IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GRINDING, SMOOTHING, AND POLISHING PLATE GLASS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nicholas Wood, of Hetton Hall, in the County of
Durham, Coal Owner, and Joseph Stockley, of Newcastle-on-Tync, in the
County of Northumberland, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
Sealed the 17th October 1862, and dated the 7th May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nicholas Wood and
Joseph Stockley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 7th May 1862.
We, NICHOLAS WOOD, of Hetton Hall, in the County of Durham, Coal
Owner, and JOSEPH STOCKLEY, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County of
Northumberland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GRINDING, SMOOTHING, AND POLISHING
PLATE GLASS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention has reference to apparatus described in the Specification of
a Patent granted to Joseph Stockley, dated 16th November 1860, No. 2815,
and consists in the modifications in and additions to the same herein-after
described.
In the first place the horizontal bench or table on which the glass rests
when under operation consists of an upper portion or trough filled with cement,
flags, slates, or other suitable material, so as to form a level surface whereon
the glass is to be laid, and an under portion or frame supported on flanged
wheels bearing on rails fixed to the ground. The flanges of the wheels may,
if preferred, be toothed and gear into racks at the sides of the rails. The frame
composing the under portion of the bench is caused to travel longitudinally by

page_text: means of a rack and pinion or worm wheel and screw or screws and nuts
suitably driven, and it may be set level by means of adjusting keys. The
upper portion of the bench or table is raised or lowered, as required, by means
of excentric rollers mounted in the under frame (on which the supporting
sheaves of the said upper portion rest), such rollers being turned simul-
a shaft communicating with the
taneously by means of a hand wheel on
several rollers by means of worm wheels and screws or scrolls. The required
lateral motion is imparted to the said upper portion of the bench or table by
means of sheaves with grooves of suitable form (worked from the axle of the
bearing wheels) acting on studs fixed to the said upper portion, which is
guided in its lateral motion by its projecting pieces working against smooth
surfaces at the ends of the under frame.
In the second place the apparatus consists also of an upper portion, on
which the glass rests, and an under frame supported on flanged wheels on
fixed rails. In this case the horizontal bench or table is capable of being
moved slowly, either in grooves or on wheels, in a horizontal direction, and
also of being adjusted simultaneously throughout its entire length to the
height required to suit the thickness of the glass and fixed at such height.
The required vertical movement of the bench or table is effected by means of
two cams on the same shaft with the bearing wheels, which cams are made to
act on sliding picces connected to the under portion of the bench or table, and
by pressing the sliding pieces down on to the fixed grooves to cause the shaft
to rise, and with it the upper bench or table, thereby raising the wheels off
the rails. The bench or table is fixed at its required height by means of bolts
passed through slots in both the sliding pieces and the guides between which
they move.
In the third place, the bench or table may be constructed in two parts, the
under side of the upper part and the upper side of the lower part being
respectively formed in such a manner that by moving the upper part in a
horizontal direction it may be raised and lowered as required, such upper par
being fixed at any required elevation by means of bolts.
The several kinds of bench or table herein-before described being suscep
tible of adjustment to suit the thickness of the glass to be operated upon, are
chiefly intended to be used in combination with cylinders, drums, or rollers, in
fixed bearings instead of in adjustable bearings, like those described in the
Specification of the Patent herein-before referred to, or they may be used with
the latter. At the same time it is to be observed that although the cylinders
drums, or rollers, are mounted in bearings, which render them unsuited t
vertical adjustment, yet they are allowed a lateral motion, if necessary, b

page_text: making the bearing parts of the cylinders, drums, or rollers longer than the
brasses of the carriages. The said lateral motion may be imparted to the
cylinders, drums, or rollers, by means of a forked lever embracing the neck of
the cylinder, drum, or roller, such lever being worked by an excentric on.the
shaft of the screw which moves the bench or table forwards, or by other
means. The said lateral motion may also be imparted to the cylinders, drums,
or rollers, by means of friction driving wheels placed to a slight degree askew
on their axes. The cylinders, drums, or rollers, may also be disposed at
different angles of inclination upon the surface of the bench or table instead of
at right angles to its longitudinal direction. The polishing cylinders are made
with a metal or wooden core, covered with separate pieces of felt, secured and
pressed together and formed into pieces wedge shaped in the cross section,
and set radially round the core so as to form an outer cylinder of felt. There
are two moveable ends or flanges to the cylinder, which are screwed against
the ends of the pieces of felt, but which may be replaced by other ends or
flanges of smaller diameter when the diameter of the felt cylinder becomes
reduced by wear.
deconilod
BIAR
معلم
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Nicholas Wood and Joseph Stockley, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 7th November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, NICHOLAS
WOOD, of Hetton Hall, in the County of Durham, Coal Owner, and JOSEPH
STOCKLEY, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County of Northumberland, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing dato the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Nicholas Wood and Joseph Stockley, Her special license that we, the said
Nicholas Wood and Joseph Stockley, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Nicholas Wood and Joseph Stockley,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel

page_text: Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR GRINDING, SMOOTHING, AND POLISHING PLATE GLASS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Nicholas Wood and Joseph Stockley, by
an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and
scal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Nicholas Wood and Joseph Stockley,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
Our Invention of "Improvements in Apparatus for Grinding, Smoothing,
and Polishing Plate Glass," has reference to apparatus described in the Spe-
cification of a Patent granted to Joseph Stockley, dated Sixteenth November,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, No. 2815, and consists in the
modifications in and additions to the same herein-after described.
In the first place, the horizontal bench or table on which the glass rests
when under operation consists of an upper portion or trough filled with
cement, flags, slates, or other suitable material, so as to form a level surface
whereon the glass is to be laid, and an under portion or frame supported on
flanged wheels bearing on rails fixed to the ground. The flanges of the
wheels may, if preferred, be toothed, and gear into racks at the sides of the
rails. The frame composing the under portion of the bench is caused to
travel longitudinally by means of a rack and pinion, or worm wheel and
screw or screws and nuts suitably driven, and it may be set level by means of
adjusting keys. The upper portion of the bench or table is raised or lowered,
as required, by means of excentric rollers mounted in the under frame (on
which the supporting sheaves of the said upper portion rests), such rollers
being turned simultaneously by means of a hand wheel on a shaft com-
municating with the several rollers by means of worm wheels, and screws,
or scrolls. The required lateral motion is imparted to the said upper
portion of the bench or table by means of sheaves with grooves of suitable
form (worked from the axle of the bearing wheels) acting on studs fixed to
the said upper portion, which is guided in its lateral motion by its projecting
pieces working against smooth surfaces at the ends of the under frame.
In the second place, the apparatus consists also of an upper portion on

page_text: which the glass rests, and an under frame supported on flanged wheels,
bearing on fixed rails; in this case the horizontal bench or table is capable
of being moved slowly, either in grooves or on wheels, in a horizontal
direction, and also of being adjusted simultaneously throughout its entire
length to the height required to suit the thickness of the glass, and fixed at
such height. The required vertical movement of the bench or table is effected
by means of two cams on the same shaft with the bearing wheels, which cams
are made to act on sliding pieces connected to the under portion of the bench
or table, and, by pressing the sliding pieces down on to the fixed grooves, to
cause the shaft to rise, and with it the upper bench or table, thereby raising
the wheels off the rails. The bench or table is fixed at its required height
by means of bolts passed through slots in both the sliding pieces and the
guides between which they move.
In the third place, the bench or table may be constructed in two parts, the
under side of the upper part and the upper side of the lower part being
respectively formed in such a manner that by moving the upper part in a
horizontal direction it may be raised and lowered as required, such upper
part being fixed at any required elevation by means of bolts.
The several kinds of bench or table herein-before described, being sus-
ceptible of adjustment to suit the thickness of the glass to be operated upon,
are chiefly intended to be used in combination with cylinders, drums, or
rollers in fixed bearings, instead of in adjustable bearings like those described
in the Specification of the Patent herein-before referred to, or they may be
used with the latter.. At the same time it is to be observed, that although the
cylinders, drums, or rollers are mounted in bearings, which render them
unsuited to vertical adjustment, yet they are allowed a lateral motion, if neces-
sary, by making the bearing parts of the cylinders, drums, or roilers longer
than the brasses of the carriages. The said lateral motion may be imparted
to the cylinders, drums, or rollers by means of a forked lever embracing the
neck of the cylinder, drum, or roller, such lever being worked by an excentric
on the shaft of the screw which moves the bench or table forwards, or by
other means. The said lateral motion may also be imparted to the cylinders,
drums, or rollers by means of friction driving wheels placed to a slight degree
askew on their axes. The cylinders, drums, or rollers may also be disposed at
different angles of inclination upon the surface of the bench or table, instead
of at right angles to its longitudinal direction. The polishing cylinders are
made with a metal or wooden core covered with separate pieces of felt,
secured and pressed together, and formed into pieces wedge-shaped in the
cross section, and set radially round the core, so as to form an outer cylinder

page_text: 'of felt. There are two moveable ends or flanges to the cylinder, which are
screwed against the ends of the pieces of felt, but which may be replaced by
other ends or flanges of smaller diameter when the diameter of the felt
cylinder becomes reduced by wear.
Any of the machines hercin-before described may also be used for the
purposes of grinding, smoothing, or polishing crown and sheet glass.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention we will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the
aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which are represented the essential
parts of the mechanism above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
castors B, B, which rest on
These spindles are turned on
Figures 1 and 2 represent portions of the mechanism referred to under the
first head of our Invention. A is the upper portion of the horizontal bench
or table, being a trough filled with cement, flags, slate, or other suitable
material, so as to form a level surface for the glass to rest on.
This upper
portion or trough is carried upon rollers or
excentric rollers C, C, on the spindles D, D.
their axes, as required, by means of the worm wheels G, G, taking into
worms H, H, keyed on to the shaft I, which is turned by means of a loose
handle fitted on to the square end J of the spindle. By this arrangement the
trough or upper portion of the horizontal bench or table A may be raised or
lowered as required, the said upper portion A being provided with sliding
pieces or projections K, K, at each end to guide and keep it in position whilst
being either raised, lowered, or worked laterally, as now to be described.
This lateral motion is imparted to the said upper portion A of the table by
means of the pins L, L, fixed to the under side thereof, which pins take into
sheaves W, W, having each a sinuous groove on its periphery. These sheaves
are fixed on independent spindles or axes, as shewn, and may be driven from
the shaft of the bearing wheels M direct, and at the same speed with the
shaft, or by means of wheels and pinions arranged so as either to increase or
diminish their relative speed. It is assumed in the foregoing description that
the weight of the bench or table will be sufficient to cause the requisite
amount of friction on the wheels M, M, to drive the sheaves and table, but
the flanges of these wheels may be toothed, and be made to gear into racks
ou the rails 0, 0, if required."
Fig. 3 represents an end elevation of the machine or apparatus herein-
before referred to under the second head of our Invention. A is a cylinder,
drum, or roller mounted in bearings B, B, and capable of receiving motion in

page_text: the direction of its length by means of the arins or levers D, E, which are
worked from the excentric F, driven from the shaft I, on which is fixed a
pinion gearing into a cog wheel (represented by dotted lines at G) carrying
the excentric. On one outer end of the cylinder is a corrugated bearing C,
which is clasped by a brass strap K, which is put on in halves, and has cor-
rugations fitting into those on the cylinder end. L is the upper portion of the
bench or table formed of a shallow iron trough filled with Portland cement,
and supporting the glass M intended to be operated upon. The under portion
of this bench or table is caused to rest either on the grooves 0, 0, or with
its wheels P, P, on the rails T, T, and the whole bench or table is moved
horizontally, as required, by means of the screws P, P, which are driven
at the requisite speed by suitable gearing. These screws take into the half
nuts R, R, which are fixed to the side supports S, S, of the bench or table,
and extend to their full length. The bench or table is shewn in the Drawing
as being supported by its wheels P, P, resting on the rails T, T, the
screws P, P*, being out of gear, and the V-shaped part of the side sup-
ports S, S, being raised clear of the grooves O, O. It will also be observed
that there is a small space between the upper surface of the glass M and
the under surface of the cylinder A, so that the glass is free to pass beneath
the cylinder as it is carried along by the bench or table moved along the
rails.
We will now describe the manner in which the bench or table is put in
gear with the screws P*, P*, and the glass raised into contact with the
cylinder simultaneously so as to be ready to operate upon the glass as required,
or to cause any required pressure of the glass against the cylinder or cylinders.
The side supports S, S, are formed in three pieces, the centro piece being free
to slide up and down between the two outer pieces. In the centre are formed
slots at intervals in a longitudinal direction, in which excentrics V, V, are
fitted and work. These excentrics are forged solid on spindles W, which also
carry the wheels P, P, on their outer ends. On these spindles arc fitted
worm wheels X into which gear worms shewn by dotted lines at Y. These
worms are carried on the spindle Z, and they are turned on their axes as
required by means of the ratchet handle 3. It will be seen that the excentrics
V, V, are shewn in their highest positions in the Drawing, but upon being
turned round by the means just described, they will cause the centre sliding
piece S to be depressed until the V pieces enter the V grooves, and the parts
are so arranged that when this takes place the threads of the half-nuts engage
with the necessary hold the threads of the screws P*, P*. It is now evident
that a further turning of the excentrics cannot force the half nuts or female

page_text: screws lower than their proper depth in the screws, because the sliding pieces
to which they are attached are now bearing in the V grooves, so that a
continued application of power to them will only have the effect of raising the
bench or table and lifting the wheels P, P, clear of the rails T, T, and the
glass M resting on the upper portion of the bench or table will be raised to
the required height.
The cylinders may be placed at right angles and driven either by belts, cog-
wheels, or frictional gearing. In the latter case the side motion may be
imparted to the cylinders by putting the friction driving wheel slightly askew
on its axis. The number of cylinders employed may be varied. Fig. 4
represents in side elevation the machine above described, and shows the
arrangement of the cylinders, drums, or rollers when two are used. X is a
driving wheel gearing into two pinions W, W, on the end of the cylinders,
drums or rollers A' and A shewn by dotted lines. The cylinders, drums
or rollers, both move in one direction, and A is placed a little lower in its
bearings than A', so that when the glass has travelled in the direction of the
arrows and has been reduced to a certain extent by A', it is further reduced
by A3 as it passes under it. The sand used in grinding is merely laid on as
indicated by the uneven line, and the cylinder, drum, or roller A¹ takes it in
with it and throws it out partially crushed to be taken up by the cylinder,
drum, or roller A2. It is, however, to be observed, as before remarked, that
the number of cylinders, drums, or rollers, may be varied, and they may be
either plain or roughened on their surfaces, or spiral grooves may be formed
thereon.
Under the third head of our Invention machines or apparatus are referred
to which are constructed so that the bench or table may be raised and lowered
as required by merely moving the upper portion thereof over the lower. This
is accomplished by forming the under side of the upper portion, and the upper
side of the lower portion with corresponding inclined surfaces, so that by
moving the upper portion over the lower in a horizontal direction it may be
caused to ascend an incline for raising the bench or table, and descend the
same for lowering it, the upper portion thereof being fixed by means of bolts or
otherwise at any required elevation on the incline.
The same object is also accomplished by means of the arrangement shewn
in the transverse section Fig. 5, and partial longitudinal elevation, Fig. 6, of a
machine or apparatus for the purpose. In this case A is the upper portion of
the bench or table; B, B, the lower portion in which are inserted two wedge-
shaped sliding pieces C, D, which are capable of sliding over each other, and
which rest on the bottom flanges and against the sides of the frame or lower

page_text: portion B. The wedges have racks upon them, such racks gearing into pinions
G, G. The upper racks E are inclined to the plane on which the wedge-
shaped piece C ascends so as to keep the teeth of these racks in gear with
those of the pinions G, G. On the pinions being turned by means of the
worm J and worm wheel H, the wedge-shaped pieces C and D will be moved
in opposite directions, and the upper one C will be caused to ascend carrying
with it the upper portion of the bench or table A, which fits into a recess W,
and allows the wedge-piece D to slide beneath it.
The bench or table has sliding pieces H, H, on its sides and ends to steady
it by bearing against projecting pieces on the frame or lower portion B. If
thought necessary, the table may be allowed lateral play on the top of the
wedge-shaped pieces for a side motion.
The bench or table, altogether, receives its progressive motion from the
worm-wheels L, L, driven by a belt and cone or otherwise, and the discs M
which gear into racks O, extending the full length of the bench or table on
each side these discs, have a screw thread on their periphery and are made
larger than the worm wheels, so that the rack may clear the latter when it is
required to pass the bench or table in its progress onwards while out of gear.
For this purpose the bearing of the disc spindle admits of its being withdrawn
so as to remove the discs from gear with the racks. The wedge-shaped pieces
may either be fixed transversely to the bench or table, or longitudinally as
shewn, and more of such pieces may be used. They may also be formed in
steps on their sliding surfaces, as before described, instead of in single inclined
planes as shewn. In these Figures is also represented an auxiliary mode of
grinding, smoothing, and polishing the glass, consisting of a weighted trough
worked with a reciprocating motion and placed so as to bear on the surface of
the glass in front of the second cylinder, drum, or roller. The trough is worked
backwards and forwards across the glass so as to rub down any slight inequali-
ties left by the cylinders, drums, or rollers. 1 is a metal trough or runner of
the kind referred to, reaching across the bench or table in front of the cylinders,
drums, or rollers 3 and 4, and long enough to be moved backwards and for-
wards without either end being within the edge of the glass. When the cranks
are at the extremity of their stroke as shewn, the trough has an eye 5.at each
end in which the crank pin works, but at a distance sufficiently clear of the
crank to allow of the whole weight of the trough bearing on the glass. The
trough is driven by an upright spindle and bevil gear from the same spindle
which gives forward motion to the bench or table. These troughs when
working with grinding benches, or tables have, by the means shewn, a motion
similar to that of an ordinary grinding bench rod, but they may, (if thought

page_text: desirable,) have the motion varied in smoothing and polishing so as to corre-
spond with the motions already in use for these purposes. In order to obtain
the motion of a figure of 8 ordinarily used in smoothing, the cranks may be
turned in opposite directions, one of them being provided with a compensating
sliding piece; and for polishing, a simple reciprocating motion may be obtained
by taking away one crank and substituting a parallel guiding bar and adding
a connecting rod to the crank which is retained.
Any required number of the troughs or runners may be employed, and they
may have either smooth or roughened surfaces, and they may be faced with
metal, brass, glass, lead, felt, or other suitable material according to the
purpose required. They can be raised from contact with the glass, when
required, by means of lifting chains 6, and a suitable arrangement of blocks
and pulleys, or otherwise. The mode of constructing the polishing cylinders
herein-before referred to will be sufficiently understood without any further
description.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, we hereby declare that what we claim as of our
Invention is,
First, the combination of parts of apparatus represented in Figures 1 and 2
for grinding plate glass as herein-before described.
Secondly, the combination of parts of apparatus represented in Figures 3
and 4 for grinding plate glass as herein-before described.
Thirdly, the combination of parts of apparatus represented in Figures 5
and 6 for grinding plate glass as herein-before described.
And lastly, the modifications in the cylinders, drums, or rollers, and other
parts herein-before described, in order to adapt them for smoothing or
polishing glass.
In witness whereof, we the said Nicholas Wood and Joseph Stockley,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Fourth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
THOS. EASTON,
2, Plowden Bgs., Temple.
(L.S.)
NICH WOOD.
JOSEPH STOCKLEY. (L.S.)