Improvements in Machines for Planing Metals and other substances.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Planing Metals and other
substances.
I GEORGE BENJAMIN TAYLOR of the firm of Charles Taylor of Nos. 43
and 44 Bartholomew Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick Machinists do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in constructing and arranging in the manner hereinafter
described the parts of planing machines whereby the planing of metals and other
substances is much facilitated the operation of the machines being to a large
extent continuous instead of intermittent as in the ordinary planing machine. The
grinding of the cutters employed is or may be effected automatically that is the
cutters are or may be ground and kept in proper order during and by the working
of the machine.
In constructing a planing machine according to my invention I employ a series
of cutters instead of a single cutter. One or more of these cutters is or are fixed
at the proper cutting angle in a holder. These holders are made to travel in
guides or ways on the body of the machine. The said cutters travel in the same
line one behind the other each cutter operating upon the same portion of the
substance operated upon. After the cutter or cutters in one holder have performed
their work and the holder has passed out of the guide or way it performs its return
motion while the succeeding cutters perform their advance motion. The holders
are so connected that as each one passes out of the guide or way it can be turned
up or aside to perform its return motion while the succeeding cutters are performing
their advance motion. The loss of time which occurs in the ordinary planing
machine during the return motion of the cutter is thus avoided.
I prefer to connect and operate the holders of the cutters in the following ways.
I connect the series of holders by means of links jointed to the said holders so as to
form a kind of endless band situated in a vertical plane. Or I joint the holders
directly to one another. By the motion of the said endless band each of the holders
is in succession brought into the guide or way on the bed of the machine and it is
while the holder is travelling in the said guide or way that the cutter operates its
motion being directed with great exactness by the guide or way. As one holder
passes out of the guide or way and its cutters cease to operate on the metal or
substance to be planed another holder enters the said way or guide and its cutters
act in a similar manner to the first. Or two or more holders may travel in the
guide or way at the same time. In a similar manner the several cutters are in turn
brought into operation. The endless chain of holders with their cutters travels over
rollers at its ends each holder passing or making its return motion through a second
guide or way fixed over the guide or way on the bed of the machine or supported
by other rollers. The endless band of holders and cutters is driven by means of
a toothed pinion working in teeth formed on one of the holders. The said pinion
has a recess at its middle to permit of the passages of the cutter.
Where desirable
the endless chain carrying the holders of the cutters may be shortened and the
rollers described dispensed with. In this case a driving pinion works in each of
the guides or ways of the holders which are driven at two points.
The band or chain of holders may pass through more than one guide or way so as
to operate on two articles one after the other; or two or more bands or chains of
holders may be situated side by side and work in parallel guides or ways and thus
operate simultaneously on two or more articles or different parts of the same
article. Where different articles or different parts of the same article are operated
upon either in succession or simultaneously they may be in the same line or inclined

page_text: to one another, the junctions of the holders and connecting links permitting of the
required inclination. Or the holders and guides or ways may be curved when the
substance to be planed by the machine is curvilinear.
The grinding of the cutters may be done by taking them out of the machine
grinding them by hand and then inserting them again in position by means of a
template but I prefer to grind them while in position either by hand or by an
automatic attachment. In either case the grinding wheel is driven by a pulley
either from the first moving shaft of the machine or by a countershaft. Ordinarily
I prefer to use cutters semi-circular at their cutting edge, but do not limit myself
to any particular shape.
In grinding the cutters when in position in the machine I bring each cutter in
turn against a movable stop and then grind it with an emery wheel having its axis
at right angles to the path of the cutters and its edge which is grooved to the shape
required beneath them. The emery wheel spindle is mounted on a slide capable
of sliding in ways within a frame attached to the body of the machine, and
inclined to the path of the cutters so as to grind them with proper clearance. The
said slide is capable of being elevated to bring the emery wheel in contact with
the cutters as it wears. Or the emery wheel may have its axis in the plane of
the path of the cutters and inclined to give the clearance the edge of the wheel
being flat. Or the edge of the wheel may be bevelled and the axis of the spindle
horizontal. Or the spindle of the emery wheel may be mounted in a frame
swinging on pivots so as to give the desired curvature to the end of the cutter.
The said frame is also provided with a slide to raise or depress the emery wheel.
The automatic grinding attachment may be made in several ways but preferably
as follows. The emery wheel is mounted on a slide with its axis at a right angle
with the path of the cutters and the said slide moving in guides or ways within a
frame fixed to the body of the machine at any position which will allow of the
emery wheel acting upou the cutters when the slides are within their guides or ways.
The edge of the emery wheel is grooved to the curve required. The slide upon
which the emery wheel is mounted is actuated by a screw having a lever fixed to
its upper end which lever is moved by each cutter of the machine in turn so as to
give the necessary clearance to the cutting edge of the cutters. The said lever is
capable of being moved out of the path of the cutters when required. The afore-
said slide is capable also of another rising and falling movement distinct from the
first this movement is operated by hand for the purpose of raising the emery
wheel as it wears. During the automatic grinding the machine may be in motion
and may be operating upon the work or not. A diamond set within a holder
moving upon pivots may be used to keep the edge of the emery wheel to the proper
curve.
Dated the 13th day of May 1891
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
:
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Planing Metals and other
substances.
I GEORGE BENJAMIN TAYLOR, of the firm of Charles Taylor, of Nos. 43
and 44 Bartholomew Street, Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Machinists
do hereby declare the nature of my 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 in constructing and arranging in the manner hereinafter
described the parts of planing machines, whereby the planing of metals and other
substances is much facilitated, the operation of the machines being continuous
instead of intermittent as in the ordinary planing machine. The grinding of the.

page_text: cutters employed is or may be effected automatically, that is, the cutters are or may
be ground and kept in proper order during and by the working of the machine.
In constructing a planing machine according to my invention I employ a series
of cutters instead of a single cutter. One or more of these cutters is or are fixed at
the proper cutting angle in a holder. These holders are made to travel in guides
or ways on the body of the machine. The said cutters travel in the same line, one
behind the other, each cutter operating upon a different portion of the substance
operated upon. After the cutter or cutters in one holder have performed their
work and the holder has passed out of the guide or way it performs its return motion
while the succeeding cutters perform their advance motion. The holders are so
connected that as each one passes out of the guide or way it can be turned up or
aside to perform its return motion while the succeeding cutters are performing their
advance motion. The loss of time which occurs in the ordinary planing machine
during the return motion of the cutter is thus avoided.
I prefer to connect and operate the holders of the cutters in the following ways.
I connect the series of holders by means of links jointed to the said holders so as to
form a kind of endless band situated in a vertical plane. Or I joint the holders
directly to one another. By the motion of the said endless band each of the holders
is in succession brought into the guide or way on the body of the machine and it is
while the holder is travelling in the said guide or way that the cutter operates, its
motion being directed with great exactness by the guide or way. As one holder
passes out of the guide or way and its cutters cease to operate on the metal or
substance to be planed, another holder enters the said way or guide and its cutters
act in a similar manner to the first. Or two or more holders may travel in the
guide or way at the same time. In a similar manner the several cutters are in
turn brought into operation. The endless chain of holders with their cutters travel
over rollers at its ends each holder passing or making its return motion through a
second guide or way fixed over the guide or way on the bed of the machine or
supported by other rollers. The endless band of holders and cutters is driven by
means of a toothed wheel or pinion working in teeth formed on the holders.
said pinion has a recess at its middle to permit of the passage of the cutter.
desirable the endless chain or band of cutter holders may be shortened and the
rollers described dispensed with. In this case a driving pinion works in each of
the guides or ways of the holders which are driven at two points.
The
Where
The grinding of the cutters may be done by taking them out of the machine,
grinding them by hand and then inserting them again in position by means of a
template but I prefer to grind them while in position either by hand or by an
automatic attachment. In either case the grinding wheel is driven by a pulley
either from the first moving shaft of the machine or by a countershaft. Ordinarily
I prefer to use cutters semi-circular at their cutting edge but do not limit myself to
any particular shape.
In grinding the cutters, when in position in the machine, I bring each cutter in
turn against a movable stop and then grind it with an emery wheel having its axis
at right angles to the path of the cutters and its edge which is grooved to the shape
required, beneath them. The emery wheel spindle is mounted on a slide capable of
sliding in ways within a frame attached to the body of the machine and inclined
to the path of the cutters so as to grind them with proper clearance. The said
slide is capable of being elevated to bring the emery wheel in contact with the
cutters as it wears. Or the emery wheel may have its axis in the plane of the path
of the cutters and inclined to give the clearance, the edge of the wheel being flat.
Or the edge of the wheel may be bevelled and the axis of the spindle horizontal.
Or the spindle of the emery wheel may be mounted in a frame swinging on pivots
so as to give the desired curvature to the end of the cutter. The said frame is
also provided with a slide to raise or depress the emery wheel. The automatic
grinding attachment may be made in several ways, but preferably as follows. The
emery wheel is mounted on a slide, with its axis at a right angle with the path of
the cutters and the said slide moving in guides or ways within a frame fixed to the

page_text: body of the machine at any position which will allow of the emery wheel acting
upon the cutters when the slide is within its guide or way. The edge of the einery
wheel is grooved to the curve required. The slide upon which the emery wheel is
mounted is actuated by a screw having a lever fixed to its upper end which lever is
moved by each cutter of the machine in turn so as to give the necessary clearance
to the cutting edge of the cutters. The said lever is capable of being moved out
of the path of the cutters when required: The aforesaid slide is capable also of
another rising and falling movement distinct from the first: this movement is
operated by hand for the purpose of raising the emery wheel as it wears. During
the automatic grinding the machine may be operating upon the work or not. A
diamond set with a holder moving upon pivots may be used to keep the edge of the
emery wheel to the proper curve.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure represents in front elevation a planing machine constructed according
to my invention, the greater part of the endless chain of cutter holders or slides
being omitted;
Figure 2 represents in plan, part of the roller track on which the endless
chain of cutter holders or slides travel and are supported on making their return
motion;
Figure 3 represents an end elevation of the machine taken at the driving end and
Figure 4 represents a plan of the machine, the endless chain of cutter holders or
slides and the beam containing their guides or ways being omitted;
Figure 5 represents an end elevation of one of the pillars of the machine
carrying the compound slide supporting the table on which the work to be operated
upon is fixed;
Figure 6 represents a side elevation and Figure 7 an end elevation of two of the
cutter holders or slides drawn to a larger scale ;
Figure 8 represents a plan of one of the cutter holders or slides;
Figure 9 represents in vertical section, partly in plan, the arrangement of
parts which
prefer to use for securing and adjusting the cutters in the cutter
holders or slides.
The other figures represent the automatic grinding appliances which I use for
grinding or sharpening the cutters when in position in the machine and the emery
wheel turning apparatus for maintaining the said emery wheel at the proper curve
as hereinafter particularly explained.
I will first describe the construction and action of the planing machine represented
in Figures 1 to 9 both inclusive, the same letters of reference in the said figures
indicating the same parts.
a and are the pillars or uprights of the machine fixed to the base e and carrying
at their tops the beam (see Figure 1). In the said beam dare the guides or
ways d', in which the cutter holders or slides travel during the planing operation
as hereinafter described. The said beam d supports above it by means of the
brackets d², d, the rail d³ for supporting the cutter holders or slides in their return
motion, the rollers of the said cutter holders or slides rolling or travelling on the
said rail. By referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that the track, rail or support d³
for the cutter holders or slides is continued to the ends of the guides or ways d', d'
in the beam d by means of fixed semi-circular guides or half pulleys do, d³ and
the tracks or supports do, d on the underside of the brackets d, d². By means
of the parts d³, d³ and do and the guides or ways d', d in the beam da continuous
support for the travelling endless chain of cutter holders or slides, when the cutters
are in action and out of action, is provided: e, e are the cutter holders or slides
jointed or linked together by hinges at so as to form an endless chain of cutter
holders or slides. The joint pins by which adjacent holders or slides are hinged
together support the rollers y, g, on which the cutter holders or slides travel in
making their return motion, as best seen in the enlarged views Figures 6, 7 and 8.
The underside of each cutter holder or slide is made into rack teeth e by which

page_text: the endless chain of cutter holders or slides is driven in the manner hereinafter
described. It will be seen by an examination of Figure 6 that when the cutter
holders or slides are travelling in their horizontal path their ends are in contact
and their teeth form a continuous rack, but when they are travelling in a curved
path, as seen at the right hand end of the machine Figure 1, the ends of the
cutter holders or slides separate to the extent required for their curvilinear motion.
For the purpose of accurately guiding the cutter holders or slides e, e in the
guides or ways d', in the beam d during the planing operation, the longitudinal
edges of the said holders or slides are provided with continuous projections h, h for
sliding in the correspondingly shaped guides or ways d', d' in the beam d as best
seen in the end clevation Figure 3. The cutters are marked i, i and are fixed in
the holders or slides e, e preferably by the arrangement of parts represented in the
enlarged view Figure 9. In cach holder or slide e two cylindrical holes in the same
line are made for receiving, the cutters and their fixing adjuncts (see Figures 6
and 8). The cutter is held in the cylindrical holder which is placed in the
hole in the slide e and fixed in its place by the lock ring k screwing on the screwed
end of the said cylindrical holder . The cutter is situated in a slot in the
holder and is adjusted therein by the set pin and the cutter is fixed in the
cylindrical holder by the wedge m actuated by the screw pin n, the said wedge
fitting partly within a groove in the holder and partly within the cutter slide e as
indicated in dotted lines in Figure 9.
The endless chain of cutter holders or slides is driven by the gearing represented
in Figures 1 and 3; p is the driving pulley, the shaft of which carries the spur
pinion p³, which gears with the spur wheel on a parallel shaft. The motion of
the spur wheel is transmitted through the spur pinion pt and spur wheel på to
the spur pinion p which drives the broad spur wheel and the latter gears with the
toothed racks e, e² of the endless chain of cutter slides or holders e, e and gives the
required travelling motion to the said cutter slides or holders.
at
The work to be planed is supported on a table carried by the compound slide
g.. The vertical slide moves upon a dovetail on the pillar a (see Figures 1 and 4)
and is raised and lowered by the action of the screw and the horizontal transverse
slide is worked by the hand wheel 8.
It will be understood from the foregoing description reference being had to the
accompanying drawings that the cutters in the holders or slides e, e travel in the
same line, one behind the other, each cutter operating upon a different portion of
the material on the supporting table at y. During the action of the machine the
cross slide of the supporting table at y has a continuous motion given to it by the
hand wheels, thus enabling each cutter to cut a portion of the surface operated on.
Or the cross slide of the supporting table may be made automatic by gearing it
with the planing machine. After the cutters in one holder or slide have performed
their work and passed out of the guides or ways at d, d in the beam d, the said
holder or slide is turned up or aside and working over the curved end guide or
track performs its return motion in the manner seen at the right hand end of
Figure 1, while the succeeding cutters perform their advance or planing motion.
The machine is thus made continuous in its action instead of intermittent as in
ordinary planing machines and a number of cutters may be cutting at the same time,
the number of cutters employed depending on the length of the work being
operated on. In the machine represented several cutter holders or slides travel at
the same time in the guides or ways d', d of the beam d, but short guides or ways
may be used so that as one holder or slide passes out of the guides or ways and its
cutters cease to operate on the metal or substance to be planed, another holder or
slide enters the ways or guides and its cutters act in a similar way.
The band or chain of holders or slides e, e may pass through more than one
guide or way so as to operate on two articles one after the other; or two or more
bands or chains of holders or slides e, e may be situated side by side and work in
parallel guides or ways and thus operate simultaneously on two or more articles or

page_text: different parts of the same article. Where different articles or different parts of
the same article are operated upon either in succession or simultaneously they may
be in the same line or inclined to one another, the junctions of the cutter holders or
slides permitting of the required inclination. Or the cutter holders or slides and
guides or ways may he curved when the substance to be planed by the machine is
curvilinear.
I will now describe the automatic apparatus for grinding the cutters when in
position in the planing machine and for turning, by a diamond, the emery wheel of
the said grinding apparatus. The said grinding apparatus is stationed at the position
indicated at t, a in the planing machine Figure and is represented drawn to a
large scale in Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Figure 10 represents the said grinding apparatus in vertical section, partly in side
elevation;
Figure 11 represents a plan of the same;
Figure 12 represents a front elevation of the same:
Figure 13 represents a horizontal section of the same, partly in plan;
Figure 14 represents in side elevation, and a portion in front elevation and
Figure 15 in plan the grinding apparatus in combination with the emery wheel
turning appliances.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
and 15.
I will first describe the automatic grinding apparatus: is the emery wheel
having a concave periphery, by which wheel the ends of the cutters, having a
corresponding convex figure, while in their acting position in the machine, are
ground or sharpened. The emery wheel is situated under the path of the cutters
as they pass into the guides or ways d', d of the planing machine. The said emery
wheel t is carried on the end of the horizontal shaft and is driven by the pulley (3
and is capable of being automatically raised for operating upon the travelling
cutters as hereinafter described. The emery wheel shaft is supported in a bearing
on the dovetail slide which works in the fixed frame a secured to the bracket u
(see Figure 13) on the pillar a of the planing machine. The slide u is raised when
released from the holding down mechanism, by the coiled ring u hooked at one
end to the said slide and at the other end to the adjustable hook us carried by
the cross arm on the top of the bracket u' on the fixed frame u² of the slide u.
The automatic lifting of the slide u and the emery wheel carried by it for the
grinding of the cutters as they pass the said emery wheel is effected in the following
manner ; v is a vertical spindle supported and turning in the arm and also
turning in the lower part of the slide u. On the spindle a cam o is fixed (see
Figure 10) and below the said came and sliding freely on the spindle is a tubular
collar w having a cam made upon its upper end to he acted upon by the cam .
The tubular collar has upon it a screw box for the screw to work in, the
said screw being carried by the slide u and capable of being worked by the
handle for the hand adjusting of the slide and emery wheel t On the top of
the spindle is a lever a having at one end the hook the other end is pointed
and extends to near the centre of the emery wheel and crosses the path of the
travelling cutters of the planing machine. By means of the coiled spring a³ hooked
to the hooked end of the lever and to the adjustable hook on the fixed
rod ³, the said levere is maintained in the position represented in Figure 11, and
the cam spindle maintained in its lowered position. A stopy prevents the lever æ
passing beyond the position represented. It is through the angular motion of the
lever that the cam spindle is partly rotated in one or other direction and the
slide and emery wheel raised and lowered.
"
"
When the parts of the grinding apparatus are in the respective positions repre-
sented in the drawings, the cam won the spindle has so acted upon the cam of
the tubular collar w² that the latter is pressed down and held in its lowered position
and the emery wheel t taken out of action. When the planing machine is at work

page_text: the points of its travelling cutters strike in succession the pointed end of the lever
and thereby move it and the cam spindle and can through a portion of a rotation.
The acting part of the cam w is by this motion taken out of action and no longer
pressing down the collar w the latter with the screw, slide and emery wheel t
are raised by the action of the spring and the said emery wheel brought into
contact with and made to grind or sharpen the point of the cutter as the latter
travels over the said emery wheel. On the cutter leaving the end of the lever
the latter is returned to its normal position by the spring, which has been
elongated, and the emery wheel descends by the action of the cam w on the
collar and the latter on the slide w, the parts now resuming the respective.
positions represented in the drawings.
t
By means of the screw and its handle w the emery wheel t can be raised
or lowered independently of the automatic mechanism which I have just described.
For the purpose of keeping the edge of the emery wheel of the proper curve I
add to the grinding apparatus described, the parts represented in Figures 14 and 15.
Supported upon the brackets and 2, cast upon the slide u, is a swinging arm b³
which may be clamped to the bracket by the screw nut and pin & shown in
Figure 15. To the head of the swinging arm 63 a second arm is connected, the
said second and upper arm being capable of motion through a semi-rotation upon
the lower arm by means of the screw pin at 6. The upper arm carries at its top
the diamond for turning the concave groove in the periphery of the emery
wheel t. By moving the arm in the quadrant slot of the bracket 3, the
diamond may be advanced to and withdrawn from the emery wheel t, the required
angular motion being given to the diamond by moving the arm 6 on its pin 7 by
the handle 68.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
as my invention of Improvements in machines for planing metals and other
substances";—
;-'
First The combination in a planing machine for the purpose of making its
operation continuous or nearly so, of an endless jointed or connected band of
travelling cutter holders or slides, each holder or slide having fixed in it, at the
proper working angle, one or more cutters arranged one behind the other, the said
cutters operating in succession upon different portions of the article being planed
or upon two or more articles one after the other, the several parts being constructed,
arranged and acting substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
SecondlyThe arrangements or combinations of parts herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings for guiding with great exactness the
endless jointed or connected band of travelling cutter holders or slides while the
cutters are making advance motion and are operating upon the metal or material,
and for supporting the said endless band of cutter holders or slides during their
back or return motion.
Thirdly The arrangement or combination of the parts of the gearing herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings for working or
giving the continuous travelling motion to, the endless band of cutter holders or
slides.
;-
Fourthly The combination in a planing machine of two or more jointed or
connected bands of travelling cutter holders or slides situated side by side and
working in parallel guides or ways and over parallel supports for operating
simultaneously on two or more articles or parts of the same article substantially as
hereinbefore described.
-
Lastly The combination with the planing machines referred to in the prior
claims of the automatic grinding apparatus or attachment hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings for grinding or sharpening the cutters
while in the machines so as to keep them in proper order during and by the working

page_text: of the machines; also the addition to the automatic grinding apparatus or attach-
ment, of the appliances hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings for keeping the edge of the emery wheel of the said grinding apparatus
to the proper curve.
Dated the Eighth day of March 1892.
GEORGE BENJAMIN TAYLOR.