Improvements in or connected with Machines for Cutting Diamonds or other Precious Stones.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Machines for Cutting Diamonds
or other Precious Stones.
I, DAVID RODRIGUES of 31 Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, in the City of
London, Diamond Factor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Emile Leytens of 24 Rue Teichman,
Antwerp, Belgium, Diamond Cutter) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to machines more especially intended for cutting diamonds
but applicable also for cutting other precious stones and consists of apparatus as
hereinafter described by means of which the holders for the diamonds or the like
to be cut or shaped may be adjusted in any desired position according to the form
to be given to the stones. According to this invention one of the diamonds or the
like to be cut or shaped is set with cement in or on the end of a holder carried by
a disc which is fitted to the spindle of a lathe in such a manner that it may be
adjusted in position thereon so that the diamond or the like held thereby may
be caused to rotate either concentrically or excentrically to the axis of the lathe
spindle as required. This may be effected by making the disc in two parts one of
a hollow box form to which the diamond or the like is fixed the other part secured
to the lathe spindle being contained in this box and being of a size to allow the box
being shifted sideways the parts being secured together with sufficient rigidity by
means of screws or otherwise. The lathe spindle carrying this holder may be
driven either by means of a treddle or by steam or other power the speed of rotation
being regulated as required which may be effected by means of a strap and cone
pulleys. The other diamond or the like used in conjunction with that held in the
rotating holder is fixed to a holder secured to one end of a stem or handle by which
the diamond may be held in position to be acted on by the rotating diamond or
the like.
Several of each of the aforesaid holders may be provided suitable for stones of
various sizes and shafts the screw threads or other fastenings by means of which
they are connected to the disc and to the stem or handle being preferably the same
in each so that the same disc and stem or handle can be employed for all the
holders. These holders secured to the stem or handle are each provided with a
flat surface at the part where the diamond or the like is fixed, so as to admit of the
diamond or the like held thereby being presented and held in the required position
to the action of the diamond held by the rotating holder. A rest for this stem or
holder is fitted to the bed of the lathe so as to be capable of being adjusted thereon
to the necessary angle according to the portion of the diamond being operated upon
by the rotating diamond and to this rest is connected a tray or receptacle into
which the diamond dust caused by the abrasions of the diamonds falls.
Dated this 31st day of December 1891.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Machines for Cutting Diamonds
or other Precious Stones.
I DAVID RODRIGUES of 31 Kirby Street, Hatton Garden in the City of
London, Diamond Factor do hereby declare the nature of this invention which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Emile Leytens of 24 Rue Terchman
Antwerp Belgium Diamond Cutter 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 more especially intended for cutting diamonds
but applicable also for cutting other precious stones and consists of apparatus as
hereinafter described by means of which the holders for the diamonds or the like
to be cut or shaped may be adjusted in any desired position according to the form
to be given to the stones.
According to this invention one of the diamonds or the like to be cut or shaped
is set with cement in or on the end of a holder carried by a disc or its equivalent
fitted to the spindle of a lathe in such a manner that it may be adjusted in position
thereon so that the diamond or the like held thereby may be caused to rotate either
axially with or at any desired distance around the axis of the lathe spindle.
This may be effected by making the disc in two parts one of a hollow box form
to which the diamond or the like is fixed the other part secured to the lathe spindle
being contained in this box and being of a size to allow the box being shifted
sideways the parts being secured together with sufficient rigidity by means of
screws or otherwise. The lathe spindle carrying this holder may be driven either
by means of a treadle or by steam or other power the speed of rotation being
regulated as required which may be effected by means of a strap and cone pulleys.
The other diamond or the like used in conjunction with that held in the rotating
holder is fixed to a holder secured to one end of a stem or handle by which the
diamond may be held in position to be acted on by the rotating diamond or the
like. Several of the aforesaid holders may be provided suitable for stones of various
sizes and shapes the screw threads or other fastenings by means of which they are
connected to the disc and to the stem or handle being preferably the same in each
so that the same disc and stem or handle can be employed for all the holders.
These holders secured to the stem or handle are each provided with a flat surface
at the part where the diamond or the like is fixed so as to admit of the diamond or
the like held thereby being presented and held in the required position to the action
of the diamond held by the rotating holder. A rest for this stem or holder is
fitted to the bed of the lathe so as to be capable of being adjusted thereon to the
necessary angle according to the portion of the diamond or the like being operated
upon by the rotating diamond and to this rest is connected a tray or receptacle into
which the dust caused by the abrasions of the diamonds or the like falls.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood I will further describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings and will refer to diamonds
as the articles to be cut.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of a sufficient portion of a lathe to
illustrate the invention and
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a transverse section and a face view of one
form of adjustable carrier for the rotating diamond and
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views showing a modification thereof.
Figure 5 is an elevation of the stem or holder for the other diamond to act in
conjunction with the rotating diamond.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the adjustable rest for the stem, shewing also
in section the tray or receptacle for the diamond dust and

page_text: Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 represent some of the holders suitable for diamonds
of various sizes and shapes.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 A represents a part of the bed of an ordinary
lathe and B the head-stock carrying a spindle C. On the spindle C mounted a
cone pulley D by which the spindle may be driven at any required speed by means
of a strap from a cone pulley E on the crank shaft F of a treadle if worked by
manual power or by a strap from a cone pulley G on a countershaft H if steam or
other motive fluid be employed to drive it. To the end of the spindle C is secured
by screwing or otherwise the compound adjustable disc which carries the holder for
one of the diamonds to be cut. This disc as shewn in Figures 3 and 4 is composed
of two parts K K the part K2 being of a hollow box form and capable of sliding
or of being adjusted to any required position on the part K which is fixed on the
spindle C. The adjustable part K of the dise is secured to the fixed part K by
means of a plate or ring k between which ring and the part K³ the part K may be
gripped by means of the screws and nuts k* sufficiently tight to admit of the
part K being readily adjusted in position on the part K by lightly tapping the
periphery of the ring k. Projecting from the centre of the part K is a screw k³
onto which the holder L carrying one of the diamonds to be cut is screwed.
Instead of the adjustable part K' being of a box form as shewn in Figures 3 and 4
it may be a simple disc as shewn in Figures 3 and 4 and nipped between the
stationary part K and a ring k by screw bolts k² passing through the ring k and
through holes in the part K' and screwing into the part K. In this modification
the screw on which the holder L for the diamond screws, passes through the
ring . The diamond carried by the holder L may be adjusted in position by
tapping the periphery of the part K' and it may be more readily seen whether or
not it be adjusted to the required position than is the case with the arrangement
illustrated by Figures 3 and 4.
l
The diamond is secured by means of cement in a recess in the holder the
recess being formed in the end of a nipple 2 on the end of the holder as shewn in
Figures 7, 8 and 9 or in the flattened end of the holder as shewn in Figure 10
so as to securely hold the diamond and at the same time admit of any required
portion of the diamond to be acted on by the other diamond used in conjunction
therewith. Several of these holders are provided having recesses of different sizes
and shapes as shewn for example in Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 to suit different sized
diamonds. Holders are also provided having a flattened surface without a recess,
the diamond being secured by cementing a flattened part of the diamond thereto,
or holders may be provided with one or more recesses on the side and with a
flattened end as shewn for example in Figure 12 so that two or more diamonds
may be mounted in one holder. Figure 11 shews another holder having a rounded
end flattened on one part in which flattened part the recess is formed to receive
the diamond. This form of holder is most suited for use with the stem M
(Figure 5) for carrying the diamond to operate on the rotating diamond carried
by the disc K. These holders are each provided with an internal screw thread to
fit the screw on the disc K' and also the screw n on the end of the stick M so
that any one of the holders may be substituted for another as required. The
stem M when in use is held by the operator in position for the diamond carried
thereby to be in the path of the diamond carried by the rotating disc so that if the
path K of the disc be so adjusted that the diamond will rotate round the axis of
the lathe spindle C one part of each of the two diamonds will come into contact
and rub against each other during a portion of each revolution of the spindle and
thereby effect the cutting of a facet simultaneously on each of the diamonds.
To enable the operator to hold the stem steadily in the required position for the
diamonds to contact with each other there is fitted to the lathe bed an adjustable
rest N as shewn in Figure 6 having therein a recess O in which the operator is able
to hold the stem firmly in the required position. This rest is provided with a
stem p fitting a socket in a frame P fitted on the lathe bed in which socket the

page_text: rest N may.be. adjusted to any desired height and fixed in its adjusted, position by
a screw r.
The frame P. carrying the rest N is connected to the lathe bed in such a
manner as to be capable of being readily adjusted to any desired horizontal angle'
and at any desired distance from the rotating disc K2. A convenient arrange-
ment for this purpose is shewn in Figure 6 and consists of a rod or spindle Q
mounted in bearings sin. the frame P and provided at one end with a handle R by
which it may be turned as required. This spindle Q passes through a sleeve or
socket S having a screwed shank S' on which the frame is capable of turning
and by means of which shank and a nut T the frame is connected to a plate U
engaging with the flangest on the lathe bed. The inner end of the spindle Q
is made eccentric to the axis so that when the spindle is turned in its bearings into
the position shewn the eccentric end of the spindle forces the frame against the
top surface of the lathe bed whilst the concentric portion of the said spindle by
pressing in the opposite direction in the socket S draws the plate U against the
inner side of the lathe bed and so holds the frame P securely in position. By
turning the spindle Q so as to remove the pressure of the frame from the lathe
bed the frame may be adjusted to any desired horizontal angle by turning (by
means of the spindle Q) the socket S in the plate U and then by turning the
spindle in the socket S into the position shewn in Figure 6 the frame will be
secured in its adjusted position as hereinbefore described. The tray W to receive
the diamond dust produced by the abrasion of the two diamonds under operation.
is shewn attached to the rest N but it may be attached to any other suitable and
convenient part of the lathe bed.
When the disc K is adjusted so that the diamond carried thereby will receive
an axial motion with the spindle C the said diamond may be cut to a circular form
by holding the other diamond carried by the stem M in- position to act on the
rotating diamond whilst at the same time a facet will be also cut by the rotating
diamond on the diamond carried by the stein. To cut facets or surfaces on the
sides of the rotating diamond the part K2 of the compound disc is adjusted on
the part K so that the diamond carried thereby will rotate round the axis of the
spindle C. To adjust the part K2 of the disc to the required position the periphery
of the ring k Fig. 3 or the periphery of the part K Fig. 3 should be tapped
lightly at that part thereof which will cause the part or side of the diamond on
which the facet is to be cut to be furthest from the axis of the spindle C so that
as the diamond rotates the part that is furthest from the axis will at each revolu-
tion of the disc come into contact with and be abraded by the other diamond
carried by the stem M held in position by the operator. When one facet is
sufficiently cut on the rotating diamond the part K carrying it may be again
adjusted as hereinbefore described so as to cause another part of the diamond on
which another facet or surface is required to be cut to be furthest from the axis
so as to be acted on by the other diamond as already described. In this manner
the whole of the facets required may be quickly cut on the rotating diamond and
at the same time the required facets are produced by the rotating diamond on the
diamond carried on the stem M the operator of course presenting this diamond
with the parts required to be cut in the proper position to be acted on by the
rotating diamond.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
--
.
First. In a machine for cutting diamonds and other precious stones a rotating
spindle carrying a holder for one of the diamonds or the like to be cut the said
holder being capable of being adjusted in position with reference to the axis of
the spindle so that the said holder may be caused to rotate either axially with the
spindle or at any desired distance around the axis thereof substantially as and for
the purpose hereinbefore described.

page_text: Second. In a machine for cutting diamonds and other precious stones a holder
for one of the diamonds to be cut, consisting of a compound disc one part of which
is fixed to a rotatable spindle the other part to which the diamond is attached
being capable of being adjusted in position on the fixed part so that the diamond
may be caused to rotate either axially with the spindle or at any desired distance
around the axis of the said spindle substantially as hereinbefore described.
Third. The combination with a machine for cutting diamonds and other precious.
stones in which one of the diamonds or the like to be cut is caused to rotate on or
around an axis, of a stem or holder for another diamond or the like, and an
adjustable rest for the said stem or holder whereby the operator is enabled to
present and hold steadily the diamond or the like in any desired position to the
action of the rotating diamond or the like substantially as hereinbefore described.
Fourth. The combination of parts constituting the improvements in or connected
with machines for cutting diamonds and other precious stones substantially as.
herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated 20th Sentombar 1802
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.