IMPROVEMENTS IN SAND-PAPERING MACHINES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAND-PAPERING MACHINES." ―A
communication from abroad by Joseph Barker, of Chicago, Illinois,
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th August 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
3 Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAND-PAPERING
MACHINES," a communication, to be as follows:―
The present Invention relates to an improved machine for sand-
papering flat surfaces, and its nature consists,-
First. In a sand-papering wheel which has an open centre, and is
provided with a series of blocks for holding the paper so arranged that

page_text: tangent furrows are formed between them. The object of making the
centre open or partly so is to prevent that part of the wheel or sand
paper thereon from coming in contact with the surface to be smoothed,
as is the case with the ordinary sand-papering discs now in use, as such
discs cut but little if any in their central parts, and consequently become
clogged with dust, which prevents the surface of the disc near the
periphery from coming in contact with the surface to be smoothed. The
object of putting the blocks in the wheel in sections is for the con-
venience of adjusting and removing the sand paper, and for forming a
series of tangent furrows to allow a current of air to pass from the centre
of the wheel to the periphery and carry the dust out with it.
The nature of the said Invention further consists in such mechanism
as is necessary to operate the said wheel and carry the stuff to be
smoothed under it whether it be thick or thin. The said machine has a
substantial bed or framework, which supports the mechanism, the said
frame being made of wood or iron as most convenient. To this frame
are attached two standards for supporting cross beams which hold the
vertical shaft of the sand-papering wheel in the proper position. This
wheel consists of a centre made partially open by vertical holes, a series
of tangent arms, and a rim. The lower parts of the tangent arms are
provided with bevelled flanges, as is also the inside of the lower part of
the rim to form a suitable support for the sand-papering blocks. The
said blocks are so formed as to fit the openings between the arms,
centre, and rim, and to pass a little below them. The wheel is then
rotated in a lathe or otherwise, while the under sides of the blocks are
turned so that their lower faces shall conform to a parallelogram; but
they project below the wheel leaving a recessed centre. The sand paper
is then placed on the blocks and clamped down firmly on the flanges by
means of bars or levers, which are fastened to the rim and the centre by
means of set screws, the central parts of the bars bearing on the central
parts of the blocks. The sand paper not being fastened to the blocks,
can be readily removed by loosening the set screws, and its not coming
in contact with the paper on the adjoining block leaves furrows for the
dust to pass out, causing the sand paper to wear much longer than when
the dust is allowed to grind into it, or when no furrows are made, or
when the wheel is covered with a continuous piece of paper. The
means for carrying the stuff to be finished under the wheel consists of
upper and lower rollers, the feeding being effected either by hand or

page_text: power. The lower rollers have bearings in blocks which at their lower
ends are pivoted to a table, and at their other ends bear on a yielding
substance, such as india-rubber. By this means stuff not having a
uniform thickness can be conveniently put through the machine.
In order that different thicknesses of stuff, such as doors, blinds,
shutters, and the like may be put through the machine and brought
properly to the sand paper a sliding table is arranged to bear on an
incline; a screw and rod are connected to the table, and by means of
wheels can be moved endwise to raise or lower it on the incline, as the
case may require. The turning of either wheel will perform the above.
described function, but two wheels are used for the convenience of the
operator.
A hopper at the bottom of the machine is used to convey the dust to
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th February 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SAND-PAPERING MACHINES," a communication to me
from abroad by Joseph Barker, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William

page_text: Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, forming a part of this Specification:-
The present Invention relates to an improved machine for sand-
papering flat surfaces, and its nature consists,-
First. In a sand-papering wheel which has an open centre, and is
provided with a series of blocks for holding the paper so arranged that
tangent furrows are formed between them. The object of making the
centre open or partly so is to prevent that part of the wheel or sand
paper thereon from coming in contact with the surface to be smoothed,
as is the case with the ordinary sand-papering discs now in use, as such
discs cut but little if any in their central parts, and consequently
become clogged with dust, which prevents the surface of the disc near
the periphery from coming in contact with the surface to be smoothed.
The object of putting the blocks in the wheel in sections is the con-
venience of adjusting and removing the sand paper and for forming a
series of tangent furrows to allow a current of air to pass from the
centre of the wheel to the periphery and carry the dust out with it.
The nature of the said Invention further consists in such mechanism
as is necessary to operate the said wheel and carry the stuff to be
smoothed under it whether it be thick or thin.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a plan of my improved sand-papering machine; Figure 2
is a longitudinal section thereof: Figure 3 is an end elevation: and

page_text: cross beams B, C, which hold the vertical shaft F of the sand-papering
wheel K in proper position. This wheel K consists of a centre M made
partially open by means of vertical holes P of a series of tangent arms
and a rim k. The lower parts of the said tangent arms are provided
with bevelled flanges, as is also the inside of the lower part of the rim,
as shown at m, n, Figures 5 and 6, to form a suitable support for the
sand-papering blocks N. The said blocks are formed to fit the openings
between the arms g, centre M, and rim k, and to pass a little below
them, as shown in Figure 2. The wheel K is rotated in a lathe or
otherwise, while the under sides of the blocks are turned so that their
lower faces shall conform to a parallelogram, but they yet project below
the wheel (proper), leaving a recessed centre, as clearly shown. The
sand paper is then placed on the blocks N and clamped down firmly on
the flanges m, n, by means of bars or levers L, the inner ends of which
are fastened to the rim of centre M, and the outer ends to the rim k by
means of set screws I, the central parts of the bars bearing on the
central parts of the blocks. The sand paper not being fastened to the
blocks N, can be readily removed by loosening the set screws I, and its
not coming in contact with the paper on the adjoining block leaves
furrows for the dust to pass out, causing the sand paper to wear much
longer than when the dust is allowed to grind into it, or when no furrows
are made, or when the wheel is covered with a continuous piece of paper,
as is customary at the present time. The means for carrying the stuff
to be finished under the wheel K consists of upper rollers J and lower
rollers R, the feeding being effected either by hand or by any suitable
power. The lower rollers R have bearings in blocks S, which at their
lower ends are pivotted to a table B', and at their other ends bear on a
yielding substance, as shown in Figures 2 and 7, the rubber being shown
at t. By this means stuff not having a uniform thickness can be put
through the machine.
In order that different thicknesses of stuff, such as doors, blinds,
shutters and the like may be put through the machine and brought
properly to the sand paper f, the sliding table B' is arranged to bear
on inclines a, b, so that when wheels T are turned they will operate a
screw c, Figure 2, and draw on a rod X, which will move the table
endwise, and consequently raise or lower it on the inclines a, b, as the
case may require. The turning of either wheel T will effect the above-
1. 1
1

page_text: operator. A hopper E at the bottom of the machine is used to convey
the dust to any convenient place or receptacle.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I claim,-
First. The wheel K formed with a recess or depression in the central
part of its under side to obviate a dead point in the said wheel when it is
used for finishing flat surfaces, as herein described.
Second. The wheel K provided with a recess on its under side to
obviate a dead point, and with a series of sectional blocks N to hold the
sand paper fin place when the said wheel is used for finishing flat
surfaces, substantially as herein described.
Third. The wheel R provided with openings P and furrows between
the sectional blocks N and under arms 9 for allowing air to carry out
the dust, as herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
W. J. LOWE.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)