IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR DRILLING OB BORING ROCKS AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR DRILLING
OB BORING ROCKS AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES."-A communica-
tion.
Sealed the 27th January 1854, and dated the 8th December 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th December 1858.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS
AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES" to be as follows:-
The object of the present Invention is to construct and arrange the
several parts of a machine for drilling rocks in such a manner that the
drill may be made to act either vertically, horizontally, or any angle
required, according to the peculiar circumstances of the case, and the
particular direction in which it is required to make the hole.
The whole of the apparatus must be attached to a foundation plate,
which may be mounted on wheels for the convenience of removal from

page_text: place to place. The principal working parts, such as the parts con-
nected with the drill or borer, are mounted in a swinging frame, so
that the drill may be inclined and worked at any angle to the horizon.
The impact blow of the drill is given either by the force of a spring
made of metal or caoutchouc, or by means of an excentric and connect-
ing rod. The drill, when a spring is used, is drawn back either by the
power of a small steam engine or any other suitable motive agent, or
by means of an excentric. The drill must, by means of a ratchet or
other suitable mechanical contrivance, be made to rotate on its axis
as the work proceeds, in order to cause the face of the drill at every
blow to strike on a different part of the rock; or this rotation of the
drill may be effected by means of an excentric on the cam shaft being
made to actuate a pawl or click, which will push round a ratchet
wheel connected with the shaft of the drill.
Convenient means must of course be provided for feeding forward or
advancing the drill as the drilling or boring operation proceeds, and the
mechanical means for so doing should be so arranged that the speed or
amount of this advance, as well as the rotation of the drilling tool on
its axis, may be regulated at pleasure, according to the nature of the
material to be operated upon.
The advance of the drill may be conveniently effected by means of
an excentric on the cam shaft; and by means of a connecting rod,
which may be attached to any required part of a slotted vibrating
lever, the amount of the advance may be regulated with
facility.
accuracy and
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 8th June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and. successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her
special license that I, the said William Edward Newton, my exccu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS AND OTHER
HARD SUBSTANCES," being a communication from abroad, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said. William Edward Newton, by
an instrument in writing, under my hand and scal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office, within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton; do
hereby declare the nature of the said.Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
The object of the present Invention of "Improved Machinery for
Drilling or Boring Rocks and other Hard Substances" is described by
my foreign correspondent as consisting in a novel mode of constructing,
arranging, and operating the several parts of a machine for drilling
rocks, so that the drill may be made to act either vertically, horizon-
tally, or at any angle required, according to the peculiar circumstances
of the case, and the particular, direction in which it is required to make
the hole.
The whole of the apparatus must be attached to a foundation plate,
which may, if required, be mounted on wheels for the convenience of
removal from place to place. The principal working parts such as the

page_text: parts connected with the drill or borer, are mounted in a swinging
frame supported on centres, so that it may be inclined and the drill
made to work at any required angle to the horizon. The impact blow
of the drill is given either by the force of a spring made of metal or
caoutchouc, or by means of an excentric and connecting rod. When
a spring is used for this purpose, the drill is drawn back by means of an
excentric or other suitable contrivance, worked by the power of a small
steam engine or any other suitable motive agent. The drill must
also be made to rotate on its axis as the work proceeds, in order to
cause the face of the drill at every blow to strike on a different part
of the rock. This rotation of the drill may be effected by means of
a ratchet or other suitable mechanical contrivance, or by means of
an excentric on the cam shaft being made to actuato a pawle or click,
which will push round a ratchet wheel connected with the shaft of
the drill.
Convenient means must of course be provided for feeding forward or
advancing the drill as the drilling or boring operation proceeds, and the
mechanical means for so doing should be so arranged that the speed
or amount of this advance, as well as the rotation of the drilling tool
on its axis, may be regulated at pleasure, according to the nature
of the material to be operated upon. The advance of the drill may be
effected by means of an excentric on the cam shaft and a connecting
rod, which may be attached to any required part of a vibrating lover,
so that the amount of the advance may be regulated with accuracy and
facility.
In order, however, that the construction, arrangement, and operation
of the machine may be more clearly understood, I have shewn in the
accompanying Drawings various views of the machine. Fig. 1 is a side
view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the swinging frame and
apparatus connected therewith for bearing the drill; and Fig. 3 is a
sectional view of the said swinging frame and apparatus.
A', A', is a platform or foundation plate on which may be placed a
steam engine or any other motive agent. At one end of the platform
are eight standards A, A, of which there are four on each side. Theso
eight standards are braced by four braces B, B. Between each four of

page_text: these standards A, slides an iron block C, C, Fig. 1, through which are
passed two bolts D, D, Fig. 1. These bolts carry at one end a nut E,
at the other. a plate F, with a pawle G, held in its place by a spring
seen in the Drawing, and biuding in a rack seen on one side in Fig. 1.
The platform is generally supported on wheels (which it has not been
thought necessary to represent in the Drawing), and to the upper part
of the blocks C, C, are attached two iron loops or staples C', from which
a chain passes over the wheel C to a crank, actuated in any conve-
nient manner. The swinging frame with its appurtenances is shewn in
Sheet II. This frame bears two blocks or cross heads H and I, sliding
on their respective slides II, II, and I', I', on the inner sides of the
swinging frame. QQ, Fig. 2, Sheet II., are two projecting blocks,
placed on the inner side of the swinging frame, to stop the passage of
the crosshead h, at the end of its stroke.
The first crossbead h has on its upper side a plunger J, with a cylin-
drical cavity therein, and at its lower side a screw shaft K, held and
turning loosely in a slot in the first crosshead by a nut L, and passing
through a female screw in the second crosshead or block I, and into the
hollow mandril P, herein-after mentioned.
Turning loosely on this screw shaft K is a ring M (Figures 4 and 5,
Sheet II.), with a forked projection N (Figures 3, 4, and 5) on its lower
side. This ring M (called the upper pawle holder) bears at its upper
side two pawles (and springs) O, O. On the screw shaft K are fixed
firmly two ratchet wheels O', O', with the rotation of which the shaft
K turns; into the teeth of these ratchet wheels the pawles O, O, enter.
The second crosshead or block I, with its female screw I', bears at its
lower end a hollow mandril P. Upon the upper end of this mandril is
fixed a ratchet wheel Q', and the plate R (which is screwed to the cross-
head I, and has an aperture that permits the passage of the mandril P,)
holds the said mandril in the crosshead I.
In the crosshead I are placed two pawles, S, S, (see detached view,
Fig. 6,) for retaining in its place the ratchet wheel Q', and mandril P,
after the rotation.
The lower end of this mandril passes through the "lower end
piece "T of the swinging frame, and in the aperture V in the end

page_text: of the mandril, is placed the arm, which is held in its place by a ser
screw.
The upper end of the swinging frame is held together by the "upper
end piece" Y. This upper end piece carries a spindle Z, which spindle
bears a spring of india-rubber or other substance A². Sliding on this!
spindle at the end of the spring is a disc of leather or other sub-
stance B². A shaft A³ carries two cam wheels A, A, and at each end
passes through a trunnion A³, A³, cast on the sides of the swinging
frame. This shaft (called the cam shaft) carries a band wheel (not
represented in the Drawing), which is connected with the engine or
other motive power, and actuates the whole machinery. This cam
shaft may, however, as is obvious, be rotated in any other way.
The contrivance for rotating the drill is now to be described. At
Fig. 3, Sheet II., and enveloping the lower end of the mandril P, is
a short cylinder B, called the "friction ring." This cylinder is slotted
so as to hold two keys B', which slide in two longitudinal grooves in
the mandril P, and by the rotation of the short cylinder B, turn the
mandril P. Turning loosely on the cylinder B is a ring B², called
the "lower pawle holder." This ring bears a pawle B³, and at its under
part a fork C, as shewn in the detached view, Fig. 7. Enveloping and
tightly fastened to the cylinder B is a ratchet wheel B', the rotation of
which of course causes the cylinder to rotate, and with it the hollow
mandril P. Tightly fastened also to the cylinder is a ring B³; aud
between the cylinder and the mandril, but not seen in the Drawing,
are three springs, regulated by set screws, which pass through the
cylinder and ring B³.
The fork C (Fig. 7), on the lower pawle holder, slides on the
diagonally placed bar C³, which bar turns at its centre on the pin C'.
The pin and diagonal bar are supported by the brace C³, passing
underneath from side to side, and bolted to the swinging frame.
The ratchet wheels O', O', on the screw shaft, have their teeth so
placed that the teeth of one shall come opposite to the notch of the
other, thus securing strong teeth by their shape, and the advantage of
fine teeth by their position.
Beneath the upper pawle holder M, is placed another diagonal har

page_text: D², turning on the pin D', which pin is supported by the "upper
diagonal bar braco "D', bolted to the side of the swinging frame, and
passing underneath it.
I shall now describe the contrivance for inclining the diagonal bars
C³ and D². To the "lower diagonal bar brace" C, is bolted the "lower
sliding bar brace "D", and to the sides of the swinging frame at the
upper end is bolted the "upper sliding bar brace" D". Through
these braces passes a sliding bar E', E', which has its upper end made
to a screw, and enveloping it a female screw, with a hand wheel E²,
.
attached.
This hand wheel and female screw rotate loosely in the "upper
sliding bar brace" D.
The female screw is held in its place by the
ring and set screw D. The turning of this female screw (by means
of the hand wheel) thus moves the sliding bar E' backwards or for-
wards. E and E, are two rings called "the fork rings" (seen detached
at Fig. 8), enveloping the sliding bar E' (and held thereto firmly by set
screws), which rings have each a fork whose prongs slide on each side
of the lower part of the two diagonal bars C³ and D. The sliding
bar E', being placed slightly on one side of the centre of the swinging
frame, it will be seen that its advance or recession will move the fork
rings back or forward upon the lower parts respectively of the diagonal
bars C, and D2, and thus inclino them at a greater or less angle to the
sliding bar in the same proportion. By moving the fork rings E³, and
E, respectively up or down on the sliding bar, the proportions, as will
be seen, admit of every desirable variation.
Upon the upper end of the screw shaft K, and just below the two
ratchet wheels O', O', is fixed tightly a cog wheel E. By means of
a straight rack with its handle this cog wheel is rotated as desired, thus
causing the screw'shaft K to rotate, and bring back the 'second cross-
head to the upper end of the swinging frame. Sometimes I have two
bevel wheels, one on the screw shaft (sliding down when desired), and
one on the cam shaft. These being placed in gear, the rotation of the.
cam shaft will screw or raiso up the second crosshead..
'. The plunger. J,' slides in a dovetail on the upper end of the first
crosshead H'; and I sometimes secure it there by a set screw. At

page_text: Fig. 3, Sheet II., are seen in dotted lines the outline of two pins or
cam bars, held (by a nut at the upper end of each) closely at each side
of the first crosshead II, the said "cam bars" passing through the
blocks Q, Q, Fig. 2. From the four corners respectively of the swinging
frame pass chains, whose other ends are held by bolts fixed to the sides
of the platform.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-By means of the chains
attached to the staples C', the swinging frame is raised to any desired
elevation, and being placed vertically, or at any angle with the horizon
desired, is thus secured by the chains just above mentioned.
The cam shaft A, being rotated, the cams A', A', press against the
ends of the cam bars, thus pressing up the first crosshead H. The
plunger J, compresses the spring A, whose expansion, when the cam
shaft has made its revolution, drives the crosshead and drill (with all
between them) forcibly down again, thus giving the desired blow. I
sometimes place a steam cylinder in the swinging frame, for the
purpose of withdrawing and advancing the crossheads, drill, and ap-
pendages; and sometimes I use the steam cylinder solely to withdraw
the drill, which is then advanced by means of a spring of india-rubber
or other substance. Sometimes I dispense with the cam bars, and use
one cam working against the upper end of a slot in the first crosshead.
This cam may be actuated directly from the cam shaft, or with the
intervention of a cog or other wheel, or the cam may be placed hori-
zontally, if preferred, and caused to work against a projection on the
first crosshead. This first crosshead H, has but one single motion (viz³),
a reciprocating one up and down upon its slides. As the cams cause
it to recede, the fork of the upper pawle holder N (Figures 4, and 5),
moves on its diagonal bar, and thereby causes the said pawle holder to
partly rotate, thus, by means of the pawle which it bears, causing the
ratchet wheel in which the said pawle plays, and also the screw shaft K,
partially to rotate. The rotations of the screw shaft K screws down
the second crosshead I, thus advancing the mandril P, with the drill
attached thereto. It will thus be seen that the inclination of the upper
diagonal bar, given by rotation of the hand wheel E³, regulates at
pleasure the advance of the drill. Sometimes I use a "friction piece,"

page_text: which is held as tightly as may be desired to the nut L, on the upper
end of the screw shaft, by means of a set screw fixed at ouo side of the
slot of the first crosshead. This is to prevent too rapid feeding of the
screw, when the worm of the screw is mado coarse. Sometimes also I
use a smooth wheel of soft iron or other substance, instead of the
ratchet wheels, and have a pawle with a rounded end; by the use of
this arrangement I am not confined to any specific rate of speed in
feeding down the screw, or rotating the drill by tho coarseness or fine-
ness of the ratchet teeth. Sometimes, instead of the "fork" of cach
of the pawle holders above mentioned, I use a projection sliding in a
groove.
The recession of the first crosshead withdraws the second crosshead I;
but, on account of the partial rotation of the screw shaft, the second
crosshcad is not so far withdrawn as the first crosshead, the second
crosshead having thus a compound motion, namely, a reciprocating and
progressively advancing motion. (I sometimes put a composition nut
into this second crosshead, with buffers of leather or other substance
abovo or below, but think it not essential.)
As the crosshead recedes, the mandril P also recedes, and the
set screws in the friction ring B' retain the cylinder or friction
ring B in its place. The fork Co of the pawle holder or ring B³,
slides on the diagonal bar beneath the pawle holder, and partially
rotates in the manner before described, thereby rotating, by means
of its pawle, the ratchet wheel on the cylinder, and consequently
the mandril P, and the drill attached thereto. The mandril and
drill are prevented from turning back by means of the two pawles
S, S (Fig. 6), in the second crosshead. The jar of the blow, as the
drill and mandril come down, presses the friction ring B° against the
end piece of the swinging frame, and moves it back upon the mandril
just so fast as the mandril (with the drill) feeds forward.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to
me by my correspondent as aforesaid, I would observe that, although I
have shewn and described an arrangement of parts which will have
the desired effect, I do not mean or intend to confine myself rigidly to
the precise arrangement or construction of parts herein shewn, as they

page_text: may perhaps be varied, without departing from the nature and object
of the Invention. In conclusion, I claim the arrangement (in. a
swinging or other frame), for the purpose of drilling rocks, of two
crossheads, the one with a reciprocating motion, and the other (which
is connected therewith, and carries the drill,) having a reciprocating
and progressively advancing motion communicated thereto. I claim
this combination, however such alternate advance and, recession of the
several parts may be effected. I also claim the employment of a sliding
rod, for the purpose of changing the rate of rotation and the rate of
advance of the drill by one movement, for the purpose above described.
I also claim the use of the sliding rod for either of the purposes above
named separately. I-claim also in rock drilling machines the use and
mode of applying the inclined planes C³, and D³, whether used for the
purpose of advancing the drill, and for rotating the same, or for either
purpose separately. I also claim making the ratchet cylinder or equi-
valent rotating arrangement to slide upon the mandril or drill stock as
the-same advances, in such manner that the pawle holder projection or
fork may retain its place in the inclined groove, or on the bar. I also
claim the application of india-rubber or other elastic material, cither
alone or in combination with other substances, as a spring to effect
percussion, with drills for boring rocks or hard substances, and this,
whether it be used with cams, or whether the recession be effected in
other ways.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)