IMPROVEMENTS IN BORING OR SINKING WELLS, AND IN APPARATUS AND TOOLS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Chaudron, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BORING
OR SINKING WELLS, AND IN APPARATUS AND TOOLS EMPLOYED FOR THAT
PURPOSE."
Sealed the 31st December 1867, and dated the 1st July 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Chaudron at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st July 1867.
I, JOSEPH CHAUDRON, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BORING OR SINKING WELLS, AND IN APPARATUS AND TOOLS EMPLOYED FOR
THAT PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the sinking of deep wells through aqueous
upper strata without having to pump the water out of the boring during the
progress of the work, the apparatus employed being so arranged as to effect
the complete isolation of the aqueous strata, thus enabling the work to be
carried on through any depth of such strata at a much less cost and in a much
less shorter time, and also with less arduous labor than has been possible with
the means employed heretofore. For this purpose a boring is first måde
through the strata, which, when these are of a hard or rocky nature, is effected
by means of a series of boring tools having a number of teeth or chisels which
act upon the "Chinese" system; these tools are of a width corresponding with

page_text: the diameter of the boring to be made, and when the boring is of a large
diameter a small central boring is first made with a small tool having a
number of chisels all along its under surface, and also two other chisels on
the ends of a cross bar fixed higher up on the rod of the tool, which serve to
smooth off the side surface of the boring made by the lower chisels. After
this the boring is enlarged by means of one or more larger and heavier tools
in succession, having a number of chisels at each end and a projection in the
middle which passes into the central boring previously formed by the smaller
tool and which serves as a guide; cross bars acting as guides are also fixed
upon the rods of the tools.
As the work proceeds the clearing of the debris
is as usual effected by means of an open metal cylinder closed at bottom by
valves opening inwards, so that by working such cylinder up and down at the
bottom of the boring the debris are made to enter the same, and are then
raised to the surface. The recovery of broken tools and rods is effected,
firstly, by a spiral hook which catches under any projection of the tool or rod;
secondly, by a pair of tongs consisting of two levers having fork-like prongs
at their extremities and turning upon a fulcrum suspended from two chains
from above, while the opening and closing of the levers is effected by means of
a rod connected to the ends of the levers by means of a toggle joint; lastly,
an implement is employed consisting of a ring, to which four opposite arms
are attached, the upper ends of which are fixed to the rod from above; these
arms are made thin and of an elastic material so as to be capable of springing
outwards, and their inner surfaces are provided with serrations so that any
object, such as the broken end of a rod, if forced in between the arms is held
When the boring through the
securely thereby and can thus be drawn out.
aqueous strata has been completed the water from these is effectually cut off
from the boring, and the latter emptied of the water contained therein by the
following arrangement:-A strong cast-iron cylinder is constructed of a some-
what smaller diameter than the boring, having at bottom an external flange,
the extreme diameter of which corresponds as nearly as practicable with
the diameter of the boring; the upper end of this cylinder fits like a gland
into the lower end of a second cylinder, which has also an external flange
equal in diameter to that of the well. The space formed on the external
surface of the bottom cylinder between its lower flange and the flange of the
upper cylinder is filled in with moss or other similar suitable substance
which is to act as a packing between the lower cylinder and the side of the
well. The lower cylinder is suspended from the upper one by means of sus-
pension bolts passing through an inner flange formed on the upper end of
the former, and through a ring resting upon a flange formed on the latter, in

page_text: such manner that when the lower cylinder is in place at the bottom of the
boring the upper one is free to slide down upon it and thus to compress the
moss packing; to the upper cylinder is now fixed a third cylinder by means
of bolts passing through internal flanges, a water-tight joint being insured by
means of lead packing between the meeting surfaces; to a flange on the
interior surface of this third cylinder is bolted a strong diaphragm of an
inverted dished form, so as to withstand considerable pressure from below; in
the centre of this diaphragm is formed an opening to which is fixed a pipe
passing vertically up through the cylinder; upon the third cylinder is now
fixed a fourth one, also in a water-tight manner, and the four thus combined
are then lowered by suspension rods into the boring until by the aid of the
diaphragm they float in the water contained therein; other cylinders are
now fixed in succession in a like water-tight manner to those in the boring,
which are consequently made to sink gradually down from the superadded
weight, which sinking is regulated by the suspension rods or chains,
and also by letting in a certain quantity of water above the diaphragm
through the central tube; this tube also serves to allow clearing implements
to be passed down the boring below the diaphragm in order to clear out
any debris before the cylindrical lining arrives at the bottom. When this has
been accomplished the bottom cylinder is pressed by the superincumbent
weight down over the "gland" cylinder, thus very forcibly compressing
the moss packing, which is at the same time pressed outwards against the
surface of the boring by forming the flange of the bottom cylinder with an
inclined under surface. A water-tight packing is thus formed round the
lower end of the cylindrical lining, which prevents the water of the upper
strata from penetrating into the interior of the lining from below. An annular
space exists between the outer surface of the cylindrical lining and the surface.
of the boring which is now filled in with concrete; this is effected by means.
of narrow boxes, the bottoms of which open on hinges, and in which are pistons
attached to a long rod; these boxes are filled with concrete and are lowered.
in the annular space, at the bottom of which the concrete is made to pass out.
of the box by forcing down the piston. When the cylindrical lining has
been made perfectly water-tight, and all communication with the aqueous.
strata cut off, the water is emptied out of the cylinders, and the diaphragm
removed, to facilitate which it is formed in two parts fixed together; a strong
segmental ribbed cast-iron curb or sill is then firmly fixed in the boring a short
distance below the lower end of the "gland" cylinder, and a segmental cou-
necting cylinder is introduced to connect the two firmly together. After a
perfectly water-tight lining has been made to the boring through the upper

page_text: strata in the above-described manner the boring is continued in the usual
manner into the strata from which it is desired to obtain the water for the
well.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Chaudron in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
CHAUDRON, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Chaudron, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Chaudron,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Chaudron, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there
after 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 BORING OR SINKING WELLS, AND IN APPARATUS AND TOOLS
EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Joseph Chaudron, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Joseph Chaudron, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object the sinking of deep wells through aqueous
upper strata without having to pump the water out of the boring during the
progress of the work, the apparatus employed being so arranged as to effect

page_text: the complete isolation of the aqueous strata, thus enabling the work to be carried
on through any depth of such strata at a much less cost and in a much
shorter time, and also with less arduous labour than has been possible with the
means employed heretofore. For this purpose a boring is first made through
the strata, which when these are of a hard and rocky nature is effected by
means of a series of boring tools having a number of teeth or chisels which
act upon the "Chinese" system; these tools are of a width corresponding
with the diameter of the boring to be made, and when the boring is of a large
diameter a small central boring is first made with a small tool having a
number of chisels all along its under surface, and also two other chisels on
the ends of a cross bar fixed higher up on the rod of the tool, which serve to
smooth off the side surface of the boring made by the lower chisels; after this
the boring is enlarged by means of one or more larger and heavier tools in
succession, having a nnmber of chisels at each end, and a projection in the
middle, which passes into the central boring previously formed by the smaller
tool, and which serves as a guide; cross bars acting as guides are also fixed
upon the rods of the tools.
Figures 1 to 6 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings show various
forms of these boring tools. Figure 1 shows a front elevation, a side elevation,
and a plan of the under side of the smallest description of tool for making the
preliminary boring in semi-hard strata. The bar A carrying the cutting
chisels B is fixed by keys to the forked end of the rod C, and at a point
higher up on the rod is fixed an arm D at right angles to the bar A, carrying
at its ends two other chisels E for smoothing the sides of the boring; F, F, are
guides for keeping the tool in a central position. Figure 2 shows the same
description of tool for hard strata, the only difference being that in place of
forming a forked end to the rod C it is made solid, in order to give the
requisite weight to the tool. After the preliminary boring has been made
with these tools it is widened out by the use of either of those shown at
Figures 3 and 4, that at Figure 3 being again for the softer strata, and that
at Figure 4 for the harder strata. These tools have chisels B only at their
ends, and in order to keep them central with the preliminary boring they may
be provided with a guide G fitting into the same, as shown at Figure 4. By
the tool at Figure 3 the preliminary boring is first enlarged by the chisels B,
and then a further enlargement is effected by the chisels E situated higher up.
Figures 5 and 6 show boring tools of the same description as Figures 3
and 4, constructed for cutting the largest sized borings, Figure 5 being of a
massive construction for hard strata, while Figure 6 is of a lighter construction
for softer strata. For a boring of large dimensions, such as, for instance, of

page_text: twelve feet diameter, it is preferred to employ the three before-described sizes
of boring tools in succession. As the work proceeds the clearing of the debris
is as usual effected by means of an open metal cylinder closed at bottom by
valves opening inwards, as shown in elevation and plan at Figure 7, so that
by working such cylinder up and down at the bottom of the boring the debris
is made to enter the same, and it is then raised to the surface. This imple-
ment is of well-known construction, and forms no part of my present Invention.
The recovery of broken tools and rods is effected either by a spiral hook,
shown in elevation and plan at Figure 8, which catches under any projection
of the tool or rod, and in then being turned round secures such rod in the
narrow part of the hook; or a pair of tongs may be employed for this purpose,
as shown in front and side elevation at Figure 9, consisting of two levers H, H,
having fork-like prongs at their extremities, as shown, and turning upon a
fulcrum I suspended from two chains J, J, from above, while the opening and
closing of the levers is effected by means of a rod K connected to the ends of
the levers by means of a toggle joint L; lastly, an implement may be
employed, as shown in front and side elevation at Figure 10, consisting of a
ring M, to which four opposite arms N are attached, the upper ends of which
are fixed to the rod O from above; these arms are made thin and of an
elastic material, so as to be capable of springing outwards, and their inner
surfaces are provided with serrations, as shown, so that any object, such as
the broken end of a rod if forced in between the arms, is held securely thereby
and can thus be drawn out.
b
When the boring through the aqueous strata has been completed the water
from these is effectually cut off from the boring by the following apparatus and
mode of operation:-A strong cast-iron cylinder shown in sectional elevation
at P, Figure 12, is constructed of a somewhat smaller diameter than the boring,
having at bottom an external flange a, the extreme diameter of which corre-
sponds as nearly as practicable with the diameter of the boring; the upper end
of this cylinder fits like a gland into the lower end of a second strong cast-iron
cylinder Q, which has also an external flange 6 equal in diameter to that of the
well. The space formed on the external surface of the bottom cylinder between
its lower flange and the flange of the upper cylinder is filled in with moss or
other similar suitable substance R, which is to act as a packing between the
lower cylinder and the side of the well. The lower cylinder P is suspended
from the upper one Q by means of suspension bolts S passing through an
inner flange C formed on the upper end of the former and through a ring T
resting upon flanges d formed on the upper cylinders in such manner that when
the lower cylinder is in place at the bottom of the boring the upper one is free

page_text: to slide down upon it, and thus compresses the moss packing, as shown at
Figure 12, an inclined annular plate c being fixed to the under side of the
flange bin order the more effectually to force the packing R against the side of
the well; to the upper cylinder Q is now fixed a third cylinder U by means of
bolts passing through the external flanges d, a water-tight joint being insured
by means of lead packing between the meeting surfaces; to a flange f on the
interior surface of this third cylinder is bolted a strong diaphragm V of an
inverted dished form, so as to withstand considerable pressure from below;
in order to facilitate the subsequent removal of this diaphragm it is preferred
to make it of a somewhat smaller diameter than the cylinders, and to fix thereto
a ring V¹, by which it is connected to the flange f; in the centre of this
diaphragm is formed an opening 9, to which is fixed a pipe W passing
vertically up through the cylinder; upon the cylinder U is now fixed a fourth
one X, also in a water-tight manner, and the four thus combined are then
lowered by suspension rods Y fixed in a ring Z into the boring, until by the
aid of the diaphragm they float in the water contained therein; other cylinders
are now fixed in succession in a like water-tight manner to those in the
boring, which are consequently made to sink gradually down from the super-
added weight, which sinking is regulated by the suspension rods or chains
worked from above, and also by letting in a certain quantity of water above
the diaphragm V through the central tube W; this tube also serves to allow
clearing implements to be passed down the boring below the diaphragm in
order to clear out any debris before the cylindrical lining arrives at the
bottom. When this has been accomplished, that is to say, when the bottom
cylinder has arrived on a seat formed for it in the impermeable strata below
the aqueous strata, the bottom cylinder is pressed by the superincumbent
weight down over the "gland" cylinder P, thus very forcibly compressing the
moss packing R, as before described as shown at Figure 12. A water-tight
packing is thus formed round the lower end of the cylindrical lining, which
prevents the water of the upper strata from penetrating into the interior of
the lining from below. An annular space h exists between the outer surface
of the cylindrical lining and the surface i of the boring, which space is now
by preference filled in with concrete, as although the moss packing at bottom
and the water-tight joints of the lining prevents the penetration of the water
to the interior, yet it is well to guard by this means effectually against any
leakage that may take place in the lapse of time; this filling in with concrete
is effected by means of narrow boxes constructed as shown in sectional, front,
and side elevation at Figure 13, the bottoms k of which are connected by
rods to a cover or piston m attached to a long rod n worked from above;

page_text: these boxes are filled with concrete, and are lowered in the annular space, at
the bottom of which the concrete is made to pass out of the box by forcing
down the bottom k and piston m. When the cylindrical lining has been made
perfectly water-tight, and all communication with the aqueous strata cut
off, the water is emptied out of the cylinders and the diaphragm removed. A
strong segmental ribbed cast-iron curb or sill, shown at o in sectional elevation
and plan at Figure 14, is then by preference firmly fixed in the boring a short
distance below the lower end of the "gland" cylinder P, and a segmental
connecting cylinder p is introduced to connect the two firmly together, so as
to provide a firm foundation to the lining; in many cases however this may
be dispensed with. After a perfectly water-tight lining has been made to the
boring through the upper strata in the above-described manner the boring is
continued in the usual manner into the strata from which it is desired to
obtain the water for the well.
The principal advantages of the before-described system of sinking wells
through aqueous upper strata are, firstly, the complete isolation of such aqueous
strata; secondly, the great strength of the cast-iron lining and the possibility
of making the joints thereof perfectly water-tight; thirdly, great economy in
the expense and duration of the work; fourthly, considerably less arduous
labour for the workmen ; and, fifthly, the possibility of passing through all
aqueous strata, no matter what their nature and thickness may be. The most
difficult case that can occur in establishing wells through aqueous upper strata
is when it is required to pass through strata of quicksand of considerable
thickness and situated a considerable depth below the water level.
In this case
my improved system will offer great advantages over those now employed.
In such cases the mode of operating would be as follows:-First, if the
aqueous strata situate above the quicksand is of sufficient consistency to
prevent any sericus falling in during the boring the well is first sunk down to
the quicksand, and a preliminary cast or wrought iron tube is then sunk down
the boring, and is made to penetrate through the quicksands, and for some
yards into the hard strata below; after this the well is sunk a few yards
farther in order to prepare a seat for the bottom of the lining, and this
latter is then lowered and rendered water-tight by the before-described process.
Second, if the strata above the quicksand is not of a firm nature, but yet
sufficiently so to allow of its being bored, a preliminary lined shaft is sunk
down to the quicksand, after which the before-mentioned tube is sunk through
the sand, and the operation of lowering the lining is then proceeded with as
before described. In both the above cases the lowering of the tube through
the quicksand is the most difficult operation. If this tube be made equal in

page_text: length to the entire thickness of the aqueous strata, so that it can be worked
from the top, the operation will be facilitated; but the lowering of the tube
might be difficult on account of its weight. If, on the other hand, the tube is
only made of a length equal to the thickness of the stratum of quicksand it
might be lowered by the ordinary apparatus, by which the cylindrical lining is
lowered; but in this case the penetration of the tube into the quicksand
could not be so easily effected. I therefore prefer to make the tube of the
entire height, as before mentioned, as it is always possible to counteract any
excessive weight by the application of a temporary equilibrium diaphragm in
the tube similar to that described with reference to the cylindrical lining, and
which is subsequently removed.
In order to cause the tube to penetrate through the sand various means
may be employed in addition to the weight of the tube should this not be
sufficient, thus it may be pressed down by means of screws or hydraulic
presses, or the tube may be filled with water to a greater height than the level
of the water in the boring, so that the water in escaping at the lower edge of
the tube, owing to the increased head inside it, would decrease the friction of
the tube in passing through the strata.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, what I claim under the berein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the before-described improved mode of and apparatus
for sinking wells through aqueous upper strata without having to pump out
the water during the operation, and for cutting off all communication between
the water of such aqueous strata and the interior of the well.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Chaudron, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
JOSEPH CHAUDKUN.
(L.S.)