IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR GIVING FORM TO WOOD
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Radford Mather, of Wellingborough, in
the County of Northampton, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR GIVING FORM
TO WOOD."
Scaled the 14th September 1869, and dated the 18th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Radford Mather
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th March 1869.
I, GEORGE RADFORD MATHER, of Wellingborough, in the County of
Northampton, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR GIVING FORM
TO WOOD," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to the use of stone, artificial stone, or other
For
gritty composition adapted to cut into wood and give form thereto.
this purpose the natural or artificial stone or composition is applied to a
Spindle, which is caused to revolve, and the form desired to be given to

page_text: the wood is produced as a counterpart on the edge or other surface of the
stone or composition. The wood to be cut, if in continuous length, as in
the case of mouldings, is conducted, aided by guides, to the surface of
the revolving stono or composition. If the articles in wood to be cut
are circular they are supported on spindles or centres carried by lever or
other arms or guides in series, and by bands, or otherwise caused to
revolve, and they are replaced in succession as the forms desired aro
obtained,
The Invention is particularly applicable to the giving of form to wood
for tool and other handles, and such like articles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filod by the said George Radford Mather in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
RADFORD MATHER, of Wellingborough, in the County of Northampton,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, tho said George Radford Mather, Her special licence
that I, the said George Radford Mather, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Radford Mather, 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, usc,
oxercise, and vend within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR GIVING FORM TO
WOOD," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Radford Mather, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under. my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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

page_text: 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 George Radford Mather, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention; and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The Invention relates to the use of stone, artificial stone, or other
gritty composition adapted to cut into wood and give form thereto. For
this purpose the natural or artificial stone or composition is fitted to a
spindle, which is caused to revolve, and the form desired to be given to
the wood is produced as a counterpart on the edge or other surface of the
stone or composition. The wood to be cut, if of continuous length, as
in the case of mouldings, is conducted by guides to the surface of the
revolving stone or composition. If the articles in wood to be cut arc
circular they are supported on spindles or centres carried by levers or
other arms or guides in series, and by bands, or otherwise caused to
revolve, and they are replaced in succession as the forms desired are
obtained.
The Invention is particularly applicable to the giving the requisito
form to wood for tool and other handles, and such like articles.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, I will now proceed to particularly describe and ascertain in what
manner the same is to be performed and carried out in practice,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings.
To clear the wood and other dust from the stone and prevent its
impeding the action of the machinery a blast of air, jet of water, or a
brush may be used. I prefer to use the jet of water, as it acts as a
lubricant.
Fig. 1, plan of an arrangement constructed in accordance with my
Invention for cutting or forming circular articles. The cutting stone or
composition shewn fitted to this apparatus is for cutting or forming tool
handles, but other stones may be substituted when necessary for forming
or moulding other articles, such, for instance, as chair and table legs.
Fig. 2, side view of same; Fig. 3, plan of bed plate; Fig. 4, plan of

page_text: hinged bray or beam upon which main vertical spindle is supported;
Fig. 5, side view of same; Fig. 6, view of main vertical shaft, showing
method of fixing stone; Fig. 7, view of fixed or moveable spindle
carrying radiating arms; Figs. 8, 9, and 10 respectively, plan section,
side view, and fixing rod (U) of lever T; Figs. 11 and 12, part side and
end views of machine constructed in accordance with my Invention for
cutting and forming lengths of moulding. When expensive compositions
are used for cutting or forming instead of forming a solid wheel of com-
position I fix the composition round the periphery of a wheel similar to
that shewn in Fig. 13. Before subjecting the wood to be cut or formed
to
my apparatus I prefer to roughly shape the same. To Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, the following letters of reference refer when the
part indicated by said letters of reference are shown in said Figures.
A, bed plate carrying columns B supporting top frame C; D, vertical
shaft on which the cutting or forming stone E is mounted; F, main
driving pulley fixed to vertical shaft D; G, friction wheel mounted on
shaft D, transmitting motion to the wood to be cut or formed through
the wheels H, I, and I', the strap J, and pulley K, fixed to spindle
which carries the driving centre M, between which and the centre N
the wood O to be cut or formed is mounted. The centres M and N are
carried by radiating arms P and P', which are fixed by set screws to a
tubular spindle Q concentric with the fixed spindle R. The radiating
arms P and P may be fixed to the spindle R, which may work in
suitable centres at each end. When it is desired to stop the motion of
the wood to be cut or formed the forked lever S radiating on the
spindle R is moved so as to throw the wheel II out of gearing with G.
The centre N is adjusted by the lever T, and fixed by the fixing rod (U)
with screw and nut. The wood to be cut or formed is brought up to the
stone as it is cut away by motion communicated to the radiating arms
P and P. To the tubular shaft Q to which the arms P and P' arc
fitted is also fitted another radiating arm V provided with a toothed
segment W acted upon by the following arrangement:-To the shaft D
is is attached a worm X gearing with a worm wheel Y, to which is con-
nected à cone or change pulley Z; a strap or band a communicates
motion from Z to another cone or change pulley b, on the spindle of
which is also fixed a worm c, which gears with a worm wheel & mounted
on a vertical shaft e, to the lower end of which vertical shaft (e) a

page_text: worm fis fixed gearing in a worm wheel g, on the same shaft with
which is fixed a worm 1, which gears in the toothed segment W, and so
transmits the desired movement to the work as it wears away. In order
to regulate the distance the work O is to be carried forward I provide
the segment with a stop i (acted upon by a spring j to prevent trembling),
which when carried forward is brought against a stop k fitted to * the
bracket carrying the worm and worm wheel g, or to any suitable part
of the machine. The amount of forward action of the arms I regulate
by a quadrant or segment (with set screws or otherwise), which passes
through a slot in the arm V. The stone E I mount on the vertical
shaft D as follows:-In each stone I fit a bush n and washer and
keys b; the stone may be removed from the machine to its place without
disturbing its centre; the top end of the bush is made conical to fit
into a conical groove in a collar p on the shaft D; to the lower side of
the stone I apply a conical washer q, which fits into the bush n, and is
secured by a key r, which when driven home holds the bush n and with
it the stone between the collar p and washer q. The bray or beam & is
hinged to one side of the machine, and is bolted at the opposite side, in
its centre it carries a cup t, into which the step end of the vertical
shaft D is placed and works. When it is desired to remove the stone
the bray or beam is unbolted and let down into a groove or cutting in
the base on which the machine is mounted, and stone being properly
supported the key is withdrawn, and the conical washer q removed,
and the stone let down into the pit provided for the purpose; a fresh
stone, or the same stone may be replaced by fitting it to the shaft D and
bolting up the bray or beam.
I prefer to use in the machine above described more than one arrange-.
ment as described for carrying and giving motion to the wood to be cut
or formed. In the machine as shewn I arrange six such arrangements
round the stone, although I can use more or less, and I connect all the
vertical shafts (e) with strap to and pulley x, so that by driving one,
as shown in the Drawing, it can communicate an even motion to
the rest.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
my Invention, and in what manner the same is to be nerformed,
I hereby declare that I claim, the Improvements in Means or
Apparatus for Cutting or Giving Form to Wood," herein-before

page_text: described, it being understood that I do not claim the details of
mechanism shown by the Drawings, except as combined and used
for the purposes herein described; and further, that I do not limit
myself to the use of the exact details herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Radford Mather, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
Witness,
JOHN CLAYSON.
GEORGE RADFORD MATHER. (L.S.)