IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH MACHINERY FOR PLANING AND SMOOTHING WOOD BY REVOLVING AND FIXED CUTTERS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Richards, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH
MACHINERY FOR PLANING AND SMOOTHING WOOD BY REVOLVING AND
FIXED CUTTERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Richards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th January 1881.
GEORGE RICHARDS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND CONNECTED WITH MACHINERY FOR PLANING AND SMOOTHING WOOD BY
REVOLVING AND FIXED CUTTERS."
This Invention relates to improved mechanism for planing and finishing hard
woods, and also to the machines for grinding and preparing the edges of the cutting
tools used, without which the processes can not be successfully accomplished. In
one form of the machines I pass the wood between a fixed platen and a cutter
head, the wood being fed by driven friction rollers. I also use special arrangements
of the details for firmly holding the wood on both sides of the part exposed to the
action of the revolving cutters. These clamping devices, termed technically
pressure bars, I swing from the outside of the bearings of the revolving cutter
block to permit of their retaining the same relative distance from the path of the
cutters while revolving; on the side from which the wood is fed I make these
pressure bars to have considerable adjustment to suit inequalities in the thickness
of the wood. I also use a thin steel lip interposed between this pressure bar and
the wood, to give a more uniform pressure than could otherwise be insured, and
also to present as thin an edge as possible to break the fibres raised by the cutters.
while acting on the wood. On the delivery side of the cutting cylinder I make the
pressure bar from a section of a steel tube, the internal diameter of which exceeds
slightly the sweep of the cutters, and affix it to the periphery of the bearing.
similarly to the other pressure bar. This latter pressure bar is more firmly held in

page_text: its position, its under face being set level with the bottom of the circle described by
the cutters. I attach weights (which are enclosed in the framing of the machine)
to the feeding rollers. I also arrange the bearings of the friction rollers under the
machine to project through the sides of the framing of the machine, so that they
may be readily adjusted to the surface of the table. My Invention also relates to
improved methods of altering the details of the machine to permit of the wood
being fed by hand instead of power. I make the ends of the table already described
detached and fixed to swinging yokes, so that I may raise them sufficiently high to
be level with the top path of the circle described by the cutters in revolving.
By placing one of the tables below this line and moving the wood over it by
hand the cutters act on the under side of the wood and remove a quantity
equal to the difference in the height of the tables. I make the cutter block to
carry three cutters and set them at a slight angle to the axis of the bearings to
reduce the resistance in feeding the wood by hand, the action of the cutters
although straight on their cutting edges resembling spiral or helical cutters. My
Invention also relates to a combination of revolving and fixed cutters for producing
surfaces on wood ready for varnishing and polishing without the aid of the usual
handwork. I use strongly geared feeding rollers to feed the wood over a revolving
cutter head, having the pressure bars described on each side of it. In the same
machine in close proximity I place a fixed cutter set at right angles to the face of
the wood, clamped firmly in a rectangular box resting on a strong spring. This
cutter has a cutting edge resembling the ordinary hand scraping steel.
The edge
is set slightly above the surface of the box and removes a thin shaving. The wood
is held down to both the revolving and fixed cutters by rigid platens, which I make
to adjust vertically for different thicknesses of wood. I also arrange these cutters
in both cases to be removed from the machine with their clamping devices and
details. My Invention also refers to the devices for producing suitable edges on
the cutters for obtaining the results desired. When the cutter is of the usual
thickness, I grind the beviled edge by a grindstone or emery wheel mounted on a
revolving spindle. I place the axis of the spindle at an angle to the edge of the
cutter, and make the abrading wheel wide enough to grind over its width.
I thereby produce a plane surface instead of a concave one, as has been the practice
heretofore. To grind over the entire length of the cutter, I place it in suitable
clamps pivoted to set the cutter at various angles to give thicker or thinner
cutting edges. In this clamp and under the cutter I place two wedges acting
together, which raise the cutter equally at both ends, and tend to preserve the
cutter at a uniform width. These details I place upon a table on slides which is
caused to travel in front of the wheel by automatic devices; I also employ screws,
slides, and the usual mechanism for obtaining the different movements of the wheel
and its advance to the edge being ground. In preparing the cutting edges of what
I term the scraping tools, I use two wheels acting simultaneously on both the bevil
and under side of the cutting edge. The steel for these cutters being thin I set the
axis of the wheels parallel to the cutting edges. These wheels with their spindles
I mount in a swing frame pivoted so that one wheel can be adjusted to grind away
the beviled edge without the other wheel being altered in its relative position with
the face of the cutter. In conjunction with these wheels, but after the edge is
prepared by grinding, I advance upon the thin edge a hardened steel tool having a
round face. This tool is held rigidly, and as the blade is passed by it the edge is
pressed against it and is turned over, producing a short beviled edge resembling, as
before stated, the edges of hand scraping tools. The cutters I mount in a similar
manner and reciprocate past the wheels as in the other grinding machine described.
I also combine in one machine the methods described for operating upon the thick
or thin cutters. In narrow machines for scraping I place the cutters in a vertical
position, so that the wood is passed through on its edge. This I do to enable the
operative to see the action of the cutter on the wood at different parts. When
I use thin pieces of steel for cutters on cutter heads, I employ a grinding wheel to
act upon the blades while clamped in their places. In this case I mount the cutter

page_text: head and its bearings in a rectangular box, which is arranged to be removed bodily
from the machine; I make a groove in the bottom of this box to fit on the planed
ways of a machine holding an emery wheel. By pushing the box over the wheel
and adjusting it vertically, the cutters can all be ground to great exactness. I also
grind the thick cutters on the machine described having three cutters set at a
slight angle while attached to the cutter head by removing the head from its
bearings and laying it on two V blocks. These blocks are adjustable for different
lengths of cutter heads, and are mounted on a travelling carriage in ways over a
grinding wheel placed beneath. I also combine gauging devises to determine the
angle of the cutting edge. I attach a fixed lip in the frame of the grinding.
machine near the abrading wheel to serve as a guide to the cutter being ground.
This arrangement I use for guiding cutters attached to the cutter heads when
required to be set at a greater angle with their axis.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Richards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
July 1881.
GEORGE RICHARDS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND CONNECTED WITH MACHINERY FOR PLANING AND SMOOTHING WOOD BY
REVOLVING AND FIXED CUTTERS."
This Invention relates to improved mechanism for planing and finishing hard
woods, and also to the machines for grinding and preparing the edges of the
cutting tools used, without which the processes can not be successfully accomplished.
In one form of the machines I pass the wood between a fixed platen and a cutter
head, the wood being fed by driven friction rollers. I also use special arrange-
ments of the details for firmly holding the wood on both sides of the part exposed
to the action of the revolving cutters. These clamping devices, termed technically
pressure bars, I swing from the outside of the bearings of the revolving cutter
block to permit of these retaining the same relative distance from the path of
the cutters while revolving on the side from which the wood is fed. I make
these pressure bars to have considerable adjustment to suit irregularities in the
thickness of the wood. I also use a thin steel lip interposed between this pressure
bar and the wood to give a more uniform pressure than could otherwise be
ensured, and also to present so thin an edge as possible to break the fibres
raised by the cutters while acting on the wood. On the delivery side of the
cutting cylinder I make the pressure bar form a section of a steel tube, the internal
diameter of which exceeds slightly the sweep of the cutters, and affix it to the
periphery of the bearing, similarly to the other pressure bar. This latter pressure
bar is more firmly held in its position, its under face being set level with the
bottom of the circle described by the cutters.
I attach weights (which are enclosed in the framing of the machine) to the
feeding rollers. I also arrange the bearings of the friction rollers under the machine
to project through the sides of the framing of the machine, so that they may be
readily adjusted to the surface of the table.
My Invention also relates to improved methods of altering the details of the
machine to permit of the wood being fed by hand instead of power.
I make the ends of the table already described detached and fixed to swinging
yokes, so that I may raise them sufficiently high to be level with the top path of
the circle described by the cutters in revolving. By placing one of the tables
below this line and moving the wood over it by hand the cutters act in the under
side of the wood, and remove a quantity equal to the difference in the height of
the tables. I make the cutter block to carry these cutters, and set them at a
slight angle to the axis of the bearings to reduce the resistance in feeding the wood
by hand, the action of the cutters, although straight on their cutting edges,
resembling spiral or helical cutters.
My Invention also relates to a combination of revolving and fixed cutters for
producing surfaces on wood ready for varnishing and polishing without the aid of
the usual hand work.
I use strongly geared feeding rollers to feed the wood over a revolving cutter
In the same machine,
head having the pressure bars described on each side of it.
in close proximity, I place a fixed cutter set at right angles to the face of the wood,
clamped firmly in a rectangular box resting on a strong spring. This cutter has a
cutting edge resembling the ordinary hand scraping steel. The edge is set slightly
above the surface of the box, and removes a thin shaving.
The wood is held down to both the revolving and fixed cutters by rigid platens,

page_text: which I make to adjust vertically for different thicknesses of wood. I also arrange
these cutters in both cases to be removed from the machine with their clamping
devices and details.
My Invention also refers to the devices for producing suitable edges on the cutters
for obtaining the results desired.
Where the cutter is of the usual thickness I grind the bevelled edge by a grind-
stone or emery wheel mounted in a revolving spindle; I place the axis of the
spindle at an angle to the edge of the cutter, and make the abrading wheel wide
enough to grind even its width. I thereby produce a plane surface instead of a
concave one, as has been the practice heretofore. To grind over the entire length
of the cutter I place it in suitable clamps pivoted to set the cutter at various angles
to give thicker or thinner cutting edges. In this clamp used under the cutter I
place two wedges acting together, which raises the cutter equally at both ends and
tends to preserve the cutter to a uniform width. These details I place upon a table
on slides which is caused to travel in front of the wheel by automatic devices. I
also employ screws, slides, and the usual mechanism for obtaining the different
movements of the wheel, and its advance to the edge being ground. In preparing
the cutting edges of what I term the scraping tools I use two wheels acting simul-
taneously on both the bevel and under side of the cutting edge.
The steel for these cutters being thin I set the axis of the wheels parallel to the
cutting edges. These wheels with their spindles I mount in a swing frame pivoted
so that one wheel can be adjusted to grind away the bevelled edge without the
other wheel being altered in its relative position with the face of the cutter.
In conjunction with these wheels, but after the edge is prepared by grinding, I
advance upon the thin edge a hardened steel tool having a round face. This tool is
held rigidly, and as the blade is passed by it the edge is pressed against it, and is
turned over producing a short bevelled edge resembling as before stated the edges of
hand scraping tools.
The cutters I mount in a similar manner and reciprocate past the wheels, as in the
other grinding machine described. I also combine in one machine the methods
described for operating upon the thick or thin cutters.
In narrow machines for scraping I place the cutters in a central position so that
the wood is passed through on its edge. This I do to enable the operative to see the
action of the cutter on the wood at different parts.
When I use thin pieces of steel for cutters on cutter heads I employ a grinding
wheel to act upon the blades while clamped in their places. In this case I mount
the cutter head and its bearings in a rectangular box, which is arranged to be
removed bodily from the machine. I make a groove in the bottom of this box to
fit on the planed ways of a machine holding an emery wheel. By pushing the box
over the wheel and adjusting it vertically the cutters can be ground to great
exactness.
I also grind the thick cutters on the machine described, having three cutters set
at a slight angle, while attached to the cutter head by removing the head from its
bearings and laying it in two V blocks. These blocks are adjustable for different
lengths of cutter heads, and are mounted on a travelling carriage in ways over a
grinding wheel placed beneath. I also combine gauging devices to determine the
angle of the cutting edge.
I attach a fixed lip on the frame of the grinding machine near the abrading
wheel, to serve as a guide to the cutter being ground. This arrangement I use
for guiding cutters attached to the cutter heads when required to be set at a
greater angle with their axis.
This Invention relates to improved mechanism for planing and finishing hard
woods, and also the machines for grinding and preparing the edges of the tools
used, without which the process cannot be successfully accomplished. In the
accompanying Drawings, Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a transverse section through the machine,
in which a rotary cutter acts upon the wood fed by continuous rollers; Fig. 2 is
an enlarged section shewing more clearly the arrangement of the pressure bars and

page_text: platen, upon which the wood rests; Fig. 3 shows another view of the rotary cutter
block; Fig. 4 shows another method of acting upon the wood by means of rotary
cutters where the wood is fed by hand; Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are enlarged Drawings of
parts of the same machine. On Sheet 2, Figs. 8 and 9 show different views of
another form of machine in which the wood is passed over the cutters by hand.
Fig. 10 shows a transverse section of a rotary planing machine with feeding
rollers, and another form of pressure bars for holding down the wood.
Fig. 11 shows a transverse section of the machine for treating the wood by
fixed cutters secondary to the rotary cutters, which are shown placed in the
machine.
Fig. 12 is an end view of the same machine.
On Sheet 3, Figs. 13, 14, and 15 show an end view, back view, and a plan of a
machine with fixed cutters for the treating of narrow woods.
On Sheet 4, Fig. 16 is a front view of the machine for grinding the edges of
the cutters of the rotary tools used in the machine shown on Figs. 1, 2, 4, 8, 9,
and 10.
Fig. 17 is an end view of the same; Fig. 18 is a partial end view of the machine
adapted for grinding either the rotary or fixed cutters.
Fig. 19 is a diagram showing the relative position of the abrading wheel to the
cutter.
On Sheet 5, Fig. 20 is an end view of the machine for grinding the edges of
the fixed cutters used on the machines shown on Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
Fig. 21 is a side view of the same machine; Fig. 22 is a diagram showing the
relative positions of the abrading wheels to the cutter. On Sheet 6, Figs. 23, 24,
25, 26, 27, and 28 show different arrangements of machines for grinding the rotary
and fixed cutters shown on Sheets 1, 2, and 3.
b
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1a is one of the side frames that supports the various details of
the machine. B is the main table upon which the wood rests when being passed
under the rotary cutters; C, C', are loose tables capable of being altered from the
plane of the tables B to the level of the top path of the rotary cutters. by means
of the worm segments D, D, worms E, E, and level gears F, F, F, F. The table
swings on four yokes G, G, G, G; the tables C, C¹, are attached by means of
sliding bolts to the intermediate tables H, H¹. The whole of these details are
raised and lowered for different thicknesses of wood passed under the cutters by
means of the four screws I, I, placed at each corner of the machine. These
screws are actuated simultaneously by means of the train of bevelled gearing
M, M, M, M. The rollers N, N, N, N, are rotated by power and draw the wood
through the machine under the cutters; these rollers receive their necessary
pressure by means of the weights W, W, and levers L, L, L, L, resting on the roller
bearing frames P, P; a represents the pressure bar for holding the wood when
being delivered to the rotary cutters, and 6 represents the pressure bar for holding
the wood after being acted upon by the rotary cutters; c is a flat steel spring equal
in length to the cutter head attached to the pressure bar a. The pressure bars a and b
are attached to yokes d, d, which rest in slots concentric with the cutter head bearings.
In the usual method of feeding the wood under the cutter head the wood rests
upon the table C, and is fed in the direction of the arrow. It is then caught by
the driven rollers N, N, and brought in contact with the pressure bar a, which is
raised by the wood in the path of the cutters; it then from its own weight rests
upon the wood and holds it firmly while being acted upon by the cutters; the
amount of this weight is determined by the adjusting screw e; the wood rests on
the permanent table B, and is farther held firmly by the pressure bar b. The
rollers N, N¹, deliver the wood from the cutters. It will be seen from the
arrangement of the spring c, that it can adapt itself to the inequalities in the
thickness of the wood without the possibility of its coming in contact with the
revolving cutters, and farther performs the office of presenting a thin edge which
breaks any fibres which would be raised in cross grained wood by the cutters; the
pressure bar 6 I make from a section of a tube, the internal diameter of which

page_text: slightly exceeds the sweep of the cutters, the lower edge of which is bevelled to
present a flat surface to the wood.
By this arrangement the wood is held in the closest proximity to the cutters;
this pressure bar is acted upon by strong springs. So far I have described the
method of feeding the wood through the machine by power. By means of suitable
mechanism before described, I am enabled to alter the machine to admit the wood
being fed by hand over the cutters. The tables C, C¹, are released by loosening the
bolts g, g,g, g, and drawing the tables horizontally upon the intermediate tables H, H',
and by revolving the worms worms E, E, by means of a crank communicating
motion through the bevel gears F, F, the worm segments D, D, which elevate the
intermediate tables H, H'. These tables rest on the links G, G, G, G, which
are moved from their horizontal position to a vertical one. After being raised
high enough to allow the tables C, C¹, to pass over the rollers N, N', and the
pressure bars a and b; the shavings guard S having been removed by releasing its
holding bolts, the tables are then drawn together close enough to allowe the cutter
block to revolve, as shown in Fig. 2. The table C is then adjusted so that it is
level with the top path of the cutters, and by adjusting the table C₁ the amount of
wood to be cut off is determined.
The cutter block in Figs. 2 and 3 is made by preference to carry three cutters of
the usual shape; these cutters I set at an angle to the axis of the bearings, the
limit of this angle being in different diameters of cutter heads as much as
practicable, so that the cutters being ground with a straight edge do not produce
a curved surface on the wood, the object being to reduce the resistance in feeding
the wood by hand, the action of the cutters although straight on their cutting
edges being similar to the action of the spiral or helical cutters.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 show a form of machine in which I feed the wood by hand.
A is the main frame; B, B, are intermediate tables; and C, C₁, the main tables ; D is
the cutter block, which I make with only two cutters owing to its smaller diameter.
These cutters are set at an angle to the axis of the cutter head. The tables C, C',
have a slight vertical adjustment by means of screws E, E, in the intermediate
tables B, B; by slackening the clamping bolts a, a, a, a, I can withdraw bodily
the tables B, B, and C, C¹, to more readily adjust and sharpen the cutters. The
bearings of the cutter block spindle I reverse from the usual arrangements of such
machines by placing the adjustable cap F beneath the spindle; this cap is held in
its place by the screw c. The adjustment for wear which comes upon the cap does
not effect the alignement of the cutter block with the top of the tables C, C¹. By
reference to Fig. 5 the relative positions of the tables C and C₁ and the cutter
block D is clearly shown. The difference between the relative height of the
tables C, C', determine the amount of cut, and, provided these tables are true
planes, the surface of the wood after being planed will be a duplicate. By means of
adjusting screws b, b, I am enable to raise the ends of the tables C, C¹ nearest the
cutters and depressing the ends farthest from the cutters, as shown in Fig 6. By
passing the wood over the tables when in this position the result, instead of being
a true plane as before, will have a slight curvature; this is a special advantage in
preparing glue joints; G is a fence against which the wood is held while being
operated upon.
Sheet 2, Figs. 8 and 9, show another form of machine for planing the wood by
rotary cutters, in which the wood is fed by hand, and is intended for the same
purposes as the machine described in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, and also by means of
additional adjustments to receive cutters of larger diameters than is required for
surface planing. A is the main frame; C, C', are the main tables; B, the intermediate
table;
D is the cutter block; E, E², are the bearings, these bearings are made to
rise and fall by means of the hand wheel H, worm F, and worm segment G
on the shaft I. L is a long bolt extending from one side of the machine
to the other, and by means of the lever M this bolt is tightened so as to
firmly clamp the bearings E, E¹, in various positions. The arm N and
the bearing E! I attach firmly to the shaft I so as to move simultaneously.

page_text: The
In placing different cutters on the spindle instead of the cutter block D I move
the bearing E end wise on the shaft I. "When it is returned to its position to support
the end of the spindle, I ensure the alignement by means of the pin P which
passes through the bearing E and the arm N; when larger cutters are used I
withdraw the table C by means of the screw S. The table C¹ I move endwise by
releasing the screw b and sliding the intermediate table B to the required distance.
The table b is altered in its relative position to the table C by means of the
shaft S¹, as in the case of the machine described in Fig. 4. In Fig. 10 is shown a
transverse section of a rotary planing machine with feeding rollers, in which B is
the elevating table to support the various thicknesses of wood; D is the cutter
block and N, N, N¹, N¹, are the feeding rollers; A is the pressure bar for holding.
the wood before the cutters, and has a steel spring C as herein before described;
A¹ is the pressure bar for holding the wood after it has left the cutters.
feeding rollers N, N, receive their pressure by means of springs in the box b, b, and
are regulated by the screws d, d. As the amount of wood to be removed in this
class of machine is not so great as in the form of the machine described in Fig. 1,
the pressure bars A and A' do not require the same vertical movement; I therefore
suspend them from the pivots e and f. I also attach the pressure bar A' to the
pressure bar A by means of the screw g, and interpose a spring h for giving it the
requisite pressure and elasticity. The pressure bar A is held in its vertical position by
resting on the roller N, and has a balf bearing m to correspond with the roller N.
The action of the rollers and pressure bars in this arrangement may be described
as follows:-The wood in passing under the feeding roller N raises the roller and
the pressure bar A so as to retard the wood by coming into severe contact with
the spring C; the greater the vertical movement of the pressure bar A the more
the spring his compressed and the clamping action of the pressure bar A¹ is
increased.
Fig. 11 is a transverse section of a machine for finishing the wood by means of
rotary and fixed cutters, in which A is one of the main frames; B is the adjusting
table for different thicknesses of wood, and is moved by the hand wheel H. and
the worm a, a, and the worm wheels b, b, and the screws C, C; N, N, N, N, N, N,
N, N, are the rollers driven by power for feeding the wood, the lower rollers rest
upon springs 8, 8, 8, 8; C is the revolving cutter block arranged in the box D so as
to be removed bodily from the machine to sharpen the cutters as explained
hereafter; E is the fixed cutter mounted in the box F which rests upon the
springs & G is an exhaust fan for removing the shavings made by the cutter
block C which falls into the recess R. The action of this machine is as
follows: The wood is passed in the direction of the arrow, and after passing
through the first set of rollers N, N, is acted upon by the rotary cutter C, while
the wood is supported by the platen K in the frame B, and the pressure bars d
and e in the box D. The wood is then delivered to the fixed cutter E and is held
by the pressure bar L in the frame B. The fixed cutter is held to the surface
of the wood by the spring S'. The wood is delivered from the cutter by the
remaining four rollers N, N, N, N.
On Sheet 3, Figs. 13, 14, and 15, show views of different modifications of the
machine for smoothing narrow pieces of wood, which from their width do not
require the preparatory process of the revolving cutters. The details of the machine
correspond to the machine shown in Fig. 11. A is the main frame; B is the
adjustable table; E is the fixed cutter; F is its holding box; N, N, N, N, are the
feeding rollers, and L the platen opposite to the cutter.
On Sheet 4, Figs. 16, 17, and 19, represent different views of a machine for
grinding the cutters used on the machine shown on Figs. 1, 4, 8, and 10. In grinding
the edges of thick cutters, it is desirable to have the ground surface a true plane
and not concave. To accomplish this various methods of presenting the wheel to
the edge to be ground have been used, but so far as I know have been
objectionable, owing to the fact that the abrading wheel having been in continuous
contact across the bevelled edge that is ground by this system, the particles of

page_text: metal that are removed as the wheel passes across the face, are obliged to remain
for the time being between the wheel and the cutter; these particles of metal
cause the abrading wheels to become glazed, and the practical result has been that
the fine cutting edge of the cutter has been heated to such an extent as to affect its
temper and lessen its wearing qualities. In my improved machine I grind the
cutters on the narrow face of an ordinary abrading wheel, but by setting the axis
of the abrading wheel spindle at an angle with the edge of the cutter, and making
the abrading wheel of a proper width, I accomplish two desired results, first, the
bevelled edge produced is a true plane; second, the contact of the abrading wheel
with the cutter edge is reduced to what is known as a line contact, and the particles
of metal removed are immediately released from between the wheel and the cutter.
In Figs. 16 and 17, A is the main frame; B, the sliding table upon which the cutter
is fixed by mechanism hereafter described; C is the abrading wheel driven by the
belt D and pulley E; K is the cutter to be ground resting upon the support L, the
under side of which is made to fit inclines of the wedge M; these wedges and
cutters are attached to the swinging frame N, which is held firmly by the clamping
screw P. The method of operating the machine is as follows:-) -The cutter K is
clamped to the swinging frame N by means of through bolts a, a, a, a, a, which
are fitted in slots b, b, b, b, b, so as to correspond with the various positions of the
slots in the cutter K. The cutter K is adjusted vertically as its width is reduced
by continuous grinding by the wedge M, which is moved endwise in the direction
of the arrow; the special object of this is to ensure the knives retaining a parallel
width as they are reduced by continuous grinding, and also to avoid the usual
difficulty of setting the cutters parallel to the movement of the slides. The support L
is held end wise by the slot pin C; after the cutter K is thus adjusted the
angle required is obtained by adjusting the swinging frame N, which is then
clamped by the bolt P. The wheel C and its supporting frame R is then
brought into contact by means of a screw which is rotated by the hand-
wheel H. The sliding table B carrying the swinging frame N and its details
all then move longitudinally by means of a rack and pinion attached to the
hand wheel I. By traversing the table B a distance equal to the length of the
cutter to be ground, and moving the wheel in closer contact by means of the
wheel H, the cutting edge of the cutters is sharpened. So far I have described
the method of grinding the thick cutters used on revolving cutter heads. The fixed
knives in the machines shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, I grind by a machine
similar in its details to the machine just described, but having two wheels to form
the cutting edge. As the cutters are thin and the surface of the cutter to be
ground is narrow, I set the axis of the abrading wheels parallel to the cutting edge
and cause the narrow face of the wheel to act. In addition to grinding the edges
the machine has an additional attachment for burnishing the edge of the cutters,
as is done in preparing hand scraping tools. In Figs. 20, 21, on Sheet 3, A is the
main frame; B is the sliding table moved by a rack and pinion by the hand wheel I;
K is the cutter to be ground; C and D are the abrading wheels; E is the frame to
which the bearings and spindles of the wheels are attached; P is the pivot on
which the frame E is suspended; the slide F and the screw G and the handwheel H
give a vertical movement to the frame N through the link L; the wheel C is moved
to the edge of the cutter by the adjusting screw a; in the same manner the
adjusting screw 6 moves the wheel D; the cutter K rests upon inclined wedges M
and N, as shown in Fig. 19, Sheet 4; the cutter is clamped by the loose piece R
and clamping screws c, c, c, c, c; V is a hardened steel tool attached to the sliding
piece W, which is moved vertically by the handwheel x and the screw y; these
details are supported by the bracket J firmly bolted to the frame A. The operation
of the machine is as follows:-The cutter K is rested upon the inclined wedges M
and N, and is clamped firmly by the screws c, c, c, c, c, and the plate R; the abrading
wheels C and D are then brought in contact with the cutter K by the handwheel H
and screw G; the angle produced on the cutting edge is obtained by the relative
position of the abrading wheels C and D and by the adjusting screws a and b;

page_text: these wheels are driven by the belt d passing over the pulleys on the spindles and
the idler pulley e revolving on the stud f. The table B, on which the cutter K and
its clamping details are mounted, is moved longitudinally by means of a pinion
working into the rack Z, which is revolved by the hand wheel I. The cutter is
ground by moving the table B on the ways g and h a distance equal to the length
of the cutters to be ground; by removing the pin i I am enabled to lift the
swinging frame E on its pivot P out of the way to allow an inspection of the cutter
edge; supposing this operation to have been performed satisfactorily I bring the
hardened steel tool V to bear upon the edge of the cutter K, and by traversing the
table B by means of the handwheel I produce an edge similar to that on hand
scraping tools. Insomuch as the wheel D is used to remove the metal required to
form a new cutting edge on the cutter K, and the wheel C is only used to produce
a straight edge on the face of the cutter K, it is desirable to keep the abrading
wheels C and D in their relative positions as the wheel D is advanced to the
cutter K; this I accomplish by. placing the pivot P, the centre of the abrading
wheel C, and the edge of the cutter K in a plane; as the swing frame E is lowered
to bring the wheel D in closer contact with the cutter K the wheel C retains its
relative position to the face of the cutter K.
In Fig. 18, Sheet 4, is shown an arrangement by which I combine the two
methods of grinding the cutters already described and shown on Figs. 16, 17, 19,
20, and 21, and like letters of reference being used on the Drawing the description
of the previous machines will answer for Fig. 18.
On Sheet 6, Figs. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28 show various methods of supporting
the cutters and presenting them to the abrading wheel. I place the abrading
wheel B on its spindle and its drawing pulley C in a swing frame P, which has a
vertical adjustment by means of the screw and handwheel F; these are placed
in the main frame A directly beneath the ways g, h, upon which various devices
are moved by hand and depend upon gravity for holding them. In Figs. 23, 24,
and 25 is shown the method of grinding the cutters on the revolving cutter head
shown on Fig. 11. In this case I place the box D, which has the bearings of the
cutter head H, upon the ways g, h. A groove in the box D coincides with and fits
the ways g upon the frame A. The screws a, a, which hold the cap of the bearing
are tightened on the spindle to prevent its rotating; by setting the cutter head
in its bearings previously to clamping these screws any desired angle may be
given to the edge of the cutter; by moving the box D backward and forward on
the ways g, h, and elevating the abrading wheel B by the screw G and hand-
wheel F the cutting edges are ground; after one cutter is ground the cutter head
is turned to bring the other cutter head into position. This plan of grinding ensures
the cutting edges being equidistant from the centre of the cutter block, and is of
special importance where four or more cutters are used on one cutter block. In
Fig. 27 is shown an arrangement for grinding the cutters fixed in their places
upon the cutter block. The cutter is removed from its bearings in the machine
and placed upon V bearings upon a sliding table G, and is held firmly for moving
by the clamp m and the clamping screw n. The clamp m is conveniently mounted
on the pivot o so as to be readily removed; the operation of grinding is then
similar to the previous description. In Fig. 26 is shown a method of grinding the
cutters attached to a swinging frame N mounted in the table G. By elevating or
lowering the swinging frame N by the screw r and handwheel p various angles
can be produced on the cutting edge of the cutter. In Fig. 28 is shown a device
to enable me to grind the cutters when attached to what I call a skew or spiral
cutter block. In grinding these cutters it is necessary that the cutter block should
have a partial rotation as it is passed over the abrading wheel G. I accomplish
this by means of a fixed stop u placed directly over the abrading wheel. By
setting this lip, or gauge as I call it, by means of the clamping screw X various
angles are produced on the edge of the cutters; farther, it will be seen that by
keeping the cutter K pressed in contact with the gauge u the cutter K will retain
at all points of its movement the same relative position to the abrading wheel G,

page_text: and also receive a partial rotation, varying according to the amount of the angle at
which the cutters are placed to the axis of the cutter block.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner of con-
structing and operating the same, I declare that I claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent,―
.
.
1. A wood planing machine with rotary cutters having the cutters with straight
edges placed at an angle with their axis, together with a pressure bar placed before
the cutter head, having a steel spring the whole length of the cutter head and a
pressure bar made of a section of tube placed after the cutter head, both of which
are attached to the bearings of the cutter block, so that their movement is con-
centric with the path of the cutters, combined with the mechanism for altering the
platens from below to above the cutter block, substantially as described and shewn
on Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
2. A wood planing machine with rotary cutters in which the wood if fed by
hand, having the cutters with straight edges placed at an angle to their axis
with tables mounted on slides to be drawn from the cutter block, and capable of
being placed out of alignement, substantially as described and shown on Figs. 4,
5, 6, and 7.
3. A wood planing machine in which the wood is fed by hand over rotary
cutters having their edges at an angle with the axis of the cutter block mounted
in a swinging frame capable of being altered in its relative position to two tables,
one of which is fixed and the other adjustable in relation to the other, together
with the slides and screws for withdrawing the tables to admit cutter blocks of
various sizes upon the spindle, substantially as described and shewn on Figs. 8
and 9.
4. A wood planing machine in which the pressure bar before the cutter head
rests upon the feeding roller, and has a steel spring the full length of the cutter,
and is farther attached to the pressure bar after the cutter head, substantially as
described and shewn on Fig. 10.
5. A wood planing machine in which are placed both revolving and fixed
cutters, in which the box holding the revolving cutter block, together with its
bearings, has a V groove which when removed from the machine fits the ways of
a grinding machine, substantially as described and shown on Figs. 11, 23, 24,
and 25.
6. A wood planing machine with fixed cutter, in which the feeding rollers and
cutter are placed in a vertical position to enable the operator to examine the
action of the cutter when working, substantially as described and shown on Figs. 13,
14, and 15.
7. The combination in a grinding machine of the slides and clamps for supporting
the cutter, together with an abrading wheel, set at such an angle with the cutter
so as to produce a plane surface to the cutting edge, substantially as described and
shewn on Figs. 16, 17, and 19.
8. A grinding machine with two wheels driven by a continuous belt mounted
in a swinging frame in a pivot in the same plane in the centre of the abrading
wheel and the cutter edge, together with the various slides and movements for
grinding the edges of thin cutters, substantially as described and shown on Figs. 20,
21, and 22.
9. The combination in a grinding machine for grinding the edges of thick or
thin cutters of two wheels with slides and details, substantially as described and
shown on Fig. 18.
10. A grinding machine with a bed having planed ways, upon which is made to
slide, first, a box holding a rotary cutter block and its bearings removed bodily
from a wood planing machine; secondly, a sliding platen with V bearings to receive
the journals of a rotary cutter block removed from a wood planing machine;
third, a slide with a swing frame, to which the cutters are clamped, combined
with an abrading wheel, with its axis placed at an angle to the slide beneath
the ways, substantially as described and shown on Figs. 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27.

page_text: 11. A grinding machine for grinding a number of cutters on a skew or spiral
cutter block, into which a steel lip or gauge is used to determine both the angle
and rotation of the cutter block, combined with an abrading wheel, with its axis
set at an angle to the ways, substantially as described and shown on Fig. 28.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Richards, have hereunto set my hand 5
and seal, this Twelvth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty one.
GEO. RICHARDS. (L.S.)