Improvements in or relating to Diamond-polishing Machines and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sept., 1836-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Diamond-polishing Machines and
the like.
C
A communication from CHARLES WAUTERS, of 11 Rue Kets, Antwerp, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to diamond-polishing machines and the like.
The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved diamond
polishing machine which is simple and durable in construction, and arranged to
permit of adjusting the dop according to the desired number of facets to be formed
on the diamond, and to ensure a proper polishing relative to the desired inclination
to be given to the facets and relative to the grain of the diamond and to the
rubbing surface of the wheel.
The invention comprises principally a dop provided with a ball and socket joint
of which one end is adapted to carry the diamond to be polished and the other is
adjustably held in the supporting arm.
The invention also comprises certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be fully described hereinafter.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine.
Figure 2 is a plan of the supporting arm and dop.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same partly in section.
Figure 4 is an inverted plan of part of the same.
Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the dop and part of the
supporting arm.
Figure 6 is a plan of a modified form of the improvement as arranged for an
ordinary supporting arm.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the dop for the modified
form.
The improved diamond polishing machine or mill is mounted on a suitably
constructed frame A, in which is journalled a vertically disposed shaft B, carrying
the wheel or lap C against the top surface of which is held the diamond D.to be
polished.
The diamond D is supported by a dop E, held in the free end of a supporting
arm F, resting on a table or bench G, supported on the frame A, and with its top
surface slightly below the top surface of the wheel C. The dop E is provided
with a ball I mounted to turn in a socket J, held rotatably in the free end of the
supporting arm F, the said socket being preferably made of two parts J' and J'
formed with flanges engaging the top and bottom surface of the supporting arm F
as plainly shown in Figure 5.
The two parts J' and J' of the socket are connected with each other by clamping
screws J which when screwed up serve to securely clamp the ball I in the socket

page_text: parts J and J. When the screws J³ are loosened then the ball I can be readily
turned in the socket J, according to the inclination desired to be given, to the
facet to be cut on the diamond as hereinafter more fully explained.
The socket J is mounted to turn in the supporting arm F, and is adapted to be
fastened therein by a peripheral clamping plate J held in a recess in, the
supporting arm F and secured against the periphery of the socket by a set screw J'
screwing in the arm F.
Now it will be seen that by the arrangement described, the ball I will be turned
in the socket J and then fastened therein when the desired position is reached, and
the socket J can be turned in the supporting arm F and then fastened in place by
the set screw J and clamping plate J, to hold the several parts in a fixed position
relative to the supporting arm.
The bal! I is formed with a diametrical bore in which is fitted to turn a spinille K,
formed in its lower end with a conical shoulder K' adapted to engage a corre
sponding mouth at the lower end of the bore, and on the upper end of the said
spindle K screws a nut K' formed with a conical off-set K³, likewise engaging a
conical mouth on the upper end of the said bore.
Now when the nut K is screwed up, the spindle K is securely clamped in place
in the ball I, and when the said nut is loosened it permits the operator to readily
turn the spindle in the diametrical bore of the ball. The lower end of the spindle K
is formed with a head K', having in its bottom a recess K³, adapted to receive a
fastening substance L, such a cement in which is embedded part of the diamond D,
the said cement being placed in the recess while in a plastic state, and the diamond
is set in the said material so that on the drying of the latter the diamond is securely
fastened in place on the head K'.
In order to securely hold the diamond in place, a foot N is provided, adapted to
engage with its free end a table or a facet already formed on the side of the
diamond, the said foot projecting from a sleeve N fitted loosely on the head K.
The upper end of the said sleeve is formed with an internal thread engaged by the
nut N fitted loosely on the spindle K and abutting with its inner end on the top
surface of the head K so that when the said nut is screwed up it draws the
sleeve N upward to cause the foot N to firmly engage the table or facet of the
diamond. Thus the diamond D is held in place by the fastening substance and
the foot N to resist the polishing action of the moving surface of the wheel C
during the operation of polishing the diamond. In order to accurately set the
ball I relative to the socket J¹, the socket part J' is provided with a
graduation Jo,
on which is indicated the meridian line I' formed on the ball I, the said line passing
through the centre of the spindle K, as indicated in Fig. 2.
The graduation J is divided into, say sixteen equal parts to permit of readily
adjusting the ball according to the number of facets desired to be given to the
stone, it being understood that the ball is shifted in the socket J, to move the line I
to the successive marks on the graduation J.
In the underside of the ball is formed a meridian graduation, 12, (Fig. 3)
intercepting in the centre of the spindle K, so that the latter passes through the
poles of the two graduations I and 1'. In connection with this meridian
graduation I is indicated a longitudinal line Ke formed on the spindle K (see
Fig. 5,) to permit the operator on loosening the nut K to turn the spindle K in
the fixed ball I, to change the position of the diamond D relative to the grinding
surface, to polish a new facet without adjusting the ball I in the socket J, as
previously explained.
In order to bring the grain of the diamond in proper relation to the surface of
the wheel C, the operator loosens the set screw J and turns the socket J and with
it the ball I and spindle K, until the grain of the diamond is in the proper position
relative to the moving surface of the rotating wheel C. The set screw Jis then
screwed up to again clamp the socket J in place on the arm F. Thus by the
arrangement described the operator is enabled to accurately set the diamond to
the inclination of the facet to be polished, to move the stone to the proper position

page_text: according to the grain of the diamond and to readily turn the diamond to accurately
produce the desired number of facets on the stone.
It will further be seen that if it is desired to polish diamonds, more according
to weight instead of to the regularity of facets, the operator is enabled to readily
make such adjustment of the spindle K and ball I to produce the desired result,
that is to polish the stone according to its shape so as not to loose any of its
weight, the inaccuracy of its facets thus produced being so slight as to be hardly
noticeable.
In order to permit the operator to adjust the supporting arm F vertically, the
base F of the said arm is provided with two pins F³, disposed vertically and fitted
to slide in the sides of the said base. The upper threaded ends F of the said
pins F are engaged by nuts F5, mounted to turn in a plate F, secured to the
supporting arm at the top thereof as plainly indicated in Fig. 3.
The lower ends of the pin F project below the bottom of the base so as to rest
on top of the table G, and by the operator turning either or both of the nuts F
be can raise and lower the pins F3. so as to adjust the supporting arm vertically
according to the position of the diamond relative to the moving surface of the
wheel C.
In order to indicate the depth of the polishing done on the stone, the supporting
arm F is provided with two spirit levels O and O', of which the spirit level O
extends longitudinally on the arm, and the other extends transversely of the base,
as plainly shown in Fig. 2.
Each of the spirit levels is provided with a graduation 02, to indicate the position
of the bubble which shifts from a level position according to the amount of material
taken off the stone by the wheel C.
The supporting arm F7 shown in Figs. 6 and 7, is of the ordinary construction,
and is provided with a clamping arm F for clamping the spindle K', in place on
the said supporting arm. The spindle K' in this case is mounted to turn in the
supporting arm F', when the clamping arm F8 is loosened, and the spindle is
securely held in place when the clamping screw F° screws up the clamping
arm F
A collar K is formed on the spindle K7 and abuts on the underside of the
supporting arm F7 to hold the dop E¹ a suitable distance from the face of the
wheel C. The ball I' in this case, is secured on to the lower end of the spindle K',
and on the ball is arranged a socket having its two parts J and J' movable on the
ball instead of the latter being adjustable in the socket, as previously explained in
reference to Figure 5.
In order to fasten the socket in place on the ball 1, a clamping block Pis
provided, held in a recess in the periphery of the ball I and adapted to engage the
inner surface of the socket part J. See Figure 8. A spring P¹ holds the said
block P in an outermost position but yields sufficiently to permit of turning the
socket on the ball.
A pin P is held loosely in a central bore in the spindle K', and the lower end
of this pin engages the said block P, and the upper end of the said pin is adapted
to be pressed on by a set screw P screwing in the outer end of the spindle K'.
Now it will be seen that when the set screw P is slightly slacked, then the
operator can turn the socket on the ball I to the desired position, and then the
operator screws up the set screw P³ to cause the pin P to press the said block P.
firmly in engagement with the socket part J', to clamp the latter in place on the
ball I. On the socket part. J' is held a head Q, formed on its underside with a
recess containing a fastening substance L', for holding the diamond D' in place.
The head Q is formed with a threaded off-set Q' screwing in the socket part J7, and in
the threaded off-set is formed a threaded hole leading to the fastening substance,
so as to permit of screwing a screw into the said hole to forcibly remove the
substance L' and the diamond D' from the head Q after the diamond is polished.
If desired, the diamond is engaged by two feet N³, projecting from a sleeve N,
abutting on the under side of the socket part Jo, and engaged by a nut N' held on

page_text: the said socket part J and abutting against the top thereof so as to draw the
sleeve N upward on screwing up the nut N°. The two feet are preferably
arranged diametrically opposite each other, to engage opposite facets on the
diamond.
Now by the arrangement described the operator is enabled to readily adjust the
dop in such a manner as to produce the same result as above described in reference
to dop E, it being understood that this dop E is used on the ordinary supporting
arm F. The desired graduation can be put on the upper portion of the ball I'
and the top surface of the socket part J.
Thus it will be seen that by the arrangement described the operator can readily
adjust the dop as to the inclination of the facet, then for the grain, and finally for
the number of facets to be given to the stone.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a dop having a ball and socket
joint, of which one is adapted to carry the diamond to be polished and the other
is adjustably held in the supporting arm, substantially as shown and describe.l.
2. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a dop having a ball and socket
joint, means for locking the ball in place on the socket, and a spindle mounted to
turn in the said ball and adapted to carry the diamond to be cut, substantially as
shown and described.
3. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a dop having a ball and socket
joint, the ball being provided with meridian lines to adjust the position of the
diamond carried by the dop, substantially as shown and described.
4. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a ball adapted to be locked in
place, a spindle mounted to turn centrally in the said ball and adapted to carry the
diamond to be cut, and means for fastening the spindle in place on the ball,
substantially as shown and described.
5. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a socket a ball mounted to turn
in the said socket and adapted to be fastened therein and formed with a meridian
graduation, and a spindle adapted to carry the diamond, mounted to turn in the
said ball and extending through the poles of the said meridian graduation, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
6. A turned polishing machine, provided with a socket, a ball mounted to turn
in the said socket and adapted to be fastened therein, and formed with a meridian
graduation, and a spindle adapted to carry the diamond mounted to turn in the
said ball extending through the poles of the said meridian graduation, and means
for fastening the said spindle in place on the ball after adjustment, substantially as
shown and described.
7. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a dop comprising a socket having
a graduation, a ball mounted to turn in the said socket and set in place according
to the reading of the graduation, and means for fastening the said ball in place in
the said socket, substantially as shown and described.
8. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a supporting arm, a socket
mounted to turn in the said arm, a ball mounted to turn centrally in the said ball
and adapted to be fastened therein, and a head held on the said spindle and formed
with a cavity adapted to receive a cement for embedding and fastening the diamond
in place on the said head, substantially as shown and described.
9. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a spindle having a head formed
with a cavity for receiving a cement for embedding and fastening the diamond to
be cut, substantially as shown and described.
10. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a spindle having a head formed
with a cavity for receiving a cement for embedding and fastening the diamond to
be cut, and a foot for engaging the diamond and projecting from a threaded
Bleeve screwing in a collar on the spindle, substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 11. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a dop having a spindle, a head
on the said spindle for carrying the diamond, a foot adapted to engage the said
diamond, a sleeve carrying the said foot a collar in which screws the said sleeve,
and held on the said head to draw the foot firmly in place on the diamond, substan-
tially as shown and described.
12. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a dop having a ball and
socket joint, a spindle for the said ball, a locking device held in the said ball
and adapted to engage the inner surface of the said socket, and a pin in the said
spindle, for clamping the said block to the inner surface of the socket, substantially
as shown and described.
13. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a dop having a head formed
with cavity for receiving a fastening substance to secure the diamond in place, the
said head having a threaded aperture to receive a screw adapted to press against
the said substance, to dislodge the same and the diamond, substantially as shown
and described.
14. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a supporting arm, formed with
legs, and adjustable rods in the said legs to raise or lower the supporting arm at
its outer end, substantially as shown and described.
15. A diamond polishing machine, provided with a supporting arm carrying the
dop, and a spirit level in the top surface of the said arm to indicate the depth of
the polish, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 18th day of September 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.