IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN CUTTING SPLINTS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE 'BUNDLING' OF FIRE- WOOD
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Pace and James Henry Howard, both of Bow
Common, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN CUTTING SPLINTS, PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE 'BUNDLING' OF FIRE-
WOOD."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION filed by the said Edmund Pace and James
Henry Howard at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th
February 1881.
EDMUND PACE and JAMES HENRY HOWARD, both of Bow Common, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN CUTTING SPLINTS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE
TO THE 'BUNDLING' OF FIRE-WOOD."
The Invention has for its object improvements applicable to machinery or
apparatus employed in cutting splints, parts of which improvements are also
applicable to the "bundling of fire-wood, and relates to that description of
machinery or apparatus for which Letters Patent were granted to us, dated April
29, 1872, No. 1285. The Invention relates, firstly, to improved apparatus for
feeding the wood to the cutters.
For this purpose we mount in suitable bearings a rotating shaft or axis capable
of moving endwise within certain limits in its bearings. This shaft or axis has
formed or fixed thereon a worm or screw which takes into worm wheels mounted
each on the lower end of the axis of one of a pair of feed wheels. These feed
wheels are mounted one on each side of the outer part of the feed trough. The
feed wheels and their axes and worm wheels are carried by a sliding table acted
upon by a spring or springs to press it, and consequently the wood, forwards
towards the cutters.
One side of this part of the feed trough and its feed wheel are carried by a cross
slide mounted on said sliding table, which is acted upon in one direction by a

page_text: spring, and is capable of being acted upon in the contrary direction by means of a
screw working against a spring to enable said wheel to be pressed closely against
the wood, and to be removed therefrom when required. That end of the feed
trough which is near the cutters is provided at each side with one or more fixed
knives placed horizontally, so that their edges enter the sides of the wood and
prevent its rising, whilst one side of the trough at such part is capable of being
moved sideways when required to liberate the wood. By these means, although
the feed wheels are continuously at work, they do not feed the wood forwards at
the time when the cutters are in the wood, but are caused by their rotation to
retreat a slight distance at such times, after which they, and consequently the wood,
are pressed forward by the spring or springs.
The Invention relates, secondly, to means whereby the splints are collected from
the vibrating delivery trough and formed into bundles of a given size, and the
tying up thereof is facilitated.
For this purpose we mount on the framing of the machine close to the delivery
end of the said trough a fixed mouth piece provided on the lower part of the front
part thereof with a pair of rollers, over which pass two straps or bands which are
fixed at one end to the upper part of the mouth piece, and at the other to a
treadle; the said mouth piece is also provided with guides to receive a grooved
wedge piece. The splints are worked forward by the action of the machine into
the straps or bands, the grooved wedge piece being at such time removed from the
machine; then when the straps or bands are nearly filled. the attendant by the aid
of the grooved wedge piece forces a few more splints forward so as to completely
fill the straps or bands, after which he forces the said wedge piece down in its
guides with the grooves thereof towards the bundle, then by aid of the treadle
he tightens the straps or bands around the bundle so as to compress the latter,
during or after which he passes a wire down, the groove of the wedge piece draws
it around the bundle, and at the required time twists the ends thereof firmly
together, after which the bundle can be removed from the machine by releasing
the treadle. A suitable face piece is provided; against which the ends of the
splints can be pressed in order to make the ends thereof even.
The straps or bands are provided with knots and a gauge piece or other suitable
means to regulate the size of the bundle, said gauge piece being drawn up against
the underside of the mouth piece by the action of the splints when forming the
bundle.
This method of "bundling" may also be employed in the "bundling" of fire-wood,
the latter being fed to the mouthpiece by means of a vibrating trough, as with the
splints, or by means of a travelling belt or band forming the bottom of the feeding
trough and preferably inclined.