Improvements in Mortising or Routing Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mortising or Routing Machines.
I, ALFRED SLATER of Horton Lawn, Gloucester in the County of Gloucester,
Manager to the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Limited do
hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a machine for cutting several mortises or routings more
especially applicable for operating on timber.
In a machine constructed according to my invention there are three parallel
tables, upon one of which tables the timber or material to be operated upon is
fixed, upon the next table are sliding headstocks for holding the cutting tool or
cutting tools and upon the third table are the adjustable heads for carrying the
driving spindles which are connected to the tool sockets by universal joint rods.
Above or below the third table is the drum for driving the several spindles.
The sliding headstocks are operated by a friction bar or by friction bars or other
suitable apparatus travelling to and fro, and suitable stops are provided for checking
the movement of each headstock, which stops can be adjusted so that each head-
stock may travel the required distance, which may be more or less than its
neighbour.
The cutting tool in each headstock can be adjusted vertically so that the mortises
or routings need not be in the same line whilst there is also an independent guide
attached to each headstock so that any mortise may be horizontal or at an angle or
curved.
If there be more than one cutting tool in a headstock the said tools may either
be in line or one above the other.
Dated the 27th day of August. 1894
Improvements in Mortising or Routing Machines.
I ALFRED SLATER of Horton Lawn, Gloucester, in the County of Gloucester,
Manager to the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Limited, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention consists of a machine for cutting simultaneously several mortises
or routings more especially applicable for operating on timber.
In a machine constructed according to my invention there is provided a main
frame or base carrying tables or supports for the timber or material to be operated
upon other tables or supports for headstocks holding the cutting tool.
1. or cutting
tools and other tables or supports carrying the driving spindles which are connected
to the tool holders by universal joint rods. The several tables or supports are
adjustable on the main frame-or base so that the tools may be caused to operate on
any part of the material,

page_text: The sliding headstocks may be operated by any suitable apparatus for instance
by a friction bar or friction bars travelling to and fro, suitable adjustable stops
being provided for checking the movement of each headstock so that the head-
stocks may all be caused to travel to the same distance, or each to a different
distance to the others if required.
The cutting tool in each headstock can be adjusted vertically so that all the
mortises or routings need not be in the same line whilst there may also be an
independent guide attached to each headstock so that any mortise may be horizontal
or at an angle or curved.
If there be more than one cutting tool in a headstock the said tools may
either be in line or one above the other or at an angle the one to the other.
In order that my invention may be well understood I will further describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 of which is a
longitudinal vertical section, Figure 2 a transverse. section, and Figure 3 a plan of
a mortising or routing machine constructed according to my invention. .
A is the main frame or base of the machine in the top of which is a groove in which
is fitted to slide longitudinally boxes E carrying headstocks B in which the cutting
tools F are mounted. In one side of the frame or base A longitudinal undercut
grooves a are provided for the reception of bolt by means of which standards or
brackets A may be fixed in any position longitudinally on the frame or base A.
These brackets are each provided with a table a² on which the timber or other
material to be mortised is secured by screw clamps a³. The screw clamps on the
several brackets are operated simultaneously by means of a hand wheel c on a
feathered shaft d supported in the brackets A on which shaft are worms e
gearing with worm wheels e² on the screws of the several clamps so that by turning
the shaft d the whole of the screw clamps a³ will be simultaneously operated
through the worm gears ee² so as to clamp or release the timber or other material
placed on the tables a according to the direction in which the shaft d is turned.
On the opposite side of the main frame or base A are adjustable standards or
brackets G fixed by means of undercut grooves a and bolts in the same manner as
the brackets A*. In bearing on the upper ends of these brackets G are mounted
shafts carrying driving pulleys H round which pass driving straps from any suitable
power driven shaft. The shafts carrying the pulleys H are connected by universal
joints and connecting rods p. to the spindles which carry the cutting tools F in
the headstocks B. The connecting rods p each cousist of two parts fitted to slide
one within the other so as to admit of the vertical adjustment of the cutters and
the horizontal traverse of the headstock without disconnecting the driving
mechanism. The headstocks are each provided with an adjusting screw and hand
wheel by means of which the height of the cutting tools may be adjusted as
required according to the position of the mortices to be cut. The forward feed of
the cutters into the material to the required depth is effected by means of screws k
working in nuts in the base of the headstocks so as to traverse the said head-
stocks in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the base A the
screws being operated by bevel gear h and a feathered shaft or spindle turned by
means of a hand wheel g. The movement of the headstocks in a longitudinal
direction in the frame or base A is effected by means of a crank disc C operating
a bar D which passes between friction rollers 2 mounted in bearings in the boxes L
carrying the headstocks B the said rollers being caused to press on opposite sides of
the bar:D by springs m compressed more or less as required by means of nuts n.
On the top of the frame or base A are arranged stops for checking the
longitudinal movement of the headstocks on the said base. The position of these
stops may be adjusted as required so as to restrict the extent of longitudinal move-
ment of the beadstocks according to the length of the mortice or routing to be
cut. These-stops may be provided with rubber or other suitable buffers as shewn
ats to prevent vibration by concussion of the headstocks. The several cutting
tools in the headstocks may be of different sizes and can be individually adjusted
to different heights so that the mortices or routings cut by the several cutters need

page_text: not be in the same line and each headstock may be provided with independent
guides so as to enable mortices to be cut either in a horizontal an angular or in a
curved direction.
The timber or material to be mortised or routed being placed on the tables a²
securely clamped in position by turning the handwheel c so as to cause the clamping
screws a³ to press on the timber. The crank disc C is then rotated thereby giving
a reciprocating motion to the bar D the friction of which with the rollers lis
sufficient to traverse the headstocks to a distance for the longest mortice required
to be cut whilst by adjusting the stops the movement of the headstocks may be
restricted so as to cut mortices of shorter length the bar D when the movement of
the headstock is arrested, passing then between the rollers the said rollers then
rotating in their hearings. The revolving cutters being also set in motion are fed
forward into timber as the cutting proceeds by turning the hand wheel g suitable
stops being provided to regulate the depth of mortice to be cut.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that by this machine several
mortices or routings may be simultaneously cut in any desired position or direction
and of any desired length breadth and depth in a rapid and efficient manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a morticing or routing machine the combination of two or more head-
stocks carrying cutting tools, the tool holders being each connected by universal
joints and an extensible connecting rod to the end of a spindle carrying a driving
pulley by which rotation is given to the cutting tool substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. In a morticing or routing machine the combination with two or more head-
stocks carrying cutting tools and means for rotating the cutters of means for
operating on the cutter holders for simultaneously feeding the cutters forward into
the work to the required depth substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In a morticing or routing machine the combination of two or more head-
stocks carrying cutting tools the said headstocks being fitted to slide transversely
on boxes fitted to slide longitudinally on the frame or base of the machine, the
said boxes being provided with friction rollers engaging a bar to which reciprocating
motion is given and by which longitudinal movement is given to the headstocks
substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The combination with the subject matter of the last preceding claim of
adjustable stops on the frame or base of the machine for limiting the extent of
longitudinal movement of the headstocks substantially as herein before described.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the machine for
simultaneously cutting two or more mortices of the same or of different lengths
widths and depths substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of May 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.