452 



BORING 



inches diameter, terminated at one end by a sharp steel point, and perforated with 

 numerous small holes for a distance of about 2 feet above the point. This tube is 

 driven into the ground by repeated blows from a ' monkey,' or heavy weight, which 

 slides freely on the tube, falling on a shoulder clamped to the lower end of the tube. 

 The monkey is raised by ropes running over a pulley attached to a tripod, which at 

 the same time preserves the upright position of the tube. When the clamp reaches the 

 level of the earth, it is unscrewed and refixed higher up the tube, and the driving is 

 continued as before, additional lengths of piping being added as required. As soon 

 as it is found, by plumbing the tube, that water has been reached, a cleansing 

 pump is screwed to the top of the tube, which brings up the sand and loose earth 

 from the bottom of the tube and immediately around the end of the same, forming a 

 reservoir for the water. Where the water has to bo drawn from a sandy soil, a filter 

 is attached to the perforated end of the well-tube, which prevents oven the finest 

 sand from being pumped up with the water. 



It will be seen at once that this method of obtaining water is not adapted for a 

 rocky country ; but for purposes where the water is to bo obtained within a compara- 

 tively short distance from the surface, and where the strata to be passed through are 

 not of a very hard nature, these wells are very useful, especially as they can be sunk 

 in light soils at the rate of 10 to 12 inches per minute. The quantity of water they 

 can supply must depend upon the yield of the stratum to which they are sunk, but 

 wells of this kind have been known to give a quantity of upwards of 800 gallons per 

 minute. 



The greatest depth at which these wells have been used is 120 feet. 



VUlepique Perforator. This apparatus consists of two principal parts, namely, a 

 standard or column, and a driving screw with its accessories. The column is formed 

 of stout steel tube, fitted at its lower extremity with a twin claw working on a rocking 

 joint, and at the upper end with a nut fixed inside, in which a screw works, which screw 

 is terminated by a steel point. On this steel tube is a metal clip collar, free to slide 

 from one end to the other, or to revolve around it. This collar can be clamped at 

 any required point. To this collar is attached a malleable iron box, enclosing the 

 mechanism for giving an automatic feed to the screw, and for carrying the driving or 

 main screw. The weight of the whole apparatus is from 50 to 60 Ibs. The time 

 required for fixing the perforator in its place is about one minute. The steel augers 

 are mechanically twisted, and have cutting ends to suit the material to be acted on. 

 The following figures are taken from a valuable paper in the ' Transactions of tho 

 North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers,' vol. xx. 



Ford? 8 Sorer. A boring machine was invented by Mr. E. G. Ford, of Sandhurst, 

 Victoria, about the year 1868, and patented in England on August 10, 1869. The 

 motion of tho tool is reciprocating, and the motive power compressed air, or steam, 

 applied at a pressure of 60 Ibs. per square inch. This pressure is constantly exerted 

 on a small annular space in front of the piston, and intermittingly on the whole area 

 of the back of the piston. The ports for the alternate admission of tho pressure fluid, 

 and for tho exhaust, are opened and closed by a valve, worked by a small piston. 

 The air ports and the movement of the valve are so arranged that the piston cannot 

 strike the front and back of the cylinder. 



The rotation of the boring tool is caused by tho piston-rod, working a ratchet and 

 paul round a cylinder attached to the front of tho working cylinder ; and as tho piston 

 reciprocates, it carries itself around the cylinder, and makes a complete revolution 

 every twenty-one blows, by which means the machine bores a round hole. The feed 



