Improvements in and Connected with Machines for Cutting Stone, Marble, and the like.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 13th Sept., 1887.
COME DELM DEBOLNICATION.
Improvements in and Connected with Machines for Cutting Stone,
Marble, and the like.
I, JAMES WALL MALOY of Summerville in the County of Middlesex and State of
Massachusetts United States of America, Patentee do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to machines for cutting stone, marble, slate and like materials,
and consists of certain means fully set forth hereinafter for the purpose of dividing
blocks or slabs of such material upon straight or curved lines.
The first part of the invention consists of mechanism for sawing slabs and blocks
upon parallel lines simultaneously, and is illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings
in which :-
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the saws in a machine
embodying my improvements.
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the saw driving mechanism.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a complete machine.
Fig. 4 an end elevation.
Fig. 5 a transverse sectional elevation.
Fig. 6 a section on the line 1-2, Fig. 3.
Fig. 7 a plan view.
Different appliances may be used for securing the desired movement of the blades,
for instance modifications of any of the usual parallel motions, but I prefer the
construction illustrated by the diagram Fig. 1, in which A represents the frame,
B, B, the suspension links, and C, C, levers from the outer ends of which the links
are suspended. With these I combine a crank wheel D, and pitman E, or other
appliances, for imparting reciprocation to the frame, and a cam F, or other device
which will depress the inner ends of the levers as the links swing from the position a,
or a', to the position b, and lift said ends as the links swing back from 6 to a, or a¹,
thereby causing the connection pivots, to travel on the horizontal lines a-a. The
cam is constructed to arrest the motions of the levers after the pivot a passes points a
or a', when it will travel in a curve to the positions e orf and the frame will be lifted
or depressed.
By this arrangement, the blades starting from an elevated position move forward

page_text: and downward until the pivots are at a or a¹, when the edges of the blades are
against the stone, the blades then move horizontally in contact with the stone, and
cut the same and then rise as the pivot passes from a or a', to e or f, thereby permitting
the sand to fall into the kerf prior to the back action of the blade, in which like
movements take place. I thus cause the blades to traverse horizontally during the
entire cutting action on the stone.
In many instances the complete movement of the blades from a to a¹ is necessary to
wholly crush the sand admitted to the kerf by the lifting of the blade, but there are
instances where the sand is erushed by a shorter motion. In such cases the blades
should be lifted momentarily at intervals while they are travelling in their horizontal
course thus permitting a fresh supply of sand to pass beneath the blades at each lift.
Thus if the distance from a to a¹ is five feet, and a travel of one foot is sufficient to
crush the sand admitted by the lifting of the blades, the cam F is provided on each
side with four narrow projections which after the blades have travelled one foot
horizontally, lift them suddenly and let them fall, to permit a fresh supply of sand to
fall into the kerf, repeating this after each foot of motion until the blades are lifted at
the termination of the stroke.
It is desirable to drive gangs of saws at high rates of speed, but this has been found
impossible when the saws are arranged in gangs as usual, as the resistance at different
parts of the rotation of the crank wheel is unequal and the rapid motions result in
sudden shocks and violent strains. Thus when the frame A is moving the blades in
contact with the stone there is a great resistance to the revolution of the crank wheel D,
but when the blades pass from the stone and until on the return motion they again
are brought upon it--this resistance is removed and the driving shaft then acquires a
rapid motion which is suddenly retarded as the blades again encounter the stone-
and if the revolution of the shaft is rapid the sudden changes in the resistance
produce disastrous effects. The same effect results if other driving means than the
crank wheels are used as cams.
These evil results may be avoided (or very much diminished) by arranging the
crank pin of the second set of sawframes driven by shaft k, at right angles to that of
the first set. By this arrangement as one set of saws would be at the middle of its
stroke whilst the other would be passing its dead centre, a more uniform stress on
shaft would be secured accompanied of course by greater steadiness in the action of
the machine. This action is illustrated in the diagram Fig. 2 in which the two
suspended frames A, A¹ are connected by pitmen E, E¹, to crank pins d, d', set at
right angles to one another.
If it be only desired to reduce the vibration of the machine caused by the momentum
of the reciprocating parts, then the crank pins d and d¹ should be placed diametrically
opposite to each other.
For the sake of compactness the two gangs carried by the frames A, A, may be
arranged so that the blades of one gang will alternate with those of the other as will
be understood from the description of the machine itself hereinafter.
In ordinary stone sawing machines there must be two foundations, one for the bed
of the main frame supporting the stone and sawing frames, and the other for the bed
of the pedestal supporting the bearings of the driving shaft, and this arrangement
results in the loss of room as the pitman is long and the pedestal must be a consider-
able distance from the main frame. To avoid this, I support the driving shaft on and
above the main frame, so that one foundation serves for both, while no more room is
required than is occupied by the main frame. Any suitable connections may be
employed for driving the frame or frames A, A', from the upper driving shaft, as
levers, belts, etc., but I prefer the arrangement which I will hereinafter fully
describo.
་
In the machine shown in Figs. 3 to 7, the letters A, A, B, B¹, C, C, F, D, E, E¹, h, x,
represent the parts heretofore referred to. G is the base plate; H, H, side frames,
and I, I, cross bars supported at the ends by vertical screw rods J, J, which turn in
bearings of the side frames, said cross bars serving to support the links B, B', which
are hung thereto, and pivoted to the two frames A, A', one arranged above the other.

page_text: The frame A carries brackets g that support saws k, and the frame A¹ carries
brackets intermediate with the brackets g and supporting saws k¹, the saws of the
two gangs being side by side. The two frames are reciprocated horizontally by
means of two cams N, N, carried by frames K, K', sliding on guides m, m, and to each
of which is connected one of the pitmen, each cam having two cross grooves w, 201
receiving respectively two studs v, v, at the sides of the frames A, A', so that as the
frames K, K, rise and fall the frames A, A', will be reciprocated horizontally in
opposite directions.
In order that the actions of the two frames A, A', may be alike, the links, B, B',
must be of the same length, and the cross bars I, I, are therefore cranked, the more
elevated portion affording bearings for the links of the upper frame, and the lower
portion constituting bearings for the links of the lower frame, see Figs. 4 and 5.
The before described lifting and lowering of the links to insure the travel of the
frames A, A', in horizontal lines, while the saws are cutting, is effected by raising and
lowering the screw rods J, J, by vibrating the levers C, C, by cams F, and springs s,
but as the screw bars must be turned to feed the bars 1, 1, downward as the stone is
cut, each rod J, is connected to the lever C, by a jointed connection L, which permits
the screw portion to be revolved, without affecting its connection with the levers.
,
It
As the frame supports, and frames are fed downward, the cams N, N, that recipro-
cate the frames, must be moved in like manner, which is effected by connecting the
cams movably to the frames K, K'. Thus each cam has a stud n, through which
extends a tubular screw sleeve p, carried by and turning in bearings of the frame K,
and a feathered rod P* extends through the sleeve and is turned at the same rate as
the screw rods J, so as to turn the screw sleeve and feed the cams downward.
will be obvious that different means may be used to effect the revolution of the screw
rods J and P; I have shown shafts Q, provided with bevel gears p², p³, p³, engaging
with similar gears 9; 7', 7, the gears 7, secured to the rods P³, and the rods J, passing
through the gears q', and having feathers adapted to said gears so that the rods can
slide in and be turned by the gears which revolve in bearings of the frame. The
shafts Q, are turned by any suitable means, as by pawls qỗ, hung to the levers C, and
engaging with ratchets t on the shafts Q.
The saw frames may be weighted to secure any desired pressure.
It will be evident that most of the devices above described may be used with a
single frame and one gang of saws if desired.
The second part of the invention relates to means for cutting slabs and blocks upon
curved lines and is illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, in which
Fig. 8 is a face view of the slab.
Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of a machine illustrating my invention, and
Fig. 10 is a plan of Fig. 9.
In the ordinary course of manufacturing tomb-stones and in imparting curved or
rounded ends to slabs of marble or stone, it is common to cut away that portion of
the slab which is beyond the curved edge imparted by the cutting operation, for
instance, the slab to be operated upon is marked with a curved or other line near one
end according to the form of edge desired, and the portion beyond this line is chipped
away and wasted, the operation requiring to be done by hand. If it then be desired
to impart an ornamental form to the edge, this is done by hand or by means of suitable
tools to reduce it to an ogee or other desired shape.
In order to avoid the objections incident to this mode of manufacturing such
articles, I saw each slab by means of a reciprocating curved saw, consisting of one or
more blades or other suitable tool, so as to cut the slab upon a curved line without
injury to the portion beyond said line, which may be thereafter formed of such shape
as may be desired, thereby utilizing instead of wasting it, and when the edge is to be
ornamental, I use a cutter tool of such construction as will impart the desired form to
the edge in the act of separating the terminal portion from the body of the slab.
Different apparatus may be used in carrying out this mode of manufacture, that
shown in Figs. 9 and 10 being effective and being intended to effect the cutting
operations by means of a reciprocating tool.

page_text: B is the bed plate of the machine, which supports an overhanging arm C, termi-
nating in a circular head a, from the centre of which a pin b projects upward through
the hub c of a vibrating arm D.
At the end of the arm D, is a curved bearing d, to which are bolted a series of thin
cutting blades e, constituting a curved cutter tool E, and the lower edges of which are
adapted to bear upon the slab A, which is secured to the bed B, by means of clamps g,
or otherwise.
The blades e are curved to correspond to a circle of which the pin b is the centre,
and the arm D is reciprocated upon the pin while the lower edges of the cutting
blades are in contact with the slab, so that the latter is gradually cut upon a curved
line corresponding to the curve of the blades, and by adjusting the blades to different
heights, as shown, an ornamental form may be imparted to the edge at the same time
that the cut is made. By this means the portion separated from the slab is not
injured so that it can be rendered available for other purposes, while an ornamental
form is imparted to the edge of the slab at the same time it is cut, thereby avoiding
any subsequent operation for this purpose. Any desired means may be employed for
reciprocating the arm D, for instance, it may be connected to a rod F, the opposite
end of which receives the wrist pin upon a driving disc G, to which a rotary motion
is imparted from a belt or otherwise.
In order to facilitate the cutting operations it is advisable to introduce fresh sand con-
stantly beneath the edges of the cutters. To effect this I lift the cutter tool at intervals
to permit the sand to How down within the kerf. One means of lifting the cutter is to
provide the head a, and the hub e, with lugs or projections s, t, t, which are brought in
contact and carried one over the other as the arm completes its movement in one
direction, the arm being thereby lifted with its cutters for the purpose described, but
only for a moment, the cutters resuming their position in the notch as the arm swings
back.
It will be evident that instead of using curved blades, any suitable cutting tool
capaple of forming a curved groove in the slab as it travels in contact therewith in a
curved path may be employed.
In the above described mechanisms, plain edge metal saws or cutters may be
employed, but in some cases it is desirable to use cutting points as diamonds, bort, etc.,
and for this purpose I have contrived a means for setting or securing such cutting
points to the blades, as illustrated in Figs. 11, 12 and 13, in which :-
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of part of a circular holder, showing a socket and a
stone set in place.
Fig. 12 is a view showing a socketed bar and illustrating the progressive steps in
setting a stone, and-
Fig. 13 shows a stone set in the end of a bar holder.
The blade rod, bar or stock A, in which the diamond or diamonds must be set, differ
in shape according to the purposes to which the cutters are to be applied, and do not
necessarily differ from those in common use.
To prepare the blade or holder for the reception of the stones, sockets a are formed,
either by drilling or punching, the latter mode being preferred, as it forms a burr or
fine which may afterwards be turned down on the stone, as described hereinafter.
In this socket is placed amalgam while soft, for instance, an amalgam of silver and
mercury, which partly fills the socket, and into which the stone is pressed as shown
at .
When the amalgam hardens it forms a solid bed for the stone in close contact
with all the surface of the same, and also with the face of the socket. To prevent any
loosening of the bed the fin e is then turned down close upon the amalgam and against
the sides of the stone, and for further security I prefer to then braze or apply solder
to the face of the fin around the edge, the solder running over the fin, the edge of the
amalgam, and against the stone, thus securely fixing the latter in its place.
An amalgam of mercury and tin, or mercury and bismuth, or any other amalgam
suitable for the purpose described, may be substituted for the amalgam of silver and
mercury.
By the use of an amalgam I avoid the danger from heating the stone, arising when

page_text: molten settings are employed, and of fracturing the same when the setting is packed
around the diamond.
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 :-
1. The combination with the reciprocating saw frame, of appliances substantially as
described whereby the frame is lifted at the termination of each movement, substantially
as set forth.
2. The combination of the reciprocating saw frame and devices for moving the
frame horizontally for part of its movement in each direction, and for lifting it at the
termination of each movement, substantially as described.
3. The combination of the reciprocating saw frame, links suspending the same, and
adjustable bearings, and devices for moving the latter to direct the frame horizontally
except at the termination of each movement, substantially as described.
4. The combination of the reciprocating frame, supporting links, cross bars, to
which the links are connected, and appliances for raising and lowering the cross bars,
substantially as described.
5. The combination with the suspended reciprocating frame, of levers connected to
the suspending devices, and appliances for vibrating the levers, substantially as
described.
6. The combination of the suspended reciprocating frame, levers, and feed devices,
all arranged to raise and lower the frame bearings during its reciprocation and to feed
it gradually downward, substantially as described.
7. The combination of the frame, links, bearings for the links, levers supporting
said bearings, and cams acting on the levers, substantially as described.
8. The combination in a stone sawing machine, of two or more gangs of saws, a
driving shaft, and connections whereby one gang is driven in one direction while the
other is driven in a reverse direction, substantially as described.
9. The combination of a reciprocating frame A, carrying a gang of parallel saw
blades, a reciprocating frame A', arranged adjacent to the frame A, and carrying a
second gang, of blades, alternating with the first, and appliances for reciprocating the
frames simultaneously in opposite directions, substantially as described.
10. The combination with the main frame of a stone sawing machine, and with its
reciprocating saw frame, of a driving shaft supported above the main frame and
connected to drive the saw frame, substantially as described.
11. The combination with the horizontally suspended saw frame and driving shaft
above the frame, of appliances for feeding the frame downward, and adjustable
connections between the shaft and frame, substantially as described.
12. The combination with the horizontally reciprocating saw frame, and feed devices,
of cams whereby the frame is reciprocated, and feed devices for feeding the cams
downward, substantially as described.
13. The combination of a horizontally reciprocating frame, feed devices, vertically
reciprocating fraines carrying adjustable cams, and appliances for feeding said cams
downward on their supporting frames, substantially as described.
14. The combination of the saw frame, reciprocating frames K, cams N, feed sleeves p,
carried by the latter frames and shafts p³, substantially as described.
15. The combination with the saw frame, of supporting links, cross bar I, carrying
said links, and vertical feed screws J, supporting said cross bars, substantially as described.
16. The combination with the feed rods J, P2, of shafts Q, gearing with the rods to
turn them simultaneously, substantially as described.
17. The combination of the saw frame supported by links hung to a cross bar,
screw rods passing through said cross bar, and feeding the same as they are turned,
vibrating levers to which said screws are connected, and appliances for operating the
levers to direct the frame in straight lines, substantially as described.
18. The combination of the two frames A, A', supporting links of equal length, and
cross bars with bearings at different heights for the upper ends of the links, sub-
stantially as described.

page_text: 19. The frames A, A', arranged one above the other with brackets intermediately
arranged supporting two gangs of saws arranged intermediately side by side,
substantially as described.
20. The combination in a stone cutting machine, of a support for the slab or other
object to be cut, and an arm moving upon a centre and carrying a cutter upon a
curved path in contact with the slab, substantially as set forth.
21. The combination with the arm moving upon a centre, of a cutter consisting of
two or more curved blades adjusted to different heights, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
22. The combination of a support for the slab, an arm pivoted to move above the
slab, and a cutter carried by the arm, and consisting of one or more blades curved to
correspond to a circle having the pivot of the arm for its centre, substantially as
set forth.
23. The combination of the bed for supporting the slab, arm carrying a curved
cutter and swinging upon a pivot rotating driving disc, and connecting rod pivoted
to the disc and to the arm, substantially as described.
24. The combination of the vibrating arm, carrying a curved cutter, and means
substantially as described for lifting the cutter at intervals, for the purpose sot forth.
25. The combination with the arm carrying a curved cutter, a support for the arm
to which it is pivoted, and lugs s, t, arranged substantially as set forth.
26. The within described improvement in setting diamonds in metal holders,
consisting in placing an amalgam in the socket of the holder, and forcing the stone
into the amalgam while soft, and thereby forming a bed which when it hardens
is in contact with the entire sunken portion of the stone, substantially as described.
27. The combination of a socketed holder, a stone, and a body of amalgam
surrounding the stone within the socket, substantially as described.
28. The combination of the holder having a socket, a diamond, intermediate body
of amalgam, and surrounding ring of solder, substantially as described.
29. The combination of the holder having a socket, a stone, body of amalgam
surrounding the stone and a surrounding fin, turned down on and toward the stone,
substantially as described.
Tad thin 15th day of Tune 1887
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Applicant's Agent.