AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR WORKING MINES,TUNNELS AND QUARRIES, AND FOR SUBMARINE OPERATIONS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting En-
gineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRILLING
OR BORING ROCKS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR WORKING MINES, TUNNELS AND
QUARRIES, AND FOR SUBMARINE OPERATIONS."-A communication from
abroad by James Asbury McKean, of Paris, in the Empire of
France.
Scaled the 8th October 1870, and dated the 14th April 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 14th April 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engincer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR WORKING MINES,

page_text: TUNNELS, AND QUARRIES, AND FOR SUBMARINE OPERATIONS," and have petitioned
Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
Declaration that it has been communicated to me from abroad by
James Asbury McKean, of Paris, in the Empire of France.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
forming a part of this Specification.
This machine is designed for boring rocks and other hard substances,
and is applicable to the execution of all work in which the. blasting of
rocks has to be performed, such as in working mines, sinking wells,
boring railway tunnels, and the like.
The principle of the said machine is as follows:-The drill for
striking the rock is firmly secured to a piston enclosed within a cylinder
of cast iron or other suitable metal, and moved by steam, compressed air,
or other elastic fluid. The said piston and drill have a reciprocating
motion so that the point of the latter when the machine is working
alternately approaches and recedes from the rock or other substance
wherein the hole is to be formed, which is thus struck with a rapid
succession of blows. The drill also at cach backward stroke of the piston
receives a rotative movement on its axis, so that it shall never strike the
rock two successive blows in the same place, and so that it shall form a
circular hole. Furthermore, the drill receives at each back stroke of the
piston an advance or feed motion in the direction of its axis, so that its
point penetrates the rock or other substance more deeply as the work
proceeds, and will therefore always strike the bottom or end of the hole.
The feed motion of the drill and its rotation around its axis are automatic
and are derived' from the motion of the piston, and the latter receives its
to-and-fro motion through a peculiarly arranged valve and distributing
passages whereby the admission of the steam or other fluid to the
cylinder is controlled. The drilling machine is carried upon a frame of
peculiar construction which may be modified in form according to the
nature and condition of the work for which the machine is to be used.
If necessary a number of these machines may be placed upon one frame
in order to bore a number of holes at once.

page_text: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the said drilling machine taken
through the axis of the cylinder; Figure 2 is a transverse section
perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder; Figure 3 is a front end view
of the said machine; Figure 4 is a plan of the same; Figure 5 is a
transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 1; Figure 6 is a view of the
rear end of the machine.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, illustrate an arrangement of the drilling machine,
mounted upon a peculiar frame designed for the drilling of very deep
holes. Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
The cylinder a, which may be constructed of any desired dimensions, is
fitted with a piston furnished with steam-tight packing, and made in
one piece with a hollow rod c; this rod passes through stuffing boxes in
the two cylinder covers. At its rear extremity it has an enlargement
or boss from which project inclined teeth d, this enlargement with its
teeth forms two inclined surfaces which by the reciprocating motion of
the piston rod are caused to act on two levers e', e³, secured to a common
socket or sleeve e surrounding the rod or spindle f of the distributing
valve, and gives to these levers e³, e², and the rod f an oscillating or
reciprocating circular motion around its axis, which motion is transmitted
to the valve g in such a manner that the said valve being cylindrical
uncovers in proper succession the admission and exhaust apertures.
The steam or other fluid admitted through the supply orifice o circulates
in the valve box around the valve and enters the cylinder by that one
of the ports o², o, which is uncovered by the valve; the exhaust steam
passes through the valve which is hollow and forms alternately a
communication with one or the other of the two ports o³, o³, through
which the steam that has been used will pass and escape through the
exhaust aperture o. To the valve rod is fixed a tappet h; this tappet
is enclosed in a recess at one side of the socket or boss e of the levers e¹, e³ ;
this recess is larger than the tappet, so that there is a space between the
sides of the tappet and the inside of the recess; two screws i passed
through the opposite sides of the recess, bear against the sides of the
tappet h, and by their adjustment the levers are caused to turn the valvo
more or less to one side or the other. The position of the valve g in
relation to the piston b is varied according as either one of the said screws
projects more or less through the side of the recess; by this means the

page_text: valve can be arranged in such a manner that the admission aperture
communicating with either side of the piston is more widely opened than
the other, so that the steam being less throttled on one side than on the
other acts with more pressure upon either side of the piston as desired,
according to the nature of the work to be executed. This arrangement
also allows of the adjustment of the valve g as desired during the working
of the apparatus. The pistou 6 in working must not come in contact
with the ends of the cylinder a, it is necessary therefore that the cylinder
should be of such length that a certain space is left at the end of each
stroke of the piston , between the said piston and the corresponding
end of the cylinder a, in which space the steam forms a cushion to
deaden the shock. To give to the piston rod c, and consequently to the
drill, a rotating motion around its axis, the teeth d of the aforesaid
enlargement are made oblique as shown in Figure 4, instead of being
parallel with the axis of the rod e; these teeth gear with a rotating cam j
whose teeth are also made oblique. In the reciprocating movements of
the piston rod c, the teeth d, gearing with those of the cam, are compelled
to follow the rotative movement due to this inclination. This rotativo
movement takes place only during the backward stroke of the piston,
during which time a ratchet wheel k, fixed on the shaft of the cam ¿, is
held by a spring catch which renders the cam j immovable. In the
hollow rod c of the piston & is another rod m, having screw threads upon
its external surface throughout its length. The drill or cutting tool »
passes through this rod m and is secured therein by means of a shoulder a¹
at one end and a conical nut n² at the other end of the said rod. From
the shoulder ' extends a projection a parallel to the axis of the drill and
forming a key; this key fits a groove in the rod m, and holds the same
and the drill firmly together. The screw rod m has two longitudinal
V-shaped grooves m' on opposite sides of its exterior surface, which fit
corresponding projections in the interior of the piston rod for a portion
of its length; these grooves and projections are desigued to give
solidity to the screw and rod, so that they will not bo disarranged in
working upon very hard materials; the shoulder of the drill » has two
similar recesses to allow of its passing through the piston rod c when the
parts of the machine are put together.
The feed or advance movement of the drill is effected in the following
manner: The pistou rod c at its rear extremity has a box or socket d' of
a slightly oval form, and preferably in one piece with the said rod; in this
-

page_text: socket the feed mechanism is enclosed. This socket has two recesses,
through which are passed two curved plates p,p*, carried by flat rods p',
whose other extremity is provided with a collar p² which surrounds the
neck a of the cylinder a. The plates p, p*, may be adjusted endwise,
and secured in any desired position by nuts and bolts p³. One of these
plates p* is designed simply to act as a counterpoise to the other plate,
which has a groove q; the central part of this screw is inclined in relation
to its two extremities as shown in Figure 4. In this groove is fitted a
sliding block r, having formed on it a catch which engages with the
teeth of a ratchet wheel & formed in one piece with the feed nuts which
fits the hollow feed screw m. A curved levert prevents the revolution
of the said ratchet wheel & in the direction opposite to that in which
the catch ¹ moves it. A spring a secured by a pin retains the said
catch and lever in the desired position. A screw closes the rear of the
box c', and keeps the feed nuts in the desired position; the said screw is
formed with notches or teeth o¹ on its periphery, and a catch v³ arranged
to enter these notches prevents the unscrewing of this screw during the
working of the machine. The said screw is provided with holes v³ for
the insertion of a key for unscrewing it. The piston rod c in its to-
and-fro motion carries with it the sliding block and catch 7. This
block, moving through the inclined part of the groove q, gives through
the medium of the catch a partial rotation at each stroke to the ratchet
wheel s' and feed nuts, which nut being incapable of endwise motion forces
the feed screw m to advance and carry forward with it the drill n, which
thus receives an advance movement in relation to the piston rod at each
backward stroke of the piston. Upon the forward end of the cylinder a
are fixed four iron rods or bars w supported at the forward end in a collar
or ring x¹; one of these bars forms the fulcrum of the pawl which retains
the ratchet ¹ of the rotating cam j³, and bearings are formed in the said
collar for the forward extremity of the valve rod, and the rod or spindle
of the said rotating cam. A cylindrical hollow trunnion y is cast upon
the cylinder a, and by this trunnion the drilling apparatus is attached to
its frame.
For boring holes of great depth, such as are required in mines and
quarries, as well as in work to be executed in the beds of watercourses,
rivers, canals, and for other purposes, I arrange the machine as illustrated
The 7 to 10 A metallic platfown & is mounted uno
Lisans

page_text: by four pins or webs B, which are secured by a base plate C to the
platform A. The top of the column forms a vertical cylindrical pivot, a
collar D embraces this column and may be tightened upon it by pinching
screws and blocks E, F. This column is formed in one piece with a
socket G, the axis of which is horizontal and which receives the cylinder
trunnion y; screws and pinching blocks I, I, are employed for tightening
the trunnion y in the socket G. In this arrangement the drilling
machine may be turned completely around upon the column, and may
bo secured in any desired position thereon. Insido of this column is
fitted the end of a wooden post J; this post carries a winch K. The
said winch is provided with crank handles K', a ratchet wheel and
pawl. Upon this winch is wound a cord or rope, which passes over
a pulley L at the upper end of the post J; this cord is designed for
raising rods to which the drill is attached when the same is to be
changed, it is also employed for working a sand pump and for other
purposes. The rods are connected together by screw threads; the two
parts of the rod may be connected by a right-handed screw thread, and
the joint may be covered by a coupling with a left-handed screw thread,
or vice versa; this coupling prevents the unscrewing and looscing of the
rods. The lengthening of the rod is effected at the first joint when the
joint is below the platform A, the nut is removed from the feed
box c¹ and the rod is raised until the joint is above the platform, the joint
is then unfastened. The additional rod is added, the joints remade, and
the machine is again ready for work. Apertures are formed through
the platform A to permit the passage of the rod and drill, one of these
apertures being placed above the point where a hole is to be bored.
When it is required to bore holes at the bottom of rivers or canals, the
apparatus is supported by its platform upon a wooden scaffolding erected
in the watercourse, or it may be supported by barges; the platform A is
provided with wheels L' which facilitate the removal of the apparatus.
In some cases I use a frame constructed in the following manner :-
Two iron plates are secured together at their lower extremities by strong
tic pieces, and at their upper ends by a strong tube; through this tubo
passes a rod, each end of which is screwed. The tube is formed with
flanges which are secured to the plates by means of screw bolts passed:
through the plates into the flanges of the tube so as to fix it effectually. The
two axles which carry the four wheels upon which the frame rests pass
through bearings and are cranked at their ends to receive the wheels,

page_text: which are mounted upon these cranks. The two ends of these axles
on the same side of the frame are connected by a stiff bar; this bar is
jointed to a small arm of a cranked lever. By moving the long arm of
the lever two objects can be effected; first, the bringing down of the
cranks into a vertical position towards the ground, the frame then rests
upon the wheels and may be moved about like a truck; secondly, the
said lever may be brought back into the position to raise the cranks, the
frame then rests upon four feet which terminate in points, the apparatus
is then in the position for working. The lever is secured in either
position by means of a bolt passed through holes in the lever and plate.
The metallic pointed feet which support the whole of the apparatus pass
through sockets fixed at the corners of the frame and they are secured at
the desired height in these sockets by means of pinching screws.
The drilling apparatus is secured to this frame as follows:-The tube
or hollow shaft being secured by bolts and screws to the two plates of
the frame is embraced by a cylindrical collar. This collar has an
extension in which is formed (in a plane perpendicular to that of the
collar) the socket in which is inserted the cylindrical pivot or trunnion
of the cylinder. A screw and pinching block are employed for securing
the collar in such a position as may be desired upon the hollow column
or tube, and another screw and pinching block are in like manner
employed to secure the trunnion in its socket when the cylinder is
adjusted to any desired position. By this arrangement it will be seen
that the apparatus can be adjusted and secured in any desired angular
position in vertical and horizontal planes. The form of the drilling tools
employed may be varied according to the nature of the rock or other
material to be operated upon.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I wish it understood that I
claim,-
First. The cylindrical distributing valve, constructed, arranged, and
operating in combination with the admission and exhaust apertures,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The devices whereby a reciprocating circular motion is
given to the said valve, arranged and operating substantially as set
forth.
Third. The means for producing the rotation of the piston rod,
substantially as herein set forth.

page_text: Fourth. The devices for producing the advance or feed motion of the
drill through the said piston rod during the backward stroke of the piston,
substantially as herein set forth.
Fifth. The combination in a machine for drilling rocks and other hard
substances of the said distributing valve and its operating devices, the 5
means for rotating the piston rod and for producing the automatic feed
or advance of the drill together, and with the other parts of the said
machine, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Sixth. The means for supporting the said machine so that the
same will work in any desired position, substantially as herein set 1
forth.
In witness whereof, I, tho said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE.
(L.S.)
'Witness,
JAMES TEARE,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Southampton Buildings,
London.