Improved Apparatus for Cutting and Ornamenting Glass.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1887.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Cutting and Ornamenting Glass.
We, JOHN EARLE, Tube Manufacturer, GEORGE BOURNE, Tube Manufacturer, and
THOMAS BOURNE, Glass Worker, all of Osbourne Terrace, Springhill, Birmingham, in
the county of Warwick 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 :-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for cutting the surface of glass for the
purpose of ornamentation and otherwise and has special reference to means whereby
the glass and the mill or stone used for cutting may be made to move with relation
to each other so that the desired pattern or ornamentation may be cut on the glass.
In the method hitherto generally adopted for cutting the surface of glass for the
purpose of ornamentation the mill or stone is fixed on a spindle having rotary
motion; sand and water are fed on to the stone or mill in any convenient manner to
form a cutting medium. The piece of glass to be cut or ornamented is held in the
hands of the operator who guides it in any direction according to the nature of the
design to be cut. To produce a single or straight groove it is not necessary to give
the glass under operation any movement beyond that of pressing it against the mill
or stone as it revolves, but to produce a circular concave cut it is necessary for the
piece of glass under operation to be turned round in a plane approximately parallel
to the axis of the mill or stone producing the cut. This is accomplished by the
operator moving the piece of glass by hand. By this method it is very inconvenient
to ornament a large piece of glass owing to the difficulty of supporting it during the
operation.
Now the object of this invention is to impart a double rotary motion to the mill or
stone whereby a circular concave cut may be produced by simply pressing the glass
to the mill or stone as it revolves and also to impart other convenient movements to
the rotating mill or stone and to provide mechanical facilities for holding the glass to
be cut and for imparting to it such movements as are necessary.
To accomplish this I provide a spindle on which the mill or stone can be mounted

page_text: and I cause the said spindle to revolve not only upon its axis but also at the same
time in another plane, so that the mill or stone has simultaneously two movements of
rotation in planes at right angles to one another. By this means the mill or stone
will produce a circular concave cut in the surface of the glass by simple pressure and
without rotating the glass.
I also provide means for moving the mill or stone longitudinally during its rotation,
also for causing the mill or stone to press upon the glass while rotating.
I also provide a device for rotating the glass to be cut in such a manner that a
certain angular movement can be given to it.
My machine or apparatus will be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings of-which Fig. 1-illustrates an end elevation of the machine and Fig. 2. a
front elevation. Similar letters refer to similar parts in these two figures. Fig. 8
illustrates a side elevation of rotating table for ornamenting-circular plates, or for
forming circular ornamentations. Fig. 4 is a plan of same. Fig. 5 is an end elevation
of Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 6 illustrates ornamentations of cuttings in three different
pitches and bevel edges. Fig. 7 illustrates a corner of a rectangular plate with.
circular ornamented cuts and bevel edges.
A is the main driving shaft which is grooved end to end to receive the key of the
mitre wheel B. This wheel and its companion impart motion to the inclined shaft C
and at the extremity of which is. keyed a belt pulley conveying motion to another
shaft B¹ and parallel to C. At the end of this second shaft is placed a strap pulley D
for driving the cutter spindle E which is at right angles to the driving shaft B¹ and
is fixed between two centres F F. Midway on the spindle are placed the various
mills and stones used in glass cutting to produce the designs required.
For concave circular cuts a double motion is given to the cutting mills or stones
as follows:
The fork G carrying the two centres F F is secured to the hollow shaft H on which
is placed a spur wheel I working into a pinion J which is keyed onto a shaft K
driven by a cord from the shaft C. The mill or stone spindle is driven by the pulley D
and the shaft B¹ on the end of which is placed a strap pulley M, the strap is carried
over a pair of pulleys and round the pulley N. The sand is stored in the hopper P
which is supported by two wrought iron brackets Q.
The table R on which the glass is placed is arranged to rise and descend by
the spur segment S worked by the pinion T driven by the handle U and supported
by the leg V, the toe of which rests on the rack W. The table can also receive a
transverse and longitudinal motion if required, by means of a screw, or other device.
The compound fixing X can be moved in either direction along the bed Y by means
of the hand-wheel working a pinion Z into the rack placed along the bottom of the
bed Y. On this shaft is placed the index plate 73 for regulating the distance
travelled. Or it can be driven by a screw and ratchet motion similar to the saddle of
a slide lathe.
The bracket, carrying the cutter spindle E is made to slide up and down by the
hand lover B with fulcrum at Bs and pin at B when required.
The stop or depth of cut is regulated by a screw stop
working into the body of the fixing. X.
having a hooked foot
In Figs. 3. 4 & 5 A is a rotating table on which the glass is placed for circular
ornamentations, the periphery is divided into a number of equal or unequal divisions
and can be secured at any point by the spring stop B. The table can be moved by
the screw to suit, the diameter of ornamentations. The base D is inclined to bolt on
the bed Y inclining towards the cutter mill or stone.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner it is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
In apparatus for cutting and ornamenting glass,
1. Imparting to the mill or stone a double rotary movement, that is to say a
movement of rotation simultaneously in two planes approximately at right angles to
each other, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 2. The combination, with a mill or stone, of mechanism for imparting to it rotary
motion in two planes approximately at right angles, and also for moving it rectilineally
substantially as described.
3. In combination with means for raising and lowering the glass, of mechanism for
imparting to the mill or stone a rectilineal movement substantially as described and
for the purpose set forth.
4. The use for supporting the glass of a table provided with means whereby it can
be moved to bring any part of its surface under the mill or stone and capable of being
rotated, substantially as described and illustrated. And I claim
5. The machine or apparatus shewn in Figs. 1 & 2 of the annexed drawings
substantially as described and illustrated and for the purpose set forth.
LOOD
Dated this 5th day of August HOUT
JOHN EARLE.
GEORGE BOURNE.
THOMAS BOURNE.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.