An Improved Self-feeding Cane-splitting Machine.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Self-feeding Cane-splitting Machine.
WILLIAM WILSON, 3 Great Avenham Street Preston, Lancashire, Photographer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This is an invention to split lengths of cane, willow, and all fibrous matter into any
number of pieces as follows.
Immediately opposite and partially inside the ends of a series of borings, or tubes,
sets of knives are arranged, horizontally and vertically as required, the borings or
tubes are fed by suitably arranged hoppers containing the material to be split, this is
passed through the borings or tubes by mechanical force, being thus guided through
the knives which are arranged to cut the material into the required number of pieces.
Dated this 16th day of October 1889.
WILLIAM WILSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Self-feeding Cane-splitting Machine.
WILLIAM WILSON, 3 Great Avenham Street, Preston, Lancashire, Photographer, 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 is an invention to split lengths of cane, willow, & all fibrous matter into any
number of pieces as follows.
Immediately opposite & partially inside the ends of a series of borings or tubes, sets
of knives are arranged, horizontally and vertically as required, the borings or tubes are
fed by suitably arranged hoppers containing the material to be split, this is passed
through the borings or tubes by mechanical force, being thus guided through the
knives which are arranged to cut the material into the required number of pieces.
Figs. 1, 2, & 3 show the general arrangement in plan & elevations, at each end of a
table A, the tubes or borings B & C are secured, and at the ends of the tabes furthest
from the centre of the table sets of knives are arranged at D & E, through these tubes
a ram F is worked backwards & forwards by the lever G, forcing through the tubes
& knives lengths of material fed into position by the hoppers H & I.
To effect this the upper portion of the tubes are cut away for a certain distance
immediately below the hoppers at a a¹, bb', forming semicircular receivers and leaving
the tubes from a¹ to the knives at E, & from to the knives at D, entire. The
lever G being drawn back as in Fig. 2, the receiver a a', is at once filled by hopper I
with a length of the material to be split, the lever is now drawn towards the knives
at E, & the material fed into position, is forced by the ram F through the entire
portion of the tube C, and through the knives at E, issueing split into a number of
pieces. The ram F works exactly from end to end of the tubes & at the end of each
stroke leaves empty the opposite receiver, which is at once fed by its hopper & the
lever being worked backwards & forwards, the material is constantly being forced
through the knives at each end alternately.
Fig. 1, shows in half plan the arrangement with the ram F at the end of a stroke,
the ends of the rain have a slit in which the first knife-which is placed within the
tube-lays at the end of each stroke, the object of this slit being for the ram to get the
material to be split completely past the first knife & out of the tube without injuring
the knife within the tube, see Figs. 5 & 6. The material next passed through the tube
pushes out completely that already partially through & partially in the knives. J & K
are guides keeping the ram in correct position whilst working.

page_text: Fig. 2 gives a full side elevation showing the full stroke of the lever G, and its
pivott at c, the lever passes through the ram F at the space left for it at d.
Fig. 3, shows an end elevation with section on line ee, the positions of the hoppers H
& I are denoted with their supports f & g.
Fig. 4, gives a side elevation of the hoppers.
Figs. 5, 6, & 7, show full size in plan & elevations the tube C, part of the ram F, &
the arrangement of the knives at D. E. E in Figs. 5, 6, & 7, referring to the
arrangement & position of the knives as a body, hhh are three vertical knives the
centre knife h¹ being within the tube, these knives are let in the bed of the table as
shown & held in place by the plate j', another plate k is mounted so as to secure
them above the level of the tube & ensure rigidity, the knives iii are secured by the
bolts & m, & slits n & o in the plate k allow a little latitude in fixing the knives.
at
The knives as shown split a piece of material into sixteen pieces as at p, Fig. 7", and
q a piece split into four slices is shown, this being done by using three knives only,
by varying the number & position of the knives the material may be split into the
number of pieces required; but it must be noticed, immediately the first knife enters
the material to be split it causes lateral expansion to the extent of its own thickness,
& if the next knives were merely placed alongside the first, the result would be a
blockage & the knives would be broken, to avoid this a single knife is placed first, then
a certain distance behind as shown come the others, all the sets of knives being
arranged on this principle, as shown by sets hhh, iii in the accompanying
diagrams.
Fig. 8 shows the end of the tube nearest the knives, made to accurately centre any
material rather small, the tube is slit along its length in four places rstu where small
holes are drilled, the end is now slightly closed & hardened thus giving a spring
centreing arrangement.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I
do not confine myself to the precise method hereinbefore mentioned for passing through
the tubes the material to be split, as this operation might be varied without departing
from the invention, but the method stated gives good results in actual work, and I
declare that what I claim is :
First. The improved self feeding cane splitting machine, substantially as herein before
described.
Second. The use & application of the borings or tubes, through which the material
to be split is forced, by any mechanical force, substantially as & for the purposė
described.
Third. The use & application of the hoppers substantially as & for the purpose
described.
Dated this 12th day of July 1800.