Sparty_lea has an interest in Beaumont and has uploaded a document reporting his work with diamond boring in 1871/2. It is interesting to note that the works were superintended by a Mr.J. Vivian. This could be another false trail or another very interesting connection.

Just read this, interesting, Beaumont and his machine tunnelling company were involved at Croesor, around 1868-1871 driving an inclined shaft from the surface to tap the slate vein at a lower level. Rodney Weaver wondered if Moses Kellow's development of the water turbine driven drill might have been inspired by the drills used by Beaumont.

Graham

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Grahami, please, what were the two further patents taken out by Hunter?

Grahami, please, what were the two further patents taken out by Hunter?

These are the various Hunter patents (and one or two others):

1835 No.6794 James Hunter, Leysmill, Arbroath
A stone planer with a reciprocating transverse head and moving tables beneath.
1855 No.913 James Hunter & George Hunter, Leysmill, Arbroath
The big saw (13ft dia.) with replaceable tools. Used at Tyne docks and elsewhere.
1862 No.942 George Hunter, Coleford
Application of replaceable tools to sawing and planing.
1864 No.1244 George Hunter, Maentwrog
The trepanning tunnelling machine.
1866 No.433 George Hunter & W.F.Cooke, Maentwrog & Aberia
The second form of tunneller
1866 No.2192 George Hunter & W.F.Cooke, Maentwrog & Aberia
The developed form of the double saw & planer
1868 No.1426 A.Munro [I don't have a full copy of this]
Looks like the last above, with different tools.
1868 No.2198 J.D.Brunton[I don't have a full copy of this]
Device for grooving slate
1868 No.2206 A.Munro & W.R.Adamson [I don't have a full copy of this]
Replaceable tools for stone working
1869 No.1018 (?) J.D.Brunton [I don't have a full copy of this]
A tool for planing slate
1870 No.1202 W.F.Cooke & G.Hunter [I don't have a full copy of this]
Developments for shaping and planing stone etc.
1876 No.3740 G.Hunter [I don't have a full copy of this]
Planing and shaping stone, tool holders - a new form of table drive, I think.

I thought there was another, but I can't find it -so I may be mistaken. Copies of patents are much more expensive now than when I bought my originals many years ago. A few hours in the local patent library would probably pay dividends, as I think they are cheaper!

Graham

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Thank you very much for that rapid and comprehensive reply.
So there were two Hunters!! Confusing but interesting!
Gwyn.

James Hunter was George's father - but Rodney Weaver put it rather better than I Here's his account and deductions concerning the Hunter saws, with some additional notes from me:
http://www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/personal-album-54/Thoughts-on-Saws.pdf 

Graham

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Ah! I see, said the blind man!
Again, thank you Graham....thank you very much indeed.
Gwyn.

OK just to keep the pot boiling, here are diagrams/drawings of:

1. James & George Hunters 1855 patent saw - the first with the removable cutters. Three of these monsters were built for the Tyne Improvement Commisioners. Two with 7ft dia. blades and another with a 13ft. dia. blade between 1866 and 1868.
http://www.aditnow.co.uk/photo/Personal-Album-54-Image-037/ 

2. The model Hunter's saw used by W.F.Cooke to illustrate his talk.
http://www.aditnow.co.uk/photo/Personal-Album-54-Image-038/ 

3. Munro's patent saw - to compare with Cooke & Hunter's patent:
http://www.aditnow.co.uk/photo/Personal-Album-54-Image-039/ 

4. Just for comparison - this is Cooke & Hunter's patent:
http://www.aditnow.co.uk/photo/Personal-Album-54-Image-034/ 

I've just added some more tunnelling machines images - Brunton's and Beaumont/English's - but I'll link 'em tomorrow.

As this is getting very long, I wonder if we should start another thread, or maybe an album on slate/stone quarry/mine machinery

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Thank you. Still assimilating. Simmering nicely, thank you!
Please, can you define "freestone"? I have two definitions.
Thus, what stone is quarried/mined at Leysmill?
Were the Hunters developing a type of saw for granite or another type of stone?
In relation to Weaver, surely circular cutters use half their circumference to cut and create kerf, unless staggered at variable angles off horizontal in runs of three or more. This would appear not to be possible given the stated number of teeth on the blades of Hunter/Cooke.
When did Cooke/Hunter modify their saw tooth design from the "golf tee" to the inserted/interference fit, chip cutter?
"The coventional saw needs no introduction".......was this a wrought iron blade fitted with small, brazed on, crucible/blister steel tips, rather like a "conventional" modern saw blade with its tips?
I'm still working on upcut versus downcut.. sort of counter-intuitive...shock loading..mmm!
Anyway.....Gwyn.

Is the John Dickinson Brunton of the Channel Tunnel,1882, the same as he of Maenofferen?
Gwyn.

This is where I'm not sure - I havn't "dug" into that chain sufficiently - there seem to have been several Brunton's inventors, engineers and surveyors. I did think initially that they were one and the same, but I don't have enough evidential links to confimr it, and what little I have found suggests that it may simply be coincidence. Curious though, in view of the tunnelling machine business.

Graham

Now, that is a question! And the answer is yes, its the same person.

That particular line of Brunton engineers started with Robert Albert Brunton, a Dalkieth Clockmaker, born 14 Aug 1748

His engineering sons included (most of these people are googleable)

William Brunton Born 26 May 1777 Died 05 Oct 1851 in
Camborne, Cornwall. Butterley works etc etc
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Brunton 

John Brunton Born 07 Oct 1780

Robert Brunton Born 10 Feb 1796
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Robert_Brunton 

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William Brunton Born 26 May 1777 produced several engineering sons

John Brunton Born 1812 Died 1899 (author of "John Brunton's Book: The Diary of John Brunton 1812-1899")

William Brunton Born 03 Apr 1817
Died 13 Jun 1881 Wellington, New Zealand
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Brunton_%281817-1881%29 

John Dickinson Brunton B. 1821 D. 1909

George Brunton B. 29 Jan 1823 D. 28 Mar 1900
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/George_Brunton 

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There is also David William Brunton, inventor of the pocket transit, and a fine mining engineer.
http://www.mininghalloffame.org/inductee.asp?i=183&b=inductees.asp&t=n&p=B&s 

However, connecting him to this lot is difficult, although David William Brunton described John Dickinson Brunton as "my cousin" in a 1922 book.

Interviews with Mining Engineers by Thomas Arthur Rickard

"most of my father's people have been either engineers or army men, some of them having made excellent records In England, India, and Australia. One of my cousins, recently deceased, J. Dickinson Brunton, was an inventor of stone-dressing machinery and of the tunneling machine, with which he made the preliminary borings for the proposed tunnel under the English Channel."

David William Bruntons father actually came from Yarrowford in Scotland and his direct ancestors were tailors and cloth merchants. I cannot find any connection between these families.