Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Grinding and Polishing and Lacquering or Varnishing and Ornamenting Tubes or Bars.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 19th Dec., . 1887
Complete Accepted. 18th Feb., 1888
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Grinding and
Polishing and Lacquering or Varnishing and Ornamenting
Tubes or Bars.
We, RICHARD JOHN EDWARDS, and ARCHER EDWARDS, both of Curtain Road in
the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:—
This invention relates more especially to machinery or apparatus used for grinding
and polishing the surface of cylindrical tubes or bars, and it has for its objects novel
methods of constructing and arranging the parts of such machinery so that the
grinding and polishing processes are simply, cheaply and effectively accomplished.
Supposing that the surface of a brass or other metal tube is to be ground or
polished, we arrange two discs of suitable size and material arranged face to face
upon separate spindles revolving in suitable bearings, and driven at the desired speed
by steam or other power.
The opposing faces of the two discs are preferably prepared with a soft material,
such as felt, in the following way. We take one or more strips of thick felt, and we
attach then to the face of the disc by means of glue or cement or other suitable
means, the strip or strips being arranged in a spiral form the inner end being fixed at
a short distance from the centre of the disc, and the strip being then wound spirally
round upon the face of the latter, a narrow space being left between each succeeding
coil until the circumference of the dise is reached. The strips are preferably cut
from a sheet of felt, the cut edges being arranged outward upon the disc. Any
other suitable material may, however, be used.
The faces of the two discs prepared as described are not arranged exactly parallel
to each other, but one of them is preferably arranged so that its revolving face is
vertical, whilst the other is inclined more or less so that whilst its lower edge nearly
touches the first disc, its upper edge may be separated more or less from the latter,
an angular space being left between them.
The bearings carrying one or both discs may be made moveable and adjustable so

page_text: that they may revolve at any desired distance apart, and the angle formed by their
faces may be increased or diminished as desired.
A supply of emery, sand, or other abrasive powder of a proper degree of fineness
is supplied between the spiral surfaces of the felt upon the discs, and the tube to be
ground or polished is introduced into the angular space between the two discs, and
whilst being turned slowly round is at the same time fed forward in the direction of
its length, becoming perfectly ground or polished by the surfaces of the felt and the
abrasive powder which they carry. The discs may be made to revolve at the same or
at different speeds, and the effect of their movement. upon the surface of the tube is
to grind or polish the latter very uniformly and effectively in the manner desired.
If the discs revolve at different speeds, the tube is fed forward by their movement
as well as made to revolve.
One of the disc shafts or spindles may be made hollow, the abrasive powder being
supplied through it from a hopper above, and the lower part of the machine is
preferably cased in so as to form a chamber into which the abrasive powder falls as it
escapes from the discs, being then raised again to the hopper above by an elevator of
any of the ordinary well known kinds. Or the abrasive material may be fed in
between the upper edge of the discs directly from a hopper.
The whole of the grinding apparatus is preferably enclosed in a case, the tube being
fed in through a suitable hole on one side and delivered, after having been ground or
polished, through a corresponding hole through the other side of the case.
In order that tubes of any desired size may be conveniently brought to and
delivered from the grinding discs in the way just described, we prefer to inake upon
each side a hole to receive the largest sized tube which is to be used, and we arrange
a revolving disc turning upon a centre upon each side so that the hole is covered by
the face of the disc near its outer edge. We make a series of holes, corresponding
with the different sized tubes which are to be treated, through the disc, so that by
turning the latter round either of them can be made to correspond with the hole in
the side of the case. The discs are preferably covered with a thick covering of felt,
through which holes are made just fitting the tubes which pass through them, and in
this way the tubes are steadily supported whilst dust is prevented from escaping.
In order to cause the tube to revolve and at the same time to travel forward in the
direction of its length as it passes through the holes, we preferably use apparatus of
the kind for which we obtained Letters Patent No. 1292, A.D. 1885, but any other
suitable arrangement may be used.
In this way the tube is passed completely through the machine, its exterior end
being fed through if necessary by hand or preferably a piece of wood or other
suitable material being inserted into its end temporarily so that it can be passed
completely through the machine.
The turning and feeding device described may be applied either to one or both
sides of the machine.
By making the polished tube pass rapidly through the feeding device, whilst
turning round comparatively slowly, spiral lines or marks may be produced upon
its surface by the use of suitable tools, and very effective ornamental designs can be
thus obtained.
Square or polygonal tubes or bars may be polished by placing the two discs
parallel. By this means two sides of a square or polygonal tube or bar of any size
may be polished at one time the size of the tube being regulated by one disc receding
from the other as described. Such a tube or bar so treated can be fed by one or more
pairs of friction rollers. The lower ones being the driving rollers and the
upper ones
properly fixed to a rising and falling bar so that they are thus adjustable to any
sized tube.
Fans driven by any convenient power may be nsed for creating a current of air
through or round the tubes when the latter are being ground or polished, for the
purpose of keeping them cool.
We preferably preserve the bearings in which the shafts of grinding and polishing
machinery or other machinery of the like kind revolve from dust and wear, by means

page_text: of discs or washers of soft material such as felt, fitted round the shaft and pressed
against the side of the bearing, or into a recess in the side of the bearing by means
of an external plate or gland fixed and tightened by means of screws or bolts.
In order to lacquer, or apply a thin coat of suitable varnish to the surface of the
polished tubes, we use an annular brush or ring of felt or other suitable material
which is kept supplied with the proper lacquer or varnish, and through which the
tube passes as it leaves the polishing machine and is at a sufficient temperature to
render the lacquering process effective. Or, if necessary, hot or cold air may be
passed through the tube in order to bring it to such proper temperature.
The annular brush is preferably fitted into a hollow annular box or case, the lower
part of which contains a sufficient supply of the proper lacquer or varnish, and the
entire device is passed rapidly along the tube as it leaves the polishing machine or
afterwards, the annular brush being preferably slowly rotated. Or the tube may be
passed through the brush, the latter remaining in its place.
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EDWARDS & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Grinding and
Polishing and Lacquering or Varnishing and Ornamenting
Tubes or Bars.
We, RICHARD JOHN EDWARDS, and ARCHER EDWARDS, both of Curtain Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of
this 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
drawing (that is to say) :-
:-
Our invention relates more especially to machinery or apparatus used for grinding
and polishing the surface of cylindrical tubes or bars, and it has for its object novel
methods of constructing and arranging the parts of such machinery so that the
grinding and polishing processes are simply, cheaply and offectively accomplished.
The accompany drawing is in illustration of our invention.
Supposing that the surface of a brass or other metal tube is to be ground or
polished, we use an arrangement of the kind illustrated in figure 1, in which two
discs a and b of suitable size and material are arranged face to face upon separate
spindles c and d revolving in suitable bearings e and f, and driven at the desired speed
by a belt g or other means by steam or other power.

page_text: The opposing faces of the two discs a and b are preferably prepared with a soft
material, such as felt, in the following way, as illustrated on a larger scale, in figure 2.
We take one or more strips h of thick felt, and we attach them to the face of the dise
by means of glue or cement, or other suitable means, the strip or strips being
arranged in a spiral form (as shewn in the figure), the inner end being fixed at a
short distance from the centre of the disc, and the strip being then wound spirally
round upon the face of the latter, a narrow space being left between each succeeding
coil until the circumference of the disc is reached. The strips are preferably cut
from a sheet of felt, the cut edges being arranged outward upon the disc. Other
suitable material may however be used. Brushes or other cleaning and polishing
materials may be fixed in the space between the coils of felt.
The faces of the two discs a and b prepared as described are not arranged exactly
parallel to each other, but one of them (a in figure 1) is preferably arranged so that
its revolving face is vertical, whilst the other 6 is inclined more or less so that whilst
its lower edge nearly touches the first disc, its upper edge may be separated more or
less from the latter an angular space being left between them as shewn. The bearings
carrying one or both discs may be made moveable and adjustable so that they are
made to revolve at any desired distance apart, and the angle formed by their faces
may be increased or diminished as desired.
In figure 1, the bearings of the shaft d which carries the disc b are shewn carried
upon the moveable aim i turning upon the centre k so that a greater or less space and
a different angle is obtained between the faces of the discs a and b, by varying the
position of the arm i. A wheel or handle is shewn at 6 operating a screw or equivalent
device m by which the position of the arm i can be altered and adjusted.
The shaft or spindle d is shewn driven by a belt n set in motion by a pulley upon
the spindle c and passing over the guide pulleys o, p, the latter of which is concentric
with the centre h, so that the position of the arm i can be altered, without interfering
with the movement of the disc b.
A supply of emery, sand, glass, or other abrasive powder of a proper degree of
fineness is supplied between the spiral surfaces of the felt upon the discs a and b, and
the tube to be ground or polished is introduced as shown in dotted lines into the
angular space between the two discs, and whilst being turned slowly round is at the
same time fed forward in the direction of its length, becoming perfectly ground or
polished by the surfaces of the felt and the abrasive powder which they carry.
The discs a and b may be made to revolve at the same or at different speeds, and
the effect of their movement upon the surface of the tube is to grind or polish the
latter very uniformly and effectively in the manner desired.
If the discs revolve at different speeds, the tube is fed forward by their movement
as well as made to revolve.
One of the disc shafts or spindles may be made hollow the abrasive powder being
supplied through it from a hopper above, and the lower part of the machine is
preferably cased in so as to form a chamber into which the abrasive powder falls as it
escapes from the discs, being then raised again to the hopper above by an elevator of
any of the ordinary well-known kinds, not shewn in the drawing. Or the abrasive
material may be fed in between the upper edge of the discs a and b directly from a
hopper.
The whole of the grinding apparatus is preferably enclosed in a case, the tube
being fed in through a suitable hole on one side and delivered, after having been
ground or polished, through a corresponding hole through the other side of the case.
In figure 1 a somewhat modified arrangement of discs is shewn at the end of the
shaft or spindle c. The two discs A, and B, are both carried by the same spindle,
but one of them (B) has the face to which the felt strip is attached made conical, so
that an angular space is left between the faces of the two discs, into which the tube
to be ground or polished is introduced, as shewn in dotted lines.
The conical dise B can be adjusted and fixed upon the spindle at any desired
distance from the disc A.
In order that tubes of any desired size may be conveniently brought to and

page_text: delivered from the grinding discs in the way just, described, we prefer to use the
arrangement illustrated in figure 3 which is a front view and figure 4 a section.
We make through the frame or case of the machine upon each side a hole s to
receive the largest sized tube which is to be used, and we arrange a revolving disc t
turning upon a centre upon each side of the machine so that the hole is covered by
the face of the disc near its outer edge. We make a series of holes corresponding
with the different sized tubes which are to be treated, through the disc t, so that by
turning the latter round upon its centre either of them can be made to correspond
with the holes in the side of the case ?. The discs t are preferably covered with a
thick covering u of felt, through which holes are made just fitting the tubes which
pass through them, and in this way the tubes are steadily supported whilst dust is
prevented from escaping.
In order to cause the tube to revolve and at the same time to travel forward in the
direction of its length as it passes through the holes, we preferably use apparatus of
the kind for which we obtained Letters Patent No. 1292 A.D. 1885, but any other
suitable arrangement may be used.
In this way the tube is passed completely through the machine, its exterior end
being fed through if necessary by hand, or preferably a pin of wood or other suitable
material being inserted into its end temporarily so that it can be passed completely
through the machine.
The turning and feeding device described may be applied either to one or both
sides of the machine. By making the polished tube pass rapidly through the feeding
device, whilst turning round comparatively slowly, spiral lines or marks may be
produced upon its surface by the use of suitable tools, and a very effective ornamental
design can be then obtained.
Square or polygonal tubes or bars may be polished by arranging the two discs a
and parallel with each other. By this means two sides of a square or polygonal
tube or bar of any size may be polished simultaneously the size of the tube being
regulated by one dise receding from the other. Such a tube or bar so treated can be
fed by one or more pairs of friction rollers, the lower ones being the driving rollers,
and the upper ones preferably fixed to a rising and falling bar so that they are thus
adjustable to any sized tube.
Fans driven by any convenient power may be used for creating a current of air
through or round the tubes when the latter are being ground or polished, for the
purpose of keeping them cool.
We preferably preserve the bearings in which the shafts of grinding and polishing
machinery or other machinery of the like kind revolve, from dust and wear, by means
of discs or washers of soft material such as felt as illustrated in figure 5, in which a
felt ring u is shewn fitted round the shaft and pressed against the side of the
bearing w, or into a recess in the side of the bearing as shewn, by means of an
external plate or gland z fixed and tightened by means of screws or bolts.
Figure 6 shows a somewhat similar arrangement applied to a pulley y by a fixed
tubular spindle upon which the pulley y revolves. u is the ring of felt pressed into
a recess in the side of the pulley and held by the plate .. The pulley is lubricated
through the spindle the outer end of which is closed as shewn, and covered by a
plate.
In order to lacquer, or apply a thin coat of suitable varnish to the surface of the
polished tubes, we sometimes use the arrangement shewn in figure 7, in which
an annular block or cylinder 1, of felt or other suitable material is kept supplied
with the proper lacquer or varnish, and through it the tube v passes as it leaves the
polishing machine and is at a sufficient temperature to render the lacquering process
effective. Or, if necessary, hot or cold air may be passed through the tube in order
to bring it to such temperature.
The annular block 1 is preferably fitted into or against a hollow annular box or
case 2, the lower part of which contains a sufficient supply of the proper lacquer or
varnish, and this box or case also contains a sufficient number of rings of felt 3, 4, 5,
carried by light frames attached to the case 2, at their outer circumference so that

page_text: they together with the felt discs 3, 4, and 5 and the case 2 can revolve upon the outer
case of the felt block 1 as shewn.
The revolution of the felt discs and case 2 may be effected in any convenient way.
For instance a friction roller carried by the cover of the felt block 1 may be made to
revolve by friction against the tube when the apparatus is drawn along the latter (as
shewn in dotted lines), this friction roller being connected by a cord or toothed gear
with the revolving case 2 so that the latter, with the discs 3, 4, 5, is made to turn
slowly round. Or a chain or cord may be arranged parallel with the tube, and
operating upon a wheel or pulley connected with the case 2, so that it causes the
latter to revolve when it is drawn along the tube. Or one or more of the frames which
carry them may be provided with a toothed ring into which a toothed pinion engages
which can be turned round by a handle outside the case.
The entire device is passed rapidly along the tube as it leaves the polishing
machine or afterwards, the annular brush being preferably slowly rotated as described.
Or, the tube may be passed through the brush, the latter remaining in its place.
The apparatus last described may be carried when not in use upon a fixed pipe
having a pointed end upon which the end of the tube to be treated can be fitted when
required. The pipe may be so arranged that a jet of steam can be passed from it
through the tube for the purpose of heating the latter if desired.
We do not confine ourselves to the particular method of altering the angle and
distance between the discs which may be varied more or less, nor do we confine
ourselves to the particular form, dimensions, or method of arrangement of the several
parts of the apparatus, which may be varied more or less, according to the purposes
to which the apparatus is to be applied and the circumstances under which it is to be
used, but having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
1. The method of grinding and polishing the surface of tubes or bars by means of
adjustable discs, substantially as described and shewn.
2. The methods of altering and adjusting the angles and relative positions of the
adjustable discs, substantially as described and shewn.
3. The method of covering the grinding or polishing surface of such discs with felt
or other soft material, substantially as described and shewn.
4. The method of excluding dust from the bearings of shafts or revolving pulleys,
by means of dises of soft material arranged and adjusted substantially in the manner
described and shown.
5. For the purpose of lacquering or varnishing the surface of tubes or bars, the
combination of an annular block of felt or other soft material with a box or case
containing lacquer or varnish, and with a sufficient number of discs of felt or other
absorbent material, preferably made to revolve slowly when required, substantially as
described and shewn.
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