IMPROVEMENTS IN VERTICAL BORING MACHINES
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 16th May, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 10th Aug.,
1888
I, JOSEPH BARROW of the Firm of Thomas Shanks & Son, Union Iron Works,
Johnstone in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Mechanical Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN VERTICAL BORING
MACHINES to be as follows:-
This Invention which relates to improvements in Vertical Boring Machines consists
as follows.
A
In machines as hitherto constructed for boring large Cylinders vertically, difficulty
is experienced by virtue of the construction of such machines, in placing the work to
be bored in position, as well as in removing it from the machine after it is bored.
These difficulties are due mainly to the fact that the piece of work to be bored has to
be dropped outside the machine and then shifted under the cross bar thereof in placing
it, whilst corresponding difficulties occur in removing the work after it is bored.
According to the present improvements the work to be bored can be placed at once
in position by swinging the cross frame to one side out of the way of the work, and
in varying the heights or lengths to be bored by moving the cross frame upwards or
downwards. In the improved boring machine constructed according to these improve-
ments the base plate has bolted to it a vertical column the upper part of which is
cylindrical. One end of the radial arm is bored to fit this vertical cylindrical column
and is capable of turning or being swung round upon it, whilst the outer end of the
said arm is bored to receive a socket with a worm-wheel of large diameter cast
thereon. The boring bar passes through the socket and its lower end rests upon a
centre in the base-plate. This centre is capable of being removed by means of a
screw or its equivalent, whereby when it is removed an opening is left in the base
plate down through which the boring bar can be lowered when required. The boring
bar is rotated by the aforesaid worm-wheel acting upon a cross bar which is fastened to
the boring bar at any desired height. The worm-wheel is rotated by means of a
tangent screw actuated from cone pulleys by the intervention of spur gearing in order
to obtain the requisite changes of speed. The boring bar is provided with a socket
for carrying the rotating cutters and with automatic feed motion operating from the
upper end of the bar.
•

page_text: In working with the boring machine constructed according to these improvements
the mode of conducting the operations is as follows-The crane which in connection
with such machines is always necessary to lift in the work, is first caused to raise the
boring bar from the centre on which it rests. This centre is then by means of a
scrow, or the equivalent thereof, for removing it, caused to clear the opening in the
base plate. The boring bar is then lowered down the said opening and the radial arm
is turned through an angle horizontally. The cylinder to be bored is then placed in
position on the base plate and set, the radial arm being next brought round to its true
central position which is determined by means of a groove cut in the vertical column
into which a stopblock enters and wherein it is fastened. The radial arm is then
caused to firmly grasp the column by bolts closing the joints of the arm which is made
in two portions for that purpose. The operation of facing and boring the cylinder is
then proceeded with in the ordinary manner, and after the facing and boring are
finished the bar is lowered again into or through the hole in the base plate, the radial
arm turned sufficiently far round horizontally when the cylinder is capable of being
removed. The machine is furnished with a rack and pinion, worm gearing, also a
driving shaft for the purpose of lifting or lowering the radial arm to a position
suitable for the height of the cylinder, the cross driving bar being also slid
along the boring bar until its required position is obtained when it is made securely
fast thereto.
Dated this 15th day of August 1887.
J. H. JOHNSON, DAY & JOHNSON,
12, Rothesay Place, Edinburgh,
Petitioner's Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I
Improvements in Vertical Boring Machines.
I, JOSEPH BARROW of the firm of Thomas Shanks and Company of the Union Iron
Works, Johnstone, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineer 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:
My Invention, which relates to improvements in vertical boring machines, for
boring heavy work, has for its object to provide greater facility for the placing therein
of the work to be bored. In machines for boring vertically such pieces of work, for
example as the cylinders of large steam engines, much difficulty has hitherto been
experienced in placing the work in position therein and in taking it away therefrom
when bored, owing to the fact that a piece of work has had to be lowered outside the
machine and then shifted beneath the cross-bar thereof, and vice versa. Again when
very long cylinders, say for example twenty feet in length have to be bored, the cross
frame holding the boring bar being a fixture, subjects the boring of cylinders of much
less height to some disadvantages.
According to my Invention, the boring machine is so arranged as to enable the.
work to be placed at once into position by substituting for the cross-frame, an arm
which can be swung round horizontally, and varied in its height from the base plate
of the machine to any distance upwards or downwards to correspond with the height.
of the piece of work to be bored.
In order that my Invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect, I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1, of these drawings is a side elevation of my improved vertical boring
machine.
Figure 2, is an end elevation of the same and Figure 3, a plan.
Figures 4, and 5, being details of the feed gear hereinafter fully described.
The improved boring machine is in these drawings illustrated in its application to
boring a cylinder vertically, the bore of the cylinder being indicated by the vertical
lines a, a.
The base plate A, has bolted to it the vertical coluinn B, the upper part
of which is turned cylindrical as shewn. The radial arm C, fits the cylindrical part
of the column B, and is capable of turning round upon it in a horizontal plane. The
outer end of the arm C, that is to say, the end farthest from the column B, is also
bored to receive a socket C³, forming part of or to which the large worm-wheel D, is
attached. The boring bar E, passes through this socket C, as shewn and its lower
end rests upon a centre G, carried in the base plate A. This centre G, is fixed in a
box or block G¹, shewn in dotted lines in Figures 1, and 3. This box or block has a
screw nut formed in it into which the horizontal screw shaft G³, more particularly
shewn at Figures 1, and 3, enters. The screw shaft G³, is formed with a square at
its outer end for the purpose of enabling a handle to be applied thereto for turning
the said screw. It will be observed if the said screw G³, is turned in one direction

page_text: it will draw the box or block G', together with the centre G, horizontally outwards.
into the recess G, in the base plate A, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 3..
When it is desired to lower the boring bar E, it is temporarily suspended by a chain
from a pulley on a crane or overhead traveller or from any other suitable or equivalent
device. By this means the weight of the boring bar E, is lifted off the centre G,
and the bar therefore offers no resistance to the moving of the centre G, horizontally
outwards by the action of the screw shaft G. When the centre G, and the box or
block which carry it are thus moved outwards the hole in the base plate communicating
with a pit or vertical tubular passage below and in the foundation is uncovered, and
being of a sufficient size to receive the boring bar E, the said boring bar may be
lowered thereinto, thus leaving the base plate A, quite clear of all obstruction for the
readily placing thereon of the work (say for example, a steam engine cylinder or
other such large casting or forging) to be bored, or for enabling the said work to be
readily removed therefrom without the necessity of lifting the said work into the
boring machine as has hitherto been the practice. The boring bar E, is rotated by
the worm wheel D, operated from the tangent screw H, on the shaft I. This shaft I,
is driven by spur gearing J, operated by a driving strap passing over the pulley K,
and which may be conveniently driven from a corresponding pulley K', actuated by
the vertical engine L, or it may be otherwise conveniently driven. It is obvious that
the gearing for driving the tangent screw I, and through it the boring bar E, is not
necessarily constructed according to the arrangement shewn on the annexed drawings
as such gearing may be modified as required. On the boring shaft E, the cross-
bar M, is carried and this can be fastened to the boring bar at any required height
by pinching bolts or screws. The boring bar Ẹ, is further fitted with a socket N, to
which holders are attached for carrying the rotating cutters but which I have not
thought it necessary to shew on the annexed drawings as such parts of boring
machines are well known. The boring bar is also provided with an automatic feed
motion O, at the top of the bar. This feed motion as shewn in enlarged detail views
at Figures 4 and 5, consists of the upright central stud a, carried in the top of the
boring bar E, and rotating with it. At the upper part of the stud a, the arm b¹, is
carried, and upon a stud on the arm 61, there is also carried the pair of pinions c, and d.
The pinion e, is fixed upon the stud a, and rotates with it. As the pinion e, rotates,
it also causes rotation of the pinion c, and from it the rotation of the pinion d. The
pinion d, gears with and rotates the pinion f, which together with the pinion 9, is
carried upon the tubular piece h¹, as shown, and these rotate together and loosely
upon the stud a. The pinion g, gears with the pinion h, on the upper end of the
feed screw i, shewn in dotted lines at Figure 4, and accordingly to the rate at which
this screw is driven so the feed of the cutters is adjusted. The pinions d, and f, are
change pinions and may be substituted by others having differing numbers of teeth
so that it is by the proportion of the number of teeth in these pinions that the rate of
feed is regulated. As the upper end of the feed screw i, is fitted with a connecting
and disconnecting disc j, which is fitted to slide upon a feather as shewn. When this
disc j, is in the position shewn at Figure 4, it is disconnected or out of gear but when
it is lowered so that the pins or studs k, engage with the corresponding holes in the
pinion then it is in gear and the feed gear is operated.
The mode of operation with my improved boring machine is as follows:-The
crane or equivalent apparatus which in connection with such machines is always in
proximity thereto for the purpose of lifting the work into and off from the said
machine has its chain attached to the upper part of the boring bar E. When this
attachment has been made the crane is put into operation so as to tighten the chain
and lift the boring bar E, vertically upwards and off the centre G. The centre G, is
then moved outwards by the screw A, in the manner hereinbefore described until the
opening in the base plate is cleared. The boring bar E, is then lowered and the
radial arm C, is turned round through an angle in a horizontal plane until it will be
clear of the cylinder or other piece of work to be bored. The piece of work to be
bored is then lifted by a crane on to the base plate A, and set or fixed thereon in the
usual manner for boring. The radial arm C, with the parts of the apparatus which it

page_text: carries is then brought back to its true central position so as to receive the boring
bar E, when that bar is raised up out of the hole into which for the time being it
has been dropped. The true central position of the arm C, is determined by means
of a vertical groove P, cut in the back of the pillar B. A small block Q, is carried
in the back part of the arm C, and fitted with a screw Q, by which it is moved
inwards and outwards. When it is necessary to move the arm C, through an angle
horizontally, the screw Q', is turned so as to pull the block Q, out of the groove P,
and when it is desired to fix the arm C, in its central position the tightening of the
block Q, into the groove P, determines that position; after which the arm is firmly
fixed at any desired height on the column B, by tightening the nuts and bolts R,
which close the joints of the two pieces in which the arm C, is made. This being
done, the boring bar E, being raised out of the hole or pit below the centre G, being
returned to its normal position, and the boring bar E, being again lowered so that
its weight is carried on the centre G, the adjustment and fixing of the facing and
boring tools is proceeded with when the operations of facing and boring the cylinder
are then proceeded with in the ordinary manner. When these operations are
finished the boring bar is again lowered into the hole below and the radial arm C,
turned round horizontally. The cylinder or other piece of work being then loosened
from the base plate A, when it is ready for removal.
In order to raise and lower the arm C, and its connections, the column B, is fitted
with a toothed rack and pinion, worm gearing and driving shaft for the purpose of
lifting and lowering the said radial arm and its connections to the height suitable for
the piece of work to be operated upon, the cross driving bar F, sliding correspondingly
upwards and downwards upon the boring bar and made fast to it as required.
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 I
claim is :-
1. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the boring
machine herein before described and shewn upon the annexed sheets of drawings.
2. In a boring machine of the kind shewn on the annexed sheets of drawings, the
arrangement of the arm C, which carries the upper part of the boring bar D, so that
it is capable of being moved through an angle in a horizontal plane so as to permit of
the piece of work to be bored being lowered by a crane or its equivalent at once into
its proper position on the table of the machine substantially as herein before described
and shewn upon the annexed sheets of drawings.
3. In a boring machine the combination of the boring arm arranged as claimed in
the last preceding claiming clause with the boring bar capable of being lowered as
hereinbefore described.