IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING UPON MARBLE AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES DESIGNS OR FIGURES IN IMITATION OF SCULPTURE OR CARVED WORK
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Augusto Guattari at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th May 1881.
AUGUSTO GUATTARI, of Bedford Street, Covent Garden, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING
UPON MARBLE AND OTHER HARD SUBSTANCES DESIGNS OR FIGURES IN IMITATION
OF SCULPTURE OR CARVED WORK."
My Invention relates to machinery or apparatus for producing upon marble,
stone, and other similar hard substances designs or figures in relief in imitation of
sculpture or carved work by the percussive action of moulds or counterparts of
the design to be reproduced, the surface of said moulds or counterparts being
roughened or covered with fine pyramidal teeth to render the percussive action
effective for removing the stone from the intaglio portions of the design, this action
being still further assisted by the abrasive action of emery powder or other suitable
abradent introduced by means of water between the mould and the surface to be
"carved" or sculptured.
The percussive movement may be imparted to the mould in a variety of ways,
and I will describe one form of apparatus for carrying out the Invention.
The mould or moulds are fixed on a long lever or frame which is repeatedly raised
by tappets or wipers on a rotary shaft in the manner of a tilt hammer, and allowed
to fall upon the block or blocks to be " carved," which are firmly fixed on a suitable
bed or table. The table is provided with means of adjustment, so that its level
may be varied to suit the form of the block operated on. The mould is attached
face downwards to the frame or lever, which oscillates on pivots at one end mounted
in bearings capable of adjustment to suit the thickness of the block. The wipers on
the shaft take under projections secured adjustably to the lever so as to project
more or less to regulate the height of fall of the mould.
The mould is of cast-iron, steel, or other very hard material, and the small
pyramidal teeth or serrations with which its acting surface forming the counterpart
of the design to be produced is provided, are so arranged that all the teeth shall
coincide in direction with the percussive movement of the mould. The emery
powder or other abradent used is contained in a hopper above the mould, and is
supplied through perforations or tubes, and falls upon the back of the mould. This

page_text: hopper may have a vibrating motion imparted to it to facilitate the regular escape
of the powder, or it may be furnished with a distributing device. The water is
distributed from a tank through a rose onto the back of the mould, or it may pass
through the hopper with the powder to serve as a vehicle for carrying the emery
or other abrasive powder between the acting surface of the mould and the block,
and also to assist the abrasive action.
The mould is perforated with a number of holes of conical form, and leading from
the top or back of the mould to its acting surface, channels in the back or top of
the mould leading to and connecting the several holes in all directions, to ensure
the regular distribution of the emery or other powder. Towards the end of the
operation a finer grade of powder is used, in order to obtain a smooth and almost
polished surface.
In operating upon certain materials, a very light and rapid percussive action is
required, and in this case the mould may be actuated by a ratchet wheel and lever
arrangement, which is particularly suitable where the design to be executed being
small and the mould light, but little power is required.
The mould or moulds may be raised and dropped vertically, or may be operated
in any other way, by which a light and rapidly reiterated percussive action can be
obtained, either in a vertical, horizontal, or other direction.
To execute work in high relief and detailed figures generally, a number of moulds
are disposed circularly or otherwise around the block of marble or stone, the several
moulds being respectively counterparts of portions of the complete design to be
produced by their combined action. The moulds are operated alternately or other-
wise by means of any suitable mechanism, and strike in directions normal to the
block which is at their common centre. It will be understood that the greater the
number of the moulds, the more perfect will be relievo-design produced.