IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SAWING OR CUTTING STONE AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Paulin Gay of Boulevard Saint Denis 1 at Paris Civil
Engineer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR SAWING OR CUTTING STONE AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Paulin Gay at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd February 1883.
PAULIN GAY of Boulevard Saint Denis 1 at Paris, Civil Engineer,
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SAWING OR CUTTING STONE AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES "
In order to produce good work in cutting or sawing stone or other substances
and especially to obtain smooth facing or dressing I construct an arrangement of
helicoidal saw or cutter the descent or feed of which is graduated by a screw, an
endless chain, hydraulic pressure, inetallic cords or other means of causing tension;
the apparatus will be found of special advantage when a number of cutting wires
have to be worked at the same time for dividing blocks of stone, marble or other
substance into slabs of graduated or given thickness.
The essential parts of the frame of the apparatus consist of a hollow upright or
column at each corner having an opening at the side for the shafts which carry the
cutter drums. These hollow uprights are each traversed from top to bottom by a
screw actuating nuts which carry the bearings or sockets in which the drum shafts
are fitted. The head of each screw has a pinion for giving it a descensional
movement during the work and an ascensional movement for returning the cutter
drums to their first position.
These pinions are arranged so as to produce the gradual descent of the cutting
wires according to various degrees of hardness in the stones to be cut; this
necessitates alterations of speed which can be obtained by changing the driving
wheel or by any suitable mechanism capable of variable movement.
The wires are placed upon a smooth drum around which are arranged a series of
grooved collars whose distance from each other can be regulated according to
3

page_text: requirement in any convenient manner. Through all these collars at a point
symmetrical with their circumference pass two binding bolts which are screw-
threaded at each end and carry nuts and counter nuts which fix the bolts and
collars. The wires are parallel between the axes of the drums but beyond this
portion each of them assumes an angular or oblique position so that where they 5
reach the tension pullies they can be separated sufficiently to receive each of them
its respective counterweight.
The ordinary sand box is pierced with numerous holes for feeding each wire.
The novel arrangement of this sawing or cutting apparatus possesses a
characteristic feature of very great importance viz: the multiplicity of its working 1
parts acting simultaneously in order to obtain a large amount of work with the
aid of a very small staff of workmen.
The making of the cutters from several wires, three for example, has led to
excellent practical results, without which this system would have been to a great
extent a failure in spite of all the advantages which it otherwise possesses.
To obtain an endless cutter or cord without any visible joint, I make at the two
opposite ends of the cord, incisions in the three wires of one or two yards in
length, so that by joining the ends the wires can be twisted or plaited together
except the third the two ends of which are placed end to end and brazed or
soldered with copper, tin, or otherwise, as well as the two other wires at their
respective ends.
I can also make the wire or cutter from a single continuous wire having three
or more times the necessary development soldered once and twisted helically.
It will be seen that owing to the winding of two wires upon three, a series of
spirals is formed whose core or centre (plein) corresponds to the hollow of the
surrounding wire which fits perfectly thereon so as to effect a very great resistance
to traction which the three parts of copper or solder much increase.
The wires are of steel of the greatest hardness, or of any other material in order
that they may be more durable; in fact as this system is applicable to extracting
rocks, the wires after serving for sawing or cutting separate masses can be made
into small ropes by twisting two or three cords weakened by the preceding work;
but these used cords nevertheless make valuable cables for extracting in the quarry
where the material being of much less value than when it is transported to the
places where it is to be used dispenses with all economy; and the cable in spite of
its thickness of eight to ten millimetres will take less material than when the
means actually in use are employed.
I can also employ a hydraulic arrangement for causing the descent of the cutting
wires; this arrangement consists essentially of four or of two hollow columns or
pump barrels, the piston rods of which carry the wire pulleys hereinbefore
described.
The action of this apparatus is most simple; the pump barrels are filled with
water at the commencement of the operation. All the barrels being connected
together by a tube the outlet cock will be opened so as to regulate the descent of
the wire pulleys to the degree of hardness of the stone to be sawn; for this purpose
a dial will be employed. In the case where the weight of the apparatus would be
insufficient for the pressure to be exerted upon the sawing wires, an emission of
water under pressure upon the upper surface of the pistons of the pump barrels
would be applied.
I can further substitute for the screw arrangement for obtaining the descent of
the wire pulleys, endless chains or racks or simply cords or bands of steel winding
upon or adherent to a sort of winch comprising several ratchet wheels and pauls
or stops.
For extracting stones at the quarry I operate by means of a wire which is wound
upon a drum and of auxiliary pulleys; the drum of large diameter receives by
winding, a large quantity of wire for the requirements of the apparatus which
works over a wide area. This drum is supported by a hydraulic piston which
graduates its descensional movement as before described. Sliding bar apparatus

page_text: is arranged in the trenches or pits; the base of these apparatus is provided with
screws or jacks to allow of their being arranged at the different places necessary to
be occupied.
The invention comprises the application of the above described arrangements to
cutting stone, metal or other substances by the aid of pantographic apparatus
capable of cutting, in rectilinear, curvilinear or other lines, plates or blocks of any
dimensions for artistic or other purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Paulin Gay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th July
1883.
PAULIN GAY of Boulevard Saint Denis 1 at Paris, Civil Engineer " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SAWING OR CUTTING STONE AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES
"
In order to produce good work in cutting or sawing stone or other substances
and especially to obtain smooth facing or dressing I construct an arrangement of
helicoidal saw or cutter the descent or feed of which is graduated by a screw, an
endless chain, hydraulic pressure, metallic cords or other means of causing tension;
the apparatus will be found of special advantage when a number of cutting wires
have to be worked at the same time for dividing blocks of stone, marble or other
substance into slabs of graduated or given thickness.
The essential parts of the frame of the apparatus consist of a hollow upright or
column A at each corner (see Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6 of the annexed drawings) having
an opening a at the side for the shafts I which carry the cutter drums B¹. These
hollow uprights are each traversed from top to bottom by a screw C actuating
nuts D (Figures 5 and 6) which carry the bearings or sockets H in which the drum
shafts I are fitted. The head of each screw has a pinion R for giving it a descen-
sional movement during the work and an ascensional movement for returning the
cutter drums to their first position.
These pinions R are arranged so as to produce the gradual descent of the cutting
wires m according to various degrees of hardness in the stones to be cut; this
necessitates alterations of speed which can be obtained by changing the driving
wheel or by any suitable mechanism capable of variable movement.
The wires m are placed upon a drum B' around which are arranged a series of
grooved collars B whose distance from each other can be regulated according to
requirement in any convenient manner (see the detail views Figures 7 and 8).
Through all these collars at a point symmetrical with their circumference pass two
binding bolts G which are screw-threaded at each end and carry nuts and counter
nuts which fix the bolts and collars. The wires are parallel between the axes
of the drums but beyond this portion each of them assumes an angular or oblique

page_text: position (Figures 9 and 10) so that where they reach the tension pullies they
can be separated sufficiently to receive each of them its respective counterweight.
The ordinary sand box is pierced with numerous holes for feeding each wire.
The novel arrangement of this sawing or cutting apparatus possesses a
characteristic feature of very great importance viz the multiplicity of its working
parts acting simultaneously in order to obtain a large amount of work with the aid
of a very small staff of workmen.
The making of the cutters from several wires, three for example, has led to
excellent practical results, without which this system would have been to a great
extent a failure in spite of all the advantages which it otherwise possesses.
To obtain an endless cutter or cord without any visible joint I make at the two
opposite ends of the cord incisions a b c in the three wires of one or two yards in
length, so that by joining the ends, the wires can be twisted or plaited together
except the third the two ends of which are placed end to end and brazed or soldered
with copper, tin or otherwise as well as the two other wires at their respective ends
(see Figure 11).
I can also make the wire or cutter as indicated in the diagram Figure 12 from a
single continuous wire having three or more times the necessary. development
soldered once at a and twisted helically.
It will be seen that owing to the winding of two wires upon three a series of
spirals is formed whose core or centre (plein) corresponds to the hollow of the
surrounding wire which fits perfectly thereon so as to effect a very great resistance
to traction which the three parts of copper or solder much increase.
• The wires are of steel of the greatest hardness, or of any other suitable material
in order that they may be more durable; in fact as this system is applicable to
extracting rocks, the wires after serving for sawing or cutting separate masses can
be made into small ropes by twisting two or three cords weakened by the preceding
work; but these used cords nevertheless make valuable cables for extracting in the
quarry where the material being of much less value than when it is transported to
the places where it is to be used dispenses with all economy; and the cable in spite
of its thickness of 8 to 10 millimetres will take less material than when the means
actually in use are employed.
I can also employ a hydraulic arrangement for causing the descent of the cutting
wires; this arrangement consists essentially of four or of two hollow columns or
pump barrels, the piston rods of which carry the wire pulleys hereinbefore
described.
The action of this apparatus is most simple; the pump barrels are filled with
water at the commencement of the operation. All the barrels being connected
together by a tube the outlet cock will be opened so as to regulate the descent of
the wire pulleys to the degree of hardness of the stone to be sawn; for this purpose
a dial will be employed. In the case where the weight of the apparatus would be
insufficient for the pressure to be exerted upon the sawing wires an emission of
water under pressure upon the upper surface of the pistons of the pump barrels
would be applied.
I can further substitute for the screw arrangement for obtaining the descent of
the wire pulleys, endless chains or racks or simply cords or bands of steel winding
upon or adherent to a sort of winch comprising several ratchet wheels and pauls or
stops.
For extracting stones at the quarry I operate by means of a wire which is wound
upon a drum and of auxiliary pulleys; the drum of large diameter receives by
winding a large quantity of wire for the requirements of the apparatus which
works over a wide area. This drum is supported by a hydraulic piston which
graduates its descensional movement as before described. Sliding bar apparatus is
arranged in the trenches or pits; the base of these apparatus is provided with
screws or jacks to allow of their being arranged at the different places necessary to
be occupied.
The invention comprises the application of the above described arrangements to

page_text: cutting stone, metal or other substances by the aid of pantographic apparatus
capable of cutting in rectilinear curvilinear or other lines, plates or blocks of any
dimensions for artistic or other purposes.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my Improvements in machinery
or apparatus for sawing or cutting stone and other substances:-
First Constructing the machinery or apparatus in such manner that the descent
or feed of the saw or cutters is graduated or regulated by means of screws, endless
chains, hydraulic pressure or otherwise substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second-The improved cutting wires manufactured substantially as herein before
described with reference to Figures 11 and 12.
Third Constructing machinery or apparatus for sawing or cutting stone or
other substances as herein before described and represented in the annexed
drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Paulin Gay have hereunto set my hand and
seal this twentieth day of July One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
Witness:
ALBERT CAHEN
Civil Engineer
of Boulevard Saint-Denis 1
at Paris.
VAI (L.S.)