IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCK OR STONE DRILLING, TUNNELLING, AND BORING APPARATUS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Edward Blacket Beaumont, of No. 2,
Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster,
Captain in the Royal Engineers, and Charles James Appleby, of
Emerson Street, Southwark, Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCK OR STONE DRILLING, TUNNELLING, AND BORING
APPARATUS."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Frederick Edward Blacket
Beaumont and Charles James Appleby at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition and Declaration, on the
7th February 1872, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FREDERICK
EDWARD BLACKET BEAUMONT, of No. 2, Westminster Chambers,
Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, Captain in the Royal
Engineers, and Charles JAMES APPLEBY, 'of Emerson Street, South-
wark, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send greeting..

page_text: WHEREAS we are in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROCK OR STONE DRILLING, TUNNELLING, AND BORING APPARATUS," and have
petitioned Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria to grant unto us,⚫
our executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for
the same, and have made solemn Declaration that we are the first 5
and true Inventors thereof.

page_text: and the standards can be turned round to attain any inclination which
may be required. The vertical axis on the standard drives the drills by
means of bevelled gear. When at work the standards are fixed by
screws at their upper ends, which bear against the roof of the tunnel,
and adjustable ties connect the upper part of the standards with the
carriage.
In moving from place to place the transom and uprights are carried
by an axle and pair of wheels connected by links to the front of the
carriage. Other links connect the axle with the transom. The ties
from the upper ends of the standards pass to screws running lengthwise
of the carriage on either side, and these screws can be driven by the
engine; and to put the transom upon its wheels they are rotated, and
then the ties draw back the standards and cause them to incline towards
the carriage, the transom inclining to the same degree.
The links connecting the transom with its wheels are so jointed to it
that after a certain inclination has heen attained (sufficient to give
headway to lift the standards) the joints become stiff, and then as the
ties still pull back the upper ends of the standards, the whole, the
transom and standards, and the parts connected with them, are lifted off
the bottom of the tunnel, and their weight is thrown upon the wheels.
The machine can then run freely along the rails which support it to any
place which it may be desired to take it. Thus when a set of holes have
been drilled the machine is without loss of time removed to a place of
security where it remains whilst the face of the rock is blasted. When
the machine returns to its work the screws on the carriage are driven by
the engine in the reverse direction, and the ties then hoist the standards
and place the transom on the floor of the tunnel. The standards are
then secured by causing the pressure screws at their upper ends to bear
against the roof of the tunnel, and the machine is ready to be again set
to work. The inclined driving axis is jointed to admit of the operations
just described.
The facility and rapidity with which the machine can be set up at
the working face and retired when the holes have been drilled is an
important advantage attained by the novel combination and arrangement
of parts in which this part of our Invention consists.
In the annexed Drawings Figure 8 is a side view of the machine,
Figure 9 is a plan, and Figure 10 a front elevation. a, a, is the carriage

page_text: frame, mounted on wheels b running on rails c; d are brakes on the
wheels; e, e, are cramps to cramp the carriage to the rails to give it
greater steadiness when drilling; f is the cylinder of the engine, and g
its crank shaft. It has fly wheels upon it, and also the bevelled wheel g¹
driving the corresponding wheel h¹ on the inclined axis h. h², h², are
universal joints on the axis h; and h³ is a telescope joint. These joints
are all to admit of the tipping of the standards and transom, as already
described. A bevelled pinion * drives pinions ", ¹, on horizontal
axes i, i, in the base beam or transom k. Bevelled pinions are able to
slide with groove and feather along the axes i, and they drive pinions on
the vertical axes within the standards m. These standards are clamped
down in the positions required on to the saddles n, and the saddle can be
traversed by the screws o. p, p, are face plates (corresponding with
the plates x in Figure 1). They are able to slide in guides on the
standard. q, q, are fixed screws, and there are nuts upon them, one
carried by each face plate; and to bring the face plate to the height
required the nut is turned by means of a small handle and bevelled
gear. In connection with each face plate there are also two bevelled
pinions, one of which is able to slide with a feather on the axis l, and the
other in gear with it is mounted on an axis, to which it can be rendered
fast by a clutch. This axis corresponds with the axis of the pinion A in
It will be
Figure 1. The handle which works the clutch is marked r.
seen that there is great freedom for the adjustment of the drills. The
position in a horizontal direction is attained by traversing the saddle n,
and in a vertical direction by traversing the face plate on the standard.
The inclination of the drill bar in an horizontal plane is adjusted by
varying the position on which the standard is clamped down to the
saddle on which it stands, and the inclination of the drill bar in a
vertical plane depends on the position in which the drill is clamped to
the face plate. In whatever position the drills are set they are with
equal facility driven by the toothed gearing from the air or other engine.
8, 8, are the axle and wheels for carrying the transom and standards;
s' are the connecting links passing from the axle to the transom. The
joint at 8* allows a certain amount of motion, which is limited by the
side of the transom coming against a stop on the link. t are the ties
passing from the top of the standards to the carriage, where they are
connected with nuts on the screws t2. The length of the ties is
adjustable by means of right and left handed screws, as is shewn.
When the nuts are caused to traverse along the screws towards the rear

page_text: of the carriage they first incline the standards and transom, the move-
ment being on the joints 8*, and when this joint becomes fast the links &
move around the axle s, and the transom is lifted so that its weight is
taken by the wheels. u, u, are the screws on the standards, which jam
them fast in their working positions by penetrating the roof of the tunnel.;
On the inclined axis h is a toothed wheel h³ gearing with a wheel v³ on,
an axis running from end to end of the carriage. From the axis v the
governor of the engine is driven in the manner shewn, and there is
also a bevelled pinion 2 on this axis driving other pinions w¹, w², on
an axis w. x is a clutch with a lever handle by which either of the:
wheels w¹, w², can be made fast with the axis, which thus can be driven.
in either direction. 10%, 10%, are bevelled pinions on the axis in gear with
pinions on the screws f. f³, f, are pump barrels cast with the.
cylinder. They force water which is conveyed by flexible pipes into the
hollow drill bars. y is the starting lever.
'
The usual method of working is to form several rows of holes, the
holes of the two centre rows inclining more or less towards each other;
and first, by means of these holes, an opening is blasted out, then
the remaining rows of holes are blasted successively to complete the
heading.
If the tunnel is not wide enough to admit of this method of working,
the bottom of the working face is first blown outwards by firing charges:
in a line of inclined bore holes, and then by means of other holes tho,
rock above is thrown down. When this method of working is resorted
to the transom is so constructed that the standards can be traversed
right across it from end to end so that the lower row of holes may be:
drilled sufficiently close together. The inclined axis h in this case drives :
an intermediate axis passing along at the side of the transom, and this,
by spur gear drives the axis i within the transom. This axis extends
from end to end of the transom.
"
In well sinking the drills are similarly mounted on standards,"
which however in this case are horizontal, and the axes i, i, are driven
by a travelling rope passing to the surface.
Another part of this Invention consists in a novel combination and
arrangement of parts for the purpose of applying the drills herein-before
described to the production of deep bore holes to serve as wells, or to:
give indications of the strata through which the hole is sunk.

page_text: The drill bar is lengthened from time to time as the work progresses
by the addition of boring rods consisting of drawn steel tubes or welded
wrought-iron tubes with screw sockets, and the upper length of the
boring rods passes through an outer tube which has a keyway cut
along it. The boring rod is firmly held in a clamp at lower end of the
outer tube, and the outer tube is carried in a bearing which slides on the
upright frame of the machine and has weights connected with it by
chains to regulate the pressure on the drill so that it may be either more
or less than the weight of the boring rods. The outer tube also passes
through a hollow axis having a key or feather within it entering the
keyway in the tube, so that the tube is compelled to revolve, with the
axis. The axis is carried in a bearing fixed on the frame, and is driven
by bevilled gear from an inclined shaft, and this shaft is itself driven
from an horizontal shaft receiving motion by a driving strap from a
steam engine or other convenient source of power. The lifting chains
pass over chain wheels, which can be driven by a hand rope and wheel or
by power, to lift the boring rod or its holder.
Figure 11 is a front view, and Figure 12 is a side view, both partly in
section, of this apparatus. a, a, is the frame, consisting of the uprights
a', the struts a² and a³, and the base beams a*. On the struts a² the
horizontal axis 6 is mounted. It is driven by a belt b¹ passing around
the belt pulley b³. 63 is a spur wheel on the same axis driving a pinion c¹
on an axis c. The wheel 63 and pinion c¹ can be changed for others of
different sizes to vary the speed of rotation of the boring rod; c² is a
bevelled wheel on the axis .c driving another bevelled wheel don
the inclined axis d carried in bearings, which are supported by the
struts a. The wheel d³ at the upper end of this axis drives a pinion e¹
on a hollow axis e. The bearing of the axis e is fixed to the uprights a¹
and through this axis. the slotted tube f passes. The tube can slide freely
through the axis, but is compelled to turn with it by a key or feather
within the axis entering a slot in the tube. The lower part f¹ of the tube
fis a separate piece connected with the upper part by flanges and bolts.'
It is carried in a sliding bearing 9, which is able to traverse up and down
on the uprights a¹. f* is a clutch on the bottom of the part f¹. It is for
the purpose of holding firmly the boring rod h, which passes through the
tube ff. This clutch is made like a lathe chuck, with a series of jaws
receiving radial motions from screws. The screws have bevelled pinions
upon them, all gearing with a similar pinion mounted on f¹, so that

page_text: m
the screws turn simultaneously and the jaws hold the boring rod con-
centrically within the tube f,f. The boring rod may conveniently be, as
already mentioned, of drawn steel or wrought-iron welded tube with the
ordinary external screw sockets. At its lower end the gear drilling tool
is fixed, and at its upper end a cone or plug h¹ like that of an ordinary
water tap. This cone or plug enters a corresponding shell, to which
water is supplied from a pump k by a pipe, part of which is flexible.
The upper end of the water pipe is carried by a block, which is able to
slide along guides 1, 1. These guides also serve to steady the top of the
boring rod. The weight of the boring rod h and the outer tube f with
its sliding bearing 9 tends to press the drill down to its work, and to
diminish or augment this pressure chains are passed upwards and
downwards from the sliding bearing g around pulleys m to suspended
weight receivers n, each made to receive a number of separate weights.
The adjustment of the pressure on the drill is effected by loading one or
other of these receivers. The chains which pass upwards from the
sliding bearing g pass over chain wheels o¹ on an axis o on which is a
spur wheel o gearing with a pinion p¹ on an axis p. p³ is a pulley on
the same axis; it receives an endless rope, which may be used to turn the
pulley by hand, or it may be driven by power by placing it around the
pulley 6 on the axis b. q
is a treadle acting on a break strap to retain
the axis o. This gear is used in raising the tube f, f¹, either with or
without the boring rod. It is convenient that the tube which forms the
boring rod should be in long lengths so that the joints may be as few as
possible. When such tubes are used a light scaffold is erected over the
machine to steady the upper end of the tube and to facilitate the
screwing on and off of the successive lengths. This scaffold may carry
tackle for lifting the tubes.

page_text: would be dispensed with.
In place of controlling the pressure on the boring tool by movable
weights, as in the machine above described, the pressure on the drill may
be controlled by hydrostatic apparatus.
•
Figure 13 shews a vertical section, Figure 14 a side view, Figure 15
a plan partly in section, and Figure 16 a horizontal section (on the line
G, H, Figure 14,) of the hydrostatic machine. In these Figures a, a,
represents the framing of the machine carrying a cylinder b, in which
works a piston c'fixed on a hollow piston rod c¹. This piston rod passes
out through a stuffing box 6' at the lower end of the cylinder. The
hollow piston rod fits over a tube d, which hangs down from the top
cylinder cover, as shewn, and it is through this tube that a stream of
water is supplied to the boring rod. The lower end of the piston rod has
connected to it the cross head e, which can rise and fall on the guides f
formed on the framing of the machine. The cross head carries a short
vertical tube g concentric with the piston rod and capable of being
revolved in the bearings in which it is mounted. To this tube the upper
end of the boring rod carrying the drill is attached. On the exterior of
the tube is a toothed wheel h, which is driven by a wheel h¹ carried by
the cross head, and is capable of sliding up and down on the vertical
shaft h³, whilst at the same time it is caused to revolve with the shaft by
a key or feather upon it. The shaft h³ receives motion from the shaft h³,
and this is driven by a bevil toothed wheel h* on the main driving
shaft k. The toothed wheel h* is loose on the shaft but can be made fast
therewith by the sliding friction clutch h³; and thus a continuous rotary
motion can be imparted whenever desired to the boring rod. The lower
end of the boring rod may either be a diamond crown cutter, such as
herein-before described, or other construction of cutter may be used.
When the boring rod is at work and it is desired to put pressure upon it
to force it downwards, water under pressure is admitted to the top of the
cylinder 6 through the pipe which leads from the bottom of the
cylinder m. This cylinder forms an accumulator; its upper part con-
taining compressed air whilst water is pumped into its lower part by the
pump n, the plunger of which receives motion from an eccentric on the
main shaft, as shewn. The suction pipe of this pump draws water from

page_text: the tank r, which forms the lower part or bed of the framing of the
machine. n¹ is an outlet safety valve to allow of the escape of water
supplied by the pump when the pressure in the accumulator has arrived
at the limit desired. The amount of pressure put upon the boring tool
can thus be regulated by varying the pressure in the accumulator, or the
pressure on the boring tool can be controlled by causing the water in the
lower part of the cylinder to escape through a loaded escape valve. on
the pipe q which leads from the bottom of the cylinder b to the tank r.
On the opposite side of the framing of the machine to that which
carries the accumulator m is another air vessel or accumulator o;
similarly supplied with water under pressure from a pump p, the suction
pipe of which is supplied with water from any convenient water supply.
From the accumulator o a stream of water is supplied whenever desired
to the hollow boring rod by the pipe p¹. A branch pipe på fitted with a
cock is also led out from this pipe to the bottom of the cylinder. By
opening this cock water under pressure can be admitted to the lower
part of the cylinder for the purpose of raising the hollow piston rod
together with the boring rod carried by it.
When the piston is being raised by the admission of water to the
O lower end of the cylinder, the communication between the accumu-
lator m and the top of the cylinder is cut off by closing a cock on the
pipe 1, and at the same time a cock on a branch pipe s leading out from
it is opened and thereby the water in the upper part of the cylinder is
allowed to escape and pass away through this branch pipe. It will thus
5 be seen that the boring rod can not only be raised whenever desired, but
can also be lowered steadily and have any desired amount of pressure
placed upon it when the boring tool is cutting.
The machine above described may also with slight modifications be
employed for working an ordinary jumping boring tool.
When such a tool is to be employed we make provision for admitting
steam alternately to the two ends of the cylinder 6 so as to give a
reciprocating rising and falling motion to the boring rod, and in place of
imparting to the rod a quick revolving motion, as in the machine shewn

page_text: Third. The construction of the boring or prospecting machine sub-
stantially as described and illustrated at Figures 11 and 12.
•
Fourth. The construction of the boring or prospecting machine
substantially as described and illustrated at Figures, 13, 14, 15, and 16,
and also the modification herein described of this machine to adapt it 3
for working with an ordinary jumping boring tool.

page_text: Fifth. The construction of the cutters in manner substantially as
described in respect to Figures 17, 18, and 19.
In witness whereof, we, the said Frederick Edward Blacket
Beaumont and Charles James Appleby, have hereunto set our
hands and seals, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
F. E. B. BEAUMONT. (L.S.)
C. J. APPLEBY.
(L.S.)