Improvements in Apparatus for Dressing and Sharpening Rock Drills and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1896-Accepted 25th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Dressing and Sharpening Rock Drills
and the like.
I, WILLIAM WANLISS, of 48, Marshall Street, Johannesburg, South African
Republic, 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:-
This invention relates to the construction, and arrangement of an improved,
more simple and effective mechanical appliance or means for dressing and sharpen-
ing rock drills either of "star" "chisel" or other shape and in order that the
carrying out of my invention in practice may be fully understood, I have illus-
trated it on the accompanying sheet of drawings and have marked the same with
letters of reference corresponding with those in the following description..
The apparatus as herein described is designed and constructed to perform. the
work of dressing and sharpening the drills at one operation or so that when the
drills are removed from the first die into which they have been inserted, they are
dressed and sharpened, needing but tempering only to be ready for use.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 shews a side elevation of the machine partly in section.
Fig. 1 is a portion of Fig. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale.
Fig. 2 a plan.
Fig. 3 an end elevation.
At a suitable
The machine, as illustrated, consists of a rigid cast or wrought iron frame B
(preferably the former) of suitable construction and dimensions.
distance from one end of the base plate a vertical cylinder C furnished with the
usual slide valve and steam ports, is helted, in which works the piston rod D
connected with the piston 1). The piston rod D₁ passes through a stuffing box S on
the cylinder cover. At its other end the piston rod is attached to a cross-head M¹
connected to an arm R which forms a connecting rod between the end of the
piston rod and the powerful lever A by means of the pins MM. The cross-
head M on end of the piston rod, is extended at one end so as to work in the
vertical guide T bolted to a bracket cast or wrought on the frame B.
The lever A is furnished with trunnions V cast or forged on either side at or
near its supported end. These trunnions work in recesses formed in the inner
faces of the vertical sides of the frame B and are held in place by caps or covers
on the end of the latter. The long arm of the lever A moves in an are formed by
the vertical stroke of the piston rod.
The under side of the lever or beam A abreast of the trunnions, is hollowed out
on both sides so as to form a web of metal between the two recesses, in which
latter work the ends of a pair of toggle joints R' on a pin L the other ends of this
pair of toggle joints being connected to a suitably shaped die rod E by the pin L'.
No more strain than is sufficient to pull back the levers, is, at any time, put on the
connecting rod pins, the power of the thrust being taken direct on to the ends of
the connecting rod and toggle joints. The slots in the toggle joints through
which the pin L passes, are formed in the shape of a segment to permit of a

page_text: vertical motion being given to the die-rod E which works in a guide forming a
portion of the frame work.
The end of the die-rod E is bored out to receive the taper shank of the upper die
or cress E which is raised and lowered with tlie motion of the die-rod E.
A corresponding die E is fixed underneath the upper one, to a solid anvil or
block. cast or formed on the bed plate of the frame and which is recessed to
receive the die, which is held in position by six or more set screws, and in order
to place the dies in proper adjustment, the one with the other, and to facilitate
their easy setting I fit two or more pins Y at opposite angles on the face of the
lower die, and which correspond with and fit in similarly placed holes in the upper
one.
The dies are formed with one or more recesses in their faces (three being shown
on the drawings) suitable for dressing either chisel, star or other shaped drills
or for any shapes as may be required. The mechanism and dies hereinbefore
described are for dressing and forging the drills only. The sharpening is effected
while the drill is still held in the dies, by an apparatus or machine of which the
following is a description.
At the other end of the bed plate of the machine hereinbefore described a second
cylinder C is fixed but placed horizontally instead of vertically. The cylinder is
bolted down to the frame, but in addition to the ordinary holding down bolts, two
lateral bolts are provided, one on either side of the cylinder passing through lugs J
cast thereon, and through the whole length of the frame, where they are set up
by nuts on the ends of the bed plate. The bolts are to help in resisting the lateral
strain put on the cylinder when at work. The end of the piston rod D is attached
to a connecting rod R2 of similar construction to that on the vertical piston rod D
and lettered on the drawing, the other end of the connecting rod R³ being
attached to one end of a vertical lever A' the upper end of which is supported on
trunnions V carried on projections of the sides of the frame B. The upper end of
the lever A¹ is hollowed out in a similar manner to that of lever A and carries a
pair of toggle joints R3 between which the cross head of the vertical piston rod
works and which are attached at their other ends to a horizontal die-rod E3 work-
ing in suitable guides F and which serve for taking up the wear and tear of the
die-rods. The other end of the die-rod E is bored to receive the taper shanks of
the die blocks G which have dies formed or sunk on their ends, corresponding to
the shape and cutting edges of the " star "chisel" and other shaped drills. These
die blocks G. G. G. having a lateral motion communicated to them by the die-rod
are so set in the frame that the dies on their respective ends, exactly coincide with
the centres of the ends of the vertical dies El and E2 (which are made broader than
is required to form the drill, the remaining portion being hollowed and squared out
to form a guide for the die G when E and E2 are in contact with each other)
their purpose being to form by pressure a sharp cutting edge on the drills, which,
having been dressed or forged in the latter, are held there for the sharpening
process of the lateral dies G. G. G.
The trunnions on the lever A¹ are held in their bearings by caps K' screwed on
to the ends of the projected sides of the frame 13 by means of strong bolts K which
pass half way through the sides of the frame which are cored out to receive them.
These large and strong bolts are necessary to withstand the pressure on the fulcrum
of the lever, when the dies are in operation.
Should the drills operated on, be smaller than the dies, and when finished,
not be held firmly between them for operation of the sharpening dies, the following
device is used for holding them firmly in place with the axis of the drill shaft in
a direct line with the centre of the sharpening dies G. G. G.
Across the base of the machine and in front of the vertical dies I fix a cross
bar bolted firmly to the sides of the base plate, which are carried up sufficiently
high for the purpose. Holes are bored and tapped vertically through the cross bar
at as many places as there are dies in the machine, and exactly opposite to the
centre of each. Through these holes pass screwed bolts O to the lower ends of

page_text: which are fitted shoes and upon which, the latter revolve freely. These shoes are
formed with recesses on their faces, to grip the upper surface of a drill placed
beneath them. Underneath, and exactly opposite the shoes are wedge shaped
beds O carrying wedges 02 operated by the screws 03 which draw the wedges in
or out as may be required to bring the beds O' to the desired height for the axis of
the drill to be fixed in a central vertical position.
In order to cool the dies, a jet of water is injected upon and between each pair,
the moment the drill which has been operate upon, is released. This is automati-
cally effected by the drill itself which on being placed between the dies presses
down a valve which shuts off the water, its release and withdrawal causing the
valve to rise and admit of water again flowing on the dies. Steam, air, or water
is admitted to the valve chest N on cylinder C through the throttle valve U
operated by the rod W which is extended back to the other end of the frame where
it is under control of the operator. The throttle valve having been opened by
means of the hand wheel W' and the rod W, and steam, air or water being admitted
to the valve chest, the operator places his foot on the foot lever N, connected by a
rod with a bell crank N³ the other arm of which is connected with a lever N
which operates the slide valve and brings it forward so as to admit steam, air, or
water to the bottom of the cylinder. On releasing the foot lever, it resumes its
normal position, by means of a spiral spring placed underneath the tread, and
forces the slide valve back, so as to admit steam air, or water to the upper end of
the cylinder, which forces the piston down and brings the die-rod back in readiness
for another operation.
Cylinder is furnished with similar steam, air, or water pipe, throttle valve,
rods, levers and foot lever, all of which are operated in the same way as described
for cylinder C'.
In the working of the apparatus steam, air, or water is admitted to the valve
chest from any convenient source as hereinbefore described, and a heated drill is
placed between the dies E' and E. The operator then presses down the foot
lever I which raises the slide valve I on cylinder C and admits steam, air, or
water through the lower part, the piston being then forced up, raises up the long
arm of the lever A and forces down the toggle joint R¹ and die-rod E which brings
the upper die E down upon the drill H which is resting upon the lower die
and compresses it into the required form and size. The operator still keeping the
foot lever I down, places his other foot on the lever N which, by means of its
hereinbefore described valve connections, admits steam, air, or water to the lower
end of the horizontal cylinder C. The piston rod D' is thus forced out and thrusts
forward the vertical lever A' which causes the die-rod 3 to be forced forward by
means of the toggle joint R³ connected to the other end of the vertical lever Ai
The die G on the end of the die-rod is thus forced, under enormous pressure, up.
against the end of the drill H which is still held in the grip of dies and E and
forms a sharp cutting edge thereon by it taking the impression formed on the die,
no metal being wasted or lost in the operation. Should the first operation between
dies E and E not be sufficient to swage the drill to the exact size and form
required, it is repeated, by the operator pressing down the foot lever I as many
times as are required, until the upper and lower dies meet, when the first operation
is completed. The drill is then withdrawn and is ready for tempering. Should
the drill be smaller than the dies E and E and not be gripped by them, it is
held firmly by the device in front of the dies as hereinbefore described.
In the drawings
A. Denotes the powerful horizontal lever.
A¹ Denotes the vertical lever, of similar construction to A.
B. Is the frame of the machine.
C. The vertical cylinder.
C The horizontal cylinder.
D. The piston on cylinder C.
D' The piston rod on cylinder C.

page_text: Dine piston on Horizontal cy
D3 The piston rod on horizontal cylinder C¹.
E. The vertical die-rod operated by lever A.
E The upper die.
E The lower die.
E3 The horizontal die-rod operated by lever A¹.
E Are four or six bolts for holding the lower die in place.
F. Liners for taking up wear of die-rods..
G. G. G. Are three horizontal dies for forming the cutting edges on the end of
drills.
H. H. H. Three drills in position for sharpening.
I. Slide valve on vertical cylinder C.
I Foot lever operating valve gear on cylinder C.
J. J. Lugs on horizontal cylinder C₁ for the straining bolts.
K. K. Long bolts passing through sides of frame for holding the trunnion caps.
K Trunnion cap.
L. L' L Pins through toggle joints on levers A and A¹.
M. Pins through end of vertical lever and connecting rod.
M¹ Pins through end of horizontal lever and connecting rod.
M Pins through cross head on vertical piston rod and connecting rod.
M³ Pins through cross head on horizontal piston rod- and connecting rod.
A Cross head on vertical piston rod.
M Cross head on horizontal piston rod.
N. Slide valve and chest on horizontal cylinder C¹.
N Valve rod on cylinder C¹.
N Foot lever operating N and N¹..
N³ Bell crank on valve gear.
N Lever operating valve N.
0. Upper portion of device for gripping drills while being operated on in dies E
and Es, only used when small drills are being dressed.
01 Lower jaw of device for gripping drills, being wedge shaped beds to which
the lower gripping shoes are fixed.
Os Wedge for raising or lowering 01 by means of screw (³.
03 Screw for operating the wedge 0%³.
0 Cross bar of device, for gripping drills.
P. Rod operating water valve.
P1 Valve for admitting water for cooling dies.
Q. Small cocks for regulating the flow of water to dies.
Q Water supply pipe.
R. Connecting rod between end of vertical piston rod and end of lever A.
R Toggle joints connecting lever A with die-rod E.
R Connecting rod between piston rod D³ and end of lever A¹.
R3 Toggle joints between lever A! and die-rod E³.
S. Cover of vertical cylinder C.
S1 Cover of horizontal cylinder C¹.
T. Vertical guides, for cross head M on piston rod D¹.
T Horizontal guides, for cross head M3 on piston rod D³.
U. Throttle valve admitting steam, air, or water to valve chest.
U1 Exhaust.
V. Trunnions on horizontal lever A.
V Trunnions on vertical lever A¹.
W. Throttle valve spindle rod.
W Hand wheel on end of throttle valve spindle rod.
X. Cover or face plate for holding vertical die-rod E in guides.
Y. Guide pins for dies.
Z. Cover or face plate for holding horizontal die-rod E³ in guides.
From the foregoing description it is obvious that by the apparatus the dressing

page_text: and sharpening of the drill is performed in one operation and that one man only is
required to attend each machine.
By my invention the process of sharpening Rock Drills is greatly simplified and
the labour reduced to a minimum, or to that of one man, the cost of dressing and
sharpening being correspondingly reduced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be under-
stood that I do not limit myself to the precise details of construction of the appara-
tus as hereinbefore specified and as illustrated on the accompanying sheet of
drawings, because equivalent modifications or variations can be made in such
details, and quite consistent with the principles or characteristic features of my
invention but I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The general construction and arrangement of the several parts in the whole
constituting the improved apparatus for forging, dressing and sharpening star,
chisel, or other shaped rock drills, substantially as hereinbefore set forth and as
illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
2. In apparatus for dressing and sharpening rock drill and the like, the combina-
tion of the frame B, the two horizontal and vertical power levers A and A', the
vertical and horizontal cylinders C and C¹, the die-rods and dies, substantially as
herein before set forth and as illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
3. In apparatus for dressing and sharpening rock drills and the like, the com-
bination of the frame B the two power levers A and A¹ the cylinders C and C¹,
the connecting rods R and R the toggle joints R¹ and R3, the die-rods E and E³, the
dies E and E and G. G. G. the drill holder or gripping device 0. 01 02 03 0*
the arrangement of pipes and valves for admitting an intermittent stream of water
to and on the dies and method of using the same, the foot levers I and N and the
valve gear connected with and operated by them, substantially as hereinbefore set
forth and as illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Tel: 10
1904
WM. WANLISS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.