BOREING MACHINE
Year: 1885

page_text: I REGINALD STANLEY of the Nuneaton Colliery Nuneaton, County of Warwick,
England; Brick & Tile Manufacturer and Colliery Proprietor; do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for A BOREING MACHINE to be as follows:-
It is a machine for Boreing or helping to make passages, headings, or air-ways
in coal, clay, sand and other substances. It is represented on the accompanying
plans, and is described as follows. A central shaft A at one end of which is
attached the iron arms B, bent to the required angle, and of the strength required.
At the end of each arm B, the cutters E are attached, and in the centre at the
cutting end of shaft A is attached the drill C on which is fixed the spiral worm D
which fits the hole and steadies the end of shaft A. From M to M the shaft A is
threaded, which thread corresponds to and works through the block H, which block
is firmly attached to the frame F which is also fixed by set pins I to the top and
bottom of passage heading or air way-By turning shaft A one way or the other it
is caused to advance or retire as may be required. The motive power is applied to
shaft A by manual, steam compressd air, water, or other power, by means of cog
wheels cranks or other machinery.

page_text: I REGINALD STANLEY, of the Nuneaton Colliery, Nuneaton, in the county of
Warwick, Brick and Tile Manufacturer and Colliery Proprietor do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the construction of an improved machine or apparatus
adapted for boring or assisting to make passages, headings or roadways in coal,
clay, marl, sandstone and other substances.
The improved machine is constructed of a central horizontal shaft carrying at
one end rectangular or bent iron arms consisting of two or more arms arranged
radially on the shaft and carrying arms extending forward horizontally in a
direction parallel with the central shaft. On the end of each arm are attached
cutters; a number of ribs or projections forming sweepers or scrapers and arranged
at a suitable angle are provided on the surface of the horizontal arms and a long
strip or long strips of metal also forming a sweeper or sweepers extends or extend
in a circular direction from the front end of one of the said horizontal arms to some
'distance from the front of one of the other horizontal arms and can if required
consist of more than one sweeper and extend partly or completely around the
circle of which the arms form radii. On the cutting end of the central shaft is
attached a drill fitted with a spiral worm working in the hole which the drill is
intended to make and assisting in steadying the end of the central shaft. The
central part of the shaft is screw threaded and works through a block or nut
attached to the frame of the machine, the said block or nut being removeable from
the frame for the purpose hereinafter described; the frame is made as narrow as
'possible so as to leave a space or passage on one or both sides thereof in the
heading or way, and it is fixed by set screws or pins, or by wedges and set screws,
or pins to the top and bottom (and sides if required) of the passage, heading, or air
way being made; the said set screws or pins being provided with collars and
serving also when operated to raise or alter the direction of the machine. The
central shaft is made to advance or retire according to the direction in which it is
turned, and any suitable motive power is employed for driving the shaft.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same
by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1, represents a transverse
section and figure 2, a sectional elevation of my improved machine, shewing the
same at work. Similar letters in both figures represent similar parts.
a, represents the central horizontal shaft of the machine and b, b, are the radial
arms at the end of the same; 61, 61, are the horizontal arms extending forward
from the ends of the arms b, b, in a direction parallel with the shaft a; c, c, are the
cutters fixed in sockets on the ends of the arms b', by means of set screws a², and
which, when the arms are rotated as hereinafter described, cut an annular groove
in the heading or way; the arms 61, are made of a width suitable to the number of
cutters which are to be used; d, d, are the sweepers or scrapers placed at an angle
on the surface of the arms b', as shewn in figure 2, but the sweepers or scrapers d,
can if required be extended beyond the width of the arms b¹; e, is the strip of

page_text: metal also forming a sweeper and extending in a circular direction from the front
of one of the arms b¹, to a point at a distance back from the front of the other
arm b¹; two or more of the sweepers e, can be used in the machine and more than
one between any two arms; the sweepers or scrapers d, and e, serve to scrape out
or expel from the annular groove made by the cutters c, and in which the arms b',
are working, any accumulation of fine material or cuttings produced in the
operation thereby allowing the cutters to penetrate to a greater depth than would
otherwise be the case; the cutters c, are of a number and size and set in a manner
that will cut the annular groove wide enough to allow the sweepers or scrapers d,
and e, to work freely therein and to allow for altering the direction of the cut;
f, is the drill fixed in the cutting end of the central shaft a, and having a spiral
worm as shewn in figure 2, which fits the central hole made in the heading by the
drill when the machine is operated; in this hole a charge of powder can be
subsequently introduced to assist in removing the core; the drill f, further serves
to steady the end of the central shaft a, and the cutters c, when the machine is at
work and the spiral worm thereon carries back the loose material or cuttings out
of the hole; g, is the screw thread on the central part of the shaft a, the said screw
threads being of a length corresponding or nearly so with that of the arms b¹; h, is
the screw threaded block or nut, in which the screw threaded part g, of the shaft a,
works, the pitch of the thread being made to suit the rate at which it is required
to feed forward the cutters c, the block or nut therefore not only serves as a
bearing to the shaft a, but allows it to be propelled forward at the required rate of
speed, the block or nut h, is attached to the frame A, of the machine, and prevented
from turning when in operation by means of pins or bolts i, passing through one
side of the frame and through the block or nut h, and into the other side of the
frame so that by withdrawing the said pins or bolts, the block or nut h, will be
free of the frame A and can be rotated upon the thread g, of the shaft a, for the
purpose of allowing the machine to be run forward when the cutters have entered
the heading to the depth required as will be hereafter more fully described;
j, shews a smooth bearing fixed to the back of the front legs of the frame A. This
bearing is for the purpose of carrying the threaded end of the shaft when the
machine is being run forward as well as when the machine is at work; k, is a
longitudinal slot which is cut in the plain part 1, of the central shaft for about the
same distance as the length of the arms 6, and cutters c; the said part 1, of the
central shaft rotates and slides in a bearing m, on the frame A of the machine;
n, is a spur wheel on the plain part 1, of the central shaft in which spur wheel is
fixed a feather or key o, fitting in the slot k, and over which the slot k, slides.as
the shaft is moved backwards or forwards; the spur wheel n, is kept from moving
along the shaft by means of a sleeve or pins p, fixed to the bearing m, and having
a flange or projections q, fitting in a corresponding groove on the boss of the spur
wheel or other suitable means can be employed for keeping the spur wheel n, in
position in the frame A, and at the same time allow it to revolve with the central
shaft a, and the central shaft to slide in the spur wheel.
Motion is communicated to the spur wheel n, from two or more cylinders r,
attached to the side of the frame A and driven by compressed air, water or steam
power the piston rods s, of the said cylinders operating cranks t, and intermediate
spur wheels u, v, w, acting upon the spur wheel n; c', represents the feed and
d', the exhaust pipe of the engine. The frame A is made of wrought iron or steel
of a rectangular form extending perpendicularly from near the floor to near the
roof of the heading in which the machine is at work and its width is such as to
allow of a passage on both sides as shewn (or a passage may be left on one side
only). The whole machine is carried upon four wheels B, that run upon rails C,
laid on the floor of the heading.
x, x, are the set screws or pins (which are drill pointed) for fixing the machine
to the bottom of the passage being made and for raising the machine the said set
screws or pins being adapted to enter the material of which the passage is formed;
3, 3, are the wedges for fixing the top of the machine to the passage and which are

page_text: driven between the top of the passage and the top of the frame A, made flat for
this purpose; z, z, are the collars on the set screws or pins x, which collars when
the set screws have entered the bottom of the passage to the required depth will
rest on the latter; the set screws work through the axles a', of the carrying
wheels B of the machine in such a manner that when it is desired to raise the
machine in order to alter its direction of cut and to shift the rails C, it is only
necessary to continue to screw down the set screws (the wedges y, being removed)
and the collars bearing upon the bottom of the passage the set screws x, will raise
the machine.
¹, are screw pins hinged on each side of the frame A and when required are used
to steady the cutters and to alter the direction of the cut, they are drill pointed and
fitted with collars like the screw pins x, when they are used they are screwed out
onto the sides of the heading and when not required are allowed to hang down
beside the frame.
The operation of the machine is as follows;-The rails C, are first placed at a
proper distance from the face of the work to allow the arms b', to rotate in front
of the same and the machine is then run forward and secured in position by means
of the set screws x, and wedges y, the parts of the machine being in the position
shewn in figure 2, the cylinders r, will set the piston rods s, and gearing u, v, w, in
motion and the spur wheel n, will be caused to rotate and will carry with it the
central shaft a, which being forced forward by the part g, thereof working in the
threaded block or nut h, will advance at a regular speed and will rotate and carry
forward the arms b¹, cutters c, and central drill f; the cutters c, will form the
annular groove in the face of the heading to be cut and the cuttings will be carried
backwards and expelled by the sweepers or scrapers d, and e, out of the groove and
can then be thrown back by hand past the machine through the spaces or passages
at the sides thereof as required; at the same time the drill f, will have drilled a
central hole. When the cutters have penetrated to the required depth the machine
is stopped and the core can be either removed while the cutters are up to the face
of the work or the whole machine can. be withdrawn to a suitable distance whilst
the core is blown down by means of a charge of powder or other explosive intro-
duced into the central hole or the core can be removed in any other suitable manner.
In order to withdraw the machine from the face of the work it is only necessary to
detach the block or nut h, from the frame A, in the manner herein before described
when it can be easily and quickly screwed forward along the threaded part g, of the
shaft to the position it occupies thereon when commencing the operation, the weight
of the central shaft being borne by the smooth bearing j; the rails C, are then
pushed forward to the back of the arms b; the frame of the machine is then
lowered onto the rails and run forward along the shaft a, and the block or nut h,
being again fixed in position the whole machine (the parts of which including the
arms b', and cutters c, are ready for another operation) can be withdrawn to allow
of removing the core and clearing the heading ready for the machine to commence
making another cutting.
Although I have described and shewn my improved machine provided with two
rectangular or bent arms b, bl, it will be obvious that a larger number can be
employed according to requirements and the rails C can if required be dispensed with.
In some cases it may be desirable to cut an annular groove in the face of the
work without boring a central hole therein as herein described in which case the
central drill f, is removed from the machine by simply unscrewing the same.
The long sweeper or scraper c, can extend round a portion of the circle of which
the arms b, form radii as shewn in the drawing or it can extend completely round
the said circle and in the latter case it can be attached to one or both of the
arms b'; also more than one sweeper can be used between either of the arms b',
according to the length of the arm b', or the angle or rake it is required to give the
said sweeper.
In the drawing I have shewn the screw thread formed on the fore part of
the central shaft and the rear part of the shaft formed plain; it will however be

page_text: obvious that this arrangement can if required be reversed that is to say the fore
part of the shaft can be plain and formed with a slot and work in a smooth bearing
and the rear end of the shaft be threaded and the nut or block h, be attached to
the front part of the frame A in which case the smooth bearing j, would also be
fixed to the rear of the rear legs of the frame.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a machine for boring passages, headings and the like in coal and other sub-
stances the combination with a series of horizontal cutting arins arranged as herein
described and adapted to cut an annular groove in the face of the heading, of a
number of ribs or projections arranged at an angle or spirally on the said arms and
serving to sweep or scrape the cuttings out of the said annular groove during the
boring operation substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawing.
2. In a boring machine, the combination with the cutting arms, 61, 61, adapted to
cut an annular groove in the face of the heading, of a strip or strips of metal such
as e, arranged in the manner described and shewn so as to form a sweeper or
sweepers for clearing the said annular groove from the cuttings during the boring
operation as herein before described.
3. In a boring machine such as is herein described the use of a threaded block
or nut removeably attached to the frame of the machine in such a manner that it
can when disconnected be rotated or screwed over the threaded shaft carrying the
boring arms substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
represented in the accompanying drawing.
4. In a boring machine the employment of a number of drill pointed set screws
or pins working through the axles of the carrying wheels and provided near their
points with collars, the said screws or pins serving when operated, to assist in fixing
the machine in position and also to raise the same substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
5. The improved boring machine hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawing.