AN IMPROVEMENT IN SAWING ALL KINDS OF WOOD
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Young Smith, of No. 77, Sydney Street.
Sheffield, in the County of York, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN SAWING ALL KINDS OF WOOD."
Sealed the 7th July 1857, and dated the 7th January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Young Smith at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th January 1857.
I, WILLIAM YOUNG SMITH, of No. 77, Sydney Street, Sheffield, in the
County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN SAWING ALL KINDS OF Wood," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in causing the saw to move up to and against the
wood to be sawn, which is stationary, and is more particularly adapted to cross
cutting.
According to the method commonly practised of cutting wood and timber
the saw is locally stationary, and the wood or timber is moved up to and
against the edge of the saw until cut through, and has previously to be cut
through with a hand cross-cut saw into portable lengths before being taken to
the circular or reciprocating saw. But by this Invention the timber is fixed
or carelessly thrown down, and the saw moves up to and through it in an
horizontal direction. The wood may then be drawn forward by means of a
traveller to be ready for another cut.

page_text: The saw is moved to and fro by means of a long screw passing through a
screwed hole formed in a piece connected with the saw, and the axis of said
saw (when a circular saw is used) is capable of having rotatory motion imparted
thereto. The great advantage of this saw is, that the timber does not require
nuch adjusting, as there is more travelling distance for the saw to move in than 5
the size of the saw requires, thereby saving an immense amount of labour.
Any sized circular saw may be used as may be required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Young Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
YOUNG SMITH, of No. 77, Sydney Street, Sheffield, in the County of York, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Young Smith, Her special licence that I, the said William
Young Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Young Smith, my executors, administrators, and 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 "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN SAWING ALL KINDS OF WOOD," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Young Smith, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, 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 William Young Smith, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in causing the saw to move up to and against the

page_text: wood to be sawn, which is stationary, and is more particularly adapted to cross-
cutting. I would here observe, that according to the method commonly
practised of cutting wood and timber the saw is locally stationary, and the
wood or timber is moved up to and against the edge of the saw until cut
through, but has previously to be cut through with a hand cross-cut saw into
portable lengths before being taken to and operated upon by the circular or
the reciprocating saw, according to which is used. But by my said Invention
the saw moves up to and through the wood or timber in an horizontal direction,
the wood being either fixed or carelessly thrown down for the purpose. The
wood may then be drawn forward by means of a traveller to be ready for
another cut. The saw is moved to and fro by means of a long screw passing
through a screwed hole formed in a piece connected with the saw, and
the axis of said saw when a circular saw is used is capable of having rotatory
motion imparted thereto. The great advantage of thus arranging and actuating
the saw is, that the timber requires very little adjustment, as there is more
travelling distance for the saw to move in than the size of the saw requires.
thereby saving an immense amount of labour. Any size of circular saw may
be used as required.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked thereon
respectively, as follows:-
.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is an end elevation of the mechanism which I employ for sawing
in an improved manner all kinds of wood; Figure 2, a side elevation of said
mechanism; Figure 3, a top plan view of same. At each of the foregoing
Figures I employ similar letters of reference to denote corresponding parts in
so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures
respectively. A is the main driving shaft, on which is keyed the drum B, over
which a strap or band passes from any suitable prime mover for imparting
motion in the direction of the arrow's flight to the saw C, through the agency
of the mitre wheels D and E. G is a long screw, the ends whereof work in
suitable bearings in the framing H; said screw passes through a screwed hole
in the piece I containing the wheels D and E; said screw may have rotatory
motion imparted thereto by a winch handle or pulley, or by a band or strap
driven from any suitable prime mover at 9, and thus cause the saw C to be
moved forwards for cutting the wood, and backwards for taking successive fresb

page_text: K is a collar fitting loosely over the shaft A, and capable of sliding
thereon, thus transmitting rotatory motion to the wheels D and E and saw C,
during the time of the saw being moved up to and through the wood or
timber.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention of "An Improvement in Sawing all Kinds of Wood," together with the
best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I
would remark, in conclusion, that I do not intend to limit myself to the precise
details of construction exhibited by the annexed Drawings, as above described;
and I hereby declare my Invention to consist in, and I claim the mechanical
arrangements above described and represented, whereby the saw is caused to
move up to and through the timber to be sawn thereby, instead of the timber
moving up to and against a locally fixed saw as heretofore practised.
I
In witness whereof, I, the said William Young Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
WILLIAM YOUNG SMITH. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALFRED SCARGILL,
46, High Street, Sheffield.