IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR FACING FLAGS OR SMOOTHING THE SURFACE OF STONES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Coulter, of Huddersfield, in the County of
York, Engineer, and Herbert Harpin, of Holmfirth, in the same County,
Quarry Owner, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR
FACING FLAGS OR SMOOTHING THE SURFACE OF STONES."
Sealed the 14th July 1865, and dated the 18th January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Coulter and
Herbert Harpin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 18th January 1865.
We, JAMES COULTER, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineer,
and HERBERT HARPIN, of Holmfirth, in the same County, Quarry Owner, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR FACING FLAGS OR SMOOTHING THE SURFACE OF STONES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of a circular face plate mounted on a vertical
spindle or shaft capable of rotating in suitable bearings, also of a frame
supported upon friction rollers, and capable of reciprocating over the face
plate. Flags or stones to be faced or scoured are fixed upon the face plate
betwixt flanges thereon, or by means of portable "dogs," stops, or blocks
temporarily fixed in holes provided in the face plate for that purpose with
wooden wedges driven in betwixt, and other flags or stones to be faced are
placed within the reciprocating frame resting upon those stones fixed on the

page_text: face plate. When motion is given to the apparatus the flags in one part will
rub those in the other part, sand and water being supplied thereto as usual in
scouring flags by hand. The reciprocatory frame is also provided with upright
guides for holding the flags on edge in prover position for squaring them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Coulter and Herbert Harpin in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
COULTER, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineer, and HERBERT
HARPIN, of Holmfirth, in the same County, Quarry Owner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said James Coulter and Herbert Harpin, Her special licence that
we, the said James Coulter and Herbert Harpin, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James Coulter and
Herbert Harpin, our executors, administrators and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVED
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR FACING FLAGS OR SMOOTHING THE SURFACE OF STONES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James Coulter and
Herbert Harpin, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, 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 we, the said James Coulter and Herbert Harpin,
do hereby declare the nature of our 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 four Sheets of Drawings
(that is to say) -
This Invention consists of a circular face plate mounted on a vertical
spindle or shaft capable of rotating in suitable bearings, also of a frame

page_text: supported upon friction rollers, and capable of reciprocating over the face
plate. Flags or stones to be faced or scoured are fixed upon the face plate
betwixt flanges thereon, or by means of portable "dogs," stops, or blocks
temporarily fixed in holes provided in the face plate for that purpose with
wooden wedges driven in betwixt, and other flags or stones to be faced are
placed within the reciprocating frame resting upon those stones fixed on the
face plate. When motion is given to the apparatus the flags in one part will
rub those in the other part, sand and water being supplied thereto as usual in
scouring flags by hand. The reciprocating frame is also provided with upright
guides for holding the flags on edge in proper position for squaring them.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of an apparatus constructed according to
this Invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 is a plan
of the same. A is the face plate or table (partly in elevation) mounted on a
spindle B, and supported in bearing C and C', fixed on suitable framework..
On the spindle is fixed a bevel wheel D, gearing in another bevel wheel D'
mounted on the driving shaft E, and is driven by a fixed key or feather
therein, by which motion is given to the table; this wheel D¹ is capable of
being moved into and out of gear by means of a rod F attached to a lever F¹,
having a forked end taking into a groove d on the back of the said wheel.
G is the reciprocating frame which is supported upon four friction or carrying
rollers H, and is maintained in lateral position by other four friction rollers I,
which act against four guide plates J fixed to the frame; these rollers are
carried on studs fixed in brackets K, which brackets are capable of being
raised and lowered or moved up and down on the pillars L (to regulate the
position of the frame) by means of screws M, which are turned or operated
by an endless chain N passing over or around and in contact with four chain
wheels O, which are fixed on the four screws. These several parts are shewn
in detail (partly in section) on a larger scale at Figs. 4, 5, and 6. Motion is
given to the reciprocatory frame G, by means of a rod P connected thereto and
to a lever Q, to which is also attached another rod R, connecting the same to a stud
on a bevel wheel S, which is driven by another bevel wheel T fixed to the spindle
B. Provision is made with holes in the lever Q for regulating the length of
stroke or travel of the table. The relative speeds of the table and frame are
so arranged as to be continually changing the points of contact of the stones
operated upon. U are flags or stones placed on the table (in a rough state) to
be faced, and which are fixed thereon by means of wedges V, driven in
betwixt dogs or stops V₁, which fit into holes provided in the table for tha

page_text: purpose;
W are other flags or stones (also in their rough state) placed loosely
within the frame G, and resting upon the stones U. It will be readily seen
that when rotary motion is given to the table, and reciprocatory motion to the
frame, the surfaces of the stones in the frame which are in contact with the
surfaces of the stones fixed on the table will rub each other. Water and
sand is to be supplied to the top, which will pass betwixt the stones in the
frame to the surfaces in contact and assist in the grinding thereof, as usual
in facing or scouring flags or stones by hand. By means of this apparatus
flags and stones may be taken in their natural rough state of surface and
rubbed or ground to a perfectly true or even and smooth surface without the
previous use of any sort of chisel or other cutting tool or instrument.
Figs. 7 and 8 (Sheet 2) are intended to shew the method of fixing flags
or stones on the table by means of wedges and dogs or stops, and are drawn
on a larger scale for that purpose.
Figs. 9 and 10 are elevations, and Fig. 11 is a plan, of a table with a
reciprocatory frame, having upright guides and framework thereon for
holding flags or stones on the edge to be edged, and also to be squared.
Figs. 12, 18, and 14 shew this framework with the stones thereon on a
larger scale.
A are the upright guides or stands which are fixed to
cross bars G', on the reciprocatory frame, and in which guides are formed
vertical grooves a.
The framework B is formed with ribs b, to fit and slide
in the grooves. Flags to be edged or squared are fixed by means of wood
wedges C in these frames, and the frames are then placed in the grooves
of the guides or stands (in which they are free to slide up or down) with
the bottom edges of the said flags resting upon the flags or stones which are
fixed on the rotary table. When the machine is set in motion the flags are
edged or rubbed and made straight on the bottom edges, they are then
turned in the frames with the straightened edges fitting and wedged up to
one of the upright sides of the frame by which means they are set square or
at right angles to the surface of the table with other rough edges toward and
in contact with the stones fixed on the table, which, on the machine being
set in motion again will be rubbed or ground and straightened in like manner
as the former edges, and will also be squared or rubbed to straight edges at
right angles to the former straightened edges, consequently squared.
Fig. 15 (Sheet 3) is a longitudinal and vertical section, and Fig. 16 is a
plan, of a portable apparatus according to this Invention, with modifications
of construction and operation. The table A is formed with a rim on the under
side so as to be supported on friction rollers B, and teeth or cogs are also
provided underneath, forming a bevel wheel in which a bevel pinion C gears

page_text: and which is mounted on the driving shaft D, and gives rotary motion to the
table. A worm E is also keyed on the driving shaft, which gears in a worm
wheel F, having a stud f, to which a connecting rod G is attached, and by
which motion is given to the reciprocatory frame. The brackets and pillars
carrying the rollers which support and guide the reciprocatory frame are also
differently constructed and operated. Shafts H and I each connect and are
supported by two brackets, and have pinions J and J' at each end gearing
into racks K and K' formed or fixed on the pillars L and L. A worm M
gears in a wheel N, keyed on each shaft by the turning of which the said
brackets can be raised and lowered as required. Figs. 17 and 18 shew these
parts in detail on a larger scale.
Fig. 19 (Sheet 4) is a section of a table shewing the construction of one
of the friction rollers, and the pedestal employed for carrying it, also of a
pedestal for retaining the spindle or shaft of the table in position, shewing also
the means of adjusting the same. Fig. 20 is a side elevation of the said
friction roller and pedestal, and Fig. 21 is a plan of the said shaft pedestal.
Fig. 22 is a section, and Fig. 23 is a plan, of a table with a frame
thereon, constructed for retaining wall stones whilst being rubbed or faced,
and by means of which they can also be squared and thicknessed. The ribs or
bars of this frame being vertical or at right angles to the table, the
rubbed edges or sides are placed and wedged against these ribs, consequently
the edges or sides towards the table will be rubbed square with the former
edges or sides, and so on to any or all the remaining edges or sides.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Coulter and Herbert Harpin,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of July,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named James Coulter and
Herbert Harpin in the presence of
Wx. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax.
JAMES COULTER.
(L.S.)
HERBERT HARPIN. (L.S.)