MILL AND APPARATUS FOR GRINDING AND POLISHING ALL SORTS OF PLATE AND OTHER GLASS, AND WASHING OR SEPPERATING EMERY, WHITE LEAD, COLOURS, AND ORES
Year: 1794

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, MATTHEW
KEMP, of the City of London, Looking Glass Manufacturer, sends greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty, by Letters Patent under the Great
Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, in the thirty-
fourth year of His reign, gave and granted unto me, the said Matthew Kemp, my
exors, adiñors, and assigns, His special licence, full power, solė priviledge and
authority, that I, the said Matthew Kemp, my exors, aditiors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term of years therein ascertained, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of Great Britain called
England, our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such
manner as to me, the said Matthew Kemp, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, or
any of them, shall in my or their discretion seem meet, my new invented
"MILL AND APPARATUS FOR GRINDING AND POLISHING ALL SORTS OF PLATE AND OTHER
GLASS, AND WASHING OR SEPPERATING EMERY, WHITE LEAD, COLOURS, AND ORES;" in
which said Letters Patent there is a proviso that if I, the said Matthew
Kemp, should not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said.
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, and to cause the same to be inrolled in
His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one month next and immediately
after the date of such Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and
all liberty's and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease;
determine, and become void.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Matthew Kemp, in compliance with the
said proviso, do by this Instrument declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is described
in the words following (viz'):-
My method of making or constructing my new invented Mill and Apparatus
for Grinding and Polishing all Sorts of Plate and other Glass, and Washing or
Separating Emery, White Lead, Colours, and Ores, to be worked by any power
now in use, is in, by, and after the manner of the Plan or Schedule hereunto
annexed, and is herein more fully set forth and explained; that is to say, Fig" 1
represents a section of the elevation of the grinding bench or table and the
appurtenant machinery. A, A, two of the fect of the table frame (which is
square) joined together with four rails, as B; C, a round cast-iron plate flat on
both sides. D is the side edge of the runner or board, on which the glasses
are laid for grinding, and is six feet wide, but the sizes of the runners are
various, according to the sizes of the glasses intended to be ground, and aro
made in the following manner, viz', with two bars of iron, in breadth tho
thickness of the runner, half an inch thick in the middle, but diminishing in
thickness towards the points; these bars are welled together in the middle, and
form a cross as thus,
wood framing, with pannels
the triangular spaces of which are filled with
of an inch thick, flush on one side, the whole
bolted together with cross bolts from side to side and iron squares on the
corners. On the flush side the glasses aro laid as in the common method, and
then blocked round with small slips of wood nailed to the runner, to prevent the
glass sliding off in work. E, the box or frame which unites to the runner by
four iron studs, one at each corner, which fits into 4 corresponding iron sockets
in the runner.
Fig 2 represents a geometrical plan or view of the said box, with the iron
joints F fastened to it by screw bolts, in the straps G, G, G, G, which joints
serve to admit a small rise or fall in the runner, occasioned by the uneveness of
the glass in its first stage of work, or the unlevel state of the iron plate, and
also to turn the runner round. To the middle of the said joints is fixed a short
shaft, having on it the wheel II, which shaft works in and is supported by the.
arm I at the bottom, and at the top by the arm K rising out of the said arm
J, which arm slides through a mortise in tho upright spindle L, according to
the length wanted for different glasses, and is fastened at any place by two set
screws in the side of the mortice. M is a small pinion, the shaft of which
passes through and works in the upright part of the arm K, in which part only

page_text: it is round, the rest being square passes through a mortice in a round ferrule,
which turns in a hole in the upright spindle at N, having the wheel O fixed
on one end, which works into the wheel P, which wheel being fixt fast to the
under side of the round iron plate Q, through the middle of which the upright
spindle L passes and works in two brasses fastened to the plate Q, which is
fastened and kept in its place by two braces R, R, from the ceiling or roof of
the building, and one at the back of the spindle in the same direction. S, S, are
two upright stays, to prevent the rising of the lower end of the braces; T is
a wheel on the upright spindle L; V, à wheel on the shaft, communicating
with the power; W, the cap of the upright spindle, by which it is hung up to
the ceiling or roof.
Having described the different parts, the motion takes place thus:-The
vertical wheel V turns the horizontal wheel T, with a velocity of 22 revolutions
per minute, and consequently the upright spindle L, which takes with it the
arm I in a horizontal direction, in the end of which is the wheel H, put in
motion by the pinion M, the shaft of which passes through the wheel O, which
being taken round with the spindle L, and at the same time indented in the
wheel P, which is immoveably fixt, is turned round on its own axis, and thus
gives a double rotative motion to the runner D, one in a circle round the up-
right spindle and the other on the axis of the wheel II, which, with the proper
application of sand and water, reduces the glass on the runner to a flat even
surface. X, X, a circular sloping board round the iron, to convey the waste
sand and water into the pit under the iron.
Another method of grinding, of my Invention, is by an oval motion, produced
in the following manner, viz' :-
Fig 3 represents a section of the elevation of the bench and machinery.
A, the ground line; A, A, represents the side rails of a square frame; B, B, two.
of the posts. B, B, B, B, Fig 4 (which is a geometrical view of the same);
shews the tops of the posts; A, A, A, tho rails; in the center of the Figure is.
a crank C, Fig 3, and at cach corner is four other cranks D, D, the work-
ing holes of which are visible in Figure 4, marked with the same letters D, D...
And it may here be noted that, throughout the Specification, the same thing in
different Figures is constantly marked with the same letter. Upon the throws.
of these five cranks is a wood frame E, from one edge of which proceeds:
an iron arm or rod F, joined to the frame E by two joints or hinges
at G; and at the extremity of the rod is a hook with a chain leading up to
the ceiling or roof, and by which it is suspended. In the rod F is a slit or
opening, in which is fitted the brass tug H, so as to slide backward and
forward freely therein; upon the throw of the center crank C is another crank.

page_text: I in the same direction, on the throw of which is a rod K, united to the tug II
by a round bolt passing through both at L; in the center of the tng El is a
round holo which receives the pin in the center of the runner M, which is mado
of boards 1inch thick, and pin'd or rail'd to the square framic 0, 0, 0, 0. On
tliis runner is placed the glass, as in the usual method. P is the bench or table!
on which also glasses are laid, which is called the bottom; Q, Q; the feet of
bench frame; R, a horizontal wheel on center crank C. The motion is as
follows a wheel on a shaft communicating with the power works into the
wheel R, which turns the crank C, on the throw of which is the frame E,
which receives also at its corners the throws of the 4 cranks, D, D, D, D, which
aro taken round with it, and which serve as feet to support it, and as guides to
prevent its turning round on its center. The iron arm F, being united to the
framic E, from every point of it describes a circle by its motion, consequently-
tho tug H, having the pin of the runner M in it, has a circular inotion; but the
crank I, being fixt to the crank C, its throw being farther from the center of
the crank C, describes a larger circle than C's throw does, but in the same time,
and, communicating with the tug II, compels it to slide backward and forward
in the slit of the rod double as much as the throw of the crank I is distant
from the throw of the crank C; and its motion forms an oval, for while C in its
motion extends only to the conjugate diameter of the oval, I in its'motion:
extends to the transverse diameter; the runner therefore passes in an oval or
elliptic path on the bottom, and, being supplied with a proper quantity of sand
and water, reduces both to an even surface.
The following is a description of my polishing 'machine:-Figuro 5 is a
section of the elevation of the bench or table, with the machinery apper-
taining to it; Figuro 7 is an elevation of the end of the bench next it, and
Figure 8, the clevation of the opposite end; Figure 9, the elevation of the
crank posts or uprights; Figure 6, the geometrical plan of the wholo. . A, the
ground line; A, A, and A, A, A, A, in Figures 5 and 6, the feet of the bench
or table frame; B, and B, B (note, tliis (and) refers to the same part in the
other Figure when placed between letters), are the side rails; C, C, the end rails; "
D, D, D, D, the interniedinte cross rails; E, E, two braces to keep the frame
from racking; F, a post between them; G, G, G, G, G, G, G, G, eight rolers
or shafts, supported and turning round on each end on the 4 rails D, D, D, D,
having wheels at each end close to the rails, upon which thic table top H is laid,
and on which it roles backward and forward. In Figure 6 the table top is not
drawn, but supposed off, in order to shew the works underneath, but is in
size the length of the bench between the rails C, C, and in breadth 'tho
extreme width of the bench frame; H, in Figure 5, 7, and 8, are upright'racks,

page_text: which serve to raise or fall the bars; those of Figure 7 have a flute in
the top end, which the axis of the two double wheels L, L, run in, which
wheels the bar K at that end roles backward and forward on, and are kept on
in the edge of the wheels, and which works
by a tongue, thus,
M, M, two wheels
in a corresponding groove on the under side the bar.
that work into two racks that lay along the under side of the table
top H; N, the shaft of the two wheels M, M, which is fastened up to the
two outside rails D, D; O, a pinion turning the wheel M, upon the shaft of
which is the wheel P, turned by the wheel Q, on the shaft of which is the
crank R..for the purpose of occasionally turning by the hand; beyond that is a
male screw three inches long, having on it the brass barrel. S, which as a
female screw throughout from end to end. On the end next the crank R is a
piece of iron V, which rises up into a groove in the under side of the iron frame
T, which rosts on and is fastened to the bench frame at one end, and at the other
is fastened to the crank post W, and serves to support the wheel X, on each side
the bar K, and by which it roles backward and forward. From the said iron
frame hangs pendant by a joint the lever Y, which has a forked end that clasps
the barrel S, on each side of which is the hoop Z, Figure 10, which shews the
breadth, and Figure 11 the diameter; it is open on one side, and through it
passes the screw a, by screwing of which it is made to embrace the barrel s
tight; b, an adjusting screw, working through an eye. as c. The end of the
screw shaft next the crank-post W is supported by the iron d, Figure 12 and
13, which hangs pendant on the screw e; f, the hole the shaft turns in; g. 9,
Figure 5 and 6, a wheel or crank-post; W, side of the shifting motion plate
k; h and i, two wheels that g works into alternately, upon the shaft of which
wheels is another wheel 1, which works into the wheel me and m, upon the
shaft of which is the wheel n and n, which works into the wheel o and o, upon
the crank shaft p, t, & t, t; the cranks q, & 7, 9, the crank rods joined at
the end to a piece of flat iron with a square mortice through it, which piece of
iron enters a block of cast iron that fills the space in the bar k, between the
wheels X, X, X, through which cast-iron block there is a perpendicular square
bolt, which drops into the aforesaid square mortice, and thereby couples the
crank rod to the bark, which parts in two at r, for the purpose of raising up
the part with the polishing blocks on it; and in order to unite it to the crank
rod end of the bar, the aforesaid cast-iron block (which is fastened by bolts to
the crank end or short division of the bar) has a hook which a staple or cast-
iron mortice that is bolted to the long division of the bar fits on upon. 5, 8,
Figure 12, two pieces of iron turning upon their centers v. v, with two pieces

page_text: towards e entering the sides of d; w, w, two pieces of iron turning on their
centers, a; y, y, two stuils containing each a cell for a worm spring, which
enters an opposite cell in the two pieces w, w, for the purpose of pressing them
constantly upwards. Z, Z, are two other studs with cells for two worm springs,
which also enter two opposite cells in the tops of the pieces a, a, for the purpose
of constantly forcing them together. B, B, a piece of iron with the cyo
at one end, Figure 18 and 14, the other end enters the mortice c, in the
plate, and is fastened in by the nut and screw D. On the iron B is.
laid the angular lever E, turning upon a scrow passing through the hole
F, and screwing into the eye or hole in B. The other eye in E,
viz, G; is fastened as a joint to the rod H, that proceeds from the hanging
lever y, Fig 5. I, Fig 5, is a shaft the whole length of the bench frame,
having a pinion wheel at each end that works in the upright racks H. K,
a wheel on said shaft turned by the pinion L, Figure 6, the shaft of which
comes through to outside of bench frame, having on it the handle M. O,
Figure 9, a wheel on the shaft communicating with the power. Figure 16
shows the upper side of the polishing block, and Figure 17 the edge. A, a
block of wood, to which the stuff' used in polishing is nailed, as in the common
way. B, á brass plate, with well in the middle, having a ball in the middle.
C, C, two iron teeth that turn upon the centers D, D. E, a bow spring for the
purpose of forcing the ketches together towards the block handle F. Figure
18, the block shaft, &c. A, the shaft, having a concavity at the bottom that
fits on to the ball in the well of the block brass B, Figure 17. The notches
just above the concavity receive the ketches C, C, Figure 16, and serve to
hold the block up to the shaft A. B, a nut and screw to keep the shaft from
falling through the block frame. C, C, Figure 18, two cast-iron concs, united
together by the cylinder D, which fastens on the shaft A. E, a lead weight,
which fixes on to the cones C, C, and in thickness barely fills the space between
the boards of the bar K, Figure 6. Weights on one or both cones are used,
and sometimes larger or smaller than the one here drawn, as occasion requires.
Figure 19 is the block shaft frame, which fits on to the bar K, Figure 5. A,
the sides of the frame. B, a brass fastened in the bottom, which the block
shaft A rises up and down in. C, a staple over the top of the frame, with a
holo D through it to receive the top of the block shaft A. F, F, F, F, four
screws that fasten the staple C to the frame A. E, E, two set screws that
screw down on the top edge of the bar K, Figure 5, to fasten it in the place
required. Of these block frames different numbers are put on the bars, as
the size or number of the glasses to be worked require. The glasses for
polishing are laid on wood frames two inches thick, and covered with thin
-

page_text: slates or stones, and are of different sizes according to the sizes intended to
be worked. The glasses being thus laid are stopped with slips of wood against
their edges, screwed through the slates or stones to the frames underneath, or
are fastened by small iron stops, as Figure 20; the screw shank A passes
through the slate or stone, and the nut B turned till it touches the under side
of slates, and presses the plate C down upon the top of the slates and jams it fast.
Having described the different parts of the polishing apparatus, I will now
endeavour to combine the different motions, and begin with the wheel O;
Figure 9, on the shaft leading from the power, which turns the wheel N on
the crank shaft p, which turns the cranks t, t, with the rods q, q, and being
united to the bar K at the cast-iron block between the wheels X, it moves it
backward and forward on the wheels X, X, and L, L. The glasses being
laid on the slate frames, and then laid on the table top II, Figure 5, under the
block placed over it on the bar K, are rubbed untill they receive a proper
degree of polish. But besides this motion of the bar K, there is at the same
time a motion of the table across the bench frame A, A, B, B, &c., accom-
plished thus:-the wheel O, on the crank shaft p, turns the wheel n, on which
shaft is the wheel m, which turns the wheel t, on. which shaft is also the wheel
h, i, which alternately turn the wheel g on the screw shaft, on the other end of
which is the wheel Q, which turns the wheel P, on the shaft of which is the
pinion O, which turns M, M, which working into two racks across the under sido
of the table top H moves it across the bench frame A, A, B, B, &c.; but without
the assistance of the shifting motion, Figure 12 and 18, it would continue to travel
on across the bench frame till it run entirely off, to prevent which the shifting
motion is fixed by an iron frame to the crank post W, on the bench side of the
wheel 9, the screw shaft turning in the hole f. Supposing then the wheel 'g to be
indented in the wheel i, it turns the screw shaft (communicated to the table top as
just described), on which is the brass female screw barrel S, which being pre-
vented from turning round by the upright iron V, is compelled to proceed forward
towards the crank posts W, untill the end of the screw b, Figuro 10; arrives at
the pendant iron y, which it pushes forwards, and being united to the angular
lever, Figure 15, at the end G, placed on the stump B, Figure 13, it turns it
on its center F, and the other being inserted between the two projecting pieces
in the top corners of the two irons 8, 8, Figure 12, it presses against one and
forces up the worm spring in the cell of =, and the other end of s bearing
against w, which acts as a pall or stop against the end of d, forces it downwards
and releases the end of d, at which time the worm spring in the cell of the
other having its full force, the spring in the opposite, being pressed away by
the angular lever as just described, presses the top of s against the side of

page_text: d, and pushes it towards one side or edge of the plate k, and the screw shaft
hanging in the hole f, with the wheel on it, quits the wheel i, and enters the
wheel h; the other pall w, by the worm spring in the cell of y, is pushed up
and keeps it there. The motion then is instantly reversed, and the table top II
returns again, tho screw barrel S also returns until the other hoop, Figure 10,
placed on the other side the pendant iron, arrives at it, and pushing against it
as before, they are all shifted back again, so that as the two hoops. Figuro 10,
are farther from or nearer to the pendant iron Y, so the table top I will move
more or less across the bench frame according to the breadth of the glasses in
polishing.
The apparatus for washing or sepperating emery, white lead, colours, and
orés, is represented in a section of the elevation, Figure 21. A, B, C, D, E,
F,G, II, I, are nine copper cylinders with conical bottoms, to each of which is
solder'd a segment of three inches of the copper tubes L, M, N, O, P, Q, R,
S, T; the upper ends of the remaining segments are inserted in the bottom 1
ends of the lesser segments, for the purpose of admiting them to be slipped
upwards about an inch, to clear the tops or covers of the copper cylinders
V, W, X, Y, Z, A, B, C, D. In the middle of the cylinders A, B, C, D, E,
F, G, H, I, are coper tubes reaching nearly to the bottom of the different
cones, as E in cylinder A, with copper coues on the top serving as funnels.
F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, are copper spouts two inches wide, open on the
top side, solder'd to the sides of the cylinders A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, the
other ends of which just point into the funnels in the cylinders B, C, D, E, F,
G, II, I; and the wood cistern K, P, is a squaro cistern with one side rather
lower than the rust, to serve as an outlet or overftou, it being necessary to s
have the water in it allways at one height, that the stream from it may
be uniformly the same. Z, a cock supplying the said cistern from a reservoir.
R, a lead pipe proceeding from the cisteru P, and having a cock at S, T, V,
W,X, with short pieces of pipe just reaching the funnels of the tubes in the
cylinders A, B, C, D, E; cach cylinder has a brass rollor fitted to the bottom
of its conc, as A, Figure 22, which represents a segment of the conc, inside
tube, and valve rod of the cylinder A, drawn at full size; D, the cylinder
cone; C, the inside tube; D, the valve; E, a space filled with a ring of any
water-proof substance, as leather, &c., to make the valve water-tight; F, the
valve rod, which reaches up. just above the top of the funnels, having an eye s
upon the top end that hooks on to a spring steelyard, in order to keep it con-
stantly pulled upwards; that hangs on an iron bracket or rod that proceeds
from the wall, to which all the cylinders aro fixed, cach by two iron arms, onc
at the top, the other at the bottom. of the cylinders, to the ends of which are

page_text: fastened iron hoops that girt or encompass the cylinders round; G, G; are two
pins fastened in the valve, and that fit into holes in the brass collar A, to keep.
it from shifting in the act of opening; Y, a cock to a pipe leading from the
reservoir, and pointed into the funnell of the cylinder A; K is a wood cistern
seven feet six inches long.
The different parts being described, it is used. as follows:-The valves being
all' shut, the cock Z opened, and the cistorn P.and pipe R filled with water,
the cocks on the pipes S, T, V, W, X, being shut, and the cock Y opened into:
the funnell of E, all the cylinders are filled with water, which done, the
cock Y is shut, and the cock on S opened; the water then from the cistern
Pruns into the funnel of E, down the tube, and finds an outlet at the bottom
of the tube in the direction of the dotted line H, Figure 22, and rises up. the.
cone and body of the cylinder untill it finds the apperture into the spout F, passes
along that into the next funnel down that tube, and rises in the next cylinder,
and so on till it enters the cistern K. The same quantity of water, therefore,
passes through all the cylinders, but not with equal velocity; for the cylinder
B being bigger in diameter than the cylinder A, and C then. B, and so on,
it is obvious the current up which succeeding one will be slower than the
preceeding one, and by how many times the contents of A is contained in the
contents of I, by so many times will the upward current in I be slower than
the current in A. The emery then is gradually put into the funnel of the
cylinder A, and passing down the tube with the water, comes out at the
bottom into the cone of the cylinder, where, the space between the cone and
oylinder being small, the current is sharp, and it is borne upward by it,
the gravity of the particles of emery not being able to overcome the resisting;
current, and continues rising towards the top of the cone, where the grosser
particles are in equilibrium with the current, and can rise as higher, while
those particles that are a degree lighter, being unable to resist the current in
the body of the cylinder, rise with the water and escape through the aperture
at top along the spout into the next cylinder, where a separation, takes place
of the next grossest particles, and the finer is borne upward and passes into the
cylinder, and so on till it arrives at the cistern K, where it is impalpably fine.
But in order to discharge or empty the different cylinders when sufficiently full:
of emery-suppose the cylinder A-the cock in S must be shut, and the cock
on T instantly opened, by which means, though cylinder A be stoped, the
operation in the other cylinders proceeds; for, if the water stops-in the cylin-
ders A, B, C, D, E, where the emery is of considerable gravity, particularly A
and B, the emery in the cone imediately precipitates and settles so firm round
the bottom of the water tube as not to be removed again by the pressure of the

page_text: water coming down. But, to return to A, tho water being stoped, the valve
rod f, Figure 22, is pulled down with the hand, the spring in the steelyard
yielding to the full, and the valve separates from the brass collar A, and the
washed omery and the water contained in the cylinder rushes down the tube L
into the receiving cylinder V. A must then be filled again by the cock Y, and
at tho instant it is full the cock T must be shut, the cock S opened, and the
cock Y shut. What has been said of this cylinder may be understood of the
remainder, being similar. The same method is used in washing white lead,
colours, and ores, only with this difference, that not requiring so many divisions
of sorts as the emery, fewer cylinders are wanted, and A, F, & I, with tho
cistern K, are sufficient; Q, a trough on which the cylinders stand to receive
the water from them when discharged.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Kemp, have hereunto sett my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand seven hundred and ninety-four.