Pneumatic Tools

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

a class of tools which operate by compressed air. They are usually portable, and used for metal, wood or stone work. The tools are of great variety and are put to many uses, but all of them are one of two typespercussion or rotary. In both types the motor is contained in the tool, and air under pressure is conducted to the tool by a hose. Percussion Tools. - Tools of this type opers. , chippers, are the air hammer, clippers tappers, riveters, etc. caulkers, balast the same. The action in all is essentially to 100 pounds Air, under pressure of 85 except in the case of per square inch ( riveters where it is under higher pressure) is sent into a cylinder containing in made to reciprocate a piston, which is valve action, the the cylinder by by proper tool is supported in the front end of the the blow received cylinder, and transmits George from the piston to the work. invented the first Law, an Englishman, percussion rock drill pneumatic_tool, a , as in most which in 1865. In this tool, of the have followed, the opposite end the tool end was fitted with drill from throttle. handle and a controlling invented the Boyer of St. Louis, Mo., in 1896, and in 1899 a chipping hammer out the first valveless Keller brought behammer, in which there is no valve , while the yond the the position of impact valve hammers are fitted with a reciprovalve which regulates the inlet cating air. Modern and exhaust of the driving imengineering has introduced many provements and refinements and many have been issued on various methpatents the deods of actuating and controlling type has vice. In general the valve a powerful blow longer stroke, and a more the latter than the valveless type, while rate of speed operates at a much higher , sometimes over 20,000 strokes ( is not uncontested) by and are less small hand the large stationary plate riveter ing tons. Rotary Tools. The principal rotary pneumatic tools are the drills, reamers, etc. They in a great range thing for a findmade such as drilling wood and metal, reaming tubes, grinding valve seats and boiler cylinders, polishing and grinding. The rotary tools usually operate under a presper square inch. sure of about 75 pounds or The motor may be of the rotary type either fixed of the reciprocating type with on a or oscillating cylinders, operating tool is fastened crank shaft to which the great by a suitable mechanism. The shipyards demands on the part of the types at the for pneumatic tools of all gave even time of the World War great and greater impetus to the already fast growing industry of manufacturing pneumatic tools.