IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PLANING IRON AND OTHER METALS
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Thompson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd May
: 1864.
I, ROBERT THOMPSON, of New Charlton, in the County of Kent, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PLANING IRON AND OTHER METALS," to be as follows, that is
to say-
My improvements consist, firstly, in the application of a double-faced slide
beam or two beams, either connected or separate, fitted with slide facings-on
the opposite side to each other, and raised, or lowered, or fixed in the ordinary
manner by vertical screw shafts to the side stand frames, which are properly
faced on the sides and front for that purpose. The slide beams or double
faced slide beam are fitted with the ordinary transverse screws, saddles,
tool holders, &c. The advantages gained by these arrangements are, that
the tools, work alternately, the tools fitted on the front of the slide beam
perform the work, while the bed of the machine which carries the iron or
metal is making the forward motion, the tools fitted on the back or opposite
slide beam execute the work on the returning or back motion of the bed
of the machine, thus accomplishing nearly double the quantity of heavy work.
performed by the ordinary machine in the same time.
My improvements consist, secondly, in an arrangement of gear for planing
curves and irregular forms. For executing this work I mount two vertical
shafts on the side stand frames, and gear them to the transverse screw shafts;
at the lower end of these vertical shafts I gear two horizontal shafts fitted

page_text: with cone or taper pullies or varying speed pullies. These shafts are placed
parallel to two other shafts and cone pullies; these are connected to the first-
named cone pullies by suitable bands. These pullies are driven either from
some of the gear of the machine or other gear, and give the required motion
to the vertical shafts and transverse screw shafts, which are connected to the
saddles. The motions thus imparted work the tools to all required shapes on
one or both sides of the beam or beams at the same time.
My improvements consist, thirdly, in applying grooved shafts to the
under side of the slide beam or beams, fitted with sliding collars and levers ;
these collars are connected to and slide with the saddles. The levers are
cranked or otherwise suitably shaped to lift the tool clear of the work at each
end of the cut, and to give motion to ratchet levers which work the ratchet
wheel nuts with which these machines are provided for working the screw
to set down tools to the cut or cuts. The ends of these grooved shafts are
fitted to the ends of the slide beam or beams by brackets or bearings.
At a suitable distance from the end of the shafts other levers are fitted
when the tool or tools make the end of the cut. These levers are struck by
studs or brackets which are secured to the travelling bed. By these means
the levers are forced up and lift the tools clear of the work, and keep them in
position till the machine runs back to the other end of the work. This
being done the lever or levers are again struck and force down the tool or
tools to their former places, the work again commencing. This is repeated
until the work is completed.
I do not confine myself to any limited number of vertical shafts nor to
their precise arrangement, as this gear may be fitted to machines already
in use. In all other respects I use the ordinary framing and gear in
completing the construction of these machines.