AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CUTTING, BUNDLING, AND BINDING FIREWOOD, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Kingston, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CUTTING, BUNDLING, AND
BINDING FIREWOOD, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Sealed the 26th November 1878, and dated the 1st June 1878.
Sealed the 26th November 1878, and dated the 1st June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Kingston at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st June 1878.
FRANK KINGSTON, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent.
MACHINE FOR CUTTING, BUNDLING, AND BINDING FIREWOOD, AND FOR SIMILAR
PURPOSES."
"AN IMPROVED
My Invention relates to an improved machine whereby timber which has been
cut into blocks or pieces of the required length is first divided into slabs or slices,
and then into sticks, which are formed into bundles, and then bound or fastened,
as herein-after described.
One very important feature of my said Invention is the form and arrangement
of the knife or blade for dividing the said blocks or pieces. This knife is preferably
formed with a cutting edge of a length about three times the length of the blocks
of wood to be cut thereby.
The said knife is arranged horizontally, and is supported and guided by guide
pieces or studs, or other devices, in such a manner that when moved endwise it will
descend or move vertically downward, its edge thereby being forced into and
through the wood block, thus dividing the same into slabs or slices of the required
thickness.
The endwise to-and-fro movement of the said knife is imparted to it by a crank
on the main shaft of the machine.
The wood blocks are fed forward by and between endless bands or aprons to the
knife, and deposited upon a plate formed or placed on the frame of the machine.

page_text: These bands or aprons have an intermittent movement, whereby the wood blocks
are moved forward between the strokes of the knife, and are stationary at the
moment when the same descends to cut a slice from the block immediately under it ;
and I employ a griping or holding device consisting preferably of a pair of jaws
and toggle arms operated by a cam, crank, or excentric on the main shaft. This
cam, crank, or excentric is so arranged in relation to the cam or other device that
operates the endless belts as to cause the said jaws to grasp and hold the wood
block when the said belts stop and the knife descends, and to release the said block
when the said bands or aprons resume their forward movement.
I consider it a very important feature of my Invention that the knife is so
arranged in relation to the wood blocks lying on the plate or table to be cut that
the edge of the knife, at the time of passing through the blocks, is longitudinally
parallel with the grain or fibres of the wood, instead of passing through the grain
from end to end of the blocks, as heretofore.
In combination with the said knife and endless aprons I arrange a weighted
lever, provided with a vertical arm and shoulder for receiving the slabs or slices as
they are cut from the wood block, and depositing them flatwise upon another
endless belt or carrier. This lever is operated by a rod or other device arranged and
timed to move the said lever at the proper moment in relation to the knife and
travelling aprons or carriers.
The slabs or slices thus deposited upon the second series of endless aprons or
carriers are carried thereby to a second knife, which is formed and acts in like
manner to the first knife, except that it operates more quickly and is driven by a
crank on a counter shaft, whose desired rapid motion is obtained from the main
shaft, through the medium of suitable gear wheels. This second knife cuts the
wood slabs or slices into sticks of the required thickness. The aforesaid belts,
aprons, or carriers travel between guide surfaces, which keep the wood blocks and
slabs properly in place thereon.
In combination with the said second knife I arrange a cylinder whose longitudinal
axis is parallel with the knife edge, and whose internal diameter should be some-
what larger than the desired diameter of the bundles of wood. This cylinder has
in its side a longitudinal aperture or slot, through which the sticks as they are cut
fall into the cylinder. The said cylinder is provided with a piston or plunger fitted
to move freely to and fro therein, and operated in such a manner that when the
said cylinder is full of sticks the said plunger will move forward and force the same
out of the opposite end of the cylinder, and will then retire, to permit the cylinder
to be refilled with sticks.
For obtaining this motion of the said piston or plunger I prefer to use a toothed
segment geared with the main shaft by toothed wheels so proportioned to each
other as to give to the said segment a motion considerably slower than that of the
said main shaft. This segment is provided with a weight, and a cam is arranged
in combination therewith, in such a manner that at the moment when the said
cylinder has been properly filled with sticks the plunger will be moved quickly
forward by the said weight, and will then be drawn back by the said cam. In the
under side of this cylinder I form an aperture, through which project up levers or
arms operated to shake or agitate the sticks in the cylinder, to ensure their being
deposited and held evenly and in a straight position therein.
The exit end of the said cylinder is provided with a plate or disc which covers
the said end while the cylinder is being filled with sticks, but which is moved or
adjusted to open the same, and leave the exit clear at the time the bundles of sticks
are to be discharged from the cylinder.
The movement or adjustment of the said disc is effected by a cam on the main
shaft, or by other suitable means.
I
In front of the exit end of the said cylinder, and in a line with the same,
arrange a conical or taper tube whose largest diameter equals that of the cylinder,
and is arranged nearest the same. This tube is divided longitudinally for a portion

page_text: of its length into parts or sections, so that it may be expanded and contracted in
diameter at the smallest end. The contraction of this tube is effected by a metal
band, one end of which is fixed to the frame, and the other end is connected with
a lever which is actuated at the proper moment by a cam, or otherwise, to contract
the said tube, and tighten the same around the bundle of sticks, which has entered
the said tube from the cylinder.
The binding of these bundles is accomplished as follows:-For binding or
securing the bundles of sticks in my machine I use cord or string saturated with
pitch or other like substance. This pitch or other substance is contained in a tank
fixed on the machine frame; and the cord or string is passed through the tank by
the aid of suitable wheels, drums, or carriers, and drawn out through a tubular guide.
This tank is heated by a lamp, or by steam or otherwise, in such a manner that the
pitch or other material on the string will be kept hot as it passes from the said
guide. The said guide enters the end of a tubular shaft arranged in front of and
concentric with the said concave guide.
The said tubular shaft has an aperture in its side, through which the string
passes to a revolving cranked arm, provided at its end with a holder or gripper,
through which the end of the said string or cord extends. A spring is arranged in
combination with this arm, and operated in such a manner by a cam and lever that
at the proper moment it places the end of the string or cord on the bundle of sticks
which projects from the said conical tube. This spring holds the end of the said
string on the bundle, while the said crank arm makes a portion of a revolution
around the bundle; then the said spring is moved clear of the said arm, which
passes twice or more times around the bundle; then the said string is cut by a
knife, suitably arranged and operated by a cam fixed on one of the wheels that
operate the cranked arm, and the said string is secured by the pitch or other
adhesive substance with which it is saturated. The bound or fastened bundle is
then discharged by the advance of another bundle from the said cylinder.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frank Kingston in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
November 1878.
FRANK KINGSTON, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent. "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR CUTTING, BUNDLING, AND BINDING FIREWOOD, AND FOR SIMILAR
PURPOSES."
My Invention relates to an improved machine whereby timber which has been
cut into blocks or pieces of the required length is first divided into slabs or slices,
and then into sticks, which are then formed into bundles, and then bound or
fastened.
The wood blocks are fed forwards between intermittently-moving endless bands
or aprons on to a plate, where each block is held while a knife descends, cutting a
slice therefrom.
The slice thus cut is received on a lever arm, or the periphery of an intermittently
rotating drum, by which it is moved forwards, and at the same time turned on its
side. It is then passed on under a rapidly-reciprocating knife, which divides the
slice into separate sticks. These sticks are then collected by the bundling apparatus,
which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the collecting and bundling
cylinder.
Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections on the lines X, X, and Y, Y, respectively.
Fig. 5 is an end view and Fig. 6 a back view of the end ring of the cylinder.
A is a cylinder having on its upper side a shoot B, by which the cut firewood
sticks Care dropped into the cylinder from the cutting part of the machine. In the
lower side of the cylinder A there is a transverse slot, in which a serrated bar D is
caused to reciprocate, by its shaking movement causing the sticks C to arrange
themselves approximately parallel to the axis of the cylinder A. A piston or
plunger E loosely fits the interior of the cylinder, and is from time to time advanced,
so as to push forward the sticks contained therein. A diaphragm F mounted on a
pin when raised forms a close end to the cylinder, but is from time to time
lowered, as shewn in Fig. 4, leaving the cylinder open for the thrusting forward
of the sticks by the advance of the plunger E. The front part of the cylinder G is
of elastic metal, such as steel, slitted round its periphery, so as to form a set of
elastic blades, round which there is fitted a steel binding hoop H like the strap of a
friction break, which strap can be drawn tightly round the cylinder mouth by the
pull of a rod h.
The apparatus is worked in the following manner:-The plunger E being
retracted and the diaphragm F being raised, so as to close the end of the cylinder,
as shewn in Fig. 1, the sticks C are dropped into the cylinder, between the
plunger E and the diaphragm F, while the shaking bar D is caused to reciprocate
transversely, thereby making the sticks arrange themselves parallel to the axis of
the cylinder.
When the cylinder is filled with sticks the diaphragm F is lowered to the position
shewn in Fig. 4, and the band H being slackened the plunger E is made to advance,
pushing onwards the bundle of sticks till they project a little more than half their
length beyond the mouth of G. The band H is now tightened, causing the split
periphery of G to clamp the sticks firmly, so as to form them into a compact
cylindrical bundle; the plunger E is then retracted and the diaphragm F is again
raised, the filling of the cylinder goes on as before, and while this is proceeding the
bundle projecting beyond G is tied. At the next advance of the plunger E the
bundle of sticks last collected in the cylinder thrusts out the previous bundle which
has been tied and takes its place, to be clamped and tied in like manner.
In the preceding description I have not fully set forth the details of the
mechanism for cutting the sticks and tying the bundles thereof, because, since the

page_text: filing of the Provisional Specification on which the present Letters Patent were
granted to me, and during the period of provisional protection, I have been enabled
to effect improvements on the said. mechanism, and I have obtained further Letters
Patent dated 29th July 1878, No. 2999, in the Provisional Specification to the
same.
I have described the nature of the said mechanism for cutting and tying and its
application in combination with the bundling apparatus herein described, and in
the Final Specification to the said Letters Patent, No. 2999, I will more fully
describe the cutting and tying mechanism, to which at present I declare that I
make no claim.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I claim, the use of apparatus substantially as herein
described for collecting or bundling sticks of firewood, such apparatus consisting of
a cylinder, into which the sticks are fed, between a removeable diaphragm and a
piston or plunger, a shaking bar for arranging the sticks within the cylinder, and
a slitted elastic front part clamped by an elastic ring.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Kingston, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
FRANK KINGSTON. (L.B.)