A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION leftACHINE FOR MAKING UP STICKS OF FIREWOOD INTO BUNDLES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Frederick Lackersteen, of 16, South-
ampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the, said James Frederick.
Lackersteen at the Office of the Commissioncis of Patents, with
luis Petition, on the 30th July 1875
I, JAMES FREDERICK LACKERSTEEN, of 16, Southampton Buildings,
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR
MAKING UP STICKS OF FIREWOOD INTO BUNDLES," to be as follows
-
This Invention relates to a new or improved machine for making up
sticks of firewood into bundles
The sticks to be formed into bundles being already cut as ordinary

page_text: bottom of which hopper are two fluted rollers, placed at a distance
apart, a little less than the length of the sticks, and both revolving
inwards, and thus by reason of their flutangs and the particular motion
and distance apart, as stated, they catch and direct the falling sticks
into positions parallel with themselves The sticks thus arranged all in
one direction fall between the rollers into a box or receptacle bencath, of
a width from back to front equal to the length of the sticks, which box
thus becomes filled with wood lying evenly in one direction
In order to ensure the sticks lying closely together a vibratory or
shaking motion is imparted to the box to shake the sticks into the
smallest space possible, the vibratory or rocking motion being imparted
to the box by cam rollers or other suitable means. The front plate of
the said box, holding the wood as above described, is provided with a
circular opening a trifle larger in diameter than the bundle of wood to
be made, and opposite this hole a cylindrical cutter works in suitable
guides with a reciprocatory motion, the cutter being of slightly larger
diameter at its cutting than at its rear end, and sharpened on its outer
circumference to maintain the unor sides straight. This cutter is
arranged to be so impelled forward by a crank motion or by other
suitable means that it will cuter the circular opening in the front plate
of the box containing the wood, and cut its way through the sticks up
to the back plate of the box, thus filling itself with sticks of wood
formed into the bundle, as required, and to be expelled therefrom and
tied as follows:-The cutter is made nearly equal in length to the
length of one and a half bundles of the wood, and on its first entrance
into the box containing the sticks, as described, charges itself with one
bundle, the rocking motion of the box being stopped meanwhile. On
its being withdrawn therefrom by the return stroke of the crank the
cross head carrying the cutter throws itself out of gear and so with the
cutter remains stationary till again put into gear. At the same time
also the rocking mechanism of the box is thrown into gear, thus shaking
the wood down compactly as before and filling up the space emptied by
the cutter, which is then again put in gear with the crank motion,
whilst the shaking mechanism of the box is suspended as before. The
cutter then again advances into the box and cutting its way through
the sticks as before, becomes charged with a second bundle, the first
bundle thus being forced half its length out at the rear end of the
cutter, and is thus in a suitable position for the attendant to pass a

page_text: string round and tic the knot whilst the cutter is remainin; stationary
for the time being, as before described It is then again thrown into
gear, and advancing as before charges itself with a third bundle, at the
same time completely ejecting the first and forcing the second into the
position to be tied, as already described with the first, and thus the
machine continues the making of the bundles in succession as quickly
as the attendant can tie the knots and the hopper is kept supplied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Frederick Lackerstcen in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 29th January 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
FREDERICK LACKERSIEEN, of 16, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in
thic County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Iler
Letters Patent, beaning date the Thirtieth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Frederick
Lackersteen, Her special license that I, the said James Frederick
Lackersteen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said James Frederick Lackersteen, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to tune and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and law fully 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR MAKING UP STICKS OF FIREWOOD INTO BUNDLES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Frederick Lacker-
steen, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
Licularly 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 Scal Patent Office within six

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Frederick Lackersteen, 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).
--
This Invention relates to a new or improved machine for making up
sticks of firewood into bundles.
The firewood it is hereby contemplated to deal with is of that
description known in the markets of the Metropolis and elsewhere as
bundle firewood, the sticks being hand or machine chopped, or cut of
about six inches long, and tied up into small bundles.
Hitherto the bundles have been made up by hand, and the object of
the present Invention is to accomplish the same by machinery
According to this Invention the machine consists essentially of a
cylindrical cutter, one end of the cylinder being sharpened to form the
cutting edge. This cutter has an internal diameter corresponding with
the size of the bundle of wood to be produced, and has a reciprocatory
motion imparted to it so that in its forward motion it cuts its way into
the sticks of ficwood which are packed, and if found necessary shaken
down in a receptacle in front of the cutter, having a circular opening to
admit the cutter, and the sticks laying lengthwise in the direction of
the cutter, so that the latter strikes them on end, and on the cutter
receding it brings out with it a bundle of wood in its interior, the space
left thereby in the receptacle being immediately filled by the sur-
rounding wood falling in. Thus each time the cutter advances it cuts
its way into the sticks and forms a bundle of wood, each fresh bundle so
formed expelling at the rear end of the cylindrical cutter a previously
formed bundle. The cutter being made equal in length to one or two
and a half bundles of wood, cach bundle is forced half out of the cutter
before it is wholly expelled, remaining in that position during the next
forward stroke of the cutter, during which time it is tied by the attend-
ant and is then wholly expelled at the next stroke, the immediate
subsequently formed bundle taking its place.
The cutter may either have a regular and continuous reciprocatory
motion, or may be made to throw itself out of gear at each backward

page_text: stroke, remaining stationary whilst the bundle is being tied and until
again thrown into gear
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same with the aid of
the accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the letters and
figures marked thereon, and in which Figure 1 is an end view, partly in
elevation and partly in section, Figure 2, a longitudinal section on
the line (1) (2), Figure 1; Figure 3, a plan partly in section; and
Figure 4, views of a part of the machine detached.
In those views, partly in section, such parts arc section linod.
In cach Figure the same letters of reference wherever it occurs indi-
cates like or corresponding parts.
A is the bed plate of the machine, B, B', are two vertical plates
bolted to the bed plate through the flanges and braced or cramped
together by two (more or less) struts with shoulders to keep the plates
at the right distance apart. These plates besides serving other purposes
form the front and back respectively of the receptacle for the sticks of
wood to be formed into bundles, the distance between the plates being
about the length of the sticks, so that they may lay lengthwise between
the plates The bottom and sides of the receptacle for the wood are formed
by the bent plate C (see Figure 1), supported at the botton on the pin D
working in the slots E in the plates B, B', and are confined at its upper
ends between studs or stops F in the plates B, B' The front plate B
has formed in it a circular hole G, and directly opposite this hole is the
cylindrical cutter II 'This cutter is shown in back end clevation and in
longitudinal central section at Figure 4 It is in length about equal to two
and a half bundles of wood, and is formed in two parts united by the cross
head I, the circular opening in which to receive the cutter is of larger
diameter at the back than at the front, thus forming a shoulder 2¹
towards the front, as shown in the sectional view. The front part h¹ of
the cutter having a shoulder ³ at its rear end is inserted and screwed
into position from the back of the cross head, so that the two shoulders
would come together but for the thin washers J which intervene, and
the rear part of the cutter is then screwed into the cross head I hard
up against the back of the front part of the cutter, thus binding the
whole firmly together, as though in one piece
The washers J are for allowing of the adjustment of the cutter when

page_text: '
it becomes worn in use, as by removing one or more of the washers, the
cutter may then be screwed further into and through the cross head.
The cutter is sharpened on its outer circumference to maintain the inner
sides straight, and the inner diameter is slightly decreased gradually
from the front to back, so that as the bundle of wood is pushed
through it will be gradually compressed before being expelled at the
rear end. The lateral extremities of the cross head I are supported by
and travel in guides K supported at one extremity on standards L, and
at the other attached the upright plate B.
.
The reciprocatory motion is imparted to the cutter H from the main
shaft M. by means of the discs N and connecting rods O, the extremities
of the connecting-rods O being attached to blocks 1' which traverse
the outside of the guides K for the length of the stroke of the discs N.
The guides K, lateral extremities of the cross head I, and the blocks P
are shown respectively in transverse and longitudinal section through
the centre line of bolt Q in Figures 1 and 3.
Connection between the blocks P and the lateral extremities of the
cross head I is effected by spring bolts Q, by preference square, which
work cach through a slot K' in the outer side of each of the guides K,
and enters a bolt hole P¹ in each of the blocks P, the bolts being
actuated by springs Q' contained in boxes Q2 on the rear of the cutter,
and passing through square holes in the extremities of the cross head.
When this connection is made, the cross head, and with it the cutter,
receive the reciprocatory motion from the connecting rods, but when it
is required that the cutter should remain stationary the cross head is
disconnected from the connecting rods by withdrawing the spring
bolts Q in the following manner -The heads of the bolts Q are made
with the front of the upper parts of their inner surfaces inclined towards
the inner surfaces of the lateral extremities of the cross head and the
guides instead of bearing flat thereon (see Figure 3), and when it is
desued to withdraw the bolts two levers R, wedge shaped at their
extremities, are caused to enter one between the head of each of the
bolts Q and the guides K. As the cutter with the cross head and bolts
advances in its backward stroke towards the levers R, when by reason
of the wedge shape of the extremities of the levers R and the inclined
surfaces on the bolt heads the bolts Q are withdrawn sufficiently to clear
the hole P¹ in the block P, and thus the connection between the con-
necting rods and the cutter ceases and the cutter will remain stationary

page_text: notwithstanding that the driving shaft and connecting rods conunue in
action.
The levers R (one shewn broken off in Figure 3) are hung at their
outer extremities to brackets S, so that their natural position is such as
to throw the cutter out of gear with the connecting rods at cack back-
ward stroke of the cutter. To renew the connection between them the
lover R is raised out of connection with the heads of the spring bolts Q,
when the bolts immediately shoot home as far as they can, and when in
thic traverse of the connecting rods the holes P come opposite them the
bolts instantly enter and the cutter is carried forward. The lever R is
raised when required by a foot lever T and link T.
In order that the bolts Q may not shoot out beyond the extremities of
the blocks P, which would endanger their being sheered off, a plate P³ is
attached to the block P and travels with same, so that the spring bolts Q
when released rest against thus plate till the holes P¹ are reached.
Above the receptacle for the wood C is a hopper V divided in the
centre by a vertical plate V', and having other plates V³ and V³ sloping
respectively from the sides and the centre plate
•
These plates are for the purpose of guiding the sticks thrown in at the
top of the hopper into horizontal positions before they reach the
receptacle below, to assist which action the four centre plates V³ have a
rapid reciprocatory motion imparted to them. This is effected as
follows The shaking motion given to the receptacle C for the wood is
obtained by a four-throw cam W acting against a lug X attached to the
bottom of the receptacle, a rotary motion being imparted to the cam by
mitre and spur wheels Y gearing into spur wheel Z on the spindle a.
The cam W in its rotary motion acting against the lug X raises the
receptacle C four times to each revolution, it being each time drawn
instantly back by the bow springs b, to which it is attached by the
pin D working through the slots E, and thus a rapid vibratory motion
15 imparted to the receptacle and so to the wood contained therein,
shaking same well together. The up-and-down motion of the
receptacle C is transmitted by the connecting rod c and bell crank d (as
a horizontal vibratory motion) to the plate e, to which are attached the
four inclined plates V³, which thus receive the desired motion for
settling the sticks into horizontal positions as they descend.

page_text: from, this is provided for by a friction clutch on the spindle a actuated
automatically by the cutter H by means of the connections g, g¹, and a
lever having two teeth 2 and 3, between which a tooth m on the
under side of the cross head I is arranged to actuate the lever / so as to
relcase the clutch when the cutter is advancing to make a cut, and to
move the clutch into gear as it returns, a balance weight also being
connected with the lever to make sure of the clutch going right
home.
The action of the machine is as follows:-Wood having been placed
in the hopper motion is imparted to the main shaft and then to the
discs and connecting rods, the rocking mechanism, and the plates in the
hopper The wood is thus arranged evenly in the receptacle and shaken
compactly together, the cutter being meanwhile out of gear and
stationary. The cutter is then put into gear with the connecting rods
by pressing on the foot lever; when advancing it relcases the friction
clutch and throws the rocking mechanism out of gear, and thence cuts
its way into the sticks of wood, thus forming a bundle in its interior. On
its return or backward stroke it actuates the connections of the friction
clutch, throwing same and the rocking mechanism into gear and so into
action, at the same time being itself thrown out of gear with the con-
necting rods by meeting the wedge levers, and the sping bolts being
withdrawn the cutter thus remains stationary, whilst the wood is shaken
down in the receptacle, filling up the space left by the cutter, and being
ready for the next advance thereof This is effected as before when the
cutter makes a second bundle, the same actions taking place as already
described. The cutter is then caused to to advance and make a third cut,
when the bundle first formed is forced for half its length out of the rear
end of the cutter, in which position a string is passed round it and tied
by the attendant before he agains put the cutter in gear. At the next
stroke this bundle already tied is wholly expelled, and the bundle imme-
diately behind forced out for half its length, which is then tied as the
first, and thus a bundle is made and tied at each stroke of the cutter
I would observe that it is not absolutely necessary-the cutter should
be thrown out of gear at cach backward stroke, and so remain stationary

page_text: It is obvious that if a slow reciprocatory motion be imparted to it the
attendant might tic the bundle during the stroke of the cutter, and thus
obviate the necessity for stopping it.
It is also obvious that cranks may be employed instead of the discs N,
which however are preferred, as acting also the part of a fly wheel, which
would be required if cranks were used.
In my Provisioval Specification two fluted rollers are described for
guiding or turning tho sticks into proper position before entering the
receptacle boneath. These I have not found in practice to work so well
as I had expected, and therefore abandoned them.
It is also stated in the Provisional Specification that the length of the
cutter is equal to that of one and a half bundles of wood. I have since
found however that it is preferable to make it longer, as described in
this the final Specification, as it allows of a more gradual reduction of
the internal diameter for the compression of the wood
I claim as my Invention to be secured by the horcin-before in part
recited Letters Patent,―
First. The cylindrical cutter for forming bundles of sticks of firc-
wood.
Second. The machine described and illustrated for forming bundles of
sticks of fire-wood.
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