IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRESSING, SHAPING, CUTTING, AND DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS.OR STONE, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE, WITH CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS, APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRIVING PILES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting. ).
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Sixth day of November, in the thirteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and' grant unto me,
the said William Edward Newton, Her especial license, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I,-the said William Edward, my exors, admors,
and assigns, and such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my
exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein, men-
tioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in. all Her Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney; Sark, and Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR DRESSING, SHAPING, CUTTING, AND DRILLING OR BORING ROCKS.OR STONE,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE, WITH CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS, APPLICABLE
TO MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRIVING PILES;" being: a communication
from abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging

page_text: me, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to
cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Edward Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
The various improvements which constitute the Invention for which I have
obtained Letters Patent, as aforesaid, and which have been communicated to
me by my Correspondent abroad, relate,―
First, to an improved mode of, or machine or apparatus for, facing, dressing,
cutting, or shaping stone.
Second, to a novel or improved arrangement of mechanism for drilling
or boring holes in rocks or stone. This part of the Invention is, with certain
modifications, also applicable to machinery or apparatus for driving piles. The
machinery or apparatus which constitutes the first part of the above-mentioned
improvements is shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the accompanying
Drawings.
The principle of this part of the Invention, and its distinguishing peculiarity
from other machines heretofore used for similar purposes, consists, in dressing,
facing, cutting, shaping, or reducing stone and other substances, particularly
such as are of a frangible nature, by the use or meaus of a rolling edge or edges
which are made to act against the face or surface of such substance, and by a
continuous action on the surface of the material a small portion thereof is at
every motion detached or cut away until a proper or the required surface
is obtained. The cutter or instrument which is employed for this purpose is a
ring or rings of steel a, shewn at Figures 1 and 2 in the Drawings. This ring
is mounted on an arbor or axle c, and is firmly held between a shoulder and a
screw nut b. This ring or rings of steel may be made either with plain edges
, as shown in the Drawing, or with serrated edges, according to the nature of
the material to be acted upon. The cutter or cutters are mounted in a
suitable framework, hereafter more fully described, and this framing is to be
propelled over the surface of the stone so that the cutters may be made to act

page_text: on the surface of the material to be operated upon, and while so doing they
are allowed to revolve on their axles under pressure.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the machine, shewing the cutters
or cutting tools in their place and at work.
Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the same.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cutter stock detached from the machine,
and showing the manner of mounting the cutters. Similar letters refer to
similar parts throughout all the Figures. In order to erect this machine
a proper and solid foundation must be constructed, as at A. Upon this
a railway of suitable width and length is laid, as seen at B, and on this
railway a truck C is placed for the purpose of carrying the stone or other
material to be operated upon. On the under side of the cross framing of the
truck there is a rack d, into which gears a pinion e. This pinion is mounted
on a shaft which is connected with the main driving power, and by com-
municating motion to this shaft and pinion the truck and the block of stone
thereon may be slowly moved along the railway, and the stone is thus fed up
to or brought under the operation of the cutters. Over the rails is next
erected a substantial framing for supporting the cutting apparatus. The
cutters are, as before mentioned, made of circular plates of steel a, a, and
through the centre of each circular plate a hole is made in order to mount
them on a shaft or spindle, which, being mounted in suitable bearings, admits
of the cutters revolving with the shaft. The edges of these cutters are to be
ground sharp with an equal bevel on each side, or for some purposes they may,
as before mentioned, have saw teeth cut in them. Several cutters thus formed
may, if required, be put upon one spindle or axle, as seen best at f, Fig. 4,..
washers being inserted between each cutter to separate them, as shewn in the
Drawing. Several cutters are not always required, as a single one will perform
in a satisfactory manner; but an additional number will be found to greatly
expedite the work. A thread to form a screw is cut on the spindle inside of
its journals, and two nuts i, i, then serve to pinch up the cutters and washers
firmly together, as seen in Fig. 4. The spindle with the cutters is then.
mounted in the stock or carrier, which consists of a hollow semi-cylindrical
piece 9, shewn detached and in perspective at Fig. 5. At each end of the
cutter stock there, is a projecting pin or axle k by which it is mounted
in a frame consisting of a double cross head m. In this cross head the cutters
may be set to any angle by turning the stock 9 on its pins or axles k. To
hold the stock securely and retain it in any given position there is a bolt n, n;
on each side inserted in the cross heads. One end of each bolt is screwed and
works in holes tapped to receive it, as shown. The other ends are squared, as

page_text: seen best in the perspective view, and have a flange or shoulder which presses
on the outside of the opposite cross head. The position of this latter cross
head is shewn in Fig. 5 by dots only, in order that the other parts may be more
clearly seen. It will now be understood, that by applying a wrench to the
squared end of the rods n, n, the cross heads m, m, will be drawn up together,
and made to press hard against the ends of the cutter stock, and thus firmly
hold it in its, place and position. The cutters thus secured in a suitable frame
are next mounted on the guide rails or bars o, o, which are secured to the
moveable frame p, p.
This frame consists of strong yokes so arranged that
they can have vertical motion, or be moved up or down on the slotted posts
of the frame, to which however they are firmly held or secured by bolts
at any required altitude when the machine is in operation. By moving these
yokes up or down the guide rails o, o, and the cross heads, with the cutters
attached, may be raised or lowered, and fixed at any required altitude.
Vertical motion of the moveable frame p, p, and the other parts connected
therewith may be effected by mechanical means, such as a rack and pinion or
vertical screws, as at 'r, r. The cross heads are, as above mentioned, sup-
ported by and work upon the guide bars or rods 0, 0, 'suitable grooves being
made on each side, or friction rollers provided for the purpose, as shewn in the
Drawing. The cutter frame is propelled back and forth by means of any
suitable connection with the driving power. In the Drawing the reciprocating
motion of the cutters and their frame is shewn as being effected by means of
a connecting rod and crank, that being one of the most convenient modes of
effecting the required object.
:
The operation of the machine is as follows:-Having placed the stone to be
cut upon the truck C, and properly secured it in its place by clamps or other
suitable means, the cutter stock should be turned on its axis, so that the
cutters, when made to advance across the face of the stone, may assume an
angular position, as seen at Fig. 4. All the parts being put in motion, the
cutters and their frame will be propelled rapidly back and forth on the guide
bars o; o, while at the same time the truck will be made to advance slowly
with the stone. As the first end of the stone approaches the cutters the
vertical frame p must be adjusted by means of the screws r, r, so that the
cutters may take a proper hold on the stone. By giving the cutters, the
angular position shewn, they will cut in different planes, each taking a deeper
cut than the one preceding it, as is clearly shewn in the Drawing. The action
of the cutters is produced by rolling over the stone under pressure. When
the stone has passed completely through the machine the cutter stock is to be
turned so as to give the cutters the requisite angular position in the reverse

page_text: direction; the motion of the pinion e also being reversed a second cut may be
taken from the face of the stone if required; or another side of it, or a new
stone, may be presented to be operated upon; or the truck C being stopped,
the cutters may, if required, be made to pass-vertically down the end of the
stone by working the screws r, r, before described; or this may be- performed
by a separate machine peculiarly adapted to this purpose, which would,
perhaps, be the most convenient plan. In the arrangement above described it
will be seen that the cutters are so contrived as to be brought down upon the
stone, and also made to move over its surface; but the arrangement may be
so far changed or modified that the stone shall be caused to move back and
forth under the cutters while the latter remain stationary; except that they
will have a rotary motion on their axes. The speed with which the stone
should move under the cutters must vary with different qualities of the
material to be dressed or operated upon, and this may be regulated. by
changing the speed of the pinion e, which can be accomplished, in several
ways, as by the use of cone pullies or different-sized gear wheels as may
be preferred.
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a variation in the mode of applying the
cutters, and Fig. 7 is an end or edge view of the same. In this instance one
or more of the cutters a, a, are mounted in a circular stock, and caused to
rotate with the stock, by giving to the latter a rotation on a shaft, as shewn in
the Figures. 6 represents the stock; a, a, the cutters; c, the shaft on which
the stock is mounted; and d is a pulley to which motive power is applied for
driving the stock.
It will be obvious from the foregoing description that this part of the
Invention is equally applicable to the dressing, facing, and reducing of stone
and other materials into circular, curved, or irregular figures, as well as
to a flat surface, as above described, it being only necessary to give to the
frame which carries the cutting or dressing roller a feeding motion in the
plane of the figure to be produced, or to impart such motion to the material to
be operated upon. Or the required figure may be produced by a compound
motion of the cutter frame and material to be worked; as, for instane, to
produce a cylinder or column, the material to be worked can be hung in-a
lathe, and a rotary motion communicated to it whilst the cutting or dressing
tool is mounted in a sliding rest; which has a slow progressive motion from
end to end; and for producing varying diameters an additional motion can be
given to the rest towards the axis of the lathe mandril; or, instead of this, the
lathe mandril can, in addition to its rotary motion, have a motion towards and
from the rest. The mechanical arrangement for producing such irregular

page_text: motions are well known; and, as they do not form part of the present.
improvements, I have not thought it necessary to give any detailed description
thereof.
The second part of the Invention relates to improvements in machinery for
boring or drilling holes in rocks and stone preparatory to blasting, or for other
purposes. This machine, with certain modifications, is also applicable to
driving piles.
Fig. 11 is a sectional side elevation of the machine, showing the internal
construction or arrangement of such parts of the machinery as constitute the
present improvements. Fig. 12 is a sectional plan view of the machine.
Fig. 13 is a back elevation of the lower part thereof. Fig. 15 represents a
sectional elevation of or modification of the machine, shewing a different
arrangement of parts for raising the cutting or boring tool. Fig. 16 is a
sectional plan view of the machine represented in Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is a front
view of Fig. 15, and the remaining Figures are various views of detached
parts of the machinery represented in Figures 15, 16, and 17, and drawn to a
larger scale to exhibit the details in a clearer manner. All these Figures refer
to machinery which may be applied, with suitable modifications, to boring rock
and stone.
The framework a, a, of the machine, and upon which the whole of the
working parts are mounted, is made of timber or other suitable material;
this frame is mounted on rollers or wheels for facilitating the transport of the
machine and moving it forward when brought to the spot where the work is to
be done. These rollers or wheels may be made to run upon rails, or upon the
ground, as convenience may suggest. The internal mechanism consists of two
pairs of friction cylinders or drums b, b, and c, c, which, when work is to be
performed, are brought into contact, and are disengaged when the work is.
completed. These operations are effected by means of a treadle or foot lever e,
hereafter described. The cylinders or drums b, b, are fixed upon a revolving
shaft h, supported by suitable plummer blocks and bearings fixed to the
frame a, a.
One end of the shaft h is furnished with a crank, which may be
worked either by hand labour or by steam or other motive power, as conve-
nience may suggest. The drums c, c, are mounted upon a shaft, which is
supported by and revolves on two slings or vertical bars 9, 9, the lower ends of
these slings being jointed to the shorter end of the treadle or foot lever e,
so that the said slings may be lifted by the action of the workman's foot
pressing down the opposite end of the treadle or foot lever e, the fulcrum of
which lever is at e*, and is suitably supported by brackets fixed to the
frame a, a, as seen best in Fig. 11. The surfaces of the drums c, c, can by.

page_text: this means be brought into contact with the drums b, b, and, by means of the
pressure and friction of the drums b, b, the former are made to revolve. The
drums c, c, are further guided against b, b, by means of the lateral pressure of
the small rollers d, d. On the same shaft which carries the drums c, c, is
mounted a winding drum or barrel f, which revolves with them, and winds up
the rope i, which passes over the pulley k, at the head of the frame a, a. The
rope i is attached at one end to the drum f, and at the opposite end to the
pair of clippers or jaws x, similar in construction to those ordinarily used in
pile engines and such like machines for raising and detaching the monkey or
weight. The said jaws or clippers x catch hold of the head of the boring bar u,
by means of the button head w, shewn best in Fig. 11. The boring bar u is
kept vertical or true to its work by means of common guide pieces v, v,
through which the bar u works vertically. The cutting or boring part of the
bar u, shewn at z, z, is formed into a peculiar shape like the letter 2, as shewn
in the detached views Figs. 10, which represent in perspective the lower ends
of two boring bars drawn to an enlarged scale. The operation of boring or
drilling a hole in a rock or stone is effected by causing the bar u to be
elevated by the clippers a catching up the button head w, and when raised to
a suitable height the bar u is suddenly released from the clippers, which are
made to expand or open, and to let go the head w of the bar u, which then
suddenly falls from the altitude to which it has been raised and strikes the
rock or stone. An attendant stands by the bar u, and, after a succession of
blows (or at each blow if thought desirable), he slightly turns the bar round
so as to cause the cutting edge to strike the stone in a new place. If the
weight of the bar u is sufficiently great the drums b and c will be kept in contact,
and will revolve without the aid of the workman's foot on the lever e, and the
moment the weight of the bar u is disengaged from the clippers & the drum c
will by its own gravity fall away from contact and its revolution will cease, or
the workman may release his foot from the lever e, and then the drum c,
being no longer sustained, will fall away from contact. If the weight of the
clippers or jaws a is sufficient to overcome the friction and weight of the
shafts and wheels c,f, and 9, and the pulley k above the jaws x will descend
and pull down the rope i and re-engage the button head w of the bar u, and
by again depressing the lever. e, the bar u will be drawn up a second time,
and the operation may be repeated continually.
It will be obvious to any intelligent mechanic that if the machinery is made-
of suitable strength, and the jaws x, instead of being made to engage a boring
bar, as shewn in the Drawing, be made to take hold of and raise the monkey
or weight of a pile engine, the apparatus herein described will with very little

page_text: modification be applicable to the driving of piles, and may be rendered almost
self-acting, and made to operate with great rapidity. Of course it will be
understood that in order to raise a heavy weight, such as the monkey of a.pile-
driving engine, it would-be found advisable to employ steam power::.
Figures 15, 16, and 17 represent a different method of raising. and letting
fall the boring baru. In place of the mechanism just described, a wheel in is
fixed upon a shaft o, supported upon suitable bearings or brackets fixed to the
frame a, a:
The end of the shaft o has. a crank. attached, which may be
caused to revolve by manual labor or other motive power, as in the .other
machine: The cylindrical wheel n (shewn detached and drawn upon an
enlarged scale at Figures 18, 19, and 20) has a deep flange or rim y cast all
round on one side, and a narrow bead borders the other side of the cylinder.
A wedge-shaped piece or block sis cast on the circumference of the cylinder,
and the high part of the wedge is attached to the deep flange y, and tapers
downwards across the cylinder to the bead or lower flange on the other side.
A moveable pulley with its supporting bracket m is pinned or bolted to the
frame as the bolts passing through holes bored at suitable intervals from: top
to bottom of the upright leaders or standards of the frame a, as seen best in
Figures 15 and 17. When the shaft o is made to revolve with the wheel n,
the rope i, on completing a revolution; comes in contact with the wedge piece
s, and the revolution being continued, the rope, instead of winding on. the
cylinder, rides up and is forced off suddenly, and this action has the effect of
suddenly removing the whole of the rope just wound up on the cylinder n.
The rope i, which during the revolution of the cylinder n had elevated: the
boring rod u, being now slackened, the borer will descend by its own weight
and strike the stone, and by repeating these blows a hole is cut in the rock or
stone. The boring rod u is guided, as already described, by guide pieces v, v,
but in this case it is not necessary to detach the hold of the rope from the boring.
bar, which is always secured to the rope i at the loop or eyes w. When the
boring bar has cut to such a depth that the rope i is not long enough to admit
of the bar descending further, the attendant must ascend the machine by a
ladder or other suitable contrivance, and remove the bracket m and pulley 1
(over which the rope i passes) to a lower station on the leaders of the frame a.
This operation may be repeated as often as necessary, several. holes being
made on the leaders of the frame a, a, for the purpose of allowing the bracket
m to be secured at different altitudes; according to circumstances: Another
method of lengthening or shortening. the quantity of rope is shewn in the
plan view, Fig. 16, and in the detached Figures 18, 19, and. 20.. p is a
wheel or cylinder, having a deep flange on one side, and running loose on the

page_text: shaft o. alongside of the fixed wheel n before described. On the nave or boss
of the wheel p four or more notches-r (see Fig. 20) are cut or cast in such a'
manner that a small band lever or trigger q, Fig. 19, whose fulcrum is in the
fixed wheel n, may fit into any of them. Now, supposing that it were necessary
to lengthen the quantity of rope, owing to the descent of the boring bar into
the hole that has been cut, the trigger q must be withdrawn from the notches
r, and the wheel p is made to 'turn on the shaft o until a sufficient length of
rope is let out, and the trigger q is then replaced in one of the notches. It
must be observed that the rope, passes off, the wheel n through, a hole in
the flange y at t, on to the wheel p, where it is, wound up to any required
length.
Having now explained the nature of the Invention, that has been communi-
cated to me by my Foreign Correspondent as aforesaid, and described the best
means with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I would
observe in conclusion, that I do not mean or intend to confine myself to the
precise arrangement or construction of parts herein shewn, as they may
doubtless be varied without departing from the nature and object of the various
improvements. But that which I consider to be new, and therefore wish to
claim as the Invention secured to me under the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, is,-
.
Frst, in relation to machinery or apparatus for cutting, facing, or dressing
stone or other like substance, the employment of cutters formed of circular
plates of metal, mounted either singly or in sets on a shaft or spindle, such
cutters so mounted being made to pass over the surface of the stone or
other like substance to be operated upon, with a rolling motion, so that the
cutters being pressed on the surface of the material, may cut down or reduce to
the required form all projecting parts. I also claim the use of circular plates
when mounted in a rotating stock, as shewn in Figures 6 and 7, in which
arrangement the cutters are made to act by impact or by striking the surface
of the stone, instead of pressing against it, as in the former instance.
Second, in reference to machinery for boring rocks. I claim the arrange-
ment or combination of the friction cylinders or drums b and c, and the rope
barrel, with a lever, treadle, or other means, whereby the drum c may be
raised or brought into contact with the driving cylinder or drum b, and thus
cause the barrelf to raise the boring tool by winding up the rope.i.
Thirdly, I claim the arrangement of parts shewn at Figures 15, 16, 17, 18,
19, and 20, or any mere modification thereof, for effecting the above-mentioned
object.
And, lastly, I claim the employment of either of the arrangements referred

page_text: Enrolled the Sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty.