Improvements in and relating to the Excavating or Removing of Rock or other Mineral, and. in the Appliances therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., .1889
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1890-Accepted; -19th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Excavating or Removing of
Rock or other Mineral, and. in the Appliances therefor.
I, GEORGE LAWSON, of Blairbeth House; Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Contractor, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved system, or mode
of, and arrangement and combination of appliances for, the drilling and excavating or
dislodging or removing of rock or other hard stone or mineral by boring or piercing
vertical or angled holes some distance back from the face, and then blowing the mass
or blocks off with explosives inserted in the holes, or splitting same off over the face,
in harbours, docks, rivers, quarries, or other places, and can be used either afloat on
barges or other vessels, or on land mounted portably on a wheeled framing, and which
will be more simple, convenient and efficient than the appliances heretofore in use for
this purpose.
Under one arrangement suitable for being used' afloat in drilling and excavating,
or splitting, dislodging or removing rock or stone in harbours, or rivers, the new or
improved appliances would be fitted on board a barge or floating punt or raft either
over the one side of the vessel, or in the centre or other part for better stability
through an aperture there when desired; and would consist all as follows:-A vertical
framework would be erected consisting of two vertical wooden log frames or standards
bound together at top and bottom, with a parallel guide space between them on the
outer face and securely stayed on the back and sides by angle framing to the barge,
with their upper binding beams or frame say about thirty or forty feet above the barge,
and having their lower ends continued down to near the bottom of the water, or rock
to be drilled, excavated, or removed. A block and chain tackle would be attached to
the cross beam or frame at the top of these vertical frames, and worked by a steam
winch on board the barge for raising and lowering the new or improved appliances as
will liereinafter be described. A vertical raising and lowering frame preferably of
strong hard wood, would be mounted to slide up and down in the groove between and
in front of the two vertical stationary guide frames and have strengthening guide eye
plates bolted to it at intervals apart. A steam cylinder preferably about ten feet long
would be bolted through under cast on brackets to the front side of the movable slide
frame and would have an eye formed through its top cover to which would be attached
the look of the under block of the hoisting chain or other tackle for raising and
lowering the cylinder and boring or excavating tool and carrying frame as will herein-
after be described. A steam chest and slide valve would be fitted in front preferably
near the centre of the cylinder and be supplied with steam by a strong flexible pipe
or hose from a steam boiler on board the barge. Inlet and exhaust ports would be
formed in the steam chest opposite the working face of the valve, with passages
leading the steam to each end of the cylinder to reciprocate the piston up and down.
The valve rod would be connected by rods to a forked or it might be a bell-
crank lever fulcrumed below to a part of the sliding frame and actuated by a hand
rod by the attendant from a platform above or from the deck of the barge when
reversing the valve to raise or lower the piston, or this might be done from a
tappet on the piston rod outside the stuffing box below. India rubber or other
elastic packing or buffer would be fitted at the gland at lower end of cylinder,
either inside or outside the cylinder, to act as a cushion for the piston in its
downward stroke. The piston rod of the engine would have its lower end coupled
to the top end of the rock excavating tool or drill, preferably by a duplex socket
piece and two cotier pins one for each rod. This rock cutting or drilling tool

page_text: would under one arrangement consist of a vertical bar preferably of square section
say from five to seven inches square and about twenty feet long preferably in one
piece, with a cross chisel or equivalent boring and cutting point, but it might he
with a
portable removable boring bar or tool secured by a socket or otherwise to
the lower part of this raising and lowering bar attached. to the piston rod. This
square bar or tool would work through and be guided in a short metal gland or
socket, inounted preferably about ten feet below the cylinder. This gland would
be bolted to the movable frame and be formed in two parts bolted together, so
that the one part can be removed when inserting, or removing the tool, and
strengthening parallel rods would be fitted to the main fixing part of the gland
and between it and the lower end of cylinder, the valve gearing being preferably
secured to these rods below the cylinder. The, heavy bar tool would be raised by
the attendant operating the valve rod to admit the steam to the cylinder below
the piston to raise it and the tool bar, and reverse the valve to allow the steam
to exhaust to the atmosphere and to the upper end of the cylinder, when the piston
would descend with the whole weight of the boring or cutting bar, assisted by the
exhaust steam acting above the piston, or a portion of the live or pressure steam
might be admitted above the piston also, and exhaust it to the atmosphere on the
raising of the piston and tool. In this way the tool in its downward motion would
gradually sink and bore a hole in the rock to any desired depth some distance back
from the face under the moored barge, which would then be shifted a few feet
along and another hole bored to a like depth and so on until a number or row of
holes were so bored back from the face of the rock, after which cartridges of
dynamite or other explosive would be inserted in all or some of the holes to split
and remove the mass of the rock over the face. In some cases when so used to
drill holes in the rock with these appliances, for blasting purposes, the sockets
attaching the tool to the piston rod, would be made in, two parts and so fitted as
to turn the tool part of the socket coupling by a strong ratchet lever actuated on
a fixed inclined bar by the upward and downward motion of the bar or frame
carrying it and the cylinder; or otherwise the whole bar and piston and piston
rod might be thus turned by a ratchet lever, and so drill or bore round holes for
inserting the said explosive cartridges. Instead of boring individual holes at intervals
apart as described the barge may be moved so that the drill or cutter would cut
a long groove, in like manner, to any desired depth, instead of a row of holes, or
in combination with a few deeper holes into which explosive cartridges might be
inserted to remove the mass of rock over the face so cut separate, and have long
wedges or chisels driven, into the slits so formed, by the steam cylinder and piston
rod used as a driver which would also remove the mass of rock over the face.
The cylinder and tool. would be lowered or raised by the chain and steam winch
to suit the depth of the water or rock, and the depth of the holes or grooves to
be bored or cut. "Horizontal holes would be formed through the moving frame
and the stationary frames for bolts to pass through to secure the movable frame in
position when excavating operations are stopped. The tool can be detached from the
piston rod or the bar by unshipping the securing cotter and attaching a chain to it,
the chain being prevented from slipping off by attaching a screw clamp, or plates,
round the upper end of the tool below the cotter hole.
A number or series of these steam cylinders and their guide frames and tools
may be mounted on the same barge or vessel and be ranged parallel to each other
either longitudinally at the side of the barge, or longitudinally or transversely
through a well at the centre.
Dated the 16th September 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Excavating or Removing of
Rock or other Mineral, and in the Appliances therefor.
I, GEORGE LAWSON, of Blairbeth House, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Contractor, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—
This Invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved system, or mods
of, and arrangement and combination of appliances for, the drilling and excavating
or dislodging or removing of rock or other hard stone or mineral by horing or
piercing vertical or angled holes some distance back from the face, and then blowing
the mass or blocks off with explosives inserted in the holes, or splitting, same off
over the face, in harbours, docks, rivers, quarries, or other places, and can he used
eitber afloat on barges or other vessels, or on land mounted portably on a wheeled
framing, and which will be more simple, convenient, and efficient than the appliances
heretofore in use for this purpose.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended an
explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown. Figure 1 is a side or
end elevation showing one construction and general arrangement to a small scale of
my new or improved appliances as fitted on board a floating barge or vessel V part
of which only is shown in diagram end view, to work on a guide and supporting
framing F, F, secured at and over the side V₁ of same, and excavate or remove
the rock. Figure 2 is a sectional front elevation of the motive steam cylinder A, to
a large scale, to show the details of its valvo gear and action of its piston and boring
or cutting bar and mode of attachment to its guide frames F F. Figures 3, 4, and 5
are horizontal sections taken on or near the lines, 1---1, 2---2 and 3. - B
respectively in Figure 2.
or
Referring to these Drawings:-Under this arrangement suitable for being used
afloat in drilling and excavating or splitting, dislodging or removing rock or stone
in harbours, rivers, or such like places, the new or improved appliances are fitted on
board a barge or floating punt or raft V either over the one side V' of the vessel as
shown in Figure 1 or it might be in the centre or other part for better stability
through an aperture or "well" there when desired, and consists all as follows:-Å
vertical framework is erected consisting of two vertical parallel log frames
standards F, F, preferably of greenheart or other strong wood, strongly bound together
at top and bottom, F11 by cross rails, and at the centre or middle part to the side
of the barge at V₁ with a parallel guide space F' between them, and with guide plates
on the outer and inner faces ff, and securely stayed on the back and sides by angled
framing F to the deck or upper part of the barge V, with their upper binding beams
or frame F say about thirty or forty feet above the barge V, and having their lower
ends continued down at F a considerable way below the barge V towards the bottom of
the water, or rock to be drilled, excavated or removed. A strong shaft and pulley I¹,
with a chain I passing over it, or it might be a block and chain tackle is attached
to the cross beam or frame F at the top of these vertical frames F, F, the chain
being worked by a steam winch at I on board the barge V for raising and lowering
the steam cylinder A connected to the chain at I" and new or improved appliances
connected with it as will hereinafter be described. A vertical raising and lowering
frame G, preferably of strong hardwood, is mounted to slide up and down in the
guide recess F³, between the two vertical stationary guide frames F; F, and have
strengthening guide eye plates G' bolted on its inner face near its upper and lower
ends sliding on the guide plates f₁, secured on the inside of the guide frames F, F.
A steam cylinder A preferably of about ten feet long is bolted through by cast on
7

page_text: guide flange brackets G to the front side of the movable slide frame G, by the
bolts G securing the plates G on the inner faces, the brackets G sliding in the
recess between the frames F F and on the front guide plates. Figure 3.
The cylinder A basan eye bolt secured to its top close end cover to which would
be attached the free end of the hoisting chain I, for raising and lowering the
cylinder A and boring or excavating tool and carrying frame, as will hereinafter
he described. A steam cbest B with its slide valve B is fitted in front or at one
side of and preferably near the centre of the cylinder A. The steam enters the valve
chest B from any ordinary steam boiler, through a hose or other flexible pipe, by a
flange to the branch B. in the front of the casing, by a segmental duct or pocket
leading into one or both sides of the centre of the casing at B, so as to give steani
to the ports a, a, from the centre between the piston valve B, and the exhaust of the.
steam from the two ends of the cylinder A takes place at the two ends of the
casing B, heyond the pistons B, B, of the valve, out through the branch B in
the top end B1 of the casing B, a port B11 leading the exhaust steam from the lower
port and end up to the top end and branch B of the casing, all as indicated by
arrows in Figure 2. Inlet and exhaust ports a ¹ are formed through the steam
chest. B opposite the working face of the valves B, B',
with passages
aa", leading
the steam to and from each end of the cylinder A to reciprocate the pistón A and
its rod A up and down. As shown in Figure 2, the slide valve B is inade in the
form of a double piston valve to cover the ports a, a¹, when in its closed or central
position, these pistons B being secured on one vaive rod B passed out through a
stuffing box in the lower end of the steam chest B, and actuated all as hereinafter
described. The valve rod B is connected by a crosshead to the top ends of side
rods 6, 6, and at their lower ends to the inner arms of a forked or other
equivalent lever 62, 63, fulcrumed at b to a bracket & secured to one of the side tie
rods C, as seon particularly in Figures 2 and 4, and actuated by the outer arm 63 of
the lever by a cord c, or it might be a hand rod by the attendant from a plat-
form above, or from the deck of the barge, when reversing the valve B' to raise or
lower the piston A' and its rod A2, the cord e being passed over a pulley e carried
in the outer end of a lateral bracket e, secured to and projecting from the upper
end B of the steam chest B, or this reversing of the valve B for the downstroke of
the piston A¹ might be done from a tappet on the outer end of the piston rod A² or
the coupling A3 outside of the stuffing box A1 below the lower end A of the
cylinder A the projection or coupling A³ raising the inner forked end of the lever b
and valve B, so as to admit the steam to the port a and upper end of the cylinder A,
and the escape of the steam from the port a, a, and lower end of the cylinder A, and
thus give the down stroke of the piston A and its boring rod D.
rubber or other elastic packing or buffer might be fitted at the gland or lower
end All of cylinder A, either inside or outside the cylinder, to act as a cushion for
the piston and piston rod A, A², in its downward stroke to prevent the piston from
injuring the end of the cylinder. The lower end of the piston rod A which passes
through the stuffing box A in the bottom end A of the cylinder A is secured by
the coupling A to the top end of the rock excavating tool or drill D, preferably by
a duplex socket coupling piece A³, and two cotiers one through each rod. This
rock cutting or drilling tool D under one arrangement consists of a vertical steel bar
preferably of square section say from five to seven inches square and about twenty
feet long preferably in one piece, with a cross chise! or equivalent boring and cutting
ienipered steel point, but it might be with a portable removable boring bar or
cutting tool at the cutting bottom end secured by a stem and socket or otherwise to
the lower end of this raising and lowering bar D attached to the piston rod. This
square bar or tool D works through and is guided in a short metal gland or socket
slide bracket D', mounted preferably about ten feet below the cylinder A, to slide in
the guide frames, F, F. This gland or bracket D is bolted at D to a wood
block D to slide in the movable frame F, F, the same as the cylinder A, and formed
in two parts boited together, so that one part can be removed when inserting or
removing the tool D; and strengthening parallel rods C, C; are cottered or otherwise
An india-

page_text: secured at their upper ends C₁, to the lower sliding end A" of the cylinder A,
and at their lower ends C² similarly secured to this sliding block D'. The heavy bar
tool D is raised by the attendant operating the cord c of the slide valve lever b² 63
to admit steam to the lower port a', a", of the cylinder A and below the piston A¹
to raise it and the tool bar D and also allow the steam to exhaust to the atmosphere
from above the piston through the ports a³a; and when the piston A¹ reaches the
upper end of its stroke it would automatically reverse its own slide valve B as
before stated by the coupling A³, raising the inner end of the lever to admit
steam through the port a, a, to the upper end of the cylinder A above the
piston A', and exhaust the steam from the lower end of cylinder through the
port a, a, and, port B in the casing B, and the piston would thus descend with
the whole weight of the piston rod and boring or cutting bar D, assisted by the
pressure of steam above the piston. Other constructions of steam valves might be
used for working the piston and tool, such as those used for tilt hammers and pile
drivers. In this way the tool D its downward motion would gradually sink and
bore a hole in the rock to any desired depth some distance back from the face under
the moored barge V, which would then be shifted a few feet along and another hole
bored to a like depth and so on until a number or row of holes were so bored back
from the face of the rock, after which cartridges of dynamite or other explosive
would be inserted in all or some of the holes to split and remove the mass of the
rock over the face. In some cases when so used to drill holes in the rock with these
appliances, for blasting purposes, the boring bar D might be made parallel and
cylindrical and attached to the piston rod A² by a socket at A which would be made
in two parts and so fitted as to turn the tool part D, of the socket coupling by a
strong ratchet lever actuated on a fixed inclined bar by the upward and downward
motion of the bar or frame carrying it and the cylinder. Instead of boring individual
holes at intervals apart, as described, the bargo V may be moved so that the drill or
cutter would mortise or cat out a long groove, in like manner, to any desired depth,
instead of a row of holes, or in combination with a few deeper holes into which
explosive cartridges might be inserted to remove the mass of rock over the face so
cut separate, and have long wedges or chisels driven into the slits so formed, by the
steam cylinder A and piston rod A' and bar D used as a driver which would also
remove the mass of rock over the face. Or the chisel D) may be made of such a
shape as to split up the rock direct from the front of the face. The cylinder A with
its tool D would be lowered or raised by the chain 1 and steam winch I' to suit the
depth of the water or rock, and the depth of the holes or grooves to be bored or cut,
the maximum stroke of the tool D from the rock being regulated by the internal
length of the cylinder A itself. Horizontal holes would be formed through the
moving frame G, and the stationary frames F, F, for bolts to pass through to secure
the movable frame and cylinder A in position when excavating operations are stopped.
The tool or tool bar D can be detached from the piston rod A³, by unshipping its
securing cotter in the coupling socket A³ and aitaching a chain to it, the chain being
prevented from slipping off by attaching a screw clamp, or plates, round the upper
end of the tool below the cotter.
A number or series of these steam cylinders A and their guide fruines and tools D
may be mounted on the same barge or vessel and be ranged parallel to each other
either longitudinally at the side of the barge, or through a longitudinal or transverse
well at the centre of the barge or vessel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what 1
claim is :-
First. The system or mode of and arrangement and combination of appliances for
the excavating, or boring and breaking up or removing of rock or other hard material
in which a bar or tool is actuated by the piston of an adjustable raising and lowering
steam cylinder, substantially as and in the manner herein described, in reference to
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Second. The construction and use of an adjustable raising and lowering steam
cylinder with piston and piston rod in combination with and operating a bar or tool
carried and guided on board a barge or other floating vessel, for the excavating, or
boring and breaking up or removing of rock or other hard material, substantially as
herein described in reference to and by way of application shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
:
Third. In a machine or mechanism for excavating or boring and breaking up or
*removing rock or other hard material under water, the construction and use of a
movable frame carrying a steam cylinder and bar or tool, sliding on stationary frames
or standards on board a barge or other floating vessel, for adjusting the height of
cylinder to suit the depth of water and exigencies of the work, substantially as
herein described, in reference to and by way of application shown in the accompanying
Drawings.