Improvements in the Method of Branding Wood, and in the Machinery for Effecting the same.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 1st Jan., 1898
ROYADIONAL DEFULTIVATION.
Improvements in the Method of Branding Wood, and in the
Machinery for Effecting the same.
We WAITER WOODWARD and WILLIAM FROGGATT CLARK of Wilford Street in
the town of Nottingham Timber Merchants and JAMES RICHARDSON, of
5 Finkhill Street in the same town Sawing Mills Foreman do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
Our invention consists of an improved method of branding wood and wooden
articles and of an improved machine or parts of machinery for effecting our object.
Stated broadly we brand from the face of the segment or quadrant of a cylinder
instead of branding from a flat surface. When our machine is in motion either by
hand or power the branding irons or letters placed on the segment or quadrant
of a cylinder are successively brought in contact with the flat surface of the wood
or wooden article being branded and which wood or wooden article is weighted
and held in position by a suitable clamping device fitted and contrived to travel
in the same direction as a quadrant so as to admit of the branding irons being
firmly and successively applied to the flat surface of the wood or article to be
branded.
Dated this tenth day of March, 1897
WALTER WOODWARD.
W. F. CLARK.
JAMES RICHARDSON.
Improvements in the Method of Branding Wood, and in the
Machinery for Effecting the same.
WALTER WOODWARD, and WILLIAM FROGGATT CLARK, of Wilford Street, in
the town of Nottingham, Timber Merchants, and JAMES RICHARDSON, of
5 Finkhill Street, in the same town, Sawing Mills Foreman, 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 the method of, and means for brand-
ing wood, and wooden boxes, or similar articles, and has for its object the branding
of wood in a more efficient and convenient manner than heretofore, and the brand-
ing of boxes, and other similar articles, after, instead of before, being put together.'
According to this invention the letters, figures, devices, or branding irons are
carried by a quadrant, which is fitted to oscillate about its centre, is driven by a
.
19

page_text: crank, and provided with means for adjusting the position of the surface of the
quadrant according to the thickness of wood operated upon. Means are also pro-
vided for heating the branding irons, and keeping them hot.
At the side of the quadrant there is a slide, which is suitably carried, and
guided, and is caused to traverse to and fro at the same speed, and in the same
direction as the quadrant.
When the quadrant, and slide are at one end of their motion the wood is placed
between the two, and is drawn forward and branded as the quadrant and slide
move to the opposite end of their motion.
The machine may be fitted. with means for automatically stopping it at the
end of each oscillation, and suitable means are provided for carrying boxes, and
other articles.
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate this invention, Fig. 1 is a front
elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine; and Fig. 3
is a plan of the machine.
The letters, figures, devices, or branding irons are made to fit grooves 1 in the
surface of a quadrant 2, which is fitted to oscillate on an axle 3, and is drawn from
a crank 4 through a connecting rod 5. The axle 3 has bearings in a slide 6,
which is fitted between cheeks 8 on a bracket 9", which is cast with or attached
to the cross girder 9, and there are screws 10 for adjusting the position of the
axle 3 according to the thickness of the material being operated upon, and also
screws 11 for holding the axle in its adjusted position. The branding iron
quadrant 2 is also provided with means for beating the branding irons. In the
drawings the branding irons are heated by gas, which is supplied by a pipe 12,
and distributed to any ordinary burners 13 by pipes and taps 14, atmospheric air
being also supplied to the burners by pipes and taps 15 from a main supply pipe 16
which is connected to a fan or other similar appliance.
At the back of the quadrant 2 is a movable slide 17, which is carried by the
bed 18 from standards 19, and is traversed to and fro by the crank 4 through a
connecting rod 20, toothed quadrant 21, and rack 22. The quadrant 21 oscillates
on an axle 23, which is fixed in bearings on the girder 9, and there is a lever 24
fulcrumed at 25 and used for moving the teeth of the quadrant 21 out of gear
with the rack 22, the bearings of the axle 23 being sufficiently far about to allow of
the quadrant sliding on its axle. Adjustably fixed to the slide 17 there are arms 26,
which project over the surface of the quadrant 2, and take the upward pressure
of the quadrant during the process of branding.
The crank 4 is made with a slot so that the length of the stroke may be varied,
and the axles in the quadrants 2 and 21 are preferably adjustable so that both
quadrants can be timed to move together.
The crank 4 is carried by a shaft 27, which is fitted with a worm wheel 28, and
driven by a worm 29 on a shaft 30 carrying the driving pulleys 31, and the belt
is moved from one pulley to the other by a belt fork 32, which is carried by a
bar 33 sliding in brackets on the standards 34. This bar is connected to
a weighted lever 35 carried by a shaft 36, which is at its other end fitted with a
lever 37, and connected to hand levers 38 by a link 39. When the machine is to
be stopped automatically at either end of its stroke, or at both ends alternately,
the shaft 36 is fitted with another lever 40, and the worm wheel 28, with one or
two pins 41, so placed that when the parts are nearing the end of their traverse
in either direction one of the pins 41 comes into contact with the end of the
lever 40, thereby turning the shaft 36 until the lever 35 passes its vertical position
when the weight comes into action and completes the motion of the bars 33.
When this machine is in operation the branding irons having been fixed and
heated, the relative position of the quadrant 2 and arms 26 are adjusted according
to the thickness of the board to be branded and the machine is started. The
quadrant 2 and slide 17 being at either end of their motion the attendant inserts
the wood to be branded between the quadrant and arms on the slide, and as the
return inotion commences the wood is gripped and carried forward, the motion at

page_text: the same time branding the wood according to the irons in the quadrant. The
branded piece of wood is withdrawn when the parts reach the opposite end of their
motion and another piece of wood inserted and branded during the return
traverse. For boxes and other similar articles (which by our invention can be
branded after being made) the automatic stopping mechanism is brought into use,
and the arms 26 are adjusted so that as many as possible can be got inside the box.
The machine, after branding the box, or article, stops automatically, the branded
box or article is removed, another placed in position, the machine started, and the
box branded during the return traverse of the slide and quadrant.
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:-
1. In a machine for branding wood and wooden boxes or similar articles the
combination of an oscillating quadrant which carries the branding irons with a
slide which moves at the same speed as the surface of the quadrant substantially
as herein described for the purpose set forth.
2. In a machine for branding wood and wooden boxes or similar articles a
quadrant fitted to receive and hold the branding irons, and to oscillate on an axle
carried by a vertically adjustable bracket in combination with a slide, driven by
a toothed quadrant which is fitted to slide on its carried axle, and means for driving
both quadrants substantially as herein specified for the purpose set forth
3. In a machine for branding wood and wooden boxes or similar articles the
combination of a branding iron quadrant, a vertically adjustable bracket for the
quadrant axle, means for moving and holding the bracket, means for heating
the branding irons, a slide with arms for taking the pressure during the branding
process, a toothed quadrant for driving the slide, means for moving the toothed
quadrant on its axle, and means for automatically stopping the machine at either
end of its traverse, substantially as herein specified for the purpose set forth.
4. A machine for branding wood and wooden articles constructed, arranged,
and operating substantially as herein described with reference to the accompany-
ing drawings.
.
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