Improvements in the Method and Means of Splitting Stones.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method and Means of Splitting Stones.
I, KARL KREUZER, of Lindenfels im Odenwald, Germany, Quarry Owner, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is intended to provide a method and means by which stone,
especially of the harder varieties, can be split into slabs or blocks suitable for
paving purposes, and requiring less or no after dressing by which saving, such
stone may be prepared in a remunative manner to complete with other varieties
of paving stone.
In place of making wedge holes and driving wedges therein, or more simply
striking the stone with a suitable sledge hammer only, I place the block of stone
against a stationary cutter, and cause another cutter to move violently against
the opposite side of the block in the same plane as the stationary cutter by which
the block is accurately split in the plane of the cutters.
The means for doing this may comprise a heavy stand or base having on it
a cast iron anvil with a dovetail groove to receive a removable cutter in its side.
The base is prolonged below the cutter to serve as a table on which the stone is
placed to rest against the aforesaid cutter. A second cutter is similarly mounted
in a pendulum hammer of suitable weight, hinged above and adapted to swing
down against the block so that the cutter thereon strikes the block in the same
plane as the aforesaid cutter is situated. To prevent the cutters meeting.one
another, the hammer may have a projection adapted to meet the end of the base.
Such device might also be arranged so that the hammer block strikes vertically
on the stone supported below on the stationary cutter.
The essential feature of the device is that the stone is subjected simultaneously
to the action of two cutters acting in the same plane or opposite sides of the
block.
The edges of the cutters may be straight or curved.
Improvements in the Method and Means of Splitting Stones.
I, KARL KREUZER. of Lindenfels im Odenwald, in the Empire of Germany,
Quarry Owner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
Price Sd.

page_text: manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:--
This invention is intended to provide a method and means by which stone
especially of the harder varieties such as granite, syenite, porphyry and the like
can be split into slabs or blocks suitable for paving purposes.
Machines have previously been constructed for splitting stone. These machines
were however complicated and impracticable and further they needed machinery
of which the working was so costly that they could not be used.
Up to the present time splitting or breaking natural stones of this kind has
been done by boring or chipping the stone which is then split into the desired
shape by means of wedges.
This method is suitable for producing cube forms but it is so slow and costly
that it cannot be applied for working tough and hard stone which stone is
especially suitable for paving stones.
ments or
:
In syenite and granite quarries in which stone is broken for polished monu-
building purposes the quantity of small blocks of hard and tough stone
hereby broken off have not rendered any profit,. the manufacture of paving stones
from the same being too expensive.
The present machine gives means of making paving stones from these
remainders in a profitable manner. In the annexed drawing this machine is
represented in perspective view. In a heavy abutment c deeply set 'in the bottom
or bed, an iron piece b is sunk; in a perpendicular dovetailed groove of the same
a blade a is arranged so as to be exchangeable. Under the same is a rest d upon
which the stone e to be split is laid. Another blade f is seated so
as to be
exchangeable in a dove-tail groove of a hammer head h. The latter is fastened
on the end of a swinging link g pivoted on a deck beam; it can be lifted up by
hand by means of a ring arranged on its rear side into the position shown in
dotted lines. If it is then set free it swings with great force (which may be
still augmented by a push given to 'the hammer head when set free) against the
stone forces it against the stationary blade b and by this means the stone is
split.
The two blades are constructed of the best steel and in order that they do not
close together the hammer h is provided on its rear end with a shoulder
limiting the stroke of the falling hammer by striking against the front end of
the support d.
The blades in the dovetailed-grooves can be easily and quickly exchanged.
The link g is fastened in such a manner above that it can swing only in the
plane of the two blades.
As can be seen the machine, works as those hitherto known so that the stone
is split by means of two cutters one opposite the other, one of which is movable.
But it differs from those machines essentially as the cutters are not arranged
perpendicularly ono above the other as previously, but one beside the other and
that the hammer whereon the movable blade is fastened is pendulous.
This in the first place has the advantage that the stone to be split is not carried
by the stationary blade on which it was balanced as hitherto. The stone rests
on a separate support and can be easily held in the required position and be
pushed freely against the stationary blade by the pendulous one.
A further and especially important advantage is that the machine does not
require any machine power but can be operated by one workman. The pendulous
mounting of the hammer enables the workman to manipulate a hammer of great
weight.
The machine is very simple of construction and can be erected at proportionally
very low cost.
A stone splitting machine wherein also a hammer is used, is not new but
the same is not scated horizontally, my machine has this advantage, that the
movable blade can be arranged in such a manner that after its stroke it swings

page_text: so far backwards that between it and the stationary blade sufficient room remains
for the introduction of a new block.
Further in the herein described machine the stone lays free on its support so
that it can move under the concussion of the falling blade and can freely be
driven towards the stationary blade, by this means the cutting is effected by both
blades.
In the former machines the stone had to be supported on both sides in order
to rest in a suitable position on the stationary blade. These supports oppose any
movement of the stone struck by the falling blade so that the effect of the latter
is partially if not entirely annulled.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1. An improved machine for splitting stone wherein the stone is split by a
moving blade working against a stationary one the two blades being arranged one
beside the other the movable blade being seated on a heavy hammer head
attached on the end of a suspended pendulous links.
2. An improved machine for splitting stone substantially as herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of Tu... 1900
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C.