Photo Index - Malone Machine Co. - rock drilling press?

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Malone Machine Co.
Ottumwa, IA

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Metal Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Drill Press
Machine Size:	petite
Submitted By:	Reuben Deumling

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	rock drilling press?
Date of Manufacturer:
Serial Number:
Last Updated	7/22/2023 11:17:28 AM

Comments:

This is a complete and pristine and working exemplar of these presses which show up from time to time but usually with the power down feed mechanism missing or incomplete. It is very small and the power down feed mechanism really takes the cake. four speeds with a 0-1/4” chuck. The down feed stroke is short and the owner of this press thinks it could be used/intended for drilling rocks or gems. There is a wire that can be fed through the top of the hollow spindle that permits knocking out the plug of rock that can stick inside the hollow tube sometimes used for drilling into rocks.
I realize that this is not what I think of as a traditional power downfeed setup at all. The downward pressure on the quill/drill bit is entirely from the coil spring. The cam action generated by the power-fed-through-the-gearbox merely allows that spring to expand, allowing the quill to drop. Configured to drill not by the conventional crank method but with the powered cam the drilling action on this press is more of a pecking action. The down stroke is quite rapid and keeps repeating as long as the drill is powered.

Photo 1:

Comments: front view
Source: own photo

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Photo 2:

Comments: left side, power feed
Source: own photo

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Photo 3:

Comments: from below
Source: own photo

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Photo 4:

Comments: Fafnir bearing decal
Source: own photo

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