IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR BORING ROCKS AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Low, of Newark-on-Trent, in the County
of Nottingham, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
BORING ROCKS AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 10th August 1863, and dated the 9th April 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Low at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on tho
9th April 1863.
I, GEORGE Low, of Newark-on-Trent, in the County of Nottingham,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR BORING ROCKS AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of boring machine whereby
the driving of adits and the working of quarries may be greatly expedited.
The machine, which admits of various modifications, may be described as con-
sisting of a carriage frame in which is mounted one of a series of cylinders
fitted each with a piston attached to a hollow rod which carries at one end a
hollow boring tool. The frame will run on wheels when used for driving hori-
zontal adits or railway tunnels, and against the face of quarries, or it may be
arranged to hang from a chain when driving or sinking perpendicular or
inclined shafts.

page_text: Another form of frame (being a portable one) consists of a pillar which runs
on wheels, and can be adjusted betwixt the top and bottom of the adit in any
position by the attendant.
The cylinders are set on guido frames along which they slide by a self-
acting worm and screw motion, according to the progress of the boring tool;
each of the cylinder frames is to arranged as to admit of being easily moved
by the attendant either perpendicularly or sideways, and also at any angle in
either direction for the purpose of bringing each of the tools into a position
suitable for the nature of the rock strata to be bored. The pistons are
worked either by steam conveyed by felted pipes, or compressed air, or by any
other motive gases. The steam is admitted to each cylinder by a single valve
and is operated by a rock lever or other suitable movement set in action by
means of a connecting rod attached to the piston rod. The rock lever when
used moves a pawle in contact with the teeth of a ratchet wheel the axle of
which carries a worm in gear with a worm wheel on the piston rod, and by
this arrangement an axial motion is given to the boring tool. The rock lever
is connected by links to a bell crank, which by pressing on the end of the valve
rod gives motion to the valve in one direction. The return is effected by means
of a coiled spring or its equivalent. The length of the valve rod is made
adjustable to regulate the "cut off." The steam escapes into the interior of
the piston through grooves in the cylinder, and there meeting a jet of cold
water is condensed. The water and condensed steam then rush out through
holes made in the hollow boring tool, and entering the hole which is being
bored out in the rock, thereby keeps it clean during the operation of boring.
The propelling of the cylinder along its frame in the progress of boring is
effected by the arrangement above described for working the valve and giving
a continuous rotary motion to the tool, a small screw being attached to the
end of one piston rod and working through a stationary female screw.
The
piston is moved backwards for fresh strokes partly by vacuum caused by the
condensation and by a very small passage of steam independent of the valve.
The horizontal and rotary motion of the tool is effected during the back-
ward motion of the piston. On the completion of the boring of each hole,
which varies from 2 feet 9 inches to 3 feet in depth, a lever is moved
which takes the propelling gear out of motion, and by turning a hand wheel the
cylinder and tool are brought back and their position can instantly be changed
to operate upon another part of the rock in any required direction by means of
hand gear under the control of the attendant. Upon the completion of the neces-
sary number of holes, and preparatory to blasting, the pipe which supplies the

page_text: cylinder with steam is disconnected and the machine is drawn back a little, and
a shield of wrought iron is to be placed in front of it to protect it from the flying
pieces. The coupling box or pipe joint is fitted with handles at its periphery to
allow of the instant coupling or uncoupling of the pipes without the application
of any tool for unscrewing the same. The tools used for boring will be of various
shapes, according to the quality of stone upon which they are intended to
operate, but in every case they will by preference be hollow and have openings
at or near their ends for the escape of the injection water and condensed stean.
The water is supplied to the hollow piston rod by a flexible pipe leading from
an elevated reservoir carried by the frame of the machine, and it is introduced
into the piston rod by a brass or copper pipe, pierced laterally so as to ensure
a distribution of the water in the form of spray into the exhaust steam. The
condensed steam and injection water then pass forward through the boring
tool into the hole being bored, and wash out the pulverized stone displaced by
the boring tool.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Low in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th October 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
Low, of Newark-on-Trent, in the County of Nottingham, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, tho said Georgo Low, Her special license that I, the said George Low,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Low, 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 "IMPROVED MACHINERY,
FOR BORING ROCKS AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Low, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the

page_text: 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 George Low, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of boring machinery, whereby
the driving of adits and the working of quarries may be greatly expedited.
The machinery, which admits of various modifications, may be described as
consisting of a frame in which is mounted one or a series of cylinders fitted
each with a piston attached to a hollow rod which carries at one end a hollow
boring tool. The frame will run on wheels for driving horizontal adits or
railway tunnels, and against the face of quarries, or it may be arranged to hang
from a chain when driving or sinking perpendicular or inclined shafts.
Another form of frame (being a portable one) consists of a pillar or column
which can be adjusted betwixt the top and bottom of the adit in any position by
the attendant.
In one arrangement the working cylinders are set on guide frames along
which they slide by a self-acting worm and screw motion according to the
progress of the boring tool. Each of the cylinder frames is so arranged as to
admit of being easily moved by the attendant either perpendicularly or side-
ways, and also at any angle in either direction for the purpose of bringing each
of the tools into a position suitable for the nature of the rock strata to be
bored. The pistons are worked either by steam conveyed by pipes covered
with felt, or by compressed air, or by any other motive gases.
Fig. 1, Sheet I., in the accompanying Drawings represents a longitudinal
section taken through one of the cylinders, and the principal working parts of
the apparatus. a, a, is the cylinder, which is mounted on guides on which it
is capable of being slidden or moved forwards as the boring operation proceeds;
b, b, is a piston working in the cylinder a, and provided with a hollow
piston rod c, to the outer end of which is secured, by means of a cottar or
otherwise a hollow boring tool, shewn detached at Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, and
which will be hereafter more fully described. At the other side of the piston
is either a continuation of the piston rod c, through the piston, or there may
be another rod c¹, as shewn in the Drawing. This rod c¹ passes out through
a stuffing box at the inner end of the cylinder, and carries a block d, which is

page_text: connected by means of a link or rod e with the end of the rock lever f, whereby
the gearing for working the valves is actuated. Steam is admitted to the
cylinder behind the piston, as indicated by the arrow, by a single valve 9,
which is operated by the rock lever f, or other suitable movement, set in
action by means of the connecting rod e attached to the piston rod c. The
rock leverf when moved actuates a pawle f' at its upper end, and in contact
with the teeth of a ratchet wheel h, the axle of which carries a worm i, in
gear with a worm wheel j on the piston rod c', which at this part is made
square and passes freely through the worm wheel, but is made to turn
therewith. By this arrangement an axial motion is given to the piston rod
and boring tool. The rock lever f is connected by links & to a bell crank k',
which by pressing on the end of the valve rod g¹, gives motion to the valve g
in one direction. The return of the valve is effected by means of a coiled
spring g' or its equivalent. The length of the valve rod g' is made adjustable
to regulate the "cut off." When the piston has reached a certain part of the
stroke, the steam from behind the piston escapes into the interior of the
piston through grooves a' in the cylinder, and from thence passes into the
hollow piston rod c', at the outer end of which it meets with a jet of cold
water and is condensed. The water and condensed steam then rush out through
holes made in the hollow boring tool, and entering the hole which is being
bored out in the rock, thereby keep it clean during the operation of boring.
Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the hollow boring tools; Fig. 3 is a vertical
section; Fig. 4 is an end view of the tool; Figures 5 aro cross sections of
the same taken in the lines 1, 1, and 2, 2, of Fig. 2. The tool is hollow to
near the end, and two holes a³, a², are drilled diagonally into the-hollow space,
so that any steam or water supplied to the interior of the tool will escape out
of the diagonal boles into the hole that is being bored in the rock, and will
assist in clearing out the débris therefrom. It will be seen on referring to
Fig. 4 that the cutting edge of the boring tool is of peculiar shape, being
made in the form of a Z. This form is found by experience to give the best
results, and is for this reason preferred to all others.
The propelling of the cylinder along its frame during the progress of the
boring operation is effected by means of the arrangement of gearing above
described for working the valve, and which at the same time gives a continuous
rotary motion to the tool, as already mentioned. To effect these movements
a male screw is attached to the inner end of the piston rod c, and works
through a stationary female screw 2, which is fixed to the framing of the
machine. The return motion of the piston so as to be ready to make a fresh

page_text: stroke is effected partly by the vacuum caused by the condensation of the
steam behind the piston, and partly by the elastic force of a small quantity of
steam which is admitted into the cylinder in front of the piston through the
passage m, m; this admission of steam being wholly independent of the valve g.
The rotary motion of the boring tool is effected during the backward motion
of the piston, and is produced in the following manner:-At every return
stroke of the piston the block d and connecting rod e push back the lower
end of the lever f, and consequently cause the pawle f¹ at the upper end of
the lever to drive round the ratchet wheel h, and with it the worm wheel i,
which works in the worm j, through which the piston rod c¹ passes, and as the
worm slowly rotates on its axis it carries round with it the piston rod and
the boring tool at the outer end thereof. The boring tool therefore has threo
motions communicated to it, namely, first, the horizontal boring motion given
by the forward stroke of the piston; second, a rotary motion on its axis,
caused by the slow rotation of the worm j, as just explained; and third, a slow
advancing or progressive motion, caused by the rotation of the male screw / in
the stationary female screw . The holes bored in the rock vary from two
feet nine inches to three feet in depth, and on the completion of each hole
the lever m', which turns on the centre pin n, is to be depressed, and by that
means the worm wheel i will be lifted out of gear with the
turning the band wheel o, at the end of the male screw
remembered is a continuation of the piston rod c¹), the latter
back into its original position ready to commence another hole. The position
of the cylinder and boring tool may then be changed so as to operate upon
another part of the rock in any required direction. All this can be effected
by means of hand gear under the control of the attendant. Upon the com-
pletion of the necessary number of holes, and preparatory to blasting, the pipe
which supplies the cylinder with steam or compressed air for propelling the
boring tool is disconnected, and the machine is drawn back bodily a short
distance, and a shield of wrought iron or other suitable material is placed in
front of it in order to protect it from the pieces that may be blown about in
the blasting operation. The coupling box or pipe joint for connecting the
lengths of the steam pipe together is shewn in section at Fig. 6. It will be
seen that the joint is provided with handles p, p, to allow of the instant
coupling or uncoupling of the inetal pipe from the flexible one without the
application of any tool for unscrewing the same. The tools used for boring
will be of various shapes according to the quality of stone upon which they
are intended to operate, but they will, by preference, be hollow and have
worm j, then by
(which it will be
may be screwed

page_text: openings at or near their ends, as shewn in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, for the
escape of the injection water and condensed steam. The water is supplied
to the hollow piston rod by a flexible pipe leading from an elevated reservoir
carried on any convenient part of the framing of the machine. The water is
introduced into the interior of the piston rod through a brass or copper
pipe pierced laterally so as to ensure a distribution of the water in the form
of spray into the exhaust steam contained in the hollow piston rod. The
condensed steam and injection water then pass forward through the boring
tool into the hole that is being bored in the rock, and will wash out from
thence the pulverized stone and debris which has been displaced by the
boring tool. I sometimes, however, dispense with the hollow boring tool, and
in place thereof I use solid boring tools for some purposes.
In Sheet II. I have shewn the details of another arrangement in which the
cylinder is provided with trunnions, which are cast thereon, and on which it is
mounted so that it can turn thereon; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section taken
through the centre of the cylinder; Fig. 8 is another section taken in a
different plane, but shewing the boring tool cottared or secured to the end of
the screw . In this instance the boring tool is solid, but if desired a hollow
tool, such as that already described, may be employed. The steam, compressed
air, or any other gas or elastic fluid to drive the piston is admitted through
the trunnion p, Fig. 9, (which represents a transverso section taken in the
line 1, 2, of Fig. 7) to the valve chest 9, and after working the piston the
steam escapes through the other trunnion q, Fig. 9. The trunnions of the
cylinder are supported in the ends of a double bracket or gib, as shown in red
in Fig. 7, and which allows the cylinder and boring tool to be set at any
angle perpendicularly and horizontally. To this end the cylinder is provided
with straps, which go round the trunnions and are capable of being tightened
by a screws actuated by a worm and worm nut s¹, Fig. 7. The propelling
screw for advancing the tool goes up inside a wrought-iron hollow piston
rod c', the end of which is chased or cut to fit the female screw Z. The
boring tool, which is solid as before mentioned, is cottared to one end of the
screw in the hollow piston rod c³, and is advanced by means of a ratchet
catch t, Fig. 10 (which is a transverse section taken in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 7.)
This catch t operates on a ratchet nut or wheel u; which fits loosely on the
screw 7, but is made flat on two sides, as shown in Fig. 10, to enable the nut
to turn the propelling screw 1, and at the same time allow the screw to slide
through the nut as it advances. The ratchet catch t carries a roller t', which
runs in a diagonal slot made in the bar v, which is fastened to the cylinder.

page_text: Upon each reciprocation of the piston the ratchet t is caused to turn slightly
and thus turns the screw l at each move of the piston. The catch then slips
into a fresh tooth at the forward move of the piston, and therefore at the second
stroke will cause the screw to turn round still further. The ratchet catch
t is provided with a disengaging thumb nut whereby it may be lifted out of
gear with the ratchet wheel u, which may then be turned back again by
means of a pinion w, Figures 7 and 8, which works into a bevil wheel on the
boss of the ratchet nut u, so that the latter may be wound back into its normal
position on completion of each hole in the rock, so as to be ready to begin
a fresh hole in the rock. The boring tool and screw is covered with a tube
provided with a leather cap at the end to keep out the wet and dirt, as seen
at x, Fig. 8. The valve g, Fig. 7, for admitting the steam into the cylinder is
worked by two or three contrivances besides that named. There is a simple
projection y on the piston rod c', through which the valve spindle g¹ works,
and upon this latter there is an india-rubber spring g, so placed that when
the piston comes back for a fresh stroke the projection y comes into contact
with the india-rubber 9, which opens the valve 9 to the usual lead, but
through the elasticity of the india-rubber 93 the valve 9 will be opened
quite suddenly, when at the same instant a spring catch secures the
valve 9. and keeps the port open until the piston has made a blow, when
the same projection y will in advancing cause the spring catch to slip out,
and the valve g will be forced back instantly by the pressure of the steam on
the end of the valve, as there is a greater area on one side of the valve than the
other where the valve stem is. The steam port then closes and the exhaust
port is opened. The piston in every case is brought back by a little steam
passage c, which is kept constantly open, but the pressure therefrom is
overcome for a forward blow by the pressure of steam admitted through the
valve on the other side of the piston, which presents a greater area for the
pressure of the steam.
By another arrangement the valve is opened in the usual way by a bell
crank lever provided with a roller for working in a double slot with a spring
at one end; the curve of the slot will cause the valve to move in the necessary
direction in a forward direction, or at the end of the stroke the lever or
roller will be directed into the other slot by the spring, which will cause the
valves to move in the necessary direction at each stroke. The gib before
mentioned is moved up and down a column or frame on which it is supported,
as shewn in the several Figures in Sheet III.
A worm a and worm nut 6 (see enlarged detached sectional views, Fig. 13,

page_text: Fig. 13a, and Fig. 136) works on a screw c¹ inside the column, and upon
moving a lever d' the nut or worm wheel b is secured to the screw c¹ by a
clutch which will cause the screw shaft c¹ to revolve. Upon each end of this
screw shaft at the top and bottom of the column is a pinion e¹ which works
into a horizontal rack made in the slide bars f at the top and bottom of the
frame, as seen in the plan view, Fig. 11, and the detached view, Fig. 12.
By this arrangement the column may be moved from side to side of the
frame so as to bring it opposite to any part of the face of the cutting or tunnel.
Figures 11 and 12 are a partial elevation and section of the column for sup-
porting the gib, and shewing some of the internal parts drawn upon an enlarged
scale. The gib with the steam or working cylinder turns sideways to any angle
on a circular double joint, inside of which is a worm wheel and worm to turn
the screw c². The gib is also constructed to swing round the column, and each
of the moving parts is provided with a break screw to clip and fix the same
when adjusted to the work. All these moving gears are so arranged as to be
completely covered from the wet and flying pieces of rock. The supporting
column, with the steam cylinder and boring tool, is adapted to a framing A, seen
in side elevation at Fig. 14, in front elevation at Fig. 15, and in plan at Fig. 11,
This frame is fixed on a platform and is mounted on wheels, so that it may be
moved along rails laid down in the excavation. It will be seen that two or
more columns, provided with suitable steam or working cylinders and boring
tools, may be mounted in the same frame, so as to work simultaneously at the
same face. The machine having been brought sufficiently near to the face of
the work by being moved forward on the rails, the frame is firmly secured
by being jammed by means of holdfasts between the roof and floor of the
cutting. The upper end of the frame is secured by means of a strong hold-
fast or plate f' provided on its upper surface with projecting pins or points
which are forced into or against the roof by means of a worm and worm wheel
acting on the screwed stem of the holdfast or plate f¹, as seen in the detached
view, Fig. 16. The lower end of the frame is secured by means of a break
block g', which is attached to the end of a short lever mounted for convenience
on one of the axles of the running wheels. This break block is forced down
on to the ground or floor or against the rail on which the wheels run by
means of a lever acted on by a screw and worm, as seen in Fig. 14.
Fig. 17, Sheet IV., is an elevation of another modification, in which the
frame A and its platform are dispensed with, the holdfasts, or clamping or
fixing apparatus being adapted to the column itself. Fig. 18 is a detached
view of the clamping arrangement, drawn upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 19

page_text: represents the apparatus adapted for boring in an open cutting and at a con-
siderable height above the ground line. In this instance, the gib with the
working cylinder and boring tool are mounted on a hollow column B,
which is jointed at bottom to the platform, so that it may be set at any
angle. The gib with its appendages is capable of being raised or lowered on
the column B by means of a screw enclosed within the column, the upper end
of which is supported by means of another screwed shaft or tension rod C, as
shewn in the Drawing. In Fig. 20 I have shewn a mode of adapting the Inven-
tion for boring rocks perpendicularly as in well sinking, for which operation the
boring machinery is adapted to a cage or framework suspended by chains or
otherwise from above. The cage or frame when lowered to the proper place is
secured to the side of the well by screw clamps f', as shewn in the Drawing.
The working parts are adapted to a swivel table or frame D, which turns on its
centre, so that the boring tool may be turned round in any direction. This
turning round of the swivel table may be effected by bevil gearing or by means
of a worm and worm wheel as shewn in the Drawing. The steam pipe to supply
steam to the working cylinder is adapted to the centre of the swivel table D,
so that there may be no difficulty in turning it round. The swivel frame
may be made of openwork, so that the pieces of rock when detached may be
drawn up through the frame without the necessity of removing the frame itself.
It will of course be understood that when it becomes necessary to lower
the frame as the work proceeds the lateral holdfasts f¹ must be loosened
and the whole apparatus may be lowered further down by means of the
chains.
Having now described my Invention of "Improved Machinery for Boring
Rocks and other Hard Substances," and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid,―
First, the general arrangement or construction of machinery herein set forth,
I claim particularly the arrangement of parts for supporting and operating the
cutting or boring tool and its accessories; I also claim the arrangement of
parts for communicating an axial motion to the boring tool.
Second, I claim the mode or modes herein set forth for mounting and
adapting the cutting or boring tool in a moveable or portable frame, so as to
render it applicable to the varying circumstances of the cases in which it is to
be employed. And I also claim the general arrangement of parts for moving
forward in a horizontal direction the working parts of the apparatus as the
boring operation proceeds.

page_text: Third, I claim the mode herein set forth of constructing the boring tools,
and also the mode above described of clearing the debris out of the hole that
is being bored.
Fourth, I claim the modes above described of working the valves for
admitting steam, compressed air, or gases to the cylinder.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Low, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the 8th day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three.