Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Bending Wood.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Bending Wood.
We SAMUEL WILLIAMS, of 14, Winslow Street, County Road, Walton, and
JOHN JOHNSON OWEN and HAROLD OWEN of 67, St. Anne Street, Liverpool,
both in the County of Lancaster, Timber Sawyer and Timber Merchants,
respectively, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an apparatus for bending wood applicable for
use in the manufacture of golf clubs, carriage bows, wheel rims, hoops and other
articles. It is designed to bend wood more expeditiously than heretofore, and
moreover to prevent cracking and maintain the natural strength of the wood, also
to repress any tendency to extension or stretching of the fibres, which is liable to
permanently weaken them.
In carrying the invention into effect as applied more especially for bending golf
club heads, the apparatus we prefer to use comprises a pattern or former
(commonly known in the trade as a cylinder though not necessarily of cylindrical
or semi-cylindrical shape) against which the wood is bent; a wedge device for
repressing any tendency to extension on the outer edge of the curve; a flexible
clamp which prevents extension of the wood longitudinally; a flexible strap with
hooks at the ends and a rigid clamp adapted to grasp the two ends of flexible strap
and prevent the wood springing back after bending. To the hooks aforesaid are
coupled chains, or one chain may be used bifurcating into two branches, by which
means the wood can be pulled against the pattern or former aforesaid and bent
suitable
to the required shape. The necessary pull is obtained by any
arrangement, but the arrangement we prefer is a drum adapted to wind up the
chain thereon, and a worm wheel, worm and operating handle adapted to rotate
the drum.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The wood being steamed or otherwise heated in the usual manner, is laid against
the pattern or former, and held firmly against it by the wedge, the flexible clamp
and strap having been previously inserted in place. The chains are now coupled
to the hooks and the drum rotated by turning the handle, the result of which is
that the wood is gradually bent to the exact curve of the pattern, any sudden or
abrupt bending being entirely prevented owing to the comparatively slow and even
rotation of the drum. When bent to the exact curve of the pattern, the clamp is
put into place so as to grasp or hold the two ends of the flexible strap and prevent
the bent wood from springing back again. When this is done, the chain can be
slackened. The piece of bent wood with this flexible strap and rigid clamp is
removed from the machine (the wedge having been previously taken out to
enable this being done) and is then put on one side until the wood is properly set
into shape. The machine is then available for repeating the operation over and
over again.
By this apparatus, the operation of bending can be carried out by one or two
hands, instead of four or more as usually employed, and moreover only one pattern
or former is required instead of having to use several patterns as in the old
arrangement.

page_text: Apparatus for dealing W uou.
We, SAMUEL WILLIAMS of 14, Winslow Street, County Road Walton and
JOHN JOHNSON OWEN and HAROLD OWEN of 67 St. Anne Street, Liverpool,
all in the County of Lancaster, Timber Sawyer and Timber Merchants
respectively 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 has for its object an apparatus for bending wood, applicable for
use in the manufacture of golf clubs, carriage bows, wheel rims, hoops and other
articles. It is designed to bend the wood more expeditiously than hitherto, and
moreover to prevent cracking and maintain the natural strength of the wood, also
to repress any tendency to extension or stretching of the fibres, which is liable to
permanently weaken them.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in
which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of our device;
Figure 2 a plan of same, showing the wood in position ready for bending;
Figure 3 portion of a similar view showing the wood after the bend is
completed;
Figure 4 is a plan of an apparatus identical in principle with that already
described, with the exception of the pulling mechanism which is slightly varied;
Figure 5 side elevation of same; and
Figure 6 shows a piece of wood already bent, taken off this machine and placed
with the clamping device attached, in which it is left until it has hardened
and set.
Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3-A is the former or pattern, known in the
trade as the cylinder, though it is not necessarily cylindrical or even curved. In
the present instance it is almost a true triangle with rounded ends. B a piece of
wood to be bent. Ca flexible strap having a pair of stout iron lugs C¹ at the end
with holes in, into which holes when the wood is bent a bar D hooked at each end
is inserted, so as to hold the wood in its bent position while it is drying and cooling.
E is a second strap having hooks E' into which are hooked the two chains F F
connected with a further chain G which in turn is attached to the barrel H. This
barrel H is rotated by means of the worm-wheel I, worm J and hand-wheel K.
Other methods of winding up the chain can be used if desired. L is a block_for
wedging up the wood and the straps against the former or cylinder A. This
wedging device shown in the drawing is a simple block L, screw M and hand-
wheel N. Any other wedging device however for wedging the straps and wood
firmly against the former while it is being bent, will act equally well and for many
purposes this wedging device though useful is not absolutely necessary, especially
when bending articles forming a segment of a circle.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The wood B and the machinery are arranged as set forth in Figure 2. The
hand-wheel then tightens the screw M against the former A, the hand-wheel K is
now turned and the chain G wound up, the result of which is that the wood is
gradually bent into the position set forth in Figure 3 to the exact curve of the
former, any sudden or abrupt bending being entirely prevented owing to the
comparatively slow and even rotation of the drum. The bar D is now applied
into the holes in lugs C¹, the hand-wheel K is slackened and the wood with the
strap C and lug C₁ attached is carried off and left to cool and harden. This
machine is applied in all instances to wood that has been just previously

page_text: subjected to steaming or equivalent process such as are well known for softening
the wood.
Figures 4 and 5 show a similar device, but instead of the chains F being wound
up by a chain G and a winch, they are attached to carriages P on the sliding
frame which is pivoted at R to a nut S on the screw T. Screw U by means of
handle U¹ is used to keep the chains F parallel as the wood B is being drawn off
the cylinder A. V V are rails on which the wood slides and on which the
former A is firmly fixed. W are a series of fast and loose pulleys driven by a belt
of any kind X. The mode of action in this case is identical in principle with that
already described, with the exception of the pulling mechanism which is slightly
varied. The wood and the mechanism being in the position set forth in Figure 4
the hand-wheel N and the screw M are turned till the wedging device L presses
the straps C and E firmly against the wood B and the former A. The strap X is
now run onto the fast pulley, and the screw T rotating the nut Q is drawn towards
the pulleys. The frame sliding on slides Y being pivoted to this nut at R is
also drawn forward and the attendant turns the handle U' so as to always keep the
chains F approximately parallel. When the ends of the wood have been drawn
forward till they come against the former A, the belt is drawn on to the loose
pulley. A booked bar or its equivalent similar to that shown at D in Figure 3 is
now applied to the lugs C₁and the belt is thrown on to the reverse pulley. By
this means the nut S is screwed back into the original position, in the meantime
the screw M is released, and the wood, the strap C and the bar D are lifted off the
former and stored away to harden while a fresh strap C and piece of wood B are
placed in position.
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. The improved process of bending wood, which consists in first steaming or
otherwise heating it in manner well known, drawing it over a mandrel, former, or
cylinder, while its central portion is wedged tight against that former, and when
drawn tight against the former clamping it in position by means of a strap and
clamp, substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for bending wood, the application of two straps, a device for
drawing one strap so as to force the wood against a former, and a clamping device
for clamping the second strap when the wood is formed, whereby the ordinary
drawing clamp can be used continuously for fresh pieces while the subsidiary clamp
is used for retaining the wood in shape until it hardens.
3. In combination with a former or cylinder a drawing device and strap such
as described, a wedging device such as L applied to near the centre of the wood
so as to prevent it leaving the former at that point, while the bending takes
place.
4. The general arrangement and construction of apparatus for bending wood
substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 7th day of Nombor 1905
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.