IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGE- MENT OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS OR OTHER ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1869

page_text: a
In the Matter of Letters Patent granted to THOMAS BROWN, of
Newgate Street, in the City of London, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGE-
MENT OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS
OR OTHER ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES," a communication from abroad
by Charles Burleigh, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, in the
United States of America, bearing date at Westminster the
25th day of November 1869, No. 3411, which Letters Patent
have been assigned to and are now vested in me GEORGE
HASELTINE, of 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of
Laws.
CLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION as proposed to be
entered by the said George Haseltine, pursuant to the Statutes in
that case made and provided.
VHEREAS Her Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent,
ler the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

page_text: '
.
Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the 25th day of November, in
the year of our Lord 1869, in the thirty-third year of Her reign, did
give and grant unto the said Thomas Brown, his executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, the sole privilege of making, using, exercising,
and vending the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
AND ARRANGEMENT OP MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS
OR OTHER ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES," within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, for and
during the term of fourteen years thence next ensuing:
And whereas in pursuance of a proviso in the said Letters Patent
contained, the said Thomas Brown did, within six months from the time
of applying for the said Letters Patent, cause a Specification in writing
under his hand and seal, purporting to describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, to be duly filed in the Great Seal Patent Office:
And whereas the said Thomas Brown did, with the leave of Her
Majesty's then Attorney-General, on the 27th October 1873, file in
the Great Seal Patent Office a Memorandum of Alteration of the said
Specification:
'
And whereas since the filing of the said Memorandum of Alteration
it has been discovered that part of the said Invention as described and
claimed in the Specification when altered as aforesaid may be objected
to on the ground that as described and claimed it was not new, and
farther, that the description as altered is not sufficiently precise, and
in consequence thereof I hereby disclaim and alter parts of the said
Specification and claiming clauses in manner following, that is to
say:-
Referring to the Queen's Printer's copy of the said Specifiation as
altered according to the memorandum aforesaid, and bearing the number
3411, at page 3, lino 14, I insert the letter "m" omitted in the word
"accomodate." At page 4, line 26, I omit one of the reference letters.
"y," and at page 4, lines 27 and 28, I omit all the sentence after the
words "cross section." At page 5, line 6, after the word "piston " I
insert "rod." At page 5, line 23, for the reference letter m I sub-
stituto g. At page 5, line 32, page 6, lines 1, 2, and 5, I omit the words
"plane or."
At page 6, line 9, after the words "bent lever" I insert

page_text: At
At page 8, line 12,
within parenthesis "(shewn in Figure 6)." At page 6, line 37 between
the words "is" and "connected" I insert the word " "directly."
page 7, lines 9 and 10, for the words "distances clearly indicated in
Figure 3 and " I substitute "a distance beyond as indicated in Figure 2.''
At page 7, lines 19, 21, and 25, and page 8, line 12, and page 9, line 1,
I omit the reference letter "10." At page 7, lines 20, 22, and 26, and
page 8, line 13, I omit the reference letter "a." At page 7, lines 21
and 24, and page 8, lines 25, 27, 30, and 37, and page 9, lines 1 and 3,
for the reference letter "a" I substitute "a."
before the word "pawl" I insert "the." At page 8, lines 26 and 30,
and page 9, lines 4 and 6, for the reference letter "6" I substitute "b."
At page 8, lines 31 and 32, I omit the words "but only raises the lever
slightly from the trigger." At page 9, line 11, I omit the word " "bunter,"
and at page 9, line 12, for the words "with the" I substitute "on a."
In page 9, I omit the lines 20, 21, and 22.
At page 9, line 23, for the
word "Secondly" I substitute "First." And in line 24, after the
reference "q" I insert the words "directly.connected to the slide and
acting" in the same line for the word "the" before "annular " I
substitute "one," and from the same line 24, and from 25, I omit the
words "or elliptical." At page 9, line 27, for the word "Thirdly," I
substituto "Second;" for "a" "I substitute "a;" for "qualfier 6' I
substitute "trigger b." At page 9, linės 30 and 31, for the words
"Fourthly. The spiral slot on the spiral and straight slots formed in the
piston rod," I substitute "Third. Forming on the piston rod a spiral
and a straight slot." In page 9, I omit lines 33 and 34, and on
page 10 I omit lines 1, 2, and 3, and the said Specification when dis-
claimed, altered, and amended will read as follows:-
"NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Brown, 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 in writing, reference being had to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
The improved drill herein-after described is of the same general
construction and mode of operation as that described in the Specification
of certain Letters Patent granted to George Haseltine, for the Invention

page_text: of "Improvements in Machinery for Drilling Rocks," a communication
to him from abroad by the said Charles Burleigh, bearing date the
thonmand eight hundred and sixty-diz,
22nd day of November, One, No. 3065, and is designed for drilling
rocks and other analogous substances by the action of the elastic force
of steam, or compressed air exerted to reciprocate a metal bar with a
sharpened and hardened end or point.
The progress of a drill in its advance varies in its action under a
constant force in accordance with the varying degree of resistance
offered by rocks, so that a constant feed is not compatible with producing
the maximum drilling effect, for if such feed is set to suit the practical
penetration of the drill in the softest places breakage will ensue on
reaching harder places, and if the feed is set to the practical penetration
at the hardest places then the drilling will proceed at the softest places
much more slowly than is necessary. Hence to produce the maximum
effect it is necessary to automatically vary and accommodate the rate
of the feed in accordance with the actual progress of the drill in the
rock or other hard substance.
One part of this Invention consists in combining with a drill
mechanism which automatically changes the amount of the feed or of
the advance of the drill in a ratio proportioned to the degree of hardness
of the rock or other hard substance.
Another part of this Invention consists in the arrangement of devices
by which the valve is shifted in position so quickly and at such times
that the exhaust of the impelling medium occurs at the same instant
that the drill strikes the rock or other hard substance, so that the
rebound of the drill is not impeded but takes place naturally. By these
devices the exhaust of the steam or air that acted auxiliary to the
rebound of the drill, and the entrance of the impelling medium acting to
give the cutting stroke to the drill occur instantly, so that the percussion
of the drill against the rock is not impeded, but is given with the full
force due to the pressure on the area of the piston. In this drilling
mechanism the work of turning the drill and of feeding towards the
rock or other substance is performed as the drill is drawn back from the
rock in readiness to be again driven against it, so that the whole force
of the impelling medium is exerted through the drill to cut and chip
away the rock or other hard substance, and is not partially absorbed in

page_text: performing other operations. As the drill is moved back from the rock
the cylinder is fed forward towards the rock, so that the penetration of
the drill in its next advance shall not allow the piston head to come into
contact with the cylinder head nearest the rock.
To prevent breakage of the machine by contact of the piston head
with the aforesaid or front cylinder head which might occur if the drill
point should break or should enter a cavity or an unusually sof place
in the rock, provision is made for constantly stopping the action of
the machine, and this part of the Invention consists in placing the
front cylinder head in such a location with respect to the steam entrance
that the piston can in its advance completely cover the steam entrance
and act as a valve in shutting off steam without allowing the piston
and cylinder heads to come into contact, the steam caught between
the two heads acting as a cushion by which the piston stroke is
arrested.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "Improve-
ments in the Construction and Arrangement of Machinery or Apparatus
for Drilling or Boring Rocks or other Analogous Substances," I will
now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same
is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect; and in order
that the same may be distinctly understood, I have annexed hercunto
a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same
with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in tho
following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 is a plan; Figure 2,
a longitudinal central section of the improved drilling machine, the
section in Figure 2 being taken in the plane of the line,, seen in
Figure 1; also in Figure 3, which is one end view of the machine, and
in Figure 4, which is the other end view; Figure 5 is a longitudinal
central section taken through part of the length of the machine on the
line y, Figure 3 shewing the feed mechanism; and Figure 6 is a cross
section.
The body of the machine a is made on one casting and constitutes
the steam or air cylinder, and covers and protects most of the feeding
and turning mechanism. This body or cylinder has two wings, one on
cither side, fitted in ways planed in a trough-like bed b, provided with
a frusto-conical plate by which the machine is clamped to a box or

page_text: bearing fitting on a cylindrical bar forming part of a support or carriage,
so that the drilling machine may be presented to its work in any
direction and at any angle. The cylinder a is bored throughout its
length of uniform diameter, and has its front end closed by a head c into
which a long stuffing box d is screwed, which by adjustment upon its
packing prevents leakage around the front end of the piston rod e.
The rear head of the steam or air cylinder is made as an annular sleeve f
held from end wise movement by screws g, the ends of which enter a
groove turned in the periphery of the sleeve, the joint between the
sleeve and the piston rod being made tight by the ring packing h, which
receives on its outer surface air or steam pressure from within the
cylinder to force the packing closely upon the piston rod.
The piston rod and head are made of one steel forging, two metallic
packing rings being used in the piston head which are pressed outward
by the entrance of steam or compressed air against their concave
surfaces. The ratchet wheel by which the drill is turned, the drill
being locked to the protruding end of the piston rod, is placed upon the
piston rod at some distance from the rear piston head, and is kept from
endwise movement with respect to said head by the sleeve and the
collar. Between the collar and the ratchet wheel is a friction
ring, the purpose of which will be herein-after explained. The sleeve
f forms part of the rear cylinder head, and by being screwed thereto as
shewn affords facility for placing and removing the packing shewn in the
rear cylinder head.
.
In one end of the sleeve fa scoro is turned, into which fits the ends
of screws g, which aid in preventing endwise movement of the rear
cylinder head. The collar & has also a groove turned in its periphery, in
which fit screws n, which prevent endwise movement of the said collar.
The ratchet has fixed therein a feather, over which the inclined slot
made at the rear end of the piston rode can slide freely, effecting the
turning of the drill piston rod and piston rod head in the back stroke of
the piston rod. During the time the piston rod is making its back stroke
the ratchet wheel is prevented by a pawl which engages therein from
rotating, consequently the piston and drill arc turned by reason of the
traversing of the inclined slot in the piston rod over the inclined feather
in the ratchet wheel. When the piston makes its forward stroke it does
not turn, but the ratchet does, because the form of the ratchet teeth is
such as to allow its rotation in one direction, the pawl offering no

page_text: obstruction in that direction, and the friction of the ratchet in turning
offering less resistance than the friction of the piston rod.
Besides the inclined slotway in the piston rod there is a straight slot-
way, in which fits a feather fixed in the friction ring 7. This ring serves
as a brake on the piston to prevent its turning back during its forward
stroke from the position given it by the inclined feather and slot before
mentioned. In its backward stroke the ring & serves as a medium
through which to make the friction on the piston greater than the
friction on the ratchet i, so that the ratchet i will turn in the forward
stroke of the piston rather than the piston.
"
On the cylinder a is pivoted a bent lever, shewn in Figure 6, the long
arm of which is provided with an adjusting screw, and the short arm
with a copper pad or face, which by adjustment of the said scrow is
forced with moro or less pressure, as may be desired, upon the periphery
of the friction wheel 2, so that by the adjustment of the said screw the
resistance to turning of the piston can be made greater than the
resistance of the ratchet i in the direction permitted by the form of its
teeth under the pawl when riding or slipping over the ratchet teeth, and
without having to depend for the necessary friction on the piston on
tightening up the packing in the front head c of the cylinder.
In the case of obstructions caused by the jamming of stone or other
chips between the side of the hole and the body of the drill and by other
incidents, provision is made to prevent breakage under such circum-
stances, such provision consisting in making the pawl p, which acts to
detain the ratchet i, as a bent spring of sufficient stiffness to prevent its
yielding under the normal conditions of action, but capable of yielding
when obstructions occur so as to prevent breakage.
The form given to the pawl p to allow it to yield when necessary is
best seen in Figures 3 and 6. The valve used to control the entrance
into and egress from the cylinder of the impelling medium is the
ordinary D or locomotive slide valve, which is operated by a valve rod
attached to a pivoted or momentum picco q, which is made sufficiently
heavy to possess considerable momentum when put in motion.
picce and the valvo gearing are most clearly seen in Figure 2.
This
Two arms of the piece q extend through a slot in the rear end of the
cylinder a to a position where in the stroko of the piston they are acted

page_text: or ciliptical
upon by an annular
projection or tappet r fixed on the rear end of
the piston rod e. The arm (of the pivoted or momentum piece) q
to which the valve is directly connected extends upward and serves
as a handle, by which the valve may be shifted as the piston moves
rapidly to and fro. The tappet strikes first against one of the
lateral arms of the piece q, then against the other, thus rapidly,
effectively, and simply shifting the valve in an obvious manner.
When the tappet r strikes either of the lateral arms of piece q they
and the valve connected therewith are moved by momentum much
beyond the distance which they would travel if the tappet r moved 1
slowly; but owing to the rapidity with which the tappet r moves the
lever is thrown at each stroke of the piston a distance beyond, as
indicated in Figure 2, so quickly shifting the steam valve as to make
it almost an instantaneous operation.
On the sides of the rear of the cylinder holder 6 are fixed the ends of 1
a staple formed strap 8, in the bend of which, in a bearing formed
therein, is fixed by suitable collars the end of the feed screw t, so that it
can freely turn but not have endwise movement.
In the rear end of the cylinder a is screwed a head z fixed by set
screws, and in which is made a bearing for the nut, which on being 2
turned moves the cylinder a towards the rock or other substance to be
drilled. On this nut is fixed a ratchet wheel operated by a pawl to
move the cylinder towards the rock or other substance to be drilled.
This pawl is hung on the short arm of a pivoted lever a, the long arm
of which extends through a slot in the cylinder so formed and placed 2
that when the piston makes its back stroke the tappet r may come into
contact with the arm, causing such movement of the lever a as will
cause the pawl to turn the ratchet and the nut connected therewith,
thus moving the cylinder and all parts connected therewith towards the
rock or other substances to be drilled.
3
To create enough frictional resistance on the nut connected with the
ratchet v to prevent the nut from turning under the jar and vibration
produced by the action of the machine small spiral springs are located
in the rear head u, which are compresed between it and a friction ring
bearing against the ratchet, all of which detail is shown clearly in 8
Figure 2. The rear end of the piston rod is bored out to receive the

page_text: feed screw t, the arrangement of which, as shewn, shortens the length
of the machine.
The feeding of the cylinder towards the rock or other substance to be
drilled is automatically effected as described, but the withdrawal of the
cylinder is accomplished by turning the screw by means of a hand
crank shown at the rear end of the same. During the time that the
drill is being automatically fed forward toward the rock the screw is
prevented from turning in the staple formed strap 8 by friction of the
nut on the outer end of the screw, which is tightened for that purpose;
but when the drill is to be drawn back by turning the hand crank the
said nut is loosened, and the ratchet o fixed on the feeding nut will
remain without rotating by reason of the friction thereon.
If all rocks to be drilled were of equal hardness and if the drills were
at all times equally sharp, it might be determined by experiment exactly
what relations the teeth of the ratchet wheel o, and the pitch of the feed
screw t, and the stroke or vibration of the pawl should bear to each
other, so as to have the forward feed of the cylinder made at each back
stroke of the piston, equal to the penetration of the drill at each stroke,
but as rocks vary in hardness and as the drills wear dull, a constant
invariable feed would cause breakage of the machine, when the feed
exceeded the penetration of the drill to any considerable extent, though
some excess of feed beyond the penetration of the drill is admissable
because of the spring or yield of the carriage or frame supporting the
drill, and because of the elastic nature of the medium impelling the
drill.
To prevent any injurious variation between the amount of the feed
and the penetration of the drill, mechanism is introduced which auto-
matically preserves a practical uniformity of feed and penetration. In
the slot in the cylinder in which the long arm of lever a vibrates is fixed
a trigger b, seen in Figure 5, so located and arranged that it springs into
position to hold and sustain the lever a out of reach of the tappet r,
when the feed of the cylinder is in excess of the penetration of the drill,
in which case the tappet does not in the forward stroke of the piston
reach and displace the trigger b, and the said lever a remains supported
so that the tappet will not act fully thereon, and consequently no feed
takes place on tho next back stroke of the piston, and the reciprocations
of the piston and drill continue without further advance of the cylinder,

page_text: until the penetration of the drill equals the previous feed or advance of
the cylinder, and then the tappet will on a forward stroke of the piston
reach and displace the trigger, so that the lever a will be left free to
spring into the path traversed by the tappet r, so that on the back
stroke of the piston the lever a is worked by the tappet, and the pawl
takes into the teeth of the ratchet and gives a partial turn of the feed
screw. When the long arm of the lever a is raised by the tappet, the
trigger 6 being then freed from the tappet springs back to the position
where it will catch and sustain the said lever out of reach of the tappet,
so that no feed will be again effected until the penetration of the drill
allows the tappet to reach and displace the trigger b. As it may occur
when a feed of the cylinder takes place that the piston on its back
stroke might possibly come into contact with the back cylinder head, a
rubber cushion c is placed against the rear head u to act as an elastic
cushion, to check the back stroke of the piston by impact of the tappet
on the piston rod on a projecting plate facing the cushion.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention for
"Improvements in the Construction and Arrangement of Machinery or
Apparatus for Drilling or Boring Rocks or other Analogous Substances,"
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion
that what I claim as the Invention communicated to me by the said
Charles Burleigh is,-
First. The mode of actuating the slide valve by means of the pivotted
or momentum piece 9, directly connected to the slide and acting in?
combination with one annular tappet r, substantially as above described
and shewn in Figure 2 of the Drawings.
Second. The feed lever a and trigger 6 acting in connection with the
tappet r, as above described and shewn in Figure 5 of the Drawings.
Third. Forming on the piston rod a spiral and a straight slot in the
manner and for the purpose above described and shewn in Figure 2 of
the Drawings."
In witness whereof, I; the said George Haseltine, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of October, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)

page_text: I hereby grant my fiat giving leave to the above-named George
Haseltine, to file in the Great Seal Patent Office, with the Specification
to which the same relates, the above-written Disclaimer and Memo-
5 randum of Alteration; dated this Seventh day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.

page_text: performing the said Invention; therefore I am desirous of amending
the said Specification and Drawing as follows, that is to say :-
out
^
"
In the Printed Specification in lines 29, 35, 36, and 39, of page 10, I
strike out the word "spline," and substitute therefor in each case the
word "plane." In line 4 of page 11 I strike out the letter "o
immediately following the word "lever." In line 21 of page 12 I
striko the letter "to" immediately following the word "head," and
substitute therefor the letter "u." In line 33, of page 13, I strike out
the letter "f" immediately following the word "head." In line 13 of
page 14 I insert after the letter "a" immediately following the word:
"lever," the figure 1, making the same "a'," and in the same line I
insert after the letter 6 immediately following the word "qualifyer," the
figure 1, making the same 6'. And in the fourth claim in line 16 of
page 14, I insert after the word "spiral," the words "slot or the spiral."
And I correct the letters of reference in the Drawing filed with the said
Specification, as follows, that is to say :-
In Figures 1 and 4 I strike out the letter A; in Figures 3 and 5 I
strike out the letter c; and in Figures 5 and 6 I strike out tho
letters B, B; in Figure 1 I insert the letter "w;" in Figure 2 I change
the letter o to c¹; in Figure 5 I draw a dotted line and mark the same
with the letters x, x; I change the letters a, b, intò a', b', and insert the
letters m and to; and in Figure 6 I insert the letter i.
And in order that the effect of this Disclaimer and Memorandum of
Alteration may be clearly understood I annex hereto a copy of the
Specification and Drawing as they will appear when such Memorandum
of Alteration has been made, as aforesaid.
"NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Brown, 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 in writing, reference being had to tho accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
"The improved drill herein-after described is of the same general
construction and mode of operation as that described in the Specification
of certain Letters Patent granted to George Haseltine for the Invention
of "Improvements in Machinery for Drilling Rocks," a communication
to him from abroad by the said Charles Burleigh, bearing date the

page_text: the Twenty-second day of November, One thousand cight hundred and
sixty-six, No. 3065, and is designed for drilling rocks and other
analogoas substances by the action of the elastic force of steam or
compressed air exerted to reciprocato a metal bar with a sharpened and
hardened end or point. The progress of a drill in its advance varies in
its action under a constant force in accordance with the varying degree
of resistance offered by rocks, so that a constant feed is not compatible
with producing the maximum drilling effect, for if such feed is set to
suit the practical penetration of the drill in the softest places breakage
will ensue on reaching harder places, and if the feed is set to the
practical penetration at the hardest places then the drilling will proceed
at the softest places much more slowly than is necessary. Hence to
produce the maximum effect it is necessary to automatically vary and
accomodate the rate of the feed in accordance with the actual progress
of the drill in the rock or other hard substance.
One part of this Invention consists in combining with a drill
mechanism, which automatically changes the amount of the feed or of
the advance of the drill in a ratio proportioned to the degree of hardness
of the rock or other hard substance.
Another part of the Invention consists in the arrangement of devices
by which the valve is shifted in position so quickly and at such times
that the exhaust of the impelling medium occurs at the same instant
that the drill strikes the rock or other hard substance, so that the
rebound of the drill is not impeded but takes place naturally. By these
devices the exhaust of the steam or air that acted auxiliary to the
rebound of the drill, and the entrance of the impelling medium acting
to give the cutting stroke to the drill occur instantly, so that the
percussion of the drill against the rock is not impeded, but is given with
the full force due to the pressure on the area of the piston. In this
drilling mechanism the work of turning the drill and of feeding towards
the rock or other substance is performed as the drill is drawn back from
the rock in readiness to be again driven against it, so that the whole
force of the impelling medium is exerted through the drill to cut and
chip away the rock or other hard substance, and is not partially absorded
in performing other operations. As the drill is moved back from the
rock the cylinder is fed forward towards the rock, so that the penetration
of the drill in its next advance shall not allow the piston head to come
into contact with the cylinder head nearest the rock.

page_text: To prevent breakage of the machine by contact of the piston mead
with the aforesaid or front cylinder head which might occur if the drill
point should break or should enter a cavity or an unusally soft place in
the rock, provision is made for constantly stopping the action of the
machine, and this part of the Invention consists in placing the front
cylinder head in such a location with respect to the steam entrance that
the piston can in its advance completely cover the steam entrance and
act as a valve in shutting off steam without allowing the piston and
cylinder heads to come into contact, the steam caught between the two
heads acting as a cushion by which the piston stroke is arrested.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "Improve-
ments in the Construction and Arrangement of Machinery or Apparatus
for Drilling or Boring Rocks or other Analogous Substances," I will
now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is
to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order
that the same may be distinctly understood, I havo annexed hereunto a
Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with
figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thercof, that is to say :—
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figuro 1 is a plan, Figure 2,
a longitudinal central section of the improved drilling machine, the
section in Figure 2 being taken in the plane of the line 2, 2, seen in
Figure 1, also in Figure 3, which is one end view of the machine, and
in Figure 4, which is the other end view; Figure 5 is a longitudinal
central section taken through part of the length of the machine on
the line y, y, Figure 3, shewing the feed mechanism; and Figure 6
is a cross section taken in the plane of the line x, x, in Figure 5, and
shewing parts in elevation beyond looking toward the feeding screw.
The body of the machine a is made on one casting, and constitutes
the steam or air cylinder, and covers and protects most of the feeding
and turning mechanism. This body or cylinder has two wings, one
on cither side, fitted in ways planed in a trough-liko bed 6 provided
with a frusto-conical plate by which the machine is clamped to a
box or bearing fitting on a cylindrical bar forming part of a support
or carriage, so that the drilling machine may be presented to its
work in any direction and at any angle. The cylinder a is bored
throughout its length of uniform diameter, and has its front cnd

page_text: closed by a head c into which a long stuffing box d is screwed,
which by adjustment upon its packing prevents leakage around the
front end of the piston rod e. The rear head of the steam or air
cylinder is made as an annular sleeve f held from endwise movement
by screws g, the ends of which enter a groove turned in the periphery
of the sleeve, the joint between the sleeve and the piston being made
tight by the ring packing h, which receives on its outer surface air
or steam pressure from within the cylinder to force the packing closely
upon the piston rod.
The piston rod and head are made of one steel forging, two metallic
packing rings being used in the piston head which are pressed outward
by the entrance of steam or compressed air against their concavo
surfaces. The ratchet wheel i by which the drill is turned, the drill
being locked to the protruding end of the piston rod, is placed upon
the piston rod at some distance from the rear piston head, and is
kept from endwise movement with respect to said head by the sleeve f
and the collar k; between the collar and the ratchet wheel is a
friction ring 1, the purpose of which will be herein-after explained.
The sleeve f forms part of the rear cylinder head, and by being screwed
thereto, as shewn, affords facility for placing and removing the packing
shewn in the rear cylinder head.
In one end of the sleeve fa score is turned, into which fit the ends of
scrows m which aid in preventing endwise movement of the rear cylinder.
head. The collar & has also [a groove turned in its periphery, in which
fit scrows n which prevent end wise movement of the said collar. The
ratchet i has fixed therein a feather, over which the inclined slot made
at the rear end of the piston rod e can slide freely, effecting the turning
of the drill piston rod and piston rod head in the back stroke of the
piston rod. During the time the piston rod is making its back stroke
the ratchet wheel is prevented by a pawl which engages therein from
rotating, consequently the piston and drill are turned by reason of the
traversing of the inclined plane or slot in the piston rod over the inclined
feather in the ratchet wheel. When the piston makes its forward stroke
it does not turn, but the ratchet docs, because the form of the ratchet
teeth is such as to allow its rotation in one direction, the pawl offering
ho obstruction in that direction, and the friction of the ratchet in
urning offering less resistance than the friction of the piston rod.

page_text: Besides the inclined plane or slotway in the piston rod there is a
straight plano or slotway, in which fits a feather fixed in the friction
ring . This ring serves as a brake on the piston to prevent its turning
back during its forward stroke from the position given it by the inclined
feather and plane or slot before-mentioned. In its backward stroke the
ring serves as a medium through which to make tho friction on the
piston greater than the friction on the ratchet i, so that the ratchet i
will turn in the forward stroke of the piston rather than the piston.
On the cylinder a is pivoted a bent lever, the long arm of which is
provided with an adjusting screw, and the short arm with a copper pad
or face, which, by adjustment of the said screw, is forced with more or
less pressure, as may be desired, upon the periphery of the friction wheel
, so that by the adjustment of the said screw the resistance to turning
of the piston can be made greater than the resistance of the ratchet i in
the direction permitted by the form of its teeth under the pawl when
riding or slipping over the ratchet teeth, and without having to depend
for the necessary friction on the piston on tightening up the packing in
the front head c of the cylinder.
In the case of obstructions caused by the jamming of stone or other
chips between the side of the hole and the body of the drill, and by
other incidents, provision is made to prevent breakage under such cir-
cumstances, such provision consisting in making the pawl 2, which acts to
detain the ratchet i as a bent spring, of sufficient stiffness to prevent its
yielding under the normal conditions of action, but capable of yielding
when obstructions occur, so as to prevent breakage.
The form given to the pawl p to allow it to yield when necessary is
best seen in Figures 3 and 6. The valve used to control the entrance
into and egress from the cylinder of the impelling medium is the
ordinary D or locomotive slide valve which is operated by a valve rod
attached to a pivoted or momentum piece q which is made sufficiently
heavy to possess considerable momentum when put in motion. This
picce and the valve gearing are most clearly seen in Figure 2.
Two arms of the piece q extend through a slot in the rear end of the
cylinder a to a position where in the stroke of the piston they are acted
upon by an annular or elliptical projection or tappet r fixed on the rear a
end of the piston rod c. The arm (of the pivotted or momentum piece) q
to which the valve is connected extends upward and serves as a handle

page_text: by which the valve may be shifted as the piston moves rapidly to-and-fro.
The tappet strike first against one of the lateral arms of the piece q
then against the other, thus rapidly, effectively, and simply shifting the
valvo in an obvious manner.
When the tappet strikes either of the lateral arms of piece q they
and the valve connected therewith are moved by momentum much
beyond the distance which they would travel if the tappet r moved
slowly. But owing to the rapidity with which the tappet moves the
lever q is thrown at each stroke of the piston distances clearly indicated
in Figure 3, and so quickly shifting the steam valve as to make it
almost an instantaneous operation.
On the sides of the rear of the cylinder holder bare fixed the ends of
a staple formed strap 8, in the bend of which in a bearing formed therein
is fixed by suitable collars the end of the feed screw t, so that it can
freely turn but not have endwise movement.
In the rear end of the cylinder a is screwed a head u, fixed by set
screws, and in which is made a bearing for the nut, which on being turned
moves the cylinder a towards the rock or other substance to be drilled.
On this nut is fixed a ratchet wheel v, operated by a pawl to, to move
the cylinder a towards the rock or other substance to be drilled. This
pawl wo is hung on the short arm of a pivoted lever a', the long arm of
which extends through a slot in the cylinder a, so formed and placed
that when the piston makes its back stroke the tappet r may como into
contact with the arm, causing such movement of the lover a¹ as will
cause the pawl two to turn the ratchet and the nut connected therewith,
thus moving the cylinder a and all parts connected therewith towards
the rock or other substances to be drilled.
To create enough frictional resistance on the nut connected with the
ratchet to prevent the nut from turning under the jar and vibration
produced by the action of the machine, small spiral springs are located
in the rear head u, which aro compressed between it and a friction
ring bearing against tho ratchet, all of which detail is shewn clearly
in Figure 2. The rear end of the piston rod is bored out to receive the
feed screw t, the arrangement of which, as shewn, shortens the length of
the machine.
The feeding of the cylinder towards the rock or other substance to bo

page_text: cylinder is accomplished by turning the screw by means of a hand crank,
shown at the rear end of the same. During the time that the drill is
being automatically fed forward toward the rock, the screw is prevented
from turning in the staple-formed strap 8 by friction of the nut on the
outer end of the screw, which is tightened for that purpose; but when
the drill is to be drawn back, by turning the hand crank the said nut is
loosened, and the ratchet v, fixed on the feeding nut, will remain without
rotating by reason of the friction thercon.
If all rocks to be drilled were of equal hardness, and if the drills were
at all times equally sharp, it might be determined by experiment exactly
what relations the teeth of the ratchet wheel v, and the pitch of the feed
screw t, and the stroke or vibration of pawl to should bear to each other,
so as to have the forward feed of the cylinder a made at each back stroko
of the piston equal to the penetration of the drill at each stroke; but as
rocks vary in hardness, and as the drills wear dull, a constant invariable
feed would cause breakage of the machine when the feed exceeded the
penetration of the drill at each stroke, but as reeks vary in bardness, and
as the drills-wear dull, a constant to any considerable extent, though somo
excess of feed beyond the penetration of tho drill is admissible, because
of the spring or yield of the carriage or frame supporting the drill, and
because of the elastic nature of the medium impelling the drill.
To prevent any injurious variation between the amount of the feed
and the penetration of the drill, mechanism is introduced which auto-
matically preserves a practical uniformity of feed and penetration. In
the slot in the cylinder in which the long arm of lever a' vibrates is a
fixed a trigger 6', seen in Figure 5, so located and arranged that it
springs into position to hold and sustain the lever a¹ out of reach of the
tappet when the feed of the cylinder is in excess of the penetration of
the drill, in which case the tappet does not in the forward stroke of
the piston reach and displace the trigger b¹, and the said lever a¹ remains
supported so that the tappet will not act fully thereon, but only raises
the lever slightly from the trigger and consequently no feed takes place
on the next back stroke of the piston, and the reciprocations of the
piston and drill continue without further advance of the cylinder until
the penetration of the drill equals the previous feed or advance of the 3
cylinder, and then the tappet will on a forward stroke of the piston
reach and displace the trigger so that the lever a¹ will be left free to
spring into the path traversed by the tappet r, so that on the back

page_text: And, Sixthly. Tho general construction and arrangement of the parts
of the herein-before described machine or apparatus, substantially as
above set forth, and shewn in the accompanying Drawings.".
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Brown, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
To the Commissioners of Patents for Inventions.
I hereby grant my fiat giving leave to the above-named Thomas
Brown, of Newgate Street, in the City of London, Civil Engineer, to file
in the Great Seal Patent Office, with the Specification to which the
same relates, the above-written Memorandum of Alteration.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Brown, of Newgate Street, in the City
of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS OR OTHER ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES."-A com
munication from abroad by Charles Burleigh, of Fitchburg, Massa-
chusetts in the United States of America.
Sealed the 17th May 1870, and dated the 25th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Brown at the'
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th November 1869.
I, THOMAS BROWN, of Newgate Street, in the City of London, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS OR OTHER ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES,"
(a communication to me from abroad by Charles Burleigh, of Fitch-
burg, Massachusetts, in the United States of America,) to be as
follows:-
The improved drill herein-after described is of the same general con-
struction and mode of operation as that described in the Specification.

page_text: of certain Letters Patent granted to George Haseltine for the Invention
of "Improvements in Machinery for Drilling Rocks," (a communication
to him from abroad by the said Charles Burleigh,) bearing date the
22nd day of November 1866, No. 3065, and is designed for drilling-rocks
and other analogous substances by the action of the elastic force of steam
or compressed air exerted to reciprocate a metal bar with a sharpened
and hardened point. The progress of the drill in its advance varies in its
action under a constant force in accordance with the varying degree of
resistance offered by rocks, so that a constant feed is not compatible
with producing the maximum drilling effect, for if such feed is set to
suit the practical penetration of the drill in the softest places, breakage
will ensue on reaching harder places, and if the feed is set to the
practical penetration at the hardest places, then the drilling will proceed
at the softest places much more slowly than is necessary. Hence to
produce the maximum effect it is necessary to automatically vary' and
accommodate the rate of the feed in accordance with the actual progress
of the drill in the rock or other hard substance.
One part of this Invention consists in combining with a drill me-
chanism which automatically changes the amount of the feed or of the
advance of the drill in a ratio proportioned to the degree of hardness of
the rock or other hard substanco.
Another part of the Invention consists in the arrangement of devices.
by which the valve is shifted in position so quickly and at such times
that the exhaust of the impelling medium occurs at the same instant
that the drill strikes the rock or other hard substance, so that the
rebound of the drill is not impeded but-takes placo-naturally.
By these devices the exhaust of the steam or air that acted auxiliary
to the rebound of the drill and the entrance of the impelling medium
acting to give the cutting stroke to the drill occur instantly, so that
the percussion of the drill against the rock is not impeded but is given
with the full force due to the pressure on the area of the piston. In
this drilling mechanism the work of turning the drill and of feeding
towards the rock or other substance is performed as the drill is drawn
back from the rock in readiness to be again driven against it, so that'
the whole force of the impelling medium is exerted through the drill
to cut and chip away the rock or other hard substance, and is not
partially absorbed in performing other operations. As the drill is moved
back from the rock the cylinder is fed forward towards the rock, so that-

page_text: To;
the penetration of the drill in its next advance shall not allow the piston:
head to come into contact with the cylinder head nearest the rock.
prevent breakage of the machine by contact of the piston head with,
the aforesaid or front cylinder head, which might occur if the drill point:
should break or should enter a cavity or an unsually soft place in tho
rock, provision is made for instantly stopping the action of the machine,
and this part of the Invention consists in placing the front cylinder head
in such a location with respect to the steam entrance that the piston.
can in its advance completely cover the steam entrance and act as a
valve in shutting off steam without allowing the piston and cylinder
heads to come. into contact, the steam caught between the two heads.
acting as a cushion by which the piston stroke is arrested.
:
The body of the drilling or boring machine is made in one casting and,
constitutes the steam or air cylinder and covers and protects most of the:
feeding and turning mechanism. This body or cylinder has two wings, :
one on either side, fitted in ways planed in a trough-like bed provided,
with a "frusto." conical plate, by which the machine is clamped to a,
box or bearing fitting on a cylindrical bar forming part of a support or
carriage, so that the drilling machine may be presented to its work in:
any direction and at any angle. The body or cylinder is bored through-
out its length of uniform diameter and has its front end closed by a head
into which a long stuffing box is screwed, which by adjustment upon its
packing prevents leakage around the front end of the piston rod.:
The rear head of the steam or air cylinder is made as an annular sleeve:
held from endwise movement by screws, the ends of. which enter a
groove in the periphery of the sleeve, the joint between the sleeve and
the piston being made tight by ring packing, which receives on its outer
surface air or steam pressure from within the cylinder to force the.
packing closely upon the piston rod. The piston rod-and head are made,
of one steel forging, two metallic packing rings being used in the piston.
bead, which are pressed outwards by the entrance of steam or compressed:
air against their concave surfaces. A ratchet wheel by which the drill
is furned (the drill being locked to the protruding end of the piston,
rod) is placed upon the piston rod at some distance from the rear piston.
head and is kept from endwise movement with respect to said head
by a sleeve and collar; between this collar and the ratchet wheel is a,
friction ring, the purpose of which will be herein-after explained. The,

page_text: sleeve forms part of the rear cylinder head and by being screwed thereto
affords facilities for placing and removing the packing in the rear
cylinder head. In one end of the sleeve a score is turned, into which
fit the ends of screws to aid in preventing endwise movement of the
rear cylinder head. The collar has also a groove in its periphery in
which fit screws to prevent endwise movement of the same. The
ratchet has fixed therein a feather over which the inclined slot made at
the rear end of the piston rod can slide freely, effecting the turning of
the drill piston rod and piston rod head in the back stroke of the piston
rod. During the time the piston rod is making its back stroke the ratchet
wheel is prevented by a pawl which engages therein from rotating, con-
sequently the piston and drill are turned by reason of the traversing of
the inclined spline or slot in the piston rod over the inclined feather on
the ratchet wheel. When the piston makes its forward stroke it does
not turn, but the ratchet does because the form of the ratchet teeth is
such as to allow its rotation in one direction, the pawl offering no
obstruction in that direction, and the friction of the ratchet in turning
offering less resistance than the friction of the piston rod. Besides the
inclined spline or slot way in the piston rod there is a straight spline or
slot way, in which fits a feather fixed on the friction ring; this ring
serves as a brake on the piston to prevent its turning back during its
forward stroke from the position given it by the inclined feather and
spline or slot before mentioned. In its backward stroke the ring serves
as a medium through which to make the friction on the piston greater
than the friction on the ratchet, so that the latter will turn in the
forward stroke of the piston rather than the piston. On the body is
pivoted a bent lever, the long arm of which is provided with an adjusting
screw and the short arm with a copper pad or face, which by adjustment
of the said screw is forced with more or less pressure as may be desired
upon the periphery of the friction ring, so that by the adjustment of the
said screw the resistance to turning of the piston can be made greater
than the resistance of the ratchet in the direction permitted by the
form of its teeth under the pawl when riding or slipping over the ratchet
teeth, and without having to depend for the necessary friction on the.
piston on tightening up the packing in the front head of the cylinder.
In the case of obstructions caused by the jamming of stone or other
chips between the side of the hole and the body of the drill, pro-
vision is made to prevent breakage under such circumstances, such

page_text: provision consisting in making the pawl which acts to detain the ratchet as
a bent spring of sufficient stiffness to prevent its yielding under the normal
conditions of action, but capable of yielding when obstructions occur so
as to prevent breakage. The valve used to control the entrance into and
egress from the cylinder of the impelling medium is the ordinary D or
locomotive slide valve, which is operated by a valve rod attached to a
pivoted piece made sufficiently heavy to possess considerable momentum
when put in motion. Two arms of this piece extend through a slot in
the rear end of the body of the machine to a position where in the stroke
of the piston they are acted upon by an annular projection or tappet fixed
on the rear end of the piston rod. The arm. (of the pivoted piece) to
which the valve rod is connected extends upward and serves as a
handle by which the valve may be shifted. As the piston moves rapidly.
to and fro the tappet strikes first against one of the lateral arms of the
piece, then against the other, thus so rapidly shifting the steam valve
as to make it an almost instantaneous operation. On the sides of the
rear of the cylinder holder are fixed the ends of a staple-formed strap,
in the bend of which in a bearing formed therein is fixed by suitable
collars the end of the feed screw so that it can freely turn but not have
endwise movement. In the rear end of the body is screwed a head fixed.
by set screws, and in which is made a bearing for the nut, which on.
being turned moves the body or cylinder towards the rock or other
substance to be drilled. On this nut is fixed a ratchet wheel operated
by a pawl to move the cylinder towards the rock or other substance to
be drilled. This pawl is hung on the short arm of a pivoted lever, the
long arm of which extends through a slot in the cylinder or body, and
is so formed and placed that when the piston makes its back stroke the
tappet may come into contact with the arm, causing such movement of
the lever as will cause the pawl to turn the ratchet and the nut con-
nected therewith, thus moving the body and all parts connected therewith
towards the rock or other substance to be drilled.. To create enough
frictional resistance on the nut connected with this. ratchet, to prevent.
the nut from turning small spiral springs are located in the rear head,
which are compressed between it and a friction ring bearing against tho
ratchet. The rear end of the piston rod is bored out to receive the feed
The feeding of the cylinder towards the rock or other substance
to be drilled is effected as described, but the withdrawal of the cylinder..
is accomplished by turning the screw by means of a hand crank at the
rear end of the same. During the time that the drill is being automa-
screw.

page_text: tically fed forward towards the rock the screw is prevented from turning
in the staple-formed strap by friction of the nut on the outer end of the
screw, which is tightened for that purpose. But when the drill is to bo
drawn back by turning the hand crank the said nut is loosened, and the
ratchet fixed on the feeding nut will remain without rotating by reason
of the friction thereon.
To prevent any injurious variation between the amount of the feed
and the penetration of the drill mechanism is introduced which auto-
matically preserves a practical uniformity of feed and penetration. In
the slot in the cylinder in which the long arm of the pivoted pawl lever
herein-before mentioned vibrates is fixed a trigger so placed that it
springs into position to hold and sustain the said lever out of reach of
the tappet when the feed of the cylinder is in excess of the penetration
of the drill, in which case the tappet does not in the forward stroke of
the piston displace the trigger; therefore the said lever remains supported
so that the tappet will not act fully thereon, but only raises the lever
slightly from the trigger, and consequently no feed takes place on the
next back stroke of the piston, and the reciprocations of the piston and
drill continue without further advance of the cylinder until the pene-
tration of the drill equals the previous feed or advance of the cylinder,
and then the tappet will on a forward stroke of the piston reach and
displace the trigger, the lever being thereby left free to spring into the
path traversed by the tappet, so that on the back stroke of the piston
the lever is worked by the tappet, and the pawl takes into the teeth of
the ratchet and gives a partial turn of the feed scrow. When the long,
of said lever is raised by the tappet the trigger being then freed
from the tappet springs back to the position where it will catch and
sustain the said lever out of reach of the tappet, so that no feed will be
again effected until the penetration of the drill allows the tappet to reach
and displace the trigger. A rubber cushion is placed against the rear
head to check the back stroke of the piston by impact of the tappet on
the piston rod with the protecting plate facing the cushion.

page_text: SPECIFICATION. in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BROWN, of Newgate Street, in the City of London, Civil Engineer, send
greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent,, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Brown, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Brown, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Brown, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRILLING
OR BORING ROCKS OR OTHER ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES," (a communication to me
from abroad by Charles Burleigh, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, in the
United States of America,) upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Thomas Brown, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,.
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, 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 Thomas Brown, do hereby declara.
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 in writing, reference being, had to the accom..
panying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
The improved drill herein-after described is of the same general con-
struction and mode of operation as that described in the Specification
of certain Letters Patent granted to George Haseltine for the Invention
of "Improvements in Machinery for Drilling Rocks," (a communication

page_text: to him from abroad by the said Charles Burleigh,) bearing date the
Twenty-second day of November One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-six, No. 3065, and is designed for drilling rocks and other
analogous substances by the action of the clastic force of steam or
compressed air exerted to reciprocate a metal bar with a sharpened and
hardened end or point. The progress of a drill in its advance varics in
its action under a constant force in accordance with the varying degree
of resistance offered by rocks, so that a constant feed is not compatible
with producing the maximum drilling effect, for if such feed is set to
suit the practical penetration of the drill in the softest places breakage
will ensue on reaching harder places, and if the feed is set to the
practical penetration at the hardest places then the drilling will proceed
at the softest places much more slowly than is necessary. Hence to
produce the maximum effect it is necessary to automatically vary and
accommodate the rate of the feed in accordance with the actual progress
of the drill in the rock or other hard substance.
drill
One part of this Invention consists in combining with a
mechanism which automatically changes the amount of the feed or of
the advance of the drill in a ratio proportioned to the degree of hardness
of the rock or other hard substance.
Another part of the Invention consists in the arrangement of devices
by which the valve is shifted in position so quickly and at such times
that. the exhaust of the impelling medium occurs at the same instant
that the drill strikes the rock or other hard substance, so that the
rebound of the drill is not impeded but takes place naturally. By these a
devices the exhaust of the steam or air that acted auxiliary to the
rebound of the drill and the entrance of the impelling medium acting to
give the cutting stroke to the drill occur instantly, so that the percussion
of the drill against the rock is not impeded but is given with the full
force due to the pressure on the area of the piston. In this drilling 3
mechanism the work of turning the drill and of feeding towards the
rock or other substance is performed as the drill is drawn back from the
rock in readiness to be again driven against it, so that the whole force of
the impelling medium is excrted through the drill to cut and chip away
the rock or other hard substance and is not partially absorbed in 3
performing other operations. As the drill is moved back from the rock
the cylinder is fed forward towards the rock so that the penetration of
the drill in its next advance shall not allow the piston head to come into

page_text: contact with the cylinder head nearest tho rock. To prevent breakage
of the machine by contact of the piston head with the aforesaid or front
cylinder head, which might occur if the drill point should break or should
enter a cavity or an unusually soft place in the rock, provision is made
for instantly stopping the action of the machine, and this part of the
Invention consists in placing the front cylinder head in such a location
with respect to the steam entrance that the piston can in its advance
completely cover the steam entrance and act as a valve in shutting off
steam without allowing the piston and cylinder heads to come into
contact, the steam caught between the two heads acting as a cushion by
which the piston stroke is arrested.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "Im-
provements in the Construction and Arrangement of Machinery or
Apparatus for Drilling or Boring Rocks or other analogous Substances,"
I will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the
same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in
order that the same may be distinctly understood I have annexed hereunto
a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with
figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof, that is to say :-
. On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 is a plan; Figure 2,
a longitudinal central section of the improved drilling machine, the
section in Figure 2 being taken in the plane of the line,, scen in.
Figure 1, also in Figure 3, which is one end view of the machine, and in.
Figure 4, which is the other end view; Figure 5 is a longitudinal central
section taken through part of the length of the machine on the line y, y,
Figure 3, showing the feed mechanism, and Figure 6 is a cross section
taken in the plane of the line x, x, in Figure 5, and showing parts in
elevation beyond looking toward the feeding screw.
The body of the machine a is made in one casting and constitutes the
steam or air cylinder and covers and protects most of the feeding and
turning mechanism. This body or cylinder has two wings, one on either
side, fitted in ways planed in a trough-like bed 6 provided with a "frusto "
conical plate by which the machine is clamped to a box or bearing fitting
on a cylindrical bar forming part of a support or carriage, so that tho
drilling machine may be presented to its work in any direction and at
any angle. The cylinder a is bored throughout its length of uniform
diameter, and has its front end closed by a head c into which a long-

page_text: stuffing box d is screwed, which by adjustment upon its packing
prevents leakage around the front end of the piston rod e. The rear
head of the steam or air cylinder is made as an annular sleevef held
from endwise movement by screws g, the ends of which enter a groove
turned in the periphery of the sleeve, the joint between the sleeve and
the piston being made tight by the ring packing h, which receives on its
outer surface air or steam pressure from within the cylinder to force the
packing closely upon the piston rod. The piston rod and head are made
of one steel forging, two metallic packing rings being used in the piston.
head, which are pressed outward by the entrance of steam or compressed
air against their concave surfaces. The ratchet wheel i by which the
drill is turned (the drill being locked to the protruding end of the piston
rod) is placed upon the piston rod at some distance from the rear piston
head and is kept from cadwise movement with respect to said head by
the sleeve and the collar ; between the collar and the ratchet
wheel is a friction ring 1, the purpose of which will be herein-after
explained. The sleeve f forms part of the rear cylinder head, and by
being screwed thereto as shown affords facility for placing and removing
the packing shewn in the rear cylinder head. In one end of the sleeve f
a score is turned into which fit the ends of screws m, which aid in pre-
venting end wise movement of the rear cylinder head. The collar & has
also a groove turned in its periphery in which fit screws n which prevent
endwise movement of the said collar. The ratchet i has fixed therein
a feather, over which the inclined slot made at the rear end of the piston
rode can slide freely, effecting the turning of the drill piston rod and
piston rod head in the back stroke of the piston rod. During the timo
the piston rod is making its back stroke the ratchet wheel is prevented
by a pawl which engages therein from rotating, consequently the piston
and drill are turned by reason of the traversing of the inclined spline or
slot in the piston rod over the inclined feather in the ratchet wheel.,
When the piston makes its forward stroke it does. not turn, but the
ratchet does, because the form of the ratchet teeth is such as to allow its
rotation in one direction, the pawl offering no obstruction in that direction,
and the friction of the ratchet in turning offering less resistance than the
friction of the piston rod. Besides the inclined spline or slotway in the
piston rod there is a straight spline or slotway, in which fits a feather fixed
in the friction ring 1; this ring serves as a brake on the piston to prevent
its turning back during its forward stroke from the position given it by the
inclined feather and spline or slot before mentioned. In its backward

page_text: stroke the ring serves as a medium through which to make the friction
on the piston greater than the friction on the ratchet i, so that the ratcheti
will turn in the forward stroke of the piston rather than the piston. On
the cylinder a is pivoted a bent lever o, the long arm of which is pro-
vided with an adjusting screw and the short arm with a copper pad or
face, which by adjustment of the said screw is forced with more or less
pressure as may be desired upon the periphery of the friction ring l; so
that by the adjustment of the said screw the resistance to turning of the
piston can be made greater than the resistance of the ratchet i in the
direction permitted by the form of its teeth under the pawl when riding
or slipping over the ratchet teeth, and without having to depend for the
necessary friction on the piston on tightening up the packing in the
front head c of the cylinder. In the case of obstructions caused by
the jamming of stone or other chips between the side of the hole and
the body of the drill and by other incidents provision is made to prevent
breakage under such circumstances, such provision consisting in making
the pawl p which acts to detain the ratchet i as a bent spring of sufficient
stiffness to prevent its yielding under the normal conditions of action,
but capable of yielding when obstructions occur so as to prevent
breakage. The form given to the pawl p to allow it to yield when neces-
sary is best seen in Figures 3 and 6. The valve used to control the
entrance into and egress from the cylinder of the impelling medium is
the ordinary D or locomotive slide valve, which is operated by a valve
rod attached to a pivoted or momentum piece q, which is made suffi-
ciently heavy to possess considerable momentum when put in motion.
This piece and the valve gearing are most clearly seen in Figure 2.
Two arms of the piece q extend through a slot in the rear end of
cylinder a to a position where in the stroke of the piston they are acted
upon by an annular or elliptical projection or tappet fixed on the rear
cud of the piston rod e. The arm (of the pivoted.or momentum piccc) q
to which the valve is connected extends upward and serves as a
handle by which the valve may be shifted as the piston moves rapidly
to and fro. The tappet » strikes first against one of the lateral arms of
the piece q, then against the other, thus rapidly, effectively, and simply
shifting the valve in an obvious manner. When the tappet r strikes
cither of the lateral arms of picce q they and the valve connected there-
with are moved by momentum much beyond the distance which they
would travel if the tappet moved slowly. But owing to the rapidity
with which the tappet r moves the lover q is thrown at each stroke. of

page_text: the piston distances clearly indicated in Figure 3, and so quickly shifting
the steam valve as to make it almost an instantaneous operation. On
the sides of the rear of the cylinder holder bare fixed the ends of a
staple-formed strap & in the bend of which in a bearing formed thercin
is fixed by suitable collars the end of the feed screw so that it can
freely turn but not have endwise movement. In the rear end of
cylinder a is screwed a head u fixed by set screws and in which is made
a bearing for the nut, which on being turned moves the cylinder a
towards the rock or other substance to be drilled. On this nut is fixed
a ratchet wheel v operated by a pawl w to move the cylinder a towards
the rock or other substance to be drilled. This pawl to is hung on the
short arm of a pivotted lever a', the long arm of which extends through
a slot in the cylinder a so formed and placed that when the piston
makes its back stroke the tappet may come into contact with the arm,
causing such movement of the lever a¹ as will cause the pawl tc to turn
the ratchet and the nut connected therewith, thus moving the cylinder
a and all parts connected therewith towards the rock or other substance
to be drilled. To create enough frictional resistance on the nut connected
with the ratchet to prevent the nut from turning under the jar and
vibration produced by the action of the machine small spiral springs arc
located in the rear head to, which are compressed between it and a friction
ring bearing against the ratchet, all of which detail is shown clearly in
Figure 2. The rear end of the piston rod is bored out to receive the feed
screw t, the arrangement of which as shown shortens the length of the
machine. The feeding of the cylinder towards the rock or other sub-
stance to be drilled is automatically effected as described, but the with-
drawal of the cylinder is accomplished by turning the screw by means
of a hand crank shown at the rear end of the same. During the time
that the drill is being automatically fed forward toward the rock the screw
is prevented from turning in the staple-formed straps by friction of the
nut on the outer end of the screw, which is tightened for that purpose;
but when the drill is to be drawn back by turning the hand crank the said
nut is loosened, and the ratchet fixed on the fèeding nut will remain
without rotating by reason of the friction thereon. If all rocks to be
drilled were of equal hardness, and if the drills were at all times equally
sharp, it might be determined by experiment exactly what relations the
tecth of the ratchet wheel and the pitch of the feed screw & and the
stroke or vibration of pawl to should bear to each other so as to have
the forward feed of the cylinder, a made at each back stroke of the

page_text: piston equal to the penetration of the drill at each stroke; but as rocks.
vary in hardness and as the drills wear dull a constant invariable feed.
would cause breakage of the machine when the feed exceeded the pene-.
tration of the drill to any considerable extent, though some excess of
feed beyond the penetration of the drill is admissable because of the
spring or yield of the carriage or frame supporting the drill, and because
of the elastic nature of the medium impelling the drill.
To prevent any injurious variation between the amount of the feed and
the penetration of the drill mechanism is introduced which automatically
preserves a practical uniformity of feed and penetration. In the slot:
in the cylinder in which the long arm of lever a' vibrates is fixed a
trigger ', scen in Figure 5, so located and arranged that it springs into
position to hold and sustain the lever a¹ out of reach of the tappet r
when the feed of the cylinder is in excess of the penetration of the.
drill, in which case the tappet r does not in the forward stroke of the.
piston reach and displace the trigger b', and the said lever a¹ remains
supported so that the tappet will not act fully thereon, but only
raises the lever slightly from the trigger, and consequently no feed takes,
place on the next back stroke of the piston, and the reciprocations of the
piston and drill continue without further advance of the cylinder until
the penetration of the drill equals the previous feed or advance of the
cylinder, and then the tappet will on a forward stroke of the piston
reach and displace the trigger, so that the lever a¹ will be left free to
spring into the path traversed by the tappet r, so that on the back stroke
of the piston the lever a' is worked by the tappet, and the pawl to takes
into the teeth of the ratchet and gives a partial turn of the feed screw.
When the long arm of the lever a³ is raised by the tappet the trigger b¹
being then freed from the tappet springs back to the position where it
will catch and sustain the said lever out of reach of the tappet, so that
no feed will be again effected until the penetration of the drill allows
the tappet to reach and displace the trigger b'. As it may occur when
a feed of the cylinder takes place that the piston on its back stroke
might possibly come into contact with the back cylinder head f, a rubber
cushion c¹ is placed against the rear head to act as an elastic cushion
bunter to check the back stroke of the piston by impact of the tappet
on the piston rod with the protecting plate facing the cushion.
"
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention for
Improvements in the Construction and Arrangement of Machinery or

page_text: Apparatus for Drilling or Boring Rocks or other analogous Substances,"
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion
that what I claim as the Invention communicated to me by the said
Charles Burleigh is,
Firstly. The direct attachment of the drill or drills to the piston rod,
substantially as above described and shewn in Figures 1 and 2 and 4 of
the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. The mode of actuating the slide valve by means of the
pivotted or momentum picco q in combination with the annular or
elliptical tappet 1, substantially as above described and shown in Figure 2
of the Drawings.
Thirdly. The feed lever a and qualifier acting in connection with
the tappet, as above described and shewn in Figure 5 of the
Drawings.
Fourthly. The spiral and straight slots formed in the piston rod in
the manner and for the purpose above described and shewn in Figure 2
of the Drawings.
Fifthly. The universal clamp by means of which the machine is set
and secured at any desired angle, substantially as above described.
And, sixthly. The general construction and arrangement of the parts
of the herein-before described machine or apparatus, substantially as
above set forth and shewn on the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Brown, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
BRISTOW HUNT,
Solicitor and Patent Agent,
1, Serle Street,
Lincoln's Inn.
THOMAS BROWN. (L.S.)