IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHI- NERY FOR MORTICING, DRILLING, DOVETAILING, AND CUTTING WOOD, AND IN TOOLS TO BE USED FOR MORTICING
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Gerish, of No. 60, Shoe Lane, Holborn,
and John Weston, of No. 80, Whitecross Street, St. Luke's, both in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHI-
NERY FOR MORTICING, DRILLING, DOVETAILING, AND CUTTING WOOD, AND IN
TOOLS TO BE USED FOR MORTICING."
Sealed the 4th March 1864, and dated the 7th September 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Gerish and
John Weston at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 7th September 1863.
We, SAMUEL GERISH, of No. 60, Shoe Lane, Holborn, and JOHN WESTON,
of No. 80, Whitecross Street, St. Luke's, both in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR MORTICING, DRILLING, DOVETAILING, AND CUTTING WOOD, AND IN
TOOLS TO BE USED FOR MORTICING," to be as follows:-
In machinery used for morticing, dovetailing, and cutting wood as now
generally constructed, the cutting tool is carried by a bar having a to-and-
fro motion imparted to it; this bar, according to our Invention, we arrange
to move in. guides carried by an upright that projects above the table or
bed on which the work rests. The bar is connected to the top of the
upright by springs, so that it is constantly drawn upwards, the bar can
also be depressed by a treadle or by a crank when steam power is. em-

page_text: ployed. By carrying the bar in this way by a single upright projecting
above the table or bed upon which the work is supported the framing of
wood-cutting machines is much simplified. The dogs or holders that pre-
vant the work being lifted off the table are required to be arranged so
that they can be fixed at any distance above the bed or table to suit
different thicknesses of work. This we do by forming the dogs with long
stems that, pass down through holes in the bed or table; from this hole
saw cuts or slots are formed to the outer edge of the bed, and a screw is
passed horizontally through the bed and across the slot, so that by turning
the screw, the parts of the bed that are separated by the slot can be
drawn towards each other, and thus cause the bed to nip the stem of the
dog or holder. The bed is supported on the framing in such manner
that it can be moved to and from the bar that carries the cutting tool,
and these movements can be given to it by means of a screw, the posi-
tion of the work in respect to the tool can thus be adjusted so that the tool
shall act upon it as desired, and when the bed is brought to the required
position it can be clamped to the framing by a screw. The work is by
hand held up to the stems of the dogs carried by the bed, and after
each descent of the cutting tool the work is by hand moved forwards so as
to allow the tool at its next descent to act on a fresh portion of the work.
The machine niay however be arranged so that the work shall be by the
machine itself moved the requisite distance after each stroke of the tool.
The cutting tool we by preference hold in a clamp that can be raised or
lowered on the bar that has the up-and-down motion imparted to it to
suit different breadths of material being operated on. The clamp we
employ is composed as has before been proposed of a circular plate, the
back of which is connected to the bar, and on the face of the plate and
concentric with it is another plate beld up to the first plate, but capable
of turning around its centre. This plate has formed in it recesses to
receive the stems of tools, and the tools are held in the recesses by set
screws; by turning the plate on its centre, different tools can be brought
into the proper position for acting on the work, and can be retained there by a
catch on the moveable plate entering recesses in the plate that is connected
to the bar.
Now, according to our Invention, we form the recesses into 'which the
catch enters in the face or ends of pins that pass through the plate 'that
is connected to the 'bar, and on the back of each of the pins a knob or
handle is formed so that they can be turned on their axes; the recesses
are made eccentrically in the ends of the pins, and the pins are so

page_text: situated in the plate, that when the pin is turned in one position, and
the catch has entered the recess, the tool that is for the time to act on
the work may be vertical or in a line with the direction of the up and
down movement of the bar that carries it, but if the pin be turned half
round, and the catch then caused to enter the recess, the tool will be
inclined to the direction of the movement of the bar, the tool will then cut
at an angle to the face of the work, the bar having sufficient play in it to
admit of this. A recess formed in a pin in this manner is provided for
each of the tools held in the tool holder that is at any time required to
be set inclined as above described. We also form a recess in the circular
plate to receive a stem that at its end carries a socket for receiving drills
or boring bits, the socket is capable of being revolved, aud on the ex-
terior of the socket is a toothed wheel. When the plate is turned into
such a position that the tool held in the socket is in a position to act
on the work, this wheel comes into gear with a toothed wheel carried
by one of the arms which connect the stationary plate with the bar that
is moved up and down; the arm also carries gearing which transmits
motion to this wheel. This is by preference accomplished by placing on
the axis of the wheel a bevil wheel, into which another bevil wheel
gears, and on the axis of this second bevil wheel is a crank handle, by
turning which motion can be given to the socket for holding the drills or
boring bits.
. In constructing tools to be used for morticing we make them chisel
shaped, and form on each side of the chisel and projecting from the back
narrow ribs as has before been proposed, but according to our Invention
we make the ribs on each side of the chisel to project a short distance
beyond the edge of the chisel, and we form the ends of the ribs them-
selves into chisel cutters, the cutting edges of which are parallel with the
cutting edge of the chisel itself. By forming the tools in this way, the
portions of wood that are cut by the ribs at the sides of the chisel will not
become jammed between the ribs, as is the case with the cutters hitherto used,
the cutter in this case will only draw out with it in its return stroke the por-
tion of wood that is cut by the central portion of the chisel, and which is
received between the two ribs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said Samuel Gerish and John Weston in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th March 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
GERISH, of No. 60, Shoe Lane, Holborn, and JOHN WESTON, of No. 80,
Whitecross Street, St. Luke's, both in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, -did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unte
us, the said Samuel Gerish and John Weston, Her special licence that
we, the said Samuel Gerish and John Weston, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Samuel Gerish and
John Weston, our 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
MACHINERY FOR MORTICING, DRILLING, DOVETAILING, AND CUTTING WOOD, AND
IN TOOLS TO BE USED FOR MORTICING," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Samuel Gerish and John Weston, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said Samuel Gerish and John Weston,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed,. to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
In machinery used for morticing, dovetailing, and cutting wood as now
generally constructed, the cutting tool is carried by a bar having a to-and-fro
motion imparted to it; this bar, according to our Invention, we arrange to
move in guides carried by an upright that projects above the table or bed on
which the work rests. The bar is connected to the top of the upright by
springs so that it is constantly drawn upwards; the bar can also be depressed

page_text: by a treadle or by a crank, when steam power is employed, by carrying the
bar in this way by a single upright projecting above the table or bed upon
which the work is supported the framing of wood-cutting machines is much
simplified. The dogs or holders that prevent the work being lifted off the
table are required to be arranged so that they can be fixed at any distance
above the bed or table to suit different thicknesses of work; this we do by
forming the dogs with long stems that pass down through holes in the bed or
table; from this hole saw cuts or slots are formed to the outer edge of the
bed, and a screw is passed horizontally through the bed and across the slot, so
that by turning the screw, the parts of the bed that are separated by the slot
ean be drawn towards each other, and thus eause the bed to nip the stem of
the dog or holder. The bed is supported on the framing in such manner that
it can be moved to and from the bar that carries the cutting tool, and these
movements can be given to it by means of a screw; the position of the work
in respect to the tool can thus be adjusted so that the tool shall act upon it as
desired, and when the bed is brought to the required position it can be clamped
to the framing by a screw. The work is by hand held up to the stems of the
dogs carried by the bed, and after each descent of the cutting tool, the work
is by hand moved forwards so as to allow the tool at its next descent to
act on a fresh portion of the work; the machine may, however, be arranged
so that the work shall be by the machine itself moved the requisite distance
after each stroke of the tool. The cutting tool we by preference hold in a
clamp that can be raised or lowered on the bar that has the up-and-down
motion imparted to it to suit different breadths of material being operated
01. The clamp we employ is composed, as has before been proposed, of a
circular plate, the back of which is connected to the bar, and on the face of
the plate, and concentric with it, is another plate held up to the first plate;
but capable of turning around its centre. This plate has formed in it
recesses to receive the stems of tools, and the tools are held in the recesses by
set screws; by turning the plate on its centre different tools can be brought.
into the proper position for acting on the work, and can be retained there-by
a catch on the moveable plate entering recesses in the plate that is connected
to the bar.
Now, according to our Invention, we form the recesses into which the catcha
enters in the face or ends of pins that pass through the plate that is connected
to the bar, and on the back of each of the pins a knob or handle is formed, so-
that they can be turned on their axes. The recesses are made excentrically
in the ends of the pins, and the pins are so situated in the plate that when
the pin is turned in one position, and the catch has entered the recess, the

page_text: tool that is for the time to act on the work may be vertical, or in a line with
the direction of the up-and-down movement of the bar that carries it, but if
the pin be turned half round, and the catch then caused to enter the recess,
the tool will be inclined to the direction of the movement of the bar; the tool
will then cut at an angle to the face of the work, the bar having sufficient
play in it to admit of this. A recess formed in a pin in this manner is
provided for each of the tools held in the tool holder that is at any time
We also form a recess in the
required to be set inclined, as above described.
circular plate to receive a stem that at its end carries a socket for receiving
drills for boring bits; the socket is capable of being revolved, and on the
'exterior of the socket is a toothed wheel. When the plate is turned into such
a position that the tool held in the socket is in a position to act on the work,
this wheel comes into gear with a toothed wheel carried by one of the arms
which connects the stationary plate with the bar that is moved; the arm also
carries gearing which transmits motion to this wheel. This is, by preference,
accomplished by placing on the axis of the wheel a bevil wheel, into which
another bevil wheel gears, and on the axis of this second bevil wheel is a
crank handle, by turning which motion can be given to the socket for holding
the drills or boring bits.
In constructing tools to be used for morticing, we form them chisel shaped,
and form on each side of the chisel, and projecting from the back, narrow
ribs, as has before been proposed; but according to our Invention we make
the ribs on each side of the chisel to project a short distance beyond the edge
of the chisel, and we form the ends of the ribs themselves into chisel cutters,
the cutting edges of which are parallel with the cutting edge of the chisel
itself. By forming the tools in this way, the portions of wood that are cut by
the ribs at the sides of the chisel will not become jammed between the ribs, as
is the case with the cutters hitherto used; the cutter in this case will only
draw out with it in its return stroke the portion of wood that is cut by the
central portion of the chisel, and which is received between the two ribs.
But that the nature of our Invention may be more fully understood and
readily carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings
annexed.

page_text: at its upper end it is acted upon by the springs d; this bar a carries a clamp
e, in which are held the cutting tools f. The clamp e is capable of adjustment
upon the bar a as shewn to suit different breadths of material being operated
on. The clamp e is composed of a circular plate e', the back of which is
connected to the bar a on the face of the plate e', and concentric with it is a
plate, which is held up to the plate e¹ by the nut e³, but is capable of
turning around the centre e. In the plate e are formed two recesses to
receive the stems of the cutting tools f, which are held therein as shewn by
the set screws e³. By turning the plate e on its centre either of the tools f
may be brought into position for acting on the work as desired, and there held
by a spring catch or stop e entering a recess e in either of the studs or
pins eº.
It will be seen by reference to Figure 5 (which is a front view of the
plate e¹) that the holes or recesses e are not in the centre of the studs or
pins es, but are excentric thereto in such manner that when by means of one
of the handles e* the stud or pin is turned in one position, and the spring stop e
has entered it, the cutting tool f for the time being in operation is held in a
vertical position, or in a line with the direction of the up-and-down movement
of the bar a that carries it, but if either of the pins or studs e³ be turned into
the position shewn by the red lines in Figure 5, and the spring stop then
caused to enter the recess e', the cutting tool for the time being in operation
will be inclined to the direction of movement of the bar a, and will then cut
at an angle to the face of the work when that description of morticing termed
"wedging" will be produced.
..
What we claim in respect to this part of our Invention is the constructing
the tool holder in such manner that the tools may either be set parallel with
the bar a that carries them, or at an angle thereto as herein described. The
bar a is controlled in it's motion by passing through guides a', carried by a
single standard a³, and the carrying the guides in which the bar a works by a
single standard forms an important part of our Invention, as by this means
the framing of wood-cutting machines is much simplified. The bar a has
sufficient play in the lower guide to allow of the tool f working at an angle as
before described, but when the machine is being used for straight work this
play can be limited by a screw stop as shown in the Drawing. The dogs or
holders g which prevent the work being lifted off the bed or table h are
required to be capable of adjustment to suit different thicknesses of work, and
for this purpose are according to our Invention provided with long stems g³,
passing down through holes formed in the bed or table h, from these holes
saw cuts or slots h³, shewn by dotted lines in Figure 2, are formed to the outer
edge of the bed, and screws h³ are passed through the bed and across the slots

page_text: so that by turning the screws the parts of the bed or table separated by the
slots or saw cuts h³ will be drawn towards each other, and thus caused to nip
and securely hold the stems of the dogs or holders at any required beight.
The bed or table h is supported upon the framing of the machine in such
manner that it can be moved to and from the bar a by means of the screw h³
which is prevented moving in the direction of its length as shewn. The bed
or table h is firmly secured in the position desired by causing the fly nut h* to
hold the clamp he firmly against the framing.
What we claim in respect to this part of our Invention is the constructing
wood-cutting machines in such manner that the bed or table on which the
work rests can be moved towards or away from the bar a and can be clamped
in any desired position as above described. When working the machine the
work is held up to the stems of the dogs by hand, and after each descent of
the cutting tool the work is by hand moved forwards so as to allow the tool in
its next descent to act upon a fresh portion of the work, the machine may
however be arranged so as to move the work the requisite distance after each
stroke of the cutting tool, and although we have described the machine as
being operated by a treadle it will be readily understood that a crank, on the
axis of which is a drum operated by a strap or band from a steam engine or
other suitable power, might be employed. In the plate of the tool holder, or
clamp e, a recess i is formed in addition to the recesses for receiving the stems
of the cutting tools f; the recess i is for receiving a stem ; which at its end
carries a socket j¹ into which drills or boring bits may be fixed. On the exterior
of this socket j' is a toothed wheel j* which according to our Invention when
the plate is turned in such a position that the tool carried by the socket ¹ is
in a position for acting on the work comes into gear with a wheel ³ carried by
one of the arms e¹ connecting the plate e' with the bar a. The wheel j³ in the
arrangement shown in the Drawing has motion given to it by a bevilled
wheel j' on its axis gearing with a bevilled wheel ³, upon the axis of which is
a crank handle, by turning which motion is given to the socket for holding the
drills or boring bits, the wheel may however have motion imparted to it in
any other suitable manner.
Figures 6 and 7 shew two views of a morticing tool f constructed according
to our Invention, it will be seen that there are ribs f' projecting from the back
of the chisel and a short distance beyond its edge, and the ends of these ribs
are formed into chisel cutters parallel with the cutting edge f* of the chisel f
as shewn; by forming tools in this way the portion of wood cut by the ribs f!
will not become jammed between the ribs as is the case with the cutters
hitherto used, the cutter in this case will only draw out with it that portion of

page_text: wood which is cut by the edge f* and received between the ribs f¹. When
it is desired to employ the apparatus for dovetailing, a tool such as is shown at
Figures 8 is employed, but to the so forming a tool we lay no claim, the sides
of the dovetailing are cut by saws as is usual, and the wood is placed in
position for the cutting tool shewn at Figures 8 to act thereon and complete
the dovetailing.
In witness whereof, we, the said Samuel Gerish and John Weston,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventh day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-four
S. GERISH. (L.S.)
J. WESTON. (L.S.)
S. GERISH. (L.S.)
J. WESTON. (L.S.)