IMPROVEMENTS IN WOOD-PLANING MACHINES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gracie, of Stanley Terrace, Lower Road,
Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS
IN WOOD-PLANING MACHINES."
Sealed the 13th July 1855, and dated the 13th March 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gracie at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th March
1855.
I, JOHN GRACIE, of Stanley Terrace, Lower Road, Rotherhithe, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WOOD-PLANING MACHINES" to be as follows:-
My improvements in wood-planing machines refer, in the first place, to the
arrangement of the cutting instruments, whereby the wood is planed and
smoothed; and, secondly, to the method of weighting the wood under opera-
tion, for the purpose of keeping it steady and up to its work. Two, three, or
more plain irons or cutting instruments are usually employed in wood-planing
machines; the one fixed in advance of the other, and set to different depths
for removing the rough surface and smoothing the board, but are all fixed at
one and the same angle to the surface, upon which they are operating.
Now, my improvements in this particular consists in disposing the different

page_text: tools or plane irons at different-inclines or angles to the surface to be operated
upon, each being particularly adapted to the kind of cut which the particular
tool is to take; the angle of the tool for removing the rough outside being
very different to that at which the smoothing tool or iron is placed, while tools
placed intermediate of those two are disposed at different angles, according to
the kind of cut they are intended to take.
The second part of my improvements consists in applying rollers or pressers,
separately weighted and independent of each other to keep the wood up to the
cutting tools while being planed, so as to produce a better and more uniform
bearing on each individual tool than is attained by the ordinary method of
weighting and working these rollers.
SPECIF TION in pursuance or
the Letters atent, nied
by the said John Gracie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
September 1855.:
3.-
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GRACIE, of Stanley Terrace, Lower Road, Rotherhithe, in the County of
Surrey, send greeting.
1
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Gracie, Her special licence that I, the said John Gracie,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Gracie, 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, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the. Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WOOD-PLANING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Gracie, by an instrument in writing under, my hand and seal, should
particularly 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 filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six. calendar months next and imime-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Gracie, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner, the same is to be performed,

page_text: to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked 'thereon (that is to say):-.
芹
My Invention of Improvements in Wood-Planing Machines has reference to
machines for planing boards; and in the first place, to the arrangement of the
cutting instruments, whereby the wood is planed and smoothed; and, secondly;
to the method of weighting the wood under operation, "for the purpose of
keeping it steady and to its work. Two, three, or more plane irons or cutting
instruments are usually employed in wood-planing machines; the one fixed in
advance of the other, and set to different depths-for removing the rough-sur-
face and smoothing the board, but are all fixed at one and the same anglesto
the surface upon which they are operating:
Now, my improvements in this particular consists in disposing the different
tools or plane irons at inclines or angles to the surface to be operated upon,
best adapted to the kind. of cut which each particular tool is to take. The
angle of the tool for removing the rough outside differs a little from that
at which the smoothing tool or iron is placed; while tools placed inter-
mediate of those two are disposed at different intermediate angles, according
to the kind of cut tliey are intended to take, bút all set at a much inore acute
angle than that heretofore used in planing machines.
The second part of my improvements consists in applying rollers or pressers
separately weighted and independent of each other, to keep the wood in proper
contact with the cutting tools while being planed, so as to produce a better
and more uniform bearing on each individual tool than is attained by the
ordinary method of weighting and working these rollers or pressers.
The Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed represents different views' of a
wood-planing machine, constructed according to my Invention, or so much
thereof as is necessary to illustrate my improvements.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2, a longitudinal'
section on the line 1, 1, Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a plan or bird's-eye view of the
machine, partly in section; Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 2, 2, Fig. 3;
and Fig. 5, a transverse vertical section on the lines 3, 3, Figs. 2 and 3;
while Fig. 6 represents the angles at which the planing irons or knives are
placed. This machine in its general arrangement is somewhat like the ordinary
machine, having a similar bed and actuated by similar means; the wood to be
planed being forced up by means of an endless chain, or by means of feeding
rollers, as is well understood.
or
.
:
With reference to the first part of my Invention, viz., the placing the knives
planing irons at the proper angle to obtain the best cutting edge.

page_text: In machines used heretofore the angle at which these instruments have
been placed is that of about forty-five degrees to the bed of the machine on
which the wood to be planed moves, whereas I place them at a more acute
angle, as I will presently describe by reference to Fig. 6. A, A, is the bed of
the machine, in which the knives or plane irons 4, 5, 6, are fitted, as seen in the
section Fig. 2. They are placed in a slanting position across the bed of the
machine, as seen at Fig. 3, which is the ordinary arrangement for keeping
the wood under operation up to the fencing G, G. The knives 4, 5, 6, are
represented on a scale of about full size in Fig. 6, and at the angles which I
have found to be best adapted for ensuring freedom of cut and smoothness of
finish to the board; and I may here remark, that in machines of this class
heretofore used the finish of the work has been such that except for rough
work the boards planed thereby required to be finished by hand labour, whereas
by means of my improved machine the finish of the board is quite equal, if
not superior, to hand planing. In Fig. 6, X, X, represents the line of the
bed-face of the machine, while the lines b, c, e, f, and h, i, represent the inclines
of the faces of the different knives or irons, b, c, being the knife in advance,
and that which is to operate first on the board to be planed. The angle of
this knife should be as near as possible to that of forty-one degrees, that is to
say, the angle contained by the lines a, b, b, c, should contain forty-one degrees;
the second knife e, f, should be rather more acute, and contain in the lines
d, e, e, f, about forty degrees of a circle, while the angle of the third knife h, i,
is still more acute, being placed at an incline of thirty-nine degrees, that is, the
angle contained by the lines g, h, h, i, is equal to thirty-nine degrees of a circle.
I find the best angle of the plane iron for planing wood in combination with
my improved pressers to be within these limits, or at most not exceeding one
degree, more or less, that is to say, more than forty-two degrees, or less than
thirty-eight degrees of a circle. The red line 7, 7, represents the angle of
forty-five degrees, and that at or near which it has been usual heretofore to
place the cutting knives or irons of planing machines for like purposes. The
knives of my improved machine are fixed and adjusted in the ordinary manner,
and furnished with backing irons m, m, as usual. When more than three
knives are employed, I place the first and last knives at angles corresponding
with the positions of the first and last in Fig. 6, and the others at angles
intermediate of those positions.
In reference to the second part of my Invention, I have found that a proper
action of the planing knives or irons depends in a great measure on the means.
of holding the board to the cutting instruments.
My improvements in this particular consist in the adaptation of rollers or

page_text: pressers, placed at different positions in the width of the board, weighted sepa-
rately and independently of each other.
B, B, B, B, are four pillars, and side frames B', B', erected from the bed of
the machine, which carry two cross beams C, C. These are fitted to the pillars
so as to slide up and down therein, and are sustained at suitable elevation by
screws n, n, by which they are readily elevated or depressed by means of the
handles p, p, on the top of screw shafts. D, D, D, are three carriages, which
control the position of the pressing rollers q, q, q, (one only of these carriages
is shown in the Figs. 1 and 2, but the whole three are seen distinctly in the
plan, Fig. 3. These carriages consist of plates of iron r, r, cut to the form
shown, and bolted to projecting pieces s, s, on the cross beams C, C. Three
pressing rollers are fitted to each carriage, that number being regulated
according to the number of knives in the bed, one roller being placed imme-
diately over or rather a little in advance of each knife. Three similar rollers
are distributed in the breadth of the board, all holding the same relative posi-
tion with respect to the edge of the knife. The one roller is placed midway
of the breadth of the board, while the others rest at or near the edges. The
pressing rollers q, q, q, are fitted on shafts t, t, t, which are free to rise and fall
in the slot bearings u, u, in side plates r, r. The shafts t, t, have each a pair
of slings or links v, v, fitted thereto, which connect them with the several bent
levers w, w, w. These levers w, w, w, move on fulcra y, y, fixed to the car-
riages D, D, with the weight of the lever w, and any weight placed thereon,
as at z, z, resting on the connecting links v, v, and thereby pressing on the
roller q, q; each lever with its weight being separate and independent of any
other. The board F, F, under operation has thus in its breadth three distinct
and independant acts of pressure taking effect upon it, each pressing roller
tending to keep that part at which it is placed in contact with the planing iron
or knife. A uniform resistance is thus offered to the cut of the planing iron or
knife throughout its entire breadth. I have represented three rollers in the
breadth of the wood, as allowing room for the driving chain to pass between,
which number I have found sufficient for boards of the ordinary breadth and
thickness. In case the boards are driven up by feeding rollers, and their
thickness requires it, I place a greater number of pressing rollers in the breadth
of the machine, arranged to act independently of each other, and in other
respects, as described with reference to those represented in the Drawing. The
levers w, w, are made of considerable length, and the weights z, z, fitted to
slide thereon, so as to give more or less leverage, and thereby exert greater or
less force on the pressing rollers q, q, as may be required to meet the rigidity
or resistance of the wood to be pressed down on the bed, and in contact with.

page_text: the cutting irons or knives. The weights., z, are fixed in their several pos
tions by the binding screws a, a. The wood by this means has a unifor
pressure to keep it to the cut of each planing iron or knife throughout th
whole extent of its breadth, which prevents chattering or other irregularitie
in the planing exhibited in work done. by ordinary machines, and with th
advantages resulting from the improved position of the knives, herein-befor
described, greatly enhances the quality of the work performed. It will b
seen that by reason of the lengthened slot or guide bearings u, u, the. pressing
rollers are each free to rise independently of one another, lifting with it it
lever wand weight, which thus give way to any inequality at that part o
the board passing under it without affecting any other, and at the same time
keeping the same amount of pressure exerted on the board. The carriages
D, D, D, do not participate in any rise and fall of the pressing rollers, bu
are simply raised and lowered, as before described, to adjust them to the thick
ness of the board, or to take their weight off the bed of the machine. The
screws nn, are fitted to the standards, and. held by. collars n', n', to prevent
their rising. .G, G, is the fencing, against which the edge of the boards are
pressed while being: planed, by reason of the inclined. position. of the knives
across the bed of the machine. This fence, together with the face of bed, are
plane surfaces for the wood to slide along, as is well understood. I further
add a pressing roller H, to guide and keep the board up against the fence G.
This roller is mounted on bar a I, placed across the bed of the machine, and
having a constant tendency to slide towards the fence G, by reason of a weight
K suspended by a cord to the bar I, which is free to slide in its bearings
10, 11. The guide roller bears against the opposite edge of the board, and
forces it over towards the fence G. A number of holes 12, 12, are bored in
bar I, in which a pin is placed to prevent the roller being carried too far across
in the event of the board being withdrawn, or a narrower one introduced.
The limit thus placed is such that on a wider board being again introduced,
the board will take on the roller in such position as to force it back, and allow
its action, to continue without intermission. The position of the pin will of
course depend on the general width of boards under operation. Instead of the
weights z,, springs may be used to act on the pressing rollers. The entering
rollers L, L, are for the purpose of forcing the end of the board down as it
first enters the machine, and for otherwise keeping the board steady as it a
passes through. These rollers L, L, are weighted by means of weights sus-
pended to the bearings of their axis M, and by rods or chains passing below
the bed of the machine, the weight being sufficient to overcome any resistance
the board may offer.

page_text: Having described the nature of my. Invention, and the manner in which
it is performed, I would have it understood that what I claim to be protected
as my Invention under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
arrangement and position of the cutting knives or plane irons, as described
with reference to and represented in Fig. 6 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings.
Secondly, I claim the exclusive use of two, three, or more pressers or
pressing rollers, placed in the breadth of the board, each acting separately
and independently of each other, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gracie, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.
W. CLARK.
JOHN GRACIE.
(L.S.)