IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESSING. ORNAMENTING OR POLISHING STONE CONCRETE GLASS, OR OTHER LIKE MATERIAL, AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brindle and Thomas Brindle of Rough Park
Quarry Upholland in the County of Lancaster. for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESSING. ORNAMENTING OR POLISHING STONE CONCRETE
GLASS, OR OTHER LIKE MATERIAL, AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brindle and Thomas
Brindle at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st December
1883.
WILLIAM BRINDLE and THOMAS BRINDLE, of Rough Park Quarry, Upholland,
in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESSING, ORNAMENTING, OR
POLISHING STONE, CONCRETE, GLASS OR OTHER LIKE MATERIAL, AND IN
MACHINERY THEREFOR,"
This invention has for its object the smoothing, polishing, fluting and
ornamenting of stone and other like matters by machine power without the use
of edged tools. It consists essentially in causing a revolving or reciprocating
surface (hereafter called the rubbing surface) of iron, steel or other like suitable
material to alternately bear against the surface of the stone or glass to be dressed
(hereafter called the rubbed surface), and then be parted from it sufficiently to
receive a layer of fresh sand or water between the rubbing surface and the
rubbed.
There are several methods of doing this but I prefer for ornamenting and fluting
purposes having the rubbing surface weighted down by weight or spring when
rubbing, but at intervals raised from the rubbed surface by an eccentric cam or
other well known mechanism for giving intermittent action-the withdrawal of the
one surface from the other being sufficiently long to admit of sand and water being
passed between. The actual rubbing surface may be a disc revolving on an axis per-
pendicular to the rubbed surface, a disc, cone, cylinder or other body with circular
cross-section running with its axis horizontal or at an angle with and against the
rubbed surface, or a prism, roller, or cylinder, parallelopipedon, or other solid caused
to reciprocate against the rubbed surface, and in the case of a roller, polygonal or
square bar, turned round at intervals to secure even wear.

page_text: For smoothing and polishing I employ a rubbing cylinder preferably of as large
a diameter as practicable. This cylinder revolves on its axis and in some instances
has also a reciprocating motion parallel with its axis while the rubbed surface is
drawn slowly under or past and against it in a direction at right angles with the
said axis. As the amount of surface of this cylinder even when taking heavy cuts
is small in comparison with its circumference, the sand fed upon it will be sufficient
without lifting the cylinder from the rubbed surface. It is therefore only where
the rubbed surface slides or only reciprocates on the other, instead of having a
rolling sliding contact, that it is requisite to lift the rubbing surface from the
rubbed.
The machinery for polishing consists of a large revolving cylinder in stationary
bearings fed with sand or other gritty matter and water, and a travelling carriage
for feeding the block to be polished gradually forward, or the cylinder is slowly
passed forward or reciprocated over the block.
For cutting circular and other ornaments in the stone or flat places, I use a
vertical revolving shaft in stationary bearings somewhat similar to a metal drilling
machine having a disc or cone revolving at bottom, a weight or spring to keep it
down to its work at any convenient part if the shaft itself be not heavy enough,
and a suitable device to lift it at intervals to admit of sand and water flowing
between the rubbing surface and the rubbed. This shaft and its bearings or the
table holding the stone or plate to be ornamented can be made to travel in any
required direction, like a slotting or metal drilling machine table or that of a
mortise drilling machine.
The reciprocating apparatus consists of a machine very like a planing machine,
but the rolls, square rods or other rubbing surfaces employed reciprocate to and fro,
and are raised at intervals to allow the sand and water to flow between the surfaces,
or else the rolls are caused to rotate and thus form grooves. This plan should only
be adopted however in large flutings.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Brindle and Thomas Brindle in the Patent Office on the
30th June 1884.
WILLIAM BRINDLE and THOMAS BRINDLE, of Rough Park Quarry, Upholland,
in the County of Lancaster "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESSING, ORNAMENTING, OR
POLISHING STONE, CONCRETE, GLASS, OR OTHER LIKE MATERIAL AND IN
MACHINERY THEREFOR
"
This invention has for its object the smoothing polishing fluting and ornamenting
of stone and other similar material by machine power without the use of edged
tools and is based on the known fact that new or fresh sand applied to and rubbed
over the surface of stone or similar material has a cutting action thereon. It
consists essentially in causing a revolving or reciprocating surface (hereafter called
the rubbing surface) of iron, steel or other like suitable material to alternately
bear against the surface of the stone or glass to be dressed (hereafter called the
rubbed surface) and then be parted from it sufficiently to receive a layer of fresh
sand or water between the rubbing surface and the rubbed.
There are several methods in which this may be done for ornamenting and
fluting purposes.
We prefer to have the rubbing surface weighted down by weight or spring when
rubbing but at intervals raised from the rubbed surface by an eccentric cam or
other well known mechanism for giving intermittent action the withdrawal of the
one surface from the other being sufficiently long to admit of sand and water being
passed between. The actual rubbing surface may be a disc revolving on an axis
perpendicular to the rubbed surface, a disc, cone, cylinder or other body with
circular cross section running with its axis horizontal or at an angle with and
against the rubbed surface or a prisın, roller, or cylinder, parallelopipedon, or other
solid caused to reciprocate against the rubbed surface, and in the case of a roller,
polygonal or square bar turned round at intervals to secure even wear.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus shewing the adaptation of our
invention to the smoothing or polishing of the surfaces of blocks of stone or other
material.
Fig. 2 plan view of apparatus for cutting flutes in the surfaces of blocks.
Fig. 3 perspective view of apparatus for cutting flutes of smaller size than could
be produced by apparatus shewn in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 Elevation of apparatus for cutting ornamental indentations in the stone.
Fig. 5 Sketch of ornamental design cut in stone in accordance with this
invention.
For smoothing and polishing we employ a rubbing cylinder preferably of as
large a diameter as practicable as shown in Fig. 1. The cylinder A revolves on
its axis a and may be if desirable provided with a reciprocating motion parallel
with its axis. B is a block of stone or other material the surface of which is to be
polished. It is laid on a table or trolly C which moves evenly under the
cylinder A its wheels c running on rails or slides c'. The trolly is moved slowly
along being drawn by the weight D while the cylinder A is moved by means of
driving pulley or gearing on the spindle a preferably in the direction of the arrow
the rubbing and the rubbed surfaces moving in opposite directions. As the extent
of surface of this cylinder in contact with the stone even when taking heavy cuts
is small in comparison with its circumference, the sand fed upon it will be sufficient
without lifting the cylinder from the rubbed surface.

page_text: Fig. 2 shews the apparatus designed for fluting blocks of stone or other material
when flutes of a large size have to be made. B is the block of stone to be fluted.
E are a number of rollers carried in journals or bearings F on bars F¹ preferably
rectangular supported by framework in any suitable way. The rollers E revolve
on their axes e receiving motion through the bevelled gearing G and G" from the
driving shaft G. The gearing wheels g are attached to the axes e of the rollers E
by a sunk key or otherwise to allow the axes e to have a sliding motion therein
as the rollers E have a reciprocating as well as a rotary motion on the surface of
the stone. To the opposite ends of the axes e of the rollers E is loosely attached a
bar H. It is preferably attached as shewn that is the ends of the axes e pass
through it, a washer e¹ being secured at the outer end. The bar H is connected to
a crank I by a connecting rod J and the motion of the crank is thereby conveyed
to the rollers. The bearings F may be moved in either direction on the bars F¹ to
allow of the flutings being placed at the required distance apart and one or any
number of the rollers E may be used at a time. Sand is sprinkled over the
rollers whereby as they revolve a fresh supply of sand is regularly maintained
between the rubbing surface and the rubbed, thus effecting the required cutting
of the stone.
For cutting flutes of a smaller size we use the apparatus shewn in Fig. 3.
K are rollers or bars of any required shape which operate upon the stone. They
are set or mounted in a frame K¹ which receives from a crank or eccentric a
reciprocating movement. At each revolution of the crank the frame carrying the
fluting rollers or bars is lifted a short distance from the block in order to allow of
a fresh supply of sand. This is preferably effected by means of inclined planes k
on the under surface of the frame which engage with the rollers k¹ and thus raise
the frame, though other methods may be adopted as the frame might be hung or
suspended from above. The sand is sprinkled over the top of the rollers and
carried down into the flutings of the stone with water also sprinkled from above.
To prevent uneven wear of the rollers or bars K they are set in sockets at their
ends and may be turned at intervals part of a revolution by means of a key or
hand wheel or by any of the well known methods of automatic feed. They may
be geared together or turned singly. The block of stone is placed on a trolly C
and run in under the frame K¹ and held stationary there during the operation of
the cutting.
Fig. 4 shews apparatus for cutting circular holes or indentations in the block of
stone. L are vertical revolving shafts carrying at their base discs of metal L¹
between which and the surface of the stone B the abrasive sand is put. The
shafts L receive their rotary motion from the driving shaft G through the
intermediate shaft G¹ and the bevel gearing G". The bearings F of the shafts L
are carried on bars or rods F¹ and the shaft slides longitudinally through them and
the bevelled wheel g. A lever with weight added to the weight of the shaft L
keeps the disc L' at its work. To the top of the shaft L is attached by means of a
loose collar or washer m a chain M connected to a crank M' which at intervals
raises the shafts L and the discs L₁ to allow of fresh sand being admitted between
the disc and the stone. The bearings F are movable and adjustable on the bars Fl
so that the discs may be moved to cut at any required distance apart. Were it
necessary to cut a slot in the stone, this could be effected by moving it to and fro
while the disc revolves. We prefer to make the revolving discs L' perforated
longitudinally so that sand and water sprinkled on the upper surface will be carried
down through and pass between the rubbing surface and the rubbed at each time
they are parted.
Having now described our invention and the best modes known to us of
carrying it into effect we wish it to be understood that we are fully aware that
sand has been used in connection with blades for cutting or sawing stone and we
do not wish to claim broadly the use of sand and metal together for cutting or
dressing stone but that what we believe to be new and desire to protect is :-
1st. The process of ornamenting stone and other like material by machine

page_text: power in which the rubbing surface of iron or other suitable material is caused
alternately to bear against the rubbed surface of the stone and be removed or lifted
therefrom to allow of a fresh supply of sand substantially as herein set forth and
described.
2nd. In apparatus for polishing ornamenting or fluting stone and the like the
use of a revolving cylinder or one or more rollers (with or without a reciprocating
motion) which continually present a fresh rubbing surface carrying with it the
sand or abrasive material required to perform the operation substantially as
described.
3rd. In apparatus for ornamenting stone the use of rollers bars or discs with a
reciprocating or revolving motion which are at intervals lifted or removed from the
rubbed surface to allow of the introduction of a fresh supply of sand or other
abrasive material substantially as described.
a whole
4th. The several machines for ornamenting stone each taken as
substantially as herein described and shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively.
In witness whereof we the said William Brindle and Thomas Brindle have
hereunto set our hands and seals this twenty sixth day of June in the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
WILLIAM BRINDLE (L.S.)
THOMAS BRINDLE. (L.S.)