Improvements in and connected with Tunnelling, and with Sinking Wells, Shafts, and Foundations.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 8th July, 1891-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by F. MORITZ WOLFF, Ph. D., of Hildebrandt-
strasse, 1, Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire, Mining
Engineer.]
Improvements in and connected with Tunnelling, and with Sinking
Wells, Shafts, and Foundations.
1. WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS of 70 Market Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to the method of and means for driving tunnels and sinking
shafts wells and foundations generally, but especially through water bearing strata
and below water level.
In sinking and tunnelling in rock according to these improvements I first drill a
series of comparatively small holes at a short distance from each each other around
the outline of the proposed shaft well drift or tunnel. In the case of quicksand
and similar material and in water-bearing strata an annular space is cleared by
drilling or by means of hydraulic jets applied to the space between two concentric
casings which are sunk or pushed forward as the boring proceeds and which exclude
the water or sand. In either method of procedure a central core is left which may
afterwards be removed by the usual means.
In
When dealing with hard material, the series of comparatively small holes are
afterwards opened out by larger tools so as to form an annular space bounded on its
inner and outer diameters by short arcs of circles when viewed in cross section.
the annular space thus formed the lining rings may be inserted one after the other
and be backed up by concrete. By this arrangement the water from the
surrounding strata may be completely shut off before the removal of the core is
commenced.
For the purpose of enlarging the small holes so as to cause their circumferences
to intersect and produce the annular space, I may employ a concentric series of
chisel pointed tools arranged so that the planes of the chisels in any pair of con-
tiguous holes are at right angles to each other so that they may be simultaneously
rotated at an uniform speed without the points coming into contact with
each other.
In quicksands the lower part of the concentric casing may have its annular space
filled with concrete and in bridge foundations the whole bottom of the casing may
be so filled. The upper part of the inner ring of the concentric casing may be
ultimately removed for subsequent use elsewhere, and its place may be taken by less
costly brickwork. If the surrounding strata are unusually dangerous, the whole
of the annular space between the concentric casings may be filled with concrete,
when it will form a permanent wall.
By the hereinbefore described method, the casing may be sunk vertically with
certainty and it will not be deviated from the perpendicular by the bottom of the
casing coming into contact with inclined strata, trunks of trees, boulders, or other
obstacles, since these are readily broken up or removed by means of tools worked
through the annular space in the casing. In boring through rock only a small
amount of material has to be operated on by the boring tools, the remaining core
being removed by blasting and the usual processes. Further, there is practically
no limit to the depth attainable, whilst pneumatic foundations cannot be made at
much greater depths than from 25 to 30 meters.
Dated this 6th day of October A.D. 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Tunnelling, and with Sinking
Wells, Shafts, and Foundations.
1, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS of 70 Market Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, 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 :-
This invention relates to the method of and means for driving tunnels and
sinking shafts wells and foundations generally, but especially through water bearing
strata and below water level.
In sinking and tunnelling in rock according to these improvements, I may first
drill a series of comparatively small holes at a short distance from each other
around the outline of the proposed well shaft drift or tunnel. In the case of
quicksand and similar material and in water bearing strata, an annular space is
cleared by drilling or by means of hydraulic jets applied in the space between two
concentric casings which are sunk or pushed forward as the boring proceeds so as
to exclude the water or sand. In either method of procedure a central core is left
which may afterwards be removed by the usual means.
When dealing with hard material, the series of comparatively small holes are
afterwards opened out by larger tools to form an annular space bounded on its inner
and outer diameters by short arcs of circles when viewed in horizontal cross section.
In the annular space thus formed the lining rings may be inserted one after the
other and be backed up by concrete. By this arrangement the water from the
urrounding strata may be completely shut off before the removal of the core is
commenced.
For the purpose of enlarging the small holes so as to cause their circumferences
to intersect and produce the annular space, I may employ a concentric series of
chisel pointed tools arranged so that the planes of the chisels in any pair of
contiguous holes are at right angles to each other so that they may be simultaneously
rotated at an uniform speed without the points coming into contact with
each other.
In quicksands the lower part of the concentric casing may have its annular
space filled with concrete, and in bridge foundations the whole of the bottom of the
casing may be so filled. The upper part of the upper ring of the concentric casing
may be ultimately removed for subsequent use elsewhere, and its place may be
occupied by less expensive brick-work. If the surrounding strata are unusually
dangerous, the whole of the annular space in the concentric casing may be filled
with concrete, when it will form a permanent wall.
The accompanying drawings illustrate in what manner this invention may be
carried into effect and reference will hereinafter be made thereto.
Figure 1 is a vertical section shewing the method of sinking the concentric casing
in quicksand or in loose earth with boulders.
Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical section illustrating the method of sinking first through
quicksand or the like and afterwards through firm rock.
Figure 4 is a plan of Figure 3.
Figures 5 and 6 shew a further development of the method illustrated by
Figures 3 and 4, the shaft lining having been built in and a portion of the core
removed.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate in vertical section and in plan respectively the method
of forming the annular space by means of overlapping drills.
In Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, A is the concentric casing which is preferably formed
from sheet iron or iron plates, and which has such a form and such dimensions as
are determined in each case by the nature of the work. The inner and outer walls

page_text: of the casing may be joined by means of the vertical stiffening plates B B or they
may be separated by the boring tubes C C which are arranged closely together so
as to maintain the walls of the casing at a uniform distance apart. The individual
rings of the casing may be from 15 to 2 metres in length and are arranged upon
each other as shewn, the ring D serving as a guide. The joints between the rings
may if required be made tight by means of lead wire or a lead ring or by lead tubing
laid between the edges of the rings of the casing. The ends of the bottom rings
of the casing should be provided with sharp steel edges H so as to enable them to
more readily penetrate the earth. The vertical stays B between the bottom pair
of the rings of the casing are stopped about half way down so that they may offer
no interference to the action of boring or clearing tools.
When the nature of the earth permits, the hydraulic method may be employed
either by forcing the water downwards through the boring tubes C C in which cases
it arises charged with the sand or soil through the annular space in the concentric
casing outside the boring tubes, or the reverse operation may take place, that is to
say the water may be forced through the annular space and rise through the boring
tubes. In the latter case, the boring tubes should pass through stuffing boxes
between the top rings of the concentric casing.
As the sinking of the concentric casing proceeds fresh rings are added to the top
as may be required and the sinking of them may be effected by dead weight, by
hydraulic pressure, or by any other convenient means. A great advantage arising
from this method of sinking is that in the event of boulders, trunks of trees and
other obstacles being met with, they may be easily cut through by means of handy
tools Joperated through the annular space, the amount of this cutting being limited
by the breadth of the annular space and the width of the obstruction. Again,
should rock in inclined strata be met with after penetrating quicksand or loose earth,
it is easy to avoid any tendency of the casing to tilt out of the perpendicular, by
first cutting away the higher portions of the rock until a level bed for the casing
has been obtained when the bottom may be made water-tight. As compared with
the pneumatic method of sinking, the method hereinbefore described has the
advantage that the operations may be carried on to any depth, whereas with the
pneumatic method the depth is limited practically to from 25 to 30 metres.
After the bottom of the casing has been made water-tight, the core may be
removed by any suitable means.
In the event of the pressure of water or sand around the concentric casing not
being very great, as for example when the sinking is of small depth, the inner rings
may be removed with the vertical stays or boring tubes leaving only the outer
rings in the bore. The shaft may then be built up with brick-work or single
foundation pillars (shaft brick-work) may be erected, in which case the outside
rings of the casing may also sometimes be recovered. In deep shafts or when the
external pressure is great, the whole of the concentric casings may be left in and
In all cases
the annular space be filled with concrete before the core is removed.
the bottom rings are filled or partly filled with concrete as shewn at K Figure 3 to
form a watertight joint upon the firm rock, after which the core may be dredged
out down to the rock.
If in boring rock it is apprehended that bursts of water may be met with, the
annular space between the outer and inner rings of the casing is sealed with concrete
as shewn in Figure 3 and the system of overlapping borers is resorted to for the
In this operation
purpose of sinking as more clearly shewn in the plan Figure 4.
the small holes EE are first cut at equal distances apart by the well known drilling
apparatus. These holes are subsequently enlarged or widened by means of any
suitable percussive or rotary tools in such a manner that any one of the
holes partly overlaps the two adjoining holes. Thus the holes 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.,
may first be enlarged and afterwards the holes 2, 4, 6, etc. The smaller (first)
bore holes E may serve as guides for the widening tools. The dust may
be removed by water or be dredged out by means of slime boxes. In the
manner described a continuous annular space L is formed each of the faces of

page_text: which is bounded by short circular segments. In the space thus formed, the iron
casing F is sunk ring after ring and the annular space left is filled with concrete M.
The core may thereafter be removed by ordinary blasting or by any other
suitable means.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a special means for cutting the annular space in the
rock hereinbefore referred to with reference to Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6. The small
holes are first drilled as hereinbefore described at equal distances apart, and these
are all then simultaneously widened so as to form the annular space. For this
purpose drills G G₁ having chisel edges are employed. These drills are arranged
as shewn in Figure 8 in such a manner that odd drills are at right angles to radii
of the shaft, and even drills are in the radii. All the drills are geared together so
as to revolve at uniform speeds.
The advantages of this method of sinking in rock are that a number of small and
easily manipulated tools are employed instead of a single cumbersone one. Also
the sinking of the shaft and the removal of the core by blasting can be more quickly
and inexpensively carried out than by known methods and means. In the case of
large and deep shafts this advantage is of very great importance because of the
considerable weight of the rods and machinery which must be employed, whilst the
tools used according to these improvements are light and their dimensions are quite
independent of the diameter of the shaft to be sunk. In addition it is quite easy
to sink a square or non-circular shaft without any difficulty if desired.
The change from the method of sinking through quicksand or water-bearing
strata by means of the concentric casing to the method of boring through solid
rock can be easily effected without any special arrangements or devices because of
the extreme portability of the tools used."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,-
1. The hereinbefore described method of and means for driving tunnels and
sinking shafts wells and foundations, substantially as set forth with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
2. In driving tunnels sinking shafts wells and foundations and the like operations,
removing an annular part around the boundary of the proposed tunnel shaft or well
through and by means of a concentric casing, and subsequently excavating or
dredging out the core, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
3. In driving tunnels sinking shafts wells foundations and the like operations,
removing an annular part around the boundary of the proposed tunnel shaft or
well by first drilling a series of small holes and subsequently enlarging these holes
so that they overlap, and subsequently removing the core from within the annular
space by blasting or other usual means, substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
4. In driving tunnels sinking shafts wells foundations and the like operations,
removing an annular part around the boundary of the proposed shaft well or tunnel
by first drilling a series of equi-distant holes and subsequently enlarging these
holes so as to overlap by means of a series of chisel pointed drills geared together
to rotate uniformly and clear each other, and subsequently removing the core by
blasting or other usual means, substantially as herein before described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
1 1
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1001
WILLIAM E. HEYS.