AN INVENTION OR IMPROVEMENT APPLICABLE TO THE SAWING OR CUTTING OP VENEERS
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
GREGSON, of Toxteth Park, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Esquire,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by Petition, humbly represent unto Her present most
Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, that, in consequence of a communication
from a Foreigner residing abroad, I had become possessed of "AN INVENTION
OR IMPROVEMENT APPLICABLE TO THE SAWING OR CUTTING OP VENEERS;" and Her
said Majesty, being willing to give encouragement to all arts and inventions
which may be for the public good, was graciously pleased, by Her Royal
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Second day of November now
last past, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, to give and grant unto me,
the said Matthew Gregson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her
especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I or they,
by myself or themselves, or by my or their deputies, servants, or agents, or
such others as I or they should agree with, and no others, during the term of
fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend the said Invention within that part of
Her said Majesty's Dominions called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all Her Majesty's Colonies
and Plantation's abroad, in such manner as to me, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, shall seem meet, and as that I or they shall enjoy the
whole profit and advantage arising by reason of the said Invention during the
A

page_text: said term of fourteen years; and for that end Her said Majesty requires and
strictly commands all Her subjects whatsoever, within England, Wales, and
Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all Her Colonies and Plantations abroad
aforesaid, that they shall not, neither directly or indirectly, make, use, or put
in practice the said Invention, or any part thereof, nor in anywise counterfeit,
imitate, or resemble the same, nor make any addition thereto or subtraction
therefrom, whereby to pretend himself or themselves to be the inventor or
inventors thereof; and whereas the said Letters Patent contain a proviso
obliging me, the said Matthew Gregson, particularly to describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and to
cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Matthew Gregson, do hereby declare that the said Invention is described and
ascertained in manner following, and by the aid of the two Sheets of Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
The improvements applicable to the sawing or cutting of vencers consist in
the use (in machinery for that purpose) of a straight saw, which is moved end-
ways backward and forwards with a rapid rectilinear and alternating or reci-
procating motion, instead of the large revolving circular saw, turned round
with continuous circular motion, as hitherto commonly used in machinery for
the purpose of cutting veneers. The said straight saw is a thin flat blade of
steel, with one edge of it formed into teeth suitably for cutting the wood which
is to be sawn into veneer, and such saw blade is extended in a suitable moving
frame herein-after described (and called the saw frame), which is adapted for
holding the saw blade by its two ends, and for stretching the blade in the
direction of its length with so much force as that the tension will retain the
saw blade with firmness in its proper intended plane or straight line, and in its
proper intended flat surface, without liability to be easily bended or twisted,
notwithstanding the thickness of the steel whereof the blade is formed. The
said moving frame or saw frame is adapted for holding and stretching
the saw blade in manner aforesaid, at or along one side of the said
saw frame, and with the plane of the saw blade at right angles to the plane
of the saw frame, as herein-after more particularly described; and the said
saw frame, with the saw extended along one side thereof, is applied against
and fastened to another moving frame, the plane of the saw frame being
c

page_text: parallel to and in contact with the plane of such moving frame, and which
latter is sustained and guided by sliders which are freely moveable in straight
grooves formed in the fixed framing of the machinery, so as to permit the
moving frame, together with the saw frame which is fastened thereto, as
well as the saw itself, which is extended in the same frame, to be moved end-
ways backwards and forwards with a truly rectilinear or reciprocating motion
derived from a revolving crank with a suitable crank rod or suitable crank
rods, and such other parts as may be required for deriving a rectilinear re-
ciprocating motion from the continuous revolving motion of a crank, the
direction of the said rectilinear motion being in the direction of the length of
the saw blade, and the straight line of the direction of the motion being
very nearly coincident with the straight line of that edge of the saw
whereon the teeth thereof are formed; and the saw frame is so applied
against the said moving frame, to which it is fastened as aforesaid, as
that the saw itself is wholly beyond one side of the moving frame, as well as
beyond the side of the fixed frame wherein one of the straight grooves is
formed, as aforesaid, for guiding the motion frame in its rectilinear motion, so
that the saw wholly overhangs at one side of the fixed framing beyond the
lateral extent of that framing, in order that the saw may be adapted for
cutting off a thin slice of veneer from the surface of a piece of wood which is
presented at that one side of the fixed framing (where the saw overhangs as
aforesaid), with the said surface of the wood parallel to the plane of the saw,
and in most cases with the direction of the grain of the wood crossways to the
lengthway of the saw and to the direction of the rectilinear motion thereof.
And for the purpose of so presenting the wood to the saw, the wood is
sustained in a suitable carriage, by which it is moved slowly endways in the
direction of the length of the grain of the wood, so as to advance the wood
towards the teeth of the saw in order that those teeth may cut into the
wood, the slow endway motion which is for that purpose given to the
wood being made by very small intervals or steps of advancing progress, and
at the rate of one such small step of advance for each complete stroko
made by the saw backwards and forwards, that is, one step of advance
for each revolution of the crank by which the saw is moved backwards
and forwards, but with a pause or cessation in the advancing motion
intervening between each of the said successive steps of advance, the said
carriage for the wood being also adapted for occasionally carrying the wood
sideways; that is, with its surface (which is cut or is to be cut) moving
parallel to itself, or laterally when required, so as to carry the wood nearer
towards the plane in which the saw is situated, as must be done every time
©

page_text: after a complete slice or veneer has been sawn off from the surface of. the
wood from one end to the other thereof, by the cutting action of the saw
conjointly with the slow endway motion of the wood by steps, in manner
aforesaid; then, by a contrary endway motion of. the wood, it is first carried
back again endways with rapidity all its length, so that the end of the piece of
wood is carried beyond the saw; and then, in preparation for cutting another
slice, or veneer from its surface, the wood is moved laterally with that surface
parallel to itself, so as to carry the wood as much nearer towards the plane of
the saw as will be suitable for cutting another slice or vencer from off the said
surface by a repetition of the two actions of cutting and advancing by steps,
as already explained. And note, as to the carriage by which the wood is
sustained and moved endways by steps, and laterally when required, in
manner aforesaid, such carriage may be constructed in the same or in a
similar manner to the like carriages which are used in the machinery com
monly used for sawing veneers by large circular saws revolving with continuous
circular motion, except as to the endway motion given to the wood, which,
instead of being a slow continuous endway motion, as is the case with circular
saws for sawing veneers, is performed, as already stated, by small intervals or
steps, and at the rate of one such step of advance for each complete stroke
made by the saw. And in order to retain the saw more securely in the plane
wherein the blade is intended to be and to move (and which may be called
its cutting plane), and in order to prevent deviation of the saw blade from
that plane, a bar of metal is fixed with it lengthway in the same direction as
the lengthway of the saw blade, and with one of the surfaces of that fixed
bar applied flatways against the saw blade, in close contact with that surface
of the blade which is farthest from the solid wood, from which a slice or
veneer is at the time in the act of being cut or sawn off, wherefore the thin
blade of the saw is securely retained between such fixed bar on one side
of it and the solid wood on the other side of it, but without impediment of the
endway motion of the saw. The said fixed bar does not apply in contact
with the whole breadth of the saw blade, but a small portion of that. breadth
near to the edge of the saw whereon the teeth are formed, together with those
teeth, extends in advance of the foremost edge of the fixed bar, which edge is
nearest to the edge and teeth of the saw, and that said foremost edge of the
fixed bar is reduced or bevilled away to a thin edge; but the thickness of the
bar is greater at the back part, which is more remote from the said thin edge,
in order that the said fixed bar, at the same time that the flat side or surface
of it is acting as a guide to retain the saw in its proper cutting plane as afore-
said, may also act by the other or bevilled side of it, in the manner of a wedge,

page_text: against the thin slice of wood or veneer which is in the act of being cut or
sawn off from the solid wood, so as to bend the said slice or veneer away from
the solid wood at an easy angle therewith, and thus facilitate the cutting of
the wood and the escape of the sawdust; and the saw blade may also (or may
otherwise) be retained in its intended cutting plane by means of pairs of fixed
guides, which include the back part of the blade between them, each such pair
of fixed guides being in fact a fork, with its two fixed prongs applying to the
two flat surfaces of the blade at the middle part and back part of the breadth
of the blade, so as to retain the blade in its plane, but without hindering its
endway reciprocating motion, the said prongs not reaching so far as the edge
of the saw blade whereon the teeth are formed. A pair of such guides being
fixed very near to each edge of the width of the wood which is cutting, the
said guides will retain and guide the saw blade at the two edges of the wood,
but nevertheless the said two pairs of fixed guides will allow the saw to move
easily endways backwards and forwards. The machinery in which such a
reciprocating saw as aforesaid may be used for the purpose of sawing or
cutting veneers in manner aforesaid may be constructed in different ways.
The lengthway of the saw, and the reciprocating motion thereof for sawing,
may be either in a horizontal or in a vertical direction, but in either case tho
plane of the surface of the wood which is cut will be a vertical plane. If the
reciprocating motion of the saw for sawing is alternately backwards or forwards
in a horizontal direction, then the endway motion of the wood must be
upwards in a vertical direction for advancing the wood slowly towards the
teeth of the saw at the rate of one small step of such advance for each
complete stroke of the saw; .and, by way of example, machinery on that
arrangement is represented in Sheet I. of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Or, if the reciprocating motion of the saw for sawing is alternately upwards
and downwards in a vertical direction, then the endway motion of the wood
must be in a horizontal direction for advancing the wood slowly towards the
teeth of the saw at the rate of one small step of such advance for each complete
stroke of the saw; and, by way of example, machinery on that arrangement
is represented in Sheet II.

page_text: A, A, is a fixed frame sustained on four legs like a bench or table, those legs
being securely fastened on a foundation of stone work, and rendered firm by
cross bracing between the legs, as shewn in the end elevation Figure 2.
B, B, B, B, are straight rails fastened horizontally on the frame A, A, and
with their edges parallel one to the other, and with angular grooves in those
parallel edges for the reception of sliders, which project from the sides of a
moving frame a, a, the sliders being at the lower side of that frame, which
resembles a ladder laid horizontally, being composed of two long side rails
united by short cross rails. The plane of the moving frame a, a, is horizontal,
and by the guidance of its sliders in the aforesaid grooves of the fixed rails
B, B, it is capable of moving endways backwards and forwards in a straight
line without deviation therefrom or from its horizontal plane. D, E, E, F, is
the saw frame, and 6 is the saw blade extended in and by means of that frame,
which is applied upon and fastened to the moving frame a, a, so as to be
sustained by and moved backwards and forwards therewith, the lengthway
of the saw blade 6 being in a direction parallel to the direction of the endway
motion of the moving frame a, a, and the saw blade 6 overhanging beyond
the lateral extent of the fixed frame A, A, as is shewn in the plan Figure 3;
and the plane of the saw blade being a vertical plane, the toothed edge of the
saw being downwards, and the straight line of the points of the teeth being
horizontal, or nearly horizontal, the reciprocating motion of the moving
frame a, a, and saw frame D, E, E, F, and consequently of the saw b, is
communicated to the moving frame a, a, by means of a revolving crank
on one end of a horizontal axis G, which axis is mounted on bearings
in a fixed frame H, H, and is turned rapidly round with a continuous rotatory
motion by means of a broad endless strap or belt applied on the small drum d
at one end of the axis G, that belt being also applied on another large drum,
which is turned round by millwork impelled by the power of a steam engine
or engines, or of a water wheel or horse wheel, or other suitable first-moving
power, as may be most convenient. At the other end of the axis G a fly
wheel J is fastened, in order by its energy of motion to preserve regularity of
rotation. In one of the arms of the fly wheel J a crank pin e is fastened,
and by the rotation of the axis G and fly wheel I the crank pin e is carried
round in a circular orbit, so as to perform the office of a crank. And the
crank pin' e is connected by the long crank rod K. and the connecting link f
with a joint at one of the end cross rails of the moving frame a, a. The crank
rod K is sustained by being jointed to the upper end of a lever L, whereof
the lower end is its centre of motion.
that the obliquity of the action of the
This lever L diminishes the tendency
crank rod K would otherwise have to

page_text: elevate and depress the end of the moving frame a, a, from its horizontal position
when the said frame is moved backwards and forwards by the rotation of the
crank pin e in its circular orbit, and the transmission of an alternating action
therefrom by the crank rod K. W is the piece of wood from the surface of
which slices or veneers are to be sawn or cut off by action of the saw b.
The said surface is a vertical plane, which is coincident with the vertical plane
wherein the blade of the saw 6 is situated, and near to that side of the fixed
frame A which the saw 6 overhangs, as already mentioned. The lengthway
or grain of the wood W is in a vertical direction, and the carriage by which
the wood is sustained is adapted for moving the wood endways upwards with
a slow progressive motion, in order to bring the wood to the teeth of the
saw b, a small step of such progressive motion for each complete stroke made
by the saw, that is, for each complete revolution of the crank pin e in its
circular orbit. The piece of wood W is fastened (by glueing or otherwise) to.
a vertical railing on the carriage, which railing is formed by several long.
parallel upright rails g of wood, which are united together by several hori-
zontal cross rails h behind them, so as to form a sort of vertical grating, which
railing or grating is applied to and fastened against a vertical moving frame
M, M, which resembles a ladder, being composed of two long upright sides,
united by several horizontal cross pieces. The two sides of the frame M, M,.
have slides projecting from them, those sliders being fastened to the back
surfaces of the said two sides, and the projecting edges of the said sliders are
fitted into vertical grooves formed in the edges of two upright parallel
pieces N, N, which are firmly sustained in their upright and parallel positions
by the metal standards O, O, which are united together by horizontal cross.
pieces o, o, and which standards rest on the fixed framing P, P, with the
broad bases of the standards resting on the upper edges of that framing.
The said vertical grooves in the upright parallel pieces N, N, and the sliders
projecting from the sides of the frame M, M, which fit into those grooves,
retain the frame M, M, securely in its vertical plane, together with the
grating g, h, as well as the piece of wood W, which is fastened thereto, and
at the same time the said frame M, M, and grating g, h, and wood W, can
be moved endways up or down without deviation from a straight motion in a
vertical plane. Such motion is communicated by means of a long toothed.
rack k, which is fastened in a vertical direction to the frame M, M, across
the back of the horizontal cross pieces of that frame, and a toothed pinion
acts in the teeth of the long rack k, the pinion being on the end of a
horizontal axis m, which is mounted in bearings sustained by the hori-
zontal cross pieces 0, 0, of the standards 0, 0, before mentioned; and the

page_text: axis m also carries a large ratchet wheel Q, with fine serrated teeth, to
receive the action of a click driver 8, by which the wheel Q is turned round
one or more of its teeth at a time, and thereby the pinion and rack k.are
caused to raise up the frame M; M, together with the wood W, a propor-
tionably small distance in a vertical direction. q is a click or pall acting in the
serrated teeth of the ratchet wheel Q, in order to retain the same from retro-
grading. And note, as the weight of the frame M, M, with its rack k and
the grating g, h, together with the weight of the piece of wood .W, all tend to
oppose the vertical upward motion of those parts, the weight of the said.parts
may be counterbalanced by means of balance weights applied to ropes or
chains passing over pullies, in a similar manner to the application of balance
weights to a window sash; that is to say, a rope or chain may be attached to
the lower end of each of the upright sides of the frame M, M, and. those ropes
or chains carried up close alongside of the said uprights, in order to pass.over
pullies mounted on centre pius sustained by any suitable connection to the
upper ends of the upright pieces N, N; and the said ropes or chains, after
being conducted over those pullies, and descending on each side within the
framing P, P, and behind the frame M, M, may have sufficient balance
weights appended to each rope or chain to counterpoise the weight of the
parts aforesaid; or part of that weight and the said balance weights may be
made capable of so much augmentation or diminution as may be requisite to
suit them to the greater or lesser weight of the piece of wood W, which is
for the time in the machine. The click driver p, by which the serrated teeth
of the ratchet wheel Q are driven round, is actuated by means of a small
crank r at the end of the axis G, before mentioned. The pin of that crank r,
which is carried round in a small circular orbit, is connected by means of a
long rod R with the upper end of a lever arm w, which ascends upwards from
one end of a horizontal axis S. That axis S is sustained at each end on centres
of motion borne by the fixed framing P, and the axis S has a shorter lever
arms extending out horizontally from each end of it, and the ends of those
two arms sustain a horizontal round rod n, whercon the driver p is mounted,
the said round rod n serving as a joint pin to connect the lower end of the
said driver p with the ends of the short horizontal lever arms 8. As the pin
of the small crank r is carried round in its circular orbit, its long rod R,
lever arm w, and axis S, with short lever arms s, causes the round rod n and
the the driver p to rise and fall, and to act in the serrated teeth of the ratchet
wheel once at each revolution of the axis G, so as to turn the wheel Q
round one or more of its teeth at a time; and by means of the pinion / and
rack the frame M and the wood W is raised upwards a proportionably

page_text: small quantity towards the teeth of the saw, the click or pall 9 preventing
the wheel Q from running back. And as to the saw frame D, E, E, F, it
consists of a strong longitudinal piece D, across the two ends of which the
end pieces E, E, are applied with mortices and stump tennons. The saw.b
is.held.extended.between the ends. of the pieces E, E, by means of short screw
bolts and nuts at each end of the saw, and the opposite ends of the same
pieces E, E, are connected. together by the long horizontal bolt .F, which has
nuts screwed on each end of it. By turning the several nuts on their respec-.
tive screws, the blade of the saw 6 can be extended and strained very tight,
in order that it may keep itself straight and flat by tension. To connect the
ends of the saw b with the short screw.bolts before mentioned, by which those
ends are to be held, each of those bolts terminates with a broad flat palm c,
Figure 4, which has a slot in a vertical plane cut out in the middle of its
thickness, with a narrow mouth to the slot to receive a corresponding piece y,
which is fastened on the end of the saw blade 6 by that piece y having a
cleft in the middle of its thickness to admit the end of the saw, which is
fastened in the said slit by cross pins. The said pieces y, so fastened by clefts
and cross pins on each end of the saw blade b, have heads to fit into the slots
with narrow mouths in the palms c of the screw bolts; and the pieces y have
necks to fit into those narrow mouths, wherefore the said pieces y, when lodged
with their heads in the said slots in c, cannot draw out from those slots in the
direction of the length of the saw; but nevertheless the said pieces y can be
placed higher or lower in their said vertical slots in c, in order to adjust the
saw b to suit the line of its teeth to the saw frame, according to the breadth of
the blade of the saw, which breadth is greater when the saw is new, but
becomes narrower as the saw is worn away by repeatedly sharpening its
teeth. The saw frame D, E, E, F, is quite distinct from the moving frame
a, a, upon which it is applied and fastened, as already mentioned, and suitable
packings of wood are fixed upon the upper surface of the frame a, a, at each
end thereof for the ends E, E, of the saw frame to rest upon, and those ends
are securely fastened down on those packings by screws having eyes to turn
them round by; and by withdrawing those screws the saw frame can be
detached and wholly removed from the frame a, a, when the saw requires re-
pairing, and another saw frame, which contains a saw newly sharpened and set,
can without delay be applied on the same packing pieces, and fastened by the
same screws on the frame a, a. But note, it is not absolutely necessary to
remove the saw frame, as the saw blade might be taken out from the saw
frame by slacking the several nuts before mentioned until the saw is released.
from its tension, and then the pieces y, Figure 4, before mentioned, which are

page_text: fastened by clefts and cross pins on each end of the saw blade b, can be
withdrawn vertically out of their lodgments in the aforesaid slots with
narrow mouths in the palms c of the short screw bolts. It might cause a
longer interruption to the working of the machinery to change the saw blade b
instead of changing the saw frame, but neither may be practised. And note,
the extent of backwards and forwards motion that is given to the saw can be
rendered greater or less by fixing the crank pine at a greater or less distance
from the centre of the fly wheel J, and the said pin may be so fitted and
fastened into the arm of the fly wheel as to admit of such alteration. When
the machinery is employed in cutting a piece of wood W, which is narrower
than that represented in the Drawing, the saw b may be worked with a some-
what longer stroke than is there represented, and vice versâ, the length of
stroke which can be given to the saw being always somewhat less than the
difference between the clear length of the blade 6 of the saw and the width of the
piece of wood W. The saw blades for such machinery are made of rolled steel
plate, hardened and tempered in the usual manner of making saw blades.
The blades are four or five inches wide when new, and the thickness of
the plates from Number 22 of the wire gage of Number 26 thereof. The
teeth are cut as represented in Figure 5, with their points very sharp,
and conforming to a correct straight line from one end of the blade to the
other end. The points of the teeth are set in the usual manner of saws for
sawing wood, that is to say, the said points are bended laterally beyond the
flat plane of the blade 6, one tooth to the right-hand side, and the next tooth
to the left-hand side. The extent of the setting or bending is such as that the
extra thickness given to the toothed edge of the saw in consequence of the
setting will be about five numbers of the wire gage; for instance, a saw blade,
whereof the thickness is Number 24 of the wire gage, will be rendered as
thick as Number 19 of that gage at the points of the teeth, in consequence
of the setting of those points. As to the advance of the wood W towards the
teeth of the saw by the upwards motion that is given to the vertical frame M
and the wood W, in the manner herein-before described, by the small crank r,
rod R, lever arms w and s, driver p, ratchet wheel Q, pinion 7, and rack k, the
said advance may be at the rate of about one twenty-eighth part of an inch for
each complete stroke made by the saw, or, in other words, for each revolution
of the crank pin e in its circular orbit. The said advance may be made to
take place during the time whilst the saw is returning or moving backwards,
and consequently when its teeth are not cutting the wood, in which case the
saw blade b must be so held in its frame D, E, E, F, or that frame must be so
applied on the moving frame a, a, as that the straight line which is formed by.

page_text: the points of the teeth of the saw will be slightly out of level, or out of paral-
lelism (as to level) with the direction of the straight line of the horizontal
motion of the moving frame a, a, the said straight line of the points of
the teeth being somewhat highest at that end of the saw which moves foremost
when the teeth are cutting the wood, the difference from the level or
parallelism, as aforesaid, being in the case above mentioned at the rate
of about one twenty-eighth part of an inch in the length of stroke that is made
by the saw, that is, in case the wood is advanced towards the teeth of the saw
at the rate of one twenty-eighth part of an inch in a complete stroke of the
saw as above stated; wherefore if the length of stroke made by the saw is two
fect, and the length of the blade of the saw is twice as much, or four feet, then
that end of the saw blade which moves foremost when the teeth are cutting
the wood should be as much higher than the other end, or as much out of
parallelism with the horizontal motion of the saw frame as twice the space
that the wood W will be advanced towards the teeth of the saw in a complete
stroke. The extent of the said advance of the wood can be increased, if
required, by placing the crank pin of the small crank r further from the centre
of the axis G, whereby more motion will be given to the driver p, and it will
take hold of a greater number of the fine serrated teeth of the large ratchet
wheel Q, and move that wheel further round. The period of time during cach
stroke of the saw, when the said advance will be made, can be regulated by
adjusting the position of the crank pin r on the axis G, in respect to the
position of the crank pin e on that axis, and the regulation should be such as
that the advancing motion will be completed by the time that the saw has
completed its backward motion, and before it recommences its forward or
cutting motion; or, if preferred, the advance of the wood towards the teeth of the
saw may be made when the saw is moving forwards, and whilst those tecth are
cutting the wood, in which case the straight line of the teeth of the saw should
U is a
be level or parallel to the horizontal motion of the moving frame a, a.
fixed bar of metal, by which the saw blade b is retained in its proper vertical
plane. The said bar U is fixed to the frame A, with its lengthway in a hori-
zontal direction, by means of projecting pieces at each end of the bar. One
of the flat sides of the bar U (which side is furthest from the fixed frame A) is
vertical, and is applied with an easy contact against the flat vertical surface
of the saw blade b, as is shewn in the section, Figure 6, so as to retain that
blade from deviating from its intended vertical plane, but without hindering
the endway motion of the saw; for the blade thereof is at liberty to move freely
in the narrow cleft which is left between the vertical surface of the solid
wood W on one side of the saw blade, and the vertical surface of the fixed

page_text: bar U on the other side thereof. The lower edge of the fixed bar U is
a thin edge, which is straight and horizontal, or nearly so, but which edge
does not extend so low as the teeth of the saw extend downwards. The
upper edge of the bar U is thick enough to give it the requisite strength,
and the side of the bar U which is nearest to the frame A is inclined from the
vertical, and that inclined side acts in the manner of a wedge to remove the
veneer which is in process of being cut off from the wood W, by bending
the said veneer away from the vertical surface of the wood, from which surface
it has been recently separated by the action of the saw, so that the veneer
assumes an inclined direction, corresponding to the inclined side of the fixed
bar U; but so much of the veneer as is above that bar U is bended again into
a nearly vertical direction, by being connected, at the upper end of the veneer,
in some slight and temporary manner to the upper end of the piece of wood W.
And after a thin slice or veneer has been sawn or cut off from all the length
of the vertical surface of the piece of wood W, by continuance of the recipro-
eating cutting action of the saw b, conjointly with the slow endway progress of
the wood by the upward motion of the vertical frame M, then that frame, with
the wood W, is let down again until the upper end of the wood W gets below
the level of the teeth of the saw b, and then the wood W requires to be
advanced laterally towards the saw, so far as is requisite for enabling the saw
to cut off another thin slice or veneer from off the vertical surface of the wood.
In so advancing the wood W, it must move with its vertical surface parallel to
itself, in order that the said surface may continue to be vertical whilst
so advancing, as well as after it has been so advanced. For this purpose a
small motion is given by the screw x to the two standards O, O, which sustain
the upright parallel pieces N, N, and which two standards O, O, are united
together by the horizontal cross pieces o, o, so as to form a complete frame,
which sustains the vertical frame M and the wood W; and the whole of that
frame 0, 0, 0, 0, N, N, rests by its weight, with the broad bases of the
standards O, O, upon the horizontal upper edges of the two pieces of fixed
framing P, which pieces are erected on the stone basement, and are firmly
connected together, and they reach beneath the framing A, A, and are con-
nected therewith. The broad bases of the standards O, O, are moveable
horizontally upon the edges of the framing P, P, in the manner of parallel,
sliders, to which motion is given by means of the screw X, when that screw is
turned round by its handle; and there is a graduated circular plate on the
screw to serve as a micrometer index for setting the screw X, so that it may
advance the wood W the intended space towards the saw for cutting a veneer
of the required thickness. And note, for greater certainty of moving the

page_text: frame 0, 0, 0, 0, N, N, with the wood W, so that the vertical surface of that
wood shall continue parallel to itself in so. moving, two screws X and c. may
be used as shewn in Figure 3, both screws.being moved alike by means of a
cog wheel on each screw, turned by an intermediate cog. wheel situated
between the two, with an handle to give motion to the latter, and thereby to
turn both screws.at once. And note, when the said motion is given to the
frame 0, 0, 0, 0, in order to carry the wood. W laterally, the ratchet wheel Q
partakes of such motion, and therefore the driver: p is moved along its
round rod n as far as is required, in order that it may keep opposite to the
edge of the ratchet wheel Q... The said round rod n, which is in fact only.
a joint pin, is long and horizontal, for the purpose of. so moving the driver 4.
along it.
Sheet II. represents similar machinery to that already described, except that
the saw is moved in a vertical direction with an up and down motion for
sawing, and the wood is moved endways towards. the teeth of the saw with
a slow motion in a horizontal direction.
.
For facility of explanation the same letters of: reference are used to denote
the parts which correspond to the parts of the machinery already described..
Figure 1 is a lateral elevation, Figure 2. an end elevation; and Figure 3 a
horizontal plan. A, A, the fixed framing, erected in a vertical position on the
stone basement, and retained by the oblique braces from the upper. ends.
B, B, are the grooved rails, affixed. vertically to the frame A,. A, for grinding
the sliders of the moving frame a, a, which slides endway, up and down in a
vertical plane. D, E, E, F, is the saw frame, fastened to the moving frame a, a;
and 6 is the saw blade, overhanging laterally beyond the upright frame A, A,
at one side, as is shewn in Figure. 2. All the said parts are much the same
as the corresponding parts in Sheet I. except as to their positions being vertical
instead of horizontal. The moving frame a, a, is suspended and moved up
and down by links f, f, from one end of a long lever L, whereof the fulcrum
or centre of motion j is sustained by framing. Y erected from the stone base-
ment; and to the opposite end of the lever L the crank rod K is jointed, to go
down to the crank pin e which is fixed in one of the arms of the fly wheel J;
that wheel being mounted on the end of the horizontal axis G, which is
sustained on the framing H, and is turned round by an endless strap,
or belt on the drum d. The action of all these parts is very similar to
those already described, and the rotatory motion of the crank gives an alter-
nate reciprocating motion to the saw up and down in a vertical direction.
The wood W, on which the saw operates, is applied in the carriage with the
lengthway or grain of the wood horizontal, and the slow endway motion of

page_text: the wood for advancing it towards the teeth of the saw is also horizontal,
but the surface of the wood which is cut by the saw is vertical. The piece
of wood W is fastened by glueing or otherwise against a railing formed of
horizontal parallel rails g, united by upright cross rails h, which latter are
applied against and fastened to the frame M, M, which is composed of
two long horizontal side pieces, united by upright cross pieces, the plane
of the frame being vertical. The said long sides have angular grooves along
their upper and lower edges to receive projecting edges on the long parallel
rails N, N, which are united by the uprights o, o, into another strong
and larger frame, the plane of which is also vertical, and it includes
the frame M within it. The horizontal endway motion of the frame M,
together with the wood W, is given by means of a long rack k fastened to
the lower horizontal. side of the frame M, and which rack k is moved by a
toothed pinion on the horizontal axis m, which axis has the large ratchet
wheel on one end of it. The serrated teeth of that ratchet wheel are
turned round by means of the driver p, suspended from a horizontal round
rod n, which is borne at the end of short lever arms s projecting out nearly
horizontally from each end of a horizontal axis S, which is sustained on centres
of motion at each end of it, borne by the fixed frame; and a crooked lever arm
w, which extends obliquely upwards from the axis S is connected by the
long rod R with a joint pin r fixed into the great lever L near to the centre of
motion thereof. When the saw descends its teeth cut the wood, and at
that time the driver p is raised up to catch the teeth of the ratchet wheel Q,
but will not move that wheel. The click q retains the serrated teeth of the
ratchet wheel Q, and prevents that wheel turning backward. When the saw
ascends, and its teeth do not cut the wood, then the driver p descends and
turns the ratchet wheel Q one or more of its teeth, whereby the pinion and
rack k moves the frame M, together with the wood W, a small space hori-
zontally and endway towards the teeth of the saw. U is the fixed bar which
retains the saw blade in its vertical direction and intended plane, and which
bends off the veneer from the wood. The bar U is fixed to the frame A, and
is the same as that already described, except as to its position, its length
being vertical endways upwards instead of horizontal. The long frame N, N,
on and against which the frame M, M, slides for carrying the wood W, is
sustained upon horizontal cross bearers 0, 0, which resemble cylindrical
rollers, but do not act as such; they extend horizontally across between the
two long foundation cells P, P, which rest on blocks of stonework. The
frame N, N, is sustained in its vertical plane by means of ten horizontal
screws marked X, five of which act in nuts affixed to the upper rail N, and

page_text: the other five on nuts affixed to the lower rail N, the said screws being
sustained at their backmost ends on bearings formed on the metal standards Z,
which are erected on the blocks of stonework, and which stand up at the
back of the frame N, N. Each of the ten screws X has a toothed wheel x
fixed upon it, and a long endless chain C passes over all the ten wheels a, the
teeth whereof enter into the spaces between the links of the chain C, and
that chain causes all the ten wheels r and screws X to be turned round with
similar motions to that which may be given to any one of the ten by a
handle T, which is applied on the end of that one for the purpose of turning
them all. The ten screws X then act in concert to move the whole frame
N, N, laterally with its vertical surface and parallel to itself, together with
the frame M, which is contained within the frame N, N, and the wood W
which is borne by the frame M, the wood being thereby carried laterally
as much nearer towards the plane of the saw b as is requisite, in order that
the saw may proceed to cut another slice or veneer from the surface of the
wood W.
Figure 4, in Sheet II., is a lateral elevation of a portion of the machinery,
shewing how the up and down vertical motion may be given to the saw without
intervention of the great lever, such as is shewn in Figure 1 in cases when
sufficient depth can be obtained, as in Figure 4, for placing the crank e and
fly wheel J in the foundation beneath the machinery. The crank rod K
extends upwards from the revolving crank pin e to a link f, which is jointed
to the lower end of the moving frame a, a, against which the saw frame is
applied and attached, as already explained. The lever L, whereof the centre
of motion is j, serves to retain the upper end of the crank rod K sufficiently near
to a vertical motion to avoid inconvenience from the obliquity of the direction
of that rod. The combination shewn in Figure 4 of the crank e, fly wheel J,
crank rod K, and lever L, and link f, with the moving frame a, a, and saw
frame, is the same as in the machine Sheet I., except as to the vertical
direction instead of horizontal. The opposite end of the lever L, Figure 4, is
a short lever arm r, with a rod R jointed to it, and going upwards to the
lever arm w which projects out from the axis S, which axis is the same as
already described and shewn in Figure 1, and so are the other parts whereby
the requisite motion is given to the driver p for actuating the serrated teeth
of the large ratchet wheel Q, in the same manner as already described
respecting the other Figures in Sheet II.
Figures 5 and 6, in Sheet II., represent a mode of constructing the saw
frame in metal instead of wood, the long piece D being a hollow tube of iron
for lightness and strength. The ends E, E, are also made of iron, and they

page_text: are connected with the ends of the long tube D by being lodged within the
clefts of forked pieces which are affixed to each end of the tube D and the
screws, with eyes to turn them by, and which screws fasten the saw frame to
the moving frame a, a, as already described. Those screws pass through the
said forked pieces as well as through the end pieces E, E, and thereby secure
all the parts together. The under or back side of the pieces E have wood
packing applied to them to fit. against the wood packing at the ends of the
moving frame a, a: The screw bolts c, c, at each end of the saw blade,
which bolts pass through holes in the end of each of the end pieces E, E,
and the mode of taking hold of the ends of that blade, are all the same as
already explained. The horizontal section, Figure 6, is the same kind of saw
frame as Figure 5. And note, although the saw frame D, E, E, F, has been
described and represented as being quite distinct from the moving frame a, a,
that is not essential, for the moving frame a, a, might be made to answer
the purpose of the distinct saw frame, provided that in-place-of the end pieces
E, E, in the plan Figure 3, strong cross pieces of metal were firmly fastened
to or framed into the moving frame 'a, 'a, so as to become lateral projecting
parts of that frame at each end thereof, which parts would reach out laterally
from each end of the frame a, a, in the same positions as are occupied by the
end pieces: E, E, across at the ends of the frame a, a, and in a suitable
manner for: receiving the horizontal screw bolts c at each end of the blade b
of the saw, and of adequate strength for sustaining the said bolts c, c, in
the same positions in respect to all the parts of the machinery, and with the
same firmness. and strength as the end pieces E, E, would sustain the said
bolts c, c, in. case of a distinct saw frame being used, as herein-before described.
But in case of the moving frame a, a, being so made to answer the purpose
of holding and extending the blade of the saw without a distinct saw frame,
then the said moving frame a, a, must have adequate strength for giving the
requisite tension to the blade 6 of the saw, that tension being in such case
produced by means of the nuts on the screw bolts c, c, at each end of the blade
of the saw. Note, respecting the carriage which sustains the wood W, and
gives the requisite motion thereto for presenting the wood to the saw, as
herein-before described, comprising the railing g, h, the moving frame M, M,
and the larger frame N, N, the said carriage is somewhat similar to the
carriage used for the like purpose in the machinery commonly used for the
sawing or cutting of veneers by means of large revolving circular saws, except
as to the slow progressive horizontal motion, whereby the wood is advanced
towards the teeth of the saw, being performed by small but distinct steps of
advance, one such step for each complete stroke of the saw.. And, with that

page_text: exception, the said carriage may be made exactly the same as is commonly
used in such machinery, or in any other suitable manner, as may be judged
most convenient, the present improvements having no reference to the sort of
carriage which may be used for sustaining the wood and presenting it to the
saw, but only to that part of the machinery whereby the actual sawing or cut-
ting of veneers is performed by means of the straight reciprocating saw, as
herein-before described, instead of a large circular and continuously revolving
saw, except as to the slow progressive motion of the carriage, whereby the
wood is advanced towards the teeth of the saw, being made by small but distinct
steps of advance, as aforesaid.
Having now described the said improvements, and the manner of performing
the same, I, the said Matthew Gregson, do hereby declare that the new
Invention, whereof the exclusive use is granted to me by the said Letters
Patent, consists in the following particulars, viz* :-
First, the improvement herein-before described in reference to Sheet I. of
the Drawings hereunto annexed, applicable to the sawing or cutting of veneers,
of substituting in the place of the large revolving circular saws hitherto com-
monly used in machinery for the purpose of sawing or cutting veneers a thin
straight saw, extended or stretched in the manner herein-before described,
which saw is moved endways backwards and forwards with a rapid rectilinear
and alternating or reciprocating motion in a horizontal direction, in the
manner herein-before described, the blade of the said saw being guided
and retained in its intended straight line and vertical cutting plane, and
prevented from deviating from that line and plane, by means of a horizontal
fixed bar U, applied as herein-before described, which bar U also acts in
the manner of a wedge to bend off the veneer as fast as the same is sawn or
cut away from the surface of the wood, the slow progressive motion of the
carriage containing the wood (and by which motion the wood is advanced with
a vertical motion towards the teeth of the saw for the purpose of being sawn
or cut thereby) being made by small but distinct steps of vertical advancing
motion, one such step being made for each complete stroke made by the saw,
in manner herein-before described.
Secondly, the improvement herein-before described in reference to Sheet II.
of the Drawings hereunto annexed, applicable to the sawing or cutting of
veneers, of substituting in place of the large revolving circular saws hitherto
commonly used in machinery for the purpose of sawing or cutting veneers a
thin straight saw, extended or stretched in the manner herein-before described,
which saw is moved endways up and down with a rapid rectilinear and alter-
nating or reciprocating motion in a vertical direction, in the manner herein-

page_text: before described, the blade of the said saw being guided and retained in its
intended straight line and vertical cutting plane, and prevented from deviating
from that line and plane, by means of a vertical fixed bar U, applied as
herein-before described, which bar U also acts in the manner of a wedge
to bend off the veneer as fast as the same is sawn or cut away from the
surface of the wood, the slow progressive motion of the carriage containing
the wood (and by which motion the wood is advanced with a horizontal motion
towards the teeth of the saw for the purpose of being sawn or cut thereby)
being made by small but distinct steps of horizontal advancing motion, in
the manner herein-before described, one such step being made for each
complete stroke made by the saw.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Gregson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, One thousand eight