Brandt, Alfred

SUBJECT AREA: Mining and extraction technology

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b. 3 September 1846 Hamburg, Germany

d. 29 November 1899 Brig, Switzerland

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German mechanical engineer, developer of a hydraulic rock drill.

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The son of a Hamburg merchant, he studied mechanical engineering at the Polytechnikum in Zurich and was engaged in constructing a railway line in Hungary and Austria before he returned to Switzerland. At Airolo, where the Gotthard tunnel was to commence, he designed a hydraulic rock drill; the pneumatic ones, similar to the Ingersoll type, did not satisfy him. His drill consisted of two parts instead of three: the hydraulic motor and the installation for drilling. At the Sulzer company of Winterthur his first design, a percussion drill, in 1876, was developed into a rotary drill which worked with greatest success in the construction of various railway tunnels and also helped to reduce costs in the mining industry.

His Hamburg-based firm Brandt \& Brandau consequently was soon engaged in many tunnelling and mining projects throughout Germany, as well as abroad. During the years 1883 and 1895 Brandt spent time in exploration in Spain and reopening the lead-mines in Posada. His most ambitious task was to co-operate in drafting the Simplon tunnel, the construction of which relied greatly on his knowledge and expertise. The works began several years behind schedule, in 1898, and consequently he was unable to see its completion.

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Bibliography

1877, "Beschreibung und Abbildung der Brandtschen Bohrmaschine", Eisenbahn 7 (13).

Further Reading

C.Matschoss, 1925, Manner der Technik, Berlin.

G.E.Lucas, 1926, Der Tunnel. Anlage und Bau, Vol. 2, Berlin, pp. 49–55 (deals with his achievements in the construction of tunnels).

WK