IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING LITHOGRAPHIC STONES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes
and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
DRESSING LITHOGRAPHIC STONES." -A communication from abroad
by Charles Parker, of Meriden, County of New Haven, State of
Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 31st January 1873, and dated the 3rd August 1872.
*PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
"
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd August 1872.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., do hereby declare. the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPA-
RATUS FOR DRESSING LITHOGRAPHIC STONES," a communication to me.from
abroad by Charles Parker, of Meriden, County of New Haven, State of
Connecticut, United States of America, to be as follows:-
.
This Invention relates to improvements in dressing or facing litho-
graphic stones. Various devices have been resorted to for dressing
.A

page_text: such stones, that of rubbing or grinding being the process usually
employed, but it is difficult by such process to make the surface perfectly
true and level, a requisite quality for high class work. This process is
also laborious and requires a considerable amount of time.
1
The object of this Invention is to overcome these difficulties, and it
consists in dressing the stone by a mechanical device, the cutter passing
over the whole surface of the stone at each operation.
In carrying out this Invention I employ a machine not altogether
unlike what is known as an "iron plainer."
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 is a side view, and
Fig. 2 is a front view of the cutter.
I arrange the cutter head or holder A to extend across the machine,
and upon this arrange a straight edged cutter B of sufficient length to
take entirely across the stone. On the bed of the machine I place and
secure the stone S and adjust the cutter so as to take extremely light.
cuts, the stone passing and returning beneath the cutter in substantially
the same manner as the metal passes on the common plainer, and
continue this, each cutter being slightly depressed at cach cut, until
the surface is dressed to the desired extent, which after the first dressing
would be but two or three cuts, and occupying comparatively very little
time and performing the work in the most perfect manner, the surface
of the stone being perfectly smooth and true.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd February 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD.
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents,
123, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence
that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my exccutors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with;
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for ."IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING LITHOGRAPHIC STONES,"
a communication to me from abroad by Charles Parker, of Meriden,
County of New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Thomas
Hughes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Sheet of Drawings (that
is to say):-
This Invention relates to improvements in dressing or facing litho-
graphic stones. Various devices have been resorted to for dressing such
stones, that of rubbing or grinding being the process usually employed,
but it is difficult by such process to make the surface perfectly true and
level, a requisite quality for high class work. This process is also
laborious and requires a considerable amount of time.
The object of this Invention is to overcome these difficulties, and it
consists in dressing the stone by a mechanical device, the cutter passing
over the whole surface of the stone at each operation.
In carrying out this Invention I employ a machine not altogether
unlike what is known as an "iron planer," as represented in Fig. 1
of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 2 being a front view of the cutter.
I arrange the cutter head or holder A to extend across the machine,
and upon this arrange a straight edged cutter B of sufficient length to
take entirely across the stone. On the bed of the machine I place and
secure the stone S and adjust the cutter so as to take extremely light

page_text: cuts, the stone passing and returning beneath the cutter in substantially
the same manner as the metal passes on the common planer, and
"continue this, each cutter being slightly depressed at each cut until the
surface is dressed to the desired extent, which after the first dressing
would be but two or three cuts and occupying comparatively very little
time, and performing the work in the most perfect manner, the surface
of the stone being perfectly smooth' and true.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, I claim the
improved machinery or apparatus for dressing lithographic stones as
herein described and shewn on the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, . have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.