IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPA- RATUS FOR STAMPING, AND GRINDING MINERAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard John Edwards, of Shoreditch, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPA-
RATUS FOR STAMPING, AND GRINDING MINERAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 29th July 1879, and dated the 1st February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard John Edwards at
the Office of the Cominissioners of Patents on the 1st February 1879.
RICHARD JOHN EDWARDS, of Shoreditch, in the County of Middlesex. “IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING AND GRINDING
MINERAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
My Invention relates to machinery or apparatus employed for stamping and
grinding, or reducing to fragments or powder, mineral substances, such as emery,
metallic ores, stone, or slag, or other substances, such as bones, charcoal, seeds, or
other animal or vegetable materials.
It has for its objects improved methods of constructing and arranging such
machinery or apparatus by which it is made more effective and economical in its
operation, and the speed at which it operates is increased, whilst the materials
operated upon are prevented from collecting in parts but are distributed evenly and
uniformly under the stamping apparatus.
I take stamps arranged in sets of one or more side by side, their spindles being
vertical or nearly so, and working in suitable adjustable guides of wood or other
material, and their lower ends having fixed upon them adjustable heads or blocks
of sufficient size and weight, of cast iron, steel, or other suitable material of suffi-
cient hardness, the lower face of each block being preferably circular in shape. I
make the vertical spindles preferably of iron and circular in section, so that they
can turn round or revolve in the guides through which they work, and at a con-
venient position upon them I make or fix circular horizontal plates or discs of iron
or other hard material.
Under these discs I arrange a horizontal shaft revolving in suitable bearings as
near as convenient to the vertical spindles, and upon the shaft I fix spirally shaped
bars or cams, one of which is adjusted under each horizontal plate, so that when
the shaft is made to revolve the cams lift the plates and the hammer beads gradually
for a sufficient distance, and then allow them to fall suddenly. The spindles in each
set, with their hammers, may be raised in succession, or two or more simultaneously,
as desired.

page_text: The cams are of such shape as to press upon the plates near their centres, and I
sometimes use two similar cams to each plate, one being adjusted upon each side of
the vertical spindle, so that lateral-action-upon the latter is avoided.
Or, sometimes I make the part of the spindles where the cams operate-in-the
-shape.of an open frame, within which the driving shaft works, the cam pressing
upon-a-friction_plate_or_roller directly-in-a-line with the centre of the vertical
spindle-and-hammer.
Or, a separate-transverse shaft, with one or two cams-fixed upon it as described,
may be arranged to drive each spindle and hammer; the-several transverse shafts
being themselves driven by means of bevel toothed wheels or other convenient
means, by a longitudinal revolving driving shaft.
Under the lower faces of the hammers I arrange an anvil plate or block of cast
iron, steel, or other hard material, and I make this plate of sufficient thickness to
endure the blows of the hammers, and of a width on its upper face rather greater
greater than that of the hammer faces.
The length of the block is somewhat greater than that of the entire set or row of
hammers to which it is applied, and I arrange it in a line directly under such set or
row of hammers, and I support it upon rollers, friction wheels, or guides, so that it
can be made to travel backward and forward for a sufficient distance under the
hammers in the direction of its length.
Round the upper face of this travelling block or anvil I fit and fix a hopper,
preferably of wrought iron, the sides of which rise sufficiently high from the face of
the anvil to retain the material which is to be operated upon, whilst at one end it
is widened and extended sufficiently to form a convenient receptacle into which
such material is fed by hand or otherwise, and at its other end it is left open, and
the stamped material is then delivered from it into any convenient receptacle.
The anvil block described is not arranged in a perfectly horizontal position, but
the end at which the material is supplied is at a higher level than that at which it is
discharged as described; and the material thus travels slowly from end to end of
the anvil block, which is itself made at the same time to travel backward and
forward longitudinally, so as to bring a fresh part of its surface under the hammers
at each blow, and also for the purpose hereinafter described.
The anvil block may be made to travel backward and forward as described by
any convenient means.
For instance, a toothed rack may be connected to it gearing into a corresponding
toothed wheel or segment, which is made to make a partial revolution slowly back-
ward and forward by means of a crank and connecting rod upon a shaft made to
revolve by the same power which drives the hammers, or by other convenient
power.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The emery or other material to be
crushed-or-pulverized is fed upon the upper end of the travelling anvil block,
whence it passes slowly down to the lower-ends-of the latter, passing under the
hammers and becoming pulverized in its passage.
Whilst the hammer heads are at rest, before being lifted, the material is also
ground between their faces and the surface of the moving anvil block; and I some-
times arrange grinding cylinders or rollers between the stamp heads, these cylinders
or rollers being pressed against the moving anvil block by weights, springs, or other
means.
As each hammer is lifted the action of the cams upon the lifting plates has a
tendency to turn it partly round in the guides in which it works. The hammers
may be made of different size and weight, and may be made to lift through different
heights.
The upper surface of the travelling block may be made moveable, so that it can
be readily replaced when worn, and the block may be made with vertical perfora-
tions or gratings, through which the material passes when reduced to a sufficiently
small size. Sometimes I arrange between the stamp heads, transverse plates or forks
attached to fixed frames or supports, and adjustable at any desired distance from

page_text: the moveable anvil block, and in this way the emery or other material is prevented
from passing along too rapidly without being stamped to a sufficiently small
size.
In order to prevent dust from affecting the bearings of the friction rollers or
wheels which support the moving anvil block, I sometimes attach to its sides a
shield or cover which surrounds the rollers, wheels, or guides, and the lower edge of
this cover may be made to dip into water, by which means the dust is prevented
from passing under it whilst it remains capable of moving backward and forward
with the moving anvil block.
Instead of using a revolving shaft, cams, and lifting plates, for the purpose of
lifting the spindles and hammer heads, I sometimes connect each such hammer head
or spindle to the piston rod of a separate direct acting vertical engine actuated by
steam or compressed air, the piston of which is made to reciprocate by any of the
ordinary methods well understood and practised. By this arrangement each
hammer is driven independent of the others, and may be made to work at any
desired speed and to strike a blow of any desired force.
The cylinders and pistons, with their hammer heads, may be arranged in a circle
instead of a straight line, the hammers striking upon a circular revolving anvil
block instead of upon a straight reciprocating one. This block may be made to
revolve by any convenient power, and in this way a grinding action between the
faces of the hammers and the anvil block is produced, as in the arrangement first
described.
Sometimes I use steam or air cylinders operating as described in combination
with revolving cams and lifting plates.

page_text: MINERAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.
My Invention relates to machinery or apparatus employed-for-stamping_and
grinding or reducing to fragments or powder, mineral substances such as emery;
metallic ores, stone, or slag, or other substances such as bones, charcoal, seeds, or
other animal or vegetable materials. It has for its objects improved methods of con-
structing and arranging such machinery or apparatus by which it is made more
effective and economical in its operation, and the speed at which it operates is
increased, whilst the materials operated upon are prevented from collecting in parts
but are distributed evenly and uniformly under the stamping apparatus. I take
stamps arranged in sets of one or more, side by side, their spindles being vertical or
nearly so, and working in suitable adjustable guides of wood or other material, and
their lower ends having fixed upon them adjustable heads or blocks of sufficient
size and weight, of cast iron, steel, or other suitable material of sufficient hardness,
the lower face of each block being preferably circular in shape. I make the vertical
spindles preferably of iron and circular in section so that they can turn round or
revolve in the guides through which they work, and at a convenient position upon
them I make or fix circular horizontal plates or discs of iron or other hard material.
Under these discs I arrange a horizontal shaft revolving in suitable bearings as near
as convenient to the vertical spindles, and upon the shaft I fix spirally shaped bars
or cams, one of which is adjusted under each horizontal plate, so that when the
shaft is made to revolve the cams lift the plates and with them the hammer heads
gradually for a sufficient distance and then allow them to fall suddenly. The
spindles in each set, with their hammers, may be raised in succession, or two or
inore simultaneously as desired. The cams are of such shape as to press upon the
plates near their centres, and I sometimes use two similar cams to each plate, one
being adjusted upon each side of the vertical spindle, so that lateral action upon the
latter is avoided. Or, sometimes I make the part of the spindles where the cams
operate in the shape of an open frame, within which the driving shaft works, the
cam pressing upon a friction plate or roller directly in a line with the centre of
the vertical spindle and hammer. Or, a separate transverse shaft with one or two
cams fixed upon it, as described, may be arranged to drive each spindle and hammer,
the several transverse shafts being themselves driven by means of bevel toothed
wheels or other convenient means, by a longitudinal revolving driving shaft. Under
the lower faces of_the_hammers I arrange an anvil plate or block of cast iron,
or steel, or other hard material; and--I make this plate of sufficient thickness
to endure the blows of the hammers, and of a width on its upper face rather
greater than that of the hammer faces. The length of the block is somewhat
greater than that of the entire set or row of hammers to which it is applied,
and I arrange it in a line directly under such set or row of hammers, and I
support it upon rollers, friction wheels, or guides so that it can be made
to travel backward and forward for a sufficient distance under the hammers
in the direction of its length. Round the upper face of this travelling block or
anvil I fit and fix a hopper, preferably of wrought iron, the sides of which rise
sufficiently high from the face of the anvil to retain the material which is to be
operated upon, whilst at one end it is widened and extended sufficiently to form a
convenient receptacle, into which such material is fed by hand or otherwise, and at
its other end it is left open, and the stamped material is then delivered from it into
any convenient receptacle. The anvil block described is not arranged in a perfectly
horizontal position, but the end at which the material is supplied is at a higher

page_text: level than that at which it is discharged as described, and the material thus travels
slowly from.end to end of the anvil block, which is itself made at the same time to
travel backward and forward longitudinally so as to bring a fresh part of its surface
under the hammers at each blow, and also for the purpose hereinafter described.
The anvil block may be made to travel backward and forward as described by any
convenient means. For instance, a toothed rack may be connected to it, gearing
into a corresponding toothed wheel or segment, which is made to make a partial
revolution slowly backward and forward by means of a crank and connecting rod
upon a shaft made to revolve by the same power which drives the hammers, or by
other convenient power. The accompanying Drawing is in illustration of my
Invention. Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a machine consisting of
five stamps; Figure 2 is an end view, and Figure 3 a plan of the same, partly in
section. a is the framework of the machine, and b, b, b, b, b, are the spindles
working freely through guides c, c, c, c, c, in the frame, and carrying at their lower ends
heavy heads or blocks d, d, d, d, d, the lower faces of which are shewn moveable.
Upon the spindles are fixed circular plates e, e, e, e, e, actuated by cams ƒ, ƒ, f, f, f,
upon the longitudinal driving shaft g driven by the pulley h. The anvil block i is
arranged in an inclined position under the stamps upon the friction rollers k, k, k, k,
and is made to traverse slowly backward and forward by means of the toothed '
rack and pinion m, operated by the toothed wheels, crank, and connecting rod n.
The hopper o is arranged round the upper face of the anvil block i. The action of
the apparatus is as follows:-The emery or other material to be crushed or pul-
verized is fed upon the upper end of the travelling anvil block i, whence it passes
slowly down to the lower end of the latter, passing under the hammers d, d, d, d, d,
and becoming pulverized in its passage. Whilst the hammer heads d, d, d, are at
rest, before being lifted, the material is also ground between their faces and the
surface of the moving anvil block i. I sometimes arrange grinding cylinders or
rollers between the stamp heads, as shewn in dotted lines at 8, 8, 8, Figure 1, these
cylinders or rollers being pressed against the moving anvil block by weights, springs,
or other means. As each hammer is lifted the action of the cams f, ff, upon the
lifting plates e, e, e, e, has a tendency to turn it partly round in the guides in which
it works. The hammers may be made of different size and weight, and may be
made to lift through different heights. The upper surface of the travelling anvil
block may be made moveable, so that it can be readily replaced when worn, and
the block may be made with vertical perforations or gratings, through which the
material passes when reduced to a sufficiently small size.
Sometimes I arrange between the stamp heads d, d, d, d, transverse plates or
forks attached to fixed frames or supports, and adjustable at any desired distanco
from the moveable anvil block i, and in this way the emery or other material is
prevented from passing along too rapidly without being stamped to a sufficiently
small size. In order to prevent dust from affecting the bearings of the friction
rollers or wheels which support the moving anvil block, I sometimes attach to its
sides a shield or cover, which surrounds the rollers, wheels, or guides, and the lower
edge of this cover may be made to dip into water, by which means the dust is pre-
vented from passing under it, whilst it remains capable of moving backward and
forward with the moving anvil block. This arrangement is shewn in cross section
at Figure 4, where i is the moving anvil block; k is one of the friction rollers; and
p is the shield or cover, the lower edge of which dips into the trough filled with
water. Instead of using a revolving shaft with cams and lifting plates for the
purpose of lifting the spindles and hammer heads, I sometimes connect each such
hammer head or spindle to the piston rod of a separate direct acting vertical engine
actuated by steam or compressed air, the piston of which is made to reciprocate by
any of the ordinary methods well understood and practised. By this arrangement
each hammer is independent of the others, and may be made to work at any desired
speed and to strike a blow of any desired force. The cylinders and pistons, with
their hammer heads, may be arranged in a circle instead of a straight line, the
hammers striking upon a circular revolving anvil block instead of upon a straight

page_text: reciprocating one. This block may be made to revolve by any convenient power,
and in this way a grinding action between the faces of the hammers and the anvil
block is produced, as in the arrangement first described. Sometimes I use steam
or air cylinders operating as described in combination with revolving cams and
lifting plates.
-Having now described my Invention and the manner in which it is to be per-
formed, I claim,-
The reciprocating anvil-block,-in combination with stamps actuated by cams, or
by steam or compressed air, substantially as described-and-shewn in the Drawing;
also the combination with the reciprocating anvil block of crushing rollers or
cylinders, arranged and operated substantially as described and shewn in the
Drawing; also the combination with the reciprocating anvil block of transverse
adjustable plates or forks, substantially as and for the purpose described; also the
method of supporting the reciprocating anvil block upon friction rollers, substan-
tially as described and shewn in the Drawing; also the shield or cover having its
lower edge dipping in water for the purpose of preventing dust from injuriously
affecting the friction rollers and bearings, substantially as described and shewn in
the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard John Edwards, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
RICHARD JOHN EDWARDS. (L.S.)