CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND DIVIDING TIMBER
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Jex Loug, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND DIVIDING TIMBER."
HORO
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Jex Long at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1878.
JOHN JEX LONG, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING
AND DIVIDING TIMBER."
This Invention has reference to the machinery or apparatus for cutting or dividing
timber, for which Letters Patent, Number 134, were granted to the present applicant
as of the 19th day of January, A.D. 1871, and it consists of improvements thereupon,
whereby the said machinery or apparatus is both simplified in construction and
rendered more efficient in action.
In place of the arrangement described in the Specification filed in pursuance of
the above-mentioned Patent, for preventing the end of the block of wood being
operated upon from coming into contact with the horizontal knives (upon the slider
of the machine), which cut or divide the end of the block into a series of splints,
according to this present Invention, a plate is affixed to the cam or eccentric disc,
one end of the said plate being immediately at the back of the knife on the said
disc which severs from the block of wood the splints cut by the horizontal knives.
This plate is of such thickness, or its face is at such a distance from the cam or
eccentric disc, as that its said face is in advance of the vertical plane in which the
aforesaid horizontal knives are situated, and the said plate is of such size and shape
that during the rotation of the disc it keeps clear of the path of the said horizontal
knives, whilst also a portion of it is presented before the opening of the block-

page_text: feeding trough (at which the wood block is presented to the knives) at that
portion of the rotation of the eccentric disc, during which, after the knife on
the said disc has made its cut; the slider carrying the horizontal knives makes
its stroke towards the centre of the disc, preparatory to the said knives making
their next cut. Tho block of wood during this portion of the eccentric disc's
rotation bears upon the said plate, and is by it, kept clear of the slider and
its knives.
The said plate terminates at such a distance from the cutting edge of the
knife carried by the eccentric disc that, immediately before the slider carrying
the horizontal knives makes its return traverse for the said knives to cut the
next series of splints, the last portion or tail of the said plate has passed, by
the rotation of the disc from before the opening the block-feeding trough, and the
block of wood is pressed forward to the face of the slider, in position to be cut
into splints on the return traverse of the said slider carrying the horizontal knives.
A further improvement consists in an arrangement for driving the slider. For
this purpose in addition to the segment acted upon by the cam or eccentric, as
described in the aforesaid Specification, the said slider is according to this present
Invention also driven from its opposite side by a connecting rod, one end of which
is attached to a crank pin on the back of the aforesaid eccentric or cam disc, the
other end being connected to the tail of the slider. By this arrangement the slider
being driven from both sides has a much "sweeter" action.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Jex Long in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th Novom-
ber 1878.
"
JOHN JEX LONG, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain. CER-
TAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND DIVIDING
TIMBER."
My said Invention has reference to the machinery or apparatus for cutting or
dividing timber, for which Letters Patent, No. 134, were granted to me, the said
John Jex Long, as of the 19th day of January, A.D. 1871, and my said present
Invention consists of improvements upon the aforesaid machinery or apparatus,
whereby it is both simplified in construction and rendered more efficient in action.
According to my present Invention, in place of the arrangement described in the
Specification filed in pursuance of the above-mentioned Letters Patent for preventing
the end of the block of wood being operated upon from coming into contact (at the
back or every alternate stroke) with the horizontal knives (upon the slider of the
machine) which cut or divide the end of the block into a series of splints, the wood
is kept back clear of the knives by means of a plate or projecting surface formed on
or affixed to the cam or eccentric disc.
A further improvement consists in an arrangement for driving the slider. For
this purpose in addition to a segment acted upon by the cam or eccentric groove in
the disc B, as described in the aforesaid Specification, the said slider is according to
this present Invention, also driven from its opposite side.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or inanner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
Figure 1 represents an elevation of one side of a portion of a machine for dividing
timber, constructed essentially after the manner described in the Specification of
my before-mentioned Patent, but with my present improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the opposite side, and Figure 3 is a plan.
The main driving shaft of the machine is marked A; the disc (having theroon
the eccentric portion B') is marked B; and the slider carrying the horizontal knives
c is marked Ċ. The trough or guide for holding the wood d(omitted from Figure 1)
to be divided is marked D, the said wood being urged forward along the said
trough towards the disc B by meaus of weights or otherwise after the manner
described in my previous Specification herein-before referred to.
The plate or surface affixed to the eccentric B¹ according to my present Invention
is marked E, the said plate is fixed upon the said eccentric B', by bolts or other-
wise, as may be most convenient (or it may be a projecting surface formed upon the
said eccentric, or it may be formed in one with the knife). It is immediately
at the back of the knife b (as shewn more particularly at Figure 1) on the said
eccentric, which knife severs from the block of wood the splints cut by the
horizontal knives.
The said plate E is of such thickness, or its face is at such a distance from the
cam or eccentric portion B' of the disc B, as that its said face is in advance of the
vertical plane in which the edges of the horizontal knives c are situated, and the
said plate E is of such size and shape (that is to say, its outer edge is at such dis-
tances from the periphery of the eccentric portion B¹), that during the rotation of
the disc the said plate E keeps clear of the path of the said horizontal knives c,
whilst also a portion of it is presented before the opening of the block-feeding
trough D at that portion of the rotation of the eccentric disc, during which, after
the knife b has made its cut, the slider C makes its back stroke, that is to say, its
stroke towards the centre of the disc B, preparatory to the said knives c making

page_text: their next cut. This will be understood by reference to the dot and pick lines in
Figure 1, and to the plan, Figure 3, where the parts are represented in the positions
they assume when the slider C is approaching the end of its back stroke.
As the parts are drawn to a small scale in Figure 3, I have shewn certain of them
drawn to a larger scale in Figure 4. The block of wood d during this portion of 5
the eccentric disc's rotation bears upon the said plate E, and is by it kept clear of
the slider C and its knives c.
The said plate E terminates at such a distance from the cutting edge of the
knife b carried by the eccentric disc, that immediately before the slider C makes
its return traverse for the knives c to cut the next series of splints, the last portion 1
or tail e of the said plate has passed by the rotation of the disc B from before the
opening of the block-feeding trough D, and the block of wood d is pressed forward
to the face of the slider C in position to be cut into splints by the knives c on the
return traverse of the said slider.
In addition to the segment f (Figure 1) attached to the slider, and acted upon by 1
the cam groove in the disc B, to drive the said slider, as described in the Specifica-
tion of the herein-before mentioned Letters Patent, No. 134, A.D. 1871, the said
slider is, according to a further part of my present Invention, also driven from its
opposite side.
Figures 2 and 3 represent an arrangement for this purpose, the driving at the 2
said opposite side being effected by means of the connecting rod G attached at one
end to a crank pin g on the back of the disc B, the other end being connected to
the pin h on the slider C. By thus driving the said slider from both sides it has a
much "sweeter" action.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said 2
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
inc by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The improvement herein-before described in timber-cutting machines con- 3
sisting in the arrangement for keeping the block of timber being divided clear of
the horizontal knives during each alternate or back stroke of the slider carrying the
said knives, essentially as herein-before described, and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Second. The improvement in timber-cutting machines, consisting in the arrange- 3
ment for driving the slider (C) from both sides, essentially as herein-before
described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Jex Long, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JOHN TEY LONG (1.0)