AU Patent: AU-1,890,000,001
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| Improved electrical rock-drill, coal-digger, or earth-cutter
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Patentees:
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| William Blanch Brain (exact or similar names) - St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia |
| Arthur James Arnot (exact or similar names) - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Frank Baker (exact or similar names) - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Manufacturer: |
| Not known to have been produced |
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Patent Dates:
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| Granted: |
Aug. 20, 1889 |
Espacenet patent
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Jeff Joslin
Wikipedia biography of Arnot
Wikipedia biography of Brain's son O. W. Brain
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Description: |
| The correct patent number—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 had earlier developed an explosive known as "Brain's powder, and this drill may have been intended for use in blasting rock that covered a coal seam. In any event, at the time he was involved in coal mining. 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 generating electricity. They two men plus Arnot's 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.Brain went bankrupt in 1893 and it seems that neither Brain nor Arnot benefited financially from this patent. |
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