Improvements in Veneer Cutting Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Veneer Cutting Machines.
I, JULES VAN LANDUYT, of Grammont, Belgium, Mechanic, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in veneer cutting machines of the
kind in which veneers are cut from a cylindrical piece of wood.
The improvements relate in the first place to a special arrangement of a kind
of supporting bar or counter knife opposite the cutting blade, the position of
which can be adjusted as desired to suit the thickness of the veneer, and which
not only supports the vencer while it is being cut and prevents it from cracking
but which also on account of its special arrangement, has the effect of compress-
ing the fibre of the wood, of causing a cleaner cut, so as to produce more soli:
and smooth veneers.
Usually machine cut veneers have especially on one of their surfaces consider-
able wrinkles or kinds of folds and these vencers cannot be bent without break-
ing lengthwise or in the line of the fibres; the result is that the veneers have
not the desired strength, and in the manufacture of matches especially, these
veneers give only pieces that cannot bear the least twist without breaking. The
particular arrangement of the counter knife according to this invention over-
comes all these objections, being based on the new principle of compressing the
wood slice before cutting it, by imposing, for this purpose, a certain pressure
on the counter knife or supporting bar which is placed a little lower than the
knife, and bears more or less strongly on the part which is to be separated. Thus
are obtained veneers very smooth on both surfaces, hard, strong to resist bending
and quite uniform.
Another improvement of the veneer machine consists in a simple mechanical
arrangement producing automatic marking of the veneers in narrower bands,
variable according to their purpose in forming cases for packing &c.
The improved veneer machine is shewn in the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1
being a longitudinal elevation, Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3 a transverse section,
Fig. 4 shews a modification of the marker.
A is the knife B the counter knife or supporting bar, C C¹ two parts of the
mandrel each terminating in a holder of the tree trunk to be cut; D D' two
sleeves journalled in bearings and communicating to the holders C C rotation
from any suitable motor and gearing. E F G H forming a special arrangement
for the longitudinal to and fro movement of the wood during its rotation. The
two holders C C¹, as has just been said, pass into the sleeves D D¹ which cause
them to revolve, but are fitted in such a way as to allow the holders C C¹ to move
longitudinally. For this purpose the holder C has fixed on it a double cam E
in the groove of which is engaged a roller F which is mounted on the framing.
Thus as C revolves the roller F, acting on the sinuosities of the cam E forces
it to move to right and left in the direction of its axis. A frame consisting of
two crossheads G G and tie rods H H transmits this to and fro movement to the

page_text: holder C and the tree trunk. The spindle where it passes through the cross-
head G is screw threaded to fit a land nut, whereby the holders CC can be
moved nearer to or farther from one another according to the length of the wood,
while allowing both the rotary and the reciprocating movements. The recipro-
cating movement has the effect of producing a smooth surface on the veneer.
The arrangement of the counterknife or supporting bar is as follows:-
On the moveable table T are fixed two brackets P P₁ through which pass rods t
carrying springs R R helical or conical, made of flat blade, having their pressure
regulated by nuts e e¹. These springs abut at one end against the brackets ??¹
which are fixed, and at the other end against the nuts eel on the rods teach
of which has its end pressed against the counter knife, its other end passing
freely through its respective bracket.
Conical springs are shewn in the drawings, but obviously the springs may
be of other forms provided they fulfil the condition of exerting on the counter
knife force sufficient to effect compression of the wood before it is sliced. As
the brackets P P are fixed on the table which automatically advances towards
the axis as the slicing proceeds, the springs obviously accompany the table and
knife in their advance and consequently exert uniform pressure on the wood.
The marking apparatus is as follows:
On the holders C C are mounted uprights M M in which the holders freely
turn, these uprights being connected by a bar M". In each of the uprights M M¹
is a groove in which is guided a rack I I', each engaged by a pinion N N¹ fixed
on a spindle O. Two horizontal racks K K carried on uprights from the table T
moving with it, gear with the pinions N N¹. On shoulders of the vertical
racks II is placed a horizontal bar J carrying blades arranged at intervals
suited to the lengths of the boards to be marked.
As the parts L K, L K¹ move with the table T, the racks K K' turn the
pinions N N¹, which in turn lower the racks I I' and the bar J and blades 7 the
tracing points of which are thus made to bear exactly on the surface of the wood.
Fig. 4 shews a modification of the marking appliance in transverse section.
In this case the bar J which carries the markers can move vertically having at
its ends rollers or guides engaged in oblique slots Vattached to the movable
table T and arranged at its ends like the set of racks above described, so that the
bar J, as the table advances, that is to say as the trunk is sliced off, slides in the
slots approaching the axis, as in the arrangement previously described.
Obviously the arrangements described may be greatly varied, while the prin-
ciples of action are retained.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, JULES VAN LANDUYT, of Grammont, Belgium, Mechanic, 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:-
---
This invention relates to improvements in veneer cutting machines of the
kind in which veneers are cut from a cylindrical piece of wood.
The improvements relate in the first place to a special arrangement of a kind
of supporting bar or counter knife opposite the cutting blade, the position of
which can be adjusted as desired to suit the thickness of the veneer, and 'which

page_text: not only supports the veneer while it is being cut and prevents it from cracking,
but which also on account of its special arrangement, has the effect of compress-
ing the fibre of the wood, of causing a cleaner cut, so as to produce more solid
and smooth veneers.
Usually machine cut veneers have especially on one of their surfaces consider-
able wrinkles or kinds of folds and these vencers cannot be bent without break-
ing lengthwise or in the line of the fibres; the result is that the vencers have
not the desired strength, and in the manufacture of matches especially, these
veneers give only pieces that cannot bear the least twist without breaking. The
particular arrangement of the counter knife according to this invention over-
comes all these objections, being based on the new principle of compressing the
wood slice before cutting it, by imposing, for this purpose; a certain pressure
on the counter knife or supporting bar which is placed a little lower than the
kuife, and bears more or less strongly on the part which is to be separated. Thus
are obtained veneers very smooth on both surfaces, hard, strong to resist bending
and quite uniform.
1
Another improvement of the veneer machine consists in a simple mechanical
arrangement producing automatic marking of the veneers in narrow bands,
variable according to their purpose in forming cases for packing, &c..
The improved veneer machine is shewn in the drawings accompanying my
Provisional Specification, Figure 1 being a longitudinal elevation, Figure 2 a
plan and Figure 3 a transverse section, Figure 4 shews a modification of the
marker.
A is the knife B the counter knife or supporting bar, C C¹ two parts of the
mandrel each terminating in a holder of the tree trunk to be cut D D two
sleeves journalled in bearings and communicating to the holders, CC rotation
from any suitable motor and gearing, E F G H forming a special arrangement
for the longitudinal to and fro movement of the wood during its rotation. The
two holders C C', as has just been said, pass into the sleeves D D¹ which cause
them to revolve, but are fitted in such a way as to allow the molders C C¹ to move
longitudinally. For this purpose the holder C has fixed on it a double cam E
in the groove of which engaged a roller F which is mounted on the framing.
Thus as C revolves the roller F, acting on the sinuosities of the cam E forces
it to move to right and left in the direction of its axis. A frame consisting of
two crossheads G G and tie rods H H transmits this to and fro movement to the
holder C and the tree trunk. The spindle C where it passes through the cross-
head G is screw threaded to fit a hand nut, whereby the holders C C can be
moved nearer to or farther from one another according to the length of the wood,
while allowing both the rotary and the reciprocating movements. The recipro-
cating movement has the effect of producing a smooth surface on the veneer.
The arrangement of the counterknife or supporting bar is as follows:-
On the moveable table T are fixed two brackets PP through which pass rods t
carrying springs R R helical or conical, made of flat blade, having their pressure
regulated by nuts e e¹. These springs abut at one end against the brackets 1
which are fixed, and at the other end against the nuts e e¹ on the rods t teach
of which has its end pressed against the counter knife, its other end passing
freely through its respective bracket.
Conical springs are shewn in the drawings, but obviously the springs may
be of other forms provided they fulfil the condition of exerting on the counter
knife force sufficient to effect compression of the wood before it is sliced. 'As
the brackets P P¹ are fixed on the table which automatically advances towards
the axis as the slicing proceeds, the springs obviously accompany the table and
knife in their advance and consequently exert uniform pressure on the wood.
The marking apparatus is as follows:-
On the holders C C are mounted uprights M M in which the holders freely
turn, these uprights being connected by a bar M". In each of the uprights M M¹
is a groove in which is guided a rack I I', each engaged by a pinion N N¹ fixed

page_text: on a spindle 0. Two horizontal racks K K' carried on uprights from the table T
moving with it, gear with the pinions N N¹. On shoulders of the vertical
racks II is placed a horizontal bar J carrying blades arranged at intervals
suited to the lengths of the boards to be marked.
As the parts L K, L K move with the table T, the racks K K' turn the
pinions N N¹, which in turn lower the racks I I¹ and the bar J and blades / the
tracing points of which are thus made to bear exactly on the surface of the wood.
Fig. 4 shews a modification of the marking appliance in transverse section.
In this case the bar J which carries the markers can move vertically having at
its ends rollers or guides engaged in oblique slots V attached to the moveable
table T and arranged at its ends like the set of racks above described, so that the
bar J, as the table advances, that is to say as the trunk is sliced off, slides in the
slots V approaching the axis, as in the arrangement previously described.
Obviously the arrangements described may be greatly varied, while the prin-
ciples of action are retained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In combination with a veneer cutting machine the counter knife or support-
ing bar forced against the wood to compress the slice before it is cut, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The appliance for marking widths on the veneer as it is cut off substantially
as described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings.
3. The modified appliance for marking widths on the veneer substantially as
described with reference to Figure 4.
Dated this 18th day of October 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.