Machine for Making Match-splints.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Sept., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Nov,, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Machine for Making Match-splints.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Alonzo Pelton Adams, of Albany, in the
County of Albany, United States of America, Gentleman), and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine for making match-splints, with part of
the nearest side-frame broken away to expose underlying parts:
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the machine, at the line X X on Fig. 4:
Figure 3 is a front elevation:
Figure 4 is a plan view:
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are details, on an enlarged scale, of the
automatic-clutch for engaging the cutter-operating mechanism with the driving-
shaft:
Figures 13 and 14 are, respectively, an enlarged plan view, and an enlarged front
elevation of the movable-jaw of the cutting-mechanism :
Figure 15 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the clamping-devices for receiving
the splints from the cutting-mechanism:
Figure 16 is a transverse section of the same at the line Y Y and
Figure 17 is a side elevation of the stop-wheel for feeding along the clamping-
devices.
This invention relates to improvements in machines for cutting match-splints from
veneers which have been previously cut to a determined size: and it consists of a
novel combination of parts hereinafter described for cutting splints from veneers and
for automatically inserting said splints into clamps, or other suitable devices, for
holding them while being dipped into an igniferous compound.
As represented in the drawings, A designates the frame of the machine which is
preferably made of metal, either in the form shown or in any other form suitable for the
purpose; the side-frames of said frame are held together by a cross-piece, 1, a top-
plate, 2, and bolts 3, but the number and positions of the latter may be varied to suit
the requirements of the machine.
B is the driving-shaft, to which a rotatory motion can be imparted by any suitable
motive power; said shaft has a gear-wheel, 4, secured thereto, and said wheel meshes
into a like wheel, 5, which is secured to the hub of a balance-wheel, C, which is loosely
fitted upon an intermittently-rotating shaft, D, so that said balance-wheel and the parts
secured thereto will make the same number of revolutions in a given time as are
imparted to the gear-wheel 4; a smaller gear-wheel, 6, is also secured to the hub of
the balance-wheel C and has an equal number of revolutions therewith; the gear-
wheel 6 meshes into a larger gear-wheel, 7, secured to a shaft, E, having an eccentric, F,
at each end for a purpose hereinafter explained. The shaft E-by reason of the
intervention of the wheels 6 and 7-has a lower rate of speed than the shaft D during
the time the latter is in motion. The hub of the balance-wheel C is provided with a
spring-actuated bolt, 8, which is fitted to engage in a collar, 9, secured to the shaft D,
so as to lock said balance-wheel to the shaft D when it is necessary to impart a rotatory
motion to the latter. The bolt 8 is provided with a spline whose outer end has an
angle-face, 10, and, just behind said angle-face, a notch, 11, is formed in said spline
to receive the end of a spring-actuated locking-latch, 12, which, when the bolt 8 is
pushed inward, will engage in said notch and thereby retain said bolt in its retracted
position. The outer end of the bolt 8-when the latter is in its retracted position-is
flush with the outer face of the bub of the balance-wheel, C, and-until the bolt 8 is

page_text: released as hereinafter described-said balance-wheel is free to rotate without affecting
the collar 9 and, through said collar, the shaft D. On the shaft E is secured a
pinion, 13, which meshes into a pinion, 14, secured to a short shaft, 15, journaled in
bracket-bearings, 16, and the pinion 14 meshes into a pinion, 17, secured to a short
shaft, 18, which is also journaled in the bracket-bearings 16; the speed of the shaft E
being less than that of the shaft D-while the latter is in motion-and the pinion 13
being smaller than the pinion 17, a second reduction of speed is effected between
the shafts D and 18, and the latter will revolve slower than the shaft E; this differential
rate of speed being required to effect a cessation of motion of the shaft D, so as to
enable a swinging-jaw-hereinafter referred to-to remain at rest during the time
that the ejectors-also hereinafter referred to--are forcing the severed splints from
the cutting-mechanism. The shaft 18 is provided with a can-disk, 19, having, on
the inner face of its rim, a cam-face, 20-shown in Figs. 5 and 6-which is adapted
to engage with a stud, 21, formed on a sliding-bolt, G, so as to draw the latter toward
the shaft 18 against the resistance of a spring, 80, which exerts its pressure to force the
sliding-holt toward the shaft D. The outer end of the sliding-bolt G is fitted to engage
in a notch in the collar 9-as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8-when said bolt is
at the outer extremity of its movement, and thereby the shaft D, and the parts attachel
thereto, is locked in an immovable condition; said sliding-bolt is provided with a
lug, 78, that is fitted to engage with a corresponding lug, 79, that is formed on a
sliding cam-piece G' which is placed by the side of, and parallel to, the sliding-bolt G,
and which is fitted to operate the mechanism that locks the balance-wheel C to the
collar 9, and said cam-piece is connected to a spring, 22, which pushes the cam-piece
toward the shaft D. The outer end of the cam-piece G₁ is provided with a head, 23,
whose rearmost side is beveled, as at 24, for the purpose of engaging with a pin, 25,
of the latch 12, when-by the rotation of the balance-wheel C and drawing-in of the
sliding-bolt G the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 6, thereby the locking-
latch 12 is drawn out of the notch 11, leaving the spring-bolt 8 free to shoot outwardly
to engage in the notch 26 of the collar 9, to lock the balance-wheel C to the shaft I),
so that said shaft and wheel will operate as one piece. The outer face of the head 23
is beveled, as at 27, for the purpose of engaging with the angle-face 10 on the spring-
bolt 8 when the balance-wheel C reaches the proper point for that purpose, and while
said bolt is projected outward beyond the face of the hub of said wheel and thereby
said bolt is pushed inwardly to disengage the collar 9 from said balance-wheel, so as
to leave the latter free to revolve without affecting the shaft D, which will remain
quiescent until the collar 9 and balance-wheel C are again automatically locked together
in the manner hereinbefore described.
His a cross-beam, or cutter-head, which is provided with a series of vertically
arranged cutters, 28, which are spaced apart at distances which correspond to the
required diameter of the match-splints; directly in front of said cutter-head, is a
swinging-jaw, I, which is hung on pivots, 29, so that it can be swung toward the
cutter-head H in order to effect the severing of the veneers into splints; said jaw is
provided with a face-piece, 30, of raw-hide, or other suitable material, into which the
cutting-edges of the cutters can penetrate a slight distance for the purpose of effecting
a perfect separation of the veneers into match-splints, and thereby the separated splints
are compressed between the cutters 28. Toggle-joints J-which have one end pivoted
to fixed-studs, 31, secured to the side-frames of the machine, and their opposite end
jointed, as at 32, to the swinging-jaw I-are connected by rods, 33, to the eccentrics K,
which are secured to the intermittently-rotating shaf: D, for the purpose of imparting
the proper motions to the swinging-jaw I at the required times; said toggle-joints are
fitted to move slightly above a direct line, so that the jaw I-after it has been moved
to effect the cutting of a veneer into splints-will be drawn back slightly to remove
the pressure from said splints which would otherwise be clamped between the jaw i
and the cutter-head H, and it should be understood that said toggle-joints are retained
in the position last described during the time that the shaft D remains in a quiescent
condition.
L is a receiver for containing the veneers or blanks from which the match-splints

page_text: are to be cut; said receiver is provided with a slotted-bottom, 35, fixed in an inclined
position with its lower edge adjacent to the cutting-mechanism; the side of said
receiver next to the cutting-mechanism has, at its lower part, a slotted opening which
runs lengthwise thereof, and of which the bottom 35 forms the lower boundary, and
said opening forms an exit through which the veneers are ejected-one at a time-to
enter the cutting-mechanisın. A feeder, 36, having spurs, 37, which project through
the slots in the bottom 35, is fitted to slide on the lower face of said bottom for the
purpose of ejecting the veneers-a single one at a time-from said receiver into the
cutting-mechanism. For the purpose of imparting the required movements to said feeder,
slotted-links, 38, are pivoted thereto, and the slotted end of each of said links receives
the wrist-pin of a bell-crank, 39, so that said wrist-pin will have a free movement
in the slot of said links at the end of each phase of the vibratory motion of said bell-
cranks, without effecting a movement of the feeder 36, or, in other words, the end of
the bell-cranks to which said links are connected has a greater extent of movement
than is required to be imparted to said feeder, and the slots in said links permit the
wrist-pins to have a lost motion therein; the short arm of each bell-crank is connected
by a link 40 to the adjacent member of the corresponding toggle-joint, so that the
latter and the bell-cranks will have a simultaneous movement, and so that the ejecting-
movement of the feeder 36 will be made while the swinging-jaw I is drawn back, as
shown in Fig. 2, thereby allowing the veneer to have an unobstructed passage from
the receiver to the cutting-mechanism.
M is a guide-box which is fitted to receive an endwise motion that is equal to the
diameter of a match-splint; said guide-box is located in the upper part of the side-
frames of the machine, and it contains a cross-head, N, that is fitted to reciprocate
vertically therein and is guided thereby; said cross-head being guided by said guide-
box partakes of the end wise movements of the latter. The cross-head Ñ receives its
vertical reciprocations from eccentrics, F, on the shaft E which is constantly rotating.
The guide-box M has pivoted thereto a series of eccentrics, 41, which are arranged in
pairs, and so that the throw-or larger part of the pair at one end of said guide-box
will stand in an opposite direction to the throw of the pair at the opposite end of said box;
each of said eccentrics is provided with a radial-arm, 42, to which a connection is made-
by rods 43 with the free end of the levers O that are fitted to swing loosely on a
stationary shaft, 44, so that either of said levers may have motion imparted to it
without being affected by the motion of the other. Each eccentric 41 is fitted to engage
in a corresponding arm, 45, of a series of arms pivoted, as at 46, to the frame A, and
each of said arms has, at its free end, a concave, 47, which.fits on the periphery of the
eccentric corresponding thereto; the eccentrics 41 and arms 45 are adjusted in such
manner that when one pair of the eccentrics is moved to have a full bearing in the
concave ends of the corresponding arms, the other pair of eccentrics will be in position
to leave a clear space between their periphery and the concave end of the arms 45
which are appropriated thereto, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and thereby a
slight degree of lost motion is obtained when either pair of said eccentrics begins to
move toward the concave end of the corresponding arms 45. The levers O are raised
alternately by cams, 48, secured to a shaft, 49, which derives its motion from the
shaft E, and for that purpose, the latter is provided with a pinion, 50, which meshes
into a pinion, 51-indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2-and the latter meshes into a
gear-wheel, 52, secured to the shaft 49, and this train of gears should be proportioned
so that the speed of the shaft 49 will be about one-fourth of that of the shaft E. It
should be understood that the falling movement of the levers will move the
eccentrics 41 into position to effect the end wise movements of the guide-box M, and
that by the rising movement of said levers the eccentrics connected thereto will be
carried into positions where they will be clear from the concave end of the arms 45
that are appropriated to them. To the cross-head N is secured a series of plungers
or ejectors, 53, which are fitted to enter the spaces between the cutters 28 so as to
force the splints therefrom; said ejectors are so spaced that they will at each descent
of the cross-head N-force out one half of the splints produced by one action of the
cutting-mechanism, the other half of said splints being ejected by the next succeeding

page_text: descending movement of the cross-head N, the latter-during the interval between
the said two descending strokes having been shifted end wise, in the manner above
described, to bring said ejectors into position to effect this purpose..
Pare endless-belts, preferably formed of chain-links and provided with lugs, 54,
which are adapted to engage with clamping-devices which receive the match-splints
as they are ejected from the cutting-mechanism; said belts have an intermittent
motion imparted to them by sprocket-wheels, 55, secured to a shaft, 56, which also
has a stop-motion wheel, 57, secured thereto; said stop-motion wheel is provided
with a series of radial-slots, 58, and intermediate concave-slots, 59. A disk, 60,
secured to a shaft, 61, and provided with a stud, 62, that projects from the side of
said disk and is fitted to engage successively in the slots of the stop-motion wheel 57
and thereby the required intermittent motion is imparted to the shaft 56; said disk
is also provided with a hub or projection, 63, on the same side with the stud 60, and
the periphery of said hub is divided into a convex portion and a concave portion, as
indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 17, the convex portion being fitted to engage in the
concave-depressions of the stop-motion wheel 57-thereby preventing any rotation of
the shaft 56 while such engagement continues-and the concave portion-which lies
centrally on a line drawn between the centres of the shaft 61 and stud 62-permits
the long points of the stop-motion wheel to pass said hub when the stud 62 is imparting
a partial rotation to said wheel and, consequently, to the sprocket-wheels 55 to give
an intermittent progressive movement to the endless-belts P, for the purpose of
carrying the clamping-devices-charged with splints-to the required point of
delivery; and it should be understood that the intervals of rest for said belts must
be arranged to occur at such times that a clamping-device will be in position under
the cutting-mechanism to receive a charge of splints from the latter. The shaft 61 is
journaled in one of the side-pieces of the frame A and in a bracket, 64, secured
thereto; said shaft is provided with a pinion, 65, which gears into an idler-pinion, 66,
which in its turn gears into a pinion, 67, secured to the shaft E, and by the latter
motion is imparted through the train of gearing last described-to the disk 60.
The opposite bend of the endless-belts P passes over carriers or sprocket-wheels, 68,
and the intermediate upper stretch of said belts is supported on a level with the
guide-strips 69 by means of carriers, 70, as shown in Fig. 2; said guide-strips are
preferably supported on the frame A by means of brackets, 71, and the sprocket-
wheels 55 are arranged to carry the corresponding bend of the endless-belts sufficiently
below the plane of said guide-strips to effect an automatic releasement of the lugs 54
from the clamping-devices.
Qis the clamping-device that is preferably used for receiving the splints as they
are delivered from the cutting-mechanism, and for retaining said splints during the
operation of dipping them into an igniferous compound; each of said clamping-devices
consists of a central-bar, 72, and two side-bars, 73, all of which have their upper
conjoining edges correspondingly chamfered, so that when the three bars are joined
together, side by side, a V-shaped groove, 74, will be formed along the upper side
of each joint; dowel-pins, 75, are inserted in each set of said bars in such manner
that the latter will move freely thereon, and springs, 76, are attached to each set of
the bars to normally maintain the joints in a closed condition. In the outer faces of
the side-bars 73 notches, 77, are formed for the purpose of receiving therein the
lugs 54 without disturbing the proper spacing of the clamping-devices on the endless-
belts P. The clamping-devices herein shown and described being old and well known
form no part of this invention.
This machine operates in the following manner :-While the toggle-joints J are
being moved to carry the jaw I into the open position shown in Fig. 2-so as to
admit a veneer into the cutting-mechanism-they will move the bell-cranks 39 to
effect a feeding movement of the sliding-plate 36, whereby a piece of the veneer will
be carried from the bottom of the stock of veneers in the receiver L and deposited
between the jaw I and cutter-head H; the jaw 1 is then moved-by the toggle-
joints J-into the position shown in Fig. 1, and in effecting the latter movement
the cutters 28 are forced through the piece of veneer to effect the separation of the

page_text: latter into splints; said splints are retained between the cutters 28 while the jaw I
is drawn slightly back-by the movement of the toggle-joints J above a direct line,
as hereinbefore described-and while the cross-head N is making two downward
strokes; by the first descent of said cross-head a moiety of the splints are forced
downward to enter the joint of the clamping-device Q then lying at rest beneath
the cutting-mechanism, then, while the cross-head N is approaching the termination
of its upward stroke, the guide-box M is moved endwise in the manner herein before
described, and at the same time the endless-belts P are moved by their operating
mechanism to bring the next succeeding joint of the clamping-device into position
to receive a charge of splints from the cutting-mechanism; by the next descending
stroke of the cross-head N the balance of the splints remaining between the cutters 28
are forced downward into the joint of the clamping-device that is at the time in
position to receive them, after which the cross-head N is again moved upwardly.
When the last described movement has been effected, the cam-disk 19 will be in
position to effect a retractive movement of the sliding-bolt G from the notch in the
collar 9-in this retractive movement said sliding-bolt and the cam-piece G' will
move in unison-and the latter will be carried into position to release the spring-
actuated bolt 8, and the latter-by engaging with the collar 9-will couple the
balance-wheel C to said collar to produce a single rotation of the shaft D, and,
while this single rotation of said shaft is being made, the sliding-bolt G remains
disengaged from the notch of the collar 9, thereby leaving the shaft D free to make
its single revolution; and by this rotation of said shaft the toggle-joints J will be
noved to draw back the jaw I, feed in another veneer, and force said jaw against
the cutters 28 to produce a separation of the veneer into splints; after each single
rotation of the shaft D the spring-actuated bolt 8 will be automatically forced
backward, by the cam-piece G¹, to disengage the balance-wheel C from the collar 9,
and thereby the shaft D is left to remain quiescent for an interval while the other
parts of the machine are performing their several functions, and this operation
can be continued in the same manner so long as the receiver L contains a supply of
veneers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the sauno is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a machine for making match-splints, the combination of a cutting-mechanism
consisting of a stationary cutter-head and a movable jaw, a veneer-feeding mechanism,
and a splint-ejecting mechanism fitted to eject the splints end wise from the cutting-
mechanism, as and for the purpose herein specified.
2. In a machine for making match-splints, the combination of a cutting-mechanism
consisting of a stationary cutter-head and a movable jaw, a veneer-feeding mechanism,
and an ejector-mechanism consisting of a vertically-reciprocating cross-head provided
with a series of ejectors whose numbers equal a moiety of the splints produced at
each cutting movement of the cutting-mechanism; said ejectors being spaced to
enter every other space between the cutters of the cutting-mechanism, and said
cross-head being fitted to receive an endwise movement between each of its downward
strokes, as and for the purpose herein specified.
3. In a machine for making match-splints, the combination of a cutting-mechanism
consisting of a stationary cutter-head and a movable jaw, toggle-joints counected to
said movable jaw for the purpose of imparting motion to the latter, and eccentrics
connected to said toggle-joints and secure to an intermittently-rotating shaft, as and
for the purpose herein specified.
4. In a machine for making match-splints, the combination of a cutting-mechanism
consisting of a stationary cutter head and a movable jaw; the latter being operated
by toggle-joints whose middle pivots have a movement, during the operation of
cutting the splints, from a point which lies below a straight line drawn between the
centres of their end pivots, to a point which lies above said line, as and for the
purpose herein specified.

page_text: 5. ln machine for making match-splints, the combination of a cutting-mechanisın
consisting of a stationary cutter-head and a movable jaw; the latter being fitted to
move in the following manner; first, a full forward movement toward the stationary
cutter-head-for effecting the separation of the veneer into splints and the compression
of said splints; next, a partial backward movement-for the releasement of said
splints from pressure; and, finally, a full backward movement-for disposing the
cutting-mechanism for the reception of the next veneer, as and for the purpose
herein specified.
an
6. In a machine for making match-splints, an automatic clutch-mechanism
consisting of a constantly-rotating wheel or disk that is loosely fitted on
intermittently-rotating shaft and is provided with a spring-actuated bolt and a
retaining-latch for holding the latter; said shaft being provided with a collar in
which said bolt occasionally engages, a sliding-bolt that locks said shaft from
rotating and which is fitted to move a sliding cam-piece that effects the protrusion
and intrusion of the spring-actuated bolt, and a cam-disk which is fitted to impart
motion to said sliding-bolt in one direction and which is secured to a shaft having
a lower rate of speed than the driving-shaft, as and for the purpose herein
specified.