US744763A - Tunneling-machine. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

J. REARNS, TUN'NELING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED, SEPT. 16, 1902. N0 MODEL. y l ZSHBBTS-SHEBT 1.

gwn/Seg I *512V UNITED STATES atented overnber 24, 1903 PATENT OFFICE.

l l'UNNELING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,763, dated November 24, l1903. Application filed September 1B, 1902.` Serial Nn. 123,644. (No model.) i

T a/ZZ whom it may con/cern.'

Be it known thatLJoHN PRUE KARNs,a citizen of the United States, residing at Cripplecreek, in the county of `Teller and State of Colorado, have .invented a new and useful Tunneling-Machine, of which the following is a specification. p Y

The invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for driving tunnels, drifts,

air-courses, and the like-for mining or other purposes, and has for its principal object to construct an apparatus which will rapidly cut its way through any material and in which the diameter of the tunnel formed will be somewhat larger than that of the main portion of the apparatus in order to prevent binding and to reduce power required for operation.

A further object of the invention is to contact with the circular wall of the tunnel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character` in which a large number of drills or cutters are arranged on the forwardface of a revoluble support in such manner as to cover the entire area of the tunnel and at the same time minimize the amount of-work which 'each' separate cutter is to perform.

A still further object is to arrange the cutters in groups and to provide for the ready removal of the same for sharpening worn drills and placing new drills in position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide for the employment of aplurality of cutters disposed at an angle to the main support and having their cutting edges arranged in a circular row of a diameter greater than l the diameter of the support, so that the opening formed will be sufficiently large to permit the free turning of the drill-support.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions,

size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective .View of a tunneling-machine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, the angularly-disposed drills being removed. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the revoluble drillsupport. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the apparatus on the line 4 4 of Fig, 2, all of the drills or cutters, except those which project beyond the peripheral'line of the support, being removed. Fig. 5 isa detail view of a portion of the drill-support, showing the construction of the ball-bearings therefor. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional elevation of a portion of the same on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the drills or cutters detached from its support. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the thrust-frame which supports the drillcarrier and holds the same in position against the material to be removed. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View illustrating, cuan-enlarged scale, a portion of' the structure shown in Fig. 4.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several gures of the drawings.

'The main frame of the drill-support comprises a pair of concentrically-disposed rings 10 and 1l, united by a number of radiating spokes 12, of which there may be any desired number, in accordance with the diameter of the outer ring 10. Secured to or formed inte'gral with the outer ring 10 isa circular-web 13, in which are formed a number of openings for the passage of antifriction-balls 14:, held on ball-seats formed in socket-pieces 15, secured to the inner face of the web. The balls 14 are arranged, preferably, in a' continuous circular row to permit lfree rotative movement of the carrying-frame and to allow the same to move forward as the work progresses.

The drill-carrier is supported on' a pair 4of curved plates 16, arranged below said drill- IOO carrier and provided with ball-bearing supports 17 to permit forward movement of the plates as the material is removed, these plates forming a smooth bearing-surface for contact with the bearing-balls in the periphery of the web 13 and properly supporting the drill-carrier in position. The two plates are connected by suitable rods 18 to the sides of the drilling-machine which is carried by a support in the form ot' a pair of connected rods 19, having at one end a pair of foot-plates 20, adapted for contact with the inner circular wall of the tunnel, and a similar plate or plates 21 being arranged above the upper end of said bars and connected thereto by jackscrews 22 of any ordinary character. This permits of the locking of the plates in desired position while the drill is moved back and forth, and when necessary the posts may be released and the plates forced forward, the support being then locked in position until further adjustment is necessary.

The support serves as a carrier for any ordinary form of driving mechanism, any suitable power being employed and connected to a short shaft-section 23, projecting rearwardly from the second portion of the tool-carrier.

The front face of the several rings and spokes are provided with slots, as 25, for the reception of the cutters, and the latter are arranged in the manner more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to cover the entire area of the tunnel.

At the center of the drill-support are four angularly-disposed slots for the reception of the rear portion of a drill member 26, having four radiating arms and provided with a central post adapted to an opening 27, the post i or stem of the drill being locked in position On each of the radiating arms or spokes are a number of angularly- 2 disposed drill members or cutters 29, having suitable stems passing through openings 301 in the arms or spokes and locked. in position l by a set-screw 28.

by the set-screws 31.' The two concentric rings 10 and 11 are provided with radiallyalining slots 25 for the reception of radiallyshown detached in Fig. 7 and each being provided with a stem 33, adapted to suitable openings 3i in the outer ring 10 and locked in position therein by set-screws 35. With the exception of the central cutters 26 each of the cutters thus far described are in the form of plates or bars, each having a plurality of cutting-points at the outer edge thereof and forming a series of cutters locked in position by a single set-screw, so that by loosening the screw a number of cutters may be simultaneously removed for resharpening when necessary.

It will be observed that the outer ends of the cutters 32 are extended somewhat beyond the peripheral line of the revoluble drill-carrier, this being for the purpose of cutting au permit the ready rotation of the carrier without frictional contact with the side walls of the tunnel. In order to assist 'the outer cutters, I employ a number of diagonally-disposed drills or cutters 38, adapted to suitable guiding-openings in the outer ring 11 and adjustable longitudinally by means of a setscrew 4l, so that the drill may be gradually forced out as it becomes worn. To assist in holding the drills 38 in position, I employ wedges 40, which are driven into portions of the drill-receiving opening and locked in position by set-screws 39.

In operating the device the drill-carrier is mounted on the two plates 16 and reciprocated at any desired speed, the material detached by the cutters being removed bya stream of water directed through the open spaces between the drills and flowing out between and under the supporting-plates, thus keeping the tunnel clear.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with a tunneling-machine, of a revoluble drill-support comprising a plurality of connected ring and spoke members each having grooved forward faces, drills or cutters having their base portions adapted to said grooves, each of the drills or cutters having a rearwardly-projecting stem extending through an opening in the support, and means for locking said stems to said suport.

p 2. The combination in a tunneling-machine, of a revolulole drill-support comprising a plurality of connected ring and spoke members having grooved forward faces and provided with openings extending from the bottoms of the grooves to the rear faces of the ring and spoke members and adapted for the reception of drill-stems, a series of drills or cutters fitted within said grooves and provided with stems adapted to the openings, and set-screws adapted to threaded openings in the ring and spoke members and engaging said stems.

3. The combination in a tunneling-machine, of a revoluble drill-support comprising a plurality of connected ring and spoke members having grooved forward faces, a plurality of cutters adapted to said grooves and arranged at varying angles, those of the spoke members being arranged parallel with each other and those on the ring members being disposed in substantially radial lines, each cutter being in the form of a plate having a plurality of cutting-points, substantially as specified.

4. The combination in a tunneling machine,of a drill-support comprising a plurality of connected ring and spoke sections having grooved forward faces, cutter plates or bars adapted to said grooves, angularly-disposed cutters adapted to guiding-openings in the drill-support and projecting beyond the peopenin g somewhat larger than said carrier to l rphery thereof, means for positively adjust- IOO IIO

ing the position of said angular cutters, and means for locking said cutters in adjusted position. y

5. The combination in avtunneling-machine, of a revoluble support, cutters carried thereby, curved plates having antifrictionrollers to permit forward movement thereof independent of the support, and antifrictionballs carried bythe support and resting on said plates to thereby permit free revoluble and free longitudinal movement of the support, substantially as specified.

6. The combination in a tunneling machine, of the revoluble drill-supporting meinber having antifrction-balls,curved plates forming bearing-surfaces for said balls,fand

antifriction balls or rollers carried.y by said plates to permit movement of the plates independent of the drill-supporting member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN PRUE KARNS. Witnesses:

PETER BRENNAN, SILAs C. BENNETT.

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