IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SAWING SHAPING SURFACING AND POLISHING STONE MARBLE GYPSUM OR OTHER LIKE MATERIALS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR SAWING SHAPING SURFACING AND POLISHING STONE MARBLE
GYPSUM OR OTHER LIKE MATERIALS communicated to him from George
Westinghouse Junior a person at present residing at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,
United States of America
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th February 1883.
">
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SAWING SHAPING SURFACING AND
POLISHING STONE MARBLE GYPSUM OR OTHER LIKE MATERIALS a communication
to me from George Westinghouse Junior a person at present residing at Pittsburg
Pennsylvania United States of America
The first part of the Invention relates to a sawing machine for cutting blocks of
stone marble gypsum or other like material into pieces of various thicknesses
according to the number of saws used and the distances they are set apart The
said machine consists as follows. The frame is partly above the floor level and
partly in a pit. The horizontal timbers support the floor over this pit and form a
foundation to which the guides and brackets for the mechanism are secured The
saws are held in the saw frame at one end by buckles secured by cotters and at
the other end by nuts having springs between them and the ends of the saw frame
for the purpose of keeping the saws practically at the same tension should they
become hot in working The saw frame slides in guides bolted to frames supported
by and bolted to a star-girder the whole forming a kind of cage (hereinafter
referred to as the " cage") the saws being above and the star-girder below
the floor The said guides are connected or tied together by hollow rods, motion
to the saw frame is transmitted from the driving shaft by connecting rods cranks :
and spur gearing
In order that the saws may have an equal stroke the ends of the connecting rods
are coupled to cross bars connected by vertical links the whole being supported by
the lower bar which is furnished with guide blocks sliding in guides. Forked rods
connected wth the saw frame take on to blocks sliding in the aforesaid vertical
ונ1.....D

page_text: links At the centre of the star-girder is a nut for a vertical screw supporting and
working the cage The said screw is driven by gearing from a shaft worked by a
pawl and ratchet wheel or equivalent means when feeding the saws down or by a
rope and wheel or equivalent means for running the cage up quickly for example
when about to commence the cutting of a block This rope is made to drive by a
means of a tightening pulley The ratchet wheel is worked by a bell crank lever
from the one of the cross bars the amount of feed being regulated by means of a
slot in the lever Means are provided for throwing out the pawl when it is
desired to stop the feed of the saws The block to be sawn is placed on a platform
and run under the machine on a trolley when the platform with its block is lifted
from the trolley by means of levers and cams arranged for the purpose at each
side The trolley can then be withdrawn and the platform lowered to its seating
and secured by wedges or other means To hold the block firmly shackles are
provided having right and left hand screws by means of which cross bars of T iron
can be drawn tightly down on the block.
i
·
The invention further relates to a machine for grinding stone or other like
material to the exact finished sizes by means of a rotating wheel of high speed
composed of emery or other suitable grinding material against which the stone or
material to be ground are held and passed. This machine is specially suited for
grinding tiles and is constructed as follows There is a bed plate carrying standards,
supporting a shaft having at one end a swinging arm and having weights connected
to its opposite end The said shaft has two motions one of partial rotation giving
the swinging arm an upward movement from the vertical position. The other
motion is lateral, The said motion of partial rotation is given by means of a
cylinder in which is a piston coupled by a connecting rod to a lever on the shaft
The said lever is adjustable laterally to suit the size of stone being treated. The
_ Jateral motion is obtained by a cylinder and piston coupled to a lever connected to
the said shaft. The pistons in the cylinders are worked by means of water or
other fluid under pressure admitted and controlled by means of a valve hereinafter
described There is a second shaft which carries at its one end a wheel of emery
or other grinding material enclosed in an adjustable splash box. At its opposite
end are fast and loose pulleys for the driving belt A quadrant plate or guide is
provided fixed to sliding rods which can be set in or out by means of a screw and
nuts The aforesaid swinging arm is for holding a pile of tiles or other articles to
be operated upon and has a plate the shape of the tiles or articles but slightly smaller
resting on a ball and socket joint Above the said pile is a similar plate attached
template of the required tile by a hollow steni This fits truly on a spindle
and is secured by a set screw The said spindle is a good working fit in the upper
part of the swinging arm and pivots on a centre held in the said spindle by a pin
and groove There is a steel washer between which and the head of the said
centre is a spring strong enough to hold up the spindle template and other parts
By means of a cam formed by the boss of a lever the spindle and other parts are
pressed down and the pile of tiles or other articles is held as in a vice but at the
same time the whole system is free to turn on the aforesaid centre In order that
the tiles may be held firmly and fairly thin sheet rubber or other suitable material
may be placed between each and also between the holding plates and tiles The
water or other fluid under pressure for working the aforesaid pistons is regulated
by the valve herein before inentioned which is worked by a lever The said valve
is of the piston type having a cylindrical case in which are four pistons on one
stem hereinafter called the piston-valve. Water under pressure being admitted
passes round a space between the two upper pistons and out through holes and a
pipe to a check-valve and thence to the cylinders for respectively giving the rotary
and the lateral motion to the shaft as aforesaid and also down a passage in the
stem of the piston-valve to a space between the two lower pistons and by acting on
the bottom piston which is the largest keeps the piston-valve at its lowest position.
The swinging arm having made its stroke in both directions a stop on the con-
necting rod engages the end of the lever of the piston valve which valve is
to a

page_text: reversed and the water or other fluid exhausts quickly from the cylinder for
giving the lateral motion but slowly from the cylinder for giving the rotary
movement by means of a small hole regulated by a screw valve. The exhaust from
the former cylinder being opened the weights pull the shaft back and the template
is then brought without loss of time against the quadrantal guide while the descent
of the arm is regulated to give the required speed of cut by the screw-valve.
To work the machine a plate and template, say of a diamond form having been
put in the quadrantal guide is brought up to the side of the template and clamped.
A pile of tiles having been put on the plate and clamped by the cam lever the
valve lever is moved up and fluid admitted to the cylinders, the pistons of which
by means of connecting rods and levers move the swinging arm forward and up
at the same time. The pile of tiles having been thus brought beyond the grinding
wheel the valve is reversed by the stop on the connecting-rod engaging the end of
the valve-lever and the water then escapes from the cylinders and the weights
pull the shaft arm and other parts back and consequently the template against the
guide-plate. By this time the water is slowly escaping from the cylinder which
gives the rotary movement thereby allowing the swinging arm to descend and
pass the tiles across the face of the grinding wheel. Having passed, the operation
is repeated, another side being presented by turning the tiles and template round,
this is continued until all the sides are ground. A jet of water plays on the face
of the grinding wheel for the purpose of washing away the debris and keeping the
wheel and tiles from heating.
The Invention further relates to a machine for grinding the face of stone or
other like articles, such for example as tiles for grinding both faces perfectly true.
This is done by holding them on a revolving cast iron table moving in one
direction while the tiles revolve in the opposite direction and at the same time
move from side to side in order to keep the table true. The sand or other
grinding material and water are fed to the table at the centre by means of a
hopper. The cast iron table is fixed to an upright shaft held by suitable bearings
and driven by bevelled gear and a shaft having fast and loose pulleys. To the
frame of the machine is fixed a bracket having a pivot and guide pulleys. At
each side are brackets with flat faces and guide bars. To each of these brackets
is attached by a pivot a T arm carrying a guide pulley and another guide
pulley which is adjustable and also the holding and turning mechanism for
the tiles. The latter consists as follows in each case.-The aforesaid T arm is
bored out to receive a spindle. There is provided a revolving bush held in
position by a cap and forming a continued bearing for the spindles. This bush
revolves with the spindle by means of a feather fixed to the bush. For holding
the tiles the lower part of the spindle is provided with claws one of which can be
raised up for the purpose of putting in the tile to be ground. The spindle is
driven by a loose pulley and clutch, the clutch having a feather, so that when
lowered by a lever the pulley is engaged and the spindle is driven. By means of
a collar on the spindle, against which collar the clutch comes on depressing the
lever sufficiently, the spindle is lifted from the tile but there is clearance enough
between the clutch and collar to allow the pulley to be disengaged without lifting
the spindle. By a pin or other means in the bracket the lever can be secured and
the clutch held up from the pulley. The side motion to the T arm is transmitted
by a connecting rod from the slotted crank on the vertical shaft driven by the
strap. A copper trough or pan is fixed under the revolving iron table to catch the
debris. There is a bar across the table to prevent the tiles from being carried
round in the event of one or other getting out of the clause by accident.-The
rotation to the tiles is given by a strap driven from the upright shaft and led
round the pulleys.-By the before described mechanism a motion is given to the
tiles, which prevents or counteracts the varying speed at different parts of the
table, unequally acting upon the tiles at different parts.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th August 1883.
"
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SAWING SHAPING SURFACING AND
POLISHING STONE MARBLE GYPSUM OR OTHER LIKE MATERIALS a communication
to me from George Westinghouse Junior a person at present residing at Pittsburg
Pennsylvania United States of America,
The first part of the Invention relates to a Sawing machine for cutting blocks
of Stone marble gypsum or other like material into pieces of various thicknesses
according to the number of saws used and the distances they are set apart. The
said machine is illustrated in end elevation in figure 1, in side elevation in figure 2
and in plan in figure 3 of the accompanying drawings and consists as follows: The
frame A is preferably partly above the floor level and partly in a pit as shewn.
The horizontal timbers A' support the floor over this pit and form a foundation to
which are secured the guides B and brackets C for the mechanism hereinafter
'described. The saws D are held in the saw frame D' at one end by buckles D'
secured by cotters D³ and at the other end by nuts D' having springs De between
them and the ends D of the Saw frame for the purpose of keeping the saws
practically at the same tension should they become hot in working. This mode-of
_connecting the saws to the frame D is clearly illustrated in sectional elevation and
plan respectively in figures 3a 3b-The ends D³ of the saw frames are slotted as
shewn at a, Figures 1 and 3ª, so that the saws can be adjusted at any distance
apart. The saw frame sides D₁ slide in guides E E bolted to two frames F
supported by and bolted to a star girder G, the whole forming a kind of cage
(hereinafter referred to as "the cage") the saws D being above and the star
girder G below the floor. The said guides E are connected or tied together by
rods E' and motion is transmitted to the saw frame from the driving shaft L by
connecting rods H cranks K and spur gearing K' The said driving shaft is
provided with fast and loose pulleys L L
In order that the saws may have an equal stroke the ends H' H¹ of the
connecting rods H are coupled to cross bars M. M' connected by vertical links N'
the whole being supported by the lower har M which is furnished with guide
blocks M² sliding in the guides B. Forked rods N connected with the saw frame
take on to blocks N¹ sliding in the aforesaid vertical links N-At the centre of
the star girder G is a nut G' for a vertical screw O supporting and working the
"cage." The said screw ☐ rests on the footstep bearing P and is driven by
gearing wheels Q from a shaft R worked by a pawl S and ratchet wheel R' or
equivalent means when feeding the saws down by rotating the screw and
causing the nut G₁ to travel therealong. A rope or strap S passing over a
wheel S¹ on the shaft R and a wheel L³ on the shaft L, or equivalent means are
provided for running the cage up quickly, for example, when about to commence
the cutting of a block. This rope S is driven when required by means of a
tightening pulley T tightened by pulling on the rope T-The ratchet wheel R' is
worked by a bell crank lever S through the rods from the cross bar M¹ the
amount of feed being regulated by means of a slot S³ in the short arm of the
lever S' in which the upper end of the rod 8¹ connected to the pawl is adjusted
and fixed. Means not shewn in the drawing are provided for throwing out the
pawl S when it is desired to stop the feed of the saws. The block to be sawn is
placed on a platform U and run under the saws on a trolley V, running on rails V¹
and when the platform is under the saws, it with its block is lifted from the trolley

page_text: by means of levers X and cams W arranged for the purpose at each side of the
framing of the machine. The trolley can then be withdrawn and the platform
lowered to its seatings U¹ and secured by wedges or other means. To hold the
block firmly chains and shackles may be provided having right and left hand
Screws by means of which cross bars of T iron can be drawn tightly down on the
block. The said chains can be fastened in position after the saws have cut to
beneath the top of the stone. It will be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise arrangement of driving mechanism and gearing shewn in the drawings
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of the Invention.
The Invention further relates to a machine for grinding stone or other like
material to the exact finished sizes by means of a rotating wheel of high speed
composed of Emery or other suitable grinding material against which the stone or
material to be ground is held and passed. This machine is illustrated in side
elevation in figure 4, end elevation in figure 5 and plan in figure 6 of the
accompanying drawings. It is specially suited for grinding tiles and is constructed
as follows: There is a bed plate A carrying standards B B supporting a shaft C
having fixed at one end a swinging arm or frame D and having weights E
connected to its opposite end. The said shaft has two motions, one of partial
rotation giving the swinging arm D an upward movement from the vertical
position, that is to say, a motion of partial rotation. The other motion is lateral.
The said motion of partial rotation is given by means of a cylinder F, in which is a
piston F coupled by a connecting rod G¹ to a lever G on the shaft C. The said
lever is adjustable laterally to suit the size of the Stone being treated. The lateral
motion is obtained by a cylinder H and piston H' coupled to a lever I connected to
the said shaft C as shewn clearly in figure 4.-Or the lever I and its connections may
be dispensed with and the lateral motion obtained by arranging the cylinder H as
shewn in Figure 8° the piston H¹ being connected directly to the shaft C at one
side and to the weight E at the opposite side. The pistons in the cylinders F and
H are worked by means of water or other fluid under pressure admitted and
controlled by means of a valve J hereinafter described-Figure 7 is an elevation of
the Cylinder F and valve J as seen at right angles to the view Figure 4. There
is a second Shaft K which carries at its one end a wheel K¹ of Emery or other
grinding material enclosed in an adjustable splash box K' (shewn in detail on a
larger scale in figures 8° 8°) and at its opposite end fast and loose pulleys K³ K' for
the driving belt. A quadrantal plate or guide L is provided fixed to sliding rods
L' L which can be set in or out by means of a screw M and nuts M-The
swinging arm D is for holding a pile of tiles or other articles to be operated upon
and has a plate N the shape of the tiles or articles but slightly smaller resting on a
ball and socket joint at N-Above the said pile is a similar plate N' attached to a
template N³ of the required tile by a hollow stem n-This fits truly on a spindle O
and is secured by a set screw 01- The said spindle O is a good-working fit in the
socket d, in the upper part of the swinging arm D and pivots on a centre P,
figure 8 held in the said Spindle O, by a pin Q, and groove Q'-There is a steel
washer R, between which and the head of the said centre is a spring S, strong
enough to hold up the spindle template and other parts. By means of a cam T¹
formed by the boss of a lever T, the spindle and other parts are pressed down and
the pile of tiles or other articles is held as in a vice but at the same time the whole
system is free to turn on the aforesaid centre P.-In order that the tiles may be
held firmly and fairly, thin sheet rubber or other suitable material may be placed
between each and also between the holding plates N N and the tiles.-The water
or other fluid under pressure for working the aforesaid pistons F, H, is regulated
by the valve J, hereinbefore mentioned, which is worked by a lever J-The said
valve is illustrated in Section drawn to an enlarged Scale in figure 8. It is of the
piston type, having a Cylindrical case in which are four pistons, (marked 1, 2, 3, 4,)
on one stem. This is hereinafter called the piston valve.-Water under pressure
being admitted at a, passes round a space b, between the two upper pistons,
(1 and 2) and out through holes c, and a pipe d, through a pipe to the Cylinder H,

page_text: and through a check valve e, and through the pipe f' to the Cylinder F for
respectively giving the lateral motion and the rotary motion to the Shaft C as
aforesaid The water also passes down a passage fin the stem of the piston valve
to a Space g between the two lower pistons 3, 4, and by acting on the bottom
pistern 4 which is the largest keeps the piston valve at its lower position―The
swinging arm D having made its stroke outwards and upwards a stop V' on
the rod G' bears on the end of the lever J' of the piston valve J which valve is
thereby reversed and the water or other fluid exhausts quickly from the Cylinder H
for giving the lateral motion but slowly from the Cylinder F by means of a small
hole f³ regulated by a screw valve -The exhaust from the Cylinder H being
opened the weights E pull the shaft C back and the template N³ is then brought
without loss of time against the quadrantal guide L but the said arm descends
slowly by the slow descent of the piston in the Cylinder F the descent of the
said piston is regulated to give the requisite slow descent of the arm D to give the
required speed of Cut by the adjustment of the Screw valve i.
To work the machine a plate N and template N³ say of a diamond form having
been inserted in position the guide L is brought up to the side of the template and
_ clamped by means of the screw M and nuts M³, A pile of Tiles having been put on
the plate N and clamped by the cam lever T the valve lever J' is moved up and
fluid admitted to the Cylinders F H the pistons of which by means of the
connecting rods and Levers move the swinging arm forward and up at the same
time.
The pile of Tiles having been thus brought behind the grinding wheel the
valve J is reversed by the stop V' on the connecting rod G' bearing on the end
of the valve lever J and the water then escapes from the Cylinder H as before
described and the weights E pull the shaft arin and other parts back and conse-
quently cause the template to bear against the guide plate L-By this time the
water is slowly escaping from the Cylinder F thereby allowing the swinging arm D
to descend and pass the tiles across the face of the grinding wheel-Having
passed the operation is repeated another edge of the tiles being presented_by_
turning the tiles and template round this is continued until all the sides are ground.
A jet of water plays on the face of the grinding wheel for the purpose of washing
away the debris and keeping the wheel and tile from heating.
The Invention further relates to a machine for grinding the faces of stone or
other like articles such for example as tiles perfectly true-Figures 9 and 10
represent in elevation at right angles to each other a machine constructed
according to this Invention for this purpose. Figure 11 is a plan of the same-
Figure 12 is an enlarged detail and figure 13 is a diagram as hereinafter
explained.
The Articles to be ground are held on a revolving table A preferably of cast
iron and moving in one direction while the tiles revolve in the opposite direction
and at the same time move from side to side in order to keep the table true-The
sand or other grinding material and water are fed into the table A at the centre by
means of a hopper B (not shewn in figure 11.) The Table A is fixed to an upright
shaft A' beld by suitable bearings and driven by bevelled gear from a shaft C
having fast and loose pulleys C₁ C. To the frame of the machine
fixed a
bracket E, carrying a pivot E¹ and guide pulleys E E³. At each side are
brackets F F with flat faces and carrying guide bars F¹ F¹. On these brackets F F
rest the two ends of a T arm H carrying guide pulleys G. G¹ (G' being adjustable)
and also the mechanism for holding and turning the tiles. The said Tarm H is
pivoted at E' to the bracket E.
The holding and turning mechanisms will be understood from the enlarged
section of one of them in figure 12. The aforesaid T arm H is bored out to
receive a spindle I. There is provided a revolving bush K held in position by a
collar K¹ and forming a continued bearing for the Spindle. This Bush K. revolves
with the Spindle by means of a feather K fixed to the Bush for holding the tiles
a lower part of the Spindle is provided with Claws L L one of which is made
with a moveable nose turning on a centre pin so that it can be raised up against

page_text: the Spring for the purpose of putting in the tile m to be ground. The Spindle I
is driven by a pulley M which can be put in gear by the Clutch M¹ the said Clutch
having a feather so that when lowered by the lever N' the pulley M is engaged and
the Spindle I is driven. The Collar I is provided on the Spindle for the Clutch to
come against on depressing the lever sufficiently so that the Spindle may be lifted
from the Tile to disengage it but there is space enough between the Clutch M¹ and
Collar I to allow the pulley M to be disengaged without lifting the spindle I.
By a pin N or other means the lever can be secured and the Clutch held up from
the pulley M. The side Motion is transmitted to the T arm H by a connecting
rod O from the Slotted Crank O' on the vertical shaft P driven by the strap Q
A Copper trough or pan R is fixed under the revolving table A to catch the debris.
There is a Bar S across the table to prevent the tiles froin being carried round in
the event of one or other getting out of the claws by accident.
-
Rotation is given to the tiles by a strap W driven from the pulley on the
upright shaft A¹ and led round the pulleys E G G¹ and M. By the before
described mechanism a motion is given to the tiles which prevents or counteracts.
the effect of the varying surface velocity of the table upon the tiles being
treated. The character of this Motion will be readily understood by reference to
figure 13
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be Novel and Original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is
First The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the machine
for sawing Stone Marble Gypsum or other like materials substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying
drawings.
Second The means for adjusting and fastening the saws in their frame
consisting of the Slotted end frames D' buckles D2 Cotters D³ nuts D' and springs De
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1, 3, 3*, and 3b, of
the accompanying drawings.
Third The Combination of parts constituting what has herein before been
termed "the Cage" wherein the stone to be sawn is situated so that the saws are
fed downwards through the stone which remains fixed during the Sawing Operation
substantially as herein before been described and illustrated in figures 1, 2, and 3
of the accompanying drawings.
Fourth-The arrangement of the gearing consisting of the Ratchet Wheel R¹
pawl S and connections with the driving gear and Pulley S¹ Rope or Strap S
tightening pulley T and wheel L³ for running the saws down slowly when cutting
aud quickly when returning substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Fifth The Combination of Apparatus or means for placing in position the
block to be sawn consisting of the trolley V platform U cams W and levers X
arranged and operated substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
drawings.
Sixth-The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the Machine
for grinding Stone Marble Gypsum or other like materials substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 4 to 8d of the accompanying
drawings.
Seventh The Combination of the Swinging Arm D for carrying the Articles to
the ground with the grinding wheel and quadrantal guide L arranged and
operating substantially as herein before described and illustrated in figures 45
and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Eighth The Combination of the Swinging Arm D shaft C lever I and
Cylinders F, H with the valve J for giving a quick movement for presenting the
Articles to the grinding Wheel and a slow descending movement of the said

page_text: -
Articles in front thereof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
figures 4 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.
Ninth In Machinery for grinding Stone Marble Gypsum or other like
materials the employment of the valve constructed and arranged substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in figures 7 and 8 for the purpose
described
Tenth: The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the machine for
grinding the faces of tiles or articles of Stone Marble Gypsum or the like
substantially as herein before described and illustrated in figures 9 to 13 of the
accompanying drawings.
".
Eleventh The Combination of the Arm H carrying the articles to be ground
with means for giving a rotary movement to the said Article and a sideway
movement to the said Arm and with a rotary table A substantially as hereinbefore
described
Twelfth The holder for the tiles herein before described and illustrated in
figure 12 of the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal the tenth day-of--August One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three