IMPROVEMENTS IN DRILLING MACHINES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Alley, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DRILLING MACHINES."
Sealed the 12th February 1867, and dated the 15th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Alley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
August 1866.
I, STEPHEN ALLEY; of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DRILLING MACHINES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object the constructing of drilling machines in an
improved, simplified, and economical manner, and at the same time, so as to
be very conveniently adjustable to suit the various articles upon which they
are required to operáté..
In constructing a radial drilling machine according to one modification the
gib is formed in the same piece with or is fixed to a vertical pillar, the lower
part of which is formed with external cylindrical bearing surfaces to fit and
work both circularly and vertically in the standard or .column which is cast or

page_text: fixed upon the sole plate, and which is formed with corresponding internal
cylindrical bearing surfaces. There is a vertical shaft situated centrally in the
standard and movable pillar, and this shaft is driven through bevil wheels
from a short cone pulley shaft situated below the lowest position of the bottom
of the movable pillar. The vertical shaft drives the horizontal gib shaft by
bevil gear in the ordinary way, and the vertical shaft has the well-known
groove and key arrangement to accomodate the vertical adjustment of the gib
pillar. The gib pillar is adjusted vertically by means of a tubular screw upon
the vertical shaft, this tubular screw being screwed externally to work in a
nut fixed to the standard. A sliding frictional or other clutch acted on by a
forked lever serves for putting the tubular screw into gear with the vertical
shaft when the gib pillar is to be raised or lowered, the motion being reversed
when required by means of open and crossed driving belts, or other
known expedient. In some cases, if preferred, the provision for raising or
lowering the pillar may consist of a hand wheel on a spindle, on which there
is fixed a bevil pinion in gear with a bevil pinion fast on the tubular screw; this
arrangement admitting of the pillar being raised or lowered by hand. The
gib with its slide may be arranged with V-slides in the ordinary way; or the
gib may be made cylindrical with the slide or saddle of a cylindrical form to
fit upon the gib. In one modification the gib shaft is inside the gib and
drives the drill spindle by bevil wheels, the drill spindle passing down through
slots in the upper and under sides of the gib. The screw spindle for adjusting
the saddle along the gib may be placed either inside or outside of it. For the
purpose of feeding the drill spindle down to its work there is put on it a
tubular screw which moves vertically with the spindle, but without revolving,
and on which there works a nut arranged not to move vertically, but fitted
with a spur wheel to turn it by. In gear with the spur wheel there is a
pinion on a spindle carried by one or more brackets formed on or attached to
the saddle, and fast on the same spindle there is fixed a ratchet wheel that is
acted on by a feeding pawl. This pawl may be actuated in various ways, änd
in one arrangement it is worked by an eccentric on a tubular piece actuated
by a feather and groove from the top projecting end of the drill spindle. If
preferred the feed may be made continuous by substituting for the eccentric
and pawl variable toothed wheels or cone pulleys with straps. In another
modification of the gib details the gib shaft may be placed outside of and
above the gib.
The improved gib and details may be arranged as a wall radial drilling
machine by being set to turn in a horizontal plane in upper and lower bracket

page_text: bearings fixed to a wall. The gib may also be arranged in suitable bearings
on a bed plate or otherwise to turn in a vertical plane with the drilling
spindle horizontal.
. A useful modification embodying some of the improved arrangements is
also formed by arranging a horizontal piece constructed and fitted like the
improved gib herein-before described, with supports at both ends, the radial
adjustment being thus dispensed with. Provision may be made to raising
and lowering the horizontal piece as in the modification first herein-before
described, or otherwise. In all the modifications the gib or horizontal piece
may be fitted so as to be adjustable about its own axis, for the purpose of
setting the drill spindle at any required angle. The gib saddle or slide may
be arranged for drilling slots or elongated holes by applying to it a recipro-
cating motion derived directly or through levers from a slowly revolving heart-
shaped cam. Finally two or more parallel drill spindles may be adapted to
the gib or corresponding part with provision for setting the spindles at various
distances apart. When three or more spindles are arranged in this way the
central one may remain stationary, those at each side being adjusted towards
or from it by a single screw spindle having right-handed and left-handed threads.
to act on the respective spindles; and when there are more than three spindles
the proper relative movements of the outer ones may be obtained from the
same spindle by having the parts thereof which act on them made with
threads of suitable differential pitch.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Stephen Alley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN.
ALLEY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, send.
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Stephen Alley, Her special licence that I, the said Stephen Alley, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Stephen
Alley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree.

page_text: 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
DRILLING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the. said
Stephen Alley, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and, seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be 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 Stephen Alley, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its object the constructing. of drilling machines
in an improved, simplified, and economical manner, and at the same time
so as to be very conveniently adjustable to suit the various articles upon which
they are required to operate.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the
same may be properly understood there are hereunto appended two Sheets of
explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to and representing drilling
machines embodying various modifications of my improvements.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of the Drawings is a back elevation of a drilling
machine which is shown in longitudinal vertical section in Figure 2, whilst
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section in the plane of the drill spindle.
Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section of a portion of a larger machine in
which certain details are slightly modified.
In the modification represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, there is a radial gib 1
which is formed in the same piece with, or is fixed to a vertical pillar 2, 3,
the lower part 3 of which is formed with external cylindrical bearing surfaces. to
fit and work both circularly and vertically in the standard or column 4 which
is formed with corresponding internal cylindrical bearing surfaces and which
is fixed upon a massive bed frame 5 cast in the form of a table with grooves
on the top and side for holding down bolts to fix the articles. to be, drilled.
There is a vertical shaft 6 situated centrally in the column 4 and movable
pillar 3, 2, and this shaft is driven through bevil wheels 7, from a short cone

page_text: pulley shaft 8, situated below the lowest position of the bottom of the movable
pillar 3. The vertical shaft 6 receives motion from the bevil wheel on its
lower end by means of a key and groove permitting it to move up or down
with the movable pillar, and it has fast on its upper end a bevil wheel 9 which
actuates a bevil wheel 10 on the horizontal gib shaft 11. This gib shaft 11
receives its motion by means of a key and groove which enables it to move.
horizontally along with the drill spindle 12. The movable pillar 3, 2, is
adjusted vertically by means of a tubular screw 13 upon the vertical shaft 6
and working in an internally screwed bush 14 fixed in the bottom of the
pillar 3. In the modification being described the screw 13 is actuated by
means of a hand wheel on a short horizontal shaft 15 on which there is a bevil
pinion in gear with a bevil wheel 16 fixed on the screw 13. In larger
machines however it is preferred to adopt the modification shown in Figure 4
and in which there is a clutch 17 on the central vertical shaft 6 and turning
therewith by means of a key and groove. This clutch is formed with a slightly
coned rim and when lifted by means of a forked lever 18 actuated by a screw
spindle 19 and hand wheel 20 it engages with a correspondingly coned boss 21
fixed on the lower end of the tubular screw 13, and causes the ascent or descent
of the movable pillar 3 accordingly as the shaft 6 is turning in one direction.
or in the other, these opposite motions being obtainable as required by means:
of open and crossed belts between the intermediate shafts from which the
machine is driven or in any other convenient way. A screw spindle 22 with
a hand wheel on it is provided for fixing the movable pillar 3 in any position,
the screw spindle causing a cod piece to grip the surface of the movable
pillar, and in order to prevent the gib 1 from swinging round, a ring 23 is
applied upon the top of the column 4, this ring being formed with a tongue
which projects into a vertical groove 24 in the side of the movable pillar 3.
A groove of a dovetailed section is turned in the top rim of the column 4 to
receive one or two conical headed bolts by which the ring 23 is fixed'in
position. These bolts are slackened to set free the ring 23 when it is wished
to adjust the gib horizontally, and are again screwed up on the required
adjustment being effected.
The improvements herein-before described may be used in combination with
a gib (1) and slide (25) constructed and arranged as in ordinary drilling
machines, but it is preferred to adopt the improved gib 1 and slide 25 shown
in Figures 2 and 3. The gib 1 is cylindrical and the slide or saddle 25 is
turned cylindrical internally to fit upon the gib, whilst externally the slide is
formed with upper and lower projecting bosses 26 to receive the bearings of

page_text: the drill spindle 12. The drill spindle passes down through the axis of the
gib 1, to admit of which the gib is formed with slots along its upper and under
sides. An inner casting 27 screwed to the slide occupies the slot in the gib
and is provided with a bearing for the end of the gib shaft 11, a bevil wheel
on which actuates a bevil wheel 28 loose on the drill spindle 12 and giving
motion thereto by a key and groove in the ordinary way. The slide 25 is
adjusted along the gib 1 by means of a screw spindle 29 which may be placed
inside the gib as shown or outside of it if preferred, or the adjustment may
be effected by means of a rack formed on the gib with which there gears a
pinion carried by the slide. For the purpose of feeding the drill spindle 12
down to its work there is put on it a tubular screw 30 which moves vertically
with the spindle, but without revolving, and on which there works a nut held
from noving vertically by a ring bolted to the boss 26 and having fixed on it
a spur wheel 31 to turn it by. In gear with the spur wheel 31 there is a
pinion on a vertical spindle 32 carried by one or more brackets cast or fixed
on the slide 25 and having a hand wheel on its bottom end for feeding or
adjusting by hand. For feeding by power there is on a conical boss on the
spindle 32 a worm wheel 33 which can be jammed on the conical boss by
means of a screw, and with which there gears a worm on a horizontal spindle
34. The spindle 34 has fast on it a set of cone pulleys to be driven by a belt
from cone pulleys on another horizontal spindle 35 driven by bevil wheels
from a short vertical spindle 36 passing through to the inside of the slide 25,
and having fast on it a pinion in gear with a pinion in one piece with or fixed
to the bevil wheel 28 on the drill spindle 12. If preferred the feed may be
made intermittent by substituting for the continuous feed details herein-before
described the ordinary ratchet wheel and reciprocating pawl, which pawl may
be worked by an eccentric on a tubular piece actuated by a feather and
groove from the upper part of the drill spindle.
On Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings are represented various modi
fications of drilling machines embodying some of the improvenients herein-
before described, whilst some other improvements are also shown on this
Sheet. The various parts corresponding to or like parts berein-before
described are distinguished by the same reference numerals whilst various
minor details which are wanting in Sheet 2 must be understood to be the
same as corresponding parts delineated upon Sheet 1 and herein-before fully
described.
Figure 5 is an elevation showing how the improved gib 1 and its accom-
panying details may be arranged as a wall radial drilling machine by being set

page_text: to turn in a horizontal plane with the column 2 to which it is attached
turning in upper and lower bracket bearings 37, 38, upon a frame casting 39,
fixed to a wall.
.
Figures 6 and 7 are sectional elevations at right angles to each other
showing the gib 1 as arranged in bearings 37, 38, so as to turn in a vertical
plane with the drill spindle 12, horizontal. A toothed sector 40 fixed on the
gib trunnion 37 has in gear with it a worm 41 on a spindle with a hand
wheel 42, by turning which last the gib can be adjusted as required.
Figures 8 and 9 are sectional elevations at right angles to each other of a
modification differing from that shown in Figures 6 and 7 in having the gib
1 arranged to slide instead of turning in a vertical plane, the gib being carried
by a slide 43 which moves on guides 44. These guides 44 which are fixed
to a bed frame 45 are turned tubes or they might be turned bars, and
exemplify a feature which is a prominent one in the whole of my present
improvements, namely, the employment of turned work wherever it can be
advantageously used in the construction of the various parts.
A useful modification embodying some of my improved arrangements is
formed as shown in elevation in Figure 10 by arranging a horizontal piece 1
constructed and fitted like my improved gib (1) herein-before described with
supports or standards 46 at both ends, the radial adjustment being thus dis-
pensed with. Two drill spindles 12, 12, with their movable slides 25, 25,
may be carried on the same horizontal piece 1 the spindles being driven by
separate shafts arranged to slide out at opposite ends to accommodate the
adjustment of the slides 25, and both driven from a first motion shaft 47 lying
behind the horizontal piece 1. Provision may be made for raising and
lowering the horizontal piece 1.
In all the modifications the gib (1) or horizontal piece (1) may be fitted
so as to be adjustable about its own axis for the purpose of setting the drill
spindle 12 at any required angle. In the modification shown in Figures 8
and 9 the gib 1 is shown with this provision being fixed in any position by
means of dovetail bolts 48 which are held in an annular dovetail groove formed
for them in the seat in which the gib 1 turns.
. Figure 11 is a sectional elevation, and Figure 12 is a plan, showing parts of
a modification in which the saddle or slide 25 is arranged for drilling slots or
elongated holes by applying to it a slow reciprocating motion derived from a
slowly revolving cam wheel 49 which is formed with a heart-shaped cam
groove that acts on a roller carried by a lever 50 connected by a link 51 to
the internal part 27 of the slide 25. The lever 50 is set on a stud pin.

page_text: which is adjustable in a groove in the bracket 52 carrying it, and the stud pin
is entered into a block which is adjustable in the lever 50, these adjustments
being provided for varying the extent of the horizontal movement imparted
to the slide 25. The cam wheel 49 is formed with worm teeth on its circum-
ference, and is turned by a worm on a spindle 53 which has on it a worm
wheel in gear with a worm on a spindle 54 on which, are cone pulleys to
receive a belt from cone pulleys on the first-motion (or other suitable) shaft
47. Finally two or more parallel drill spindles (12) may be adapted to the
gib (1) or corresponding part with provision for setting the spindles at various
distances apart. When three or more spindles are arranged in this way the
central one may remain stationary, those at each side being adjusted towards
or from it by a single screw spindle having right-handed and left-handed
threads to act on the slides of the respective spindles, and when there are
more than three spindles the proper relative movements of the outer ones
may be obtained from the same spindle by having the parts thereof which
act on them made with threads of suitable differential pitch.
Figure 13 is a sectional plan showing the application of the last-mentioned
improvements to a set of five drill spindles a, b, c, d, e. The central spindle c
with its slide is immovable whilst the others can be moved more or less
towards the sides, their adjustment being effected with accurate pitching by
means of the screw spindle f. This screw spindle is represented as made in
two pieces which are coupled together at the centre, and its screw threads are
right handed from the centre towards one end and left handed from the centro
towards the other end. There are nuts g, h, k, l, on different parts of the
screw spindle, each nut being connected with a spindle slide so as to move it
horizontally. The parts of the screw spindle f which act on the outer nuts g, 1,
of the outermost drill spindles a, e, are of double the pitch of the parts acting
on the inner nuts h, k, of the drill spindles b, d, next the central one c, so that
any motion of the screw spindle f imparts twice as much motion to the outer
nuts as to the inner ones as is requisite for maintaining the same pitch
between all the drill spindles. This plan of adjusting the drill spindles is
applicable with various arrangements for driving them, but in Figure 13 a
screw shaft m is shown for driving the entire set, this screw shaft acting on
wheels with inclined teeth on the spindles, and one of which wheels is shown
at n.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, but that what I

page_text: beliève to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by
the berein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the constructing, arranging,
and combining together of the parts of drilling machines in any of the
improved modes herein-before described, or in any mode substantially the
same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Alley have bereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,.
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow..
STEPHEN ALLEY. (L.S.)