IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND GETTING STONE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Betts Brown, of Rosebank Ironworks, Edinburgh,
in the County of Edinburghshire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND GETTING STONE."
Sealed the 12th April 1876, and dated the 10th February 1870
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Betts Brown at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th February 1876.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Rosebank Ironworks, Edinburgh, in the County of
Edinburghshire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND GETTING
STONE."
My Invention refers more particularly to that class of machines for cutting stones
in blocks out of quarries, and consists of an improved arrangement of apparatus by
which the jumpers or cutter bars are allowed to drop free in the stone, and can be
lifted again at any position in the cutting.
Hitherto these bars have been raised by a cam or arm catching a pin and roller,
and lifting the bar a certain height, letting it go and again catching it; this pin
however must, to preserve its relation with the cam, be shifted into higher holes in
the jumper bar as the latter descends. To obviate this I arrange on each side of
the jumper bars a pair of smooth wheels, which bear on the latter from opposite
sides. These wheels are held together by springs, so as to grip the bars sufliciently
to raise them when the wheels are caused to revolve. The periphery of the wheels
is not complete, but is cut away in one or more places to a sufficient extent to
release the bars and let them drop. The wheels are connected by gearing, so that
the bearing surfaces approach each other simultaneously, while they also let go at
the same time. These wheels are mounted on suitable shafts, the bearings of which
are arranged to approach one another with a certain elastic pressure, and both are
driven by wheels and pinions from a common steam engine.
In arranging the before-mentioned apparatus I form a cast-iron travelling carriage,
having the necessary bearings for the lifting wheels cast solid at the front end.
Immediately underneath the journals for the axle of the travelling wheels are also
cast solid. On the rear end of the frame the engine bearings and slide bars are also
cast solid. The rear axle is similarly formed to the front one, but has slotted guides,
in which axle boxes are caused to rise and fall by means of screws. Above this axle
is placed the boiler. That part of the cast-iron frame or travelling carriage between
Posion Sil
4

page_text: the two axles I form into a water tank, on the side of which I bolt the feed pump.
On the rear lifting wheel shaft I place the usual propelling gear, which consists of
bevil wheels actuating a worm shaft which gears into a worm wheel on the axle.
The bearing of this worm shaft I also form solid with the cast-iron frame.
The stone cutters or jumpers work in the front end vertically between guide
rollers, the bearings of which are also formed solid with the frame. These jumpers
cut the stone by simply falling free, and to do so to the best advantage they must
work quite perpendicularly. To effect this on rising ground it is necessary to adjust
them, and I provide screws on the rear end axle to raise and lower the end of the
carriage.
When it is necessary to work jumpers horizontally, as in cutting the face of rock,
I employ a steam cylinder pressing on the end of the jumpers in the manner of a
spring, the cylinder having sufficient stroke for the depth of cutting in the rock
required. Steam from the boiler is at all times free to enter this cylinder, while the
lifting rollers pull back the jumpers and let them go in the same manner as when
working vertically by gravitation. This arrangement is also suitable for working at
any angle which is too great for adjustment by the first-mentioned arrangement.
I make no claim for the mere arrangement of boiler, engine gearing, and jumpers
for cutting stone actuated by cams, such being already well known, but my Invention
consists in the arrangement for dropping jumpers so that they will feed continuously
to any depth, and also in the forming of all journals, sliding surfaces, and water
tank, so as to constitute a travelling carriage. My Invention also consists in the
horizontal machine, and in the application of a cylinder pressed by an elastic fluid
(such as stean) to actuate jumpers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Andrew Betts Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th August
1876.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Rosebank Ironworks, Edinburgh, in the County of
Edinburghshire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND GETTING
STONE."
My Invention refers more particularly to that class of machines for cutting stones
in blocks out of quarries, and consists of an improved arrangement of apparatus by
which the jumpers or cutter bars are allowed to drop free in the stone, and can be
lifted again at any position in the cutting.
Hitherto these bars have been raised by a cam or arm catching a pin and roller
and lifting the bar a certain height, letting it go and again catching it; this pin
however must, to preserve its relation with the cam, be shifted into higher holes in
the jumper bar as the latter descends. To obviate this I arrange on each side of
the jumper bars a pair of smooth wheels, which bear on the latter from opposite
sides. These wheels are held together by springs, so as to grip the bars sufficiently
to raise them when the wheels are caused to revolve. The periphery of the wheels
is not complete, but is cut away in one or more places to a sufficient extent to
release the bars and let them drop. The wheels are connected by gearing, so that
the bearing surfaces approach each other simultaneously, while they also let go at
the same time. These wheels are mounted on suitable shafts, the bearings of which
are arranged to approach one another with a certain elastic pressure, and both are
driven by wheels and pinions from a common steam engine.
In arranging the before-mentioned apparatus I form a cast-iron travelling carriage,
having the necessary bearings for the lifting wheels cast solid at the front end.
Immediately underneath the journals for the axle of the travelling wheels are also
cast solid. On the rear end of the frame the engine bearings and slide bars are also
cast solid. The rear axle is similarly formed to the front one, but has slotted guides,
in which axle boxes are caused to rise and fall by means of screws. Above this axle

page_text: is placed the boiler. That part of the cast-iron frame or travelling carriage between
the two axles I form into a water tank, on the side of which I bolt the feed pump.
On the rear lifting wheel shaft I place the usual propelling gear, which consists
of bevil wheels actuating a worm shaft which gears into a worm wheel on the axle.
The bearing of this worm shaft I also form solid with the cast-iron frame.
The stone cutters or jumpers work in the front end vertically between guide
rollers, the bearings of which are also formed solid with the frames. The jumpers
cut the stone by simply falling free, and to do so to the best advantage they must
work quite perpendicularly. To effect this on rising ground it is necessary to adjust
them, and I provide screws on the rear end axle to raise and lower the end of the
carriage.
When it is necessary to work jumpers horizontally, as in cutting the face of rock,
I employ a steam cylinder pressing on the end of the jumpers in the manner of a
spring, the cylinder having sufficient stroke for the depth of cutting in the rock
required. Steam from the boiler is at all times free to enter this cylinder, while the
lifting rollers pull back the jumpers and let them go in the same manner as when
working vertically by gravitation. This arrangement is also suitable for working at
any angle which is too great for adjustment by the first-mentioned arrangement.
I make no claim for the mere arrangement of boiler, engine gearing and jumpers
for cutting stone actuated by cams, such being already well known, but my Invention
consists in the arrangement for dropping jumpers so that they will feed continuously
to any depth, and also in the forming of all journals, sliding surfaces, and water
tank, so as to constitute a travelling carriage. My Invention also consists in the
horizontal machine, and in the application of a cylinder pressed by an elastic fluid
(such as steam) to actuate jumpers.
My said Invention relates to improved machinery for cutting and getting stone,
and in order that it may be properly understood I now proceed more particularly to
set forth the manner of carrying it into effect, reference being had to the annexed
Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of an
improved stone cutting machine.
A is the frame or travelling carriage, which I prefer to form of cast iron, and
which is mounted ou four railway wheels coupled in pairs by the axles shown at B¹
and B, which axles run in bearings cast in one with the frame. The hind axle B
is fitted in sliding axle boxes, which are adjusted in the frame by the screws Z at
each side of the machine. By raising or lowering the frame A by such screws the
machine is made to work level on an inclined line of railway. On the frame A the
slide bars C and cylinder bed D are cast, also the crank shaft bearing E, in one piece.
On this works an ordinary horizontal steam engine, as shewn, having on its crank
shaft F a pinion G, which gears into a spur wheel H keyed fast to the rear lifting
wheel shaft 1; this shaft runs in bearings, also cast in a piece with the frame, as
shewn. Another cog wheel J runs in gear with the wheel H, and is keyed to its
shaft K; this shaft runs in similar bearings to shaft I, but they are slotted hori-
zontally to allow the brasses to move in that direction sufficiently far to compensate
For the irregularity in thickness of the jumper bars.
Behind the shaft is a spring box I, detail of which is shewn at Fig. 3, which
contains a spring having a force of one ton, and which can be regulated by the
screw M. On each end of the shafts I and K are fitted segmental wheels O and N,
which I prefer to make of chilled cast iron; these wheels are cut away at one-half
of their circumference. The jumper bars P, P, P, three in number (which I prefer
o make entirely of steel), are square in section, and are held between guiding
ollers Q, Q, Q, Q; they have a clasp at R, which connects them together, but not
igidly, and is merely for the purpose of steadying them. When the semi-discs N
nd O are caused to revolve by the engine, which they do towards one another,

page_text: they raise the jumper bars, and when they pass the bearing part of their circum-
ference, the jumper bars are allowed to drop. When these semi-discs again approach
one another, they seize the jumper bars with the adhesion obtained from the springs
in the boxes L, and so raise them to a height due to the extent of their bearing
surface, again letting them drop. While this goes on the whole machine is propelled
forward by a cog wheel B, which is keyed on the axle of the wheels B₁ Upon that
axle a lever T vibrates, which carries on it a paul U, having a double claw formed
on it for reversing. The lever T is connected by a rod V to the crank pin W in the
semi-disc O; this connecting rod can be moved into different positions lengthways
in the lever, so as to take one or more teeth in the cog wheel. Another fixed
reversible paul X is attached to the frame to retain hold of any progressive move-
ment given by the paul U with its lever T. In this way for different descriptions
of stone a variable feed can be obtained.
The boiler Y is placed at one side of the engine over the rear axle, as shewn.
Immediately under the boiler is placed the water tank, which is formed in the cast-
iron frame, as shewn.
When it is desired to work these jumpers horizontally or at such angles that they
cannot be actuated by gravitation, I use the arrangement shewn in Figure 2, which
is in plan. The jumper bars are propelled at N, O, and guiding rollers at Q, Q, Q, Q.
Another set of broad rollers R, R, however are placed underneath, which carry up
the weight of the jumper bars; these bars are propelled forward by a constant
pressure of steam passing in from the boiler at the pipe S, and acting upon the
piston T working in the cylinder U, the front of the piston at X being open to the
atmosphere. The piston rod V is attached to the jumper bars by a joint and cross
links W, while it is guided upon side bars, as shewn. The seini-discs N and ◇ are
actuated by a steam engine and gearing precisely similar to that illustrated in
Figure 1, with similar travelling gear for propelling the horizontal jumper arrange-
ment along the face of the rock. In this arrangement of steam cylinder I may also
use to propel the jumpers a vacuum in the front side of the cylinder at X when it is
not convenient to use steam through the pipe S.
The elevation, Figure 1, is precisely similar in arrangement at the other side so far
as jumpers and lifting gear are concerned, and although I prefer the variable feed
ratchet gear the ordinary worm wheel feed may be used.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, what I claim is,
1st. The arrangement of semi-discs for lifting jumper bars, as herein-before
described.
2nd. The use of a steam or vacuum cylinder for actuating horizontal or inclined
jumper bars.
3rd. The general arrangement of machine, the frame forming bearings, slide bars,
water tank, &c., with variable travelling motion, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN. (L.S.)