AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRILLING HOLES IN METAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Knapton, of the Albion Foundry, Monk-
bar, York, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRILLING
HOLES IN METAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 22nd December 1857, and dated the 22nd June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Knapton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd June 1857.
I, WILLIAM KNAPTON, of the Albion Foundry, Monk-bar, York, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR
DRILLING HOLES IN METAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed for affording a more ready, simple, and efficient
mode than heretofore practised of holding round, square, or other shaped
articles, both solid and hollow, whilst drilling holes in the same, and is more
particularly adapted to water pipes, gas pipes, and such like fixed articles.
The improved machine which I propose to use for the above purpose is
constructed upon the following principle:-Into a hollow or skeleton base
plate two uprights are securely fixed opposite to each, and to these are fixed
cross pieces of metal formed with bearings for supporting an ordinary ratchet
brace and drill. The abutment for the pressure screw of the drill is a cross
head connected to the upper and screwed ends of the before-mentioned
uprights by nuts. The above-mentioned hollow or skeleton base plate is
formed with hooks at one side or edge thereof, and to the other side or edge
one end of an ordinary flat double link chain is permanently connected by a
pin or rivet. The use of the aforesaid chain is to encircle and hold fast the
article which it is desired to operate upon with the drill; this I propose to
effect by adapting a swivel hook to the hooked part of the aforesaid base
plate, and to one or other of the pins or rivets of the said chain, at or near

page_text: the other end thereof, and according to the size of the article which it is
desired to encircle by the aforesaid chain. In like manner the before-men-
tioned swivel hook must be hooked upon that cross pin or rivet of the chain
most convenient; the links of the chain are afterwards tightened round the
article, and the drilling apparatus firmly and readily secured thereto by a nut
passed over the upper and screwed end of the aforesaid. hooked swivel which
may be tightened thereon by a key or spanner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Knapton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd December 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
KNAPTON, of the Albion Foundry, Monk-bar, York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Knapton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Knapton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Knapton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at 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 "AN
IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRILLING HOLES IN METAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Knapton, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my or their
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Knapton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention is designed for affording a more ready, simple, and efficient
mode than heretofore practised of holding round, square, or other shaped

page_text: articles, both solid and hollow, whilst drilling holes in the same, and is more
particularly adapted to water pipes, gas pipes, and such like fixed articles.
The improved machine which I propose to use for the above purpose is con-
structed upon the following principle, that is to say, into a hollow or skeleton
base plate two uprights are securely fixed opposite to each other, and to these
are fixed cross pieces of metal, formed with bearings for supporting an ordinary
ratchet, brace, and drill. The abutment for the pressure screw of the drill is
a cross head connected to the upper and screwed ends of the before men-.
tioned uprights by nuts. The above-mentioned hollow or skeleton base plate
is formed with hooks at one side or edge thereof, and to the other side or
edge one end of an ordinary flat double link chain is permanently connected.
by a pin or rivet. The use of the aforesaid chain is to encircle and hold fast
the article which it is desired to operate upon with the drill. This I propose.
to effect by adapting a swivel hook to the hooked part of the aforesaid base
plate, and to one, or other of the pins or rivets of the said chain at or near the
other end thereof, and according to the size of the article which it is desired
to encircle by the aforesaid chain, in like manner the before-mentioned swivel
hook must be hooked upon that cross pin or rivet of the chain most con-
venient. The links of the chain are afterwards tightened round the article, and
the drilling apparatus firmly and readily secured thereto by a nut passed over.
the upper and screwed end of the aforesaid hooked swivel, which may be
tightened thereon by a key or spanner.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked
thereon respectively as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 exhibits a side elevation of my improved machine for drilling
holes, and the adaptation thereof to a pipe; Figure 2, a top plan view thereof;
Figure 3, a transverse and vertical section through the line A, B, at Figures
1 and 2; Figure 4, a longitudinal and vertical section through the line C, D,
at Figure 3. Figure 5 shews the above machine adapted to a considerably
larger pipe than that exhibited at the other Figures. At each of the fore-
going figures I employ similar letters of reference to denote corresponding
parts, in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures
respectively.
A, A, is a skeleton frame, formed of a base plate B, cross heads C, and

page_text: uprights D, D, to which are adjusted and connected the following parts, E,
a ratchet brace of the ordinary kind, mounted and working in suitable
bearings in the cross pieces G, G, which said pieces have liberty of sliding
upon the uprights D, D. H is a double link chain (or it may be a strap or
other fastening), one end of which is permanently connected by a pin or rivet
a to the base plate B, and to one or other of the pins or rivets which
connect the several links of the aforesaid chain together (according to the
diameter of the pipe or other article to be drilled) I connect a screw hook
I, and adjust thereon a plate K and nut b; the extremities of the plate K
are formed round and fit into corresponding shaped recesses formed in the
parts c, c, of, the plate B, so that by tightening the nut b against the plate
K, the chain I will be tightly drawn around the pipe X or other article to
which it may be applied, and thus hold the drilling machine firmly in any
desired position upon the pipe X or other article to be drilled.
my
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of said
Invention of An Improved Machine for Drilling Holes in Metal and other
Substances," together with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying
the same into practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion, that I hereby
declare my Invention to consist in and I claim combining a chain, strap, or
other equivalent fastening, and a frame and ordinary ratchet brace together,
so as to constitute an improved machine adapted for drilling holes in metal
and other substances, whereby the operation of adjusting the drilling instru
ment to the article to be drilled (especially fixed articles, such as gas or water
pipes), and of holding the drilling machine firmly whilst in use, are rendered
more certain and effective than the means heretofore employed for that pur-
pose; and especially I claim the chain, strap, or other equivalent fastening H
hook and plates I, B, and K, and frame A, A, as constituting the principal
parts of my improved machine for drilling holes in metal and other
substances.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Knapton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
GEORGE GORE,
Mount Ephriam, York.
WILLIAM KNAPTON. (L.S.)