Improved Mechanism for Driving Diamond Drills for Rock Boring Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 3rd Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 6th Dec., 1887
Improved Mechanism for Driving Diamond Drills for Rock
Boring Purposes.
I, JOHN THOM of the firm of C. Thom and Son of Riccarton, in the County of Ayr,
North Britain, Mineral Borer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This Invention, which relates.to improved mechanism for driving diamond drills
for rock boring purposes, has for its object to reduce the cost of such mechanism and
to render the same more effective by economising the time occupied in conducting
the several operations necessary in diamond boring.
upon
wheels
upon
The Invention consists of a framework preferably carried
which
it stands and whereon it is moved from place to place where rock boring operations
have to be conducted by it. In this framing there is situated a horizontal shaft
provided with fast and loose pulleys over which a driving belt travels for actuating or
stopping the mechanism from time to time as required. This shaft, also carries at
its sides or ends a pair of spur pinions of different diameters and one of these is in
gear with a corresponding spur wheel on the shaft of a chain barrel. The pinions
and wheels are of two different sizes according to the speed at which the chain
barrel requires to be driven when winding up the boring rods and drill. At or about
the central part of this shaft a bevilled wheel or pinion is carried which gears into
another bevilled pinion on the inner end of a horizontal shaft situated at right angles
thereto. The outer end of this last mentioned horizontal shaft is provided with
another bevilled wheel which in turn gears into a bevilled pinion which drives the
shaft to which the boring rods are coupled. This last mentioned horizontal shaft
and its connections is pivoted at its inner end and is capable of being moved sideways
upon a quadrant so that it may be shifted out of its central position when it is desired
to lift the boring rods and drill from the chain barrel hereinbefore mentioned being
wound up on to the barrel and thereby lifting the rods.
For the purpose of preventing too much weight acting upon the diamond drill
during the boring operations and which happens when the bore hole becomes deep,

page_text: by virtue of the weight of the rods due to their length as then used, a provision is
made for counterpoising this weight. This provision consists of a second chain
barrel. one portion of which is of larger diameter than the other portion. The chain
first herein mentioned is caught by any suitable link by another chain which is wound
round the smaller part of this second chain barrel and a counterpoise of any desired
weight is suspended from a chain upon the larger part of the second chain barrel.
As it sometimes happens in boring operations with a diamond drill that the boring
rods are stopped in their revolution by a piece or pieces of rock or other material
choking the same in the bore hole provision is made in the improved mechanism
constituting this Invention for releasing the rods at such times as they may be so
stopped, and this consists of a shaft provided with handles which is caused to operate
on the suspension chain whereby the boring rods are or may be moved upwards and
downwards in the bore hole to a slight extent until the obstruction to their revolution
is removed.
Dated th
C T
1007
J. H. JOHNSON, DAY & JOHNSON,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Petitioner's Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Mechanism for Driving Diamond Drills for Rock Boring
Purposes.
1, JOHN THOм of the firm of C. Thom and Son of Riccarton, in the County of
Ayr, North Britain, Mineral Borer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention, which relates to improved mechanism for driving diamond drills for
rock boring purposes, has for its object to reduce the cost of such mechanism and to
render the same more effective by economising the time occupied in conducting the
several operations necessary in diamond boring.
The Invention consists of a framework preferably carried upon wheels upon which
it stands and whereon it is moved from place to place where rock boring operations
have to be conducted by it. In this framing there is situated a horizontal shaft
provided with fast and loose pulleys over which a driving belt travels for actuating or
stopping the mechanism from time to time as required. This shaft also carries at its
sides or ends a pair of spur pinions of different diameters and one of these is in gear
with a corresponding spur wheel on the shaft of a chain barrel. The pinions and
wheels are of the different sizes according to the speed at which the chain barrel
requires to be driven when winding up the boring rods and drill. At or about the
central part of this shaft a bevilled wheel or pinion is carried which gears into another
bevilled pinion on the inner end of a horizontal shaft situated at right angles thereto.
The outer end of this last mentioned horizontal shaft is provided with another bevilled
wheel which in turn gears into a bevilled pinion which drives the shaft or bar to
which the boring rods are coupled. This last mentioned horizontal shaft and its
connections are pivoted at its inner end and capable of being moved sideways upon a
quadrant so that it and the connected parts may be shifted out of the central position
when it is desired to lift the boring rods and drill by the chain barrel herein before
mentioned being rotated so as to wind up the chain.
For the purpose of preventing too much weight acting upon the diamond drill
during the boring operations and which happens when the bore hole becomes deep,
then used, a
by virtue of the weight of the rods due to their length as
provision is made for counterpoising this weight. This provision consists of a second
chain barrel, one portion of which is of larger diameter than the other portion. The
chain first herein mentioned is caught at any suitable link by a hook attached to
another chain which is wound round the smaller part of this second chain barrel and
a counterpoise of any desired weight is suspended from a chain upon the larger part
of the second chain barrel.
As it sometimes happens in boring operations with a diamond drill that the boring
rods are stopped in their revolution by a piece or pieces of rock or other material
choking the same in the borehole, provision is made in the improved mechanism

page_text: constituting this Invention for releasing the rods at such times as they may be so
stopped and this consists of a shaft provided with handles which is caused to operate
on the suspension chain whereby the boring rods are or may be moved upwards and
downwards in the borehole to a slight extent until the obstruction to their revolution
is removed.
In order that my Invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect I have hereunto appended three explanatory sheets of drawings in several
figures of which corresponding parts are indicated by the same Letters of Reference.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of my improved mechanism for driving diamond drills
for rock boring purposes and Figure 2, is a plan of the same. Figures 3, 4 and 5
being details of certain parts of the same mechanism and hereinafter more particularly
referred to.
carry
the
In the mechanism as shewn at Figures 1 and 2 the framing of the machine is
marked A, and it is carried upon a pair of axles and wheels marked B, upon which
the machine is capable of being drawn over the ground from place to place where
rock boring operations have to be performed and on which the mechanism rests during
such operations. The wheels and axles B, are carried in axle boxes situated at the
under part of the bracket C, and carried from the underside of the framing A. The
framing A, carries at its front part the quadrant or circular segment D, which is fitted
with a sliding saddle E, capable of being moved horizontally upon the said quadrant
or segment. The saddle E, is provided with a pair of brackets F, which
Crosshead G, more particularly seen at Figure 3. The Crosshead G, is formed with
an enlarged boss at its central part in order to contain the bush H, in which the
neck I, of the bevilled pinion J. rotates. Through the centre of the bevilled pinion J,
the upper section of the boring bar K, passes. The lower part of this section of the
boring bar is formed with a large collar L, which rests in the bearing M, attached to
or resting upon the Crosstail N, and this Crosstail is connected to the Crosshead O,
by means of the two bars P. The bars are attached at their upper parts to the
Crosshead G, by the pins a as shewn at Figure 3; and their lower parts are connected
together by the Crosstail R. The Crosstail N, is free by virtue of the holes formed in
the ends thereof to be slid upwards and downwards upon the bars Q. From this
arrangement it will be seen that when the hauling chain S, is raised the whole of that
part of the apparatus carrying the boring bar can be slid upwards and downwards for
the purpose of removing material choking the borehole and that independently of
moving the other parts of the mechanism the rod K, being similarly free to be moved
upwards and downwards within the bevilled pinion J, which drives it. This part of
the bar being formed with a feather fitting and sliding in a groove or slot in the hole
in the pinion as is well understood. The construction of this part of my apparatus
will be better understood by reference to the section Figure 3. This part of the
mechanism is supporied at its lower end by the bracket piece T, Figure 1, centred
upon the lower part of the bolt or pin U, whose lower part is made rigid by the
arms V, Figures 1 and 2, connecting it to the axle B. The upper part of the bolt U,
is carried in the lower part of the bearing W, as shown in dotted lines at Figure 1,
and in detail at Figure 5. The bearing W, is a swivelling bearing and carries the
inner end of the horizontal shaft X, whose outer end carries the bevilled wheel Y,
which gears into the bevilled pinion J. by which the boring bar K, is driven. The
inner end of the shaft X, carries the pinion Z, which gears into the bevilled wheel 'Z',
on the first motion shaft b, of the machine. The first motion shaft b, carries the fast
and loose pulleys c, c, over which a belt passes whereby the machine is driven or
stopped according as the belt is moved to run either upon the fast or loose pulley as
the case may be. This first motion shaft b, carries upon it the clutch d, which is
capable of being slid into and out of gear with the bevilled wheel Z', so that when the
said clutch is moved out of gear with the said bevilled wheel the said wheel ceases to
rotate. The clutch d, is moved from the handle d', upon the shaft d, which carries
at its inner end the fork by which the clutch d, is shifted on the shaft b, the clutch d,
is formed with a groove sliding upon a feather on the shaft b, in the well known
manner.

page_text: When it is desired to stop operations the clutch d, and the bevilled wheel Z', are
disconnected and the boring bars uncoupled from the screw connection K², at the
lower parts of the upper boring bar K. When this disconnection of the boring bars
has been made that part of the apparatus connected therewith and herein before
described more especially with reference to Figure 3, of the drawings as well as the
shaft K, and parts connected therewith are moved to one side by being pushed
horizontally upon the quadrant D, into the position shown in dotted lines at Figure 2,
whilst the bearing W, also swivells on its pivot as more especially shown at Figure 4.
When these parts of the mechanism are thus moved to one side of the machine the
boring bars are left in the borehole and are free to be raised out therefrom by the
hauling chain e, which is passed up over and then suspended down from a pulley or
block not shown on the drawings so that the free end of the said chain hangs above
the rods in the borehole. In this state the mechanism is in the condition for raising
the rods out of the borehole and this is effected in the following manner. The first
motion shaft b, carries at the opposite sides or ends thereof the spur pinions, and g,
respectively. These pinions are formed with clutches f¹, and y', which are operated
by the handles, and y, upon the rods f³, and g³, to which are attached the fork
clutches, the upper parts of which are seen in plan at Figure 2.
When the length of the rods in the borehole is not very long and consequently not
very heavy the pinion g, is by operating the clutch fl, from the handle f2, thrown
into gear with the spur wheel h, upon the chain barrel i, sufficient power being thus
obtained from the first motion shaft to raise the boring rods. When however the
length of boring rods in the hole is considerable and their weight consequently great,
greater leverage is necessary for lifting such considerable weight and in this case the
smaller spur pinion g, at the opposite end of the first motion shaft b, is by operating
the clutch g, from the handle g, thrown into gear with the larger spur wheel h', at
the opposite end of the chain barrel i, in this way greater leverage is obtained whereby
the additional weight of rods is lifted. The chain barrel i, is provided with a brake
wheel and strap, shown at Figure 2, and. which is operated by means of the handlej",
as is well understood so that such brake need not here be further described, provision
is also made for operating the chain barrel i, by hand when such may be necessary as
is sometimes the case. This consists of the pinion k, on the shaft k, this shaft k¹, is
carried in bearings, attached to the upper part of the framing of the machine and.
provided with handles ³, for rotating it. The said shaft is capable of being slid
horizontally in its bearings so that the pinion k, may be thrown into gear with the
wheel, on the chain barrel or the wheel 1, upon the second chain barrel m. A
weighted pawl n, is attached by a hinged joint ³, to the framing A, whereby the
said shaft k, is retained in whatever position required so as to keep the pinion k,
out of gear with either of the spur wheels h¹, or 1, or in gear with either of them as
required, the pawl n, being formed as is well understood to catch upon a collar k³,
formed upon the shaft k, and this as shewn on the drawing at k³, Figure 2, occupies
a central position relatively with the pawl n, so that the pinion k, is kept out of gear
with either of the spur wheels h', or 1. The second chain barrel m, is formed in part
of less diameter as shewn at m². To the larger part of the barrel m, the chain m², is
connected and upon it the counter weights m³, are suspended. The chain attached to
the smaller part of the second chain barrel, viz. the part marked m¹, is coupled by
means of the hook m³, to one of the links of the chain e, and as the tendency of the
counter weights m³, is to descend and thereby to wind up that part of the chain
carrying the hook m², and attached to the smaller part of the barrel m¹, these weights
act as a counterpoise to the weight of the boring rods so that too much of the weight
of the boring rods is thus prevented from bearing upon the diamond drill whilst the
same is operating in the borehole. As the borehole becomes deeper and the weight
of the boring rods consequently becomes greater, so additional counterpoising
weights m³, are from time to time added. By virtue of the second chain barrel being
constructed of two diameters and the counterpoise being attached to that part of
largest diameter viz. the part marked m, whilst the chain connected to the lifting
is attached to that part of the barrel of least diameter viz.: the part marked m
chain

page_text: it follows that the counterpoise weights used are much reduced by virtue of the
leverage obtained through the difference of diameters of the two parts m, and m¹, of
the second chain barrel. This counterpoise arrangement is also convenient when
raising the rods out of the borehole as the chain m², is made of sufficient length to
raise and lower the counterpoise weights m³, through a distance corresponding to the
lengths of each section of the boring bar.
It is to be understood that in raising the boring bars so as to unscrew the section
thereof the portion of the bar in the hole is temporarily supported by a suitable
gripping device placed over the borehole so as to suspend the bars from the collar of
the next joint in the manner well understood in boring operations until the eyebolt is
removed from the portion of the boring bar which has just previously been raised
and is screwed into the joint of the next section of the bar appearing at the top of
the borehole when the hook on the lifting chain S, is connected thereto and the bar
raised out of the borehole for the next length thereof to be unscrewed and so on until
all the sections of the boring bar are removed from the borehole.
It is also understood that the length of the rods P, attached to the Crosshead and
Crosstail O, and N, respectively figure 3, is such that when the parts are in the
position shown at Figure 3 viz. in their lowest position, they may (on unscrewing the
bar K, at the screwjoint K², from the upper length of the boring bar) be raised to
their uppermost position by the hauling chain S, operated from the chain barrel i.
When in this position a fresh length of boring bar is inserted by screwing its lower
end into the screw socket or attaching it by an equivalent joint to the upper part of
the rod in the borehole and by attaching its upper end to the screw joint K², or to an
equivalent joint at the lower part of the bar K. By this arrangement it follows that
the sliding framing composed of the Crosshead Ŏ, the Crosstail N, and side rods P,
becomes gradually lowered as the boring operation proceeds, until the insertion of a
further length or section of boring bar becomes necessary when the said parts are
again disconnected from the boring bars in the hole and a fresh length of boring bar is
inserted after the manner herein before described. The weight of the boring bar and
connected parts are carried by the collar bearing L, resting on the Crosstail N.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
boring machine substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn upon the annexed
sheets of drawings.
2. The arrangement by which the boring bars and the gear which drives them are
pivoted radially on the framing of the machine so that these parts may be moved
together with the saddle which slides on the quadrant at one end of the machine
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn upon the annexed sheets of
drawings.
3. The arrangement of differential chain barrels to the smaller of which the chain
carrying the boring bar is attached and to the larger of which there is attached a
chain carrying a counterpoise for the purpose of counterbalancing part of the weight
of the boring bars and thereby preventing too great weight acting upon the boring
head substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn upon the annexed sheets of
drawings.
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