IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR POLISHING STone, Marble, and other HARD SUBSTANCES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Holmes, of Malvern Lodge, St. James's,
New Cross, in the County of Kent, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR POLISHING STone, Marble, and other
HARD SUBSTANCES."
"
Scaled the 3rd July 1874, and dated the 6th January 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Holmes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents; with his Petition, on the
6th January 1874.
I, FREDERICK HOLMES, of Malvern Lodge, St. James's, New Cross,
in the County of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR POLISHING STONE,
MARBLE, AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in machinery for polishing stone,
marble, and other hard substances, consists of a massive framework and
bench made of iron, wood, or other suitable material, carrying the
motion work of the machine, and also the slab to be polished. This
bench has two transverse vec guides, one at each end, and a square or
vee threaded screw running transversely through the centre of the bench.

page_text: On each end of the screw are two pulleys, one keyed to the screw and
one running loose. These pulleys are driven by belts or straps from
pulleys on the main shaft; one set of pulleys being driven by a straight
belt, the other set by a cross belt so as to reverse the action of the screw
when the belts are moved by the self-acting adjustable stops. Sliding
on the bench is a slab or flat tray of wood, iron, or other suitable
material, having raised ledges on two opposite sides of the upper surface
to act as guides to the upper tray. Underneath this slab or tray are
two vee projections running in the transverse vee guides of the bench. A
nut is also fixed to the under side of the tray working on the screw, so
as to move the tray either forward or backward, as may be required.
On this tray is another tray free to move between the ledges of the first
tray longitudinally, that is, in an opposite direction to the screw. This
tray has similar raised ledges to the lower tray, within which is put the
slab of stone, marble, or other hard substance to be polished.
Above the trays and bench is the polishing apparatus, fixed either to
the framework of the machine or to a beam of the roof. This apparatus
consists of a box open at the bottom, in which slides freely the polisher
holder carrying the stone or other substance used as a polisher, the
polisher being fixed to the holder by set screws.
In the box and above the polisher holder is a plate of iron or other
metal, and between this plate and the top of the box is a spring or
springs used for the purpose of equalizing the pressure on the polisher.
Fixed to the polisher holder is a rod connected by means of another rod
to a disk or crank for giving reciprocation motion to the polisher.
disk is keyed to a shaft, which also carries at the opposite end a belt
pulley driven from a pulley on the main shaft.
The
When it is required to polish a slab of stone, marble, or other hard
substance the slab is placed upon the upper tray and brought under the
polisher. The main shaft is then set in motion by steam, manual, or a
any other power. A pulley on the main shaft communicates motion to
the disk shaft and disk, and by means of the connecting rod imparts a
reciprocating motion to the polisher. Other pulleys on the main shaft
give motion to the screw so as to give a transverse movement to the
trays carrying the slab to be polished, thereby bringing each part of the
slab under the polisher.

page_text: By means of this machinery I am enabled to polish, or as it is techni-
cally termed "stone" marble, artificial marble, like the "Marezzo" and
other hard substances, more economically and more evenly than can be
done by the process of " stoning now used, which consists of rubbing
one hard substance on another by manual means only.
"
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said
Frederick Holmes in the Great Seal Patent Office, on the
1st August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
HOLMES, of Malvern Lodge, St. James's, New Cross, in the County of
Kent, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-.
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frederick Holmes, Her special license.
that I, the said Frederick Holmes, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick Holmes, 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
MACHINERY FOR POLISHING STONE, MARBLE, AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick
Holmes, 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 Frederick Holmes, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention of improvements in machinery for polishing stone,
marble, and other hard substances consists of a massive framework and
bench made of iron, wood, or other suitable material, carrying the
motion work of the machine, and also the slab to be polished. This
bench has two transverse V guides, one at each end, and a square or
V threaded screw running transversely through the centre of the bench.
On each end of the screw are two pulleys, one keyed to the screw and
one running loose. These pulleys are driven by belts or straps from
pulleys on the main shaft, one set of pulleys being driven by a straight
belt, the other set by a cross belt, so as to reverse the action of the screw
when the belts are moyed by the self-acting adjustable stops. Sliding
on the bench is a slab or flat tray of wood or iron or other suitable.
material, having raised ledges on two opposite sides of the upper surface
to act as guides to the upper tray. Underneath this slab or tray aro
two V projections running in the transverse V guides of the bench. A
nut is also fixed to the under side of the tray working on the screw, so
as to move the tray either forward or backward, as may be required.
On this tray is another tray free to move between the ledges of the first
This
tray longitudinally, that is, in an opposite direction to the screw.
tray has similar raised ledges to the lower tray, within which is put the
slab of stone, marble, or other hard substance to be polished.
Above the trays and bench is the polishing apparatus, fixed either to
the framework of the machine or to a beam of the roof. This apparatus
consists of a box open at the bottom, in which slides freely the polisher
holder carrying the stone or other substance used as a polisher, the
polisher being fixed to the holder by set screws.
.
In the box and above the polisher holder is a plate of iron or other
metal, and between this plate and the top of the box is a spring or
springs used for the purpose of equalizing the pressure on the polisher.
Fixed to the polisher holder is a rod connected by means of another rod
to a disc or crank for giving reciprocating motion to the polisher. The
disc is keyed to a shaft, which also carries at the opposite end a belt
pulley driven from a pulley on the main shaft.
..When it is required to polish a slab of stone, marble, or other hard

page_text: tray is another tray L free to move between the ledges of the first tray
longitudinally, that is, in an opposite direction to the screw.
This tray
has similar raised ledges to the lower tray, within which is put the slab
of stone, marble, or other hard substance to be polished.
Above the trays and bench is the polishing apparatus M, fixed either
to the framework, as shewn, or to a beam of the roof. This apparatus
consists of a box open at the bottom, in which slides freely the polisher
holder carrying the stone or other substance used as a polisher, the
polisher being fixed to the holder by set screws.
In the box and above the polisher holder is a plate of iron or other
metal, and between this plate and the top of the box is a spring or
springs used for the purpose of equalizing the pressure on the polisher.
Fixed to the polisher holder M is a rod N connected by means of
another rod O to a disc or crank P for giving reciprocating motion to
the polisher. The disc is keyed to a shaft, which also carries at
the opposite end a belt pulley R driven by a pulley on the main shaft.
When it is required to polish a slab of stone, marble, or other hard
substance the slab is placed upon the upper tray and brought under the
polisher. The main shaft is then set in motion by steam, manual, or
other power.
A pulley on the main shaft G communicates motion to
the disc shaft and disc, and by means of the connecting rod imparts a
reciprocating motion to the polisher. Other pulleys on the main shaft
give motion to the screw so as to give a transverse movement to the
trays carrying the slab to be polished, thereby bringing each part of the
slab under the polisher.
By means of this machinery I am enabled to polish, or as it is techni-
cally termed "stone" marble, artificial marble, like the "Marezzo"
marble and other hard substances more economically and more evenly
than can be done by the process of “stoning" now used, which consists
of rubbing one hard substance on another by manual means only..
3
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention and how the same is to be put into operation, I would
have it understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction and use
of a machine for polishing marble or other hard substances with 3

page_text: traversing table and reciprocating polisher, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Holmes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year
of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
.
CHARLES BARLOW,
23, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.,
Patent Agent.
FRED. HOLMES. (L.S.)