IMPROVEMENTS IN REDUCING AND CUTTING OR DIVIDING TIMBER, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Jex Long, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REDUCING AND CUTTING OR DIVIDING TIMBER, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Scaled the 16th February 1869, and dated the 25th August 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Jex Long at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th August 1868.
I, JOHN JEX LONG, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REDUCING AND CUTTING OR DIVIDING TIMBER, AND IN THE MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention, which has for its object the reduction of timber from
the rough to any required finished or unfinished dimensions, and in such
manner that the part or parts cut off are obtained in a form which is at

page_text: once useful and advantageous for certain manufacturies, instead of being
waste as hitherto, consists as follows:-The logs or beams of timber to
be reduced from the rough dimensions are, under one modification, laid
upon a travelling bed, and above the bed a box carrying one or more
knives is arranged so as to move transversely to the timber's length;
a reciprocating vertical movement is also imparted to the box carrying
the knife or knives so that in the downward stroke the knife or knives
cut into the timber to any required depth that the machine may be
set to cut; thus the part of the surface of the timber being acted upon
by the cutters is divided into a series of strips, which are removed by
another knife following after working horizontally, whilst the splints or
strips are cross cut by a vertical cutter actuated at the end and in front
of the horizontal knife, so that the timber as it is reduced is cut or
divided into a number of splints or bars which are specially adapted for
the manufacture of matches, pencils, and other articles. When one
part of the surface operated upon is thus treated the table is traversed
forward to bring a new part of the surface under the cutters, and it is
similarly treated.
In lieu of placing the timber upon a moveable bed, as in the pre-
ceding modification, under a second modification this arrangement is
reversed, and the box containing the tools is placed on a bed so as to
move longitudinally as well as transversely, or with a longitudinal
movement only. The table carrying the timber may be moved trans-
versely, or the tool box may contain a series of knives sufficient to
divide the entire surface of the log or beam by the longitudinal move-
ment of either; the splints or strips being afterwards removed by the
cross cutting knives, as herein-before described in reference to the first
modification, or a horizontally moving knife may be employed for
removing them. It is to be understood that the movements of the
tables and tool boxes may be effected by a rack and pinion, screws, or by
other means at present in use for such purposes.
Under a third modification, if the piece of timber is to be reduced to a
circular form, this is effected by placing the timber between centres and
causing it to rotate underneath the cutters or knives, so that as it
rotates the surface is taken off in strips by the system of knives, herein-
before described, or in place of this last-mentioned arrangement a
series of knives placed parallel to each other may be used, whilst the
log or beam of timber to be reduced is moved under them longitudinally

page_text: to the desired distance, after which the movement of the transverse
cutter removes the splints or strips.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Jex Long in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th February 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JEX LONG, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Jex Long, Her special
license that I, the said John Jex Long, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Jex Long, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REDUCING
AND CUTTING OR DIVIDING TIMBER, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CON-
NECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Jex Long, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Jex Long, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention, which has for its object the reduction of timber
from the rough to any required finished or unfinished dimensions, and

page_text: in such manner that the part or parts cut off are obtained in a form which
is at once useful and advantageous for certain manufactures instead of
being wasted as hitherto, consists as follows:-The logs or beams of
timber to be reduced from the rough dimensions are under one modifi-
cation laid upon a travelling bed, and above the bed a box carrying one
or more knives is arranged so as to move transversely to the timber's
length; a reciprocating vertical movement is also imparted to the box
carrying the knife or knives, so that in the downward stroke the knife
or knives cut into the timber to any required depth that the machine
may be set to cut; thus the part of the surface of the timber being acted
upon by the cutters is divided into a series of strips, which are removed
by another knife following after working horizontally, whilst the splints
or strips are cross cut by a vertical cutter actuated at the end and in
front of the horizontal knife, so that the timber as it is reduced is cut
or divided into a number of splints or bars, which are specially adapted
for the manufacture of matches, pencils, and other articles. When one
part of the surface operated upon is thus treated the table is traversed
forward to bring a new part of the surface under the cutters, and it is
similarly treated.
In lieu of placing the timber upon a moveable bed as in the preceding
modification, under a second modification this arrangement is reversed,
and the box containing the tools is placed on a bed so as to move
longitudinally as well as transversely, or with a longitudinal movement
only. The table carrying the timber may be moved transversely, or the
tool box may contain a series of knives sufficient to divide the entire
surface of the log or beam by the longitudinal movement of either, the
splints or strips being afterwards removed by the cross cutting knives,
as herein-before described in reference to the first modification, or a
horizontally moving knife may be employed for removing them. It is
to be understood that the movements of the tables and tool boxes may
be effected by a rack and pinion, screws, or by other means at present
in use for such purposes.
Under a third modification if the piece of timber is to be reduced to
a circular form this is effected by placing the timber between centres
and causing it to rotate underneath the cutters or knives, so that as it
rotates the surface is taken off in strips by the system of knives herein-
before described; or in place of this last-mentioned arrangement a series
of knives placed parallci to each other may be used, whilst the log or

page_text: beam of timber to be reduced is moved under them longitudinally to
the desired distance, after which the movement of the transverse cutter
removes the splints or strips.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I
now proceed more particularly to set forth some systems or modes, in
or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine for reducing timber
from the rough to any required dimensions according to one modification
of this Invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the machine; and Figure 3
is a plan of the same.
The machine consists of a bed A, near the central portion of which
two standards B are erected, one at each side of the machine, and on
the face of these the cross saddle or bridge C slides vertically and may,
be adjusted in position by the screws D, Figure 2, at any required height
to suit the dimensions of the log of timber which is to be reduced or
squared. The tool box E is carried upon the saddle C, an is moved
transversely thereon by the pinions G, G', gearing into th/rack F, as
herein-after described. The log of timber H, which is tbe reduced
is placed upon the traversing table I, being secured thereto by
holdfasts O. The table I is actuated by a pinion fitted on a transverse
shaft a, and gearing into a rack fitted to the under side of the table, as
shown dotted at J, Figures 1 and 2.
As under one mode of operating with this modification the traversing
table I only requires to be moved forward at intervals, that movement
is effected in the following manner, as shown at Figure 1---A worm
wheel b is fitted on the transverse shaft a, and actuated by the tangent
screw c fitted on the incline shaft d, which is rotated by bevel
gearing, as shown dotted at Figure 1, from the transverse shaft e, on
each end of which a hand wheel f is fitted, so that the table I may be
operated at either side of the machine; but instead of operating this
last-mentioned gearing by means of hand labour, it may be made self-
acting.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the tool box E, drawn to an
enlarged scale, and Figure 5 is a plan of the same. The number of
cutters employed in this modification to reduce the timber are four,
one of them marked y produces a longitudinal cut and divides the

page_text: surface of the log H into a series of strips, which are cross cut by
the cutter h, these strips being removed by the horizontal knife i,
which makes an under cut. The machine is provided with two
under cutting knives i and respectively, so that the cutting may
be proceeded with while the tool box E is moved towards either
side of the machine, it being understood that one of the under cutting
knives is always lifted from contact with the log; thus if the tool
box E is moving towards the right-hand side of the machine the
right-hand knife j is lifted by turning the screw k, thus elevating
the slide to which the knife is attached, and when cutting towards
the left-hand side of the machine the left-hand knife i is lifted by
The cutter g is attached
means of the screw m actuating the slide n.
to a vertical sliding block o, which is actuated by an eccentric p
keyed or forged on the shaft q, the cutter h being fixed to the tool
box E, as shown dotted at Figure 4. The alternate transverse motion
of the tool box E is produced in the following manner:-The
pinions G, G¹, which gear into the rack F are keyed on the vertical
shafts and 8 respectively, and on the upper end of these worm
wheels t, t', are fitted, and are permitted to slide vertically on feathers
fitted into the shafts. The worm wheels t, t¹, are supported by an
oscillating lever u, as shown at Figure 4, and by elevating one end
of the lever one of the worm wheels is lifted out of gear and the
other is lowered into gear with the tangent screw v, Figure 5, by
which it is actuated. This action is rendered automatic by fixing on
the fulcrum on which the lever u is carried another lever w, Figures 2
and 4; on each end of this lever a small roller w' is fitted, so that
when the tool box has been traversed across the machine in one
direction the end of the lever w¹ being depressed at that side the
roller on the end of that arm passes over the inclined block x, thus
elevating that end of the lever w, by which action the worm wheel
at that side of the tool box E is raised out of gear, and the worm
wheel at the opposite side is lowered into gear and immediately
moves the tool box towards that side. The lever w may be kept in
position by means of a catch or spring, not shown on the Drawings.
It is necessary that the tool box E should be stationary at the time
the vertical cut is being made, and to produce the requisite intermittent
motion of the tool box the thread of the tangent screw vis cut off at
one side, and while that side is passing the worm wheel the worm
wheel remains stationary as well as the tool box for a short interval

page_text: until the thread of the tangent screw again gears into the thread of
the worm wheel, during which time the knife g cuts into the log.
The vertical movement of the cross saddle or bridge C is also automatic,
and is produced by the transverse movement of the tool box E, which
at the end of each transverse movement acts on the adjustable
collar y by means of the projection y at the back of the tool box E,
shown dotted at Figures 2 and 4, pushing the sliding bar y, Figures 1, 2,
and 3, which is attached to a lever and pall z acting upon the
ratchet a', Figure 1, and turns the shaft K, thereby communicating
the necessary amount of rotation to the screws D through the inter-
vention of the bevel gearing L and the cross shaft M.
The mode of operating with the machine as now specified is as
follows: The traversing table I is moved backwards until the left-
hand end is brought under the cutters or to such a distance as will
permit of the log which is to be cut being placed on the table I,
on which it is secured by the holdfasts O. The tool box E is then
moved to one side of the machine, and the cutters set to cut to the
required depth and length according to the purpose for which the strips
of wood are intended to be used. The tool box and cutters are then
set in motion by means of the belt P operating the pulley R, and
the log is then cut across into divisions or strips, the motion of the
tool box being regulated, as herein-before described, so as to cut
crosswise to the opposite sides of the machine alternately until that
part of the log is reduced to the required dimensions. The attendant
then moves forward the table I by means of the hand wheel ƒ a
distance equal to the length of the strips which are to be cut, and the
operations herein-before described are repeated until the whole log has
been squared or reduced to the desired dimensions.
Instead of placing the log on a moveable bed as in the preceding
modification the arrangement may be reversed and the log placed upon
a fixed bed and the cutters made to travel, as shown on Sheet 2 of
the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 represents a side view of the machine, Figure 2 is an end
view, and Figure 3 is a plan of the same. The log A is placed
upon the fixed bed B, at each side of which a gap bed or slide is
formed, as shown at C, Figure 3, on which the standards D are
traversed by means of the screwed shafts E which are fitted with

page_text: screwed nuts securely fixed to the standards D. The screwed shafts E
are actuated from the transverse shaft F by the bevel gearing G, and
the shaft F is rotated by means of the hand wheels H; or the
shaft F may be driven by a worm wheel and tangent screw F
driven by suitable gearing, Figure 3. In this arrangement the whole
breadth of the body A is cut at once into strips by a series of knives
or other suitable tools I fixed in the saddle L, and after the log has
been cut to the required length in a horizontal direction the tool box K
is made to move transversely upon the saddle L. by means of the
pinion M gearing into the rack N, and during that movement the strips
are cross cut to the desired length by a vertical cutter O, shown dotted
at Figure 2, and under cut by a horizontal cutter P, Figures 1 and 2.
Instead of attaching the cutters I to the tool box K they may be
attached to the saddle L, and the vertical cutter O and the horizontal
cutter P will then be fixed to the front of the tool box K. In operating
with this machiue the whole length of the log A may be cut into
strips by the series of longitudinal cutting knives or other suitable
tools I, after which the knives are lifted from contact with the log A by
means of the screws a. The cross cutting and under cutting knives O, P,
are then operated by moving the tool box K from side to side of the
machine alternately until the whole surface of the log has been stripped
off in splits or splints of any required length. The strips may also
be removed by a horizontal knife moving behind the longitudinal cutters.
The alternate transverse movements of the tool box are effected and
rendered automatic by employing two pinions M, M', gearing into the
rack N. The pinions M, M', are fitted on the vertical shafts b, c, on the
upper end of each of these a worm wheel d is fitted loose so as to slide
vertically upon a feather e. When the tool box K is to be moved towards
the right-hand side of the machine, the worm wheel at that side is lowered
into gear with the tangent screw f on the shaft g, and when the tool
box K has travelled the required distance towards the right-hand side
the worm wheel at that side is lifted out of gear by means of the
antifriction roller on the right-hand end of the lever i passing over
the inclined stop j, in the same manner the left-hand worm wheel is
lowered into gear and the tool box K immediately moves toward
that side, and after moving the desired distance in that direction an
opposite movement is effected by the antifriction roller ¹ passing over
the inclined stop j'. The vertical movement of the saddle L is effected

page_text: by pushing the sliding bar & in the required direction until the stop i on
it comes in contact with the end of the slide L, and the lever and
pall m which are attached to the sliding bar act upon the ratchet
wheel n, Figure 1, thereby rotating the shafts Q, the motion of which
is communicated by the bevel gearing R to the screws S.
Another modification of this Invention is shown on Sheet 3. Figure 1
is a side elevation of a machine specially adapted for cutting or reducing
timber to a round or circular form; Figure 2 is an end elevation of the
machine, and Figure 3 is a plan of the same. In this arrangement the
log A is hung on the centres of two headstocks B, C, placed one at
each. end of the log and secured by bolts to the traversing table D,
which is carried on the bed D'. On the spindle a of the headstock B a
worm wheel is fitted, which is actuated by a tangent screw b' fitted on
the transverse spindle c, shown more particularly at Figure 4. On one
end of the spindle ca ratchet wheel d is fixed, to which an intermittent
motion is communicated by a catch or pall e, Figures 1 and 2, attached
to the lever f and operated by the vertical rod g which may be actuated
by an eccentric (not shown on the Drawings) which slides on a shaft
placed parallel to the axis of the machine, or by any other suitable
mechanism. By this arrangement of driving gear an intermittent
rotatory motion is given to the log A, the longitudinal cut being pro-
duced by the cutter during the momentary cessation of the rotatory
motion of the log A. The cutter i is attached to the slide j and is
actuated by an eccentric from the driving shaft which is operated
by the belt m passing round the pulley n. In this arrangement the
tool box E may be stationary, also the cutters o and p, but a screw his
shown at Figures 1 and 2, by which the tool box E may be adjusted.
The vertical motion of the saddle G is produced by turning the hand
wheel ', which by means of the bevel gearing I and the transverse
shaft I actuates the screws J. The table D is traversed by turning
either of the hand wheels g' fitted on the transverse shaft q which
actuates the inclined shaft r by means of the bevel gearing shown
dotted at 8, Figure 1. On the shaft ra tangent screw t is fitted which
gears into the worm wheel u and actuates the transverse shaft v, on
which a spur wheel is fitted and gears into the rack attached to the
under side of the table, as shown at F, Figure 1. In operating with this
machine the log A is hung on the centres of the two headstocks B, C,
and rotated in the manner herein-before described by the worm wheel b
and tangent screw b. When one part of the log has been reduced

page_text: by the cutters i, o, p, to the required diameter the attendant moves
forward the table by turning the hand wheel g', thus bringing a fresh
part of the log under the cutters, which operations are continued
until the whole surface of the log A has been reduced to the required
dimensions.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in or under which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The general arrangements of mechanism for reducing logs of
timber to a rectangular, circular, or other required form or dimensions,
whereby the parts or pieces of timber so cut off, and which have hitherto
been treated as waste, are separated in the form of strips, or splints
which are specially adapted for the manufacture of matches, pencils,
and other similar articles, as herein-before described, or any mere
modification thereof.
Second. The method of reducing logs of timber by which the parts
or pieces of timber cut off during the reducing operation instead of
being rendered useless are cut into strips or splints, which are specially
adapted for the manufacture of matches, pencils, and other similar
articles, substantially as herein-before described.
Third. The intermittent vertically moving knife or cutter f, shown.
on Sheets 1, 2, and 3 of the annexed Drawings, either actuated by the
mechanism there shown or by the equivalent.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Jex Long, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of February, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.