IMPROVED EXCAVATING OR BORING APPARATUS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John Gedge
and Son, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED EXCAVATING OR
BORING APPARATUS."-A communication from abroad by Antoine Trouillet,
of Xertigny, Vosges, France, Contractor.
Sealed the 16th January 1863, and dated the 21st July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedgo
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st July 1862.
I. WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of
No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
EXCAVATING OR BORING APPARATUS," communicated to me from abroad by
Antoine Trouillet, of Xertigny, Vosges, France, Contractor, to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to introduce an instrument, which, by its
action, will form an inner cavity of superior diameter to one previously made
by ordinary means.
This instrument is composed, firstly, of a hollow iron tube, longer, but of no
greater diameter than the primitive hole in which it is to turn. Secondly,
of a metal tool chosen for the purpose in view, arranged or set horizontally

page_text: and perpendicularly to the axis of the tube. Thirdly, of a metal rod or shaft
entering the tube, and so arranged at its lower extremity as to impart to the
tool a shifting horizontal motion. This instrument may be used to bore or
drill metal, wood, and other material, but the tools shewn in the Drawing
hereunto annexed are set for blasting purposes. The lower part of the tube is
pierced with a rectangular hole for the passage of the tool, and strengthened
by two segments with parallel cords, between which slides the base of the
rod. These two segments are slightly notched or grooved where the tool is
seated, so as to guide it quite horizontally. The excavated material or detritus
falls by an opening of the tube lengthwise with the hole. The tool receives its
horizontal motion by the pressure of the lower part of the rod, which advances
it as it descends; a tongue of the tool entering the notch or groove of of the
rod serves to give it a retrograde motion.
The Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, shew these details. A nut placed at the
top of the rod toothed into a threaded piece, and rendered fixed, causes the rod
to descend or rise according to the direction in which the. tube is turned, the
rod and the tool following its rotation. The rod or shaft is arrested in its
descent by a projection F which comes against the surface of the segments.
To relift this rod more quickly a crank is fitted on to its end. The tube is
held at the required level by a projecting piece G', tightened by two keys, and
turning on another piece H' fixed in the rock. As the rotary motion may be
given to the tube by any known means, it is needless to describe any in
particular; but in the experiments a simple tap wrench has been used worked
by two men. Instead of causing the descent of the rod by means of the nut,
this might be effected by simply striking upon it. Figures 4, 11, and 12,
shew these details. To enlarge the cavity the balance tool (Figures 8, 9,
and 10,) may be used, it differs from the preceding only in its greater length,
the reunion of the two branches and two grooves in which slides a small
circular projecting piece y of the segments, which sustain and guide the tool.
To relift the tool an iron blade a worked by the angle of the square d
(Figure 12) takes the tool beneath by a small projection. In consequence of
the many forms that may be given to the tool, and of its application, mining or
blast holes may be closed more solidly than hitherto. For this purpose the tool
prepares a conical cavity, which is then filled an arrangement of pieces of
wood, the centre one of which is pierced to receive the fuse. These wooden
pieces descend by means of two concentric tubes T, T, (Figure 13) the play
of which will be easily understood, when the level of the hole is reached it
suffices to press on the inner tube, which causes the levers a, a, to work; these
return to their position by means of the springs B, B; the entire system is then

page_text: raised until the piece P is arrested, the rod is unscrewed, and the hole is
stopped.
Figures 14 to 20 shew different forms of tools constructed on the principle
of this Invention. At Figure 14 by the pressure of the rod A the branches
As the piece c may:
The arms may be.
B, B, open or divide, and strike the sides of the hole.
vary in length, the cavity may be extended at will.
furnished with small tools d, d, easily replaced. At Figuro 15 the branches
B, B, extend towards the springs R, R, and on striking the rod A these
branches bite the material. By means of a lever fixed on the ground the
work may be done in winding upwards (Figure 16); the springs R, R, tend
to bring the branches together, the spreading apart of the branches is regulated
by the tube T. Figure 17 shews the rod A worked like an ordinary mining
bar, striking behind the tool c occasions the, percussion. The tool is fixed
at R, and the spring d brings it back to the interior. At Figure 18 by giving.
to. the rod A a vertical movement, the tools B, B, bite the material; they
resume their original position by means of the springs R, R, the openings c
permit the detritus or excavated material to escape. At Figure 19 the rod A
in its downward movement causes the knives B, B, to open apart by the
interposition of the piece c, and strike the sides of the hole. The tube T
while it receives a rotary movement also receives a vertical shifting motion by
means of a fixed nut placed at its upper part. The piece c may be replaced
by two cylinders turning on an axle (see Figure 20).
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st January 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Edward Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should.at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and

page_text: 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVED EXCAVATING OR BORING APPARATUS," (a communication to
me from abroad by Antoine Trouillet, of Xertigny, Vosges, France, Contractor,)
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Gedge;
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 William Edward Gedge, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawing, hereunto
annexed, and forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures and
letters of reference placed thereon :-
The object of this Invention is hole being first made by ordinary means
in any body of material to introduce therein au instrument, which, by its
action, will form an inner cavity of superior diameter to that of the primitive
hole.
The improved apparatus or instrument by which this object is attained, and
which forms the subject of this Invention is composed, firstly, of a hollow iron
tube longer than the primitive hole, and of an exterior diameter equal to that
of the said hole in which it is to turn. Secondly, of a metal tool chosen for
the purpose in view, arranged or set horizontally and perpendicularly to the
axis of the tube. Thirdly, of a metal rod or shaft entering the tube, and
arranged at its lower extremity so as to impart to the tool a horizontal shifting
or turning motion. This instrument may be used to bore or drill metals,
wood, and other material, but its most important use is where blasting is
carried on. It will be readily conceived that with a hole or pocket of a certain
depth made by this instrument, and filled with gunpowder, a much larger cube
.may be detached from the block by the explosion of the powder than if the
. hole were made in the usual manner, and the apparatus or tools shewn in the
annexed Drawing are arranged for this application. The lower part of the
tube is pierced with a rectangular hole for the passage of the tool, and
strengthened by two segments with parallel cords, between which slides the
base of the rod. These two segments are slightly notched or grooved where

page_text: two keys, and
the tool is seated, so as to guide it quite horizontally. The excavated material
or detritus falls by an opening in the tube lengthwise with the hole. The
tool receives its horizontal motion by the pressure of the lower part of the rod,
which pushes it forward as it descends. A tongue of the tool entering into
the notch or groove in the rod serves to give it a retrograde motion.
- The Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, shew these details: A nut placed at
the top of the rod screwed on to a threaded piece, and fixed, causes the rod to
descend or rise according to the direction in which the tube is turned, the rod
and the tool following its rotation. The rod or shaft is arrested in its descent
by a projection F, which bears against the surface G of the segments. To
relift this rod more quickly a crank is fitted on to its end. The tube is held at
the required level by a projecting piece G', tightened
turning on another piece H¹ fixed in the rock. As the rotary motion may be
given to the tube by any known means, it is needless to describe any one in
particular, but a simple tap wrench worked by two men has been used with
advantage. Instead of causing the descent of the rod by means of the nut, this
might be effected by simply striking upon it (see Figures 4, 11, and 12). To
make a larger cavity, the balance tool, Figures 8, 9, and 10, may be used.
It differs from the preceding only in its greater length, the reunion of the two
branches at their end, and two grooves, in which slide a small circular pro-
jecting piece y of the segments which sustain and guide the tool. To raise
or relift the tool a special apparatus is annexed to the tube, consisting of an
iron blade a, which takes the tool beneath by a small projection, and is
worked by the return of the square d (Figure 12).
In consequence of the
many forms that may be given to the tool and its application, mining or blast
holes may be closed more solidly than hitherto. For this purpose the tool
prepares a conical cavity, which is afterwards filled by an arrangement of
pieces of wood, the centre one of which is pierced to receive the fuse. These
wooden pieces are lowered by means of two concentric tubes T, T, (Figure 13)
the play of which will be easily understood. When the level of the hole is
reached, by simply pressing on the inner tube the levers a, a, are made to
work, returning to their position by the springs b, b, when the pressure is
removed. The entire arrangement is then raised until the piece P is arrested,
the rod is unscrewed, and the hole stopped. This apparatus does not form an
essential part of this Invention.
Figures 14 to 20, inclusive, shew different forms of tool constructed on the
principle of this Invention. At Figure 14, by the pressure of the rod A the
branches B, B, open or divide, and strike the sides of the hole. As the piece C
may vary in length, the cavity may be made to any desired depth. The arms

page_text: or branches may be furnished with. small tools D, D, easily replaced. At
Figure 15 the branches B, B, extend towards the springs R, R, and on
striking the rod A these branches bite the material. By means of a lever
fixed on the ground the work may be done in an upward direction (see
Figure 16). The springs R, R, tend to bring, the branches together, and
their spreading apart is regulated by the tube T. Figure 17 shews the rod A
worked like an ordinary mining bar, striking behind the tool c occasions the
percussion. The tool is fixed at R, and the spring d brings it back to the
interior. At Figure 18, by giving. to. the rod A a vertical movement, the
ools B, B, bite the material, they resume their original position by means of
the springs R, R, and the openings C permit the detritus or excavated
material to escape. At Figure 19 the rod A in its downward movement
causes the knives B, B, to open apart by the interposition of the piece c, and
strike the sides of the hole. The tube T, while it receives a rotary movement
also receives a vertical shifting motion by means of a fixed nut placed at its
upper part. The piece C-may be replaced by two cylinders or friction rollers
turning on an axle (see Figure 20). The improved excavating or boring
apparatus above described may be made of any suitable material.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)