rough wood, which
is about equal in diameter to the aperture, space being left for the intro-
duction of the fuze or the electric wire e, by which the explosion is effected,
the fuze or wire leading to the middle of the cartridge.
The charge thus prepared having been introduced into the aperture, a
wad of paper fis placed on the top in order to prevent the entrance of sand
or gravel, and the ramming operation may be proceeded with without danger.
The iron rods may be afterwards recovered, being rarely injured, or if bent
may be straightened by a few blows with a hammer. The iron rods may be
dispensed with by attaching the wooden disc by means of two iron wires well
fastened outside the aperture; the first method is however preferred, as it is
more expeditious and economical.
The improved method of tunnelling will be understood by reference to the
other Figures of the accompanying Drawings, Figure 3 being a plan view,
Figure 4 a side elevation in section, and Figures 5 transverse sections of
the various stages of the operation. A manhole is first formed at 1, at one
end of the rock where the tunnell is required to be formed, and at a higher
elevation than the level of the line of rails, and when this has been formed
of sufficient length, the blasting charge is applied in order to form the first
arch, which is excavated to the required form; the other arches are then
proceeded with as seen at 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, each arch being
progressively excavated away lower and lower at bottom until the level of the
rails is reached at 5. The number and thickness of the arches and steps or
galleries thus formed will of course vary according to the nature of the soil
to be operated upon; it is important however that their dimensions should

page_text: always vary in the same proportions in order to obtain uniformity in the
work. The larger cartridges represented at Figure 1 are employed for the
formation of the manhole, only these are about five feet in length and an inch
and a half thick. For the formation of the galleries and arches, the smaller
ones thereon at Figure 2 are used; these are about two feet long and one
inch thick; by this means the operation is much facilitated by the rapid
removal of small blocks of rock, stone, or earth, instead of the slow laborious
operation of removing large masses at once. Moveable scaffolding.running
upon rails is employed, which is constructed at a moderate price of deal, and
is formed in such a manner as to allow of the free passage of trucks for the
transport of materials or other purposes, and yet allow of the workmen
working upon them with perfect safety. This improved scaffolding is
represented at Figures 6, 7 and 8, in plan view, side elevation, and end view.
By referring to the Drawings it will be seen that the arches may be formed
in two ways.
First, by means of cartridges acting in front parallel to the axis of the
tunnel, or,
Second, by causing them to act throughout the whole length of the arch by
means of cartridges perpendicular to the axis and which latter method is
the most expeditious.
It is almost superfluous to observe that while some of the workmen are
acting upon the uprights of the arch, others are acting upon those parts
embraced by the scaffolding upon which they are working.
It will be observed that the scaffolding employed for these two methods
differs in construction, but that whichever mode is adopted it is adviseable to
have all the blasting holes charged at once, so that all the charges may be
fired simultaneously by means of electricity.
By the above means it will be seen that great facility will be afforded in the
formation of tunnels in homogeneous rocks by acting upon both sides of it at
once, also that the necessity for so many ventilating shafts as are usually
employed is obviated.
In operating upon non-homogeneous rocks, and which do to not therefore
split uniformly, and cannot be removed in small quantities, the system of
successive and gradually increasing arches cannot be advantageously adopted,
but the work can be carried on with great rapidity by first removing or shaping
the dome by means of several charges of the larger cartridges, and descending
to the level of the rails by a serious of steps formed by means of the smaller
ones.

page_text: It will be seen that by proceeding as above described great rapidity of
execution and economy are effected.
In witness whereof, I the said Gustave Biehler, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-sixth day of March One thousand eight
hundred and sixty.
GUSTAVE BIEHLER. (LS.)