Improvements in Apparatus for Grinding the Cylinder Blades and Bottom Blades of Lawn Mowers and similar Machines, and for Grinding Skate Blades or Skate Irons and other Articles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 19th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 4th May, 1889
Improvements in Apparatus for Grinding the Cylinder Blades and
Bottom Blades of Lawn Mowers and similar Machines, and for
Grinding Skate Blades or Skate Irons and other Articles.
I, JOHN ATTERTON of the Duddery Iron Works Haverhill in the county of
Suffolk Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is the production of a cheap and simple grinding
machine for sharpening the cylinder blades or cutters and the bottom blades of lawn-
mowers and similar machines: the grinding machine being also adapted for grinding
skate-irons and suitable for grinding other articles. It can be worked by hand or
other power and does not necessarily require a skilled workman to use it.
Upon a suitable bed plate I fix two brackets containing V-shaped bearings: the
brackets and bearings being adjustable in such way that the blade cylinders of lawn-
mowers can be readily and accurately mounted in the V-shaped bearings whatever
may be the length of the lawn-mower cylinder operated on, and whatever may be the
diameter of its journals.
Upon the same bed-plate I arrange a head-stock or brackets to carry the pulleys,
wheels and their supports by which the apparatus is operated.
Upon the same bed-plate I place brackets with adjustable bearings to carry the
spindle of the emery wheel or other grinding wheel or stone. The said grinding stone
or wheel is mounted upon a tubular shaft or slieve so that it can be readily moved by
means of a hand lever or other suitable contrivance along the spindle on which it
rotates.
The aforesaid V-shaped bearings to carry the lawn-mower cylinder are also adjust-
able in such way that the axis of the said cylinder may be brought into line with the
axis of the main driving spindle carried in the aforesaid bead stock: and motion is
communicated to the cylinder by means of a carrier attached to its spindle the said
carrier engaging a crank pin or driver on the head stock spindle.
The head stock spindle carries a spur-wheel by which motion is communicated to a
spur pinion on the grinding wheel spindle and as lawn-mower cylinders vary
;
in

page_text: diameter and the grinding wheels also vary as they wear, it is necessary to use an
adjustable intermediate spur wheel to engage both with the aforesaid spur-wheel and with
the spur-pinion for this purpose I prefer to mount a spur wheel of suitable diameter
upon a suitable disc or radial arm or lever the axis or fulcrum of which is the head
stock spindle, means being employed to set the said disc, arm or lever fast upon the
headstock in a suitable position for it to engage the pinion on the grinding wheel
spindle as well as the wheel on the headstock spindle.
I protect the grinding wheel by a shield which can also be used to keep it wet if
desired.
The grinding wheel spindle bearings are fitted with hand screws by which the
grinding wheel can be brought into contact with the cylinder blades to the desired
extent.
When grinding the bottom blades of lawn-mowers and similar machines, I prefer
to take from its place in the lawn-mower the sole plate with the blade attached and to
fix it upon suitable brackets adjusted upon that part of the bed plate of my improved
apparatus upon which the V-shaped bearing brackets are placed when the apparatus
is used for grinding cylinder blades. If it is desired to grind the bottom blade dis-
connected from the sole plate the blade may be secured directly to the bed plate of
my apparatus or to a bar which can be fixed upon the said bed plate for this
purpose.
The brackets prepared for carrying the sole plate of lawn mowers are also made so
as to be adapted for use as rests for grinding skate-irons and other articles.
Upon the grinding wheel spindle, or upon the slieve carrying the grinding wheel,
I prefer to place a small fly wheel to give a more regular motion to the grinding
surface of the grinding wheel.
If desired the end of the grinding wheel spindle can be arranged to carry a grinding
wheel for general grinding in addition to the grinding wheel mounted on the slieve as
aforesaid.
.
:
When the apparatus is operated by power communicated by a strap, I prefer to
dispense with the aforesaid spur wheel, spur pinion and intermediate spur wheel and
in lieu thereof I use a counter shaft to which motion is communicated by a strap
running upon pulleys and upon this countershaft I place a pulley or pulleys to drive
one pulley on the head-stock spindle and a second pulley on the grinding wheel
spindle. In lieu of spur gearing I may employ frictional gearing the intermediate
wheel being caused to engage with the other two by means of a weighted lever, or a
. screw or in other suitable manner.
Dated this Nineteenth day of May 1800

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Grinding the Cylinder Blades and
Bottom Blades of Lawn-mowers and similar Machines, and for
Grinding Skate Blades or Skate Irons and other Articles..
I, JOHN ATTERTON, of the Duddery Iron Works, Haverhill, in the County of
Suffolk, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The object of this invention is the production of a cheap and simple grinding
machine for sharpening the cylinder blades or cutters and the bottom blades of
lawn mowers and similar machines, the grinding machine being also adapted for
grinding skate-irons and suitable for grinding other articles. It can be worked
by hand or other power, and does not necessarily require a skilled workman to
use it.
Upon a suitable bed-plate, I fix two brackets containing V-shaped bearings: the
brackets and bearings being adjustable in such way that the blale-cylinders of
lawn-mowers can be readily and accurately mounted in the V-shaped bearings
whatever may be the length of the lawn mower cylinder operated on, and what-
ever may be the diameter of its journals.
Upon the same bed plate, I arrange a head stock or brackets to carry the
pulleys wheels, and their supports by which the apparatus is operated.
Upon the same bed plate, I place brackets with adjustable bearings to carry
The said
the spindle of the emery wheel or other grinding wheel or stone.
grinding stone or wheel is mounted upon a tubular shaft or sleeve so that it can
be readily moved by means of a hand lever or other suitable contrivance along
the spindle on which it rotates.
The aforesaid V-shaped bearings to carry the lawn-mower cylinder are also
adjustable in such way that the axis of the said cylinder may be brought into line
with the axis of the main driving spindle carried in the aforesaid head-stock; and
motion is communicated to the cylinder by means of a carrier attached to
the spindle, the said carrier engaging a crank pin or driver on the headstock
spindle.
The headstock spindle carries a spur wheel by which motion is communicated
to a spur pinion on the grinding wheel spindle and as lawn mower cylinders
vary in diameter, and as the grinding wheels also vary as they wear, it is neces-
sary to use an adjustable intermediate spur wheel to engage both with the afore-
spur wheel and with the spur pinion for this purpose I prefer to mount a spur
wheel of suitable diameter upon a suitable disc or radial arm or lever, the axis
or fulcrum of which is the head stock spindle, means being employed to set the said
disc, arm or lever fast upon the headstock in a suitable position for it to engage
the pinion on the grinding wheel spindle as well as the wheel on the lead stock
spindle.

page_text: I protect the grinding wheel by a shield which can also be used to keep it wet
if desired.
The grinding wheel spindle bearings are fitted with hand screws by which the
grinding wheel can be brought into contact with the cylinder blades to the desired
extent.
When grinding the bottom blades of lawn mowers and similar machines, I
prefer to take from its place in the lawn mower, the sole plate with the blade
attached, and to fix it upon suitable brackets adjusted upon that part of the bed
plate of my improved apparatus upon which the V-shaped bearing brackets are
placed when the apparatus is used for grinding cylinder blades. If it is desired
to grind the bottoin blade disconnected from the sole-plate, the blade may be
secured directly to the bed-plate of my apparatus, or to a bar which can be fixed
upon the said bed plate for this purpose.
The brackets prepared for carrying the sole plate of lawn mowers are also made
so as to be adapted for use as rests for grinding skate irons and other articles.
Upon the grinding wheel spindle or upon the sleeve carrying the grinding wheel,
I prefer to place a small fly wheel to give a more regular motion to the grinding
surface of the grinding wheel.
If desired, the end of the grinding wheel spindle can be arranged to carry a
grinding wheel for general purposes in addition to the grinding wheel mounted
on the sleeve as aforesaid.
When the apparatus is operated by power communicated by a strap, I prefer to
dispense with the aforesaid spur wheel, spur pinion, and intermediate spur wheel;
and in lieu thereof I use a countershaft to which motion is communicated by a
strap running upon pulleys; and upon this countershaft I place a pulley or pulleys
to drive one pulley on the headstock spindle, and a second pulley on the grinding
wheel spindle.
In lieu of spur gearing, I may employ frictional gearing the
intermediate wheel being caused to engage with the other two by means of a
weighted lever, or a screw, or in some other suitable manner.
:

page_text: mounted. By preference I form the sleeve with a collar f¹ near one end, and cut
a thread upon the other end, to which is fitted a nut y, with collar y¹ of similar
external form to that of the collar on end of sleeve. Upon the end of the sleeve
outside the collar, a metal side cheek f' is fitted and upon that part of
the nut which is similar to the end of the sleeve, another side cheek f³ is
fitted. These two side cheeks project beyond the periphery of the grinding wheel
for a small portion of its circumference, and are there bolted together with or
without the intervention of a suitable distance block m¹. When a distance block
is used, as shown in the drawings, it carries the grinding wheel guard or shield l,
which is adapted to form a handle. If no distance block is used, the side cheeks
are themselves formed to meet above the grinding wheel, and to form a shield with
handle. In the one case, the projecting portion of the side cheeks, and in the
other case the distance block between them, is attached to a stretcher bar d'
supported by the brackets d, which carry the grinding wheel spindle bearings.
This is done to prevent the side cheeks and guard from revolving with the emery
wheel, should the workman leave hold of the handle upon the shield. g is the
driver on head stock spindle 8 to engage with a carrier to be fixed on lawn mower
cylinder spindle. h is the wheel on head stock spindle engaging with intermediate
wheel which conveys motion to pinion on grinding wheel spindle e. k is the
radial arm supporting intermediate wheel i. is the shield to grinding wheel m.
n is the bracket for supporting lawn mower sole plate. n can also be used as a
rest for skate irons. o is the fly wheel, which may be replaced by a grinding
wheel for general grinding if desired. p is a countershaft. 7 is a pulley on P,
from which pulley motion is communicated by a strap to the pulley on headstock
spindle. s is also a pulley on p from which motion is communicated by a strap
to the pulley t on grinding wheel spindle e. u u are fast and loose pulleys on p.
vare hand wheels on the adjusting screws of bearings in brackets d.
adjusting screws for V-shaped bearings in brackets b. x are adjusting screws for
bringing bottom blades into proper position against grinding wheel. y is the nut
for securing the grinding wheel on the sleeve f. is the tongue or key fixed in
the sleeve and projecting into a groove on the grinding wheel spindle, and by this
key motion is communicated from the spindle to the wheel.
10. 10. are
1. is a spur wheel to the boss of which the driving handle 2. is fixed, both
handle and wheel revolving freely upon the stud 3. Wheel 1. gears with pinion 4
which is fixed to wheel 5. both wheel and pinion revolve freely on the stud 6.
Wheel 5 gears with pinion 7 which is fixed upon one end of the head stock
spindle 8. 9 is a packing strip to insert in the V shaped bearings when the lawn
mower cylinder spindle is of very small diameter.
It is important that the machine be firmly fixed to suitable supports. The mower
cylinder, the blades of which are to be ground, should be placed in the V shaped
bearings which must then be adjusted to bring the cylinder axis into line with the
axis of the headstock spindle. Take the intermediate wheel i out of gear, and adjust
the grinding wheel spindle bearings d to suit the cylinder blades: turn the set
screws in the upper part of d till they touch the bearing block lightly so that the
blocks can easily be adjusted by hand wheels v v. Then put the intermediate wheel i
into gear with h and j, not very deeply, and see that all the spindles run freely
in their bearings. Proceed with the operation of grinding setting up the grinding
wheel as required. To finish off with a fine polish, use an emery wheel and keep
it moist with a piece of cotton waste, damped with water, inserted under the
shield 1.
When preparing to grind a bottom plate, remove the brackets b, and in their place
fix two supports n, as shown in Fig. 9. Fix the sole plate between these by a single
bolt at each end, and set up the blade by means of set screws x, till in a suitable
position with respect to the grinding wheel.
When preparing to grind skate irons, fix the supports n, in the position shown in
Fig. 10, and adjust the grinding wheel spindle bearings till the wheel is in a suitable
position with respect to the skates.

page_text: .
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1
1. The general arrangement and combination of parts of a grinding machine for
sharpening or polishing lawn mower cylinder blades and bottom blades, skates and other
articles substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination of mechanical appliances substantially as hereinbefore described
for the aforesaid purposes..
3. The means and method of actuating both the grinding wheel spindle and the
lawn mower cylinder by separate straps from an overhead motion, as shown in Figs. 5
and 6. substantially as herein before described.
4. The application to machines for grinding the blades of lawn mower cylinders,
of V-shaped bearings to carry the said cylinders.
5. The adjustable bearings and brackets to carry the grinding wheel spindle
of machines for grinding lawn mower blades, substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. The means and method of mounting the grinding wheels of the said grinding
machines substantially as hereinbefore described, so as to give them lateral play on a
solid spindle.
7. The application to the said grinding machines of the method of carrying
the intermediate gear wheels upon a radial arm, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
8. The arrangement, substantially as hereinbefore described, by which the grinding
wheel shield is attached to the sleeve on which the wheel is mounted, and is
adapted to form a handle by which the grinding wheel can be moved laterally.
9. The means and method of mounting the sole plates of lawn mowers upon a
grinding machine in such way that the bottom blade can be ground without its being
detached from its sole plate, substantially as hereinbefore described.
10. The adaptation of the supports used for fixing sole plates to the purpose of
grinding skate irons, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 10.
Dated this 19th day of February 1889.
THOS. WILKINS,
6, Great St. Helens, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.