AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CUTTING FLINT GLASS, SUCH AS IS USED FOR 'WINES,' 'GOBLETS,' "TUMBLERS, OR OTHER TABLE GLASS, OR FOR LAMP OR OTHER GLASSES OF A CIRCULAR OR OVAL SHAPE. AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREZOR
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomas Haden Richardson, of Tutbury,
in the County of Stafford, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF CUTTING FLINT GLASS, SUCH AS IS USED FOR 'WINES,' 'GOBLETS,'
"TUMBLERS, OR OTHER TABLE GLASS, OR FOR LAMP OR OTHER GLASSES OF
A CIRCULAR OR OVAL SHAPE. AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREZOR"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomas Haden
Richardson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 26th February 1869.
I, JOHN THOMAS HADEN RICHARDSON, of Tutbury, in the County of
Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF CUTTING FLINT GLASS, SUCH AS IS USED FOR WINES,'
'GOBLETS,' TUMBLERS,' OR OTHER TABLE GLASS, OR FOR LAMP OR OTHER GLASSES
OF A CIRCULAR OR OVAL SHAPE, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREFOR,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed to supersede the ordinary method of cutting
flint glass, which operation has hitherto been performed with scissors,
and could only be accomplished by skilled workmen after many years
practice, and the Invention relates to the novel and peculiar application

page_text: and use of a diamond for cutting the edges of wine glasses, goblets,
tumblers, or other table glass, or of lamp or other glasses of a circular
or oval shape, such diamond being used with the apparatus herein-after
mentioned.
The apparatus I propose to use consists principally of an upright
or other standard screwed or otherwise fixed to a bottom plate.
This bottom plate is provided underneath with castors so that it is
capable of being turned round and of running in any direction. At
any convenient heighth of the standard two arms project, and between
these arms a
curved lever is fixed at or about its centre by screws or
otherwise. The bottom of this lever is pressed outward by means of a
spring or other suitable contrivance which is fixed to the standard.
At the back of the standard a thumbscrew is placed which allows of the
spring being pressed or relieved, causing the diamond at the top of the
lever to press against the glass with more or less force. At the top of
the standard two arms project. These arms have a mouth or cavity
formed in them and are each fitted with a small disc or circular piece of
steel, which discs are allowed to turn on a pivot securing them between
the jaws of the arms. The top of the curved spring lever is formed
to a square head, and through this head is a rectangular or other con-
veniently shaped orifice. In this orifice the piece of steel which contains
the diamond is placed. The height of the cutting point of the diamond
is made to correspond with that of the edges of the two revolving discs or
circular pieces of steel herein-before mentioned. The glass to be cut is
in a warm state first inverted, and then fixed to any suitable device for
firmly holding the same perfectly level, the cutting part of the apparatus
being placed inside the glass, and the lower part of the lever is pressed
by the hand so as to separate the diamond at the top of the lever from
the two discs.
The apparatus which runs on a perfectly level table directly under the
glass is then raised to the required level by a screw (under the table)
passing through a plate connected to the apparatus for holding the glass,
and the lever released by the hand so that the spring pressing against
the lever causes it to nip the glass; the cutting apparatus is then turned
round inside the glass by hand till the diamond reaches the pointed whence
it started, and the operation is then complete. In the event of the glass
being too thick to be cut through with the diamond I propose to use a
jet or jets of refrigerated air or gas to complete the operation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Thomas Haden Richardson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 26th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN.
THOMAS HADEN RICHARDSON, of Tutbury, in the County of Stafford,
send greeting,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of February, 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 succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said John Thomas Haden Richardson,
Her special licence that I,. the said John Thomas Haden Richardson,
my executors, administrators, and. assigns,. or such others as I,, the
said John Thomas Haden Richardson, 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, usc, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CUTTING
FLINT GLASS, SUCH AS IS USED FOR 'WINES,' 'GOBLETS,' 'TUMBLERS, OR OTHER
TABLE GLASS, OR FOR LAMP OR OTHER GLASSES OF A CIRCULAR OR. OVAL SHAPE,
AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Thomas Haden Richardson, my executors
or administrators, 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 Thomas Haden Richardson,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This Invention is designed to supersede the ordinary method of cutting
flint glass, which operation has hitherto been performed with scissors,
and could only be accomplished by skilled workmen after many years

page_text: practice, and the Invention relates to the novel and peculiar application
and use of a diamond or hard-cutting material for cutting the edges of
wine glasses, goblets, tumblers, or other table glass, or of lamp or other
glasses of a circular or oval shape, such diamond or other cutting
material being used with the apparatus herein-after mentioned.
The apparatus I use consists principally of an upright or other standard
screwed or otherwise fixed to a bottom plate; but I prefer to use a
standard sliding vertically and capable of being fixed at any required
position in a socket secured to the bottom plate, so that the cutter may
be inserted and adjusted in the glass to the required height; the
standard being lowered after cutting to allow the removal of the glass.
This bottom plate is provided underneath with castors so that it is capable
of being turned round and of running in any direction. At any
convenient height of the standard two arms project, and between these
arms a curved lever is fixed at or about its centre by screws or otherwise.
The bottom of this lever is pressed outwards by means of a spring or
other suitable contrivance which is fixed to the standard. At the back
of the standard a thumbscrew is placed which allows of the spring being
pressed or relieved, thus causing the diamond or hard-cutting material at
the top of the lever to press against the glass with more or less force.
At the top of the standard two arms project. These arms have a mouth
or cavity formed in them and are each fitted with a small disc or
circular piece of steel, which discs are allowed to turn on a pivot
securing them between the jaws of the arms. The top of the curved
spring lever is formed to a head, and through this head is a rectangular
or other conveniently shaped orifice. In this orifice the piece of steel
which contains the diamond or hard-cutting material is placed. The
height of the cutting point of the diamond is made to correspond with
that of the edges of the two revolving discs or circular pieces of steel
herein-before mentioned. The glass to be cut is in a warm or cold state
first inverted, and then fixed to an arrangement herein-after described, or
any suitable device for firmly holding the same perfectly level, the
cutting part of the apparatus being placed inside the glass, and the
lower part of the lever being pressed by the hand so as to separate the
diamond at the top of the lever from the two discs.
The apparatus which runs on a perfectly level table adjustable in height`
(by a screw under the table) directly under the glass is then raised to the

page_text: required level, and the lever released by the hand so that the spring pressing
against the lever causes it to nip the glass between the rollers and the
diamond or hard cutting material; the cutting apparatus is then turned
round inside the glass by hand till the diamond or hard cutting material
reaches the point whence it started, and the operation is then complete.
In the event of the glass being too thick to be cut through with the
diamond or hard cutting material I propose to use a jet or jets of
refrigerated air or inflammable gas to complete the operation. The
suitable arrangement above referred to for holding the glass to be cut
is fitted to a framing mounted on castors for convenience of moving
from furnace to furnace, and to this table I apply the adjustable level
table before referred to, such level table being adjusted by screw or
other means. The arrangement for holding the glass is fitted in a boss
in a bracket fixed to the framing immediately over the centre of the
adjustable level table. The holding arrangement consists of a tube
having a screw thread cut on its outside surface and screwing into a
corresponding screw thread cut in the boss above referred to, so that the
same may be raised or lowered and held in position by tightening nuts
in order to suit the glass to be operated upon. A rod acted on by a
spring passes through the tube and has fixed at its lower end a ring,
between which and a plate fitted to the end of the tube the foot of a
wine glass or other article of similar formation is gripped. For other
things than wine glasses I provide suitable holders which may be made
of various sizes to suit different sizes of work, and these holders are
fixed in a similar manner.
Having thus far described the said Invention I will now refer to the
illustrative Drawings accompanying this Specification in order that my
said Invention may be more readily and fully understood.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, side elevation of a cutting arrangement constructed in ac-
cordance with my Invention. Fig. 2, plan of top portion of same. In
said Figs. 1 and 2 a, a, the upright standard; b, b, the socket in which
it works; c, c, the bottom plate; d, d, the castors; e, e, projecting arms;
ff, curved lever; 9, 9, spring acting on lever f, f; h, h, screw for
adjusting spring; i, diamond or hard cutting material; j, j, head or boss
in which diamond or hard cutting material is fitted; k, k, circular discs
or rollers.

page_text: Fig. 8, view of holder; Fig. 3*, under side of same. In said Fig. 3
a, a, tube; b, b, bracket, in which it is fitted; c, c, tightening nuts;
d, d, centre rod; e, e, spring acting on rod (d, d); ff, plate fixed to
bottom of tube; g, g, fork fixed to centre rod (d, d,) and carrying
bottom ring h, h; i, foot of wine glass or other article gripped between
the plate (,) and ring h, h.
Fig. 4, section of another form of holder to be used with tumblers
and other articles. Fig. 5, view of under side of same. In Fig. 4. the
last-mentioned holder is shewn as held by the holder illustrated at
Fig. 3; i, i, plate with which tumbler holder is provided, so that it may
be held by holding plate f, f, and ring h, h; j, j, spring ring in which
tumbler or other like article is held; k, k, handles or levers for opening
the spring in order to release the article held, provided with a spring or
springs, 1, for keeping the ring closed; m, m, tumbler held by the
spring. The spring j, j, is secured to the plate i, i, by tongues n, n,
sliding in grooves cut in said plate i, i, so that the ring j, j, is free to
open and close.
Fig. 6, view of all my arrangements combined shewing the standard
of cutter lowered for insertion of glass. Fig. 7, view of same shewing
cutter adjusted for cutting. Here a, a, denotes the framing; b, b, castors;
c, c, adjustable level table; d, d, arrangement for adjusting the table;
e, e, bracket and boss in which holder f.f, is fitted; g, g, cutter placed
on adjustable level table; h, glass to be operated upon; i, gas jet to keep
the holder heated whilst holding the glass.
The mode of using these arrangements is as follows:-The table c, c,
is adjusted by the adjusting arrangement d, d, and the glass to be
trimmed or cut is fixed in the holder f, f, which has also been adjusted
and fixed by the tightening nuts to suit the particular work to be
operated upon, and the cutter is raised into the glass (as shown in Fig. 7)
and the glass trimmed or cut as before described. The cutter is then
lowered (as shewn at Fig. 6) and the glass removed.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of
effectuating the same, I hereby declare that I claim the improved method
of cutting flint glass such as is used for "wines," goblets, tumblers, or
other table glass, or for lamp or other glasses of a circular or oval shape
by means of the use and application of the diamond or hard cutting
material.

page_text: Also apparatus comprising supporting framing, adjustable table, and
ravelling cutter arrangements and holders.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thomas Haden Richardson,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of
August, in the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred
and sixty-nine.
Witness,
JOHN THOMAS HADEN RICHARDSON. (L.S.)
WILLIAM SCOTTON.