IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR QUARRYING AND SAWING STONE OR MINERALS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Millward, of B.rmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINES FOR QUARRYING AND SAWING STONE OR MINERALS,"
communication from abroad by Curtis Orange Luce and Cyrol
Warrington Green, both of Brandon, Vermont, in the United States
of America, and Cyrenius Metcalf Willard, of Castleton, Vermont,
aforesaid.
Sealed the 6th April 1869, and dated the 23rd January 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Millward at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd January 1869.
1, JOHN MILLWARD, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS 12 MACHINES FOR QUARRYING AND SAWING STONE OR MINERALS,"
to to us follows:-
This Invention relates to machinery for quarrying and sawing marble,
slate, rock, mica, and other like stones or minerals, and cousists in the
construction of a machine for the said purpose with a combination of
Price 8d.]

page_text: one or more saws, with or without one or more drills, mounted on an
adjustable frame and having their cutting edgue or teeth formed of
diamond or other very hard substances; and the Invention consists
further in peculiar devices for actuating the said saws and drills, either
separately or in combination, and for effecting a suitable feed motion for 5
diamond or other very hard substances; and the Invention consists
further in peculiar devices for actuating the said saws and drills, either
separately or in combination, and for effecting a suitable feed motion for
the same.
A machine constructed in accordance with this Invention in one of
the simplest forms, viz., with one saw and two drills, has a plate or
frame of a rectangular or other suitable shape capable of being screwed
by lewis bolts or other fastenings directly to the quarry face, or
attached to the engine or prime mover. A driving shaft (receiving a
continuous rotary motion from an engine or other motor) is mounted
at right angles with the frame in a bearing fixed in an opening in a
central position in the frame, and the inner end projects on the front
or acting side of the machine and carries a crauk from which by
means of a connecting rod and slide a reciprocating motion is imparted
to the saw frame. The saw frame is composed of the blade or cutter
bar for its lower side, the end bars and a top rod or bar having screws
and nuts at the ends to tighten the blade in the usual way by means
of an intermediate bar forming a fulcrum. It has in its upper division
a central vertical rod upon which is fitted a slide block, and this slide
block is also fitted to work upon a horizontal rod attached to the face
of the machine frame, and is conuected by a rod of a length about
equal to the crank connecting rod to the slide block of the crank
motion, but sufficiently far out to be clear of the crank mo'ion. In this
arrangement the saw frame when in the middle of its path is about
central with the crank shaft, and while receiving its reciprocating
motion therefrom is free to descend as it cuts. The bearing of the
crank shaft is made adjustable to a certain extent so that the saw blade
may be made to cut more or less on either side. The saw blade or cutter
bai is furnished with a number of teeth of diamond or other very hard
substance, the end ones being fixed at the lower corners of the ends
of the blade, which project somewhat beyond end bars of the frame.
All the teeth may be arranged to cut the full width of the channel or
the intermediate ones on alternate sides of the blade. The feed motion
consists of a cross head mounted over the top bar of the saw frame and
pressing thereupon by means of friction rollers, and it is provided with
two screw 1ods passing upwards at a suitable distance apart through a

page_text: flange or head piece formed on the middle of the upper part of the
machine frame, and each screw rod is mounted with a spur wheel
forming a nut at the centre. These wheels engage with a centre inter-
mediate wheel, which is set in motion by a swing arm and reversible
spring pawl worked by tappets on a rod attached to an arm springing
vertically from the slide block of the crank motion, thus giving an
intermittent feed motion corresponding to the strokes of the saw frame.
A spindle is mounted vertically in suitable adjusting bearings at the
back of the machine frame, and is driven by means of bevil wheels from
the driving shaft and provided with a disengaging pinion at its upper
end which is made to engage the said interme-liate wheel whon required,
thus causing continuous vertical feed motion to the saw frame if desired.
The drills which are used in combination with the saw to free the ends
of tho saw kerf or channel are carried vertically by projecting arms at
the upper and lower parts of each end of the machine frame, and are
capable of a rotary motion and also of a reciprocating motion vertically.
and are provided at the lower ends with cutters or teeth of diamond or
other very hard substance similar to the teeth of the saw.
Tho rotary motion is given thus:-The upper end of each of the drill
spindles is provided with a bevil wheel fitted with a sliding key to a long
groove in the spindle permitting a motion in the direction of its length.
The wheels on the two drill spindles engage with bevil wheels fixed on
the outer ends of a pair of horizontal spindles mounted in bearings at
angular positions with reference to the plan of the machine, and at their
inner ends these spindles are fitted with bevil wheels engaging with a
bovil wheel common to both and fixed on the vertical spindle at the
back of the machine underneath the sliding spur pinion for feed motion
before mentioned. The last-mentioned bevil wheels are fitted with
disengaging apparatus so as to render one or both the drills capable of
bring thrown out of gear. The reciprocating motion to the drill spindles
is imparted by bont levers pivotted to the cross head of the feed motion
and disposed in opposite directions, each lever passing through and
sliding in an eye in the nearest end bar of the saw frame and engaging
with a grooved collar fixod on the drill spindles. By these means the
reciprocating motion of the saw frame acting on the bent parts or
incline surfaces of the levers imparts an alternate jumping motion to
the drills, the upward stroke of each taking place as the saw blade
apprache, it, ad the degree of the said vertical motion and the

page_text: depth at which the drills cut may be regulated by the amount or length
of bends or inclines formed in or on levers, and by the height of the
adjustable collars on the drill spindles. The feed motion of the saw
fraine is also imparted equally to the drills, as the levers which influence
their position are in connection with or in relation to the saw frame.
The machine may be made to work at any suitable angle to suit the
quarry face.
A machine may be constructed with a series or "gang" of saws
instead of a single one as described, and the number of the drills may
be increased, or they may be entirely dispensed with when preforred
The Invention may be applied in part to the sawing of blocks of
marblo or other material after the same have been removed from the
quarry.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said John Millward in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MILLWARD, of Birmingham, in County of Warwick, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Millward, Her special
licence that I, the said John Millward, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Millward, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES
FOR QUARRYING AND SAWING STONE OR MINERALS," (a communication to me
from abroad by Curtis Orange Luce and Cyrel Warrington Green, both
of Brandon, Vermont, in the United States of America, and Cyrenius

page_text: Metcalf Willard, of Castletou, Vermont, aforesaid, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Millward, my executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Millward, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference boing had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to figures and letters marked thereon, that is
to say :-
This Invention relates to machinery for quarrying and sawing marble,
slate, rock, mica, and other like stones or minerals, and consists in
the construction of a machine for the said purpose, with a combination
of one or more saws, with or without one or more drills, mounted on an
adjustable fraine and having their cutting edges or teeth formed of
diamond or other very hard substances, and the Invention consists
further in peculiar devices for actuating the said saws and drills, either
separately or in combination, and for effecting a suitable feed motion for
the same.
A machine constructed in accordance with this Invention in one of
the simplest forms, viz., with one saw and two drills, has a plate or
frame of a rectangular or other suitable shape, capable of being scrowed
by lewis bolts or other fastenings directly to the quarry face, or attached
to the engine or prime mover. A driving shaft (receiving a continuous
rotary motion from an engine or other motor) is mounted at right angles
with the frame in a bearing fixed in an opening in a central position
in the frame, and the inner end projects on the front or acting side of
the machine, and cairies a crank, from which by means of a connecting
rod and slide a reciprocating motion is imparted to the saw frame.
The saw framo is composed of the blade or cutter bar for its lower
side, the end bars and a top rod or bar having screws and nuts at the
ends to tighten the blade in the usual way by means of an inter-
medinto bar forming a fulcrum. It has in its upper division a central
vertical rod, upon which is fitted a slide block, and this slide block is

page_text: also fitted to work upon a horizontal rod attached to the face of the
machine frame, and is connected by a rod of a length about equal to
the crank connecting rod to the slide block of the crank motion, but
sufficiently far out to be clear of the crank motion. In this arrange-
ment the saw frame when in the middle of its path is about central
with the crank shaft, and while receiving its reciprocating motion
therefrom is free to descend as it cuts. The bearing of the crank shaft
is made adjustable to a certain extent, so that the saw blade may be
made to cut more or less on either side. The saw blade or cutter bar
is furnished with a number of teeth of diamond or other very hard
substance, the end ones being fixed at the lower corners of the ends
of the blade which project somewhat beyond end bars of the frame.
All the teeth may be arranged to cut the full width of the channel, or
the intermediate ones on alternate sides of the blade. The feed motion
consists of a cross head mounted over the top bar of the saw frame,
and pressing thereupon by means of friction rollers, and it is provided
with two screw rods passing upwards at a suitable distance apart
through a flange or head piece formed on the middle of the upper part
of the machine frame, and each screw rod is mounted with a spur wheel
forming a nut at the centre. These wheels engage with a centre inter-
mediate wheel, which is set in motion by a swing arm and reversible
spring pawl worked by tappets on a rod attached to an arm springing
vertically from the slide block of the crank motion, thus giving an inter-
mittent feed motion corresponding to the strokes of the saw frame.
A spindle is mounted vertically in suitable adjusting bearings at the
back of the machine frame, and is driven by means of bevil wheels
from the driving shaft, and provided with a disengaging pinion at
its upper end, which 13 made to engage the said intermediate wheel
when required, thus causing continuous vertical feed motion to the saw
frame if desired. The drills which are used in combination with the
saw to free the ends of the saw kerf or channel are carried vertically by
projecting arms at the upper and lower parts of oach end of the machine
frame, and are capable of a rotary motion, and also of a reciprocating
motion vertically, and are provided at the lower ends with cutters or teeth
of diamond or other very hard substance similar to the teeth of the saw.
The rotary notion is given thus:-The upper end of each of the drill
spindles is provided with a bevil wheel fitted with a sliding key to a long
groove in the spindle, permitting a motion in the direction of its length.
The wheels on the two drill spindles engage with bevil wheels fixed on

page_text: the outer ends of a pair of horizontal spindles mounted in bearings at
angular positions with reference to the plan of the machine, and at their
innor ends these spindles are fitted with bevil wheels engaging with a
bevil wheel common to both, and fixed on the vertical spindle at the
back of the machine underneath the sliding spur pinion for foed
motion before mentioned. The last-mentioned bevil wheels are fitted
with disengaging apparatus so as to render one or both the drills
capable of being thrown out of gear. The reciprocating notion to the
drill spindles is imparted by bent levers pivotted to the cross head of
the feed motion, and disposed in opposite directions, each lover passing
through and sliding in an eye in the nearest end bar of the saw frame,
and engaging with a grooved collar fixed on the drill spindles. By
theso means the reciprocating motion of the saw frame acting on the
bent parts or inclined surfaces of the levers imparts an altornate jumping
motion to the drills, the upward stroke of each taking place as the saw
blado approaches it, and the degree of the said vertical motion and the
depth at which the drills cut inay be regulated by the amount or
length of bends or inclines formed in or on levers, and by the height
of the adjustable collars on the drill spindles. The feed motion of
the saw frame is also imparted equally to the drills, as the levers which
influence their position are in connection with or in relation to the
saw frame.
The machine may be made to work at any suitable angle to suit the
quarry face.
A machine may be constructed with a series or
"
gang of saws
instead of a single one as described, and the number of the drills may
be increased, or they may be entirely disponsed with when preferred.
The Invention may be applied in part to the sawing of blocks of
marble or other material after the same have been removed from the
quarry.
But in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the manner of performing
the same, and for that purpose I shall refer to the several Figures on
the accompanying Drawing, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts throughout all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 is a front view or elevation of a machine constructed in
accordance with this Invention in one of its forms; Figure 2 is a back
or rear view of the same; Figure 3 is a plan thereof; Figure 4 is a face

page_text: view of the saw detached; Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged views of certain
parts herein-after more particularly referred to.
A represents a plate or frame of suitable form to afford bearings to
the different working parts and adapted by any suitable means for
attachment to the rock or to the frame of the engine or other support;
B is a horizontal shaft mounted in a bearing 6 in the said frame and
provided on its outer end with a wheel or pulley or other medium,
through which it receives a continuous rotary motion from the engine or
other prime mover.
This shaft carries on the front side of the frame A
a crank B' connected by means of a rod C to a slide block D working in
a groove or slot a in the plate, and which is further connected by a
rod E to the saw frame F, thus imparting to it by the rotation of the
shaft B a constant reciprocating motion. The connecting rod E is
coupled to the saw by means of a block e by a screw or other joint,
and the block is perforated vertically for the reception of the guide bar
or rod fof the saw frame, and horizontally for the reception of a guide
bar or rod G rigidly attached to the frame A, which bar serves to
confine the saw to a horizontal path. The upper bar or rod f of the
saw frame is screw threaded at its ends and provided with nuts f" by
which to tighten the blade F', which together with the fulcrum piece ƒ³
and end pieces may be made of one piece of iron or other metal.
'The teeth of the saw may consist of diamonds or similar or other suitable
hard substances inserted in its face in the manner represented in
Figures 1, 2, and 4 The principal cutters 5 project from the respective
lower corners of the blade so as to adapt the saw to cut in both
directions, and are of the same or a greater width. The intermediate
cutters fo may, if preferred, be arranged alternately on opposite sides
of the face at suitable intervals between those points. The frame A
is provided for the reception of the bearing 6 of the driving shaft with a
segmental aperture a', the extended bottom of which forms an outwardly
projecting flange a having formed in it slots a³ for the reception of the
attaching bolts of the said bearing, as represented in Figures 1, 2, and 5,
in which latter Figure an under side view of the said plate is shewn. By
this means the position of the driving shaft may be readily adjusted to
any desired extent, and thus through its connections cause the saw to
cut more or less on either side of the centre. H is a cross head or presser
bar employed to transmit the necessary feeding movement to the saw.
It is confined to a vertical path by means of guide rods I, and provided

page_text: with lugs h for the reception of the bar f' of the saw frame, and also
with grooved friction rollers h¹, which bear on the said bar inside of the
lugs h. H', H, are screw rods projecting upward from the cross hend H,
which passing through the flange or head piece a' of the frame A are
engaged by spur gear and nuts J, J, seated on the said flange and
connected by an intermediate idle wheel K; L is an arm swinging on
the hub of the wheel K, and carrying at its outer end a spring reversible
pawl 7, which gears with the teeth of the said wheel and imparts to it
at every stroke of the saw a partial revolution corresponding with the
length of its stroke; M is a bent rod, which is attached to the slido D
and projecting upward therefrom occupies bearings a³, a³, projecting from
the face of the flange a'; m, m, are collars provided on the said rod in
suitable position to engage with the arm L and impart to it the requisite
movement, being adjustable to vary the amount of this movement by
set screws in the ordinary manner; N is a vertical shaft stopped in the
bracket or bearing b, and provided with a bevil wheel N engaging with
ono B on the shaft B. It is provided with an universal joint n to allow
of the described adjustment of the bearing b, and carries at its upper
end a sliding pinion N³, which engages with and drives the wheel K
whon desired, but is capable of being elevated out of gear with the said
wheel by means of a fork O pivotted to the plate A in a convenient
position and embracing the grooved hub 3 of the said pinion. When
the pinion and wheel N and K are engaged the pawl is thrown
out of contact with the wheel K, or it is prevented from acting on the
said wheel in other suitable manner, and a constaut rotary motion is
imparted to the nuts J through the gearing, and when the intermittent
motion is preferred the pawl being made to engage with the wheel K and
the pinion No thrown out of gear the said motion is imparted to them, as
before described. P, P, aro drills having their cutting edge p formed simi-
larly to those of the saw F. The drills slide in suitable vertical ways formed
by the arms or brackets A' of the frame A and receive both a rotary and
reciprocating motion, as herein-after described. Q, Q, are cam bars or
bent levers pivotted to the cross head H near its centre, as represented in
Figure 1, and extending through eyos or loops f' on the end pieces f
of the saw frame engage with grooved collars pl on tho drills, the vortical
adjustment of which collars determine the relative depth at which the
drills shall cut. It will be seen that the vertical feeding movement of
the head H and the saw F will be imparted to the drills in the same
degree, while by the horizontal reciprocation of the saw by means of the

page_text: inclined surfaces g of the said bars the necessary vertical reciprocation
of the drills will be effected. R, R, are shafts mounted in bearings r, r²,
at the top of the frame A, in the position represented in Figures 2 and 3,
and provided on their converging ends with sliding bevil pinions R¹
engaging with a bevil pinion N³ on the shaft N, and on their other ends
with bevil pinions R³ which engage with similar ones P¹ on the drills,
and thus impart to them a constant rotation while the pinions R' and N³
are in gear. The pinions P¹ are connected to the drills by means of a
spline or sliding key occupying a longitudinal groove in the drills so as
to allow their described vertical movement. The pinions R' are provided
with grooved hubs which are engaged by forks S pivotted to the frame A,
as shewn in Figure 2, by means of which they may be readily thrown
out of gear when desired so as to stop the rotary movement of either or
both of the drille. The plate or frame may be provided with any suitable
division or adjustment to admit of its convenient construction, or of its
being attached at a proper angle to suit the ledge in which it is working.
When attached directly to the rock it may be secured by means of
tapered or "lewis" bolts inserted in perforated blocks or pins of wood
or other soft material introduced in suitable holes drilled in the rock,
which blocks are by the action of the screw expanded and a most secure
fastening thus obtained.
Machines in accordance with this Invention may also be arranged for
running a gang of saws instead of a single one, as represented, and
increasing the number of or dispensing entirely with the drills when
eithor method is preferred. The machine may receive its motion from
a suitable engine or other prime mover, either stationary or portable,
located either within or outside of the pit, and the necessary supply of
water for the saws may be readily conducted to them from the engine
when such is used.
Some parts of this Invention are manifestly applicable to the sawing
of blocks of marble or other material after the same has been removed
from the pit or quarry.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement
herein-before described with reference to the accompanying Drawing,
as these may be variously modified without departing from the nature

page_text: of the Invention; but what I claim as new and desire to be secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The combination of a reciprocating saw or saws F with a drill
or drills P employed to free the ends of the saw kerf or channel,
substantially as described.
Second. Constructing the saw blade or cutter bar F¹ with rigid ends
projecting beyond the end bars of the saw frame, and providing it
with teeth or cutters arranged substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein-before set forth.
Third. The combination of the driving shaft B mounted in an
adjustable box or bearing b, the crank B', connecting rodes C, E, slides
D, e, and guido rod G, with the saw F, all constructed and operating
substantially as described for the purposes herein-before set forth.
Fourth. The combination of the saw F, f, f', cross head H, h, h',
screws H, vertical guide rods I, gear nuts J, idle wheel K, and ratchet
lover L, 7, or its equivalent, arranged and oporating substantially as and
for the purpose herein-before described.
Fifth. Tho combination with the drills P of the shafts B, N, R, bevil
gearing B, N', N³, R', R³, P', and forks S, for the purpose of adapting
the said drills to receive a continuous rotary motion, or to be separately
stopped, substantially as herrin-before set forth.
Sixth. The combination with the revolving drills P of the cam
bars Q, q, operated by means of the saw F and pressor bar H, to
reciprocate and feed said drills, substantially as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Millward, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twenty-ninth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.