Improvements in Polishing Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Polishing Machines.
We, FERRAND FAIRCHILDS ELLIS, of Oneida, Madison County, State of New
York, U.S.A., Inventor, and THE ONEIDA COMMUNITY LIMITED, a Corporation
organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of New York,
located at Kenwood, Madison County, State of New York, U.S.A., do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and. by the following
statement:
Our invention relates to polishing machines.
Our object is to produce an improved machine in which the work holders are
sectional and mounted upon the rim of a revolving wheel, the work-gripping
jaws and form being mounted thereon to be automatically rocked longitudinally
upon the upper or reciprocating section of said holder, which is adapted to be
automatically oscillated laterally, and to automatically yield and return vertic-
ally, and to automatically drop out of the path of the polishers, and to be
automatically returned thereinto; in which the polisher shafts are arranged
upon lines radial to the circle of the work-holder wheel, and are adapted to be
automatically reciprocated in their bearings, simultaneously with the rocking,
oscillation, and vertical reciprocation of the work and work-holding grips.
It also embodies other features of construction and operation and combination
of elements to carry out its purposes and accomplish the desired results.
It is constructed as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Fig. 1, is a front elevation.
Fig. 2, is a vertical section of Fig. 1, on line r, a in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, is a top plan.
Fig. 4, is a section on line y, y, Fig. 1, showing some of the central portions
broken away to expose others to view.
Fig. 5, is an enlarged elevation of one of the holding and polishing mechanisms
of which six are shown in Fig. 3, the parts being in their operative positions.
Fig. 6, is a vertical section thereof showing the brush moved to the left and
the work-holder tilted in the same direction and passing under the brush, as in
polishing the right hand side of a convex surface.
Fig. 7, is a like view of the same, showing the work-holder dropped out of
engagement with the brush, as when holding no work, the dotted lines indicating
its normal position.
Fig. 8, is a plan of the cam for oscillating the work-holder.
Fig. 9, is a plan of the guide plate to guide the reciprocation of the cam-
actuated arms.
Fig. 10, is a vertical section of a work-holder, showing the jaws in position -
to hold work.
Fig. 11, is a like view of the same, showing them closed,

page_text: Fig. 12, is an elevation of a work-holder holding a piece of work, and about
to engage with a polisher.
Fig. 13, is a sectional view of the same shoving the work passing through
under the polisher.
Fig. 14, is a top plan of Fig. 12.
Fig. 15, is a like view of Fig. 18.
Fig. 16, is a sectional view of a polisher and a work-holder passing through,
under and out of contact with it, there being no work in the jaws.
Fig. 17, is a top plan of the same, the polisher being partly broken away.
A is a suitable base, upon which a spindle or post 2 is rigidly erected, and 3 is
a sleeve loose upon said spindle.
Upon this a drive-gear 4 is secured and driven by the worm and shaft 5, or
in any other suitable manner, to drive the main-gear ti also secured upon said
sleeve, and partly supported, steadied and guided by a circular track 7 and a
flange S on said gear, or by other suitable means, which is rather essential as
this gear is quite large.
At suitable points on said bed, standards 9 are erected in which drive shafts 16-
are suitably journaled to be driven by pinions 11, and by means of the pullies 12
13 and belt 14 to drive the polishing shafts 15 journaled upon said standards,
and the brushes or polishers 16 thereon.
Each brush shaft is adapted to be reciprocated by means of a clutch member 17,
a lever 18 engaging therewith, and a cam 19 upon and driven by the shaft 10.
These several driving shafts 10, and polishing shafts are mounted upon lines
radial to said main-gear.
Around said sleeve, a stationary cam 20 is suitably mounted, as upon posts 21
as shown and provided with recesses or cavities 22 at spaced intervals, and 23 is
a roller, or other travel, suitably engaging with said cam, and following its
contour.
This roller is carried by a bar 24 mounted in ways 25 to be reciprocated to
the extent permitted by the slot and pin 26 and to this bar the work-holder is
hinged as at 27.
Said ways and pins are suitably mounted upon the rim of the work-wheel 28
mounted upon and driven by said sleeve.
This work-holder (Figs. 12, 13, and 16) comprises a bifurcated boly having
ways in which a block 29 is suitably mounted to be reciprocated, being in its
normal elevated position by the rods and springs 30, a suitable pin 31 regulating
its upward projection..
Upon said block a work-grip is suitably hinged, as at 32, comprising a body 33,
a form 34 thereon, a stationary jaw 35 and a movable pivoted jaw 36, having
an arm 37.
A spring 38 at one end and a pin 39 normally holds said grip in a horizontal
position or two springs, one at each end can be used; whereby said grip can,
be tilted longitudinally as shown in Fig. 13.
The hinge joint also permits the upper part of the holder to be rocked, to
swing the grip laterally, both said tilting, and rocking are performed auto-
matically.
When a piece of work, as a spoon 40 is gripped upon the form which is com-
plementary to it, the tilting is effected by the pressure of the polishing brush,.
and the brush is thereby enabled to enter the concavity of the back of the spoon
between the handle and the bowl. A spoon is here spoken of simply as an article
of irregular contour and to illustrate the adaptation of the machine to work
upon irregular surfaces.
The grip is swung laterally by the following mechanism, Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7.
Upon the post 2 a cam 41, (Figs. 6, 7, and 8) is suitably secured, its cam-lip 42
engaging with a reciprocating pitman a which is connected by a link, 43 to the
block which carries the grip.
The pitman is seated in a radial groove 44 in a revolving guide 45 (Fig. 9)

page_text: secured upon said sleeve, also that said work-wheel, work-holders, pitman guides,
and grip-pitman revolved together, while at the same time said pitman is recipro-
cated by said cam, and said grip oscillated. Thus when several polishers are
employed, the grip will present the work in a horizontal plane to the first one
at an angle in one direction to the next (as in Fig. 6), and so on giving a different
presentation to each one, while at the same time the work will yield vertically
and be tilted longitudinally, all the while making one revolution of the work-
wheel, and whereby all parts of an irregular-shape will be polished uniformly.
In Figs. 6, 10, and 14, the grip jaws are shown open, as when gripping an
article, and in Figs. 7, 11, and 17, as closed, or empty.
The movable jaw 36 (Figs. 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11) is provided with a leg 46 which
normally engages with the upper end, or head, of the rocker lever 47 which is
pivoted upon the work-holder-body just below the hinge 27, substantially as
shown in Fig. 10, in which the jaw-spring 48 is quiescent, enabling the lever-
spring 49 to throw the bolt 50 to the left into the opening 51 in the vertically
movable part of the work-holder body, and thus support it and the grip in their
normal positions to bring the work into engagement with the polishers. When
the work is inserted between the jaws, the foot of this leg is thrown and held
away from the lever-head, thus enabling the lever spring to act upon the bolt;
and when the jaws are empty (as in Fig. 11), the jaw spring in closing the jaws
tilts the lever to withdraw the bolt and permit the movable part of the work-
holder to drop out of or below the path of the polisher, particularly when the
roller 23 enters a recess 22 in the cam 20, and at the same time the pitman can.
be so timed as to tilt the grip as shown in Fig. 7.
This protects the jaws from the action of the polishers.
Then as said roller leaves said recess, said work-holder is raised bodily to
such a height that the pin, or pin and roller 52 will suitably engage with the
upper side of the stud, or stud and roller, 53, which will lift the movable part of
the work-holder into position to permit the bolt to re-enter said opening and
again support this part in its operative position.
Upon the upright 2 an arm 54 is secured, common to all of the work-holders,
and provided with a wedging, or cam-head 55 (best shown in Fig. 3), with which
the arm 37 of each movable jaw will engage to open the grip-jaws for the inser-
tion of work, and release it to close upon and grip the work, or to wholly close
against the stationary jaw.
The work is usually inserted and removed while the jaws are thus automatic-
ally open, so that the revolution of work-holders is continuous.
In Figs 1, 2, and 3, a sleeve 55* is adapted to be reciprocated by the lever 56,
links 57, and springs 58, to raise and lower the arms 59, and holders 60, in
which the polishing medium, as rouge, is held, to supply the polishers therewith
whenever desired.
We have heretofore described the gear 6 as secured upon the sleeve 3 and
driven by the gear 4 and worm-shaft 5, but we have also shown in Figs. 1, 2,
3, and 4. a separate driving mechanism for the gear 6 which is therein loose
upon the sleeve, comprising a bevel-gear 61 driven by a shaft 62 and power
suitably applied to the pulley 63.
In this construction the worm, through the gear 4, drives the work-wheel,
work-holders and pitman and cam and guides, and we are enabled to drive them
at a different speed from that of the polishing mechanism, which is usually
desirable.
It will be seen that the different movements of the work-holder and grip enables
to readily polish objects of irregular form.
It will be seen that the grip-block or form shown in the drawings is com-
plementary to a spoon, but it will be evident that this can be changed to be
complementary to any irregular shape, or can be plain, in which case the longi-
tudinal tilting of the form can be dispensed with,

page_text: In other words the machine while especially adapted to polishing irregular
shapes, can also be used in connection with those which are regular or plain.
It will be understood that the form can be mounted to be rocked laterally and
that the polisher can be complementary to the irregular shaped form, or of any
other form desired, without departing from the spirit of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim 1:---
1. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher, of an automatic-
ally and longitudinally rocked work-grip engaging endwise with said polisher,
to permit it to automatically follow the irregular lengthwise contour of an article
held in the grip.
2. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher mounted in sta-
tionary bearings, of a moving work-grip rocked automatically and longitudinally
by its endwise engagement with said polisher to permit it to automatically
follow the irregular lengthwise contour of an article held in the grip.
3. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher, of a work-grip
mounted upon a revolving support and rocked automatically and longitudinally
during their engagement, whereby the polisher will automatically follow the
irregular contour of an article held in the grip.
4. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher, of a work-holder
oscillated laterally and reciprocated vertically, and a work-grip upon said
holder, rocked automatically and longitudinally during and by the engagement
of the work with said polisher, whereby the polisher is enabled to follow the
irregular shape of an article held in the grip.
5. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher mounted in a
fixed plane, of a work-grip normally in a coincident plane, and means to rock,
oscillate or reciprocate said grip. to vary the plane of its presentation to said
polisher.
6. In a polishing machine, the combination with a work-wheel and a plurality
of work-holders mounted to rock upon supports erected upon its periphery, and
means to drive it, of a plurality of revolving polishers upon shafts exterior
but radial to said wheel whereby the movement of said wheel brings said holders
successively under said polishers.
7. In polishing machine, the combination with a rotatable work-wheel, and
a plurality of rocking work-holders mounted upon its periphery, of a plurality
of revolving polishers projecting into the path of said holders and with which
they sucessively engage and whereby said holders are rocked longitudinally
during such engagement to enable the polisher to follow irregular shapes.
8. In a polishing machine, the combination with a rotatable work-wheel, a
plurality of oscillating work-holders, and means to oscillate them laterally, of
a plurality of polishers projecting into the path of said holders and successively
engaging with them in whatever position they may be.
9. In a polishing machine, the combination with a rotatable work-wheel, a
plurality of oscillating work-holders upon its periphery, a plurality of pitmans
connected to said holders and means to reciprocate them, of a plurality of polishers
projecting into the path of said holders and successively engaging with them in
whatever position they may be.
10. In a polishing machine, the combination with a rotatable work-wheel, of
a plurality of rocking, oscillating and reciprocatng work-holders upon its
periphery, of a plurality of polishers in the path of said holders and with which
they engage successively in whatever position said holder may be.
11. In a polishing machine, the combination with a revolving table and a
work-holder thereon, of a reciprocatory polisher in the path of said holder and
with which it engages in whatever position said polisher may be.
12. In a polishing machine, the combination with a revolving table and a

page_text: plurality of work-holders thereon, of a plurality of separately reciprocated
polishers in the path of said holders and with which they successively engage
in whatever position said respective polishers may be.
13. In a polishing machine, the combination with a rocking and moving
work-holder, of a reciprocatory polisher with which said holder engages in what-
ever position said polisher may be.
14. In a polishing machine, the combination with a revolving table, and a
plurality of rocking work-holders thereon, of a plurality of reciprocatory polishers
engaging with each other in whatever position they respectively are.
15. In a polishing machine, the combination of a rocking, oscillating, vertic-
ally yielding and moving work-holder, and a reciprocatory polisher engaging
with each other in whatever position they may respectively be.
16. In a polishing machine, the combination of a revolving work-table, and a
plurality of separate rocking work-holders thereon, of a plurality of separate
and independently reciprocated polishers severally engaging with the respective
holders in whatever position said holders and polishers may respectively be.
17. In a polishing machine, the combination of a moving work-holder, a cam
engaging therewith to vertically reciprocate it, and a reciprocatory polisher
engaging with each other in whatever position they may respectively be.
18. In a polishing machine, the combination of a rocking and moving work-
holder, a cam engaging therewith to vertically reciprocate it, and a polisher
with which said holder engages.
19. In a polishing machine, the combination of a rocking and moving work-
holder, a cam engaging therewith to vertically reciprocate it, and a reciprocatory
polisher engaging with each other in whatever position they may respectively be.
20. In a polishing machine, the combination of a revolving work-table, a
rocking and oscillating work-holder thereon, a pitman connected to said holder,
and a cam reciprocating said pitman, with a reciprocating polisher engaging
with said work-holder in whatever position each may be.
21. In a polishing machine, the combination of a revolving work-table, ways
thereon, and work-holder mounted therein, of a cam engaging with the lower
end of said holder to reciprocate it in said ways.
22. In a polishing machine, the combination with a work-holder consisting
of sections detachably connected together and held apart by such connection,
of a cam engaging with the lower section to reciprocate the holder whether the
sections are separated by said connection or not.
23. In a polishing machine, the combination with a work-holder consisting
of three sections, a central one, an upper one hinged thereto, and a lower one
connected thereto to slide thereon, and held apart therefrom by a removable
connection, of a cam engaging with said upper section to oscillate it, and a
second cam engaging with the lower section to reciprocate the entire holder,
whatever relations the parts may bear to each other.
24. In a
polishing machine, the combination of a polisher, in a stationary
plane, of a sectional work-holder having its upper end normally in a position
to engage with said polisher and means to disconnect said sections to permit
the automatic shortening of said holder to bring its upper end into non-engaging
position relative to said polisher.
25. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher, of a work-holder
automatically rocking longitudinally and automatically yielding vertically
through its impact with said polisher.
26. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher and a work-table,
of a work-holder mounted therein, automatically operated jaws thereon, and
means whereby when said jaws are empty said holder is automatically tilted out
of the plane of said polisher.
27. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher, a work-table, and
ways thereon, of a work-holder consisting of an upper and a lower section hinged
together, the lower section being mounted in said ways, automatically operated

page_text: jaws upon the upper section and means whereby when said jaws are empty said
upper section is automatically tilted to throw said jaws out of the plane of said
polisher.
28. In a polishing machine, the 'combination with a work-table, and a work-
holder thereon, of automatically opened and closed jaws upon said holder.
29. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher, a work-table, and
a work-holler mounted thereon, of a pair of automatically operated work-holding
jaws upon said holder, and means to automatically shift said jaws when empty,
out of the plane of said polisher.
30. In a polishing machine, the 'combination with a polisher, a work-table, and
a rocking work-holder mounted 'thereon, of a pair of automatically 'operated
work-holding jaws upon said holder, and means to automatically remove said
jaws when empty, from the plane of said polisher, and to restore them to it 'when
holding work to be polished.
31. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher, of work-holding
jaws upon a rocking support normally in the plane of said polisher, and means
whereby they are shifted out of said plane as soon as the work is removed from
them.
32. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polisher, of work-holding
jaws upon a rocking work-holder mounted upon a rocking support, and means
to automatically remove them from the plane of said polisher when empty, 'and
to return them to it when filled.
33. In a polishing machine, the combination with a reciprocatory polisher, of
automatically opened work-holding jaws, mounted upon a rocking support, and
means to automatically shift them into or out of the plane of said polisher.
+
34. In a polishing machine, the combination with a work-table, a rocking
work-holder and work-holding jaws thereon, of an arm automatically engaging
with one of said jaws to open it for the insertion or removal of work.
35. In a polishing machine, the combination with a work-table, 'a work-holder
and work-holding jaws thereon, of a polisher, and an arm automatically engaging
with one of said jaws to open it for the insertion or removal of work."
36. In a polishing machine, the combination with a revolving work-table,
multiple work-holders mounted thereon, work-gripping jaws on said holders,
and multiple polishers with which said jaws successively engage, of a stationary
arm successively engaged by the movable member of said jaws and whereby each
jaw is opened for the insertion or removal of work.
37. In a polishing machine, the combination with a revolving work-table, and
a series of work-holders mounted thereon, of a series of polishers in the path of
and successively engaged by said work-holders, and a series of vertically recipro-
cated receivers of polishing material from which said polishers are supplied.
38. In a polishing machine, the combination with a revolving work-table, and
a series of work-holders mounted thereon, of a series of polishers in the path
of and successively engaged by said work-holders, a series of arms 'mounted,
radiating from, and reciprocating upon the stationary pivot of said table, a
receiver upon each arm holding the polishing material, and means to bring each
receiver into contact with a polisher to supply it with the polishing medium.
Dated the 6th day of December 1898.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, 'W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.