Improvements in Machines for Sharpening the Combs and Cutters of Sheep Shearing Machines and the like, and for Grinding and Polishing Flat Surfaces.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Sharpening the Combs and Cutters
of Sheep Shearing Machines and the like, and for Grinding and
Polishing Flat Surfaces.
I, WILLIAM GILLIES, of Quarry Street, Ultimo, in the City of Sydney, and
Colony of New South Wales, Mechanical 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 :-
This invention relates to machines specially devised for sharpening the combs
and cutters of sheep shearing machines the blades of horse clippers and other like
cutters requiring a true surface although such machines may be advantageously
used for grinding and polishing any objects having flats or surfaces of areas within
certain limits and on planes clear of other parts of such objects. Considerable
difficulty has hitherto been experienced in obtaining a true and uniform surface on
the combs and cutters and blades before mentioned and with the machines or
apparatus hitherto devised. As it is essential to the proper and effective working
of sheep shearing machines that such combs and cutters should have such true and
uniform surface it has been compulsory to employ skilled workmen or high class
attendants for sharpening such and even then the results in a large measure were
not satisfactory. Now by my invention the necessity of the employment of
skilled men is obviated and the grinding of combs and cutters may be entrusted
to those having only a minimum of intelligence without fear of non-success
or loss.
These improvements in machines for sharpening the combs and cutters of sheep
shearing machines and for grinding and polishing flat surfaces consist first and
essentially in the combination and arrangement with a circular revolving flat grinder
or grinding surface preferably but not necessarily set horizontally of a surrounding
or partly surrounding stationary rest or platform with its surface close to and flush
with said grinding surface, secondly in the combination and arrangement with the
revolving flat grinding surface and the surrounding or partly surrounding stationary
flush rest or platform of stop bars or guides placed across or above the grinding
surfaces and thirdly in the combinations and arrangements of mechanical parts
hereinafter particularly described and claimed.
But in order that my invention may be clearly understood reference will now be
made to the drawings herewith in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an improved grinding machine constructed
according to my invention.
Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 shew different forms of stop bars or covers or guides.
Figs. 7 & 8 are elevation and section respectively of a modified construction of
grinding machine.
Figs. 9, 10 & 11 shew side view, front view and detail respectively of a grinding
machine with my improvements used in conjunction with a vertical grinding disc
while-
Figs. 12, 13 & 14 shew similar views respectively of the same with modified
constructions of various details.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 the revolving grinding surface A which may be of
stone or other suitable material or a coated wood or metal disc and must be circular
and have a perfectly flat or true face is set upon the end of spindle B and is
adjustable as to height. The spindle B is carried by a hollow pillar or frame C in
liners or sleeves B¹ and B' and has a supporting stud or adjusting pin B' with jamb
nut B. The grinder A rests on the spindle by means of a shoulder A' and is
fastened by a set screw A³. A pulley D is fixed on spindle B by means of flush

page_text: set screw D taking into keyway or groove D2 to allow for adjustment and is set
opposite orifice C in pillar C so that a driving belt from a motion shaft may take
around it. Other orifices C and C are provided in the pillar C to facilitate the
tightening of set screw A' and the adjustment of pin B3³ respectively. The pillar C
terminates at its top in a rest or table C which is perfectly true and may or may
not be a whole circle but has an orifice just imperceptibly larger than grinder A
and is provided with a flange or catch piece C under which hooked bolts E¹ take
so that stop bars E may be fastened thereto and I prefer that one of these stop bars
should in all cases be placed above the centre of the grinder. The grinder A
being fastened on spindle B by means of set screw A' its height is adjusted by stud
or pin B pressing on bottom of said spindle so that its true surface is just flush
with the grinding surface A and pulley D is fixed in proper position by flush
headed set screw D' stop bars or guides E preferably slightly checked for clearance
of grinding surface are fastened and in the desired position. Motion is given to
pulley D thus revolving spindle B and grinder A. Now the cutter comb &c.
which it is desired to sharpen or grind is rested by the operator upon the table C
and advanced or moved backwards and forwards with its edge against stop bar E
across the revolving grinder A by which a perfectly true surface is imparted
to it.
The grinding surface and its surrounding flush table or rest may of course be
used without stop bars but for cutters or combs of sheep shearing machines I prefer
they should be used and so have shewn various forms of stop bars or guides namely
one plain bar as in Fig. 2 parallel bars as in Fig. 3. Radial bars as in Fig. 4.
Cross bars as in Fig. 5, or half moon covers as in Fig. 6 forming also a convenient
still table or further two half moon covers leaving a space or track just off the
centre of the grinder.
Referring to Figs. 7 & 8 which shew. a modified construction. of sharpening or
grinding or polishing machine in which I have substituted for the circular pulley D
a frictional pulley F and have arranged a right angle shaft F2 carrying frictional
pulley and driving pulleys F F or other driving gear. This driving shaft F¹
is carried in adjustable bracket G having oblong bolt hole G' through which it is
fastened by screw or nutted stud G' to frame or pillar C and is also supported on
the bottom of frame C by pinching screw G³. The pillar or frame C in this case
is provided with an orifice C and an orifice C7 with cover Ca for screwing up and
adjustment purposes respectively. This machine is driven by a belt or other gear
revolving shaft F' which by friction pulleys F F revolves the spindle B and
grinder A and is operated upon or with in the same manner as that machine before
described. Either of the stop bars or covers or guides E (see Figs. 2 to 5) may
be used on the grinding surface.
In Figs. 9, 10 & 11, I have shewn a further modification illustrating how my
present improvements may be applied to an existing machine in which the grinder
is set with a vertical face. To the existing frame H which is supported on any
convenient framing and carries spindle I driving pulleys I & I and grinder (*
whose working face I make perfectly flat and true I attach an extension plate or
bearer J preferably by means of bolt J and clamp J' and upon stud bolts J'
extending therefrom I fix the stop bars or guides K preferably in the form of a
guard adapted just to cover the centre of the grinder and its centre fastening bolt I*
and to this bar or cover in turn by means of bolts K' I fix a vertical flush rest K
in two parts adjusted true with the surface I. In grinding with this machine the
operator has the advantage of placing the comb cutter &c. upon the stationary &
flush rest K and adjusting it thereon before advancing it or moving it backwards
and forwards over the grinding surface and has the further advantage of a rest on
bar or edge of guard K for the edge of same while grinding although this bar
might of course be dispensed with. Figs. 12 & 13 shew in elevations a modified
way of combining my improvements with an existing grinder. In this a soleplate L
is bolted either to the frame H or to its support. In sockets L₁ standards or studs
adjustable as to height by means of set screws L³ are supported and to these studs

page_text: the flush rests K and the stop bar or guide K are fastened by bolts K³ and sockets
and set screws K' respectively. Instead of being in parts the flush rest K may in
all cases be made in one piece as in Fig. 14.
It is to be understood that two or more grinders or grinding surfaces may be
arranged within orifices in a flush table or platform so that a comparatively large
surface may be ground or polished.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In machines of the class set forth the combination and arrangement with
a circular revolving flat grinder or grinding surface of a surrounding or
partly surrounding stationary rest or platform with its surface contiguous
to and flush with said grinding surface substantially as herein described and
explained.
2. In machines of the class set forth the combination and arrangement with a
circular revolving grinding surface and a surrounding or partly surrounding
stationary rest or platform of stationary stop bars or guides across or upon said
grinding surface substantially as herein described and explained.
3. In machines of the class set forth the combination and arrangement with a
circular revolving surface such as A. set upon a spindle such as B adjustable as to
height of a surrounding (preferably wholly surrounding) rest or table such
as C substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the
drawings.
4. In machines of the class set forth the combination and arrangement with a
vertical grinder such as I³ having a true and flat surface of flush rests such as K
adjustable in respect to said true and flat surface substantially as herein described
and explained and as illustrated in the drawings.
5. In machines of the class set forth the combination and arrangement with a
flat vertical grinder such as I and flush rests such as K of the bars rods or guides
such as K' substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the
drawings.
6. In machines of the class set forth the particular combinations and arrangements
of mechanical parts substantially as described and explained and as illustrated
respectively in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4 Fig. 5, Figs. 7 & 8, Figs. 9, 10 & 11,
and Figs. 12, 13 & 14.
Dated this Eleventh day of December 1891
WILLIAM GILLIES.