IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CUTTING AND SHEARING OF ROCKS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREFOR.”
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Brown, of Cathcart, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Quarry Master, and William Morgan, of Kilwinning, in the
County of Ayr, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CUTTING AND SHEARING OF ROCKS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREFOR.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Brown and William
Morgan at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July 1878.
FRANCIS BROWN, of Cathcart, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Quarry
Master, and WILLIAM MORGAN, of Kilwinning, in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CUTTING AND SHEARING OF Rocks,
AND IN THE MACHINERY OR MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
This Invention has reference to the cutting or shearing of the rocks in quarries,
that is, making the deep narrow vertical cuts or grooves down from the top surface,
right down from, and either at right angles to or parallel with the face, for the
splitting or separating and subsequent removal of the separated block or mass from
the solid rock, by a new or improved mode and means, or construction, arrangement,
and motion of the tools or cutters, and improved construction of a portable machine
or arrangement of mechanism for working the said cutting tools; whereby much
time and labour will be saved in quarrying, as compared with the modes and means
heretofore used.
The nature and novelty of the Invention consist particularly in arranging one,
two, or more strong vertical cutting bars, preferably square and chisel pointed, so
as not to turn round as such tools or jumpers. have done heretofore, to work in
corresponding deep or upper and lower guides for each at some little distance apart,
all in a straight line or vertical plane, preferably on a portable raising and lowering
frame carrying the mechanism for moving and striking the cutters, all as will be
herein-after mentioned.

page_text: Each cutting tool is broadened out chisel-wise at the lower cutting end, preferably
with the angle or bevel all on the back side like chisels or mortising irons, each
chisel taking its cut on a different level plane in the groove as they are advanced
simultaneously with and on the carrying guide frame; each tool being carried up
by a double-armed lever fulcrumed on a cross spindle on the frame.
This portable or raising and lowering tool-carrying and guide frame also carrries
the transverse shaft of the double-armed lever of a hammer oscillating on it over
the top of each tool, preferably with a spiral or other spring, which assists in
pulling or pressing it down, in addition to the force of gravitation, the lever of
each hammer being raised by a double-acting or armed cam mounted on a transverse
shaft in the same frame, depressing the back arm of each hammer lever and raising
the front arm of the levers and hammers gently and allow them to fall instantly,
twice for each revolution of the shaft and cams, the same cams acting on the back
arm of the carrying or raising lever of each chisel or mortise iron, so as to raise
then quickly after each blow of the hammer and cut of the chisels, so that the
whole frame and set of chisels may be fed forward in or parallel over the groove
for a fresh cut by the whole set of chisels. This raising and lowering frame is
carried in slide guides in the strong frame of a portable four-wheeled carriage
running on rails on a frame or sleepers laid or secured on the top of the rock
parallel to the groove to be cut. This carriage frame also carries the driving or
first-motion crank shaft, driven either by hand or by a small motive steam engine
or cylinders, all preferably carried on the frame of the carriage at the opposite end
to the cutting chisels, and parallel to the cam driving shaft, so as to balance the
weight on the carriage and actuate the cam shaft by spur wheels on each shaft
through an intermediate wheel gearing into both, carried on a shifting fixing stud
in a segmental slot in the frame, concentric to the first-motion shaft, so as to bo
shifted into fresh gear with the wheel on the cam shaft each time the frame
carrying the tools and their actuating levers and cam shaft is lowered in the carriage
frame, at each fresh traverse thereof, to the end of the slot or groove being made in
the rock, for the commencement of a fresh traverse and cut.
The tool and cam frame is carried in its guides at each side of the carriage frame,
and raised and lowered by vertical screw spindles working in deep nuts secured to
the slide parts of the raising and lowering frame, both screw spindles being turned
simultaneously by one cross shaft and bevel wheels to each; with a crank handle
on this shaft for lowering the frame by hand or automatically through the screws
at each fresh longitudinal cut of the tools and traverse of the carriage.
The carriage is fed forward intermittently at a slow speed after each vertical
cut of the new or improved arrangement or set of chisels or mortising irons, just
after they have been raised by the cams acting on the back end of their raising
levers, by an eccentric or crank mounted on the cam shaft with double crank pins
and corresponding connecting rods and differential acting ratchet levers working in
the same or separate ratchet wheels secured on a screw or worm shaft carried in
bearing brackets on the ünder side of the carriage. The strong screw or worm on
this shuft works into a screw rack fixed on the frame carrying the rails, or on a
separate sleeper secured on the top of the rock below the centre of the carriage.
The eccentric pins and ratchet levers are set so as to feed the carriage forward
after each cut of the tools, and the amount of feed or step forward is regulated by
the throw of the ratchet levers which are each formed with a number of pin holes
for shifting and fixing the joint pins at the free end of their actuating eccentric
connecting rods into, so as to give the desired throw of the ratchet lever and feed
forward of the carriage after each cut of the chisels or mortise irons.
Or instead of this screw and screw rack motion for feeding forward the carriage,
spur wheels might be fixed on one of the axles of the carriage, working into
corresponding toothed racks secured on the rail frame or sleepers, and having this
shaft actuated by a ratchet wheel and cranks and levers, substantially as herein
before described.

page_text: By another arrangement instead of using a spiral or other spring for increasing
the force and quick downward action or stroke of the hammer or cutting tool, air-
compressing cylinders with pistons might be fitted over each hammer lever or
cutting bar, so as to be connected to the piston rod of its corresponding air
cylinder, and which would be each raised and let go by its actuating cam as before
described, or direct by antifriction rollers on the levers or on the cutter bars.
Or otherwise, the hammers or cutting bars or chisels might be wholly forced down
by the direct action of steam or compressed air above the piston of a cylinder or a
revolving mechanical motion, as by cranks or cams, and be raised after each blow
or cut by springs or a confined cushion of elastic fluid below the piston, as of air or
steam.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Brown and William. Morgan in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th January 1879.
FRANCIS BROWN, of Cathcart, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Quarry
Master, and WILLIAM MORGAN, of Kilwinning, in the County of Ayr, North Britain,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CUTTING AND SHEARING OF ROCKS, AND IN
THE MACHINERY OR MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Our said Invention has reference to the cutting or "shearing" of the rocks in
quarries, that is, making the deep, narrow, vertical cuts or grooves down from the
top surface right down from and either at right angles to or parallel with the face
of the rock or quarry; for the splitting or separating and subsequent removal of the
large separated block or mass from the solid rock by a new or improved mode and
means of doing so, or by improved constructions, arrangement, and motion of the tools
or cutters, and improved construction of a portable machine or arrangement of
mechanism for working the said cutting tools, whereby much time and labour will
be saved in quarrying as compared with the modes and means heretofore used for
that purpose.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing or putting our said
Invention into effect or practice may be properly understood, we shall now proceed
to describe the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings which we have hereunto
appended for that purpose, the same reference letters indicating the same or like
parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 are a front and end elevation, and Figure 3 a plan of a quarrying
or rock-cutting machine, all constructed in accordance with and illustrative of one
modification of our said Invention and mode and means of or combination of
mechanism for carrying the same into effect or practice; and Figures 4, 5, and 6
show examples of three forms of cutting points a or tools proper detached from their
working holders A, and which we have found best suited for the cutting of freestone,
but other forms of tools might be used for this and for harder stone.
Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the nature, novelty, and mode of performing our said
Invention consist particularly in arranging one, two, or more strong vertical reci-
procating bars or tool holders A with their cutting tools a, shown detached in
Figures 4, 5, and 6, preferably of a straight or mortise chisel-pointed construction,
so as not to turn round as stone-cutting tools or jumpers have done heretofore, to
work in corresponding deep or upper and lower guides B, B¹, for each at some little
distance apart, all in a straight line or vertical plane, in a guide frame B¹¹, secured
to the front side face of a longitudinal traversing carriage C, made of malleable iron
or strong cast iron, to support the whole working mechanism of the machine, carried
on six pair of wheels c, c', mounted by their axles on bearing brackets C secured to
the under side of the frame C, and running on rails d on a wooden frame of longi-
tudinal beams and transverse sleepers D, D¹, bedded level and secured on the top
surface of the rock Z, to run parallel with the two tool holders over the line where
the groove in the rock is to be cut.
The first motion or main driving crank or cam shaft E is mounted in bearings F¹
on the top raising and lowering sliding end frames F, secured together by trans-
verse stay bars F, and raised and lowered as one frame by vertical screw spindles f
working in journal bearings in the lower part of the strong guide standards or side
frames G, secured to and projecting up from the front and back ends of the carriage
C; but for simple forms of machines the end frames F need not reciprocate up and
down, but might themselves be fixed to the carriage below, and so as to act as and
dispense with the side frames G.
The shaft E has mounted on its outer ends fly wheels E', by which it is shown
driven in this case by hand cranks E¹¹; in these, the inen standing on the cross plat-

page_text: forms C, secured to the ends of the carriage C by knee frames C11, when they
actuate the crank handle fly wheels and the first motion shaft; but this shaft might
be driven by a small motive steam engine or cylinders, all preferably carried, when
used, on the frame C of the carriage at the opposite side, as at Cx, to the cutting
chisels, and parallel to the cam driving shaft E, so as to balance the weight on the
carriage and actuate the cam shaft by spur wheels on each shaft through an inter-
mediate wheel gearing into both, carried on a shifting fixing stud in a segmental
slot in the frame concentric to the first motion shaft, or other equivalent gearing, as
may be desired, all so as to be shifted into fresh gear with the wheel on the cam
shaft E each time the frame F, carrying the tools and their actuating levers and
cam shaft E, is lowered in the carriage frame E, C, at each fresh traverse thereof to
the end of the slot or groove z, being made in the rock Z, for the commencement of
a fresh traverse and cut.
2
The cam shaft frames F, F¹, are raised and lowered simultaneously by vertical
screw spindles f, working in deep nuts at f', secured to the central slide parts of the
raising and lowering frame F, both screw spindles being turned simultaneously by
one shaft through bevel wheels f¹¹¹ & f3 on each, Icarried in bearing brackets f
on the under side of the carriage C respectively by a crank handle shipped on the
square end of the shaft f" for lowering the frame F through these screws f by hand,
or it might be automatically, at each fresh longitudinal cut of the tools and traverse
of the carriage in or over their cut groove z.
The frame F, which carries the cam shaft E, also carries all the moving and
striking mechanism actuated by this shaft, which also actuates the traversing
mechanism of the carriage, all as will herein-after be described.
As shown in the edge and side views in Figures 4, 5, and 6, the cutting tools are
preferred to be made of a broad or chisel shape across the cutting edge or face, and
widest below and narrow above, so as to give clearance in the groove when cut for the
tools to rise and fall easily; that shown in Figure 4 is made straight on the one side to
the cutting edge a¹, and curved or bevelled from that upwards on the back side, like
joiners' chisels or mortise irons; but that shown in Figure 5 is rounded or bevelled
on both sides to the cutting edge a¹ formed across near the centre of the tool, as for
harder stone, or to be used in the deeper parts of the groove being cut; and Figure 6
shows a modification of the tool shown in Figure 5, showing the cutting edge a¹, with
a split or recess up the centre, dividing the cutting edge a¹ into two, the one stepped
in advance of the other. The upper part of these tools a are formed of square steel,
but they might be made of other polygonal or round bar steel, with securing stems
at the top a for being fixed by a pinching screw a³, or otherwise; in the sockets A¹
in the lower ends of their carrying and actuating bars A, and preferably of various
lengths to be changed, and longer ones to be substituted for them every few inches,
as from three to five inches, as the groove z is cut and sunk in the stone Z, and the
shorter ones might be made broadest to make the groove widest at the top for
clearance.
Two actuating carrying bars and cutting tools A, a, only are shown as mounted
in a set in this machine, the tools a cutting on different planes in the groove z, the
advanced one on the plane above the second in whichever direction the machine is
traversing, as it and the tools are advanced simultaneously and intermittently.
Each tool a being carried up by the forked arm H of a lever H, H', mounted on
the strong cross stay Ell of the frame F, the fork end H of the lever working in a
collar groove h just under the striking head A" of the tool holder A.
The portable or raising and lowering tool carrying and guide frame F also carries
the transverse shaft I of a double-armed lever J, J', of a hammer J" secured on the
. end of the long arms J, and oscillating on it over the top of the striking head A" of
each tool holder A, preferably with a spiral or other spring j which assists in
pulling it down, or it might be a spring pressing it down in addition to the force of
the gravitation or weight of the hammer and lever J, J". The lever of each
hammer is raised by a double-acting or armed cam K mounted on the shaft.E, so as

page_text: to depress the back arm J' of. each hammer lever, and raise the front arm of the
lever and hammer gently, and allow it to fall instantly, twice for each revolution of
the shaft E and cam K. A strong lateral pin k is secured in each cam K, and acts
on the back arm H¹ of the carrying or raising levers H, H', of each chisel or mortise
iron holder A, so as to raise it quickly after each blow of the hammer and cut of
the chisels, and let them down again before the hammer falls to strike it, each half
revolution of the shaft E, so that the whole frame and set of chisels may be fed
forward a short distance with the carriage C in a parallel line over the groove z
after each blow down, ready for each fresh cut by the set of chisels, which is two in
this case.
After each said vertical cut of the new or improved arrangement or set of
mortising irons A, a, and while they have been raised by their levers H, H, and
cam pins k, as described, the carriage C with the whole actuating gearing on it is
fed forward intermittently, or step by step, ready for the next stroke of the
hammers and cutters, by a double set of eccentric or cam tappet pins / and l¹ for the
forward and backward traverse of the carriage; these as they come round at
the proper time press
out their respective motive levers 11, 12, jointed at their lower
ends to the frame C, and projecting up on the back and front of the tools and
.shafts with springs for holding them in working position, these levers 11, 12,
being each coupling differentially by the connecting rods to their respective
ratchet levers, 13. The rows of connecting holes in these levers affording a simple
means of linking the connecting rods 1, so as to give any length of stroke or feed
to the ratchet levers 11 or 13 desired, or the acting eccentric or tappet pins or l¹
may be lengthened or shortened to effect this. The levers 111, 13, are forked at their
lower ends formed with eyes by which they embrace their respective forward and
back feed ratchet wheels i, 2, and oscillated on the ratchet wheel feed shaft L,
carried and working in bush bearing brackets L' secured to and projecting down
under the carriage frame C. A bevel wheel L" on the one end of the ratchet wheel
shaft L gears into a corresponding bevel wheel L2, keyed on the inner end of the
shaft c¹ of two of the carriage wheels c', so as to traverse the carriage backwards or
forwards by the two spur wheels c² on the shaft c¹¹, working in the racks c³ on the
foundation frame D, D', by the action of the said ratchet lever mechanism. Each
ratchet wheel i, ', has its actuating pawl i¹¹ fulcrumed over it in the fork of
its levers 111, 78, and a holding pawl 2 fulcrummed on the frame C in front of it,
and having lateral pins 11 and in them with an engaging and disengaging lever
or fitted under them for lifting either set of pawls out of action when the
other is feeding, or both sets out of action when the machine is not desired to be
fed either forwards or backwards, by setting them on their raised holders j², j³.
Either actuating ratchet lever mechanism may thus be put in gear by lowering its
hand lever or j¹, thus for feeding the machine forward to the left in the
<direction indicated by the arrows in Figures 1 and 3, the hand lever ¹¹ is let down
to put down the pawls ¹ of the ratchet wheel i into gear and action, which moves
the carriage C forward through the lever 1, 1, each time one of the two tappet
pins comes round, that is, twice for each revolution of the shaft E, while the
cutters and hammers are held up as before stated.
After each traverse of the carriage and set of cutters to the end of the slot or
groove z, being cut in the rock Z, the handles and 11 are changed, the one as j¹¹
which was down before, is set up on to its holder j³, and the other, j", which was
up is lowered, when the machine will traverse in the reverse direction to the arrows
in Figures 1 and 3, and so on alternately, each time the cutters A, a, reach the end
of the slot z, being cut, the shorter cutters a being changed for longer ones fixed
in the sockets A of their actuating or lifting force-transmitting bars A when
struck, as the groove gets deepened, and the previous cutters can reach no further
down, the bars A only having a limited amount of action and clearance above their
guide frame B without getting out of the proper range of their actuating cams;
other means of fixing the cutters a to their actuating bars A might be adopted to

page_text: prevent this frequent changing of the cutters a by making them longer, and passing
them down through strong open sockets projecting from the front of the bars A,
and fixed thereto by strong pinching screws or taper screw sockets.
Instead of the bevel wheels L", L2, and duplex spur wheels and racks c², c³, for
traversing the carriage as described, a coarse pitched screw might be used, mounted
on a longitudinal shaft, as L, and geared into a corresponding toothed or pitched
screw rack, fixed on the upper side of one of the longitudinal sleepers D of the
foundation frame, the shaft of the screw being worked by tappets or cams, and
ratchet levers and wheels, or friction clutches thrown in and out of gear, or seg-
mental toothed or star wheels for quicker intermittent action when desired, or other
equivalent feeding arrangements may be used instead of those described, such as
used for the turning of the tables of rivet and brick or other clay-compressing
machines.
And although the machine herein described and shown as traversed on wheels and
rails, it will be understood that it might be traversed on a slide frame, as iron and
wood planing machines generally are, when this is preferred.
The spiral springs ; when used are preferred to be made strong enough to be
attached at such an angle to the bammer lever H, and to a cross bar j¹, or other
equivalent of the frame F, as will give them less motion than the arc of the lever,
and consequently a more equal force and less difference of strain on the spring; or
other forms of drawing and forcing springs might be used.
Or, otherwise, instead of using a spring for increasing the force and quick down-
ward action or stroke of the hammer J or cutting tool A, a, an air-compressing
cylinder with piston might be fitted over each hammer lever H, J, or over the
cutting bar A, which would be connected to the piston rod of its corresponding air
cylinder, which lever J or bar A would be raised and let go by its actuating cam K,
as before described; or direct by antifriction rollers on the lever J or on the
bars A, lengthened or made with lateral arms or studs for the purpose; in either
case the hammer would get the whole of the compressed air in addition to the
gravitation to force the cutter down.
Or, otherwise, the hammers J" or cutting bars and chisels A, a, might be wholly
forced down by the direct action of steam or compressed air above the piston of a
close cylinder, or by a mechanical motion, as by cranks or cans, and be raised after
each blow or cut by springs or a confined cushion of elastic fluid below the piston
in the cylinder, as of air or steam.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the saine, we have to state that we do not confine ourselves to the precise
details hercin described or delineated, but what we consider novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The general construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of
a quarrying machine for the cutting and "shearing" of rocks, with one, two, or
more cutters, as a, or cutters and their actuating bars, as A, a, worked chisel or
mortise wise, and traversed intermittently backwards and forwards over the vertical
line or plane of the part of the rock to be cut, all substantially as described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
Second. The construction and adaptation of one, two, or more cutters, as a, or
cutters and their actuating bars A, a, worked chisel or mortise wise, and traversed
backwards and forwards on or with a quarrying machine, or over the vertical plane
of the part of rock to be cut, all for the cutting and "shearing" thereof, sub-
stantially as described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or
any mere modification thereof.
Third. The construction and use of cutting tools, as a, Figures 4, 5, and 6, with
their cutting points made like chisels or mortising irons (not for being turned
round as jumpers), but for being traversed to and fro in a vertical position for the

page_text: cutting of long vertical slots or grooves for the shearing of rocks, all substantially
as berein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or
any mere modification thereof,
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Brown, on behalf of the said William
Morgan and myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth
day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-nine.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
FRANCIS BROWN. (L.S.)