IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GRINDING TOOLS PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Watson; of Lythe, Whitby, in the County of
York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GRINDING
TOOLS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said, William Watson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th June 1880.
WILLIAM WATSON, of Lythe, Whitby; in the County of York.
IN APPARATUS FOR GRINDING TOOLS."
My apparatus is constructed as follows:
"IMPROVEMENTS
To ordinary grindstones I fix standards or frames inclined towards the centre of
the stones, the frames or standards have adjustable brackets for carrying a shaft,
on which said shaft are two levers having eccentric grooves. The levers are keyed
or fixed to the shaft in such position that the eccentric grooves are in opposite
directions to each other, and carry a loose shaft or spindle, on which the tool holder
is pivoted; the tool holder is, preferably of a lever like form, the tool being held in
the tool holder by an adjustable nip, and brought or held on the stone by means of
weights, levers, or springs, and as the stone wears the loose shaft and brackets can
be adjusted and moved down the grooves in the frames or standards. On motion
being imparted to the levers the tool and tool holder is tilted more or less on one
or the other edge, and ground or formed to any angle required. If a constant to
and fro motion is given the tool is ground in a curved form, more or less, according
to the motion given; if the levers are kept in a given position the tool is ground
perfectly square and true.
By this Invention a boy can grind metal tools to any form with perfect évenness
and correctness.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Watson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
December 1880.
WILLIAM WATSON, of Lythe, Whitby, in the County of York.
IN APPARATUS FOR GRINDING TOOLS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
The object of my Invention is to grind tools, such as joiners' and other sharp
edged tools, in a better, more effectual, and quicker manner than has hitherto been
accomplished, and without requiring as much skill. My apparatus is constructed
as follows:
To the frame of an ordinary grindstone I attach standards or frames having
inclined slots parrallel, or nearly so, to a line drawn from the centre of the stone to
the point of contact between the tool and the stone. These standards or frames
carry a shaft, on the ends of which are fixed two adjustable brackets or levers with
vertical slots in their upper extremities. These brackets or levers carry a second
shaft, on the ends of which are fixed two levers having curved slots or eccentric
grooves of a suitable pitch, the levers being fixed so that the slots will act in
opposite directions to each other. A loose shaft or spindle, on which the tool
bolder is pivotted, is passed through the vertical slots of the adjustable brackets
and the curved slots of the levers. The tool holder is preferably of a lever like
form, the tool being held in the holder by an adjustable niplever, and brought to
bear upon the stone by means of springs, cords, weights, or lever.
As the stone wears the machine can be lowered or moved down the grooves in
the frames or standards, or a second form of standards may be used, having two
curved slots in them, and by means of studs in the slots the standards carrying the
rest of the apparatus can be moved downwards, but at the same time so as not to
affect the action of the gear wheels and connecting rods next hereinafter described,
or the brackets and levers hereinbefore mentioned.
Motion can be imparted to the levers (so as to tilt the loose shaft and tool holder
to one side or the other, and so grind the tool more at one side than the other) by
moving the end of one of the levers (which has a prolonged arm for this purpose) by
hand or by means of a connecting rod to a stud on a pinion wheel driven by another
pinion wheel on the grindstone shaft. By this latter method a constant regular to
and fro motion is imparted to the prolonged arm, which gives a rocking motion to
the toolholder, and the edge of the tool will be ground in a regular curve, the
amount of curvature being regulated by the amount of motion given to the
connecting rod; also if the levers are placed in a vertical position the tool is ground
perfectly square; if moved one way or the other a bevel or skew edge is given to the
tool.
In the case of felling axes and such tools as require an edge curved or convex in
a longitudinal direction, motion can be given to the adjustable brackets or levers by
land or by means of a connecting rod to a stud on a second pinion wheel driven
by the pinion or gear wheel on the grindstone shaft. By this latter means a
constant to and fro motion in a longitudinal direction on the stone is given to the.
tool holder and tool, and the required edge is produced. The connecting rod is
provided with notches or other suitable means by which the end of the lever can
be set or adjusted (either with or without the pinion wheel being in motion, and
the tool can be ground to a more or less acute or obtuse edge, as may be required). By
this means a boy can grind tools to almost any form with perfect evenness and
accuracy, and thus perform work otherwise requiring two men to accomplish
where steam power is not used.
Such being the nature and object of this my said Invention, in order that the
same may be fully understood, I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings
illustrative thereof, and marked the same with figures and letters of reference.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my Invention arranged for grinding tools with an
edge convex in both a transverse and a longitudinal direction, such as felling axes
and the like, or with a convex edge in a transverse direction only, such as ordinary
axes, adzes, jackplane irons; and the like, or it may be used for grinding straight
edge or bevelled tools, such as smoothing plane irons, chisels, turning chisels, and
the like.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of. Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shews shape or form of felling axe when ground.
Fig. 4 shews a front elevation of my Invention arranged for grinding tools with
edges either straight, bevelled, or convex in a transverse direction only, by hand
only. "A" is the stone; "B," the frame to which are attached inclined grooved or
slotted standards or frames C'having adjustable brackets or levers "D," as shewn at
Figs. 1 and 2, or carriers "D" (as shewn at Fig. 4), pivotted on shaft "E¹‚” as at Figs.
1 and 2, or fixed by bolts and nuts in slots of standards (as at Fig. 4). These
brackets, levers, or carriers are provided with vertical slots "G," and have the
shaft "E" passed through them, upon the ends of which are fixed or keyed two levers
"R and R¹," having curved or eccentric slots "F" and F1" in the upper ends thereof,
the slots "F and F₁" being set so as to act in opposite directions to each other.
Through the slots "G, G, F, and F1" is passed the loose shaft or spindle "H," upon
which the tool holder "J" is pivotted. The tool holder "J" is preferably of a
lever like form, and the tool is held in the holder by an adjustable nip lever "L"
and screw
M," and brought to bear upon the stone "A" by means of springs,
cords, weights, or levers, preferably by weight and lever N, arranged as shewn in
Figs. 1 and 2.
As the stone wears the standards "C" (Figs. 1 and 2, the whole of the apparatus
can be moved down the slots "P, P¹," these slots being curves described so as to guide
the standards "C" in such a course that the action of connecting rods "S and S¹".
(Fig. 1) hereinafter described is not affected thereby, or in the arrangement shewn
in Fig. 4 the carriers D can be moved down the slots in the standards "C."
On motion being given to the levers "R and R₁" the shaft or spindle "H" is
raised at one end and depressed at the other end, and consequently the tool
holder "J" and tool "K" are tilted on one side or the other, and the tool is
ground to any required angle accordingly. If a curved edge is required (as in
the case of axes, adzes, jack plane irons, and the like) it is obtained by a
constant to and fro motion being given to the levers "R and R'," either by hand
or by means of connecting rod "S" (Fig. 1) from the stud "T" (Fig. 1) on the
gear wheel "W"; this wheel having motion given to it by gear wheel "T""
fixed on the grindstone shaft. The stud T is adjustable in a slot in wheel W,
as shewn, and according as it is fixed nearer to or further from the circumference
of the wheel more or less throw or motion is given to the connecting rod "S"
(Fig. 1), and by this means the amount of curvature to be given to the edge of the
tool can be regulated to a nicety. The connecting rod "S" (Fig. 1) is also provided
with notches at the other extremity, any one of which may be placed upon a stud
provided for that purpose at the lower end of the lever "R" (Fig. 1 and 2), and
by means thereof the levers "R and R¹" can be set so as to tilt the spindle or
shaft H and the toolholder "J" and tool "K," and so grind the tool to any
required angle (without the geared wheel "W" (Fig. 1) being in motion) in
similar manner as herein before mentioned as being done by hand; on the geared
wheel "W" (Fig. 1) being in motion the curvature given to the edge of the tool
can be ground more on one side than the other if desired.
For the purpose of grinding such tools as require to have their cutting edge
convex in a longitudinal direction, I give a constant regular to and fro motion to
the adjustable brackets or levers "D" (Figs. 1 and 2) either by hand (one of the
said levers having a prolonged arm, as shewn, for this purpose) or by means of the
connecting rod "S¹" (Fig. 1) to stud T on gear wheel "W" actuated by gear
wheel "T" and in this way the toolholder, levers, and weight apparatus are all moved

page_text: to and from the stone, and the tool is ground alternately nearer to and further from its
edge, thus giving the required convexity or curvaturé in a longitudinal direction.
The amount of motion to be given to the connecting rod "S1" is regulated in a similar
fashion to that described above with regard to the connecting rod S. By means
of notches in the extremity of the connecting rod "S₁" the brackets or levers D
(Figs. 1 and 2) can be set so as to cause the tool to be ground with an edge more or
less acute or otherwise, and this either with or without the gear wheel W (Fig. 1)
being in motion. Either of the above motions may be used separately, or both
may be used in combination, as may be required, the gear wheels W and W
being provided with suitable apparatus for throwing them into and out of
the gear wheel "T" (Fig. 1):
gear with
In the arrangement of my apparatus shown in Fig. 4 the standards C may be
fixed to the framing of the grindstone by hinges at the end nearer the centre of the
stone, and the hinder end lifted by hand (they being connected by a strip of wood
or metal to cause them to be moved simultaneously) so as to cause the tool to be
ground to an edge more or less' acute or obtuse, or the standards so arranged may
have motion imparted to them by other suitable methods.
I prefer that the geared wheels W, W, and T2 (Fig. 1) should be of unequal
sizes in order that the periods of their respective revolutions being unequal, the
tool may not often be at exactly the same angle to the stone on the same part of
the stone, thus equalizing the wear of the stone and producing a perfectly regular
and true edge.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this my said Invention
I would have it understood that I claim,
Firstly. The general arrangements of apparatus for grinding tools, as shewn,
described, and illustrated.
Secondly. The combination of slotted levers R and R¹, toolholder. J, and loose
spindle H, arranged in the manner and for the purposes substantially as shewn,
described, and illustrated.
દ
Thirdly: The combination and arrangement of the adjustable connecting rods "S
and S¹"(Fig. 1); actuated and actuating the levers "R, R', and D," in the manner
and for the purpose substantially as shewn and described.
Fourthly. The combination of the standards or frames C (having slots such as P),
the brackets, levers, or carriers D, and shafts E¹ (Figs. 1 and 2) and E (Figs. 1, 2,
and 4), arranged in the manner and for the purposes substantially as shewn,
described, and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Watson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighte
Witness,
JOHN KERR,
Land Agent;
Lythe Hall,
Whitby.
WILLIAM WATSON. (L.S.)