IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SAWING OR CUTTING WOOD INTO VENEERS AND PLANKS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ferguson, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Veneer Cutter, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SAWING OR CUTTING WOOD INTO VENEERS AND
PLANKS. A communication from J. F. C. Wieland, of the City of
Hamburgh, Machinist.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ferguson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th July 1860.
I, JOHN FERGUSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Veneer Cutter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SAWING OR CUTTING WOOD
INTO VENEERS AND PLANKS," and that the same has been communicated to me
from abroad by J. F. C. Wieland, of the City of Hamburgh, Machinist, to
be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of .veneer or
plank-cutting machinery, by means of which a greater number of veneers can
be cut per inch than with the machinery at present in use; at the same time
the work is done in a far superior manner.
The framing of the machine consists of a table or platform supported upon

page_text: four short vertical standards; this table is made with an opening extending
from the back towards the front, so that it forms three sides of a square. The
two parallel sides of the table form the base on which the standards of a
moveable or sliding frame traverse to and fro, as required. These standards
extend some distance above the table, and serve as guides to a vertical frame,
to which the timber to be cut is secured. This frame consists of two parallel
pieces united by means of transverse bars, to the back of which is fixed a long
vertical rack extending from the top to the bottom of the frame. The lower
part of the frame has fitted to it on each side a chain, which passes upwards
and over two pulleys carried on the upper ends of the standards of the sliding
frame. The free extremities of these chains are connected to a box, which is
loaded so as form a counterweight to the frame and the timber attached
thereto. Motion is communicated to the frame or timber carrier by means
of a horizontal shaft extending across the table or platform; this shaft is
turned by means of a handle on its extremity, which is within convenient reach
of the person attending the machine. The shaft is carried in standards cast on
or bolted to the table or platform, and at its backward extremity it has fast to
it a pinion which is in gear with a spur wheel arranged parallel to the back of
the vertical frame; this spur wheel is fast to a short shaft carrying a pinion in
gear with the vertical rack of the timber carrier. By this means the timber-
carrying frame may be moved up and down by hand as required; but it bas
also an upward vertical motion imparted to it from the engine or other prime
mover.
The object of this arrangement is to afford facility for moving the timber
carrier by hand, as required; but when the saw is in operation the carrier is
moved solely by the engine, and always in an upward direction, which is an
essential feature of this Invention. The shaft of the driving pulley has upon
it a cone pulley, an endless cord from which gives motion to a corresponding
cone pulley, which is carried on a short horizontal shaft, arranged so that a
bevel wheel on the extremity of the shaft gears with a bevel wheel on the end
of a short worm spindle in gear with the pinion on the horizontal shaft. Thus
when the cone pulley is put in motion the vertical frame or timber carrier is
slowly traversed upwards, the rate of speed being altered or adjusted by
shifting the cord to the larger or smaller grooves of the cone pulleys. The
timber to be cut is secured to the frame by longitudinal battens or strips of
wood, which are glued to the back of the beam or log to be cut, and these
battens are secured to the frame by screws. The log is further secured to the
frame by dogs or clamps, which enter the sides of the log and are screwed up
by means of adjusting screws and nuts. The worm spindle is thrown into and

page_text: out of
gear with the actuating pinion by means of a cord attached to a bell-
crank lever or other equivalent contrivance, the raising of which causes the
worm to be thrown out of gear and so stop the upward motion of the timber
frame. The driving shaft has keyed to it a crank, which by means of a con-
necting rod imparts a rapid reciprocatory movement to a horizontal saw
arranged to travel in front of the rising log of timber. The saw is arranged
in a rectangular frame, which is attached to the connecting rod extending
from the crank. The saw frame is adjustable so as to stretch the saw tightly
between the ends. The extremities of the saw frame are carried and traverse
in end guides arranged on the table of the machine; these guides are slightly
curved to a concave figure, so that the saw traverses in a curved path re-
sembling the motion imparted to a two-handed saw when used by hand. In
this way the saw cuts much faster as it does not get clogged, because only a
few inches of the length of the blade acts at one time on the wood, the curva-
ture of its path serving to continually change its position in relation to the cut.
The teeth of the saw, are directed downwards, and immediately in front of the
saw and in contact with it there is arranged a broad and deep piece of metal,
which serves to support the blade of the saw. This piece of metal is bevelled
off to a thin knife-like edge at the lower part, which is just above the teeth of
the saw;
the face of this piece of metal, which is termed the "knife," is made
of a slightly convex figure on the side next the saw. The object of this
arrangement is that the pressure of the convex surface serves to keep the saw
constantly stretched. As the log of wood is moved upwards the veneer is
brought off and guided outwards below the knife. In cutting planks or thick
pieces of wood the knife is not required. There is in front of the macbine an
arrangement for regulating or setting the wood so as to obtain a uniform
thickness at each cut; this consists of a screw attached to the frame of the
moveable timber carrier; this screw extends out to the front of the table or
In front of the
platform, and it has upon it a graduated index plate.
index plate is a hand lever carried loosely on the end of the screw, but
arranged so that it may be secured to a guage on the index; when the guage
is set opposite the aliquot part of the inch marked on the index plate, a
quarter turn of the handle brings the log to be cut forward a distance equal
to the indicated portion of the inch. In this way the log may be cut into
veneers, the tenth, sixteenth, twentieth, or other aliquot part of an inch, as
required. When one veneer is taken off, the worm is thrown out of gear by
pulling down the cord, and the frame is then lowered by turning the handle
on the horizontal shaft, which causes the frame and log to descend in readiness
for a fresh cut. A fork is arranged in connection with a hand lever to enable

page_text: the attendant to throw the belt off the driving pulley and stop the motion of
the machine instantly, when required, so that one attendant has the whole of
the motive parts under his immediate control.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said John Ferguson in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th February 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FERGUSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Veneer
'Cutter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Ferguson, Her special license that I, the said John Ferguson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Ferguson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SAWING OR CUTTING WOOD INTO VENEERS
AND PLANES," being a communication from J. F. C. Wieland, of the City of
Hamburgh, Machinist, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Ferguson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 on or before the 5th day of
February, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Ferguson, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of veneer
or plank-cutting machinery, by means of which a greater number of veneers

page_text: can be cut per inch than with the machinery at present in use, at the same
time the work is done in a far superior manner. The framing of the machine
consists of a table or platform supported upon four short vertical standards.
This table is made with an opening extending from the back towards the
front, so that it forms three sides of a square. The two parallel sides of the
table form the base on which the standards of a moveable or sliding frame
traverse to and fro as required. These standards extend some distance above
the table, and serve as guides to a vertical frame, to which the timber to be
cut is secured. This frame consists of two parallel pieces united by means of
transverse bars, to the back of which is fixed a long vertical rack extending
from the top to the bottom of the frame. The lower part of the frame has
fitted to it on each side a chain, which passes upwards and over two pulleys
carried on the upper ends of the standards of the sliding frame. The free
extremities of these chains are connected to a box, which is loaded so as to
form a counterweight to the frame, and the timber attached thereto. Motion
is communicated to the frame or timber carrier by means of a horizontal
shaft extending across the table or platform; this shaft is turned by means of
a handle on its extremity, which is within convenient reach of the person
attending the machine. The shaft is carried in standards cast on or bolted to
the table or platform, and at its backward extremity it has fast to it a pinion,
which is in gear with a spur wheel arranged parallel to the back of the
vertical frame; this spur wheel is fast to a short shaft, carrying a pinion in
gear with the vertical rack of the timber carrier. By this means, the timber
carrying frame may be moved up and down by hand as required, but it has
also an upward vertical motion imparted to it from the engine or other prime
mover. The object of this arrangement is to afford facility for moving tho
timber carrier. by hand as required; but when the saw is in operation, the
earrier is moved solely by the engine, and always in an upward direction,
which is an essential feature of this Invention. The shaft. of the driving
pulley has upon it a cone pulley, an endless cord from which gives motion to
a corresponding cone pulley, which is carried on a. short horizontal shaft,
arranged so that a bevel wheel on the extremity of the shaft gears with a
bevel wheel on the end of a short worm spindle in gear with the pinion on the
horizontal shaft. Thus, when the cone pulley is put in motion the vertical
frame or timber carrier is slowly traversed upwards, the rate of speed being
altered or adjusted by shifting the cord to the larger or smaller grooves of the
cone pulleys. The timber to be cut is secured to the frame by longitudinal
battens or strips of wood, which are glued to the back of the beam or log to
be cut, and these battens are secured to.the frame by screws.. The log is

page_text: further secured to the frame by dogs or clamps, which enter the sides of the
log, and are screwed up by means of adjusting screws and nuts.
The worm
spindle is thrown into and out of gear with the actuating pinion by means of
a cord attached to a bell-crank lever, or other equivalent contrivance, the
raising of which causes the worm to be thrown out of gear, and so stop the
upward motion of the timber frame. The driving shaft has keyed to it a
crank, which by means of a connecting rod imparts a rapid reciprocatory move-
ment to a horizontal saw arranged to travel in front of the rising log of timber.
The saw is arranged in a rectangular frame which is attached to the
connecting rod extending from the crank, the saw frame is adjustable so as to
stretch the saw tightly between the ends. The extremities of the saw frame
are carried and traverse in end guides arranged on the table of the machine;
these guides are slightly curved to a concave figure, so that the saw traverses
in a curved path resembling the motion imparted to a two-handed saw when
used by hand. In this way the saw cuts much faster, as it does not get
clogged, because only a few inches of the length of the blade acts at one time
on the wood, the curvature of its path serving to continually change its
position in relation to the cut. The teeth of the saw are directed downwards,
and immediately in front of the saw and in contact with it there is arranged a
broad and deep piece of metal which serves to support the blade of the saw.
This piece of metal is bevelled off to a thin knife-like edge at the lower part;
which is just above the teeth of the saw; the face of this piece of metal, which
is termed the "knife," is made of a slightly convex figure on the side next the
saw. The object of this arrangement is that the pressure of the convex
surface serves to keep the saw constantly stretched. As the log of wood is
moved upwards the veneer is brought off, and guided outwards below the
knife. In cutting planks or thick pieces of wood the knife is not re-
quired. There is in front of the machine an arrangement for regulating or
setting the wood, so as to obtain a uniform thickness at each cut. This
consists of a screw attached to the frame of the moveable timber carrier; this
screw extends out to the front of the table or platform, and it has upon it a
graduated index plate. In front of the index plate is a hand lever carried
loosely on the end of the screw, but arranged so that it may be screwed to a
guage on the index. When the guage is set opposite the aliquot part of the
inch marked on the index plate a quarter turn of the handle brings the log to
be cut forward a distance equal to the indicated portion of the inch. In this
way the log may be cut into veneers the tenth, sixteenth, twentieth, or other
aliquot part of an inch as required. When one veneer is taken off the worm
s thrown out of gear by pulling down the cord, and the frame is then

page_text: lowered by turning the bandle or the horizontal shaft, which causes the frame
and log to descend in readiness for a fresh cut. A fork is arranged in con-
nection with a hand lever to enable the attendant to throw the belt off the
driving pulley, and stop the motion of the machine instantly when required, so
that one attendant has the whole of the motive parts under his immediate
control.
And in order that the said Invention of improvements in machinery or
apparatus for cutting wood into veneers and planks, may be properly under-
stood, I shall now proceed to describe the illustrative Figures upon the two
explanatory Sheets of Drawings which I have hereunto appended, for the
purpose of showing certain modifications under which the said improvements
may be judiciously carried out in practice, that is to say:―
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is an elevation of the
veneer and plank-cutting machine, the connection between the saw frame and
the driving end of the machine being broken in order to save space. Figure 2
on Sheet 2 is a plan corresponding to the Drawing, Sheet 1.
The framing A of the machine consists of a pair of comparatively low end
standards, by preference formed of cast iron. On the front part of this framing
is arranged a cross beam B, the ends of which project out beyond the framing,
and are curved slightly in an upward direction. On these outwardly projecting
parts are fitted two pairs of brass guides C. Extending across the machine,
between these guides, is the saw frame D, which consists of a longitudinal
wooden bar having a cross head at each end, in which are fitted the slides E
that work to and fro in the guides C. The front ends of the cross heads are
braced together by the tension rod F, and the saw G is stretched between the
inner ends of the crossheads, the tightening up of the tension rod F by means
of the nut on its extremity serves to stretch the saw and give it the necessary
degree of tightness. The saw G is formed of a long and comparatively deep
blade of steel with the teeth directed downwards; this saw is guided and kept
in a right line by means of the guide or knife H, which is arranged imme-
diately in front of the saw. The guide H is formed of a wedge-shaped figure,
the apex of which is directed downwards and terminates immediately above
the teeth of the saw; it is carried in two vertical bracket pieces, which are
bolted to the front cross piece B of the framing. The face of the guide or
knife H next the saw G is made slightly convex, to ensure the continuous con-
tact of the saw. As the veneer-cutting operation proceeds, the veneer passes
up between the inner face of the saw and the guide II, and as it passes out
over the guide it is attached by a clasp to the top of the slab of wood from
which it is taken, until the cut is completed; the veneer is then removed and

page_text: the slab is lowered by hand for a fresh cut. The upwardly sweeping curvature
of the guides C causes the saw, when put in motion, to move in a curved path
or with a sort of swinging movement, similar to the movement imparted to a
double-banded saw when operated by hand. This kind of movement is very
effective in preventing the saw from sticking or becoming clogged during the
cutting of the log. On a sole plate I, arranged on a suitable base near the saw
frame, are fitted the pedestal bearings of the driving shaft J. This shaft carries
at the centre the fast and loose pulley K and fly wheel L; an endless belt
carried from a shaft overhead, or arranged in convenient proximity thereto,
gives motion to the pulley K. The belt is shifted at pleasure from the fast to
the loose pulley, and vice versa, by means of the fork M, which is attached to
a sliding piece moving to and fro on a standard at the end of the sole plate I.
The sliding piece is connected by a link to a long hand lever N, which is cen-
tred on a stud carried in a standard near the front end of the sole plate I.
The hand lever N extends in a lateral direction towards the saw frame, so as
to be within convenient reach of the machine attendant, that he may be
enabled to start or stop the machine instantly, when required. The hand lever
N is held during the running or stopping of the machine in the cross head N',
which has two notches or recesses formed in it to receive the lever and hold it
while the belt is either on the fast or loose pulley. In this way the mere
shifting of the lever N from one notch to the other serves to start or
stop the machine. On the front extremity of the driving shaft J is keyed
a crank O, to which is attached one end of the connecting rod P, the other
extremity being jointed to the contiguous cross head of the saw frame D.
The rotatory motion of the pulley K imparts to the crank O, which is of
greater radius, a rapid, reciprocatory, or swinging movement, which is com-
municated to the saw, so that only a few inches of its length is operating at
one time on the timber, as the saw is continually changing its position as
regards its line of motion. On the framing A is arranged a moveable frame Q,
capable of being traversed to and fro on the framing A; to this adjustable
frame the wood to be cut is attached. The surfaces and inner faces of the
framing or platform A are planed, so as to form guides for the rectangular
base frame Q of the standards R, which are formed with backwardly
extending stays near the base, as shown in Sheet 2, and are connected by a
cross rail at the upper ends. To the faces of the standards R are fixed the
wooden guides S, between which the frame T moves up and down; the lon-
gitudinal side pieces of this frame are each fitted with a metal plate or feather,
the projecting part of which works in the grooves of the guides S. The wood-
carrying frame T, is by preference about twelve feet long, and extends downwards

page_text: considerably below the base of the machine into a pit or recess formed
beneath. In Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings the frame is shown
broken off at the base line of the Drawing.
At the upper and lower ends of
the frame T is fixed a guide U, in which is arranged the clamps V, which move,
to and fro on the screwed spindle W, and are adjustable thereon by means of the
nuts X. The log or slab of wood to be cut into veneers is glued to an open
or lattice frame to admit of its being completely cut up into veneers.
This
open frame carrying the log is placed between the clamps V, which are then
screwed up tightly, so as to hold the frame securely, and, if necessary, the
frame is further secured by means of screws passing through the guides U
and into the open frame. At the commencement of the cutting the frame
carrying the log is lowered down so that the edge of the upper end of the log
is brought under the saw G; the saw is then put in motion, and the frame is
traversed upwards as the veneer or plank is cut. This upward traversing
movement is obtained from the driving shaft J, on the backward extremity of
which is the cone pulley Y, the endless cord from which passes round a cone
pulley Z, which is carried by a bracket a, projecting out from the framing A.
The spindle of the pulley Z carries on its backward extremity a bevel pinion
b, which gears with a corresponding pinion c, which is fast to the small vertical
spindle d. This spindle has a worm e formed on it, which gives motion to
the worm wheelf. The spindle is carried in a moveable bracket piece g, the
lower part of which is prolonged in a lateral direction, so that it forms
a bell-crank lever. This lever 9 is moveable about a stud fixed in the
bracket h; the stud being arranged exactly in a line with the spindle
of the pulley Z. The free extremity of the bell-crank lever 9 is con-
nected to the rod i; a projecting part j of the bracket h, serving as a
guide to check the traverse of the lever in the vertical direction. The
rodi is carried up to an arm which projects in a lateral direction from the
rocking shaft k, the bearings of which are arranged in any convenient manner
overhead. Near the other end of the shaft k is a laterally projecting arm, to
which the rod is attached. When the machine attendant draws this rod l
down and hooks it on to the hook m, it draws up the rod i and tilts the bell-
crank lever g, so that the pinion c is thrown out of gear with the pinion b, and
the motion of this part of the machine is instantly stopped. The worm e on
the spindle d gives motion to the worm wheel ƒ which is fast to the shaft n,
the bearings of which are carried in the brackets h and h¹. The front
extremity of the shaft n is fitted with a winch handle o, to enable the machine
attendant to operate the shaft by hand.
the pinion p, which gears with the spur
On the shaft n is carried loosely
wheel Q the bearings of which are

page_text: Thus, when the
arranged upon a cross stay of the standards R. The wheel 9 and pinion p are
kept in gear by means of the bracket r, which encircles the boss of the
pinion p, and is made fast thereto, the pinion having a feather inside the boss,
which feather slides to and fro in the groove formed in the shaft n. Thus, as
the frame is moved to and fro, the pinion p traverses with it on the shaft n.
The short shaft to which the wheel q is keyed carries at its front extremity the
pinions which is in gear with the rack t on the back of the central piece of
timber u, which forms a portion of the traversing frame T.
shaft n is put in motion, say, by the worm wheel f, the frame T and the log
to be cut is moved upwards at a uniform speed suited to the cut of the saw.
When the log has ascended, and the veneer cut completely off, the machine
attendant can cause the frame and log to descend quickly, by simply drawing
down the rod l, which throws the pinion c out of gear with the pinion b, and
turning the handle o in the direction to cause the descent of the frame T. To
admit of the easy vertical traverse of the frame and log, it is counterbalanced
so as to hang nearly in equilibrium. The cords or chains are attached to
the bottom of the frame T, and are carried over the pulleys which aro carried
on a transverse shaft w arranged between the standards R. To the other
extremities of the cords v is attached a box a, in which is placed the weights
for counterbalancing the frame and log. In front of the machine is fitted an
arrangement for causing the log of wood to be brought forward a predetermined
distance, so as to cut it into veneers of uniform thickness. The beam B has
cast on it or bolted thereto a pendent bracket, through which the screwed
spindle y passes, and which also carries the quadrant 2. The margin of the
quadrant is graduated, and it has fitted to it a moveable guage 1, which may
The screwed
be fixed at any part of the quadrant by a pinching screw.
spindle y passes through a deep bush, which is fast to the cross stay 2, forming
a part of the traversing frame Q, so that when the screw is turned round, it
causes the frame Q to advance or recede. To the front part of the screwed
spindle y is attached the disc 3, which is fast thereto, and on the extremity of
the spindle is fitted loosely the hand lever 4. By means of the pinching screw 5
the hand lever 4 may be made fast to the disc 3, so that the motion of the
hand lever will then cause the screwed spindle to turn in the bush on the cross
stay 2. The divisions on the graduated quadrant indicate aliquot parts of
an inch, so that when the guage 1 is fixed opposite a given number, the log
will be cut into veneers of a corresponding number to the inch... If, for
example, the edge of the guage 1 is placed opposite the number sixteen on
the quadrant, the log will be brought forward the sixteenth of an inch after
each cut. When the gauge 1 is adjusted to the required number of veneers,

page_text: the hand lever 4 is moved round in a backward direction until it comes in
contact with the pin or stop 6, the pinching screw 5 is then screwed up so as
to connect the lever 4 to the disc 3. The hand lever and disc are now moved
forward until the lever is stopped by the pin projecting from the gauge 1. As
the disc 3 is fast to the screw y, the cross stay 2 and frame Q will consequently
have been brought forward a distance corresponding to the partial rotation of
the screw, the pitch of which is so regulated as to agree with the divisions
marked on the graduated quadrants. In this way as each cut is effected,
the machine attendant loosens the pinching screw 5, and moves the hand
lever 4 back to the pin 6, the screw 5 is then tightened, the disc 3 is again
brought round, and another cut is made.
During the cutting, the frame Q is tightened by means of wedge picces,
which are actuated by the hand levers 7. After adjusting the screw y, the
workman draws the levers 7 inwards, which tightens up the frame Q carrying
the log. When the veneer is cut, the levers 7 are pushed back, and the
screw y readjusted. As a further security to ensure the steadiness of the
log during the cutting, a rectangular block of wood is fixed to the cross
beam B. This block is about the length and breadth of the knife or
guide H, and it presses against the log immediately under the saw during the
cutting, so as to keep it perfectly steady, and prevent vibration. This pressing
block may be formed with grooves in its face to receive wedges of hard wood,
which press up against the log, and these wedges may be tightened to any
required degree. In lieu of this arrangement, the block may be secured by
screws or other adjustable means to the upper surface of the cross beam B,
and so arranged that it may be readily moved to and fro. In cutting planks
with this machine the knife or guide H is removed, as well as the pressing
block just referred to, and in place of the guide II, two guides, which press
against the face of the saw, are bolted to the beam B. These guides are, by
preference, bolted to the beam just beyond the brackets which support the
guide H. The outer portion of each guide is in the form of a rectangular
block of metal, which is adjustable, and presses against the saw to keep it in
a right line during the cutting. It is preferred to have several saws with
their frames, so that when the one in use becomes blunt it may be removed,
and another placed in the machine. This is done very quickly by removing
the wooden pin which passes through the staple 8 at the end of the connecting
rod P, and to prevent the rod from falling to the ground or otherwise doing
injury it is linked to the guide 9. In this way the machine attendant has
within bis immediate reach the several means for starting, stopping, or dis-

page_text: connecting the saw, and for throwing the timber-carrying frame into or out
of gear, without moving from his place in front of the machine.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery or apparatus
for sawing or cutting wood into veneers and planks, as herein-before described
and delineated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of cutting veneers and planks by means of
machinery or apparatus in which the saw is arranged and actuated, as herein-
before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third, the system or mode of cutting veneers by means of machinery or
apparatus in which the timber to be cut is moved forward a distance equal
to the required thickness of the veneer or plank to be cut by means of the
mechanical arrangement herein-before described, and shown in the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ferguson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.