provements Planing Machine
Year: 1896

page_text: I, WILLIAM FORD-SMITH, Director of the firm Smith and Coventry Limited, of
Gresley Iron Works, Salford, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers
and Tool Makers, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, to be as
follows:-
These improvements are made upon those described in the Complete Specifi-
cation of Letters Patent granted to me Numbered 1080 and dated the 16th day of
January 1895 for Improvements in what are commonly termed Side Planing
Machines, and the present improvements to be hereinafter described are combined
with those above referred to, and dispense with and are a substitute for parts
described in my aforesaid Complete Specification.
The mechanism for actuating the belt guides for moving the driving belts to
and fro upon the fast and loose driving pulleys, consists of a shaft in suitable bear-
ings in brackets from the bed at each end of the bed of the machine.
This shaft can partly rotate or oscillate, but cannot move endways and will be
hereinafter referred to as the oscillating shaft. It has a key groove from end to
end and it passes through bearings in the carriage, which slides in the lengthway
of the bed, which carriage has the overhanging arm from it, and will be hereinafter
termed the carriage.
At the driving belt end of the bed, the oscillating shaft has the segment of a
bevel wheel fixed upon it that gears with one on a short vertical shaft in suitable
bearings on the framing and at the upper end of this vertical shaft there is a lever
or arm that engages with the slides which have the belt forks attached to them,
that act to move the driving belts to and fro upon the belt pulleys.
When the oscillating shaft is moved one way, the belts are traversed in one
direction and when moved the other way, the belts are traversed in the reverse
direction upon the pulleys.
Upon the oscillating shaft there are two arms, each having a bowl hereinafter
called the adjustable arms. One of these adjustable arms is on the oscillating
shaft on one side, the other on the oscillating shaft at the other side of the carriage.
These two adjustable arms can be adjusted and secured at any required position
on the oscillating shaft, that is, in a position which determines the length of the
stroke or movement of the carriage to and fro in the lengthway of the bed as
required by the article to be operated upon.
On each side of the carriage, there is a bracket fixed, having a projection parallel
to and concentric with the oscillating shaft upon the end of which projection, there

page_text: is an incline, and these inclines will come against the bowls on the said adjustable
arms on the oscillating shaft when the carriage has arrived at its limit of move-
ment in either direction, and act upon the bowls on the adjustable arms, one to
cause the oscillating shaft to move one way, and the other, the opposite way.
In the carriage there are bearings for a slide bar, the lengthway of which is
parallel to the oscillating shaft. This slide bar extends outwards from each side of
the carriage. When the carriage comes near the end of its stroke, one end of this
slide bar comes against the side of one of the adjustable arms on the oscillating
shaft, and this causes the slide bar to move endways, the same movement in the
slide bar occurs, but in the opposite direction, when the reverse movement of the
carriage takes place, the slide bar being then pushed by the side of the other
adjustable arm on the oscillating shaft in the opposite direction.
The upper side of the slide bar, is toothed to gear with a spur pinion upon a shaft
at a right angle to the lengthway of the bed, in bearings in the carriage, which
shaft will be hereinafter termed the feed shaft. The spur pinion is not rigidly
attached to the feed shaft, but is connected with it by preference by a frictional
arrangement which gives sufficient adhesion to oscillate the feed shaft for the work
it has to do, but will give way in case of undue resistance, and thus prevent
damage.
This feed shaft in the carriage is for giving feeding movements in either direc-
tion by a pawl and gearing, which is somewhat similar to feeding mechanism
actuated by oscillations in ordinary Planing Machines.
There is a short shaft in the carriage in bearings at a right angle to the length-
way of its arm from the carriage, which has a handle arm secured to it at the
outside end, and has also an arm in the hollow of the carriage arm on the inside
end, and to this inside arm one end of a rod is jointed, the other end being jointed
to an arm on the oscillating shaft, which arm can slide upon the oscillating shaft,
being connected therewith by a key that fits the key groove in its lengthway.
This last named arm is arranged to slide to and fro on the oscillating shaft with
the carriage.
By this last described arrangement, the machine can be readily stopped and
started as the handle moves the said oscillating shaft that actuates the belt guides.
In the case of machines with long beds, the oscillating shaft may require
support between the carriage and the ends of the oscillating shaft, and movable
supports are or may be used which automatically descend to allow the carriage to
pass over and after it has passed the hearing or support, rises again.
The movable support may be made in various ways, but one arrangement consists
of a bearing on the upper end of a part which can move vertically in slideways
formed in or attached to the bed-this sliding part has a horizontal groove in it for
a block to slide in that swivel on a pin or stud at one side of the end of a lever
having its fulcrum about the middle of its length on a stud in the bed, which
lever at its lower end has a weight upon it sufficient to bring the lever vertical
and the connected bearing slide to its highest position when at liberty to do so.
The pin or stud for the swivel block has a pulley or large bowl on the opposite side
of the lever, against which the side of the carriage will come when it has to pass
the hearing, and it thus turns the weighted lever on its fulcrum and at the same
time lowers the supporting bearing to a point at which the carriage can pass over
it, the bearing then rising again when the carriage has passed. Other arrangements
may be used for the purpose if desired.
The sliding bar with teeth for actuating the feed shaft may be dispensed with
and the movement of the oscillating shaft may be communicated by gearing to
the feed shaft in the carriage for giving the feed.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of October, 1896.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Planing Machines.
I, WILLIAM FORD-SMITHI, Direct: of the firm Smith and Coventry Limited, of
Gresley Iron Works, Salford, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers
and Tool Makers, 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:-
These improvements are made upon those described in the Complete Specifi-
cation of Letters l'atent granted to me Numbered 1080 and dated the 16th day of
January 1895 for Improvements in what are commonly termed Side Planing
Machines, and the present improvements to be hereinafter described are combined
with those above referred to, and dispense with and are a substitute for parts
described in my aforesaid Complete Specification.
The mechanism for actuating the belt guides for moving the driving belts to
and fro upon the fast and loose driving pulleys, consists of a shaft in suitable bear
ings in brackets from the bed at each end of the bed of the machine.
This shaft can partly rotate or oscillate, but cannot move endways and will be
hereinafter referred to as the oscillating shaft. It has a key groove from end to
end and it passes through bearings in the carriage, which slides in the lengthway
of the bed, which carriage has the overhanging arm from it, and will be hereinafter
termed the carriage.
At the driving belt end of the bed, the oscillating shaft has the segment of a
bevel wheel fixed upon it that gears with one on a short vertical shaft in suitable
bearings on the framing and at the upper end of this vertical shaft. there is a lever
or arm that engages with the slides which have the belt forks attached to them,
that act to move the driving belts to and fro upon the belt pulleys.
When the oscillating shaft is moved one way, the belts are traversed in one
direction and when moved the other way, the belts are traversed in the rever
direction upon the pulleys.
Upon the oscillating shaft there are two arms, each having a bowl hereinafter
called the adjustable arms. One of these adjustable arms is on the oscillating
shaft on one side, the other on the oscillating shaft at the other side of the carriage.
These two adjustable arms can be adjusted and secured at any required position
on the oscillating shaft, that is, in a position which determines the length of the
stroke or movement of the carriage to and fro in the lengthway of the bed as
required by the article to be operated upon.
On each side of the carriage, there is a bracket fixed, having a projection parallel
to and concentric with the oscillating shaft upon the end of which projection, there
is an incline, and these inclines will come against the bowls on the said adjustable
arms on the oscillating shait when the carriage has arrived at its limit of move-
ment in either direction, and act upon the bowls on the adjustable arms, one to
cause the oscillating shaft to move one way, and the other, the opposite way.
In the carriage there are bearings for a slide bar, the lengthway of which is
parallel to the oscillating shaft. This slide bar extends outwards from each side of
the carriage. When the carriage comes near the end of its stroke, one end of this
slide bar comes against the side of one of the adjustable arms on the oscillating
shaft, and this causes the slide bar to move endways, the same movement in the
slide bar occurs, but in the opposite direction, when the reverse movement of the
carriage takes place, the slide bar being then pushed by the side of the other
adjustable arm on the oscillating shaft in the opposite direction.
The upper side of the slide bar, is toothed to gear with a spur pinion upon a shaft
at a right angle to the lengthway of the bed, in bearings in the carriage, which

page_text: shaft will be hereinafter termed the feed shaft-The spur pinion is not rigidly
attached to the feed shaft, but is connected with it by preference by a frictional
arrangement which gives sufficient adhesion to oscillate the feed shaft for the work
it has to do, but will give way in case of undue resistance, and thus prevent
damage.
This feed shaft in the carriage is for giving feeding movements in either direc-
tion by a pawl and gearing, which is somewhat similar to feeding mechanism
actuated by oscillations in ordinary Planing Machines.
There is a short shaft in the carriage in bearings at a right angle to the length-
way of its arm from the carriage, which has a handle arm secured to it at the
outside end, and has also an arm in the hollow of the carriage arm on the inside
end, and to this inside arm one end of a rod is jointed, the other end being jointed
to an arm on the oscillating shaft, which arm can slide upon the oscillating shaft,
being connected therewith by a key that fits the key groove in its lengthway.
This last named arm is arranged to slide to and fro on ne oscillating shaft with
the carriage.
By this last described arrangement, the machine can be readily stopped and
started as the handle moves the said oscillating shaft that actuates the belt guides.
In the case of machines with long beds, the oscillating shaft may require
support between the carriage and the ends of the oscillating shaft, and movable
supports are or may be used which automatically descend to allow the carriage to
pass over and after it has passed the bearing or support, rises again.
The movable support may be made in various ways, but one arrangement consists
of a bearing on the upper end of a part which can move vertically in slideways
formed in or attached to the bed-this sliding part has a horizontal groove in it for
a block to slide in that swivels on a pin or stud at one side of the end of a lever
having its fulcrum about the middle of its length on a stud in the bed, which
lever at its lower end has a weight upon it sufficient to bring the lever vertical
and the connected bearing slide to its highest position when at liberty to do so.
The pin or stud for the swivel block has a large bowl on the opposite side
of the lever, against which the side of the carriage will come when it has to pass
the bearing, and it thus turns the weighted lever on its fulcrum and at the same
time lowers the supporting bearing to a point at which the carriage can pass over
it, the bearing then rising again when the carriage has passed. Other arrangements
may be used for the purpose if desired.
The sliding bar with teeth for actuating the feed shaft may be dispensed with
and the movement of the oscillating shaft may be communicated by gearing to
the feed shaft in the carriage for giving the feed.
Fig. 1, is an end elevation.
Fig. 2, a frout elevation, part of the bed and feet only being shown.
Fig. 3, a plan view.
Fig. 4, an enlarged sectional elevation at A-B Figs. 3 and 5.1
Fig. 5, an enlarged sectional elevation on line C-1) Figs. 1 and 3.
Fig. 6, is an end elevation of the falling and rising bearing for supporting the
reversing or oscillating shaft when required, the bed being in section.
Fig. 7, is a front elevation showing the hearing supporting the reversing or
oscillating shaft.
Fig. 8, is a similar view to Fig. 7 but showing the bearing in the position it
occupies when the carriage is passing over it.
Fig. 9, is a plan view of the mechanism when in the position shown in Fig. 7.
a, is the bed; a', part of the legs or stands carrying it; b, bracket secured to the
bed to carry the mechanism for the belt guides and slides (this mechanism is not
shown in Fig. 1). c, the fast and loose belt pulleys for the slow cutting speed; c,
those for the quick return speed, these pulleys being upon the end of the screw
shaft, seen in Fig. 1.
The bracket b, carries the bearings of the two slide bars c, for the fast speed
and e, for the slow speed, and to the slide bar e, there is an arm e, secured to it,

page_text: which arm is curved concentrically to the belt pulleys and this arm has a belt
guide, secured to a curved slot in its lengthway to allow of its adjustment - the
inclination of the driving belt. There is a similar belt guide c, secured to a curved
arm e6, which is bolted to the slide bar e, for the slow or cutting speed.
Each slide and c³, has a short vertical stud secured at one end, which studs
fit notches in an arm e, (see Fig. 3) on a short shaft e, having its axis vertical in
a projection from the bracket b.
The lower end of the short shaft o, has the segment of a bevel wheel e", secured
to it which gears with a corresponding bevel wheel d", secured to the oscillating
or reversing shaft d, one end of which is in a bearing in a projection from the
bracket b, and the other end in a bracket a2, secured to the other end of the bed.
This oscillating shaft d, is prevented from moving endways byt collars or
shoulders d², on the shaft coming on each side of the bracket a².
The oscillating or reversing shaft d, also passes through bearings in the
carriage e, shown best in Fig. 5.
This shaft d, has a key groove in it from end to end, and there is an arm d³,
upon it connected to oscillate with it by a sliding key.
This arm d³, fits between the ends of the bearings for the shaft d, in the
carriage e, as shown in Fig. 5, therefore the arm d³, slides along the shaft d, with
the carriage e
To this arm d³, one end of a connecting rod d, is jointed, and the other end of
this rod d, is jointed to an arm d³, secured on a short shaft d, having its bearings
across the arm from the carriage e, and on the end of the short shaft on the out-
side of the arm a lever handle d is secured by moving which to and fro the
oscillating or reversing shaft can be rocked to traverse the belts on the driving
pulleys in any position of the carriage e, on the bed a.
On each side of the carriage e, a partly cylindrical bracket e', and e², is secured,
the end of which is formed with a screw incline, this cylindrical part of the
brackets el and e², being concentric with the oscillating shaft d.
One bracket el, is made with a long incline for the quick speed and the other ³,
with a shorter incline for the slow or cutting speed.
These inclines will each act upon a bowl d, on a stem which can turn in a
bearing formed in an arm d, adjustable in the lengthway of the oscillating
shaft d, and there is a groove round the stem of each bowl d, into which the
point or small end of a screw da, enters, that screws through the side of the
arm d', (see Fig. 1, and Fig. 3) so as to allow the stem of the bowl to rotate but
prevent it from moving endways.
The adjustable arms d", are connected with the oscillating shaft d, by a slid-
ing key which can be secured by a set screw db, when the arm is adjusted (see
Figs. 2 and 5).
These arms do, are set at the required distance apart on the oscillating shaft d,
according to the length of movement the carriage e, is to have upon the bed a,
depending upon the length of surface to be planed.
The short incline e2, acts near the end of the stroke when the carriage e, is
cutting, to oscillate the shaft d, so that the driving belts are traversed from the
slow to the quick speed, and this oscillation is reversed by the other incline e,
when the carriage has arrived near the backward end of its quick stroke.
The faces of these adjustable arms d, which are towards the carriage e, also
act when near the end of the stroke of the carriage eitherway upon the ends of a
bar f, in bearings across the carriage and consequently move the bar f, endways
alternately.
The upper face of this bar f, is a spur toothed rack and it gears with a spur
wheel, loose on a shaft f, having bearings in the lengthway of the arme,
from the carriage e, for giving the feeding movements (see Figs. 4 and 5).
This spur wheel, loose on the shaft f, works against a shoulder on the
shaft, and against the end of the bearing at that end of the shaft.
On this shaft, against the side of the spur wheel f', a disc f, is placed, this

page_text: disc is connected with the shaft f, by a key, but is free to move endways against
the spur wheel f
The edge of this disc f³, has a part cut away for the end of a set screw f', to
enter, which set screw screws through a projection from the carriage e, (see Figs. 4
and 5).
The point of this screw f, acts to limit the oscillation of the feeding shaft f,
if the spur wheel f, should receive oscillation in excess of that fixed upon.
The disc f, is kept pressed against the spur wheel /, with sufficient pressure
to give the required adhesion, by a helical spring f, on the feeding shaft f, one
end of which spring comes against the disc and the other end against a collar f,
which is connected to oscillate with the shaft f, by a key, but is free to move
endways, and the spring f5, is compressed more or less by a screw nut f", on the
end of the feed shaft acting against the collar f
The feeding shaft f, extends to the front end of the arm ex, from the carriage e,
upon which arm the slideways e³, are formed for the slide e, see Fig. 1, carrying
the cutters, which cutter slide is actuated in the ordinary manner by a screw
shaft g, having a square at its outer end for a handle to rotate it by hand, and it
has also a spur pinion g', upon it to gear with other spur wheels giving it the
self acting feed.
On a boss at the front end of the arm e, from the carriage e, round the bearing
from the feed shaft f2, a handle lever bracket g³, is mounted which can be
oscillated.
This handle lever bracket has two studs secured in it which form the bearings
of two spur pinions g and g, in gear with each other, one of them only g, being
also in gear with a spur wheel g³, loose on the end of the feeding shaft 2.
The spur pinion g, not in gear with the spur wheel g, as shown in Fig. 2,
is supposed to be in gear with the spur pinion g', on the shaft g, for the tool slide,
but the handle bracket g², can be oscillated to bring the pinion g', out of gear and
the pinion g, into gear with the wheel gl, and when this is done the feed is
reversed, as the tool slide shaft can be thus rotated one way or the other, or can be
put out of gear when neither pinion g' or g, is in gear with the pinion g².
The handle bracket g2, at its handle end has a pin g, with a head on its outer
end which pin slides in a hole in 16, this pin being arranged to be acted upon by a
helical spring round it to force the point end of the pin against the face of a pro-
jection from the arm e, from the carriage e, in which face there are three
holes which the point end of the pin fits.
The pin as shown in Fig. 2, is supposed to be in a hole at one extreme, in which
position the pinion gt, is in gear with the pinion g', but when the handle lever g2,
is moved to bring the point of the pin in the hole at the other extreme, the other
pinion g, is in gear with the pinion g', and when the handle lever is moved to
bring the pin into the middle hole, neither pinion is in gear.
On the front end of the feeding shaft an arm f, is secured having a stud to
which a pawl f, is jointed, which pawl is arranged by a spring to press it in
towards the teeth of the spur wheel g
The end of the pawl coming against the spur teeth is shaped in a well known
manner by being inclined on one side to pass over the teeth, but to catch upon the
teeth when moved in the opposite direction, and the pawl f, receiving a uniform
length of oscillation would take the same number of teeth at each movement, but
in order to vary the extent of feed at each oscillation, there is a disc g', loose on
the end of the feed shaft , and against the edge of this disc the point of the
pawl, works so that it is kept clear of the teeth of the spur wheel g, except
where the edge of the disc g', is cut away to allow the point of the pawl to enter
the teeth.
It is by turning this disc g, more or less in relation to the pawl that the
number of teeth to be taken at each oscillation can be regulated.
There is a projecting arm g8, from the end of the tool slide arm e, which has
a bolt g³, in its end having a winged screw nut.

page_text: This passes through a slot ga, in the disc 97, concentric with the shaft f³, and
the head of the bolt is on the inside of the disc.
By slackening the winged screw nut, the disc can be partly rotated and
adjusted to give the length of feed required, and can then be secured again.
Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, illustrate the falling and rising bearing for supporting
the oscillating shaft when required.
a, is the bed or part of the bed in each view; d, part of the oscillating or revers-
ing shaft shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.
e, part of the carriage in Figs 6, and shown partly in peculiar dotted line in
the other figures.
"
h, is a vertical V slideway formed with side projections by which it is secured
by set screws h¹, to projections from the bed as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.
12, is the cross formed vertical slide that fits and slides in the slideway h. The
horizontal arms of this slide have a slideway formed in them to fit a slide block h³.
This slide block has a hole in it to fit on a stud h4, secured on one side of an
arm 5, secured on a shaft h, in bearings in the bed a, as shown best in Fig. 6,
this shaft h, passing freely through a slot h, in the vertical part of the cross
formed slide h².
On the outside end of the shaft 6, an arm h7, is secured which is vertical when
in the position shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9.
The arm h, has a counter-weight h8, secured adjustably upon it and when at
liberty this arm h7, hangs vertically.
On the stud h, for the slide block h³, but on the opposite side of the arm 15,
a large bowl ha, is placed and free to rotate.
The upper end hb, of the cross slide h2, forms the supporting bearing for the
oscillating shaft d, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.
On each side of the carriage e, a bracket et, is or may be secured, the vertical
edge of which comes opposite the edge of the bowl h. The undersides of these
brackets c', are nearly on a level with the underside of the carriage e, which slides
on the upper side of the bed a.
In Figs. 7 and 9, the front vertical edge of the bracket e', on one side of the
carriage, is supposed to have just come in contact with the bowl h, and the con-
tinued movement of the carriage e, in the same direction has caused the pendulum
lever h, to turn the stud or axis of the bowl h", in the arc he, shown in Fig. 8,
in which figure the bowl ", is supposed to have been lowered sufficiently to be
under and clear of the lower edge of the carriage e, which slides on the bed in
which position the upper part of the bearing hb, is clear of the under side of the
carriage.
When the carriage has passed the bowl ha, the weighted arm h7, assumes its
vertical position and lifts the bearing hb, to its highest position under the oscillat-
ing shaft d, from which position it will not move until the weighted arm is acted
upon.
When the arrangement is to be put out of action, the bearing hb, is brought
down to its lowest position by moving the weighted arm h7, to one side, and it is
held in that position by a pin i, sliding through a hole in the bed (see Fig. 6)
and entering the slot , in the vertical cross formed slide which slot is formed
for the shaft h, to pass through, the pin i, and slide h³, and balanced lever h²,
being then in the position shown in Fig. 8.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination of an oscillating or rocking shaft, in the lengthway of the
bed, connected by bevel toothed segments with a shaft and lever for actuating
the driving belt guides, the rocking shaft being alternately, actuated to reverse
the carriage by inclines thereon operating upon howls or equivalents each carried

page_text: by an arm adjustable on the said oscillating or rocking shaft substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The combination of an arm arranged to slide with the carriage upon the
oscillating or rocking shaft and connected by a rod to a handle carried on an axis
in the tool slide arm from the carriage for actuating the oscillating shaft and thus
the driving belts on the pulleys by hand substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The combination of mechanism for giving the automatic feed to the cutter
slide, also in combination with the mechanism for giving a variable automatic
feed to the cutter slide substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
4. The combination and arrangement of mechanism for automatically actuating
the belt guides and reversing the movement of the carriage and giving the
automatic and variable feed to the cutting slide substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the drawings.
5. The combination and arrangement of rising and falling bearing or support
for the oscillating or rocking shaft actuated by the carriage substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 6 and 9 inclusive of the drawings.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of July, 1897.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.