Improved Universal Clamp for Rock Drills and other Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Universal Clamp for Rock Drills and other Machines.
We JAMES WILLIAM LARMUTH and ROBERT BIRKEN HOWARTH, both of
Todleben Iron Works, Cross Lane, Salford in the County of Lancaster, Engineers,
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:-
Our invention relates to universal clamps used for securing rock drills to pillars,
stretcher bars or the arins of drill carriages or for securing other machines requiring
to be similarly adjustable in every direction upon similar supports and consists in
an improved construction or arrangement of said clamps or parts thereof, the
object of our invention being to dispense with the complicated system of bolts
usually found in such clamps and to enable the rock drill or other machine to be
mounted on the bar or pillar with greater facility and thereby to economisc time
and labour.
On the sheet of drawings appended hereunto our improvements are shewn applied
to a universal clamp for a rock drill.
Fig. 1 shewing a plan of the improved universal clamp,
Fig. 2 a cross section of the same on line Aº B° of Fig. 1, and part of a rock
drill cradle fixed thereby ;
Fig. 3 a front view of the same and
Fig. 4 an end view of the lock bolt G hereinafter referred to.
Like letters indicate the same parts on the different figures.
In carrying our invention into effect, we form, or otherwise provide the cradle R
of the rock drill with a frustrated external or he-cone A, Figs. 2 and 3, which we
clamp between corresponding internally or she-coned surfaces B B', forming a cone
clip. The conical surface B is formed on a semicircular projection extending
from C to D Fig. 1, and forming part of the body of the clamp, so as to form a
half-cone, the rest of the surface E of the clamp being perfectly flat and fitting
to the underside of the cone A. The conical surface B' is formed on a projection G2
of a sliding clamp bolt G. This bolt is formed with a long rectangular head G
having two lateral wings H J. In the face E of the clamp a recess is formed into
which the bolt head fits, part F of the recess being tee headed for the wings J H
which prevent the lock bolt from rising when the nut K on the outer end of the
bolt is screwed up. The projection G2 with conical surface B¹ may be of the same
width as the part of the bolt fitting into the recess as shewn on the drawing, or
may be extended on each side above the surface E so as to embrace the cone A for
a greater part of its circumference. The screwing up of the nut K jams the cone A
on the cradle R against the conical surfaces B B and the flat face E, and holds it
and the cradle in any desired position for working. The cradle and rock drill can
be quickly shifted by slackening the nut K and dismounted by removing the lock
bolt G, when they can be drawn out of the clamp.
For setting the drill on the bar or pillar P carrying it in any direction in a
plane rectangular to the surface E, the underside of the clamp is formed with a
spring clip or split bush L, having a thin back M, and a lug N formed on it, through
which passes a bolt O, the head of which is let into the body of the clamp under-
neath the bolt G as shewn. The clip is bored out to such a size that when the nut
or bolt is slackened, the clip and clamp can be shifted longitudinally and turned
on the bar P, while by tightening the nut the thin back M will be bent or
sprung, and the clip and clamp secured in any position on the bar P as may be
required.
Although more particularly intended for use with rock drills, the clamp as

page_text: described may be used for fixing other machines for drilling or shaping materials
upon bars or pillars in any position.
We are aware that split bushes or spring clips similar to the one herein described
have been used before for various purposes and we do not claim this form of clip by
itself, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The combination of a spring clip and a cone clip arranged to form a universal
clamp substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The arrangement of universal clamp or the construction and combination of
the parts thereof substantially as herein before described and illustrated on and by
the drawings.
Dated the with 1
1000
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, and 5, Clayton Square, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.