I'm new to this group.  Quick bio on myself: I'm an architect that specializes in architectural preservation.  I've been smithing for about 10 years now as a hobby, mainly producing architectural related items and furniture for myself.

I recently acquired a unique pneumatic air hammer with the name of Eclipse on the guide. It utilizes a Ingersoll Rand rock drill for the movement of the ram.  It has a 1903 patent date.  The entire hammer weights about 2000'bs.  Anyone know more info or have photos of another?  I've not hooked it up yet so, don't know how it operates - it does NOT have a foot treadle like my Little Giant hammers.  I've attached a photo.

Any information would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Lowell Ross

Woodland Park, CO

 

Is it similar to this hammer?

yes, it's similar.  Thanks for posting the video.  I would be very interested to see how the air valve is worked with foot treadle.

grants hammer was modified from a sullivan upsetter, which works on a similar setup, but is not being used the way it was manufactured.

The short stroke and lack of any mass in the anvil seems to suggest its not a hammer, maybe its some kind of swage.

I too am not sure what it's true use was for.  Yes the stoke is short and the working area is limited.  The dies are flat with evidence they were used like a hammer. 

Has anyone seen one of these before, all the research I've done has turned up nothing?  There is no patent number just a date.

That is a cool looking hammer. I'm interested to see if any info can be dug up on it. Sadly I can't add anything, but will be staying tuned.

Very interesting. I have never seen a commercially made hammer like that. In the shop I used to work in we had a shop made version using the same sort of IR hammer. It had been built for light swaging, sharpening star drills, etc. IR made a line of rockdrill sharpeners that were very impressive machines.

Looking at the video of Grant Sarver sure brings back good memories - I miss Grant. Wonder where that hammer is today.