IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCK DRILLING MACHINERY
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Myles Kennedy and Joseph Eastwood, both of Ulverston,
in the County of Lancashire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCK
DRILLING MACHINERY.”
Scaled the 17th November 1876, and dated the 27th May 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Myles Kennedy and Joseph
Eastwood at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th May
1870.
MYLES KENNEDY and JOSEPHI EASTWOOD, both of Ulverston, in the County of
Lancashire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCK DRILLING MACHINERY."
This Invention relates to that class of rock drilling machinery the action of
which consists in a combined percussive and rotatory movement imparted to the
drill either manually or automatically.
The apparatus is mounted upon an oblong frame or saddle and comprises a
cylinder sliding in guides upon the saddle, and within which a piston is reciprocated
by means of steam, compressed air, or other suitable motive power.
The drill or "jumper" is fixed to one end of the piston rod or ram, the feeding
screw entering at the other end and engaging with a nut formed in the piston rod
or upon a sleeve attached thereto, so that as the piston and piston rod are turned
the cylinder and its contents and attachments are caused to advance or retire
towards or from the face of the work, thus feeding or withdrawing the drill as
desired.
The mechanism whereby the said feeding is automatically performed consists of a
collar or disc secured upon the piston rod, and working in a corresponding but by
preference cylindrical guide or sleeve attached to or forming part of the sliding
cylinder; a groove formed in the periphery of the said collar engages with a stud
projecting through an oblong slot in the side of the cylindrical guide or sleeve, and
attached to a sliding bar and block, the axis of which is parallel to that of the
piston rod; a similar stud projects upwards from another part of the sliding block
and engages with a peculiarly formed zig-zag like cam slot formed in a roller, by
preference situated above the said sliding block. This roller is supported in
bearings, and is provided at one of its ends with a bevel wheel gearing with a
similar wheel fixed to a shaft lying at right angles to the roller and carrying a
rn. 031

page_text: worm or tangent screw, which gears with a worm wheel fixed upon the piston rod
or upon a sleeve attached thereto.
The effect of the herein-before described arrangement is that as the piston is
reciprocated in the cylinder the grooved collar or disc causes the sliding block to be
also reciprocated, and the stud or pin traversing the zig-zag like slot in the roller
causes the said roller to rotate slowly and intermittently, the rotation being in turn
transferred to the piston rod and drill through the gearing already referred to, or by
other suitable gearing.
The reciprocation of the grooved collar or plunger is also utilized to work the
slide valve on the cylinder by causing it to engage with a double pawl lever in
connection with the valve spindle.
When the limit of feed has been reached the sliding cylinder inay be run back
again by removing a split or linch pin, whereby the feed screw is held fixed and
actuating the screw by a handle provided for the purpose, and when desired the
drill may also be fed and rotated manually by a handle placed upon the worm or
tangent screw, shaft, or other convenient gear spindle.
For rocks or minerals of different degrees of hardness feed screws of different
pitch may be employed, the apparatus being constructed with a view to their easy
removal and substitution.
The drill may be pointed in any direction by the employment of a turntable-like
disc secured by bolts above the ordinary clamp which embraces the supporting
column, and in addition we use a steadying bar which fits into a socket in the
saddle and is adjusted against the face of the work, a trussing pressure being
applied through a pinching pin and centre at the end thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by 2
the said Myles Kennedy and Joseph Eastwood in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th November 1876.
MYLES KENNEDY and JOSEPH EASTWOOD, both of Ulverston, in the County of
Lancaster. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCK DRILLING MACHINERY."
This Invention relates to that class of rock drilling machinery the action of 3
which consists in a combined percussive and rotatory movement imparted to the
drill, either manually or automatically.
The apparatus is mounted upon an oblong frame or saddle, and comprises a
cylinder sliding in guides upon the saddle, and within which a piston is reciprocated
by means of steam, compressed air, or other suitable motive power.
3
The drill or jumper is fixed to one end of the piston rod or ram, the feeding
screw entering at the other end and engaging with a nut formed in the piston rod
or upon a sleeve attached thereto, so that as the piston and piston rod are turned
the cylinder and its contents and attachments are caused to advance or retire
towards or from the face of the work, thus feeding or withdrawing the drill as 4
desired.
The mechanism whereby the said feeding is automatically performed consists of a
collar or disc secured upon the piston rod, and working in a corresponding, but by
preference cylindrical guide or sleeve attached to or forming part of the sliding
cylinder. A groove formed in the periphery of the said collar engages with a stud
projecting through an oblong slot in the side of the cylindrical guide or sleeve and
attached to a sliding bar and block, the axis of which is parallel to that of the
piston rod; a similar stud projects upwards from another part of the sliding block
and engages with a peculiarly formed zig-zag like cam slot formed in a roller, by
preference situated above the said sliding block. This roller is supported in
bearings, and is provided, at one of its ends with a bevel wheel gearing with a

page_text: similar wheel fixed to a shaft lying at right angles to the roller, and carrying a
worm or tangent screw which gears with a worm wheel fixed upon the piston rod
or upon a sleeve attached thereto.
The effect of the herein-before described arrangement is that as the piston is
reciprocated in the cylinder the grooved collar or disc causes the sliding block to be
also reciprocated, and the stud or pin traversing the zig-zag like slot in the roller
causes the said roller to rotate slowly and intermittently, the rotation being in turn
transferred to the piston rod and drill through the gearing already referred to, or
by other suitable gearing.
The reciprocation of the grooved collar or plunger is also utilized to work tho
slide valve on the cylinder by causing it to engage with a double pawl lever in
connection with the valve spindle.
When the limit of feed has been reached the sliding cylinder may be run back
again by removing a split or linch pin, whereby the feed screw is held fixed, and
actuating the screw by a handle provided for the purpose, and when desired the drill
may also be fed and rotated manually by a handle placed upon the worm or tangent
screw shaft or other convenient gear spindle.
For rocks or minerals of different degrees of hardness feed screws of different
pitch may be employed, the apparatus being constructed with a view to their easy
removal and substitution.
The drill may be pointed in any direction by the employment of a turntable-liko
disc, secured by bolts above the ordinary clamp, which ombracos the supporting
column, and in addition we use a steadying bar, which fits into a socket in the
saddle, and is adjusted against the faco of the work, a trussing pressure being
applied through a pinching pin and centre at the end thereof.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section of a rock drill
constructed according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a vertical cross section; and
Figure 3 is a plan of same; Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 are details of same.
A, B, is the frame or saddle on which the apparatus is mounted; C is the cylinder,
which can slide at c, c, in guides formed on the saddle A; D is the piston, which is
formed upon or attached to a hollow rod or rum D', passing out through a stuffing
box; E is the drill or "jumper" bar shown more fully in end view and elevation at
Figures 4 and 5; this jumper is fixed in a hole forined in the outer end of the
piston rod by means of set screws; F is the feeding screw, which enters the other
end of the hollow piston rod, and engages with a sleeve formed at the end with a
nut G, and attached to the piston rod; H is a circular disc or collar head, secured
on the piston rod, and capable of working in a cylindrical shell guide or sleeve C¹,
forming a continuation of the cylinder C; the collar H is formed with a circular
groove in its circumference, and in this groove works a stud, or it may be a seg-
ment i, see Figures 2, 24, and 3, attached to a block I on a bar K, which is
parallel to the piston rod, and can slide in guide bosses formed on the guide 0¹ (or
it might on any other convenient part of the apparatus). The block I has also
another stud ¹, see Figures 2 and 20, which project upwards and engages with a cam
slot similar in configuration to that shewn at Figure 3, formed in a roller L, which
is supported in bearings, as shewn, and at one end is fitted with a bevil wheel l,
gearing with a bevil wheel m on a spindle M, which is also fitted with a
worm ; this latter gears with a worn wheel G³ on the sleeve. The grooved
collar H also actuates the slide valve N, the rod N¹ of which is connected to an arm
extending from a double pawl lever O, O.
The reciprocation of the slide valve N is effected by the collar H coming into con-
tact with the tails of the said double pawl lever O, O, so as to shift it with its
attachments, and to prevent either of the pawl tails from catching in the groove in
the collar H. When at or near the end of its stroke we provide and fit loosely into
that part of the collar directly beneath the pawl a curved piece or segment x, so as
to obtain an even and uninterrupted surface at that part of the periphery of the
collar where the pawl tails slide over. In order to retain this segment in its proper
relative position a pin ², see Figure 2, is caused to project therefrom, and through

page_text: a slot formed for its reception in the shell C, so that however the collar H may bo
turned while being reciprocated the segment still retains its proper position. f
Figure 6, is a handle, which is put on the end of the feed screw F when it is
required to run back the cylinder, a split or linch pin b having been first taken out
for releasing the feed screw. This handle when placed on the worm spindle M
enables the operator to feed the drill by hand, the cam roller L and gearing l, m,
having first been removed or thrown out of gear with the screw F.
The frame A is formed with a turntable-like disc a, which is secured by bolts to
a corresponding flange on the ordinary clamp P, which embraces the supporting
column. The bolt heads are let into a circular groove, so that the saddle frame can
be turned in any direction. In addition to this a steadying bar Q, which is shewn
separately at Figure 7, is fitted in a socket formed on the saddle or frame A, and is
adjusted against the face of the work, trussing pressure being applied by a pinching
pin and centre g at the end. The guide shell C is formed with one or more key-
ways lengthways, and the piston rod head with corresponding key or keys.
The action of the apparatus here shown is as follows:-Compressed air or other
fluid being let into the cylinder by the slide valve alternately at each end the
piston D is reciprocated, and hence also the sliding block I engaging with the
grooved collar H; the stud i¹ on the sliding block I, and working in the grooved
cam roller L thereby imparts a slight twist to the latter, and this rotary movement
is by the bevel gearing l, m, and the worm wheel gearing M³, G¹, transferred to the
piston rod, piston, and drill bar, which latter is thereby turned slightly, but the
sleeve nut of the piston rod turning on the stationary feed screw F causes simul-
taneously a forward or progressive feed motion to be imparted to the cylinder piston,
piston rod, and drill bar.
The nut G and feed screw F may be changed as required for different kind of
material to be operated upon, or the bevil wheel gearing may be changed for the
same purpose for altering the feed within certain limits. Of course it will be under-
stood that in machines constructed according to our Invention, the feed of which is
to be operated manually, the groove in the collar may be omitted, as well as the
slots in the shell with the brackets and gearing necessitated by the employment of
the automatic feed, thus rendering the machine lighter and cheaper.
It is preferred that such manually fed machines be employed in those cases where
the character of the mineral to be pierced is irregular, seeing that the speed at
which the feeding handle is turned can easily be altered to suit such irregularities.
And having thus fully described the nature of this Invention, and a mode of
carrying the saine into effect, we declare that we claim,-
First. The automatic feed for rock drills, consisting of roller, cam, and suitable
gearing in combination with a feed screw and a nut and hollow piston rod for
imparting a rotary and forward motion to the drill bar, all substantially as set
forth.
Second. The grooved collar head in combination with sliding block and roller
cam worked thereby, for working the feed of rock drills automatically, as set forth.
Third. The mode of and means for feeding rock drills by hand, as set forth.
Fourth. The combination of the ordinary column clamp with a turntable-like
disc formed on the saddle or frame of a rock drill, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The steadying bar applied to rock drills, as set forth.
Sixth. The general arrangement of parts, as here shown and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Myles Kennedy and Joseph Eastwood, have
the anty first day of November in the