IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COLUMNS, PILASTERS, AND OTHER SIMILAR STRUCTURES OF GRANITE, MARBLE, PORPHYRY, JASPER, SERPENTINE, SIENITE, AND OTHER STONES CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A HIGH POLISH
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander McDonald, of the Polished, Granite
Works, Aberdeen, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COLUMNS, PILASTERS, AND OTHER SIMILAR STRUCTURES
OF GRANITE, MARBLE, PORPHYRY, JASPER, SERPENTINE, SIENITE, AND OTHER
STONES CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A HIGH POLISH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander McDonald at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th January 1857.
I, ALEXANDER MCDONALD, of the Polished Granite Works, .Aberdeen,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COLUMNS, PILASTERS, AND OTHER SIMILAR
STRUCTURES OF GRANITE, MARBLE, PORPHYRY, JASPER, SERPENTINE, SIENITE, AND
OTHER STONES CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A HIGH POLISH," to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to means by which, when such structures have to
be formed of several pieces of such material, each part may be more correctly
worked in relation to the others during formation, so that when the parts are
ultimately-fixed in position they may appear as one solid mass, or as nearly so
as possible, rather than of the separate parts. The several pieces or blocks
to compose the finished structure, as, for instance, a column, are temporarily
secured together by a rod or rods passed through a hole or holes in the series,
aided by nuts and screws or other suitable means after they are dressed or
partially so. After they are finished in the dressing they are then polished on
a turning lathe or otherwise on the surface, as the case, may require...The

page_text: joinings of the different pieces in contact are made accurate one to the other
by having a saw or other suitable instrument inserted between them for some
little distance towards the centre. When the polishing or other finishing of
the outer surface is completed, and the parts are separated for transit, the
ends of the separate blocks are to be dressed down at least to the level of the
saw or other cut just referred to, when the parts will be ready for being put up.
I also obtain a more correct fitting or jointing of the different stones of the
column or other such structure, by partially dressing on outer surface and
fully dressing on joints with chisels or other suitable tools, and then rubbing
the joints with sand, emery, or any other substance, previous to their being
fixed together by the rod or rods as referred to, and after being so fixed
together they are to be finished on the surface with the tools, and then polished
as referred to. In this case the, connecting rods may remain in the stones
when built or permanently fixed in the place for which they are intended, or
taken out, as the parties interested may desire.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander McDonald in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MCDONALD, of the Polished Granite Works, Aberdeen, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alexander McDonald, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
McDonald, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alexander McDonald, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COLUMNS, PILASTERS, AND OTHER SIMILAR STRUC-
TURES OF GRANITE, MARBLE, PORPHYRY, JASPER, SERPENTINE, SIENITE, AND OTHER
STONES CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A HIGH POLISH," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alexander McDonald, my executors or administrators,

page_text: by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Alexander M°Donald, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
The improvements relate to means by which, when such structures have to
be formed of several pieces of such material, each part may be more correctly.
worked in relation to the others during formation, so that when the parts are
ultimately fixed in position they may appear as one solid mass, or as nearly so
as possible, rather than of the separate parts. The several pieces or blocks to
compose the finished structure, as, for instanco, a column, are temporarily.
secured together by a rod or rods passed through a hole or holes in the series,
aided by nuts and screws or other suitable means after they are dressed or
partially so. After they are finished in the dressing they are then polished on
a turning lathe or otherwise on the surface, as the case may require. The
joinings of the different pieces in contact are made accurate one to the other
by having a saw or other suitable instrument inserted between them for some.
little distance towards the centre. When the polishing or other finishing of
the outer surface is completed, and the parts are separated for transit, the ends
of the separate blocks are to be dressed down at least to the level of the saw.
or other cut just referred to, when the parts will be ready for being put up.'
I also obtain a more correct fitting or jointing of the different stones of the
column or other such structure by partially dressing on the outer surface and
fully dressing on the joints with chisels or other suitable tools, and then rubbing
the joints with sand, emery, or any other suitable substance, previous to their
being fixed together by the rod or rods as referred to, and after being so fixed
together they are to be finished on the surface with the tools, and then polished
as referred to. The connecting rods may remain in the stones when built or
permanently fixed in the place for which they are intended, or taken out, as
the parties interested may desire.
But that the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner I carry the
same into effect, may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe the means
pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figuros 1 9 and chave thron views of 2 column or nilastor of a Square

page_text: form constructed according to my Invention; Figures 4, 5, and 6 shew three
similar views of another column of a circular or cylindrical form. In each of
these views the same letters indicate similar parts wherever they occur. In
either case the column is supposed to be formed of three parts a, b, c, joined
at the lines d and c, and these three blocks in either. case are temporarily (or
they may be permanently) united together, in order that the parts may be
completely finished to form one structure by a rod f, which is passed through
a hole in the series, and thus securely held in such position by a screw nut g,
as shown. In the case of a circular or cylindrical column or other such struc-
ture, represented by Figures 4, 5, 6, each end of the rod f would be sunk, as
shown by the dotted lines, in order to its being fitted in a suitable lathe for
the turning, polishing, or other finish. When the finishing of the structure
is fully completed, I in most cases, for convenience of transit, remove the
rod f, in order that the column or other such structure may be conveyed in
separate parts, but the parts may be again retained in position by the use of
such rod, or the rod may be retained in position without removal. And in
place of only one central bolt there may be several bolts running lengthwise
of the column or other structure, if desired.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the best means
I am acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, I would have it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein shown and
described, so long as the peculiar character of the improvements be retained;
but what I claim is, the mode of manufacturing columns, pilasters, and other
similar structures of granite, marble, porphyry, jasper, serpentine, sienite, and
other stones capable of receiving a high polish, by the application of a rod or
rods, to retain the separate parts of which such column or other structure is
composed during formation, as explained.
In witness whercof, I, the said Alexander McDonald, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
ROBERT FERGUSSON,
WILLIAM MATTHEW.
ALEXANDER MCDONALD. (L.S.)