IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BORING WELLS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Rowles, of Rickmansworth, in the County of
Hertford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BORING
WELLS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Sealed the 15th September 1877, and dated the 11th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Rowles at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th July 1877.
WILLIAM ROWLES, of Rickmansworth, in the County of Hertford.
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BORING WELLS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
"
IMPROVE-
My Invention relates to an improved earth borer for boring wells and other 'like
purposes, and consists in an apparatus of simple and inexpensive construction,
capable of being operated by hand power, and so constructed that the hole is bored
and the debris formed by the boring chisel is brought up to the surface (when the
tool is raised out of the hole) by one apparatus.
It consists of a wrought-iron cylinder or tube divided by a partition at a con-
venient point in its length into two chambers, the upper one to contain the operating
mechanism and the lower one to receive the debris. To the lower end is attached
a circular rim or shoe of rather larger diameter than the cylinder, in which is fixed
the boring chisel or chisels. This end is furnished with an india-rubber valve,
which allows the debris to rise past it into the lower chamber each time. the.tool
falls, and retains it therein.
L
The boring chisel is fixed in bayonet slots by wedges or keys, which are them-
selves kept in place by a loose ring resting upon them, the ring alsó serving as a
guide for the tube to slide up and down in.
The apparatus is suspended by a rope, and is alternately raised and allowed to
fall, a rotary motion being imparted to it at each stroke by the mechanism. provided
at the upper end of the tube for that purpose, and consisting of a swivel to which
the rope is attached, the said swivel being fixed on a spindle, which turns with it
and slides through a double clutch fixed in the tube.

page_text: The corresponding half clutches are fixed on the spindle above and below the
double clutch, and engage therewith, the teeth of the two clutches being so arranged
relatively to each other that as the rope commences to lift the apparatus (the chisel
being still in the ground, and prevented from turning), the teeth of the lower clutch
slide on one another, so as to shift the upper clutch to the extent of half a tooth
and twist the rope.
The torsion of the rope causes a partial rotation of the whole apparatus as it is
raised so that the chisel will strike in a different direction at the next stroke when
the teeth of the upper clutch slide upon one another so as to shift the lower clutch
to the extent of half a tooth, in order that the apparatus may be again partially
rotated when again raised, and so on repeatedly.
It will be obvious that the lower chamber of the apparatus may not only
bring up the debris of boring, but also water, if the valve be mado water-tight.
T
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Rowles in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th January
1878.
"IMPROVE-
WILLIAM ROWLES, of Rickmansworth, in the County of Hertford.
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BORING WELLS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
My Invention relates to an improved earth boring tool for boring wells and
other like purposes of simple construction, and capable of being worked by hand-
power. It is moreover so arranged as both to bore the hole and also to bring the
debris formed by the boring chisel up to the surface when the tool is raised out of
the ground.
I have illustrated the improved tool of my Invention in the accompanying
Drawings, in which,―
Figure 1 represents an external view of the tool, and Figure 2a vertical section.
thereof, as it hangs by the rope by which the tool is worked.
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 illustrate the successive positions assumed by the mechanism
for rotating the tool.
The tool consists of a wrought-iron cylinder tube A divided by a partition B at
any convenient point into two chambers, the upper one C to contain the operating.
mechanism, and the lower one D to receive the debris. On the lower end is formed
or attached a rim or shoe E of rather larger external diameter than the tube A,
flared at the lower edge or mouth, as shown.
F is the boring chisel of the usual shape, fixed therein by two lugs F¹ secured in
· bayonet slots by keys G.
His a ring to serve as a guide for the tube A to slide up and down in, and also
to keep the keys G in place.
I is an india-rubber valve fixed on the chisel, or it may be a metal clack valve
hinged at one side to the tube A to retain the debris which passes the chisel every
time the tool falls in the chamber D.
The tool is suspended by a rope, and is alternately raised and let fall, a partial
rotary motion in one direction being imparted to the tube A and chisel F by
mechanism contained in the chamber C, consisting of a double pair of clutches, of
which the centre portion L is fixed immovable in the tube A, and has ratchet teeth

page_text: inclined in opposite directions on its upper and lower sides, the corresponding
portions M, N, having similar teeth, and being keyed at such a distance apart on
a spindle O, that when the one is engaged with the teeth of part L, the other is
disengaged. This spindle O turns and slides within the part L, and to it is also
attached a loop P, the parts M, N, O, P, moving together.
The rope by which the tool: worked is fastened to the loop P, and the action
of the clutches is as follows:-When the tool hangs freely, the lower clutch N is
in gear, as shown in Figure 2. When it strikes the ground the upper clutch M
first falls onto the part L, as shown in Figure 3, whereupon the lower clutch N is
disengaged, the teeth of the upper clutch then sliding into the corresponding teeth
of the part L, whereby the clutch N is rotated to the extent of half a tooth in the
direction of the arrow, as shown in Figure 4, and the rope is also slightly twisted.
As the tool is being raised, and before the chisel comes out of the ground, the teeth
of the lower clutch N (which has been shifted round half a tooth, as above men-
tioned) first strike the teeth on the lower side of the part K, as shown in Figure 5,
and then slide in the direction, indicated by the arrow in that Figure, into the
position shown in Figure 6, whereby the upper clutch M is disengaged and shifted
round half a tooth, and the rope is still further twisted, the tool being meanwhile
prevented from turning by the chisel being still embedded in the ground. As soon
however as it is free, the torsion of the rope turns the loop P back to the position,
Figure 2, and rotates the entire tool in the direction of the arrow, Figure 6,
the distance of a whole tooth, and so on repeatedly at each successive stroke,
the loop P turning back and forth, but the tube A and chisel F turning con-
tinuously in one direction, so that the latter will strike in a fresh place.
When the apparatus is used in gault or clay, slots R, Figure 2, are made in the
chamber D to euable an instrument to be inserted to push out the debris, which,
being in a plastic state, would otherwise be difficult to remove.
It will be obvious that the lower chamber D may be used to bring up water by
making the valve I close watertight, and dispensing with the slots R.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. An earth borer consisting of a hollow cylinder or tube open at bottom,
armed with a chisel, and provided with a valve, substantially as shown and
described, whereby the debris is retained and brought to the surface as set forth.
2nd. The combination with a tool, constructed as above specified, of the clutches
L, M, N, connected to a spindle O and rope attachment P, whereby the boring tool
is rotated continuously in one direction by the torsion of the rope, substantially as
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Rowles, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
cight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM ROWLES. (L.S.)