IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BENDING WOOD OR ORIZED MAMEDIATE
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County fiddlesex, Civil
of
Engineer, for the Inxution of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
BENDING WOOD OR ORIZED MAMEDIATE A communication
Sealed the 21st June 1858, and dated the 21st April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 21st April 1858.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BENDING WOOD
OR OTHER MATERIALS" to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is by mechanical means to bend timber
or other materials into any desired form, such, for instance, as the
handles of ploughs, the shafts of carriages or vehicles, the felloes of
wheels, or for other purposes where curved or irregularly shaped forms
are required.
Hitherto these operations have been usually performed principally
by hand labor, but by the present improvements the timber or other

page_text: substance to be bent is placed in the machine, to which is adapted
a lever with a mould of the form required, and over which mould the
timber or other material is to be bent by means of the lever. The
lever to which the mould is attached turns on a pin or stud, whereby
it is connected to the main framing of the machine. This lever must
be lifted up when the tiniber or material to be bent is placed in the
machine; and to the inner end of the lever is attached a chain or
flexible metal plate or bar which supports the back of the wood
or material to be bent; and this latter having been properly secured in
its place in the machine, the mould lever is to be brought down, and
by means of the chain or flexible bar behind will bring down the wood
and hold it tightly against the mould, where it must be-retained until
the tendency of the wood to return its natural form has been
overcome.
The timber is to be secured in the machine by means of screws,
wedges, clans, or other suitable contrivances, applied in such a
manner that they may be made wgrixe, or relax to a certain degree
their hold on the timber while the bending operation proceeding, so
that the fibres of the wood may have a certain amount of freedom
to admit of their yielding or giving way to the strain, without under-
going an undue compression in some parts, or too great a strain from
stretching in others.
i
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton, in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 21st October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her
special licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BENDING WOOD OR OTHER
MATERIALS," being a communication from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and scal, 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 within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do
hereby declare the natue 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 drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
This Invention of "Improvements in machinery for bending wood or
other substances" relates to a novel or improved mode of bending wood
for plough handles, shafts, or other articles which require to be bent
into different forms. For the several purposes to which the Invention
is applicable, different arrangements of machinery may be required,
but they will all be constructed upon somewhat the same principle.
Fig. 1, in the accompanying drawing is a top view of a machine
intended to form plough handles, shewing the mould lever brought
home to its place after the operation of bending has been completed.
Fig. 2, is a top view, with the mould lever thrown open to receive the
timber for the operation. Fig. 3, is a sectional side view of the sliding
beam E, and bench A. Fig. 4, is a transverse end view section of
Fig. 1. The same letters are marked on corresponding parts in all the

page_text: Figures. A, A, is the bed piece or bench on which the machine.
is formed, and may be made of wood. or metal. B, is the mould that
gives the curve to the inside of the handle, and is made to turn on ä
pin or fulcrum C. The other end extending back a sufficient length to
form a lever of the power required to bend the handle when brought
round one quarter of a circle more or less, as is required. D, is the
chain with hollow links, and forms the outside of the handle, and
extends the whole length of the 'curved part of the handle, and is
connected at one end to a sliding bar J, on one side of the mould
lever B: the other end of the said chain is connected by two straps F,
parallel with each other (only one of them is shewn in the drawing,)
the whole length of the handle, and made fast to the sliding beam E,
by a joint at R, and of sufficient distance apart for the handle G, to lay
between them. Each strap is connected by A pin to the last link of
the chain, one on each side of the said link. H, is the upsetting screw
which passes through the end of the sliding beam E, and comes in
contact with the end of the handle, and is for the purpose of upsetting
the handle, and preventing the fibres on the outside from separating
while bending. I, is a draft screw placed in the mould lever, and
extending forward in a parallel line with the mould lever, and enters a
female screw at one end of a sliding bar J, on one side of the mould
lever. The other end of the said bar is connected to the opposite end
of the chain from the one before mentioned. This screw serves to
gripe the top end of the handle, and hold it fast between the first link
of the chain and the mould D, and allows various sizes of handles to
enter the said mould, and is brought to its bearing before the bending
of the handle commences. K, is a set screw passing through a
stationary flanch on one side of the bench, and serves to press one end
of the sliding beam E, against the back or outside of the chain at the
bending point, and keeps the chain and sliding beam at a sufficient
distance from the mould lever to allow the timber or handle to lay
between them. O, is a clamp made fast to the top of the flanch by
two screws, one end of which is a hook falling into a groove on the top
of the sliding beam, and serves to keep that end of the sliding beam in
its place, but allows 'it to slidé freely. C, is the fulcrum or pin on

page_text: which the mould lever. turns. This pin is supported on top of the lever
by a brace M, through which it passes into the bench; the other end
of said brace extends across the bench over the sliding beam, and is
made fast to the stationary flanch which forms' part of the bench?
L, is a key or wedge to hold the timber firm in -its-bed in the sliding
beam, and prevent it from springing sideways while the upsetting and
bending process is being performed. "N, is-a spring catch "made fast
to the bench at one end, the other end having à hook to 'hold the
mould lever when the operation of bending is performed, as shewn in
Fig. 1.
The mode of operation is as follows:-The mould lever is thrown
open at right angles with the bench, as shewn in Fig. 2; the piece of
timber 9, to form the handle is placed in the machine, the round end
extending forward between the chain and the mould, the other end
extending back to the upsetting screw. The key L, is 'then driven in
(see Fig. 5), to hold it in its place, but still allow it to slide in endwise
to upset. The draught screw I, is then turned to bring the end of the
handle and end of the chain firm against the mould; the set screw K,
is then turned up to bring the beam E, against the back of the chain
to give it proper support. The attendant then applies his hand to the
upsetting screw H, and turns it forward and presses the handle endwise,
thereby driving the upper end firm against the slide J, which is con-
nected with the first link of the chain, which operation strains the
chain tight, and completes the preparations ready for the bending
process. Power is then applied to the end of the mould lever-B,
which is brought round and draws the sliding beam forward with the
handle as the curve is formed. The upsetting screw follows with the
handle and sliding beams, and prevents the outside of the timber at
the curve from parting or breaking. During the operation the upsetting
screw FI, should be relaxed a little to prevent the timber on the inside
of the curve from crippling or overlapping, when the mould lever B,
is brought home to its place, the spring catch N; takes hold of the end
of the lever, and prevents it from going back, and the work is com-
pleted. That part of the plough handle which is bent, is of an oval

page_text: form, and must be turned or wrought into proper shape before it is
bent. It is formed deepest or thickest transversely to the curve, con-
sequently the links or blocks that form the chain are hollow to conform
to the outside of the curve, and the lever mould having a correspond-
ing hollow to fit the inside. The chain D, may be dispensed with in
bending large curves with flat sides, such as felloes for wheels where
the sides have flat surfaces. A strap of metal may be substituted, and
a number of pieces can be put to the operation of bending at once in
the same mould; or a whole plank of suitable thickness may be bent at
once, and sawed into felloes afterwards. In that case there would be
no side twist or winding in the operation of bending; but if they are
sawed into squares before bending, the wind or side crook may be
prevented by placing a number together, and preventing the side
spring by means of side clamps to keep them in the right direction
while they are bent. These side clamps may extend around the
mould, which will prevent the side movement while receiving the
proper curve.
A cylinder or drum may be used for a mould, and formed cylindrical,
elliptical, or of any figure required; and instead of a lever to move it,
cog-wheels may be used, and any power applied. The upsetting power
must be given by the screw or other mechanical power, when the
timber is first placed in the mould while in its straight form, by
screwing or pressing against the ends of the timber. Care should
be taken to prevent its crippling, by having clamps attached to the
sliding bed.
As soon as the bending process commences, the end pressure or
upsetting screw must begin to relax in proportion to the thickness of
the timber, and shortness of the arc of the curve required; also in
proportion to the toughness or tenderness of the timber; but no definite
rule can be given, experience alone can determine. In all cases the
end pressure must be kept sufficiently tight, so as to prevent the outside
of the curve from parting or breaking while at the inside of the curve,
the timber will be upset. This relaxation of the end pressure must be
continued until the work is done.

page_text: There are many mechanical methods by which the relaxation of the
end pressure can be made self-acting and uniform, one of which is as
follows:-
On the end of the upsetting screw E, may be attached a bevel
toothed wheel gearing into another bevel wheel at one end of a shaft,
at right angles with the upsetting screw. On the other end of the
shaft may be attached a spur wheel gearing into a stationary rack. As
the sliding bed advances in the operation of bending, the spur wheel
that gears into the stationary rack will turn the bevel gears, and the
upsetting screw E, in a backward direction, thus relaxing the pressure
against the end of the timber uniformly during the whole operation.
To vary the speed of the relaxing screw for the various curves, and
thicknesses of timber to be bent, a number of spur wheels of different
sizes may be placed on the shaft, so that either of them can gear into
the rack at pleasure, which will vary the speed as required on the out-
side of the bevel wheel on the upsetting screw.
Instead of adapting
a thumb piece to the upsetting screw as shown in the drawing, a crank
or small winch may be substituted, which would be preferable in heavy
work to throw the screw forward with sufficient power. The bevel
wheel on the screw shaft may be connected with it by a ratchet wheel
and pall, so that the screw can be driven forward when the timber is
first placed in the sliding bed, by turning the crank without revolving
the gear work, and when it is reversed by the gear the pall will take
hold of the ratchet wheel, which is made fast to the screw shaft.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to
me as aforesaid, I would observe in conclusion, that I do not claim the
exclusive use of the mechanical powers by which the operation of
bending timber is effected; nor do I intend to confine myself to any
particular form of machinery whereby the object of the present
Invention may be effected; but the machine herein described is a form
which has been adopted to carry out and combine the above new or
improved method of bending timber: But what I do claim as new in
the above improved method of bending wood or other substances, is
effecting this object by means of the upsetting movements, or the

page_text: upsetting and relaxing movements combined; whether such.movements
or movement be produced by means of the screw, wedge, comb, lever,
rack, and pinion, or any other equivalent mcans.
If Witness whereof; I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hun-
dred and fifty-three...
Witness, J., W: MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)