IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR GRINDING AND SMOOTHING GLASS, MARBLE, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Crossley, of St. Helen's, Lancashire, Glass.
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
GRINDING AND SMOOTHING GLASS, MARBLE, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 16th October 1857, and dated the 25th May 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Crossley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th May
1857.
I, JOHN CROSSLEY, of St. Helen's, Lancashire, Glass Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
GRINDING AND SMOOTHING GLASS, MARBLE, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for grinding
and smoothing glass, marble, and other substances. For these purposes the
runner or runners are arranged and moved in the following manner :-When
a single runner is used, it is arranged with a pin or axis at its back, to which
one end of a radius rod is attached, the other end of such rod being attached
to a fixed pin or axis at a distance. The table is preferred to be fixed. Motion
is communicated to the radius rod by means of a crank and connecting rod,
and it is desirable to arrange the parts in such manner that the extent of
movement to the runner may be varied from time to time. In addition to
giving motion to the runner by the radius rod, motion is also given thereto by

page_text: means of a crank of shorter throw than the one which gives motion to the
radius rod, and such shorter throw crank is connected by a pin joint and con-
necting rod to the runner, and by preference near one of its angles. When
using two runners they are attached by pin points, or they are fixed to a bar,
and by preference in such manner that they may be moved to or from each
other. This rod has a radius rod attached by one of its ends to the bar and
intermediate of its two ends, and it is desirable to have means of adjusting the
length of this radius rod. The bar which connects the two runners receives
motion at one end by a crank, and it is preferred to use a fixed table.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Crossley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
November 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CROSSLEY, of Saint Helen's, Lancashire, Glass Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, 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
John Crossley, Her special licence that I, the said John Crossley, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Crossley, 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, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR GRINDING AND
SMOOTHING GLASS, MARBLE, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Crossley, 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 Crossley, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-

page_text: My Invention consists in improvements in apparatus or machinery used for
grinding or smoothing glass, marble, or other substances. For this purpose a
bench or stone table of the ordinary kind is used for supporting the glass or
other substance to be ground or smoothed. At one end of the bench is fixed
a vertical shaft carrying a crank at its upper end, and made to revolve by
suitable gearing below. To this crank is attached a bar or connecting rod
sufficiently long to extend over the whole or nearly the whole of the length of
the bench. To the under side of this connecting rod is attached one or more
runners or rubbers used for grinding or smoothing. At or near the centre of
the connecting rod is a stud or pin for connecting it to a radius bar, which
rests at one end on a stand placed at one side of the bench, and which serves
as a centre for it to work upon when the machine is in motion. .
The action of the machine is as follows:-When the crank revolves, that
point of the connecting rod which is attached to the radius bar describes a
segment of a circle, but any point on either side describes a curve, similar to
an irregular ellipse, and if one runner large enough to grind or smooth the
bottom glass or other substance be used, it will have a motion very similar to
that which women give to glass runners in smoothing glass, or like describing
figure of 8. I prefer, however, when smoothing large plates of glass to use
two or more runners attached to the connecting rod, and so arranged that
each runner may partially lap over the part smoothed by the other. The
space between each runner gives me great facilities for watching the progress
of the bottom plate, and for supplying the necessary emery or other grinding
substance used.
a
Figure 1 is a plan of the machine; Figure 2 is a side elevation (part shown
in section). A is the table or bench upon which the glass to be ground or
smoothed is laid; B, B, are two runners, of glass or other substance, which are
fastened by plaster of Paris or other means to the frames C, C. These frames
are attached to the connecting rod F by means of the moveable pins L, L, L, L,
additional holes N, N, N, N, in the connecting rod being made to admit of
the position of the runners being changed if necessary. D is the crank, which
causes the end of the connecting rod attached to it to move in a circle; E is
a radius bar, fixed by means of a pin at one end to the stand H, and at its
other end to the connecting rod F. As the crank D moves one end of the
connecting rod in a circle, that point of it which is attached to the radius
bar E is caused to move in a segment of a circle, and the runners being fixed
one on either side of this point, are caused to describe an irregular curve in
opposite directions. This motion has been found to rub the whole of the
surface of the glass as well as the surfaces of the runners themselves in a very

page_text: parts
equal manner. By altering the position of the runners on the connecting rod
they may be made to rub more or less on the middle or ends of the bottom glass,
as is found desirable, and this, together with the opportunity of placing weights
on any part of the runners, affords great facilities for finishing the whole of the
surface of the glass equally. The Drawings show an arrangement of
which would answer for placing a row of the machines together; K being a
line shaft running lengthways in the building, and the upright shaft J, upon
which the crank for each machine would be fixed, being driven by means of
bevil wheels in the ordinary manner. Two machines might also be driven
from one crank by placing them one on each side of the line shaft. The
runners may be of iron or any other substance instead of glass. Motion might
also be given to the pin upon which the radius bar works for the purpose of
varying more the rubbing surfaces, but the first-described method has been
found to answer every purpose.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the exact details described; but what I claim is, the putting in motion the
runners for grinding or smoothing glass, marble, and other substances by
attaching one or more runners to a bar, which is put in motion at one end by
means of a crank, and which is connected at some point intermediate of its
two ends to a radius bar, which serves as a fulcrum for the bar.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Crossley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
W. CARPMAEL, jun.
JOHN CROSSLEY. (L.S.)