IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRESSING OR FACING AND SHAPING STONES, MARBLE, GRANITE, OR OTHER MINERALS, AND FOR CUTTING MOULDINGS THEREON.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Coulter, of Dewsbury, in the County
of York, Engineer, and Herbert Harpin, of Thongsbridge, near
Huddersfield, in the same County, Quarry Owner, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRESSING OR FACING AND SHAPING
STONES, MARBLE, GRANITE, OR OTHER MINERALS, AND FOR CUTTING MOULDINGS
THEREON.
"
Sealed the 1st October 1872, and dated the 1st April 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Coulter and
Herbert Harpin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 1st April 1872.
We, JAMES COULTER, of Dewsbury, in the County of York, Engineer,
and HERBERT HARPIN, of Thongsbridge, near Huddersfield, in the
same County, Quarry Owner, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRESSING OR FACING AND
SHAPING STONES, MARBLE, GRANITE, OR OTHER MINERALS, AND FOR CUTTING
MOULDINGS THEREON," to be as follows:-
--

page_text: The improvements consist in being able to use straight cutting tools
instead of the ordinary cranked ones, also to turn over the tools at the
end of the stroke of the table so as to use the opposite side of the
tools in the return stroke, which has the effect of keeping the tools
sharp and accomplishing double quantity of work in the same time.
Secondly. The improvements consist in having the cross slide bed (which
in ordinary planing machines is bolted to the upright standards) mounted
at each end on an axis in brackets which slide up and down the upright
standards, the said brackets being provided with lugs, or, projections to
support the cross slide bed in its proper cutting position both in the
forward and return stroke. We also make a long slot up the middle of the
cross slide bed to receive the cross slide or tool box, thereby bringing the
tools through the centre of the axis, and consequently the pressure on
the tools has therefore no tendency to lift or move the cross slide bed
during the cut. The cross slide or tool box is moved on its bed across
the machine by a screw in the ordinary way. The turning over of the
cross slide bed for reversing the position of the tools is rendered self-
acting in conjunction with and actuated by the reversing motion of the
carriage or table. In order to check the fall of the cross slide bed when
turning over an air cylinder and piston are used, the cylinder being
charged with air is compressed by the fall of the cross slide bed, the air
then passes through one or more perforations in the piston, thereby
allowing the full weight of the cross slide bed to act as a resistance
against the pressure of the tools, and a catch may also be employed to
lock the cross head in proper position. Springs may be used to retard
the fall of the bed, but we prefer the air cylinder.
For the purpose of working mouldings we form the lower part of the
tool box as near the shape of the mould as possible that the tools may
thereby be better supported.. We also use centre heads, or head stocks
to fix on the table for the. purpose of receiving and holding shafts or
pillars and blocks to be planed to an uniform section, which heads may
be moved and set on the table to suit any length of shaft or block, the
shaft also is capable of being turned on its centre, or at any required
time or times.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Coulter and Herbert Harpin in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 1st October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
COULTER, of Dewsbury, in the County of York, Engineer, and HERBERT
HARPIN, of Thongsbridge, near Huddersfield, in the same County,
Quarry Owner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the First day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said James Coulter and Herbert Harpin, Her
special licence, that we, the said James Coulter and Herbert Harpin,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said James Coulter and Herbert Harpin, our 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 MACHINERY FOR
DRESSING OR FACING AND SHAPING STONES, MARBLE, GRANITE, OR OTHER
MINERALS, AND FOR CUTTING MOULDINGS THEREON," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said James Coulter and Herbert Harpin,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
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.
'
66
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Coulter and Herbert
Harpin, do hereby declare the nature of our said 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 Sheets
of Drawings (that is to say) :-
Our Invention relates to improvements in the planing machine adapting
11°

page_text: Firstly. In being able to use straight cutting tools instead of the
ordinary cranked ones, also to turn over the tools at the end of the
stroke of the table so as to use the opposite side of the tools in the return
stroke, which has the effect of keeping the tools sharp and accomplishing
double quantity of work in the same time.
Secondly. The improvements consist in having the cross slide bed
or cross head (which in ordinary planing machines is bolted to the
upright standards) mounted at each end on an axis in brackets which
can slide up and down the upright standards, the said brackets being
provided with lugs or projections to support the cross slide bed in its
proper cutting position both in the forward and return stroke. We also
make a long slot up the middle of the said cross slide bed to receive the
cross slide or tool box, thereby bringing the tools through the centre
of the said bed, consequently the pressure on the tools has therefore no
tendency to lift or move the cross head or slide bed during the cut. The
cross slide or tool box is moved on its bed across the machine by a
screw in the ordinary way. The turning over of the cross slide bed for
reversing the position of the tools is rendered self-acting in conjunction
with and actuated by the reversing motion of the carriage or table.. In
order to check the fall of the cross head or slide bed when turning over
an air cylinder and piston are used, the cylinder being charged with air
which is compressed by the fall of the cross head or slide bed, the air
then passes through one or more perforations in the piston, and then
thereby allowing the full weight of the cross head or 'slide bed and tool
box with tools to act as a resistance against the pressure on the tools,"
and a catch may also be employed to lock the cross head in proper
position if required. Springs may be used to retard the fall of the bed,
but we prefer the air cylinder.
For the purpose of working mouldings we form the lower part of the
tool box as near the shape of the mould as possible that the tools may
thereby be better supported. We also use centre heads or head stocks
to fix on the table for the purpose of receiving and holding shafts or
pillars and blocks to be planed to any uniform section, which heads may
be moved and set on the table to suit any length of shaft or block.
Such being the nature of our said Invention, we will now proceed
to explain by the aid of the accompanying Drawings the manner in
which the same is to be performed or carried into practical operation.

page_text: Fig. 1 is an end elevation partly in section, and Fig. 2 is a sidė eleva-
tion of a planing machine somewhat similar to the machines used for
planing iron. In this machine however we have the table A mounted
on grooved wheels B, formed to run on the edges of angular shaped
rails C fixed on the bed plate D, which is secured upon ashlar E. The
rails are thus formed so that sand or grit from the stone or other
minerals under operation of dressing will not rest upon them. The
tools F are straight and fixed in a box G, which fits in a slot of the cross
slide bed H so as to be moved laterally therein as required by means of
screw shaft I, and suitable gearing. The bed and tool box are shewn in
section full size at Fig. 3 with a tool fixed therein. The cross slide bed
is provided with axes J, upon which it is mounted in brackets H,
attached by slides to the standards L, and operated by screws M, con-
necting shaft and gear wheels N, so as to slide or be moved up or
down the standards by means of the hand wheel O to enable the tools to
be set in proper position according to the thickness of the material to be
operated upon when fixed on the table. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are details of
the cross slide bed with its axes J, and Fig. 7 is an end view of the tool
box one-fourth full size.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the reversing lever arm P is fixed on a
short shaft, on which is also fixed a bevel wheel R, gearing with another
bevil wheel R on an upright shaft S, capable of moving up or down
therein, and on which is a bevel wheel S¹, gearing with another bevel
wheel S fixed on the axis J of the cross slide bed or cross head H.
On the edge of the table are two adjustable stop blocks T, which as the
table travels come into contact with the lever arm P, and thereby
through the medium of the gearing R and S effect the turn over of the
said cross slide bed or cross head, and consequently the tool box and tools
ready for the reverse motion of the table, which is produced by ordinary
reversing gear U. In order to break or retard the fall of the cross or
slide bed when turning over we have an air cushion or cylinder V,
with piston V, and rod V2, connected to the said bed, and so arranged
that the cylinder becomes charged with air while the slide bed is in
one position, and then when the bed is turned over the said air has to
be forced through one or more perforations or holes in the piston,
thereby retarding the fall and preventing concussion on the bearing
block K, which is suitably formed and placed to hold the tools in proper
position.

page_text: This apparatus will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 8, 9,
and 10, the former of which is a side elevation of the same and shews
the slide bed in both positions, while the latter shews them in sectional
elevation and plan. It will now be seen that by these improvements
the cutting tools are made straight and the cross head or slide bed turned
over so that the tools will operate in both directions of the table's
motion, and that while they are operating in one direction they become
sharpened on the opposite side ready to operate on the material in reverse
motion of the table.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention and shewn by
Drawings in what manner the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical operation, we would have it understood that we
do not confine ourselves to the precise details set forth, nor do we claim
the whole of the parts of the machine illustrated, but we do claim the
construction and mode of operation of the cross slide beds or cross heads
of planing machines so as to enable straight tools to be used on both
sides of the same cutting edge, and in both directions of the table's
motions, substantially in manner and for purposes as herein described
and shewn in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Coulter, for and on behalf
of myself and the said Herbert Harpin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named James Coulter, in
the presence of
WM. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax & Bradford.
JAMES COULTER. (L.S.)