IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR QUARRYING AND DurssING STONE”
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Williams, of Commercial Road, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Mason and Builder, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR QUARRYING AND DurssING STONE”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Williams at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd September 1880.
JOSEPH WILLIAMS, of Commercial Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Mason and Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR QUARRYING AND
DRESSING STONE."
This Invention is applicable for cutting stone in open quarries, and railway and
other cuttings, for cutting and dressing stone on the quarry bank, and in masons'
and builders' yards, and a portion of the Invention may be attached to the ordinary
reciprocating saws now in common use.
In constructing a machine according to my Invention I stretch gantry or
travelling beams across or along the quarry of such length as the nature of the
stone or locality will admit, framed together at the ends and trussed at the sides in
any well known manner, the width between the beams being a little more than the
diameter of the saw, the scantlings of same being suited to the length required,
and the whole arranged to travel along the face of the quarry, whilst upon the
gantry I place one or two carriages carrying the saws or cutters for quarrying or
dressing the stone so designed that they can be moved lengthwise on the gantry.
The said gantry framing may be of iron or wood or of iron and wood firmly put
togother to withstand the strain when the 'saws are at work. In like manner the
carriages for saws may be made, but when these are framed of wood I stiffen them
by iron plates and brackets, part of which are also used for passing saw shafts
through, so that the horizontal shafts can be moved and the vertical saws put to
the outside or any side of the carriages to cut the sides of the quarry perpendicularly.
The saws are also arranged so as to cut horizontally and lengthwise or across the
quarry as may be required, by which I procure stone out of the solid rock in
suitable sizes for building and other purposes, making at the same time true and
smooth surfaces.
I attach iron or steel rails of V or other suitable section over and under the gantry
beams, upon which the saw carriages slide on guide blocks from end to end-of
gantry, by which means I secure a true and straight direction for the carriages. The
gantry beams are mounted at the ends on iron brackets, in which wheels are fitted
for travelling upon the temporary rails along the quarry face, and the gantry is
Gxed at such a height as to allow the horizontal saw to be drawn out of the rock.
I put vertical slides on the inside of the carriages, which are interchangeable

page_text: and useable on any side of the carriages, so that the vertical saw may be worked at
the sides or ends of the carriages as may be required. These slides are fitted with
suitable brasses carrying the horizontal shaft and the frame of same is actuated by
screwed gearing, by means of which the saw is forced towards the stone. The top
and bottom of one pair of slides carry blocks and brasses for the vertical shaft, on
the lower end of which I fix the horizontal saw.
The vertical shaft drives the horizontal shaft by specially designed bevil gearing
arranged so that one shaft passes the other, and both shafts have long keybeds to
allow of the saws being put at various distances from bevil gearing.
At the outside of the carriages I fix guide blocks, from which stay bars lead to
the lower end of vertical shaft close to the horizontal saw, and these bars are
arranged to slide up and down in the blocks as may be required, having set pins
for fixing them. In the same blocks I fix, when required, supporting bars for
horizontal shaft, close to the vertical saw, when working outside. It is obvious
that the internal arrangements of the carriages may be altered to suit other means
of driving which may be necessary for cutting different kinds of stone.
The saws are circular in their action, but they are not of the kind usually under-
stood as such. The body of the saw is made of iron or steel plate, and has a
number of discs or cutters in suitable fixings upon its perimeter. When the saw
revolves the-teeth-of-the-discs.or cutters do not act on the stono by abrasion, but
-they-are-pressed against the stone, and an indentation-is-made-at-each side of the
saw with a core, between which core I remove-by-a-central set of discs of sufficient
thickness, scraping out the sand by pieces of steel or other suitable metal fixed-in-
the edge of large plate.
The discs or cutters have teeth cut in them, and are of steel or other suitable
metal fixed in metal holders in any well known way to the edge of large plate so
as to be capable of revolving as the saw is pressed to its work, but in the opposite
direction thereto. Ordinary horizontal reciprocating saws commonly used in stone-
yards may be fitted with these discs or cutters, and the number and size of the
cutters may vary to suit the stone to be acted upon. So in like manner tho
number and size of the cutters may be varied in the large circular saws.
The machinery may be driven by an engine on the gantry or on the bank of
the quarry or cutting, connected thereto by endless rope gearing, shafting and
gearing, or in any convenient way, but I prefer to use endless ropes and an engine
clear of the gantry.
When using endless ropes I pass them from the driving pulley of engine along
the quarry and into the grooves of pulleys at the angles of quarry and corners of
saw carriages, going up and down the gantry beams and back to the engine, with
an arrangement of variable gearing for taking up the slack rope.
I place a small friction pulley with groove underneath towards cach corner of
the saw carriage, and by means of guide pulleys the endloss ropes are made to
drive the friction pulleys in contrary directions, thus obtaining reverse gearing.
At the upper end of vertical shaft which carries the horizontal saw I place a large
friction wheel, and when one of the small friction pulleys is put in contact there-
with the sawing machinery is driven. When two ropes are required I place a
second large friction wheel between the first and two of the small friction pulleys,
and thus transmit the power of the second rope to the driving wheel.
For propelling the gantry, and also for drawing the saw carriages along the
gantry, grooved pulleys are fixed at the corners of the gantry, and these by means
of worm gearing and endless ropes and chains reduco the speed to what is required
for this purpose.
After cutting the sides of the quarry to a sufficient distance the machine may be
caused to run parallel with the beds of the rock. And to keep the cost of working
at a minimum 1 make the gantry to cover a large surface of rock without refixing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
February 1881.
JOSEPH WILLIAMS, of Commercial Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Mason and Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR QUARRYING AND
DRESSING STONE"
This Invention is applicable for cutting stone in open quarries and railway and
other cuttings, and for cutting and dressing stone on the quarry bank and in
masons' and builders' yards, and a portion of the Invention may be attached to the
ordinary reciprocating saws now in common use.
In constructing a machine according to my Invention I stretch gantry or
travelling beams across or along the quarry of such length as the nature of the
stone or locality will admit, framed together at the ends and trussed at the sides in
any well known manner, the width between the beams being a little more than
the diameter of the saw, tho scantling of same being suitable to the length
required, and the wholo arranged to travel along the face of the quarry on the
surface of the rock, whilst upon the gantry I place one or two carriages carrying
the saws or cutters for quarrying or drossing the stone so designed that they can
be moved lengthwise on the gantry.
The said gantry framing may be of iron or wood, or of iron and wood, firmly
put together to withstand the strain when the saws are at work. In like manner
the carriages for saws may be made, but when these are framed of wood I stiffon
them by iron plates and brackets, part of which are also used for passing saw
shafts through, so that the horizontal shafts can be moved and the vertical saws
put to the outside on any side of the carriages to cut the sides of the quarry
perpendicularly. The saws are also arranged so as to cut horizontally and
lengthwise or across the quarry as may be required, by which means I procure
stones out of the solid rock in suitable sizes for building and other purposes, making
at the same time true and smooth surfaces.
I attach iron or steel rails of V or other suitable section over and under the
gantry beams, upon which the saw carriages slide on guide blocks from end to end
of gantry, by which arrangement I secure a true and straight direction for the
carriages. The gantry beams are mounted at the ends on iron brackets in which
wheels are fitted for travelling upon the temporary rails along the quarry face on
the surface of the rock, and the gantry is fixed at such a height as to allow the
horizontal saws to be drawn out of the rock.
I put vertical slides on the inside of the carriages, which are interchangeable
and useable on any side of the carriages, so that the vertical saw may be worked
at the sides or ends of the carriages as may be required. These slides are fitted
with suitable brasses carrying the horizontal shaft, and the frame of same is
actuated by screwed gearing by means of which the saw is forced towards the
stone. The top and bottom of one pair of slides carry blocks and brasses for the
vertical shaft, on the lower end of which I fix the horizontal saw.
The vertical shaft drives the horizontal shaft by specially designed bevil gearing
50 arranged that one shaft passes the other, and both shafts have long key beds
to allow of the saws being put at various distances from the bevil gearing.
At the outside of the carriages I fix guide blocks from which stay bars lead to
the lower end of vertical shaft close to the horizontal saw, and these bars are
arranged to slide up and down in the blocks as may be required, having set pins
for fixing them. In the same blocks I fix, when required, supporting bars for
horizontal shaft close to the vertical saw when working outside. It is obvious that
the internal arrangements of the carriages may be altered to suit other means of
driving which may be necessary for cutting different kinds of stone.

page_text: The saws are circular in their action, but they are not of the kind usually
understood as such. The body of the saw is made of iron or steel plate and has a
number of discs or cutters in suitable fixings upon its perimeter. When the saw
revolves the teeth of the discs or cutters do not act on the stone by abrasion, but
they are pressed against or into the stone, and an indentation is made at each side
of the saw with a core between them, which core I remove by a central set of discs
or cutters of sufficient thickness, scraping out the sand by pieces of steel or other
suitable metal fixed in the edge of the large plate.
The discs or cutters have teeth cut in them, and are of steel or other suitable
metal, fixed in metal holders in any well known way to the edge of the large plato
so as to be capable of revolving as the saw is pressed to its work, but in the
opposite direction thereto. Ordinary horizontal reciprocating saws commonly used
in stone-yards may be fitted with these discs or cutters, and the number, size, and
position of the cutters may vary to suit the stono to be acted upon.
So in like manner the number, size, and position of the cutters may be variod
in the large circular saws.
--The machinery may be driven by an engine on the gantry or carriage, or on the
bank of the quarry or cutting, connected thereto by endless rope gearing, shafting
and gearing, or in any convenient way, but I prefer to use endless ropes and an
engine clear of the cantry or carriage-whore_an_encrine is already on the quarry
When using endless ropes I pass them from the driving pulley-of-engine-along-
the quarry and into the grooves of pulleys at the angles of quarry, gantry beams,
and saw carriages, going up and down the gantry beams and back to the engine,
with an arrangement of variable gearing for taking up the slack rope.
I place a small friction pulley with groove underneath towards cach corner of
the saw carriage, and by means of guide pulleys the endless ropes are made to
drive the friction pulleys in contrary directions, thus obtaining reverse gearing.
At the upper end of vertical shaft which carries the horizontal saw I place a large
friction wheel, and when one of the small friction pulleys is put in contact
therewith the sawing machinery is driven. When two ropes are required I place
a second large friction wheel between the first and two of the small friction pulleys,
and thus transmit the power of the second rope to the driving wheel on vertical
shaft.
For propelling the gantry and also for drawing the saw carriages along the
gantry, grooved pulleys are fixed at the corners of the gantry, and these by means
of worm gearing and endless ropes and chains reduce the speed to what is required
for this purpose.
After cutting the sides of the quarry to a sufficient distance the machine may
be caused to run parallel with the beds of the rock, and to keep the cost of
working at a minimum I make the gantry to cover a largo surface of rock without
refixing.
And in order that my Invention may be better understood I will now explain
it with reference to the accompanying Drawings. The reference numbers where
repeated ou different Figures indicato corresponding parts in each of the Figures.
Figure 1 is a plan of the saw carriage at one end of the gantry with the vertical
saws in position for cutting the stone lengthwise; Figure 2 is a plan of the carriage
in position to cut transversely; Figure 3 is an elevation of Figure 1, and Figure 4
an elevation of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a section on line A, B, Figure 2; Figure 6
is an end elevation of Figure 1; Figure 7 is an elevation showing the horizontal
saw in position, and Figure 8 is an end elevation of the same; Figure 9 is a section
on line C, D, Figure 2, and Figure 10 is a section on line E, F, Figure 8.
The gantry beams 1 are framed at the ends 2 and trussed by bars 3, or by
vertical plates at the sides of or between the beams, bolted thereto as indicated.
The carriages slide on the rails 4, which are fixed under and over the beams on
wrought iron plates which serve to strengthen the beams transversely, and the
beams are mounted on suitable brackets 5, which are fitted with wheels running

page_text: upon the temporary rails 6. The carriages have slide blocks 7, which slide along
the rails 4. Spaces 8 on the four sides of each carriage are for the horizontal shaft
9 to pass through in the cast iron framing 10 which strengthens the lower frames
of the carriages. The vertical guides 11 carry sliding frames 12 and brasses at 13
for the horizontal shaft 9. The vertical screw gear 14 forcing the vortical saws
into or out of the rock are driven by bevil wheels 15, and are connected by the
shaft 16 to cach other. A toothed wheel 17 under the friction wheel 18 drives
the pinion 19 on vertical screws 14, the lever 20 putting the pinion 19 in and of
gear as required.
The brackets 21 carry the vertical shaft 22, and the bevil wheels 23 transmit the
power from this to the horizontal shaft 9, the shafts being arranged to pass each
other. The bars 24 support the vertical shaft when the horizontal saw is in use,
and are fixed to the blocks 25 by suitable set screws. The endloss rope 20
transmits the power from the engine or other motor, by means of the grooved
wheels 27, guido pulleys 28, and friction wheels 29. The pulleys 30 drive the
worm shaft 31; the worm 32 acting on the wheel 33 drives the shaft 34, which has
two other worms gearing into the wheels 35 on shafts 36, the latter shafts carrying
chain wheels 37. The endless chains 38 pass along each side of the gantry beams 1
and gear into the wheels 37, so that the gantry is moved by this chain gearing,
whilst the carriages aro also drawn along the gantry when the pins 39 are attached
to the chains. One of the chains drives the shaft 40, the worms 41 driving the
wheels 42 which run in the brackets 5. The lovers 43 carry the wheels 29, by
the alternate use of which I obtain reversing gear. The large friction wheel 44
transmits the power from the second rope to the pulley 18. The bearer 45 carries
the shaft 16 and wheel 44.
The circular plates 46 form the bodies of the saws; on the edge of each are cutters
47 which cut the stone at each side, and central cutters 48 which cut out the
coro 49, the pieces of steol 50 taking out the grit or sand left by the cutters.
Having now particularly described my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that I do not confine myself
to the exact details herein described, but what I claim is,-
First. The general arrangement of stone cutting or quarrying machinery,
constructed substantially as herein described.
Secondly. Constructing the gantry so as to cover a large area of rock, and to
allow the saws to be forced into or drawn out of the rock.
Thirdly. The use of interchangeable carriages and mountings which allows the
saws to be put to any vertical side of the carriages.
Fourthly. The arrangement for placing the saws in positions which allows of
getting stones of suitable sizes ready for buildings.
Fifthly. The construction of circular saws with cutters, substantially as herein
described, also applicable to reciprocating saws as stated.
Sixthly. The method of cutting grooves in the stone with small circular cutters,
which produce true and smooth surfaces, as herein described, also applicable for
cutting slate rock.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Joseph Williams, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
JOHN STEWART,
of 195, Stanley Road,
Bootle.
JOSEPH WILLIAMS. (L.S.)