Improvements in Machines for Burnishing or Calendering Cards, Fabrics, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: te of Application, 3rd Nov., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Burnishing or Calendering Cards,
Fabrics, and the like.
1, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare that the nature of this invention, (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Warren Highlaan Boles, of Syracuse,
in the County of Onondaga and State of New York, Machine Manufacturer, John
Henry Reynolds, and George Edward Waldron, both of Troy, in the County of
Rensselaer and State of New York, Ventilator Manufacturers,) and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the burnishing machine.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the upper part of the same.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the upper part of the machine.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the feeding end of the polishing-roller.
Figure 6 is an enlarged detail illustrating an adjusting-device for the adjustable
roller.
Figure 7 is an enlarged detail of a coupling-device between the adjustable roller
and its actuating gear.
Figure 8 is an enlarged detail of a modified form of adjusting-device for the
adjustable roller.
Figure 9 is a vertical section of the rollers showing a modified construction of the
adjustable roller.
Figure 10 is a side elevation of a modified form of the burnishing machine.
Figure 11 is an end elevation of the same without the heater.
Figure 12 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the polishing-roller for same.
Figure 13 is an enlarged vertical section, illustrating an adjusting-mechanism for
the adjustable roller.
Figure 14 is a detached perspective view of the bearer for said adjusting-
mechanism and
:
Figure 15 is a detail of a modified form of adjusting-mechanism for the adjustable
roller.
This invention relates to a burnishing machine for polishing cards or other articles
of similar character which require to be finished with a smooth or glossy surface, the
polishing being effected by rollers-one of which is fitted to be heated by means of
either steam, hot-water, gas, or other suitable fluid.
;
As represented in the drawings, A designates the frame or housing of the machine
which may be made in the form shown or in any other suitable form. B is a hollow
polishing-roller journaled in said housing so that its centre of rotation will be
maintained in a fixed position; as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3; one end of said
roller is closed and provided with a neck or journal, 1, to which a gear-wheel, 2, is
secured the opposite end of said roller is open and is provided with a conical seat, 3,
which is fitted to form a steam-tight joint with the conical end of a stationary-
bearing, C, which forms a centre on which the feeding end of said roller will rotate,
and-for the purpose of preventing the lubricant from the contiguous bearing from
running onto and smearing the body of said roller-a circumferential groove, 4, is
formed near the feeding end of said polishing-roller; the stationary-bearing Chas,
projecting from its upper part, a nozzle, 5, that communicates with a pipe, 6, contained
in the polishing-roller B, and through said pipe steam or other fluid is conveyed to
the opposite end of the interior of said roller for heating the outer surface of the
latter a like nozzle, 7, projects from the lower part of said stationary-bearing to

page_text: form an outlet for the condensation or waste-water from the interior of the polishing-
roller B. The stationary-bearing C is held in a fixed position by a yoke, 8, secured
to an adjacent part of the housing A; an adjusting-screw, 9, is inserted in said yoke
opposite to the centre of the stationary-bearing C, and a spring, 10, is interposed
between a shoulder on said adjusting-screw and the outer face of the stationary-
bearing for the purpose of pressing the latter into close contact with the conical
seat 3 of the polishing-roller; the adjusting-screw 9 affords the means for graduating
the pressure against the stationary-bearing C as occasion may require to resist the
pressure acting on the inner end of said bearing. The nozzles 5 and 7 are provided
for the purpose of connecting the polishing-roller B-by suitable pipes-with a steam-
generator, hot-water tank, or other reservoir wherefrom a supply of heated fluid can
be obtained, one of said pipes being adapted to convey the heated fluid into said
polishing-roller, and the other to convey the cooler fluid back to the source of supply
of the hotter fluid.
'
I) designates the adjustable-roller of a pair of rollers journaled in the housing A;
said adjustable-roller being fitted to rotato in journal-boxes, 11, which are fitted to
move on guides, 12, in the upper part of said housing, and as an inexpensive and
efficient mode of forming the guiding feature for said boxes-the openings in the
housing A are preferably formed of greater width than the boxes, so as to allow the
latter to loosely enter said openings without touching the sides of the same, then, by
drilling down in the joints so formed and inserting into the holes smooth rods of the
same diameter as said holes-the lower end of said rods being retained in the
housing the guides so formed will be comparatively frictionless, and, by taking into
the grooves formed in the boxes by the drill, said guides will prevent an endwise
movement of the roller D. The adjusting-mechanism whereby the adjustable
roller D is moved relatively to the polishing-roller B-as shown in Fig. 3, consists
of a shaft, 13, arranged above and parallel with the roller D; said shaft is provided
with a wheel, 14, or other means for imparting a rotatory motion thereto, and it is
also provided with endless-screws or worms, 15, which mesh into worm-wheels, 16,
secured to adjusting-screws, 17, journaled in a cross-bar, 18, of the housing A; one
of said screws is appropriated to each of the boxes 11, and by rotating the shaft 13
in one direction the boxes will be raised to move the roller D'away from the roller B,
and the rotation of said shaft in a contrary direction will depress said boxes to carry
the. roller D into closer proximity to the roller B, and by means of said adjusting-
mechanism a perfectly uniform adjustment of the roller D towards, and from, the
roller B can be effected. In the modified form of the adjusting-mechanism shown in
Fig. 8, the endless-screws and worm-wheels of the adjusting-mechanism above
described are dispensed with, the shaft 13 is provided with two bevel-gears, 19-only
one of which is shown in the drawing-and a corresponding bevel-gear, 20, is
secured to the upper end of each of the screws 17. so that by imparting a rotatory
motion to the shaft 13 a corresponding motion will be given to said screws to effect
the adjustment of the roller D as above set forth. A diametrical groove is formed in
one end of the roller I) for the purpose of engaging with a corresponding tongue, 21,
formed on the adjoining face of a coupling-device, E, by which said roller is
connected to its actuating-gear, 22, which is independently journaled in a bracket, 23,
secured to the housing A; the wheel 22 is fitted to mesh into the gear-wheel 2
secured to the roller B, and it is provided with a tongue, 24, fitted to engage with a
corresponding groove formed in the face of the coupling-device E that is opposite
to the tongue 21, but in a diametrical direction that is at right angles to the latter;
the centres of the gear-wheels 2 and 22 are retained in fixed positions, but the
coupling-device E-by reason of the tongues and grooves-will move sufficiently to
allow the roller D to be adjusted vertically, to adapt the machine for burnishing
articles differing in thickness, without interference with a proper connection of the
roller D with its actuating-gear-wheel 22. A crank, F, is attached to the spindle of
the gear-wheel 22 as a means for imparting a rotatory motion-through the gear-
wheels 2 and 22-to the rollers B and D).
In the modified construction of the adjustable roller D; as shown in Fig. 9, said

page_text: roller has its convex surface encased in a covering, 25, formed of yielding material,
so as to adapt the machine for laundry purposes, and for polishing leather, the
yielding covering permitting any thick portion of the articles to be pressed therein
so that a uniform pressure can be distributed over the entire face of the articles
operated on.
•
In the modification of burnishing machine shown in Figs. 10 to 16 inclusive, the
housing A is substantially the same as hereinbefore described, and the polishing-
roller Bis journaled in said housing in substantially the same manner, but one end
of said roller is extended beyond said housing and is closed by a stopper, 26, which
contains a chamber, 27, formed by the end of said stopper and a transverse
partition, 28, provided with a V-shaped opening, 29, whose apex is at, or near, the
central axis of said roller, so that when water is used for heating the roller B-the
compressed air, contained in the upper half of the cavity of said roller, will prevent
the water from flowing into and filling that part of the roller B, the part of said
roller unfilled by water allows ample room for the steam evolved from said water; a
filling-opening is formed in the projecting part of said stopper at the side diametri-
cally opposite to the opening 29, so as to lead directly into the chamber 27, and into
said filling-opening a screw-plug, 30, is tightly fitted to close the same; said plug is
provided with a core of fusible alloy which will melt at a temperature corresponding
to the heat of steam at the maximum pressure required to be carried in said roller.
The opposite end of the roller B is provided with a gear-wheel, 31, and crank, 32,
the latter being provided for the purpose of allowing a rotatory motion to be
imparted to said roller. A jacket or casing, G, secured in a stationary position to
the housing A, surrounds the projecting part of the roller B, so as to form-between..
that part of said roller and the jacket--a space or flue, 33, through which heat can
circulate to envelop that part of the roller B; said jacket is provided with an opening
or collar, 34, at its lower side for receiving the heated products of combustion from
a furnace or heater, H, which is preferably made detachable from the burnishing
machine.
The adjustable roller D is provided with a gear-wheol, 35, which meshes into the
gear-wheel 31 of the polishing-roller B, and said adjustable roller is journaled in
journal-boxes, 36, fitted to move vertically in the housing A; said boxes are borne on
springs, 37, which exert their pressure to force said boxes and roller D upwardly,
and, for the purpose of obtaining a ready adjustment for said boxes downwardly, a
bearer, I, is fitted to bear upon the upper face of both of said boxes, and on the lower
face of each extremity of said bearer a longitudinal rib, 38, is formed for the purpose
of permitting the bearer to acquire a slight rocking movement in the direction of
its width; upon one extremity of said bearer a single adjusting-screw, 39, is fitted
to bear at its centre line; said adjusting-screw is screwed through a cross-tie, 40, of
the housing A, and its lower end is fitted to enter a countersink in the upper face of
the bearer I to form a pivotal point on which the rocking movement, above referred
to, can be effected; upon the opposite extremity of said bearer, a similar adjusting-
screw, 41, is fitted to bear at one side of the centre line, and at the opposite side of
said centre line a third adjusting-screw, 42, is fitted to bear; both of the last named
adjusting-screws are preferably fitted to enter countersinks in the upper face of the
bearer I, and each of the adjusting-screws-39, 41, and 42-is provided with a jam-
nut, 43, for the purpose of retaining the screw in the position at which it is properly
adjusted. In the modified form of adjusting-device for the journal-boxes of the
roller shown in Fig. 15-in which is shown a portion of the device pertaining to
one end of the machine-an eccentric, J, is fitted to bear upon the upper face of the
journal-box 36 to which it appertains; said eccentric is pivoted, as at 44, to the
cross-tie 40, so as to be oscillated on its pivot in opposite directions; at one extremity
of said cross-tie, a screw-threaded spindle, 45, is fitted to rotate in slotted openings, 46,
wherein said spindle has a slight vertical movement; a head, 47, projecting outside
of the end of said cross-tie, affords the means for imparting a rotatory motion to said
spindle, and a collar, 48, on the latter prevents it froin acquiring an end wise move-
ment; a bar, 49, is pivoted, as at 50, to each eccentric J, and at one extremity of

page_text: said bar a screw-threaded socket, 51, is formed to receive the spindle 45, and by
rotating the latter an endwise movement of the bar 49 will be effected in a manner
corresponding to the direction in which said spindle is rotated.
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. The combination of a steam-, or hot-water, heater, a polishing-roller having an
interior cavity, a steam or hot-water inlet-pipe connected to said heater and the
polishing-roller for discharging into one extremity of the latter, and an outlet-pipe
for withdrawing the steam or hot-water from the opposite extremity of said roller and
returning the same to said heater, whereby a continuous current of steam or hot-
water is produced within said roller, substantially as specified.
2. The combination of a polishing-roller, an interior cavity in said roller having
one extremity open, a stationary bearing for closing said open extremity, inlet and
outlet openings in said stationary bearing for admitting and withdrawing steam or
hot-water into and out of said roller, a pipe or tube connected to said inlet opening
for conducting the steam or hot-water to the opposite extremity of said cavity
whereby a continuous current is produced therein from end to end, a steam-lubricated
joint between said stationary bearing and the contacting surface of the polishing.
roller, and an adjusting-device for varying the approximation of the contacting surfaces
of said stationary bearing and polishing-roller, substantially as set forth.
.3. The combination of a hollow polishing-roller having one open extremity, a
stationary bearing for closing said open extremity, a yoke or bracket secured to the
housing for said roller and engaging said stationary bearing for preventing the
rotation of the latter, and an adjusting-device interposed between said yoke and
stationary bearing for adjusting the latter towards and from the open extremity of
the polishing-roller, as and for the purpose herein specified.
4. The combination of adjacently-mounted rollers-one of said rollers being
adjustable towards the other, an interior cavity in one of said rollers, inlet and
outlet passages opening into said cavity for passing from end to end of the latter
a continuous current of steam or other heated fluid, an adjusting-mechanism whereby
the adjustable roller can be moved uniformly towards and from the other roller,
substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of adjacently-mounted rollers-one of said rollers being
adjustable towards the other, a housing for said rollers having guide-ways therein,
journal-boxes for said adjustable roller having less width than said guide-ways,
guide-grooves in opposite sides of said journal-boxes, and guide-bars supported in
said housing and registered with said guide-grooves for guiding said journal-boxes,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6. The combination of adjacently-mounted rollers-one of said rollers being
adjustable towards the other, connected gearing between said rollers, and a movable
coupling interposed between the adjustable roller and its actuating gear for taking
up the adjustment of said roller, substantially as specified.
7. The combination of adjacently-mounted rollers-one of said rollers being
journaled in fixed bearings and the other being adjustable thereto, a gear-wheel
secured to one extremity of the fixed roller and meshing into a gear-wheel inde-
pendently journaled in a bracket on the housing of the machine, and a movable
coupling interposed between the last named gear-wheel and the adjustable roller, as
and for the purpose set forth.
8. The combination of adjustably-mounted rollers-one of said rollers being
adjustable towards the other, a gear-wheel 2 mounted on one extremity of the fixed
roller, a gear-wheel 22 having a spindle journaled in a bracket of the housing A,
said gear-wheel having a tongue 24, a coupling-device E having a diametrical
groove fitted to engage the tongue 24 and having on its opposite face a tongue 21
formed at right angles to said groove, the tongue 21 being fitted to engage in a

page_text: corresponding groove in the conjoining end of the adjustable roller, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
9. The combination of a hollow polishing-roller having a liquid enclosed therein,
and a heater for heating said roller and producing a circulation of said liquid within
the roller, substantially as specified.
10. The combination of a hollow polishing-roller hermetically closed and con-
taining an unvarying quantity of fluid which does not entirely fill the cavity of said
roller, a heater for heating said roller and generating steam therein, and means for
preventing an excessive pressure of steam in said roller, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
11. The combination of a hollow polishing-roller having one portion of its surface
polished and another portion rough to receive the heat from a heater, and a cavity in
said roller partially filled with liquid, whereby the generation of steam can be effected
in said roller, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
12. The combination of a housing, a polishing-roller journaled in said housing and
provided with a polishing surface, an extension of said roller projecting beyond said
polishing surface and the housing, and a heater registered with said extension for
heating the same and thus transmitting the heat to said polishing surface, substantially
as specified.
13. The combination of a housing, a polishing-roller journaled in said housing and
provided with a polishing surface, an extension of said roller projecting beyond said
polishing surface and the housing, a jacket encasing said extension, a flue or space
formed between the perimeter of said extension and said jacket, and a heater for
passing heated currents through said flue or space, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
14. The combination of a hollow polishing-roller having an open extremity, a
hollow stopper opening into the cavity of said polishing-roller and containing a
chamber partially separated from the open end of said stopper by a transverse partition
having a V-shaped opening therein, a filling-opening leading into said chamber, and
a closure for said filling-opening, substantially as specified.
15. The combination of a pair of rollers adjustable towards each other, one of said
rollers having a liquid-containing receptacle and a heating extension, and a heater for
heating said extension, substantially as set forth.
16. The combination of two adjacently-mounted rollers, sliding-boxes for one of
said rollers, a bearer having at each extremity a longitudinal rib for bearing on said
boxes, and adjusting-screws for adjusting said bearer, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
17. The combination of an adjustable roller, sliding-boxes for said roller, adjusting-
screws inserted in said boxes-each of said screws having a bevel-gear attached
thereto, and a longitudinal shaft arranged over said boxes and provided with bevel-
gears which mesh into the bevel-gears on said adjusting-screws for adjusting said
roller uniformly, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 31st day of October 1890.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.