AN IMPROVED DIAMOND HOLDER AND METHOD OF INSERTING, FITTING, AND SECURING DIAMONDS IN METALLIC HOLDERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED DIAMOND HOLDER AND METHOD OF
INSERTING, FITTING, AND SECURING DIAMONDS IN METALLIC HOLDERS."-A
communication from abroad by Joseph Wild Branch, of Saint Louis,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd October 1875.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED DIAMOND HOLDER AND
METHOD OF INSERTING, FITTING, AND SECURING DIAMONDS IN METALLIC HOLDERS,"
a communication, to be as follows :-
It has been impracticable hitherto to permanently secure diamonds
in metallic holders for such purposes as sawing stone, drilling, and the

page_text: like. Attempts have been made to accomplish this by engraving in
the holder a seat corresponding as nearly as is possible in form to
that of the diamond, and then by brazing or soldering to fasten the
diamond therein, such a mode is very expensive, imperfect, and un-
reliable. In use the diamond soon works loose and flies out.
A construction has also been used where the holder is of a soft
malleable metal like copper, in which the diamond has been embedded
by pressing the metal about it. This method is equally unreliable as
such a holder fails in use to retain the diamond.
It is the aim of the present Invention to provide means whereby a
diamond or diamonds can be readily inserted, accurately fitted, and
thoroughly secured in a metallic holder; for this purpose I force the
diamond into a metallic holder, while the metal is softened by heat
forming its seat therein by such operation, and then allow the heated
metal to cool and contract upon the diamond.
In carrying out my Invention a preferable mode is to place the
diamond between two pieces of iron (or two faces of the same piece so
bent as to bring the faces into opposition), which are then pressed firmly
together upon the diamond, and in such manner as to embed it in the
pieces (or faces), making a close joint between the pieces of metal
and covering whole surface of the diamond. In pressing the piece
of metal upon the diamond the cutting point of the latter may be
left exposed. The better practice however is to envelope the diamond
and afterwards to expose the point by dressing off the metal above it,
that is to say, after the diamond is embedded the point of the
diamond is exposed, by grinding or otherwise removing the metal
above it.
In this manner the diamond is easily inserted and accurately fitted as
the diamond forms its own seat. But a further and an especial
The iron of the holder in cooling &
advantage accrues from my method.
has such a contractile force as to gripe the diamond so firmly as to
permanently secure it and prevent its being torn out, or becoming
loose, under the severest strains to which the same is in practice sub-
jected.
I sometimes use a holder formed from a single piece doubled up so as a
to leave a neck at the lower end.

page_text: In applying the said Invention to a saw I use a saw plate, in which
the holder is inserted and keyed by a pin; a series of diamonds may be
inserted in a hollow drill. At the points of insertion of the diamonds
the metal is split; the tube is then heated as above, the diamonds
inserted and embedded by forcing the tube into a die, or by other
suitable means. The diamonds if enveloped in the process are after-
wards exposed as above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I. the said William Robert
Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVED DIAMOND HOLDER AND METHOD OF INSERTING,
FITTING, AND SECURING DIAMONDS IN METALLIC HOLDERS," a communication
to me from abroad by Joseph Wild Branch, of Saint Louis, Missouri,
United States of America, Manufacturer, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their bands and seals, 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

page_text: the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
It has been impracticable hitherto to permanently secure diamonds
in metallic holders for such purposes as sawing stone, drilling, and the
like. Attempts have been made to accomplish this object by engraving
in the holder a seat corresponding as nearly as possible in form to that
of the diamond, and then by brazing or soldering to fasten the diamond
therein, such a mode is very expensive, imperfect, and unreliable. In
use the diamond soon works loose and flies out.
A construction has also been used where the holder is of a soft
malleable metal like copper, in which the diamond has been embedded
by pressing the metal about it. This method is equally unreliable, as
such a holder fails in use to retain the diamond.
It is the aim of the present Invention to provide means whereby a
diamond or diamonds can be readily inserted, accurately fitted, and a
thoroughly secured in a metallic holder. I force the diamond into a
metallic holder while the metal is softened by heat, forming its seat
therein by such operation, and then allow the heated metal to cool
and contract upon the diamond.
In carrying my Invention into practise I prefer to place the diamond 2
between two pieces of iron (or two faces of the same piece so bent as to
bring the faces into opposition) which are then pressed firmly together
upon the diamond, and in such manner as to embed it in the pieces
(or faces), making a close joint between the pieces of metal and covering
the whole surface of the diamond. In pressing the pieces of metal å
upon the diamond the cutting point of the latter may be left exposed.
The better practise however is to envelop the diamond and afterwards
to expose the point by dressing off the metal above it.

page_text: In Figure 5 I have shewn a holder E formed from a single piece
doubled up to leave a neck e at the lower end.
G, Figure 7, represents a portion of a saw plate in which the holder F
is inserted, it is keyed therein by a pin H. In this Figure C represents
the diamond exposed for cutting.
In Figure 8 I have shown a series of diamonds inserted in a hollow
drill; I represents an iron or steel tube. At the points of insertion of
the diamonds C, C, C, C, the metal is split, as shown at J; the tube is
then heated as above. The diamonds are inserted and embedded by
forcing the tube into a dic, or by other suitable means. The diamonds,
if covered in the process of insertion, are afterwards exposed as above
specified.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. The metallic diamond holder or tool having the diamond
embedded or inserted therein, while the metal is softened by heat, as
above described.
Second. The method of inserting, fitting, and securing diamonds in
metallic holders, as above set forth.
In witness whereof I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
Witness,
ROWLAND G. BROWN,
8, Southampton Bdgs.,
London.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.8.)