A jackhammer is a pneumatic or electro-mechanical tool that combines a hammer with a chisel, driving an internal hammer up and down to repeatedly strike the chisel and break up rock, pavement, or concrete. Handheld versions are powered by compressed air, while electric motors or hydraulic systems power the larger jackhammers mounted on construction machinery. The technology developed through the nineteenth century: Samuel Miller patented the first steam-powered drill in 1806, C. Brunton proposed a pneumatic drill in 1844, and Joseph W. Fowle built the first true pneumatic drill around 1850 to 1851 by switching from steam to compressed air. European engineers refined the design further, with Thomas Bartlett's 1850s rock drill and Germain Sommeiller's 1861 improvement of it proving compressed air's value on a major Alpine tunnel project, after which the tool spread widely into tunneling and mining. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Introduced When (Circa)Circa 1850-1851 (Joseph W. Fowle's first true pneumatic drill); an earlier steam-powered rock drill had been patented by Samuel Miller in 1806. 1 OriginThe pneumatic jackhammer developed out of a line of steam- and compressed-air-powered rock drills; percussion-drill inventor Joseph W. Fowle was driving his own drill with compressed air by 1850 or 1851, producing what is described as the first true pneumatic drill. 1 Introduced era (class) In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Jackhammer (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHistory section, Fowle paragraph, final sentence
By 1850 or 1851, Fowle was using compressed air to drive his drill, making it the first true pneumatic drill.
History section, opening sentence
The first steam-powered drill was patented by Samuel Miller in 1806.
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