IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE DRILLING OF BOILER RINGS AND OTHER METAL RINGS OR CYLINDERS, APPLICABLE IN PART TO OTHER USES." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Dixon, of Marple, in the County of Chester, for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE EMPLOYED
IN THE DRILLING OF BOILER RINGS AND OTHER METAL RINGS OR CYLINDERS,
APPLICABLE IN PART TO OTHER USES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Dixon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd April 1880.
SAMUEL DIXON, of Marple, in the County of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE DRILLING OF BOILER RINGS AND
OTHER METAL RINGS OR CYLINDERS, APPLICABLE IN PART TO OTHER USES."
My Invention relates to the apparatus wherein a number of drill frames or
headstocks are arranged radially with respect to a circular turntable whereon
boiler rings, or rings or cylinders of boiler plates, or of metal, are fixed in order
that they may be drilled or perforated. In the apparatus as constructed in
accordance with my Invention, each drill is arranged to be fed towards the work,
and to make a quick return movement when the drilling operation is completed.
The drill spindles are fitted to revolve in suitable bearings in or upon the head-
stock, and are also caused to slide in such bearings; or are fitted to slide in hollow
shafts which are arranged to revolve in bearings; or are fitted to revolve in parts
which are arranged to slide towards and from the work. The spindles are fed
towards the work during the drilling, and are quickly withdrawn on the completion
of each drilling operation. In one arrangement the feeding is effected by means of
racks which are acted upon by pinions, which are connected by gearing and by
vertical and horizontal shafts, with a second horizontal shaft which revolves upon
the same axis as the turn table, so that all the drills are caused to act in unison.
The feed motion is communicated to the rack pinion by means of a pawl which
engages with a notched wheel. When the drilling is completed the pawl is released
by the contact of a part of the pawl with an adjustable stop, whereby the said
pawl is disengaged from the notch wheel. A spring or weight acting upon the
sliding drill spindle, or the part in which it revolves, withdraws the drill, the pawl
returning over the notches in the wheel, and coming in contact with a second
adjustable stop, which causes it to engage with the notch-wheel, so that the parts
are immediately ready for another operation. The pawl is provided with a sliding
[Price Gdı

page_text: finger which is acted upon by a spring, and when the pawl is disengaged engages
with a notch or depression when the pawl is disengaged, the depression being so
formed as that the pressure of the finger causes the withdrawal of the pawl
clear of the notch-wheel. The drill spindles and the feed motions continue in
uninterrupted motion during the drilling of a number of holes, it being only
necessary to move the table to the required extent after each drilling operation.
This part of my Invention may be employed for other purposes wherein a quick
return movement is required. In other arrangements I employ cams to slide to
and fro, the parts in which the drill spindles revolve, the said cams being so forined
as to impart quick return movements to the drills; or I employ levers acted upon
by means of revolving cranks, the parts being so arranged as to impart the said
quick return movements. Each drill headstock is arranged to slide up and down
upon a standard, which is adjustable upon a bed towards and from the turntable.
The said headstock is raised and lowered by means of a screw, and the screws
which act upon all the headstocks are connected together so that simultaneous
action is obtained. Each screw receives motion through bevel gearing from a
horizontal shaft, which is mounted in the bed upon which the stanard is fitted
to slide. The inner ends of the horizontal shafts which actuate the several screws
are connected by bevel and spur gearing, or by a suitable arrangement of gearing
with a horizontal wheel which is fitted to revolve upon the same axis as the turn
table. One of the horizontal shafts is provided or connected with fast and loose
pullies, or is otherwise arranged to receive a revolving motion; or the said hori-
zontal wheel is actuated by means of a special driving shaft, as may be preferred.
Whon the said horizontal wheel is caused to revolve, a revolving movement is
imparted to all the screws simultaneously, and the drill headstocks are caused to
slide upwards or downwards according to the direction of revolution of the screws.
In order that the screws may be driven in either direction, I employ a reversing
arrangement, consisting of three pullies with cross and open straps, or any
suitable reversing motion.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Samuel Dixon in the Great Seal Patent Offico on the 2nd
October 1880.
SAMUEL. DIXON, of Marple, in the County of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE DRILLING OF BOILER RINGS AND
OTHER METAL. RINGS OR CYLINDERS, APPLICABLE IN PART TO OTHER USES."
My Invention relates to apparatus wherein a number of drill frames or head-
stocks are arranged radially with respect to a circular turntable whercon boiler
rings, or rings or cylinders of boiler plates or of metal are fixed in order that they
may be drilled or perforated. According to the first part of my Invention each
drill is arranged to be fed towards the work, and to make a quick return movement
when the drilling operation is completed. The drill spindles are fitted to revolve
in suitable bearings in or upon the headstock, and are also caused to slide in such
bearings; or are fitted to slide in hollow shafts which are arranged to revolve in
bearings; or are fitted to revolve in parts which are arranged to slide towards and
from the work. The spindles are fed towards the work during the drilling, and
are quickly withdrawn on the completion of each drilling operation. The feed
motion is communicated by means of a pawl which engages with a notched wheel.
When the drilling is completed the pawl is released by the contact of a part of the
pawl with an adjustable stop, whereby the said pawl is disengaged from the notch
wheel. A spring or weight acting upon the sliding drill spindle, or. the part in
which it revolves, withdraws the drill, the pawl returning over the notches in the
wheel, and coming in contact with a second adjustable stop which causes it to
engage with the notch-wheel, so that the parts are immediately ready for another
operation. This part of my Invention may be employed for other
wherein
a quick return movement is required. A second part of my Invention relates to the
arrangements for raising and lowering the headstocks, and for actuating the drill
spindles. Each headstock is raised and lowered by means of a scrow, and the
screws which act upon all the headstocks are connected together so that simul-
taneous action is obtained. Each screw receives motion through bevel gearing from
a horizontal shaft, which is mounted in the bed upon which the standard is fitted
to slide. The inner ends of the horizontal shafts which actuate the several screws
are connected by hevel and spur gearing, or by a suitable arrangement of gearing
with a horizontal wheel which is fitted to revolve upon the same axis as the turn-
table. One of the horizontal shafts is provided or connected with fast and loose
pullies, or is otherwise arranged to receive a revolving motion; or the said hori-
zontal wheel is actuated by means of a special driving shaft, as may be preferred.
When the said horizontal wheel is caused to revolve, a revolving movement is
imparted to all the screws simultaneously, and the drill headstocks are caused to
slide upwards or downwards according to the direction of revolution of the screws.
A corresponding arrangement imparts motion to the vertical shafts which actuate
the drill spindles.
purposes
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood I have attached
hereunto two Sheets of Drawings, to which I will now refer. In Sheet 1, which
is drawn to a scale of about four and three quarter inches to the foot, and is illus-
trative of the first part of my Invention, Fig. 1 represents a front elevation, and '
Fig. 2 a vertical section of one of the drill headstocks. In the said Figs. A is the
headstock, which is fitted to slide up and down upon a planed standard B, and c
is the drill spindle which is fitted to revolve within a sliding sleeve d. The tail
end of the spindle enters a hollow shaft c which revolves within a bearing f, and is
provided with a bevel-wheel whereby it receives motion from a bevil-wheel g
which is mounted in a bearing upon the headstock, and is arranged to slide upon a
vertical driving shaft h when the headstock is raised or lowered. When the shaft h
revolves the drill spindle is also caused to revolve. The sleevo d is arranged to

page_text: slide within a bearing i, and is prevented from revolving with the spindle. The
said sleeve is provided with a spur rack, with which gears a spur-pinion j, which
is fixed upon a hollow shaft h, which is mounted in a bearing formed in a bracket l.
Upon a shaft m which passes through the shaft k are keyed a worm-wheel n and
a notch-wheel o. A worm p upon a shaft q gears with the wheel n, and the shaft q
is connected by a train of spur gearing with a shaft 8, upon which is fixed a
worm-wheel t. A worm u arranged to slide upon the shaft h and to revolve with
it gears with the wheel t, and imparts thereto a revolving motion which is commu-
nicated through the gearing r, the shaft q, and the worm and wheel p, n, to the
shaft m. Upon the hollow shaft k is fixed or formed a lever v which carries a :
pawl w which is hinged upon a stud upon the said lever, and is adapted to engage
with the notches in the wheel o. When the said pawl does not engage with the
said wheel the shaft m revolves within the hollow shaft without imparting
motion thereto, but when the pawl engages with the said wheel the wheel acting
upon the pawl carries around the said lever, whereby the hollow shaft k is caused
to revolve, and as a consequence the rack pinion jacts upon the rack teeth on the
sleeve d, and thereby causes it to slide in the bearing i
The bracket is formed
with a circular head, in which is turned a "vee-groove" adapted to retain teo
headed bolts which secure two adjustable stops x and xl. The action of the parts
is as follows:-In the Drawings the pawl is represented as engaging with a notch
in the wheel o, and as a consequence the revolving motion of the shaft m will be
transmitted to the shaft k, and thereby to the pinion j, and the sleeve d will be
slid in the indicated direction as the drilling proceeds. The stop al is fixed in such
a position upon the head of the bracket as that when the drill has got through
or penetrated to the required extent the heel of the pawl comes in contact with the
stop, and the continued movement of the lever causes the withdrawal of the paw!
from the notch in the wheel. In a recess bored in the tail of the pawl at y a
conically pointed pin is fitted to slide, and is acted upon by a spring. When the
pawl end is nearly out of the notch the conical end of the said pin enters a depres-
sion in the lever u, and by being forced into such depression moves the pawl quickly s
until it is quite clear of the wheel o, and as a consequence the forward feed of the
drill ceases.
A spiral spring tends to force back the sleeve d, and when the
pawl is clear of the wheel o the said spring slides the sleeve quickly back, thereby
withdrawing the drill from the work. This backward movement of the sleeve
turns back the hollow shaft and the lever v until the pawl comes in contact with 3
the other stop & which forces the pawl into gear with the notch wheel, and the
forward feed of the drill recommences. The positions of the two stops determine
the traverse of the drill. It will be seen that tho drill spindle revolves continuously
in the same direction, it being only necessary to shift the work in the interval
between the drill recommencing its forward traverse and its reaching the work. 4
The wheels are changeable in order that the rate of feed of the drill may be
regulated. Any suitable form of spring or a weight may be used to draw back the
sleeve d. The pawl may be arranged to turn the notch wheel if considered to be a
preferable arrangement in any case. The arrangements for actuating the
drill spindle and for transmitting motion to the shaft m may be varied as
considered to be most suitable in each case. The pawl notch wheel and
stops may be applied as a self-acting releasing and engaging apparatus for
other purposes.
Sheet 2 illustrates the second part of my Invention. Fig. 3
representing a plan, and Fig. 4 a part clevation of a drilling machine, which
may be fitted with the parts illustrated in Sheet 1. In the said Figs. C represents 5
the ordinary revolvable turn-table upon which the work is fixed, and D, D, D, in
Fig. 3, are three beds upon which the vertical standards which carry the drill
headstocks are fixed. On one of these beds is represented a standard B which
may be the standard, a part of which is seen in Sheet 1. The three standards are
adjustable upon their beds towards and from the centre of the table, as is usual, 5
and one of the beds may be arranged to be moved into a line with one of the other
beds. The number of the beds and standards may be varied. The drill head-

page_text: stock A is raised and lowered by means of a vertical screw a¹, and the drill is
actuated by means of a vertical shaft h. The lower end of the said screw is
provided with a bevel wheel which gears with a corresponding wheel which is
fitted to slide upon and to turn with a horizontal shaft b', which is fitted to revolve
in bearings in the bed. The inner end of this shaft is connected by bevil gearing
with a vertical shaft which revolves in suitable bearings, and is provided with a
spur-wheel d. The said spur-wheel gears with a larger wheel e¹ which is fitted to
revolve upon the pillar f which sustains the table, the latter revolving on the
same axis as the said wheel e'. There is a corresponding arrangement in connection
with the shaft, which is connected by bevel gearing with a second horizontal
shaft g, which is connected by a second vertical shaft, and by bevel and spur-
wheels, with a second wheel ' also mounted on the pillar f. Each of the three
beds is provided with a corresponding arrangement of shafts and gearing connected
with the wheels e' and ', each of which connects together the three horizontal
shafts which actuate the screws or the upright shafts in the three standards, as
the case may be. One of the shafts g' is connected by bevel gearing with a driving
shaft k, which is provided with fast and loose driving pullies. When the strap is
on the fast pulley all the shafts g' and h are caused to revolve in unison, and the
drills are thereby actuated. Upon one of the shafts b' a worm-wheel l' is fixed,
and with this gears a worm which is fixed or formed upon a driving shaft m²,
which is provided with a fast pulley and two loose pulleys adapted for cross and
open straps, and forming a reversing motion whereby the shaft m', and, as a
consequence, the shafts b and the screws a¹, may be driven in one direction or the
other to raise or lower the three headstocks simultaneously and in unison, as may
be required. The arrangement might be varied by substituting for the wheel e¹
or a bevel wheel gearing with bevel pinions fixed on the ends of the shafts b
or g, as the case would be, and also the arrangements of and in connection with
the driving shafts k' and m³ may be varied to suit varying requirements.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention and
the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect, I would have it to be
understood that I claim :-
Firstly. The quick return movement for drill spindles, substantially as set
forth and indicated hereinbefore, and in and by the Drawings in the accompanying
Sheet 1.
Secondly. The notch wheel or an equivalent part, the pawl, and the adjustable
stops for releasing and re-engaging the pawl with the notch wheel, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth and indicated.
And, Lastly. Connecting the horizontal shafts in the radial beds of drilling
machines with a central wheel having a common axis with the table in order to
actuate tho drills or to raise or lower the headstocks simultaneously, as the case
may be, substantially as set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Dixon, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, the First day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sight
Signed and sealed by the said
Sanuel Dixon, in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
41, John Dalton St.,
Manchester.
(Agent for the Patentco.)
SAMUEL DIXON. (L.S.)