Improvements in Glass Grinding and Polishing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1899--Accepted, 20th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Glass Grinding and Polishing Machines.
I, PHILLIP SEMMER, Inventor, residing in the Borough of Irwin, County of
Westmoreland,. State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in machines for
grinding and polishing and its object is to reduce the time necessary for operating
upon the glass and consequently to decrease the cost of production; and to that
end it consists in the combination with a rotary table arranged to receive the
article to be treated, of rubbers mounted over the table and arranged to reciprocate
in straight lines in contact with said article, and actuating connections arranged
to move at least one of the rubbers in one direction and another simultaneously
in the opposite direction during the revolving of the table.
Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification
and in which like characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of my improved machine with a part of the frame
broken away.
Fig. 2, is an end elevation thereof partly broken away, and-
Fig. 3, is an enlarged elevation of a modified form of guide roller.
In the drawings, A represents a rectangular, oblong bed-frame mounted upon
a suitable foundation, B, and provided at one end with standards, C, and at the
other end with large main standards, D, the said standards, C, and D), being
rigidly secured to the bed frame and provided with vertical slots in which slide
bearings, E, which are vertically adjustable by means of the screws, F, having
their flat heads, G, swiveled in the under parts of said bearings and with their
lower ends passing through housings, H, where they have threaded thereon beveled
wheels, I.
The four bevel wheels, I, are geared together by means of bevel wheels, J,
mounted on the longitudinal and transverse shafts, K, which are journaled in the
sides of the housings, H, the said bevel wheels, J, of each housing intermeshing
and one of the same meshing with the bevel wheel, I, of that housing. A hand
wheel, L, is mounted on a short shaft, M, journaled in the end of the bed-frame
through one of the housings. H, and is adapted to operate this adjusting system
by means of its bevel wheel, N, meshing with the bevel wheel, I, of that housing;
thus when the hand wheel, L, is revolved it sets in operation the shafts K, with
their bevel wheels J, which in turn revolve the bevel wheels I, to raise or lower
the bearings E, which are by this means adjusted simultaneously and to the same
degree.
In the standards, D, is journaled the crank shaft, 0, provided with a number
of cranks, P, (in this instance four) each located at on analit
1

page_text: each having journaled thereon a pitman, Q, extending to about midway of its
rubber-beam, where it is pivoted to such abrasion bar or beam, R. Said beams
or bars extend longitudinally across the machine and have their ends, S, reduced
in width and made of a dove-tail shape in cross section to slide upon guide
rollers, T, loosely mounted on shafts U, which are located at either end of the
machine and are carried by the bearings E. Each guide roller, T, is provided
at its ends with annular bevel flanges, V, to closely fit the inclined edges of the
dove-tailed ends, S, and guide the beam in its longitudinally reciprocating move-
ment, and at the same time prevent lateral displacement. In place of the rollers
with double inclined flanges as above, I may employ a modification thereof_as
shown in Fig. 3, in which the roller, T, is provided with a single central annular
Hange, V, rectangular in cross section, which is adapted to enter a longitudinal
slot W, in the bottom of the abrasion bar, R, with the edges of the said bar bearing
on the projecting hubs, X, of the guide roller.
On the under side of the abrasion bars, R, I secure downwardly extending
lugs, Y, so as to form rectangular interstices for the reception of the blocks, Y₁,
of abrasive or polishing material, as shown in Fig. 1.
At about the center of the frame is secured a vertical post, Z, having a rounded
upper end, and about which is mounted a circular platform, a, resting on a
bearing, b, and provided on the under side of its periphery with inclined teeth, c,
and on the upper part thereof with an annular flange, d. A horizontal circular
table, e, has its central hub, f, passed over the rounded end of the post, Z, to rest
on top of the platform, a, and the depending ring, h, of the table also rests upon
the top of the platform within the frame d. The table being secured to the plat-
form.
A gear wheel, i, is mounted on the crank shaft 0, and meshes with a gear
wheel, journaled in the bed-frame, and carrying a bevel wheel k, which wheel
meshes with the bevel wheel, l, mounted on one end of the counter-shaft m, which
is journaled in the frame and provided at its other end with a bevel pinion, n,
meshing with the inclined teeth of the platform a.
In operation the sheets or plates of glass are cemented or otherwise secured on
the table while the abrasion bars are in their elevated position, and power is
applied to the crank shaft 0, by any suitable motor, when the abrasion bars are
reciprocated in straight horizontal lines, being guided by their rollers, and the
hand wheel, L, is turned to lower the bearings E, until the abrasion blocks come
in contact with the upper surface of the glass, the table in the meantime being
revolved by the counter-shaft m, driven by the bevel wheels k, and 7. As the
glass is worn away the abrasion bars are gradually lowered by means of the hand
wheel. Polishing blocks may then be substituted for the abrasion blocks to give
the glass the proper finish.
It will be noted that the abrasion or rubbing beams reciprocate in straight lines
and the rubbers secured thereto are correspondingly moved in straight lines across
the rotating table, there being no horizontal or lateral movement of the rubbers
relatively to their supporting beams.
This peculiar combination is found to give a rapid and efficient cutting or
abrading action, while the moving of the beams simultaneously in opposite
directions relatively to each other assists in this abrading action and prevents
any tendency to tip the rotary glass carrying table.
Many variations in the form and arrangement of the table, the beams, and the
means for actuating them may be made within the scope of my invention as
defined in the claim.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The combination with a revolving table arranged to receive the article to be
treated, of rubbers mounted over the table and arranged to reciprocate in straight

page_text: lines in contact with said article, and actuating connections arranged to move
at least one of the rubbers in one direction and another simultaneously in the
opposite direction during the revolving of the table.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.