Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-04-23
A GRANITE SAVING MACHINE.
An Invention Which VIII Revolutionize
the Granite Business

Montpelier VT, April 19.-The trial of
the granite saving machine which occur
red at the stone sheds of G. II. Moore Ss
Co, which, by the way are said to be the
largest in the world devoted exclusively TO
the manufacture of granite, has aroused
much curiosity and furnished much food
for conjecture in this city as to its prac-
ticablity. With the view OF gaining and
giving some information In regard to this
remarkable invention, the local represen-
tatiVe of this paper went to the sheds and
inspected the machine and the work done
by it at the trial, and through the court
esy of the proprietor and manufactures.
Vermonter and was formerly resident
of Middlebury, is able to make the fol-
lowing statement of facts:
The machine is the invention of T. A.
Jackson of New York city, who has had
a large experience extending over num-
ber of years in the manufacture of stone
working machinery and has spent much
time and labor in experimenting as to the
practicability of cutting granite with the
aid of diamonds, and this machine is me
result. And after viewing the product of
the test. it can confidently be assumed
that it is a success as the machine cut
blocks of the hardest Barre granite as
perfectly and smoothly as though they
were wood, and it will, no doubt revolu-
tionize the granite industry as the cot
ton gin has that of cotton.
It is the only device of its class ever n
vented which was practicable. and in APP
pearance resembles the circular saw mill
commanly used in the manufacture of
lumber. 1t is simple in Its construction,
being devoid of complicated parts, and
consists of a 50-foot bed or carriage which
runs by means of rolls on track similar
to the principle employed in railway car
and Is propelled forward and backward
by unique device which admits of no
variation in the feed and its carrying
capacity is 10 tons The saw, which Is a
steel disk one-fourth of an inch thick and
six feet in diameter, contains 90 teeth
made from chilled steel in which are cast
two diamonds such as are used in the
cutting of those gems-one on either side
of the point. The saw can be raised or
lowered and brought forward or back
ward according to the height or width OF
the stone to be sawed II requires about
80 horse power to propel the machine and
the saw makes $50 revolutions minute or
II travelling in a continuous line would
cover two and half miles in that time.
1t cuts "a square inches per minute or 10
square foot per hour, the scarf being one
fourth inch, thus saving large amount OF
stock. The surface of the stone when
sawed 1t SO even that 1t Is ready for the
emery and II can be cut from any thick
a
which We saw.
The work which 1t will accomplish in a
day Is equal to that done by from 30 to 40
men, but instead of throwing men out Of
employment in this industry. it is ex-
pected that on the contrary it will so in
crease the use to which granite might be
put and the demand will be so much
greater that larger field will be opened
to the cutter than there has been here
tofore The power is applied by means
of friction clutch pulley which guaran-
tees an even, steady motion in starting,
and the whole machine. weighing 20 tons,
is so compact and simplified that only
one man is required to operate 1t. That
which has appeared as impossible in the
past, seems about to be realized In this
invention. And after viewing the work
accomplished by 1t at its first trial. we are
led to exclaim with the wise man of old.
'Impossibility Is the adjective of fools