AU Patent: 1,890,000,001 - Improved electrical rock-drill, coal-digger, or earth-cutter


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AU Patent: AU-1,890,000,001

Improved electrical rock-drill, coal-digger, or earth-cutter

Patentees:

Frank Baker (exact or similar names) - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Arthur James Arnot (exact or similar names) - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

William Blanch Brain (exact or similar names) - St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia

USPTO Classifications:

Tool Categories:

handheld power tools : handheld power drills

Assignees:

None

Manufacturer:

Not known to have been produced

Witnesses:

Unknown

Patent Dates:
Granted:	Aug. 20, 1889

Patent Pictures:

Espacenet patent
Report data errors or omissions to steward Jeff Joslin
Wikipedia biography of Arnot
Wikipedia biography of Brain's son O. W. Brain

Description:

See also Canada patent CA-38,458. The correct number for this earlier Australia patent—if one was ever assigned—is unknown. This is arguably the earliest patent for a handheld electric drill, though it stretches the definition of "handheld". The drill was intended for rock drilling and likely required two men to lift it. Co-inventor W. Blanch Brain was involved in coal mining, and he had earlier developed an explosive known as Brain's powder. Co-inventor Arthur Arnot was a Scottish electrical engineer who moved to Australia in 1889. He would play a key role in the electrification of Melbourne and seems to have connected with Brain as he tried to secure a reliable supply of coal for Melbourne's generators. They two men plus Arnot employee Frank Baker worked together to develop this drill. It is likely that Brain provided the requirements for a mining drill and Arnot designed the drill, especially the electrics. Baker's role is not known but he may have been involved in the mechanical design. This invention is often credited to "Brain and Arnot" with Baker not being mentioned; Baker is not listed on the Canada patent which further suggests that Baker was not being given much credit by the other two men.

Brain went bankrupt in 1893 and it seems that neither Brain nor Arnot benefited financially from this patent. It is not known whether this drill was manufactured and put to use, whether for use in Brains mining operations, or more widely.