IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES OF AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND DRESSING ROCK
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Sides and Gilmour George Rayner, both of Bootle,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES
OF AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND DRESSING ROCK."
Sealed the 24th April 1877, and dated the 25th October 1876.
·
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Sides and Gilmour
George Rayner at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th
October 1876.
WILLIAM SIDES and GILMOUR GEORGE RAYNER, both of Bootle, in the County
of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES OF AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND
DRESSING ROCK."
Our apparatus for vertical cutting, and with slight modifications for all other
kinds of cutting, consists of a cutting tool or tools made to traverse in a straight
line like a slotting machine. The tool is directly attached to the trunk or single
or preferably double piston rod of a steam or other motive-power cylinder. This
cylinder works vertically or horizontally in guides on the frame of the machine,
unless specially arranged to swivel or rotate only. The valve rod has a tappet cam
at its end actuated directly by a cross head on a piston rod working through the
top cylinder cover, other ways of working the valve directly or otherwise can be
adapted especially the use of auxiliary valves. The cylinder can be regulated as
regards its vertical height (or horizontal position) by means of a screw working in
a nut at the back, which causes the cylinder to move up and down the slide of the
frame as required. It is found preferable, however, to bolt or otherwise attach the
screw immediately to the back of the cylinder, and to cause it to move up and
down or horizontally by means of a worm wheel above forming a nut. Attached
to the block at the back of the cylinder to which the screw is attached is a pin,
upon which swivels a lever linked by a hanging link to the cross head above the
cylinder. The other end of the lever actuates the pawl of a ratchet wheel on the
traversing motion of the machine to be hereafter described. The frame of the
machine is constructed in the form of a carriage on wheels. We prefer four only.
These wheels are flanged on the one side with broad toothed flanges in which work
right and left handed screws on a shaft or shafts, on which is fixed the ratchet
wheel before mentioned. Clutches worked by by hand decide which worm is to
be actuated, and thus the direction of motion of the machine.

page_text: When the machine works vertically the cylinder is overhung, and the wheels run
on two rails laid for the purpose alongside the line at which the groove is to be cut.
When horizontal work is required the tool is propelled at right angles to the
direction of the track. To give greater resistance we form the rail as a rack and
make the wheels toothed.
The mode of action in vertical cutting is as follows:-Steam being let on the
piston immediately begins to work, causing a percussive action in the tool or tool.
At every blow the machine is propelled forward to the extent of one or more teeth
of the ratchet wheel. (We sometimes use other forms of feed, such as the toothless
ratchet used in saw mills). When it has traversed a sufficient distance the machine
is reversed and the cylinder, if necessary, lowered. Horizontal cutting is similarly
performed.
With regard to the tool or tools we do not limit ourselves to any particular form
or number but usually make them chisel shaped, and if a wide cut be required at
least two in number, or in the case of tunnelling or surfacing a considerable series.
When tunnelling, however, we purpose usually to adopt one of two plans, either cut
a circular groove of large diameter and a single hole in the centre for a blast, or cut
away the entire surface. For this purpose we give the cylinder or the cross head
of the piston a revolving motion instead of giving a rectilinear motion to the
carriage. We do not limit ourselves to the number of cylinders on one frames.
In vertical cutting the great object is to get as close to the wall of a quarry as
possible, we therefore usually do without flanges to the cylinder at the side furthest
frome the frame, or have a projecting flange standing up vertically or inverted at
that point to attach the cylinder covers to.
In some cases even it may be required to have a narrow rectangular box instead
of a cylinder, so as to go up flat against the wall. Similarly we also occasionally
find it desirable to have a groove in the frame, so arranged that the cylinder can be
removed from the centre of he frame sliding in the groove to either of the two
sides and thus clear out corners.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Sides and Gilmour George Rayner in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th April 1877.
WILLIAM SIDES and GILMOUR GEORGE RAYNER, both of Bootle, in the County
of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES OF AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND
DRESSING ROCK."
Our apparatus for vertical cutting, and with slight modifications for all other
kinds of cutting, consists of a cutting tool or tools A made to traverse in a straight
line like a slotting machine. This tool is directly attached to the trunk piston
rod B of a motive-power cylinder, as shown in Drawings; a single solid, or pre-
ferably, double piston rod could be used instead. This cylinder works vertically
or horizontally in guides C on the frame of the machine unless specially arranged
to swivel or rotate only. The valve rod sometimes has a tappet cam at its end
actuated directly by a cross head on a piston rod working through the top cylinder
cover. Other ways of working the valve directly or otherwise can be adapted,
especially those shown in the Drawing.
In Figure 2 D is a crank on a shaft on which is eccentric E working the valve;
F is a connecting rod, connecting the pin G on piston rod B with the crank D.
The shaft can be counterweighted or springed to prevent stopping at the dead
centres.
In Figures 5 and 6 another plan is seen applicable when the stroke is of varying
length, which is the case except when surfacing.
In these Figures P is the valve spindle; Q, a lever pivotted at R; S, a pair of

page_text: links joining Q; and T, a bell-crank tappet bar worked by tappet U on the piston
rod B. The cylinder is regulated as regards its vertical height (or horizontal
position) by means of a screw L sometimes working in a nut at the back which
causes the cylinder to move up and down the slides C, as required. It is usually
found preferable, however, to bolt or otherwise attach the screw immediately to
back of the cylinder, and to cause it to move up and (or horizontally). by the
ineans of a worm wheel J2 above forming a nut. Attached to the block at the
back of the cylinder, to which the screw is attached, is a pin upon which swivels
a lever linked by a hanging link to the cross head above the cylinder (where this
valve motion is used) or to an arm on shaft D¹ in the plan shown in Drawings.
The other end of the lever actuates the pawl of a ratchet wheel H on the traversing
motion of the machine, to be hereafter described. The frame of the machine is
constructed in the form of a carriage on wheels I, I, J, J. We prefer four only. Two
of these, I, I, are simple flanged wheels on an ordinary axle, the other two, J, J, have
teeth on their flanges and which run in a rack alongside the rail, and thus give an
extra grip and a travelling motion while not throwing any vertical weight in the
teeth of the cogs. The shaft J¹ on which these wheels are placed is connected by
bevel or other gearing, as shown, with a mitre wheel gearing into two other mitre
wheels running loose on shaft K, on which the bevel wheel is keyed; a clutch
sliding on a feather between the two loose mitre wheels places either or neither of
the mitre wheels in rigid connection with shaft K, and so causes the carriage slowly
to advance, or retreat, or to remain stationary.
When the machine works vertically the cylinder is overhung and the wheels run
on two rails, laid for the purpose alongside the line at which the groove is to be cut.
When horizontal work is required the tool is propelled at right angles to the
direction of the track.
The mode of action in vertical cutting is as follows:-Steam being let on the
piston immediately begins to work, causing a percussive action in the tool or tools.
At every blow the machine is propelled forward to the extent of one or more teeth
of the ratchet wheel. We sometimes use other forms of feed, such as the toothless
ratchet used in saw mills. When it has traversed a sufficient distance the machine
is reversed and the cylinder, if necessary, lowered. Horizontal cutting is similarly
performed.
With regard to the tool or tools we do not limit ourselves to any particular form
or number but usually make them chisel shaped, and if a wide cut be required, at
least two in number, or in the case of tunnelling or surfacing a considerable series.
When tunnelling, however, we purpose usually to adopt one of two plans, either
cut a circular groove of large diameter and a single hole in the centre for a blast, or
cut away the entire surface. For this purpose we give the cylinder or the cross
head of the piston a revolving motion instead of giving a rectilinear motion to the
carriage. We do not limit ourselves to the number of cylinders on one frame.
In vertical cutting the great object is to get as close to the wall of a quarry as
possible, we therefore usually do without flanges to the cylinder at the side furthest
from the frame, or have a projecting flange standing up vertically or inverted at
that point to attach the cylinder covers to.
In some cases even it may be required to have a narrow rectangular box instead
of a cylinder, so as to go up flat against the wall. Similarly we also occasionally
find it desirable to have a groove in the frame, so arranged that the cylinder can be
removed from the centre of the frame sliding in the groove to either of the two
sides, and thus clear out corners. In surfacing we make the rails a second carriage
and traverse them transversely with an intermittent motion.
Having now described our Invention, and the best mode known to us of carrying
it into effect, we wish it to be understood, that what we believe to be new and
desire to claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The combination of the tool A, the sliding cylinder and piston B, with
screw L or their mechanical equivalents in combination with slow horizontal
rectilinear or circular movement of the whole machine, for the purposes described.
I

page_text: 2nd. The use of a narrow rectangular box without projecting flanges in front
in lieu of a steam cylinder for the purposes described, or its mechanical substitute
an ordinary cylinder or two or more cylinders in a row with their front flanges cut
off, as shown in the cylinder in Figure 1.
3rd. The mode described of cutting grooves or surfaces in stone, whether straight
or circular, by the continuous reciprocal action of a tool or tools directly attached
to or held by the piston rod or rods of a steam or other motive-power cylinder or
cylinders, travelling slowly or intermittently in a direction at right angles to their
axes and parallel to the plane of the surface or groove to be cut.
4th. The general arrangement of stone cutting and facing machinery, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gilmour George Rayner, on behalf of the said
William Sides and myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
third day of April, in the year of our Lord 1877.
Witness,
EDWARD GARDNER COLTON,
Clerk to W. P. Thompson,
Patent Office,
6, Lord St.,
Liverpool.
GILMOUR GEO. RAYNER. (L.S.)