IMPROVEMENTS IN DRILLING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK GILMER, of Charlesville Claughton, Birkenhead, in the
County of Cheshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN DRILLING MACHINES" to be as follows:-
=
"
"
My invention relates to machines specially designed for drilling or "rimering
out holes in large structures such as ships, girders, bridge work &c, and capable of
doing a considerable range of drilling without shifting the machine from its
working position; the principal feature being the movement of the drilling tool or
tools with its or their actuating gear either longitudinally or transversely to the
main framing of the machine so as to operate on any point or simultaneously on
several points within the area enclosed by the machine. In principle this machine
in its various forms resembles the rivetting machine provisionally protected by me
N° 3586 dated Feb. 19 modified for drilling.
"
The driving power is obtained by means of an endless rope or chain or ropes or
chains (of adjustable length and kept in tension by the usual means) worked from
a prime mover. As applied to drill or "rimer' out holes in the hulls of ships and
in some forms of girders and bridge work the machine consists of a frame con-
structed of two longitudinal girders united at their ends by cross girders. At
each end of this frame are a pair of moveable cross frames adjustablé upon
the longitudinal girders to receive between each of them two or more horns pro-
jecting from transverse girders fixed to the structure to be drilled, by tension
bolts through holes already punched. The horns of these transverse girders have
collared heads under which the moveable cross frames at each end close up by
adjusting screws or other means and the main frame is thus fixed ready for work
and adjusted to a proper working distance by struts or legs provided at ends of
transverse girders.
This arrangement of girders fixed to the structure with horns to which the
main frame of the machine can be readily secured gives great facilities in trans-
ferring the machine from one range of work, when finished, to commence a fresh
range, as the transverse horned girders can be fixed by tension bolts in advance,
ready to receive the main frame of machine which can be fitted over, and secured
to the projecting horns and adjusted for work with a minimum loss of time.
In another form of construction the main frame-work of machine may be fixed to
the structure direct by the tension bolts (which with the end cross frames may be in
duplicate) being fixed in advance ready to receive the machine over a fresh range
of work (as described in my previous invention provisionally protected N° 6010
April 5, 1884) struts or legs at corners adjusting the working distance, but I prefer
the separate girders with horns as above described.
I
Across the longitudinal girders and working along them in guides by screw,
rack or other gearing, is a transverse girder frame carrying the drilling head, which
moves in it by screw, rack or other gearing The drill spindle carried in this
moveable bead is fitted with the usual feed gear and carries a grooved sheave for
the driving rope. Instead of the transverse girder carrying the drilling head the

page_text: latter may in some cases be carried in an eccentric disc enclosed in a strap which
moves by suitable gear along the main longitudinal girders (as described for the
rivetting tool in my invention provisionally protected N° 3586 Feb 1984) but I
prefer the first named arrangement. The longitudinal girders may carry two or
more transverse girders, each fitted with a moveable drilling head, so as to operate
on several boles at once in various positions in the area enclosed by the machine
and all the drills being driven by one rope or by separate ropes.
As applied for drilling or "rimering" out the holes in keels or keel bars the machine
consists of a main frame, the ends of which are attached by brackets by means of
service bolts through holes already in the keel. This main frame is of such a
length as to extend along a considerable range of the keel to be drilled and is of
such a form as to clear the keel blocks or any such obstacles laterally and longi-
tudinally. The drill, fitted with usual feed gear, is carried in the upper end of a
travelling head, moving along the main frame from end to end, by screw, rack or
other gearing, in suitable guides. The upper portion of this head carrying the
drill and its driving gear has a vertical motion by which the drill is raised or
lowered to suit the lines of holes. In order to keep the driving gear clear of
bottom of ship I fix upon the spindle of drill a toothed wheel, gearing into another
toothed wheel, running on a shaft below, fixed in the travelling head and rising
or falling with the drill. Upon the side of this larger wheel is a grooved sheave
driven by an endless rope from the prime mover.
For drilling girders or bridge work, the main longitudinal girders are formed
with brackets at each end and are arranged to travel by screw, rack or other
gearing upon a bed plate or frame upon which the girder or other work to be
drilled is placed between the brackets of the drilling machine. Across the longi-
tudinal girders and working along them, in suitable guides by screw rack or other
gearing, each independently of the others, are transverse girders each of which
carries a drilling head or heads, fitted with a drill with ordinary feed gear each
drilling head working in suitable guides by screw, rack or other gearing along the
transverse girder independently of all the others so that holes may be drilled
simultaneously in any part of the area enclosed by machine.
Each drill spindle carries a grooved sheave to receive the driving rope or chain
which may be one endless rope or chain driving all the drills from the prime mover
or separate ropes or chains may be used; in either case adjustable in length and
kept in tension by the usual means.
This form of the drilling machine is intended to do the work now usually effected
by a number of "radial drills" and it will be seen that each drill, by its longi-
tudinal and transverse movements, has the same action as a "radial drill." For
drilling curved girders the drill heads may be so fitted as to have an angular
adjustment in the transverse girders so as to act truly at right angles to the
curve.
This machine may in some cases be found more convenient carried upon over-
head girders along which it may be traversed in suitable guides by screw rack
.or other gearing, the girder or other structure to be drilled being placed on blocks
on the ground or raised on trestles," the action of the machine being precisely the
same as previously described.
The prime mover may be a steam, hydraulic or any other engine and may drive
the endless rope (or ropes) direct or through any intermediate shafting pullies and
leading sheaves or blocks but in cases of ship work or heavy bridge work small
hydraulic engines, fixed at convenient intervals in the yard; or portable to follow
the machine and worked from the accumulator of the rivetting plant will be
generally found most suitable.

page_text: I, WILLIAM FREDERICK GILMER, of Charlesville Claughton, Birkenhead, in the
County of Cheshire, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DRILLING MACHINES and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
"
"
My invention relates to machines specially designed for drilling or "rimering"
out holes in large structures such as ships, girders, bridge work &c, and capable of
doing a considerable range of drilling without shifting the machine from its
working position; the principal feature being the movement of the drilling tool or
tools with its or their actuating gear either longitudinally or transversely to the
main framing of the machine so as to operate on any point or simultaneously on
several points within the area enclosed by the machine. In principle this machine
in its various forms resembles the rivetting machine provisionally protected by me
No 3586 dated Feb. 19 modified for drilling.
The driving power is obtained by means of an endless rope or chain or ropes or
chains (of adjustable length and kept in tension by the usual means) worked from
a prime mover. As applied to drill or." rimer" out holes in the hulls of ships and
in some forms of girders and bridge work the machine consists of a frame con-
structed of two longitudinal girders united at their ends by cross girders. At each
end of this frame are a pair of moveable cross frames adjustable upon the longi-
tudinal girders to receive between each of them two or more horns projecting from
transverse girders fixed to the structure to be drilled, by tension bolts through
holes already punched. The horns of these transverse girders have collared heads
under which the moveable cross frames at each end close up by adjusting screws or
other means and the main frame is thus fixed ready for work and adjusted to a
proper working distance by struts or legs provided at ends of transverse girders.
This arrangement of girders fixed to the structure with horns to which the main
frame of the machine can be readily secured gives great facilities in transferring the
machine from one range of work, when finished, to commence a fresh range, as the
transverse horned girders can be fixed by tension bolts in advance ready to receive
the main frame of machine which can be fitted over, and secured to the projecting
horns and adjusted for work with a minimum loss of time.
In another form of construction the main framework of machine may be fixed to
the structure direct by the tension bolts (which with the end cross frames may be
in duplicate) being fixed in advance ready to receive the machine over a fresh
range of work (as described in my previous invention provisionally protected
No 6010 April 5. 1884) struts or legs at corners adjusting the working distance, .
but I prefer the separate girders with horns as above described.
Across the longitudinal girders and working along them in guides by screw rack
or other gearing, is a transverse girder frame carrying the drilling head, which
moves in it by screw, rack or other gearing. The drill spindle carried in this
moveable head is fitted with the usual feed gear and carries a grooved sheave for
the driving rope. Instead of the transverse girder carrying the drilling head the

page_text: latter may in some cases be carried in an eccentric disc enclosed in a strap which
moves by suitable gear along the main longitudinal girders (as described for the
rivetting tool in my invention provisionally protected No 3586 Feb 1984) but
I prefer the first named arrangement. The longitudinal girders may carry two or
more transverse girders, each fitted with a moveable drilling head, so as to operate
on several holes at once in various positions in the area enclosed by the machine
and all the drills being driven by one rope or by separate ropes.
As applied for drilling or "rimering" out the holes in keels or keel bars the
machine consists of a main frame, the ends of which are attached by brackets by
means of service bolts through holes already in the keel. This main frame is of
such a length as to extend along a considerable range of the keel to be drilled and
is of such a form as to clear the keel blocks or any such obstacles laterally and
longitudinally. The drill, fitted with usual feed gear, is carried in the upper end of
a travelling head, moving along the main frame from end to end, by screw, rack or
other gearing in suitable guides. The upper portion of this head carrying the drill
and its driving gear has a vertical motion by which the drill is raised or lowered to
suit the lines of holes. In order to keep the driving gear clear of bottom of ship
I fix upon the spindle of drill a toothed wheel, gearing into another toothed wheel,
running on a shaft below, fixed in the travelling head and rising or falling with
the drill. Upon the side of this larger wheel is a grooved sheave driven by an
endless rope from the prime mover.
For drilling girders or bridge work the main longitudinal girders are formed with
brackets at each end and are arranged to travel by screw, rack or other gearing
upon a bed plate or frame upon which the girder or other work to be drilled is
placed between the brackets of the drilling machine. Across the longitudinal
girders and working along them, in suitable guides by screw rack or other gearing,
each independently of the others, are transverse girders each of which carries a
drilling head or heads, fitted with a drill with ordinary feed gear each drilling head
working in suitable guides by screw rack or other gearing along the transverse
girder independently of all the others so that holes may be drilled simultaneously
in any part of the area enclosed by machine.
Each drill spindle carries a grooved sheave to receive the driving rope or chain
which may be one endless rope or chain driving all the drills from the prime mover
or separate ropes or chains may be used; in either case adjustable in length and
kept in tension by the usual means.
This form of the drilling machine is intended to do the work now usually effected
by a number of "radial drills" and it will be seen that each drill, by its longitudinal
and transverse movements has the same action as a "radial drill."
For drilling curved girders the drill heads may be so fitted as to have an angular
adjustment in the transverse girders so as to act truly at right angles to the curve.
This machine may in some cases be found more convenient carried upon over-
head girders along which it may be traversed in suitable guides by screw rack or
other gearing, the girder or other structure to be drilled being placed on blocks on
the ground or raised on "trestles," the action of the machine being precisely the
same as previously described.-
The prime mover may be a steam, hydraulic or any other engine and may drive
the endless rope (or ropes) direct or through any intermediate shafting pullies and
leading sheaves or blocks, but in cases of ship work or heavy bridge work small
hydraulic engines, fixed at convenient intervals in the yard; or portable to follow
the machine and worked from the accumulator of the rivetting plant will be
generally found most unitable

page_text: 1. 1 are the main longitudinal girders 2. 2 the end frames. 3. the transverse
girders fixed to the structure by tension bolts 4 (through holes already punched)
and having horns 5 projecting outwards the collared heads of which are embraced
by the sliding frames 6. 6 on main girders. 1. 1, the machine being thus securely
attached to the structure: 7. is the transverse frame moved longitudinally along
the main girders by screws 8.8* and carrying the drilling tool head 9. which moves
transversely between main girders by screws 10. The drill 11 is fixed in a
spindle 12, fitted with the usual hand feed screw 13 and having keyed upon it a
grooved sheave 14 around which passes the endless driving rope 15 guided by
sheaves 16 and kept in tension by a weight or other means and taken away to the
driving sheave of the prime mover.
Figure 3 (Sheet 1) is a side elevation and Figure 4 an end elevation of a machine
specially designed for drilling or rimering the rivet holes in the keel. 1 is the main
frame attached at its ends by brackets 2. 2 to the keel by service bolts 3. 3a
through holes already punched. The keel block 4 shows how the machine is
adapted to clear such obstructions without their removal. 5 is the drill fixed to
the travelling head 6 and fitted with the usual feed gear 7. The head 6 carrying
the spur gearing 8.8 and the grooved sheave 9 for endless driving rope 10 is moved
from end to end of the machine by a nut 11 working on the screw 12. The head 6
is also moved vertically and with it the grooved sheave 9, the spur wheel 8, and
pinion 8 and the drill, by worm gear 13 upon the vertical screw 14 to enable the
drill to operate on the two lines of holes in keel. The endless driving rope 10 is
guided by sheaves 15 at ends of frame and kept in tension by the usual means and
taken to driving sheave on prime mover.
On Sheet 2, Figure 5 is a side elevation and Figure 6 an end elevation of a
machine for drilling or rimering holes in bridge work or large girders. 1 is the bed
plate which is of considerable length upon which the brackets 2. 2 of the machine
move longitudinally by screw gearing 3. 3. 4. 4ª are the main longitudinal girders
bolted upon the brackets 2. 2 and carrying four transverse frames 5. 5, 5b and 5°
which may either be traversed upon the main girders (as I prefer) by screw or
other gearing or may be fixed at certain points upon the main girders. Each of
these transverse frames carries one or more drill heads 6, in which the drills 7 are
fitted into spindles 8 which are arranged with usual feed gear. The upper end of
each spindle has keyed on it a grooved sheave 9 and the endless driving rope or
ropes is or are carried from the prime mover so as to revolve the drills in the proper
direction, the rope or ropes being kept in tension by the usual means. When all
the required holes have been drilled or rimered in the area of girder enclosed by the
machine the latter is moved along the bed plate so as to enclose a fresh range.
Figure 7 is a side elevation and Figure 8 an end elevation of a modification of
this machine in which the girder or other structure is carried on " trestles
on the
ground and the main girders 1. 1* are of indefinite length and are supported on
columns 2. 2ª fixed on floor. 4 and 4* are the longitudinal girders of the machine
5. 5 5b and 5° are the transverse girders traversing these girders 4 and 4° and
carrying drill heads 6 fitted with spindles and drills. 7. fixed iu drill spindles, which
are fitted with usual feed gear and are revolved by the endless rope or ropes which
passes or pass continuously partly around one or other side of the circumference of
grooved sheaves 9 keyed on the drill spindles. The driving ropes are not shewn on
drawings. In both these arrangements of the machine the drills may be so fitted
in the heads as to allow them to operate at an angle upon curved girders or other
such work in a direction radially to the curve.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. Machines for drilling large structures capable of operating over a consi-
derable area longitudinally and transversely before requiring to be moved; attached

page_text: the structure, either direct or to the horns of bracket girders already fixed by
Baid tension bolts. The drilling head moving transversely in a frame or eccen-
trically in a strap, which frame or strap moves longitudinally on main girders of
machine and driven by an endless rope from a prime mover substantially as shewn
and described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 Sheet 1.
Second. Machines specially adapted for drilling keel bars of ships capable of
drilling a considerable number of holes before requiring to be moved and adapted
'to clear obstructions, such as keel blocks; with longitudinal and transverse motions.
The drill being driven preferably by means of an endless rope substantially as shewn
by Figures 3 and 4 Sheet 1 and described with reference thereto.
Third. Drilling machines specially adapted for long girders and similar work
consisting of end brackets arranged to travel longitudinally on long bed plate and
carrying over head main longitudinal girders upon which are fixed or travel
transverse frames each carrying one or more drill heads which travel transversely
in said frames. The drills being driven by an endless rope or by endless ropes and
in some cases arranged to angle for curved work. The whole arranged constructed
and operating as shewn by Figures 5 and 6 Sheet 2 or the modified form in which
the machine travels upon girders overhead supported on columns as shewn by
Figures 7 and 8 Sheet 2.