IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WOOD TO ANY REQUIRED SHAPE, PATTERN, OR DESIGN."
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ellis, of South Lambeth, in the County
"
of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WOOD TO ANY
REQUIRED SHAPE, PATTERN, OR DESIGN."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ellis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th May 1872.
I, WILLIAM ELLIS, of South Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “Im-
PROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WOOD
TO ANY REQUIRED SHAPE, PATTERN, OR DESIGN," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists essentially of certain improvements in or
chiefly applicable to the machinery or apparatus described in the
Specification of certain Letters Patent. granted to me bearing date the
8th day of October, A.D. 1870, No. 2671, for "Improvements in or
Applicable to Machinery or Apparatus for Cutting Wood to any required
Pattern or Design," whereby I am enabled to produce a machine for

page_text: cutting wood which is much more regular and efficient in its action and
mode of operation.
These improvements consist chiefly of a self-acting motion for lifting
the block of wood to its proper position (to be acted upon by the series
of knives and "sections," and so that the centres can be readily and
accurately run in), whereby the manual labor heretofore used for such
purpose is dispensed with.
Also of a self-centreing motion by which (when the block is lifted
into position by such means) the centres are readily and accurately run
in, and the manual arrangement for such purpose as hitherto used is
superseded.
Also of a self-acting motion by which the heel and toe of the cutting
edge of the veneer knife are constantly kept at an uniform angle to
the circumference of the block being operated upon thereby, so that as
the block is being constantly reduced in diameter by the action of the
" veneer "knife upon it that part of the cutting edge of the knife
between the toe and heel thereof are caused to keep the same angle
with the continually decreasing circumference, so that when cutting
near the centre of the block the wood is not shattered, but is severed
therefrom in a continuous and even sheet.
Also of self-acting arrangement for sharpening the inner edge of the
veneer knife, by which the removal of the knife from the machine
for such purpose is rendered unnecessary.
Also in the provision of certain means for preventing any hard pieces
of wood or any foreign obstruction choking between the veneer knife
and the guage bar, whereby they are allowed to pass, and not stop or
injure the machine.
And in the addition of lath receivers for receiving and entirely
separating the laths immediately after they are cut, and of means for
carrying them away to where they are tied up in bundles.
The following is a general description of the modes or manners in
which I carry the said improvements respectively into practical effect.
For lifting the wood into position I first remove the lower shaft carry-
ing the transverse dividers (or it may be a roller) from its slide blocks,
and place therein cup-shaped or hollowed receptacles or elevators on to
which the block is easily rolled. I then cause the ascent of these recep-
tacles or clevators together with the block of wood resting thereon by

page_text: the same means as those described in the Specification of the above-
mentioned Patent for causing the ascent of the said shaft when carrying
the knives and acting on the wood, but instead of actuating these means
from the front shaft of the machine I disconnect the latter, and actuate
them from an independent shaft placed in the front of the machine, and
operated by a belt and pulley, and after it is thus lifted I run the centres
in as hereafter described, and so fix the block of wood, and then reverse
the motion and cause the descent of the hollowed receptacles, and
remove them from the blocks, and replace the shaft carrying the trans-
verse knives or the roller. The centres are then run in by the following
means. I make the bearings at each end of the machine very solid and
compact so as to be capable of withstanding with case a considerable
lateral thrust, and I also make the worms by which both of the centres
were previously run in, say, of about twice the strength, and I remove
the manual or hand wheel at one end of the machine (by preference,
that one opposite the primary shaft end), and substitute therefor a
toothed wheel which gears into a long morticed or other pinion, which
slides along but rotates with an independent shaft, supported at one
end in the end bearing, and at the other end in a suitable bracket
bolted or otherwise secured to the foundation or. floor. Upon this shaft
I also place 3 pullies, the onter ones of which run loose, whilst the
middle one is keyed or otherwise suitably made fast thereto. Upon one
of the outer pullies works a straight band, and upon the other works a
cross band, both of which are driven from the same shaft, so that it
will be readily understood that the in or out motion of the twin shaft
placed at this end of the machine depends upon which of the bands is
placed upon the fast pulley; if the straight one is, the twin shaft is
caused to run in and fix the centres in the wood, and if the crossed band
is, the shaft is caused to run out, or vice versa, according to which way
may be most convenient. The twin shaft at the other end of the
machine and its centre are stationary, so that the wood by the above
operation is thrust thereon and centred at both ends at once. It is,
however, capable of being moved by its hand wheel in case a block of
short length should be placed in the machine so as to run the centre
up to position, after which the block is elevated as above described, and
then the other twin shaft and its centre is run in also as described, and
so both centres are fixed at once.
The arrangement by which I keep the heel and toe of the cutting
part of the "veneer" knife at an uniform angle to the circumference of

page_text: the block being reduced is as follows:-On the front shaft of the machine
I place two additional worms gearing into two additional worm wheels,
which by means of two other worms keyed or otherwise secured thereto,
and passing through swivel worm boxes placed in projecting brackets at
the under part of the knife holder cause the said under part to receive
a slightly faster motion than that part which receives the descending
motion as before, so that the knife constantly alters its position, and in
such a manner as to effect the object desired.
The improved arrangement for sharpening the inner edge of the
veneer knife is as follows:-Between the centres (which are fixed in
the inner ends of the twin shafts) when it is desired to sharpen the
veneer knife I fix a hollow slotted shaft carrying three pullies, two
loose and one shaft, and an oilstone with a female threaded boss, and
also provided with an inner worm rod, acted up by the straps in the
manner above described in respect to the centres, so that the oilstone is 1
caused to traverse backwards and forwards across the inner edge of the
knife, and so sharpen the same.
For preventing any hard pieces of wood or any foreign obstruction
choking between the guage bar and the veneer knife, I place at the rear
of the former two or more half-moon springs, so that it is enabled to 2
slightly give and allow any such obstruction to pass, and in addition I
provide two or more pressure rollers in the front of the guage bar
to diminish the friction on the wood, and to receive the pressure, and to
catch and entirely separate the laths immediately they come over the
veneer knife and holder I cause them to fall into two or more receivers 2
the contour of which they follow, and on turning round and over the
same are completely separated, when the fall on to an endless travelling
belt, and are carried away thereby to any place for securing them in
bundles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 30
filed by the said William Ellis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ELLIS, of South Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send
greeting.
3

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Ellis, Her special licence that
I, the said William Ellis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Ellis, 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 OR APPLICABLE TO
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WOOD TO ANY REQUIRED SHAPE, PATTERN,
OR DESIGN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Ellis, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately.
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Ellis, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by.
the following statement in writing, and on reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say.:-
This Invention consists essentially of certain improvements in or,
chiefly applicable to the machinery or apparatus described in the Speci-
fication of certain Letters Patent granted to me, bearing date the Eighth
day of October, A.D. 1870, No. 2671, for "Improvements in or appli-
cable to Machinery or Apparatus for Cutting Wood to any required
Pattern or Design," whereby I am enabled to produce a machine for
cutting wood which is much more regular and efficient in its action and
mode of operation.

page_text: the manual labor heretofore necessary for such purpose is dispensed
with.
2. Of a self-centreing motion by which (when the block has been
lifted into position by such means) the centres are readily and accurately
run in, and the manual arrangement for such purpose as hitherto used is
superseded.
3. Of a self-acting motion by which the heel and too of the cutting
edge of the " vencer "knife are constantly kept at an uniform angle to
the circumference of the block being operated upon thereby, so that
as the block is being constantly reduced in diameter by the action of
the " veneer" knife upon it, that part of the knife's cutting edge between
its toe and heel are caused to keep a constant angle with the continually
decreasing circumference, so that the wood is not shattered when being
cut near the centre of the block, but is severed therefrom in a continuous
, and even sheet.
4. Of a self-acting arrangement for sharpening the inner edge of the
veneer knife, by which the removal of the same from the machino for
such purpose is rendered unnecessary.
5. In the provision of certain means for preventing any hard pieces
of wood or any obstruction choking between the veneer knife and the
guage bar, whereby they are allowed to pass, and not stop or injure the
machine.
And 6. In the addition of lath receivers for receiving and entirely
separating the laths immediately after they are cut, and of means for
carrying them away to where they are tied up in bundles.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improve-
ments in or applicable to Machinery or Apparatus for Cutting Wood
to any required Shape, Pattern, or Design," I will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may
be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that the
same may be distinctly understood I have annexed hereunto one Sheet
of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with
figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof, that is to say :—
On the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 represents a front elevation
of the improved machine described in the above-mentioned Specifi-

page_text: cation and illustrated in the Drawings accompanying the same adapted
with the present improvements; and Figure 2, a transverse vertical
section thereof through about the line A, B, Figure 1, looking in the
direction of the arrow 1.
I would here remark that when necessary in the following description
to refer to the above-mentioned Specification and to the Drawings
accompanying the same, I employ the same letters and figures of
reference as therein used, but all improvements appertaining to the
present Invention I will characterize or distinguish by affixing a cross
(*) to the descriptive letter or figure of reference.
-T
1. In carrying the first motion into effect I remove the shaft Z with
its transverse dividers y from its slide blocks I, and place therein cup-
shaped receptacles or "elevators" y" into which when lowered the
block d.can be easily rolled, and then cause the ascent of the receptacles
and block by means of the bevil wheels 8" and 8" on shaft c and wheel 8³
and worm E on shaft D, and worm wheels F on vertical shafts G, the
upper part of each of which is formed with a worm H working in the
slides I, but instead of actuating these means from the front shaft 6 by
the bevil wheel 8³, as is done when causing the ascent of the said shaft Z
when carrying the knives y and acting on the wood, I disconnect the
wheels sand's by means of the clutch lever A* and actuate them from
an independent shaft 1* and bevil wheels s³* and *** placed in front of the
machine, and operated by a belt and pulley p", and after it is thus lifted
I run the centres in as hereafter described and so fix the block, and then
reverse the motion, cause the descent of the receptacles y*, and remove
them from the blocks I, and replace the shaft Z and disconnect the
wheels * and * by means of the clutch lever A**, and again connect
the wheels and s³, when the apparatus will be in readiness to com-
mence acting upon the block. Or the lever A" may be so constructed
as to actuate the two wheels 8" and 8", and as it connects the former
with the wheel & to disconnect the latter, and the wheels 8 and 8** and
vice versa, and so dispense with the necessity for the second lever A**.
The reversing motion of the pulley p* is obtained in a similar manner to
that described in the next paragraph.
2. In carrying the second motion into effect I make the bearings b*
at each end of the machine very solid and compact, so as to be capable
of withstanding with ease a considerable lateral thrust, and. also the

page_text: worms w* by which both centres were previously run in by hand, say,
of about twice the strength, and remove the manual or hand wheel at
one end of the machine (by proference at the one shown) and substitute
therefor a toothed wheel f* which gears into a pinion g* on an indepen-
dent shaft g*, supported by preference in brackets 6** bolted or other-
wise secured to the foundation or floor. Upon this shaft I also place
three pullies *, the outer ones of which run loose, whilst the middle
one is keyed thereto. Upon one of the outer pulleys works a straight
band, and upon the other a crossed band, the in or out motion of the
twin shaft e¹ depending upon which of the bands is placed upon the fast
pulley; if the straight one is, the shaft e' is caused to run in and fix
the centres d' in the wood, but if the crossed band is, the shaft is caused
to run out or vice versa according to which way may be most con-
venient. The twin shaft e at the driving end of the machine and its
centre are stationary, so that the block is thrust thereon and centred at:
both ends at once. It is however capable of being moved by its hand
wheel in case a block of short length should be placed in the machine so
as to run its centre up to position.
3. In carrying the third motion into effect I key on the front shaft /
two additional worms n* gearing into two additional worm wheels o*, :
which by means of two other worms p* keyed thereto, and passing
through swivel worm boxes p** in projecting brackets q* at the under
part of the knife holder q cause that part to receive a slightly faster
motion than the part which receives the descending motion from the
worms p as before, so that the knife constantly alters its position so
as to effect the object desired.
4. This arrangement is as follows, and is illustrated on a reduced scale
in Figure 3: Between the centres & (which are fixed in the inner
ends of the twin shafts e, e',) I fit a hollow slotted shaft * carrying
three pullies ** and an oilstone 8* with a female threaded boss ***, and
also provided with an inner worm rod c* acted upon by straps in the
manner above described in respect to the centreing motion, so that the
oilstone is caused to traverse backwards and forwards across and sharpen
the inner edge of the knife.
3
5. To effect this I place at the rear of the guage bar 2 two or more 3
springs 15* so that it is enabled to slightly give and allow any such
obstructions to pass, and in addition I provide two or more pressure
rollers 2* fitting in slots in the front of the guage bar to diminish the
friction on the wood and to receive the pressure.

page_text: Fourthly. The arrangement for snarpening the same.
Fifthly. The means for preventing obstruction between the knife and
guage bar.
And sixthly. The means for receiving, separating, and removing the
laths.
All, substantially as above described for the respective purposes set
forth and as illustrated on the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ellis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
W. A. ELLIS.
W. ELLIS. (L.S.)