Improvements in Stone Dressing Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1897-Accepted, 12th June, 1897
Improvements in Stone Dressing Machines.
1. WILLIAM ROBERT HINSDALE, of No. 2125 Sherman Street, City of Evanston,
Cook County, Illinois, United States of America, Mechanic and Inventor, 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 improvements in stone dressing machines, but it is
peculiarly adapted for the cutting or dressing of granite or other exceedingly hard
stone, and will, therefore, be illustrated and described in connection with a machine
built for dressing granite.
Granite or other hard stone when received from the quarry is usually in dimensions
which approximate the finished size, but the surface is exceedingly rough and
uneven, and has heretofore been dressed by hand labor, which required the
application of several implements, namely, first, a pointing tool, secondly, a pene
hammer, and thirdly a bush hammer, before the surface was sufficiently dressed
for building and monumental work or for polishing. Manifestly, the hand labor
was slow and expensive, even when pneumatic or other power hand tools were
used.
Efforts that have heretofore been made to dress granite or other hard stone by
machinery, such as a planer, or by the use of rolling cutters mounted either under
reciprocatory tool holders or revolving chucks, or upon endless chains, have not
been attended with success, or with a sufficient degree of success to induce their
practical introduction in the trade, and hand labor by the use of the three sets of tools
above referred to is still the common agency for cutting or dressing stone of the
hardness of granite.
Efforts have been made heretofore to dress the surface of granite blocks by the
ordinary planer, but the difficulty with this plan has not been in the machine, but
in the cutting tool, it being quite impossible in practice to make a cutting tool that
will stand the work. If the tool is too hard it is easily bioken; if too soft, it is
found that the friction induced by the act of planing heats the tool and draws its
temper. My invention consists in attaching to an ordinary planer and cutting tool
a suitable mechanism for imparting a blow to the tool similar to that imparted to a
hand instrument, in regulating the stroke of the blow and in adjusting the various
parts of the apparatus, so that a perfect and even cut will be made by the bammer
action as contra-distinguished from a planing or rabbing action on the granite or
other stone. My invention consists further in the device and combination of
In order to illustrate
devices illustrated and pointed out in the appended claims.
any invention more clearly, I have embodied it in a planer of ordinary or well known
construction, which I now proceed to describe.
Figure 1 of the drawing illustrates in a front elevation partially in perspective,
a planer embodying my invention with a block of grauite or other stone secured
upon the bed plate or table of the machine.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the crosshead of the planer, taken
upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and thus showing the tool holder and tool hammer
apparatus in side elevation.
Figure 3 is a front view, similar to that of Figure 1, but enlarged, showing more
clearly the tool holder head, the tool hammering apparatus being removed.

page_text: Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken upon the line 4-4 of Figure 2,
and looking downward in the direction indicated by the arrow, showing a movable
connection of the tool holding head.
Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, through the crosshead and tool holding head,
taken upon the line 5-5 of Figure 3, and looking in the direction indicated by the
arrow.
A represents the usual vertical frame of a planer of ordinary type, provided with
a suitable reciprocating bed plate or table B, a crosshead C. and having also
mounted in said crosshead a feed screw C. The construction and operation of such
a planer is considered so obvious and well known to the trade that further detailed
description of its construction or operation will be omitted.
Mounted upon said crosshead C is a frame C, provided with a suitable lug or
screw engaging device c', and with guide flanges c², c³, whereby upon the rotation
of the feed screw c the frame C' will be moved lengthwise of the crosshead C and
transversely across the bed plate B in the desired direction and the desired distance.
Upon its front face is secured a vertical movable plate D, to which the tool
holder E is pivotally secured. The plate D is mounted upon the frame C by a
familiar dovetail tongue and groove connection d, d, Figure 4. A vertical feed
screw C² secured in the upper end of the frame C₁ engages the plate D and serves
as a means for regulating the vertical adjustment of the plate D and the devices
carried thereon. A pair of lugs d'extend to the front at each margin of the
plate D and are provided with lateral openings through which a bolt D¹ passes
for the purpose of pivotally securing the tool holder E to the plate D between
said flanges d', there being of course a similar aperture through the lug e of the
tool holder E, registering with the apparatus in the lugs d'. In the lower end of
the plate D is a screw threaded aperture d³, in which an adjusting screw or bolt D
is secured, the head of said bolt projecting beyond the front surface of the plate D
a desired distance. In order to adjust the angle of the tool F, the rear face of the
tool holder E rests against said adjusting bolt D2, as clearly shown in Figures 2
and 5. When, therefore, it is desired to change the angle of the tool F, the bolt D²
is turned in the desired direction to the right or left; when it is desired to adjust
the height of the tool holder E, the adjusting screw C2 is turned to the right or
left in the desired direction, and when it is desired to move the tool laterally of
the bed plate, the adjusting screw c is turned in the desired direction.
The lower end of the tool holder is relatively thicker than its upper portion,
thus forming a shoulder on the line indicated at e¹. In the thickened portion of
said tool holder E and extending longitudinally therethrough, is a tool holding
space, shown in all the figures of the drawings, as being occupied by the tool F;
said space or recess being of such depth as to accommodate the tool to be used,
which latter does not extend above, but is flush with the outer surface of the tool
holder E. A confining cap E' serves to hold the tool in position. This cap E¹
may be secured to the tool holder E at one end by an ordinary hinged connection,
as indicated at e³ and at the other end by the bolts e² or otherwise.
The cutting tool F is provided with one or more apertures or slots therethrough.
fis a screw bolt secured in a suitable aperture in the cap plate E' and provided
on its inner end with a reduced unthreaded portion 12 constituting a bolt proper.
This pin or bolt portion passes through the slot of the tool F and its inner end
rests in a suitable aperture in the face of the thickened portion of the tool holder E
as more clearly shown in Figure 5. Surrounding the tool and resting upon the
shoulder e of the tool holder E, is a buffer F which may be of rubber or other
suitable resilient material and immediately above and resting upon said buffer FI
is a steel plate or cap E².
A pin passes through one of the upper slots of the tool F and rests upon the
upper surface of said steel plate F, the upper portion of said slot f resting upon
the pin F. It will be manifest from an examination of the drawings together with
the above description that the construction described is one wherein a reciprocating
motion may be given to the tool F; the movement of the tool being limited by the

page_text: slots. The upward movement of the cutting tool F would be limited by the pin 12
being engaged with the lower end of the slot through which it passes, the pin F
holding the tool up against the pin when the tool is not in the act of cutting or
The downward movement of
passing over a depression in the surface of the stone.
the tool Fin passing over a depression in the stone or in the act of cutting is
limited by whatever compression may be in the rubber buffer F the actual downward
movement being in fact very slight. In the drawing, Figure 5, the tool is shown
in its uppermost position with its point f³ engaging the surface of a granite
block G.
I now proceed to describe the mechanism for imparting a hammering blow to
the cutting tool F. I do not desire to be limited to any particular form of
mechanism for this purpose provided the same shall comprise a piston or hammer
head actuated by pneumatic, steam or electric power and so secured to the tool
holder E as to move with the tool holder either when the latter is moved about its
pivot pin D, or when it is adjusted vertically by means of the adjusting screw C³,
or whether it is moved laterally by means of the feed screw c.
In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a steam engine cylinder so
connected. In said drawing, H is a frame provided at its lower end with a pair of
laterally extending arms from the end of each of which projects upwardly a
flange by which latter the frame is secured to an extension e' of the tool holder E
by bolts or other suitable means. The upper end 3 of the frame H is integral
with the two main or vertical portions, but this is not strictly necessary.
Upon the frame I is secured a steam cylinder generally provided interiorly
with the usual piston rod i and hammer head it, the latter being in such position
that when extended it will strike the upper end or head of the cutting tool F.
The usual inlet and exhaust ports 2, are provided and the inlet port is connected
with a suitable source of steam supply by means of a flexible conduit or in any
other suitable manner. Preferably, the cylinder I is adjustably mounted on the
frame and this is accomplished by means of an integral crosshead or enlarged
lug slidingly fitted between the proximate edges of the two vertical or main
members of the frame H and which guide lug or crosshead 11 engages an adjusting
screw J which is passed through a suitable aperture in the enlarged upper portion h³
of the frame and is operated in a familiar manner by a crank or otherwise.
It will be apparent that upon operating the steam hammer i, the latter will
deliver a series of successive strokes or blows upon the upper end of the cutting
tool F, the hammering blow on the tool driving it down upon the granite surface
in precisely the same inanner as the blow is delivered by the hand of the workman,
the blow being cushioned by the buffer F, and it will also be apparent, that the
stroke being uniform, repeated blows will have the result of giving a finished.
surface to the granite or other hard stone being operated upon. The tool being
operated by the feed screw, c, to a new position after each alternate stroke or
otherwise, as desired and thus ultimately covering the entire surface of the
stone.
I have found in practice that a machine constructed in accordance with the
foregoing description produced work of a superior quality, the cutting tool, instead
of taking off the roughened portions of the granite by a rubbing or planing action,
now removes them by precisely the same hammering action obtained in band
work; that the work is more uniform and at the same time more rapidly performed.
The tool does not get out of order and holds its temper longer than the tools
heretofore used in machines where the dressing of granite or other hard stones
has been attempted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in. what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In a stone dressing machine, the combination with a movable tool holder and

page_text: means for feeding the same to its work, of a cutting tool and mechanism for
imparting a succession of blows to the tool.
2. In a stone dressing machine, the combination with a movable tool holler, and
suitable feed mechanism therefor, of a cutting tool adjustably secured in the tool
holder, and means for delivering a succession of blows to the tool.
3. In a stone dressing machine, the combination with a tool holder and means
for feeding it to its work, of a cutting tool longitudinally in the tool holder,
mechanism for imparting a succession of blows on the head of the tool, and a
cushioning device or buffer in engagement with said tool.
4 In a stone dressing machine, a tool holder and a tool movably secured therein,
of a shoulder on the tool holder, a buffer resting upon said shoulder and a suitable
pin or projection upon the tool engaging said buffer, in combination with means
for imparting a succession of blows to the tool.
5. In a stone dressing machine, the combination with a tool holder and means for
feeding it to its work, of a tool movably secured in said holder, means on the tool
holder for delivering a succession of blows to the tool, and means for adjusting the
position of the cutting tool point.
6. In a stone dressing machine, the combination with a tool holding frame and
means for feeding it across the machine, of a pivoted tool holder carrying a tool
mechanism for delivering a succession of blows upon the tool, and means for
adjusting the tool point comprising a screw pin or bolt movably secured in the face
of the frame and against the head of which the tool holder rests.
7. In a stone dressing machine, the combination with a tool carrying frame and
means for moving the same transversely of the machine, of means for adjusting the
frame vertically, substantially as described.
8. In a stone dressing machine, the combination with a traveling tool holder and
mechanism for delivering a succession of blows to the tool, of a cutting tool
movably secured in said tool holder, provided with a plurality of slotted openings
and a pin engaging said opening and engaging said tool holder whereby the
longitudinal movement of the tool in one direction is controlled.
9. In a stone dressing machine, the combination with a traveling tool carrier, of
mechanism mounted thereon for delivering a series of blows to the cutting tool, of
a cutting tool movably secured in said tool carrier and provided near its upper
end with a series of slotted apertures, a pin or bolt passing through one of said
apertures and extending on either side of the tool, a buffer or other cushioning
device located beneath said pin and resting upon a suitable shoulder on the tool
holder.
10. In a stone cutting machine, the traveling tool carrier comprising an adjustable
frame portion, and a tool carrier pivotally and adjustably secured to said frame,
said tool holder being relatively thick at its lower portion and provided with a
recess in its face equal in depth to the thickness of the tool, and a cap or plate
removably secured to the face of said lower thickened portion of the tool holder,
a tool positioned in said recess and provided with an elongated slotted opening
therethrough, and a pin passing through a suitable aperture in said cap plate and
said opening in the tool and secured at its inner end in a suitable recess in the
face of the tool holder by means of a screw threaded connection at the outer end
of said pin with a registering recess in the cap plate.
Dated this 17th day of March 1897
WILLIAM ROBERT HINSDALE,
Chicago, Ills.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..