on 24/02/2002 22:20, Rick Stewart at [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Apologies in advance - this is a bit long and involved.
>
> I'd always assumed that the first Cornish produced rockdrill was Holman and
> McCullough's "Cornish Rock Drill", introduced in 1881 or 1882 (depending on
> who you read!).
I suppose it all depends on what you mean by 'rockdrill'! The following may
be of interest,
Captain John Vivian is reported as witnessing R. Trevithick using a small
high-pressure engine for turning large chisels and borers for breaking rock
in London in 1803. Trevithick is also credited with a hand operated boring
machine in 1813.
Other hand operated boring machines were demonstrated at the RCPS Annual
Exhibition in 1852 & 1864.
In 1866 the RCPS carried out trials of rock-boring machines under the
auspices of Clement Le Neve Foster. The 1867 Annual Rep. of the RCPS
contains a wealth of material on the early rock-boring machines.
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