Portable apparatus for working, shaping and polishing stone and other hard materials

A portable track and trolley for engaging a material to be worked and subsequently mounting a tool for working said material to said trolley and guiding said tool relative to said material to be worked, comprising:

• a base having a first surface adjacent to a surface of said material and a second surface opposite thereto for supporting said trolley;
• a rail extending in a height from said material surface in a first normal direction and having opposed roller surfaces thereon defining a width between said opposed roller surfaces, and extending longitudinally along a length;
• a trolley undercarriage having a first plurality of wheels maintaining a load a minimum distance normal to said material surface from said material surface and providing rolling contact between said plurality of wheels and said base and further having a second plurality of wheels engaging said rail on said opposed roller surfaces;
• a tool carrier locating member for locating a tool carrier relative to said trolley;
• and
• a tool carrier engaging member that operatively retains said tool carrier to said trolley after engagement therewith having at least one removable fastener for retaining said tool carrier to said trolley.

A motor carriage for supporting a stoneworking tool capable of supporting said stoneworking tool in an operative position and also capable of supporting said stoneworking tool in an inoperative position, said stoneworking tool readily moved between said operative position and said inoperative position, comprising:

• a sliding holder to retain said stoneworking tool within said motor carriage;
• a guide along which said sliding holder travels during said ready movement;
• a link between said sliding holder and an anchor member of said motor carriage;
• a release pivoting about a first axis moving said link relative to said anchor member and thereby moving said sliding holder relative to said anchor member at a first distance change per degree of rotation and pivoting about a second axis moving said link relative to said anchor member and thereby moving said sliding holder relative to said anchor member at a second distance change per degree of rotation which is less than said first distance change per degree of rotation.

A guide for shaping, contouring and polishing an edge of a hard material through contact with a tool, comprising:

• first and second crescents wrapping angularly about said hard material edge;
• a tool holder between said first and second crescents;
• a means for locating said tool holder adjacent to said crescents;
• a tool holder drive member physically removed from said tool holder for generating a driving force;
• a linkage which couples said driving force to said tool holder for moving said tool holder in a path defined by said crescents;
• and
• a means for engaging said tool with said hard material.

A guide for shaping, contouring and polishing an edge of a hard material through contact with a tool and having an adjustable break line, comprising:

• at least one crescent wrapping angularly about said hard material edge;
• a tool holder adjacent said at least one crescent and traveling thereabout;
• an adjustable stop adjacent a top of said at least one crescent for setting a first limit of angular travel of said tool holder about said at least one crescent;
• and
• a means for engaging said tool with said hard material.

A portable track and trolley for engaging a material to be worked and subsequently mounting a tool for working said material to said trolley and guiding said tool relative to said material to be worked, comprising:

• a semi-rigid base having a first surface adjacent to a surface of said material and a second surface opposite thereto for supporting said trolley and being sufficiently pliant to conform to deviations in said material of dimension larger than a contact area between said tool and said material to be worked;
• a rail extending in a height from said material surface in a first normal direction and having opposed roller surfaces thereon defining a width between said opposed roller surfaces, and extending longitudinally along a length;
• a trolley undercarriage having a first plurality of wheels maintaining a load a minimum distance normal to said material surface from said material surface and providing rolling contact between said plurality of wheels and said base and further having a second plurality of wheels engaging said rail on said opposed roller surfaces;
• a tool carrier locating member for locating a tool carrier relative to said trolley;
• and
• a tool carrier engaging member that operatively retains said tool carrier to said trolley after engagement therewith having at least one removable fastener for retaining said tool carrier to said trolley.