NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CUTTING OR ORNAMENTING ARTICLES OF GLASS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Arthur Seago and Frederick Charles Klosz;
trading as Seago and Company, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Cut Glass Manufacturers, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CUTTING OR ORNAMENTING ARTICLES OF GLASS."
Sealed the 8th February 1878, and dated the 15th August 1877.
T
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Arthur Seago and
Frederick Charles Klosz at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
15th August 1877.
THOMAS ARTHUR SEAGO and FREDERICK CHARLES KLOSZ, trading as Seago
and Company, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Cut Glass Manufacturers.
"NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CUTTING OR
ORNAMENTING ARTICLES OF GLASS."
Our said Invention consists of the new or improved machinery or apparatus con-
structed and worked as herein-after described, to be used in ornamenting articles
of glass by cutting upon the surfaces of the said articles a series of parallel cqui-
distant helical inclined or straight lines, grooves, or depressions, which said lines,
grooves, or depressions, by being crossed by similar lines, grooves, or depressions.
cut in an opposite direction form a diamond, lozenge, angular, or other shaped pattern
on the said glass articles.
"
By the use of our Invention the cutting or ornamenting of articles of glass by
means of lines, grooves, or depressions of the kind described is much facilitated, and
the dividing or marking out of the articles prior to cutting them, which is practised
in the ordinary method of cutting, is dispensed with.
The said machinery or apparatus consists essentially of the following parts:-The
whole of the apparatus is carried by a trunnion or bearing frame, which frame is
clamped or otherwise secured at the required height to a fixed support near the
mill"
or grindstone, or circular cutter with which the apparatus is to be used..
This trunnion or bearing frame supports a cross bar or axis, the ends or pivots, of
"

page_text: which turn in bearings in the said frame. The middle of this cross bar or axis
carries a tubular bearing, in which the hollow axis or barrel of a "dividing plate"
may rotate freely, the said dividing plate in conjunction with the mechanism herein-
after described serving to determine the number of equidistant cuttings or depressions
to be cut on the glass article. The said dividing plate consists of a circular disc
having in it sets of equidistant holes arranged in circles around the axis of the plate,
the number of holes in each circle increasing from the centre of the plate to its
circumference. Projecting from the face of the middle of the said dividing plate is
the tubular axis or barrel which works in the tubular bearing of the swivelling or
oscillating cross axis of the apparatus. Inside the said tubular axis or barrel of
the dividing plate is a key or feather, the bottle, vessel, or article to be cut or
ornamented is fixed in a chuck or holder at the lower end of a guide rod, the upper
part of the said guide rod working in or passing partly through the barrel of the
dividing plate in the said guide rod; a slightly helical (or other) groove or slot is
made, which groove or slot takes upon the key or feather in the interior of the
barrel of the dividing plate. By sliding the guide rod backwards and forwards in
the barrel of the dividing plate, a slight twisting or other motion is given to the
said guide rod by the action of the key and groove described, and to the glass vessel
or article attached to it. By giving a motion of partial rotation to the guide rod
a similar motion is given to the dividing plate, the latter being brought to rest
and locked in the required position in the manner herein-after described. A
weighted cord or a spring may be used to facilitate the advance motion of the guide
rod.
The distance through which the glass article carried by the guide rod is moved
after each cut or groove has been made in it, and consequently the number of cuts
or grooves, made on its surface is determined by the dividing plate described, and a
spring sliding bolt on the cross bar or axis of the apparatus, the said spring bolt
being capable of being adjusted nearer to or further from the central bearing of the
.cross bar or axis. In that part of the said cross bar or axis on which the sliding bolt
is situated holes are made, which agree in number and position with the several
circles of holes in the dividing plate. The spring bolt can be made to work in any
one of these holes in the cross bar, and when the dividing plate is partly rotated
the said bolt snaps into one of the holes of the circle of holes in the dividing plate
opposite to which it is situated, and locks the said plate, and thereby prevents its
further rotation.
Supposing the spring bolt to be arranged to work in that circle of holes containing,
say, twelve, then the dividing plate will be moved the twelfth of a revolution after
each advance motion of the guide rod, and the glass article under operation will con-
sequently be ornamented or cut with twelve equidistant belical or inclined parallel
cuts, grooves, or depressions.
The apparatus is used in the following manner :-The glass article having been
fixed in the chuck of the guide rod, the latter is depressed by the workman so as to
turn it upon its swivelling axis, and bring the glass article down upon the rotating
"mill" or grindstone by which the cutting is to be effected. The workman having
withdrawn the spring bolt from one of the holes in the dividing plate, the said
dividing plate is turned by the turning of the guide rod, and the former is carried
round through a distance equal to the distance between two holes in the circle of
holes in the said plate, and the latter is then locked in that position by the spring
bolt. The guide rod is next advanced through the barrel of the dividing plate, so
as to carry the glass article against the rotating mill or stone, which mill or stone
cuts therein a slightly helical or inclined groove or depression corresponding with
the groove or slot in the guide rod. The guide rod is now lifted from the mill or
grindstone, and the back or return motion given to it. The spring bolt is again
withdrawn, and the dividing plate moved through the required angle and refixed by
the spring bolt. The vessel or article is depressed onto the mill or stone, and the
guide rod again advanced, and a second cut or groove parallel with the first is made
in the bottle or article, and so on. In this way a set of equidistant parallel cuts,

page_text: grooves, or depressions is made in the surface of the glass article, which cuts, grooves,
or depressions, by being crossed in the opposite direction by similar cuts, grooves, or
depressions, produce the required ornamental pattern.
The spring bolt described inay be worked by hand or by a treadle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Arthur Seago and Frederick Charles Klosz in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 12th February 1878.
THOMAS ARTHUR SEAGO and FREDERICK CHARLES KLOSZ, trading as Seago
and Company, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Cut Class Manufacturers.
"NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CUTTING OR
ORNAMENTING ARTICLES OF GLASS."
Our said Invention consists of the new or improved machinery or apparatus con-
structed and worked as heroiu-aftor described, to be used in ornamenting articles of
glass by cutting upon the surfaces of the said articles a series of parallel equidistant
helical inclined or straight lines, grooves, or depressions, which said lines, grooves,
or depressions by being crossed by similar lines, grooves, or depressions cut in an
opposite direction form a diamond, lozenge, angular, or other shaped pattern on the
said glass articles.
By the use of our Invention the cutting or ornamenting of articles of glass by
means of lines, grooves, or depressions of the kind described is much facilitated, and
the dividing or "marking out of the articles prior to cutting them, which is
practised in the ordinary method of cutting, is dispensed with.
The said machinery or apparatus consists essentially of the following parts:-The
whole of the apparatus is carried by a trunnion or bearing frame, which frame is
clamped or otherwise secured at the required height to a fixed support near the
"mill" or grindstone, or circular cutter with which the apparatus is to be used.
This trunnion or bearing frame supports a cross bar or axis, the ends or pivots of
which turn in bearings in the said frame. The middle of this cross bar or axis
carries a tubular bearing, in which the hollow axis or barrel of a "dividing plate"
may rotate freely, the said dividing plate in conjunction with the mechanism herein-
after described serving to determine the number of equidistant cuttings or depressions
to be cut on the glass article. The said dividing plate consists of a circular disc
having in it sets of equidistant holes (or depressions) arranged in circles around the
axis of the plate, the number of holes in each circle increasing from the centre of the
plate to its circumference. Projecting from the face of the middle of the said
dividing plate is the tubular axis or barrel which works in the tubular bearing of
the swivelling or oscillating cross axis of the apparatus. Inside the said tubular
axis or barrel of the dividing plate is a key or feather. The bottle, vessel, or article
to be cut or ornamented is fixed in a chuck or holder at the lower end of a guide rod,
the upper part of the said guide rod working in or passing partly through the barrel.
of the dividing plate. In the said guide rod a slightly helical (or other) groove or
slot is made, which groove or slot takes upon the key or feather in the interior of
the barrel of the dividing plate. By sliding the guide rod backwards and forwards
.:

page_text: in the barrel of the dividing plate, a slight twisting or other motion is given to the
said guide rod by the action of the key and groove described, and to the glass
vessel or article attached to it. By giving a motion of partial rotation to the
guide rod, a similar motion is given to the dividing plate, the latter being brought
to rest and locked in the required position in the manner herein-after described.
The distance through which the glass article carried by the guide rod is moved
after each cut or groove has been made in it, and consequently the number of cuts
or grooves made on its surface is determined by the dividing plate described, and a
spring sliding bolt on the cross bar or axis of the apparatus, the said spring bolt
being capable of being adjusted nearer to or further from the central bearing of the
cross bar or axis. In that part of the said cross bar or axis on which the sliding
bolt is situated holes are made, which agree in number and position with the several
circles of holes in the dividing plate. The spring bolt can be made to work in any
one of these holes in the cross bar, and when the dividing plate is partly rotated, the
said bolt snaps into one of the holes of the circle of holes in the dividing plate
opposite to which it is situated and locks the said plate, and thereby prevents its
further rotation.
Supposing the spring bolt to be arranged to work in that circle of holes containing,
say, twelve, then the dividing plate will be moved the twelfth of a revolution after
each advance motion of the guide rod, and the glass article under operation will
consequently be ornamented or cut with twelve equidistant helical or inclined parallel
cuts, grooves, or depressions.
Having explained the nature of our Invention we will proceed to describe with.
reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in which the same is to be
performed.
Figure 1 represents in perspective machinery or apparatus constructed according
to our Invention to be used in cutting or ornamenting articles of glass, the said
machinery or apparatus being represented in combination with the ordinary mill or
rotating grindstone or cutter, and appliances connected therewith.
Figure 2 represents a side elevation of the apparatus detached from the mill;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the same; and Figure 4 is a cross
'section of the same taken on the line a, a, Figure 3.
Figure 5 represents a horizontal section of a portion of the apparatus taken
through the barrel and swivelling axis, and Figure 6 is a front elevation of the
dividing plate, swivelling axis, and parts connected with them.
Figure 7 is a horizontal section of the case of the spring bolt and parts imme-
diately connected therewith.
Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawings.
b, b, is the trunnion or bearing frame supporting the whole of the apparatus.
This frame is clamped or otherwise fixed to the supporting semicircular bar c of the
mill (see Figure 1), through a slot in which bar c the screw d on the trunnion or
bearing frame b, b, passes.. On the said screw d a pair of clamping plates e, e, and
their screw nuts are situated. By raising or lowering the screw d in the slot in the
bar c, and fixing it by the clamping plates and nuts e, e, the height of the apparatus
may be adjusted, and by moving the said screw d along the said slot in the bar
and fixing it by the said clamping plates and nuts e, e, the angular position of the
apparatus with respect to the rotating grindstone or cutter f may be adjusted.
g, g², is the cross bar or axis supported by the trunnion frame b, the ends o
pivots g, g³, of the said axis turning in bearings in the said frame. As this cross
axis 9, 92, supports the whole of the working parts of the apparatus, they may be
swivelled or turned in the trunnion frame b so as to have motion given to them in
a vertical plane, and the article to be ornamented, carried by the apparatus, may
thus be depressed upon or lifted from the rotating grindstone or cutter fat pleasure
as herein-after explained. The middle of the swivelling cross bar or axis g, g
carries a tubular bearing h, in which a hollow axis or barrel i may rotate freely

page_text: the collar on the front of the said barrel taking a bearing against the end of the
said tubular bearing h, as seen in Figure 3.
To the rear end of the barrel i a dividing plate k, consisting of a circular disc, is
connected, the said barrel and dividing plate moving together.
By an examination of Figures 1 and 6, it will be seen that the dividing plate k
has made in its front face sets of equidistant holes or depressions 1, 1, arranged in
circles around the axis, of the plate, the number of holes in each circle increasing
from the centre of the plate to its circumference, as represented. The sliding spring
bolt which is used in conjunction with the dividing plate k for determining the
distance through which the glass article under operation is moved after each cutting
is marked m, and is shown in section in Figure 5. The said spring bolt m works
in the tubular case, represented separately in Figure 7. Its outer end is furnished
with a head for disengaging it from the dividing plate when necessary, and its.
inner. end is rounded and of a size proper to snap into any hole or depression of the
circle of holes or depressions in the dividing plate opposite to which it is brought.
The bolt case is fixed to a block m² capable of sliding upon the part g2 of the cross
bar or axis g, g², the sides of the said part g2 being inclined, as seen in the cross
section, Figure 7. In the inclined or dovetail part g² of the cross axis or bar,
holes m³ are made, which agree in number and position with the several circles of
holes in the dividing plate k. After the sliding block m² carrying the spring
bolt m has been adjusted in the required position on the bar or axis g², it is fixed in
its adjusted position by the clamping collar m placed on the block m², the edges of
the said clamping collar being made to bear firmly upon the face of the bar g² by
the screw nut m³ (see Figure 5).
When the dividing plate k is partly rotated, in the manner herein-after described,
the end of the spring bolt m is lifted or forced out of the hole in which it was
engaged in the dividing plate, and when the said plate has been moved sufficiently
far to bring another hole in the same circle opposite the said bolt m, the latter
snaps into the last-named hole, and the dividing plate is brought to rest and
temporarily locked in the required position; n is the guide rod, the upper part of
which works in and passes through the barrel i of the dividing plate k, and to the
lower or carrying end of the said guide rod the bottle, vessel, or article p to be cut
or ornamented fixed, the said bottle or article being securely held in the chuck
or holder q, attached by screwing or otherwise to the bottom of the said guide rod.'
The said guide rod n is furnished with a slightly helical groove or slot n which,
takes upon the key or feather in the interior of the barrel i of the dividing plate
(see Figures 3 and 4).
When the guide rod n is moved backwards and forwards in the barrel i by the
workman, a slight twisting motion (or other motion, according to the form of
groove in the said guide rod) is given to the guide rod by the action of the key r
and groove or slot n², and a like motion is communicated to the bottle or article
attached to it. The back motion of the rod n in the barrel i is limited by the
collar n³ on its upper end striking against the disc k, and its forward motion, by the
part n striking against the projecting tube t, Figure 1.
By grasping the guide rod n or the bottle or article attached to it, and giving a
partial rotation to the said rod, a similar motion is given to the dividing plate k
through the key or feather r, and the said plate k may be disengaged from the
locking bolt m, and after the said plate k has been moved through the required
angle, relocked in its adjusted position by the snapping of the locking bolt into the
hole in the dividing plate opposite to which it has been brought. The spring bolt m
is represented in Figures 5 and 6, arranged on the bar g² to work in that circle of
holes in the dividing plate containing twenty-two holes; consequently, each time
the dividing plate is turned, after. the bottle or article has been operated upon by
the grindstone or cutter, it is moved through the twenty-second part of a revolution,
and the bottle or article under operation will be cut with twenty-two equidistant
helical cuts, grooves, or depressions. In a like manner, when the spring bolt mis

page_text: arranged to work in any other of the circles of holes in the dividing plate, the
number of divisions into which the glass article is cut corresponds with the number
of holes in the said circle of holes.
In using the apparatus it is arranged with respect to the rotating grindstone or
cutter in the position represented in Figure 1, the vertical height and angular
position of the apparatus having been adjusted by means of the screw d, curved
bar c, and clamping plates and screw nuts e, e. The sliding bolt m of the dividing
apparatus having been arranged opposite that circle of holes in the dividing plate k
having a number corresponding with the number of equidistant divisions into
which the surface of the glass article is to be cut or divided, the glass article p is
fixed in the chuck or holder q of the guide rod n, and the latter is depressed by the
workman, so as to turn the apparatus upon its swivelling axis or bar g, gå, and bring
the glass article p down upon the rotating mill, grindstone, or cutter f. The workman
grasping the bottle or article p advances the guide rod n through the barrel i of the
dividing plate lc, so as to carry the said glass article against the rotating mill or
stone, which mill or stone cuts therein a slightly helical or inclined line, groove, or
depression corresponding with the groove or slot n² in the guide rod n.
The guide
rod n is now lifted, so as to raise the glass bottle or article p from the mill or
grindstone, and the back or return motion is given to it. The guide rod is next
turned by the workman in the barrel i, so as to withdraw the spring bolt m from
the hole in which it was engaged in the dividing plate k, and bring it opposite
the next hole in the circle in the said plate, into which it snaps and relocks the
dividing plate and the parts connected to it. The bottle or article p having
been thus moved through the required angle, it is depressed on to the mill or
stone, and the guide rod n again advanced in the barrel i, and a second cut
or groove, parallel with the first, is made in the bottle or article. By repeating the
operations described, a set of equidistant parallel cuts, grooves, or depressions is
made in the surface of the glass article, which cuts, grooves, or depressions by being
crossed in the opposite direction by similar cuts, grooves, or depressions, produce the
required ornamental pattern.
Although generally it is preferred to form the cuts, grooves, or depressions by
the advance motion of the guide rod as described, yet the article may be cut both
by the advance motion and by the back motion of the guide rod, the said advance
and back motions producing the same or independent cuts.
When a fresh cut is to be made by the back motion of the guide rod, the said rod
is moved through the required angle, and fixed by the dividing plate before the back
motion is given to the rod.
In order to produce lines, grooves, or depressions, in the bottle or article having
different inclinations, the guide rod must be provided with grooves or slots of like
inclinations; and when straight lines, grooves, or depressions are to be made in the
bottle or article, the guide rod is furnished with a straight groove or slot.
Instead of providing the guide rod with a straight or helical or inclined groove
or slot, a groove or slot of an undulatory or ziz-zag, or other figure may be substituted
therefor, lines, grooves, or depressions of a like figure in this case being produced
in the bottle or article; and instead of producing a set of equidistant lines, grooves,"
or depressions of the figures described, the said lines, grooves, or depressions may
be cut at different distances apart by arranging the holes in the dividing plate at
different distances apart.
8
For the purpose of protecting the helical or other groove or slot in the guide rod n
from the sand or dust, the upper part of the said rod may be covered by the tubular
cover marked s in Figure 1, fixed to the back of the dividing plate, and the lower
part of the said rod may be similarly protected by the tubular covert fixed to the
front of the barrel i. The acting face of the dividing plate k may also be protected
by a cover not shown in the Drawings.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we do not

page_text: limit ourselves to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same
may be varied without departing from the nature of our Invention, but we claim
as our Invention,-
The new or improved machinery or apparatus to be used in cutting or ornamenting
articles of glass herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings; that is to say, supporting the glass bottle, vessel, or other glass article
to be ornamented by the cutting upon it of a series of paralled, helical, or inclined,
or straight, or other lines, grooves, or depressions, upon a guide rod to which a
forward and backward motion may be given so as to carry the glass article against
the rotating mill, grindstone, or cutter, the said guide rod being provided with a
helical or other groove or slot, which takes upon a key or feather in the interior of
a barrel working in a tubular bearing, and the latter being connected to a swivelling.
or oscillating axis for the purpose and substantially as described and illustrated.
Also, the mechanism described and illustrated for determining the number of
equidistant or other cuttings or depressions to be made in the glass article carried
by the guide rod, the said mechanism consisting essentially of a dividing plate of
the kind described, moved through the required angle after each cutting by the
guide rod, the position of the dividing plate being fixed by a spring sliding bolt
taking in succession into a circle of holes opposite to which the said spring bolt
is adjusted, the several parts being constructed, combined, and used substantially as
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Arthur Seago and Frederick Charles
Klosz, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventh day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
THOMAS ARTHUR SEAGO.
(L.S.)
FREDERICK CHARLES KLOSZ. (L.S.)