IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MAKING WOOD FIBRE
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Patent Agents,
of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MAKING WOOD
FIBRE, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This Invention relates to an improvement in machines for making wood fibre,
the object being to provide a machine of such construction and arrangement of
parts that a block or piece of wood may be quickly converted into dry wood fibre
practically uniform in length and size and by a minimum expenditure of power,
A further object is produce a machine of this character having an attachment
for retaining a straight and sharp edge on the cutters for quite a length of time,
and thus obviate the necessity for continually sharpening the knives or cutters.
With these ends in view the Invention consists first in a machine for producing
wood fibre for paper pulp or other purposes, the combination with suitable
devices for supporting and rotating a block or pieces of wood, of a knife or cutter
arranged to be reciprocated and sever the fibre from the block by a drawing cut.
The Invention further consists in the combination with suitable devices for
supporting and rotating a block or pieces of wood, of a series of knives or cutters,
made from a single piece of material, or made separately and secured together,
and devices for reciprocating said knives or cutters and severing the fibre by
a drawing cut.
The Invention further consists in the combination, with devices for supporting
and rotating a block or piece of wood, of a cutting blade provided with grooves
for subdividing it into a series of knives or cutters.
The Invention further consists in the combination, with suitable devices for
supporting and rotating a block or piece of wood, of a knife or cutter for severing
the fibre from the block, and means for sharpening the knife while the machine is
in operation.
The Invention further consists in the combination, with suitable devices for
supporting and rotating a block or piece of wood, of a series of knives or cutters for
severing the fibre from the block, and means for sharpening the knives or cutters
while the machine is in operation.

page_text: The Invention further consists in the combination, with suitable devices for
supporting and rotating a piece of wood, of a series of reciprocating knives or
cutters arranged and adapted to sever the fibre by a drawing cut, and means for
sharpening said cutters while the machine is in operation.
The Invention further consists in certain other features of construction and
combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying
the Invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are views in side elevation. Figs. 4 and 5 are end
elevations. Fig. 6 is a sectional view through bed, showing feed-works. Fig. 7 is
a detached view of the sharpener. Fig. 8 is a detached view of the forked nuts.
Fig. 9 is a view of the slab-holder, and Fig. 10 is a view in cross section of
the same.
A represents the main frame of the machine.
B is the head stock, in which is journalled the live-spindle a, having secured
thereto the driving-pulley a¹, and provided at one end with the chuck a
C is the tail-stock, provided with the adjustable mandrel b. Instead of
employing the mandrel b, I use a live-spindle, similar to spindle a in larger
machines, and provide means for imparting end wise adjustment to said spindle,
for securing and removing the block of wood D, which latter in the present
instance, is secured between the mandrel and chucks, and is rotated at any desired
speed by the live spindle.
To one end of the live-spindle a, which also constitutes the main or driving
shaft of the machine, is keyed a pinion c, which meshes with the gear wheel c¹
journalled on a stud c³, secured to an adjustable lever c³, the latter being provided
with an arc-shaped slot c, through which extends a bolt c. By means of the
nut the lever and gear may be secured in any desired adjustment. Gear-
wheel meshes into a larger gear wheel c', journalled on a shaft c³. Upon the
projecting end of the shaft c is journalled one end of a link D, the opposite end of
which supports the outer end of a shaft D¹, while the inner end of the latter is
supported in the lower end of a link D³, the upper end of which is journalled on a
shaft D, mounted in the traveling rest D. Gear-wheel c7 meshes into a gear
wheel d, journalled on the shaft D', while the gear & meshes into a gear & mounted
on the shaft Ds. The system of gearing above described is regulated as to speed
by means of different sized gears placed on the lever stud, or bearing c³, said lever
enabling the position of the gear to be regulated so as to transmit motion from the
pinion c to the large gear wheel c'. The link-connections described enable the
gears to transmit motion to the shaft D, mounted in the travelling rest D*.
To the under side of the travelling rest are secured or cast integral therewith the
depending blocks E E¹, which are screw-threaded, and constitute travelling nuts.
Shaft E is supported in bearings e¹ e, and is provided with a screw-threaded
portion e, that engages in the travelling nut E, while the forward end of the shaft
is furnished with a hand wheel Es, for adjusting the position of the travelling rest
by hand. Shaft E is supported in bearings e³ e and has keyed to one end thereof
a bevel-pinion e³ which meshes with a bevel pinion e keyed to a counter shaft e
supported in bearings es e. Near the opposite end of the counter shaft e² is keyed
n bevel pinion el which meshes with a bevel ell keyed to the shaft E. On the
shaft which is driven by the gear wheel c', is keyed a pinion F which meshes
with a gear wheel journalled in the outer end of a shaft F supported in an
adjustable apron F the latter being mounted on the shaft cs. To the opposite end
of the shaft F is secured a worm F that is adapted to engage a worm gear F³
keyed to the shaft E³. A lever G is connected by a link G₁, to the adjustable
apron F3 and is raised and lowered by means of the hand lever G³, which latter
has pivoted thereto a handle G³ that is connected by a rod G with a spring
actuated catch G. When the lever G is raised so as to throw the worm in
engagement with the worm gear, the catch G engages with the cross-piece gand
retains the part in gear. By raising the handle the catch is disengaged thereby

page_text: allowing the apron to be lowered and thus disengage the worm from the worm
gear. When the worm is in gear with the worm gear, rotary motion is transmitted
from the shaft cs to both of the screw shafts E³ ³, and thus the travelling rest is
fed forwardly to its work in an even and uniform manner, owing to the fact, that
power is applied thereto at its opposite ends. By disconnecting the worm and
worm gear the travelling rest is run back by hand; or if desired, a clutch might be
provided for running it back by power.
The travelling rest D* is constructed with grooved guideway H, in which slides
the rear edge of the reciprocating head H. Wearing-plates h h¹ are inserted in
the guideway H so as to engage the rear edge and top of the rear portion of the
head. These parts are adjusted by means for the set screws to compensate for
wear. The forward portion of the head is grooved as at h³ and engages guides *,
so as to retain it in position and insure an accurate adjustment of the parts. As
there are many different ways for connecting the reciprocating head to the
travelling rest, I do not limit myself to the construction and arrangement of parts
shown and described.
To the travelling head is secured a forked nut, I, which engages the double
screw 11 the latter being a continuation of the shaft Ds. By rotating the shaft D*
the head His reciprocated in opposite directions.
To the head H, at one side thereof, is secured the trip W, which may be adjusted
to automatically trip the spring actuated catch and disengage the worm from the
worm gear and stop the feed of the knives to the work.
J is the knife blade, which may be made of a single piece of steel but is
preferably constructed of an iron bar having a steel facing welded thereto.
Blade J is beveled on its under side to form a sharp cutting edge j. The upper
face of the blade is provided with narrow grooves ¹ which are planed any desired
depth, and serve to subdivide the blade into a series of knives, , the width of
which determines the length of the fibre produced as each knife operates to sever
the fibre from the block and produce fibre of a very fine and even quality and
of a length equal to the width of the knife; hence, by varying the width of the
knives, fibre of any desired length may be produced. As fibre of different lengths
may be desired for different purposes, each machine may be provided with a set of
knives of different widths, so that by simply exchanging knife blades any desired
length of fibre may be produced. Knives constructed in the manner described
posses many important advantages over a gang of separate and independent knives
or cutters. In the first place, the improved knives are cheaper in first cost, as
a single plate is quickly converted into a series of knives by simply grooving the
upper face of the blade in the manner described; secondly, the knives are retained
in accurate adjustment by bolts or screws K passing through the elongated slot K¹
in the blade, and hence by adjusting the blade the entire series of knives are
quickly and accurately adjusted and firmly retained against displacement; thirdly,
by forming the knives integral from a single blade the cutting-edges of the series
may be readily sharpened, and be kept perfectly straight, and thereby insure
uniform work in the operation of the machine. The knives are fed forward against
the revolving block of wood at any desired rate of speed by means of changeable
gears on the stud c², and thus produce fibre of any required size. For some
purposes a finer and more delicate fibre is required than for others as, for instance,
in the manufacture of very thin paper a fine and delicate fibre is required for the
pulp, and hence in such case a slow feed is called for while on the contrary a faster
feed is resorted to in the production of a coarser grade of fibre, which is adapted to
be manufactured into coarser stock for paper or other purposes. The knives are
continually fed forward to the work, and are at the same time reciprocated so as to .
produce a drawing cut, which is one of the important features of the improvement,
as less power is required to operate the machine and convert a block of wood into
dry fibre by knives producing a drawing cut than by stationary knives. Again,
the knives operating in the manner described will retain their cutting edge much
longer than knives held stationary to their work.

page_text: While I have shown and described a double screw and forked nut for reciprocating
the head with the knives connected therewith, I in no wise restrict myself to such
devices for accomplishing this result, as I may use a rack and gear or a slide
operated by an eccentric or crank or any other arrangement for reciprocating the
knives, and hence consider myself entitled to the employment of any suitable
devices for the purpose stated.
I will now proceed to describe the mechanism for sharpening the knives.
To the shaft D³ is keyed a gear wheel L which meshes with a gear wheel on the
counter shaft L. Eccentrics M M¹ are secured to the counter shaft L'. The
arms of the eccentric straps are journalled upon bearing pins 13, attached to
the slides N N. Each slide is mounted in a guide N2 which is pivoted at n while a
set screw N³ engages its outer end, and hence by means of the set screw the guide
may be adjusted to any desired angle. Upon the upper surface of each slide is
secured a water stone, O, the lower edges of which rest against a ledge o on the
slide while its upper edge is secured by a block o¹, and a set screw o³. These knife
sharpeners are located on opposite ends of the revolving block, and are reciprocated
at right angles to the movement of the knives; and further are arranged so that
each sharpener will operate on a little more than one-half of the length of the blade
of the entire series of knives. Hence it will be observed that while the machine
is in operation and the knives are severing the fibre from the rotating block of
wood, the sharpeners are also in operation and engage the beveled edges of the
knives and retain an even and sharp cutting-edge on the entire series, thus enabling
the machine to be operated for a comparatively great length of time without
necessitating the removal of the knives for grinding; and again, insuring a uniform
grade of fibre as to size as well as length. The water stones are supplied with
water through pipes communicating with a tank or other source of supply. (Not
shown.)
While I have shown and described reciprocating sharpeners as adapted for the
purpose set forth, I do not limit myself to such construction and arrangement of
sharpeners, as I may use rotary sharpeners consisting of rotary stones or emery-
wheels with or without beveled faces and mounted so as to admit of adjustment
to adapt themselves to the adjustment of the knives; or, instead of rotary
sharpeners I may use endless belts of emery supported on rollers mounted in an
adjustable frame, and arranged to engage and sharpen the knives. The combination
of a knife sharpener with the knives, whereby the latter may be sharpened while
the machine is in operation is an important feature of the Invention, because it is
essential to the best results that the knives shall have their cutting edges retained
very sharp and in alignment with each other. If it were necessary to remove the
knives to re-sharpen them whenever they had become too dull for use, much
valuable time and labor would be expended in such work, and under such conditions
it would be impossible to obtain a uniform grade and quality of fibre; but by the
employment of sharpeners that produce a drawing movement across the edges of
the knives while the latter are in operation their cutting edges are retained
perfectly true and very sharp for a great length of time, thus materially increasing
the producing capacity of the machine as well as insuring a uniform grade of fibre.
As the work imposed upon the knives gradually lessens as the block is cut away
and its diameter decreased in size, I may employ variable speeds for driving the
live spindle and run it at a slow speed while the block is first operated upon, and
when partly reduced run it at a higher rate of speed throughout the remainder
of the operation.
Instead of operating on blocks of wood, I may convert slabs into fibre by the
following method: In Fig. 9, QQ' represent arbors, which are respectively secured
to the spindle and mandrel of the machine. Each arbor is provided with the
inwardly projecting flanges q which serve as rests for the slabs, while the ends of
the arbor are provided with projections q³, which penetrate the ends of the slabs
and retain them against displacement. The slabs are sawed into the form as shown
in Fig. 9 and are then secured at their opposite ends to the arbors, the adjacent

page_text: edges of the slab making joints, as shown. The arbors, with the slabs fastened
thereto are then placed in the machine, which will convert the greater portion of
the slab into fibre, and thus enable me to utilize a comparatively worthless product
of saw mills. R represents a trough into which the fibre is thrown as it leaves
the block, and by means of which the fibre is conveyed from the machine. This
trough may be provided with an endless belt to serve as a conveyor; or the
trough may be closed and serve as a trunk, and an exhaust-fan connected therewith
for removing the fibre by suction or blast, as may be preferred. While I prefer to
employ a series of knives for forming the fibre, as they not only sever the fibre
from the block, but also cut it in the desired lengths, I may use a simple knife or
blade for severing the fibre, and employ separate knives or cutters, either stationary
or revolving, for cutting grooves in the block before operated upon by the severing
knife. Again, the knives, instead of being made integral, as described, may be
made separate and independent, and secured to or within a holder by clamping
screws or bolts.
As it is evident that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement
of the mechanism and gearing for feeding the knives, also for reciprocating the
knives, also for actuating the sharpeners, and also in the construction of the knives
and sharpeners, without involving a departure from the Invention, I would have
it understood that I do not restrict myself to the particular construction and
arrangement of parts shown and described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st. In a machine for making wood fibre, the combination with devices for
supporting and rotating a block or pieces of wood, of a knife arranged to be moved
and sever the fibre by a drawing cut, substantially as set forth.
2nd. In a machine for making wood fibre, the combination with devices for
supporting and rotating a block or pieces of wood, of a series of knives and suitable
devices for reciprocating said knives, and severing the fibre by a drawing cut,
substantially as set forth.
3rd. In a machine for making wood fibre, the combination with devices for
supporting and rotating a block or pieces of wood, of a series of knives and devices
for feeding the knives to their work and for reciprocating them and severing the
fibre by a drawing cut, substantially as set forth.
4th. In a machine for making wood fibre, the combination with devices for
supporting and rotating a block or pieces of wood, of a blade provided with
grooves that subdivide the blade into a series of knives, substantially as set
forth.
5th. In a machine for making wood fibre, the combination with devices for
holding a block of wood, of a series of knives adapted to convert the wood into
fibre, and means for sharpening the knives while the machine is in operation,
substantially as set forth.
6th. In a machine for making wood fibre, the combination with devices for
5 supporting and rotating a block or pieces of wood of a series of knives, devices to
feed and reciprocate said knives, and means for sharpening the knives while the
machine is in operation, substantially as set forth.
7th. In a machine for making wood fibre, the combination with devices for
rotating a block or pieces of wood, of reciprocating knives, a reciprocating knife
O sharpener, and means for adjusting the angle of inclination of said sharpener,
substantially as set forth.
8th. In a machine for making wood fibre, the combination with devices for
. rotating a block or pieces of wood, of reciprocating slide having a knife sharpener
removably secured thereto, and means for varying the angle of inclination of said
5 slide, substantially as set forth.
9th. In a machine for making wood fibre, the combination with devices for
rotating a block or pieces of wood, of reciprocating knives and reciprocating

page_text: knife sharpener, located at opposite sides of the transverse centre of said knives,
substantially as set forth.
10th. In a machine for making wood fibre, the combination with devices for
rotating a block or pieces of wood, of reciprocating knives for severing the fibre by
a drawing cut and a trough for conveying away said fibres, substantially as set :
forth.