Improvements in Apparatus for Dovetailing.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1897-Accepted, 21st Aug., 1897
Improvements in Apparatus for Dovetailing.
We, ROBERT BRITTON, of Anchor House, New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, Essex,
Joiner Foreman, and FREDERIC CHARLES GERMAIN, Joiner, 1, Denmark Street,
Colchester, Essex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention can be adapted to any ordinary lathe running at a high speed.
By a special arrangement of saws of different diameters fixed on a screwed spindle
and spaced by collars screwed with male and female threads, the said saws can be
adjusted to suit dovetails on the bed of the lathe and canted to the required angle
obliquely to suit the bevel of the dovetail. The fences are so arranged that by
reversing the stuff under operation, the saws will cut the other side of the mortice.
The cores are then cut out at one operation by a specially constructed cutting
appliance fitted to any morticing machine whereby the whole or several of the cores
are removed at one operation. The pins or male dovetails are cut by saws of the
same diameter and using the same collars as before mentioned. The wood is held
at the required angle on a bed by a fence fixed at the required inclination. Three
angles are provided and by passing the wood over the saws one side of the dovetail
is cut, and by reversing at the opposite angle the other side is cut. The third
angle is used for the opposite end. The centres or cores are cut out in a similar
manner to that already described, only with cutters tapered to suit the bevel so as
not to cut into the tenon or pin. This appliance does perfect work leaving nothing
to be squared out as in the case with most machines of the kind now in use. For
heavier work we use a modified construction which can be adapted to any motive
spindle either vertical or horizontal, the latter being preferable as it is of heavier
construction and stronger, running steadier and giving better results for broad
work. In this modification we employ a hand or panel over-hand planer with long
spindle and cutter block and our invention can be speedily attached to such machine
and as readily removed, leaving the machine free for any work that may be required,
which is not possible with any other dovetailing machine. In this modification the
fences are constructed as already indicated, but the work is done at one operation,
the cores being taken out by specially shaped cutters which are used instead of
saws. The table of the machine must be made to slide horizontally as well as
obliquely. For cutting the female dovetail or mortice as many pieces may be
clamped together as can conveniently be held, and by passing them once over the
cutters and then reversing and again passing them over the cutters, as many
perfect dovetails may be cut as are required ready for use. The pins are cut by
being held at the required angle as before described and passing the wood over the
cutters as before. The fences may have adjusting screws for regulation to suit
variation in size of dovetail.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Dovetailing.
We, ROBERT BRITTON, of Anchor House, New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, Essex,
Joiners Foreman, and FREDERICK CHARLES GERMAIN, Joiner, 1, Denmark Street,
Colchester, Essex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to improved means for cutting dovetails, and in carrying it
into effect, we proceed in or in about the following manner, making reference to
the accompanying sheet of drawings in which, Figs. 1, and 2, are front views of
two arrangements as adapted to lathes running at high speed. Figs. 3, and 4,
plans of the slides and fences to be hereafter mentioned. Fig. 5, front view
shewing material with one set of cuts for one side of the dovetails. Fig. 6, front
view shewing material with second set of cuts for the other side of the dovetails.
Fig. 7, an end view of the material being cut to form one side of the pins or male
dovetails. Fig. 8, an end view of the material being cut to form the other side of
the pins. Fig. 9, is a front view, and Fig. 10, a side view of the appliance for
removing the cores between the pins. Fig. 11, is an enlarged front view of cutter
of Figs. 9, and 10. Fig. 12, is a front view, and Fig. 13, a side view exemplifying
the arrangement of cutters for forming the dovetails or pins at one operation.
Fig. 14, is a plan, Fig. 15, a section through B B Fig. 14, and Fig. 16, an end
view of the slides and fences for holding the material when the dovetailing is done
on a planing machine. Fig. 17, is an enlarged section of the fences of the outer of
the slides shewn in Figs. 14, 15, and 16. Like letters refer to like parts wherever
possible.
Referring to Fig. 1, the dovetails are cut by passing the end of the material over
a series of circular saws a of different diameters placed side by side on a spindle b
and kept apart by collars c. The inaterial is held against a fence d at right angles
to a runner or slide e working on a table f canted to the angle which the dovetails
are to have in plan. When one series of cuts has been made in the material d³ as
shewn in front view at 1, 2, 3, 4, of Fig. 5, the material is turned side for side and
is again passed over the saws so as to make the second series of cuts as shewn
at Z. Y. X. W. of Fig. 6. The cores or parts between 4 and Z; 3 and Y; 2 and X;
1 and W; are removed by an attachment (to be hereafter mentioned) to an ordinary
mortising machine.
The male dovetails or pins are cut by a series of saws a¹. (Fig. 2.) of equal
diameter and spaced apart by collars as before mentioned. In this case the
table is level and the fences d and d¹ inclined at opposite angles to one another.
Figs. 7, and 8, represent end views of the material d³ in both positions. Fig. 7,
shewing the cuts V. U. T. S. R. made in the material when held against fence d¹,
and Fig. 8, the cuts made when it is held against fence d. The cores or parts
between 5 and U; 7 and S; 8 and. R; are removed as in the previous case.
The table f is supported on uprights g attached to or forming part of the base
plate by which the whole is held to the lathe bed i. The saw spindle b revolves
between the lathe heads j and j¹.
Referring to Figs. 9, 10, and 11, k is the tang of the mortise tool for cutting out
the cores or material between the dovetails and pins, being the holder for the
cutters m. These cutters may be of any shape according to the form to be removed.
n is a dovetailed groove in l'in which groove slides the heads of the bolts o which
pass through the cutters m, and retain them in place by the heads p. The shape
of the cutters must of course be adapted to the portion of material to be removed.

page_text: For heavier work than the above is intended for, we use a modified construction
which can be adapted to any motive spindle either vertical or horizontal, the latter
being preferred as running steadier and giving better results for broad work. In
this modification, we employ a hand or panel over hand planer with a long spindle
and a cutter block, our invention being speedily attached to such a machine and
as readily removed, leaving the machine free for its ordinary work. In this
modification the fences may be constructed as alrendy indicated, but with such
additional strength as the heavier work may call for. The cores are removed in this
modification by specially shaped cutters without the use of saws. Figs. 12, and 13,
refer to the cutter block which is rotated below the runner or slide on which the
work is held. is the block for carrying the suitably shaped cutters r, the whole
rotating with the spindle 8. The cutters are attached to g by bolts or any other
suitable means, and are of such shape as to remove the whole of the core as the
material is worked over them. In Fig. 12 the cutters are shown as square at the
ends. These are for cutting the male dovetails or "pins." For cutting the female
dovetails these cutters would be replaced by others, having the ends slightly sloped
from corner to corner, so that by passing the wood twice over them (as explained
in connection with Figs. 5 & 6) first one half & thon the other half of the dovetail
will be cut.
Referring to Figs. 14, 15, and 16, t is an outer frame and an inner one sliding
into it, the sliding being effected by the screw worked by hand we or by any other
means. The slide has the inclined fences d d (corresponding to similar parts
of Fig. 4.) and straight fences d (corresponding to similar parts of Fig. 3.),
the former fences being used when cutting the pins or male dovetail, and
the latter when cutting the mortise or female part. The material d is put between
two appropriate fences and tightened between them by the screw v. The slides are
then passed over the cutters which are so shaped as to remove the required portion
of material, according ns pins or mortises are to be cut. The end of the frame & is
made sloping as at x so as to be a guide for placing the material which is held
between d and d. I prefer to make the cross bars d d and d² of frame t of
metal as at y Fig. 17, having a groove in it into which is driven the wooden part 2.
The slide t is rabitted as at A so as to run easily over guides on the planing
machine. For cutting the female dovetail or mortise, as many pieces may bo
clamped together as can conveniently be held and by passing them once over the
cutters and then reversing them and again passing them over the cutters, as many
dovetails may be cut as are required. The pins are cut by being hold at the
required angle as already described, and passing the wood over the cutters...
Any or all of the fences may have stops and adjustable screws or other
arrangement for regulating the sixe and position of the dovetails.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
CLAIMS.
1. The method of and means for cutting the opposing sides of female dovetails
by holding the material against a fence or against fences forming part of a slide
movable over an inclined table, by which slide the material can be passed over a
number of circular saws each succeeding one of which is less in diameter than the
immediately preceeding one, the said saws being arranged at a suitable distance
apart on a spindle rotated between the heads of a lathe or otherwise, the fence or
fences being parallel to the axis of the said spindle, the whole substantially as
described in the above specification and exemplified by Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 6, of the
accompanying drawings.
2. The method of and means for cutting the opposing sides of male dovetails or
pins by holding the material in succession against inclined fences forming part of a
slide movable over a level table, by which slide the material can be passed over a

page_text: number of circular saws, of the same diameter arranged at a suitable distance apart
on a spindle rotated between the heads of a lathe or otherwise, the fences being
inclined in opposite directions to the axis of the spindle, the whole substantially as
described in the above specification, and exemplified by Figs. 2, 4, 7, and 8, of the
accompanying drawings.
3. Completing dovetails, partly formed as described in the preceeding
Claims 1, and 2, by mortising out the material between alternate cuts so produced,
the said mortising being performed by a tool substantially such as is described in
the above specification and exemplified by Figs. 9, 10, and 11, of the accompanying
drawings.
4. Cutting or forming dovetails by the successive use of saws and a mortising
appliance, the whole substantially as described in the above specification and
exemplified by Figs. 1, to 11, of the accompanying drawings.
5. Cutting dovetails by the use in a planing or similar machine of a cutter block
and cutters, substantially such as are described in the above specification and
exemplified by Figs. 12, and 13, of the accompanying drawings.
6. For use in cutting dovetails by the method which is the subject matter of
preceeding Claim 5, the double sliding frames and fences, constructed and
operating substantially as described in the above specification and exemplified by
Figs. 14, 15, and 16, of the accompanying drawings.
7. Cutting or forming dovetails by a cutter block or by cutter blocks and cutters,
over which are passed sliding frames and fences, holding the material to be operated
on, the whole substantially as described in the above specification, and exemplified
by Figs. 12, to 17, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of June 1897.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for Applicants.