IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Abraham Martin, of Store Street, Bedford Square, in the
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Abraham Martin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd May 1881.
ABRAHAM MARTIN, of Store Street, Bedford Square, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR ORNAMENTING WOOD AND OTHER MATERIALS
BY MEANS OF PRESSURE AND HEAT."
My Invention relates to improvements in the machine for ornamenting wood and
other materials by the pressure of a heated roller die, for which Letters Patent
were granted to me, bearing date August 15th, 1873, No. 2704.
In my said former machine the length of the board or other piece of work to be
ornamented was limited to that of the table of the machine, otherwise after being
partially ornamented it required to be readjusted in the machine in order to bring
the remainder of its surface beneath the roller die. The table and frame of the
machine was therefore necessarily of considerable length, and the machine was
The machine was limited also
consequently expensive and occupied much room.
in its operation to the production of rectilineal designs.
The object of iny present improvements is to construct a machine which shall
occupy a small space, and yet be capable of producing designs in a continuous
manner, and limited only in length by that of the wood or other material operated
on, the said designs being either rectilinear, curvilinear, circular, elliptic, or other-
wise in their general direction.
The improvements consist in the general construction and operation of the
machine, and in the improved mode of heating the roller die, as hereafter
described.
According to my present Invention the table on which the work is placed is
circular and rotatory, and the shaft of the roller die is mounted diametrically
across the table, the die being towards one end thereof, more or less, near the

page_text: circumference of the table. The bearings of the shaft are adjustable vertically by
incans of pressure screws, which may be geared together and operated simultaneously
to regulate the distance of the die from the table to suit the thickness of the work,
and the roller die is capable of being adjusted to run in a circular path of any
diameter less than that of the table, or of being moved laterally so as to run in a
curvilinear, sinuous, elliptic, or other path upon the table, according to the desired
direction of the design. This lateral motion may be obtained by making the shaft
movable longitudinally in its bearings, and controlling or operating it by means of
a cam of suitable form fixed upon it engaging with a fixed or movable part of the
machine; or other suitable mechanical movement may be employed for giving the
desired movement of the roller towards or from the centre of the table. Or the
table may carry a movable support for the work operated by a suitable cam, so as
to impart the necessary movement to the work instead of to the die. The table
may have slots or holes and clamps like a face plate to fix the work upon it if
required, and it is driven by a motor shaft through worm or other gear.
In order to produce a design following a straight, sinuous, or curvilinear line of
unlimited length, I employ in combination with the rotary circular table a guide
for the work, which guide is adjustable to suit the width of the work and the
position of the roller die, and may be either stationary or movable, according as a
rectilinear or curvilinear design is to be produced. By this guide the work is
retained or held laterally, and is prevented from following the circular motion of
the table on which it rests, so that a board of any length may be run straight
through the machine beneath the roller die, and receive the impression of the
design therefrom from end to end without stoppage. In order to produce a
curvilinear design the guide may be caused to oscillate laterally upon an axis
coincident with the point of contact of the roller die with the work, so as to give
any desired direction to the work, this oscillation being produced by a cam on the
shaft, and suitable lever connections with the guide. The roller die may be made
cylindrical or slightly conical, according to the radius of the path in which it runs
on the table, and it is of steel or other metal, and has engraved on its periphery
the counterpart of the design to be produced. Instead of heating it by an external
ring of gas burners, as in my said former Patent, it is heated internally. To this
end the roller die is formed with a circle of openings near its circumference, and
extending from end to end of the roller. Radial passages connect these openings
with a central passage in the shaft, by which a jet of gas or gas and air is conveyed
to each opening and burns therein, the flame being projected towards the circum-
ference of the die, which is thereby uniformly and constantly heated to the proper
point.
Although I have described and prefer a rotary table, I would have it understood
that the roller die, on a shaft receiving longitudinal motion from a cam or other-
wise for varying the direction of the design, may be used in combination with the
straight reciprocating table described in my said former Patent.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Abraham Martin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd November
1881.
ABRAHAM MARTIN, of Store Street, Bedford Square, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR ORNAMENTING WOOD AND OTHER MATERIALS
BY MEANS OF PRESSURE AND HEAT."
My Invention relates to improvements in the machine for ornamenting wood and
other materials by the pressure of a heated roller die, for which Letters Patent
were granted to me, bearing date August 15th, 1873, No. 2704.
In my said former machine the length of the moulding board or other piece of
work to be ornamented was limited to that of the table of the machine, otherwise
it was necessary to readjust the work in the machine in order to bring the whole
of its surface beneath the roller die, but this was troublesome, owing to the difficulty
of making the two parts of the design coincide properly. The table and frame of
the machine were therefore necessarily of considerable length, and the machine was
consequently expensive and occupied much room. The machine was limited also
in its operation to the production of rectilineal designs.
The object of my present improvements is to construct a machine which shall
occupy little space, and yet be capable of producing designs in a continuous manner
and of any length, the said designs being either rectilinear, curvilinear, circular,
elliptic, or otherwise in their general direction. The machine has the further
advantage that it may be made double acting, and therefore turn out twice the
quantity of work.
The improvements relate to the general construction and operation of the
machine, and to the improved mode of heating the roller die, as hereafter
described.
According to my present Invention the table on which the work is placed is
circular and rotatory, and the shaft of the roller die is mounted in a diametrical
direction above the table. The bearings of the shaft are adjustable vertically by
means of pressure screws which may be geared together, and operated simultaneously
to regulate the distance of the die from the table to suit the thickness of the work,
and the roller die is capable of being. adjusted to run in a circular path of any
diameter less than that of the table, or of being moved laterally so as to run in a
curvilinear, sinuous, elliptic, or other path upon the table as required. This lateral
motion may be obtained by making the shaft movable longitudinally in its bearings,
and operating it by means of a cam of suitable form fixed upon it, and engaging
with a fixed or movable part of the machine; or other suitable mechanical move-
ment may be employed for giving the desired movement of the roller towards or
from the centre of the table. The table may have slots or holes and clamps like
a face plate to fix the work upon it if required, and it is driven by a motor shaft
through worm or other gear.
In order to produce a design following a straight, sinuous, or curvilinear line of
unlimited length, I employ in combination with the rotary circular table a work
guide, which may be adapted to suit the width of the work and the position of the
roller die, and may be either stationary or movable, according as a rectilinear or
curvilinear design is to be produced. By this guide the work is retained or held
laterally, and is prevented from following the circular motion of the table on which
it rests, so that a moulding or other piece of work of any length may be run
straight through the machine beneath the roller die, and receive the impression of
the design therefrom from end to end without stoppage. In order to produce a
curvilinear design, the guide may be caused to oscillate laterally upon an axis

page_text: coincident with the point of contact of the roller die with the work, so as to give
any desired direction to the work, this oscillation being produced by a cam on the
shaft and levers connected with the guide.
-
The roller die may be made cylindrical or slightly conical, and it is of steel or
other metal, and has engraved on its periphery the counterpart of the design to be
produced. Instead of heating the die by an external ring of gas burners, as in my
former Patent, it is heated internally. To this end the roller die is formed with a
circle of openings near its circumference extending from end to end of the roller
and forming heating chambers. Radial passages connect these openings with a
central passage on the shaft, by which a jet of gas or gas and air is conveyed to
each. chamber. and burns therein, the flame being projected towards the circum-
ference of the die, which is thereby uniformly and constantly heated to the proper
point without blackening the engraved part of the roller.
Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 a front elevation (partly in section), and Figure 3 a
side elevation of the machine as adapted for straight work; Figure 4 represents
axial and transverse sections of the roller die.
A is the cast iron or other frame of the machine, of any suitable construction,
and B is the rotatory table upon which the work is supported, and by which it is
carried beneath the roller die. This table is a circular plate supported within the
frame A upon friction rollers C mounted at the inner side of the frame A, there
being one of them immediately below the point opposite the roller dic. The table
has a toothed periphery and is driven by a worm D mounted in bearings outside
frame A, and itself driven by a worm E on shaft F gearing with a worm wheel G
on the shaft of worm D, the shaft F being driven by a belt on pulley H; I is the
roller die keyed on a shaft K mounted in bearings L movable between pairs of
standards M, M¹, and adjustable therein by means of the pressure screws O. The
one pair of standards M. are bolted upon the main frame A outside the circum-
ference of the table, and the other pair M are supported above the table by being
bolted to a cross bar P supported upon M and upon two other standards M, N,
bolted the one to the frame A outside the table, and the other passing through a
hole in the centre of the table B, and bolted to a cross bar of the frame A beneath
it. The screws O pass through nuts in the cross heads of the standards M, M', and
have pinions Q which gear with the same pinion R that turns loose upon a stud R¹
fixed on cross bar P, and is operated by a hand wheel R², whereby the bearings of
the two ends of the shaft are adjusted simultaneously.
For straight work the shaft K would be horizontal, but for circular work
it should be inclined towards the centre of the table by removing pinion R
and turning the screws O independently. In this case the roller die should be
slightly conical. To vary the radius of the path of the roller its shaft may be
mounted at each end in hanging standards like M², bolted in suitable positions on
cross bar P. For straight work guides S, S¹, are employed to guide the work in a
straight line beneath the roller dic. They are secured adjustably to the frame A
by bolts in the slotted arms S².
Figure 4 shows the construction of the roller die. The shaft K has an axial
passage bored in it from one end, and radial passages ¹ branching therefrom.
The roller I has apertures i through it from face to face, forming heating chambers,
and connected by passages i¹ with those of the shaft. The roller I is keyed on
the shaft with these passages i, ¹, opposite one another, and the end of a small
gas pipe is introduced into the passage k, so that air will be drawn in and mixed
with the gas and burn in the chambers i; Figure 5 shows the cam for producing
curvilinear or sinuous designs. The cam T is fixed on the shaft K, and engages
with a stud t fixed to the bearing of the shaft or other fixed point, so that by the
rotation of the cam with the shaft, a longitudinal to and fro motion is imparted to

page_text: the latter in its bearings, whereby the roller die is moved over the work from side
to side.
Instead of the roller and shaft being movable, the work might be moved by
coupling together the two guides S, S¹, and causing them to oscillate about a
vertical axis, as shown in plan in Figure 6, by the cam T on the roller shaft
actuating a pair of levers V, VI, pivoted at W, and connected at their other ends
to the guide, the levers engaging with opposite sides of the cam, whereby motion
is imparted to the levers in opposite directions.
I have described the machine as having one roller die, but the whole arrange-
ment may be duplicated at the opposite side of the machine, as shown in Figures 1
and 2, thereby enabling twice the quantity of work to be turned out. I do not
limit myself to the form of roller die shown, but different forms variously engraved
may be used, according to the profile of the work and the design to be produced.
Circular work should be prepared for the machine by being turned in the lathe,
and straight work by passing it through a moulding machine.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The machine for ornamenting wood and other materials constructed, arranged,
and operating substantially as described and shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, of the
Drawings.
2nd. In a machine for ornamenting wood and other materials by means of a
heated roller die, the combination of the rotary table with the roller die mounted
upon a shaft radial to the axis of the table, substantially as and for the purpose
shown and described.
3rd. In a machine for ornamenting wood and other materials by means of a
heated roller die, the combination of the rotary table, the roller die mounted upon
a radial shaft and adjustable fixed guides for the work, substantially as shown and
described.
4th. In a machine for ornamenting wood and other materials by means of a
heated roller die, the combination of the rotary table, the roller die mounted on a
radial shaft movable longitudinally in its bearings, and a cam upon said shaft
engaging with a fixed stud, substantially as shown and described, whereby a lateral
to and fro movement of translation is imparted to the rotating roller die, for the
purpose specified.
5th. In a machine for ornamenting wood and other materials by means of a
heated roller die, the combination of the rotary table, the roller die mounted on a
radial shaft, and the guides for the work arranged to be oscillated about a centre
by means of a cam and levers, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6th. The construction of the roller die and its shaft with passages and apertures,
substantially as described and shown in Figure 4, for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Abraham Martin, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one
Witness,
A. M: CLARK,
Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane.
A. MARTIN. (L.S.)