Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Grinding and Polishing Balls.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Grinding and Polishing
Balls.
We, WILLIAM WOOLF, of the Grand Hotel, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gentleman, ALBERT BROWN, of 28 and 30, Great Eastern Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Merchant, and JAMES READ RICKARD, of Westminster Works,
Doris Street, Kennington, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to machinery for grinding and polishing balls, and more
especially metal balls such as the steel balls ordinarily used in the antifriction
bearings of bicycles and other cycles.
It has for its object a novel method of construction and operation by which a
large number of such balls are simultaneously and very quickly ground and
polished, being finished to the exact diameter required and perfectly spherical.
In order to put the invention in operation, we take a strong frame, preferably
of cast iron, upon the top of which is formed or fixed a flat circular table of steel
or other suitable material, to form one of the grinding surfaces between which the
balls are to be ground and polished.
At a convenient distance from this table, at each side of it, is arranged a vertical
shaft, the centres of the table and of the two shafts being in a line, and the two
shafts being so connected by bevelled toothed wheels and shafts, or equivalent
gear, that they revolve simultaneously and at the same speed. Upon these shafts
are formed or fixed cranks having pins which are connected together by a con-
necting rod, so that when the shafts are revolving every part of the connecting rod
describes a circle similar to those described by the crankpins.
At the centre of the connecting rod is fixed a bracket carrying bearings in which
revolves a vertical spindle carrying at its lower end a disc the lower face of which
is perfectly parallel with the upper face of the lower grinding table, and the spindle
is capable of being raised and lowered, within sufficient limits, by a screw or other
equivalent means, so that whilst the upper disc always remains parallel with the
lower table the distance between the two grinding surfaces can be accurately ad-
justed to suit the diameter of the balls which are to be ground and polished between
them,
The upper grinding disc is provided with a rim round its outer edge projecting
downward nearly to the surface of the lower table, and the diameter of the upper
disc is preferably half, or about half, the diameter of the lower table. If there-
fore the vertical side shafts are made to revolve, the upper horizontal disc is made
to travel round the lower table, and if at the same time it is made to revolve with
sufficient speed, and suitable abrasive material is supplied, the steel or other balls
introduced between the grinding surfaces, and within the rim carried by the upper
disc are rapidly ground and polished between them to a perfectly spherical shape,
and to an absolutely uniform size which is determined by the height of the upper
disc above the lower table.

page_text: The abrasive material supplied is preferably emery powder of suitable fineness,
and oil, and the lower surface of the upper disc may be formed of a composition
of emery or other suitable abrasive substance. A channel may be formed in the
top of the frame round the lower steel grinding disc, to receive the surplus oil.
A vertical shaft is arranged turning in bearings in the frame below the grinding
table, and is set in revolution by means of a driving pulley upon it driven by a
belt from any convenient power. Upon this shaft is also fixed a second pulley
which drives by a belt a pulley upon one of the vertical shafts already described,
and so causes the cranks and connecting rod to revolve. The vertical shaft last
described is hollow and revolves upon a smaller concentric shaft the lower end
of which turns in a bearing, and carries a pulley which is driven by means of a
belt from a larger pulley upon the central shaft, and the upper end of this inner
shaft carries a pulley which drives by a belt a pulley, turning freely upon the
crankpin and itself carrying a much larger pulley which drives by a belt a small
pulley fixed upon the axle of the upper horizontal grinding disc, the bearings of
which are carried by the connecting rod, as already described.
The size of the several pullies is so proportioned that the grinding disc is made
to revolve at a very high speed, whilst it also travels, as already described, at a
very much slower speed, round the lower table.
In order to prevent the balls from being scattered too much whilst being ground,
a thin frame consisting of a sufficient number of arms, preferably four, may be
used, the frame being provided with a central pin or stud which fits into a central
hole in the lower table, with sufficient friction, so that it turns slowly by the action
of the balls against the arms, the outer ends of which come close to the inner side
of the rim round the table. A moveable cover may be placed near the machine
whilst it is working.
The details of the apparatus may be varied more or less. For example, the lower
table itself may be made to revolve slowly. The upper disc may be carried upon
a crank upon the central shaft which is made to project up through the table.
In this case the upper disc may be made to revolve by a belt from a pulley upon
a central shaft above the table and concentric with the latter, and made to revolve
by any convenient means.
Instead of one crank and upper disc, two or more arranged at equal distances
apart may be used.
By means of the improved machinery or apparatus, steel or other balls are
ground and polished very rapidly, and with great accuracy and at little cost.
Dated this 20th day of April 1897.
EDWARDS AND Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Grinding and Polishing
Balls.
We, WILLIAM WOOLF, of the Grand Hotel, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gentleman, ALBERT BROWN, of 28 and 30, Great Eastern Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Merchant, and JAMES READ RICKARD, of Westminster Works,
Doris Street, Kennington, in the County of Surrey, 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, and
accompanying drawings, that is to say:
This invention relates to machinery or apparatus for grinding and polishing

page_text: balls, and more especially metal balls such as the steel balls ordinarily used in
antifriction bearings for bicycles and other cycles, and other purposes.
It has for its object a novel method of construction and operation by which a
large number of such balls are simultaneously and very quickly ground and
polished, being finished to the exact diameter required and practically perfectly.
spherical.
The accompanying drawings are in illustration of the invention. Figure 1 is
a vertical longitudinal section through the machine. Figure 2 is a plan.
In order to put the invention in operation, we take a strong frame A, preferably
of cast iron, the upper and lower parts of which are shown fixed together by strong
stays b, and upon the top of which is formed or fixed a flat circular table c of steel
or other suitable material, which forms one of the grinding surfaces between which
the balls are to be ground and polished. In Figure 1, this table c is shown fitted
into a recess prepared for it in the upper part of the frame A.
At a convenient distance from this table, at each side of it, are arranged two
vertical shafts d, d¹, the centres of the table and of the two shafts being in a line,
and the two shafts, which revolve in bearings e, e, e¹, e¹, being so connected to-
gether that they revolve simultaneously at the same speed and in the same direc-
tion. Upon these shafts d, d' are formed or fixed cranks f, f having pins g, gl
which are connected together by a connecting rod h, so that when the shafts d, d
are revolving every part of the connecting rod h describes a circle similar to those
described by the crankpins g, g².
At the centre of the connecting rod his formed or fixed a bracket i carrying
bearings in which revolves a vertical spindle carrying at its lower end a disc m,
the lower face of which is perfectly parallel with the upper face of the lower
grinding table c; and the spindle l is capable of being raised and lowered, within
sufficient limits, by a screw n which works through the bearing k, its lower end
receiving the spherical top of a pin j, which is attached to the spindle 7 by: a trans-
verse pin. The spherical top of the pin j is held freely in the end of the screw n
by a hollow nut screwed into the latter, so that whilst the upper disc always re-
mains parallel with the lower table the distance between the two grinding surfaces
of c and m can be very accurately adjusted to suit the diameter of the balls which
are to be ground and polished between them.
If
The upper grinding disc is provided with a rim o round its outer edge projecting
downward nearly to the surface of the lower table c, and the diameter of the upper
disc m is preferably half, or about half, the diameter of the lower table c.
therefore the vertical side shafts d, d' are made to revolve, the upper horizontal
disc m is made to travel round the lower table c, and if at the same time it is made
to revolve with sufficient speed, and suitable abrasive material is supplied the steel
or other balls introduced between the grinding surfaces c and m, and within the
rim o carried by the upper disc m are rapidly ground and polished between them
to a perfectly spherical shape, and to an absolutely uniform size which is deter-
mined by the height of the upper disc m above the lower table c.
The abrasive material supplied is preferably emery powder of suitable fineness,
and oil, and the lower surface of the upper disc m may be formed of a composition
of emery or other suitable abrasive substance. A channel may be formed in the
top of the frame round the lower steel grinding disc, to receive the surplus oil.
A vertical shaft p is arranged turning in bearings r in the frame below the
grinding table c, and is set in revolution by means of a driving pulley s upon it
driven by a belt from any convenient power. Upon this shaft is also fixed a
toothed pinion t which drives a toothed wheel u¹ upon d', one of the vertical shafts
already described, and so causes the cranks f, f¹ and connecting rod h to revolve.
The other vertical shaft d is also driven at the same speed and in the same direc
tion as , by a toothed wheel u also driven by the pinion t. The vertical shaft d¹
is hollow and revolves upon a smaller concentric shaft the lower end of which
turns in a bearing, and carries a pulley w which is driven by means of a belt from a
larger pulley upon the central driving shaft p, and the upper end of this inner

page_text: shaft carries a pulley y, which drives, by a belt, a pulley z, fixed upon the crank-
pin g', which turns in bearings 3 in the connecting rod h, and carries a much larger
pulley 1 which drives by a belt a small pulley 2 fixed upon the axle of the upper
horizontal grinding disc m, the bearings of which are carried by the connecting
rod h, as already described.
The size of the several pullies is so proportioned that the grinding disc mis
made to revolve at a very high speed, whilst it also travels, as already described.
at a very much slower speed, round the table c.
In order to prevent the balls from being scattered too much whilst being ground,
a thin frame (shown in Figure 3) consisting of a sufficient number of arms, prefer-
ably four, may be used, the frame being provided with a central pin or stud which
fits into a central hole in the upper disc m, with sufficient friction, so that it can
turn slowly by the action of the balls against the arms, the outer ends of which
come close to the inner side of the rim round the table. A moveable cover may be
placed over the machine whilst it is working.
'
The details of the apparatus may be varied more or less. For example, the lower
table itself may be made to revolve at any desired speed in the same direction
as the upper disc m, or in the opposite direction. The upper disc m may be
carried upon a crank upon the central shaft p which is made to project up through
the table. In this case the upper disc may be made to revolve by a belt from a
pulley upon a central shaft above the table and concentric with the latter, and
made to revolve by any convenient means.
Instead of one crank and upper disc, two or more arranged at equal distances
apart may be used.
By means of the improved machinery or apparatus, steel or other balls are
ground and polished very rapidly, and with great accuracy and at little cost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
1. The combination of the frame A and lower grinding plate c, central driving
shaft p, side shaft d, and hollow side shaft d¹, and driving gear t, u, u', cranks f, f³,
connecting rod h, bracket i, bearings and spindle carrying grinding disc m
with rim o, inner shaft v pulley w, and driving pulley a, pulley y, spindle g¹,
turning in crank f¹ and in bearings 3, 3, pulley z driven by pulley y, pulley 1
driving pulley 2 fixed on spindle 7, all arranged and operating substantially in
the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated."'
2. In combination with the spindle 7 carrying the grinding disc m, the screw n
and pin jattached to the spindle, and having a spherical head turning freely in
the end of the screw n, substantially as and for the purpose described and illus-
trated.
3. The thin frame (Figure 3) having radial arms, as and for the purpose
described and illustrated.
Dated this 21st day of February 1898
EDWARDS AND Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.