IMPROVEMENTS IN SAWING WOOD
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Mathew Barker, Engineer, of 22,
Portsmouth Place, Kennington Lane, in the County of Surrey.
for the Luvention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAWING WOOD."
Sealed the 12th January 1858, and dated the 11th October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Mathew
Barker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 11th October 1852.
I, CHARLES MATHEW BARKER, of 22, Portsmouth Place, Kennington
Lane, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAWING WOOD" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in saw mills, such as
are used for sawing timber chiefly applicable for ship building; and the
improvements consist of combining certain mechanical parts into a
machine for cutting in bevilled, curved, and tapering directions. The
saw frame is mounted on an axis, about which it vibrates to get the
desired inclination of cut, in place of causing the timber to move on
axes, the saw frame being caused to incline by the workman during
the working. The wood to be cut is fixed on a radiating bar or frame,

page_text: which moves horizontally, so as to bring the wood straight or at an
angle to the saw or saws so as to obtain curved cutting, and one of the
saws is moved to & fro on its frame by a screw at either end of
the saw, which screws are put simultaneously in action by the workmen
by a shaft and bevil wheels, thereby obtaining tapering cuts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Mathew Barker in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 11th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES MATHEW BARKER, Engineer, of 22, Portsmouth Place, Ken-
nington Lane, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Mathew Barker, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Mathew Barker, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Mathew Barker,
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 SAWING WOOD," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Mathew Barker, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Mathew Barker, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention has for its object improvements in saw mills, such
as are used for sawing timber chiefly applicable for ship building; and
the improvements consist of combining certain mechanical parts into a
machine for cutting in bevilled, curved, and tapering directions. The
saw frame is mounted on an axis, about which it vibrates to get the
desired inclination of cut, in the place of causing the timber to move
on axes, the saw frame being caused to incline by the workman during
the working. The wood to be cut is fixed on a radiating bar or frame,
which moves horizontally, so as to bring the wood straight or at angle
to the saw or saws so as to obtain curved cutting; and one of the saws
is moved to and fro in its frame by a screw at either end of the saw,
which screws are put simultaneously in action by the workman by a
shaft and bevil wheels, thereby obtaining tapering cuts.
The improvements in sawing consist of those for general and cur-
vilinear purposes, according as represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, of
the Drawings; but if for general or deal sawing purposes, then the
bevil, curve, and taper is not required, but a similar description of frame
is used, dispensing with such mechanical arrangements as are herein
described for curvilinear purposes, and I prefer the arrangements for
such separate purposes as I shall hereafter describe, but both or either
will effect such work by the removal or addition of the parts just
alluded to, the only apparent difference for the distinct purposes being
whether I use guide bars or surface slides in the manufacture of the

page_text: hanging crank pin, whereby motion is communicated to the saws; E
cross heads to saw frame, carrying F, saws, and G, buckles saddling
the cross heads, the working gear to which is drawn upon the wrong
side or face of the cross heads to shew their purpose; they should be
inside the frame with the teeth of the saws. The largest buckle G
has a slide, to allow the keying of the saw, and for the purpose of
allowing a lateral motion to be given to the saw contained in that
buckle for taper sawing, one saw being stationary at all times, the
other is capable of motion by the following means:-H, is a worm shaft
passing through (G') the buckle; I, is a worm wheel fixed upon the
worm shaft H; J, is an upright shaft with a keyway cut therein the
length of the stroke, and with a thread cut upon each end, and in gear
with worn wheel I; K, is a pair of bevil wheels; through K, with a
feather, the upright shaft J, works with a keyway in it, and these wheels
are fitted into a bracket L. Now motion being communicated to the
handle M, it will impart (through the above-mentioned arrangement)
a lateral motion to the buckle G', and thus effect the requisite taper
sawing. N, is a press roller, with a V cut upon it, the use of which will
be described in Figure 2, and adjusting screws and nuts; O, are standards
thereto; P, is wood to be cut; R, is a bearing roller; S, the centre
pin to radiating bar T, as shown in Figures 2, and 3; U, the ratchet
wheel and feed shaft, with a V pulley fixed thereon, over which a wire
feed rope passes with two turns, described in Figure 2; V, is a pulley,
having a groove, with a second and independent wire rope passing
thereon, and connected to the radiating bar and to the hand wheel V',
upon the upright shaft for the purpose of obtaining curved sawing, to
be further described; W, is a stretch or tightening rod; W₁, a
strengthening stay; X, is a foot lever to throw the ratchet clutch
or paul out of or in gear. The dotted lines show the end projecting
beneath the clutch upon the ratchet wheel Figure 2, side elevation.
A, is the bolding frame and tilting centre in plummer blocks, to which
motion is given by a worm wheel a, fixed upon the shaft A, and in gear
with the screw shaft b, in plummer block on standards, with a hand
wheel by which motion can be communicated to the shaft or tilting
centre, and thereby to the saws, to any inclination for bevil sawing; C,

page_text: is the centre lug; D, connecting rod and over-hanging centre pin; E,
cross heads; F, saw; G, buckles, saddling the cross heads connected
with shaft for lateral motion, as described; I, worm wheel to saw
shaft J; N, press roller with a V edge and adjusting screw with nuts;
P, wood dotted in; R, bearing rollers. Now, if between these two
parts N, and R, a stick of timber to be sawn is placed in front of the
saw, and its other extremity held by the holding dog, as indicated by
dotted lines, and a lateral motion given to the radiating bar T, as will
be understood by reference to the plan Figure 3, and motion to the rope
V, which is wound and unwound according to the requirements (of the
curve) upon the drum V', Figure 2, in a similar manner to the barrel
of a steering wheel, then the edge upon N, the press roller, keeps the
timber central to the saw upon the bearing roller, and thus according
to such radiation of the bar (by motion of the wire rope) whereon the
wood is fixed, and thus a curve will be effected. Now these purposes
may be used conjointly or separately, viz, the tilting, tapering, and
curving sawing. U, the ratchet wheel and feed shaft, and Z, are pulleys
fixed in the radiating bar. The arrows indicate the direction in which
the endless feed wire rope works (see plan, Figure 3), so that there is
no necessity for working back the rack as in ordinary frames, and the
holding dog sliding carriage (to be described), which has a screw hook,
No. 3, and fixed to bite the rope at any part of its length of the pro-
gressive feeding side of that rope, and when relieved to commence fresh
work it has only to be pushed back to any required distance that will
enable the holding dogs to bite upon the end of the timber. T, the
radiating bar, has several frictional rollers placed upon it, and work upon
tramways, shown in plan, Figure 3; it has also a surface plate with V
edges, upon which the dog carriage is held, and it has also a horizontal
sheave, which is made adjustable to tighten the feed rope by bolts and
nuts, shown in Figure 3, No. 4. C, the holding dogs, have a centre at
No. 1, and also a centre at No. 2. Now the uses of these centres are,
to enable the dogs to expand their distance, and to grip any sized tim-
ber that may be placed between them, for the two arms of the dogs at
centres No. 1, open to receive the wood, and have set screws with
points or surfaces, with points to bite, and centres No. 2, adjust them-

page_text: selves to the size of the wood. The carriage plate centres for dogs and
feed holding nut and bolt, also shewn in plan, Figure 3, N°. 3. U, is
the ratchet feed wheel and shaft, with an eccentric rod, paul, and
adjusting lever, as well known in ordinary frames; V, is the wire rope,
wound and unwound upon V', to effect the enrving by drawing over
the radiating bar to either side of the mill; N°. 5, is an adjusting bar
and pin through the arms of the dogs; Z, are the frictional sheaves to
the feed rope. Figure 3, plan of radiating bar: S, is the centre pin to
the radiating bar; T, the radiating bar to the trams and bearing
rollers; d, is the transverse piece to steady the radiating bar and
for attaching V, the wire rope, to give the curve, as already described;
U, shows how the endless feed rope works upon the radiating bar, and
its arrangement; the arrows indicate its working direction; Z, the fric-
tion sheaves to feed rope and set in the radiating bar T. Figure 4,
elevation, a supporting carriage with a holding screw similar to a cas-
tor, and fastened upon the end of the timber when passed through the
sawing frame to support its weight while being cut. Figure 5, front
elevation, an improved frame for general or deal sawing: A, is the
standard to frame; B, is the swinging frame or saw gate; C, are the
cross heads carrying the saws, buckles, and keys D; E, the fence; F,
the press rollers and levers for weights and supporting standards, and
also to the bearing rollers G; H, the connecting rod to frame from the
crank pin I, and driving pullies I; K, are the V slide pieces cast upon
the frame, into which the brasses fixed to the saw gate work (to be
described); L, the set screws for space pieces. Figure 6, side elevation:
A, is a standard to frame; B, swinging frame or gate; C, cross heads;
D, the saw E, the fence, is not here shown, as it would hide the roller
and lever F; G, the bearing rollers; H, connecting rod, see Figure 5;
K, V slide pieces upon the standard; L, set screws; M, feed rod con-
nected to the connecting rod pin, and then to the bell crank lever N;
O, paul to work the ratchet wheel S; R, the endless feed rope passing
twice round the pulley P, upon the ratchet wheel shaft, and thence to
the ends of the bearing bench or table, and worked as arrows indicate;
V, is a hook, screw bolt, and nut, by tightening which any part of the
feed rope may be held by the plate and holding dog T, thereby causing

page_text: the wood to be fed to the saws, and by releasing V, may be passed back
for fresh work without further trouble; X, is a set screw or dog with
lever handle. Now, by these arrangements it will be seen, that under-
ground foundations are dispensed with, and the cost of the manufacture
much reduced. Figure 7, section of V slide and brasses, with bolts, is
a sectional plan of the standard A, in Figure 5, and 6; A, is the
standard with V edges, the crossed sectional piece within the V's is the
slide brass, with countersunk head bolts through it, and also through
another crossed sectional slide brass W, seen in Figure 6, which is
fitted upon C, the cross head; now between these two brasses there is
a space or draught by which the brasses are tightened upon the face of
the standard or V pieces K, in Figure 6, and also upon the V's, the
countersunk head bolts, therefore, pass through the two brasses, cross
heads, and saw gate or frame, and by the nuts Z, hold all those parts
together for working order.
The frames being thus described, their several parts being old, but
their combinations new, I claim the method of radiating the timber to
cut curves by the radiating bar, also the method of tilting the frame,
and conjointly with lateral motion of the buckles.
And I also claim the combination of mechanical parts as herein
described for the general or deal sawing purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Mathew Barker, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
Witness,
ROBERT TAPLIN.
CHARLES MATHEW BARKER. (L.S.)