IMPROVE- MENTS IN CUTTING OR CARVING WOOD, STONES, AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
MYERS, of Laurie Terrace, Westminster Road, Lambeth, Builder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Eighth day of July, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Myers, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said George Myers, my exors,
admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Myers, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CUTTING OR CARVING WOOD, STONES, AND OTHER MATERIALS;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said George Myers,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Myers, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, 5
producing ornamental mouldings or grooves or other surfaces to the stone.
Figure 2 is a vertical section, and Figures 3 and 4 show two cross sections, of
the machine, there being two different forms of tools or cutters; and it should
be stated that the tools will depend on the nature of the work to be performed
by the machine; the tools a being for roughing out the form to be cut;
the tool 6 is used to finish the moulding; and it will be seen that the tools a
are set at different distances, so as to cut portions of the stone away as they
descend, the finishing tool being the uppermost or last brought into operation.
But although this is the way in which I prefer to arrange and work the tools,
in some cases I cut parts away during one descent of the frame c, and more
the next time, and so on until the desired depth is obtained. I have only
thought it necessary to show the tools used for producing a particular pattern
of moulding, and the workman in varying the design of moulding or cutting
will make his tools accordingly. The tool carrier consists of a block of
metal c, having numerous holes therein, in which are to be keyed the succes-
sive tools used in cutting a particular pattern, the roughing tools being placed
so as to come first into operation, and they are to be of such a shape as to
produce a shape approaching the ultimate figure intended to be produced by
one or more finishing tools. The tool or cutter carrier c moves between two
guiding surfaces d, d, which cause it to move correctly, and motion is com-
municated to the cutter carrier by means of a screw e, which passes through
a female screw f, in the cutter carrier; hence when the screw e is caused to
rotate it will move the cutter carrier up or down, causing the cutters a and b
to cut away the stone, and the stone to be cut is held stationary in front of the
machine, so that the cutters in moving up or down may scrape away the stone
to the design of moulding or cutting desired. The machine is affixed on a
bed g, and the axes or necks at the ends of the screw e turn in suitable bear-
ings h, as shown in the Drawing. On the upper end of the screw e is fixed
a bevilled toothed wheel i, which receives motion from the bevelled tooth
wheel j affixed on the axis k, such axis turning in bearings 1, l, as is shewn,

page_text: and motion is given to the machine by the workman turning the handle m
affixed on the axis k.
I will now proceed to describe another part of my Invention. Figure 5
shows an elevation of a machine for cutting wood, stone, or other material by
means of a rotatory cutter frame and cutters so arranged that the cutters may
be caused to be adjusted for action to or from the center of motion of the
rotatory frame. a is a vertical casting supported at top and bottom at b, b. To
this casting is affixed the casting c, by means of the screw bolts and nuts d, d, as
is shown, thus producing a frame which is capable of turning in the bearings b, b.
Through the upright a, two lars e, e, pass, two such bars being combined at
their ends by the bars e¹, e¹, as shown, thus producing a quadrangular
frame, and such frame protrudes more or less on one side of the upright a,
according as the pattern to be cut in a piece of stone or other material
is more or less distant from the upright a; and the distance the frame shall
stand through the upright is governed by means of the screw f, on the end of
which are formed necks or axes which turn in bearings at f, and there is a
bearing in the cross-head g, formed with a female screw to receive the
screw f; and as the screw can turn freely in its bearings f,f, it moves the
cross head g to or fro, according as the screw f is turned in one or the other
direction. The cross-head g is fixed to the bars e, e, so that as the cross-head
is moved to or from the upright a, the frame e, e, will be moved through the
uprights a. At one end of the screw f is affixed the wheel h, by which the
screw is turned, so as to cause the cross-head g to move to or from the
wheel h. The rotatory frame i carries the tools or cutters, a plan of which
is shewn at Figure 6, and a section thereof is shown in Figure 5.
This frame is made suitable for carrying six tools or cutters, but this
number may be varied, and in Figure 5 only two cutters are shown in
use, one being a preparing cutter x, which is suitable for cutting the
horizontal surface (1) 1), and the vertical cut at the circumference of that
horizontal cut, and this tool is capable of moving from the center outwards,
and the section of the piece of stone shows the horizontal and vertical cut of
the cutter & as being completed, and the circular moulding being finished by
the cutter y. The cutters are respectively fixed in carriers k, k, which are
moved to and from the centre of the frame by screws 1, 1, as will be readily
understood on examining the Drawing, and the fixing of the cutter carriers is
accomplished by the handles m, screwed on the screws on the carriers of the
cutters. is the stone or other material to be cut, which is placed on a
bench. The rotatory cutter frame is affixed to the cranked axis n, which
turns in bearings in the bar e, e, but the axis can slide through the bearings

page_text: in e, e; and in order to support the cranked axis it is formed with a short axis
or neck at its upper end, which turns in a bearing o, formed in the head of the
screw p, there being a nut q screwed on the upper part of the neck or axis; so that
although the cranked axis will be carried by the screw p, the cranked axis will
be permitted to turn freely without moving the screw p, and the screw p is raised
or lowered by means of the handles q' affixed to the screw nut r, which turns
in a bearing through the framing at 8, the head of the screw p being guided
by upright guides t, in its upward and downward movements. is a rod which
passes through the cross-head u on the top of the screw p. When the point of
this rod comes down on the surface of the nut, the cutters cannot descend
further into the stone, and therefore, according as the rod is fixed by the
screw so will be the depth to which the cutters will be allowed to descend.
wis a point which being brought over the point in the stone or other material
which is to be the centre of the work to be performed, the frame e, e, is to be
fixed in that position. Figure 5* shows a plan of this machine on a smaller
scale, in order to indicate how the frame e, e, is fixed at any required position.
zisa a screw passing through the slotted bar z¹, attached to the frame e, such
fixing by the screw z being done after the frame e has been moved beyond the
upright a to the proper radius, which is ascertained by the pointer being over
the centre of the work. The workman in using this machine gives motion
to the cranked axis by taking hold of the handle n¹, formed on the cranked
axis n.
I will now proceed to describe another part of my Invention, which has for
its object machinery for performing circular or a portion of circular work
by means of cutters capable of being adjusted to or from the centre of motion
of the machine. Figure 7 is an elevation of a machine for this purpose. The
axis a of this machine turns in a bearing at b, and in another at its lower end
at c, the axis in this case passing through a hole in the stone, wood, or other
material to be cut. dis a bench on which the machine is placed, and the stone
or other material is placed thereon. The axis a is raised up so that the stone or
other material can be placed and fixed correctly on the bench. The axis is then
lowered so as to stop into its lower bearing. a' is a bar affixed to the axis a,
as is shown, and it has a handle at its outer end by which the workman turns
it round, and on this bar the tool or cutter carrier is placed, and the same is
capable of being moved or slided on the bar, and of being fixed in the bar in
any desired position. Figure 8 is the elevation of another machine similar
to that just described, but the lower end of the axis does not in this case pass
through the wood, stone, or other material to be operated upon, but is
supported at its lower end, there being a pointer to indicate when the point

page_text: which is to be the centre of the work is correctly below. The stone or other
material is fixed on a bench below the cutting tool in any convenient manner,
and the machine is to be worked in the same manner as that last described;
but this machine can only perform work of a portion of a circle, not a com-
plete circle, as before explained. The cutting edge of the cutter will be
according to the design to be cut, and the cutters used do not themselves form.
any part of my Invention; but the having the carrier of the cutters combined
with a machine as herein described, and capable of moving on the bar to or
from the centre of motion of the machine, constitutes the peculiarity of this
part of my Invention. The cutting tool z slides in a socket y, which is
adjusted in the frame A, such frame A being capable of being set at any
required position on the arm a¹, by the set screws A¹; A¹. The socket y is
capable of being raised or lowered to regulate the depth of cut by means of
the screw B, which passes into a female screw formed in the socked Y, there
being a wheel B' secured on the upper end of the screw B, by which that
screw is turned, raising or lowering the socket y in the socket C. D is a
screw axis turning in bearings A³, in the frame A, and through female screws
in the bearings C¹ on the socket C, in such manner as to give any slight
adjustment to the cutter after the frame A has been set at any position on the
arm. E is a clamping screw, by which the parts carrying the cutter may be
retained securely when properly adjusted.
I will now proceed to describe another part of my Invention, which has for
its object a mode of arranging machines for cutting straight mouldings or
surfaces on stone, wood, and other material. Figure 9 is a plan; Figure 10
is a front view; and Figure 11 is an end view of a machine, arranged accord-
ing to this part of my Invention; Figures 12 and 13, shewing details of the
cutter carrier on a larger scale, in order that the nature of those parts may
be better understood; the peculiarity of this machine consisting in causing a
cutter carrier to be moved to and fro by means of a lever, the cutter carrier
being guided in its movement. a is a lever moving on a fulcrum or axis at b,
there being a slotted opening through the lever for the passage of the fulcrum,
as is shewn; the outer end of the lever is continued to form a handle, as
indicated by red lines in the plan, by which the workman may move the cutter.
carriage which is attached to them by the pin e, so that in moving the lever
the cutter carrier may be drawn along between the guides o, o. The cutter is
placed in the socket f, and retained there by a set screw ft. On the upper part
of the socket f is formed a screw f*, which receives the nut f³, which has
arms f, and by turning the nut the socket f, and consequently the cutter, are
raised or lowered, adjusting the cutter to its work. The socket f is supported:

page_text: in a socket g, on the upper part of which is secured plates g', which pass into a
groove formed in the nut f³, so as to retain the nut on the socket g; and when
the cutter is adjusted to the proper depth it is retained in that position by the
set screw 9, and the socket 9 has a female screw formed upon it which
embraces the screw h in such manner that by turning the screw h in one or
other direction the cutter may be brought more towards the front or back of
the machine. The screw has enlarged heads h', h', with holes therethrough
to receive a suitable instrument to turn it with, and when the proper adjust-
ment is obtained in that direction those parts are clamped together by the set
screw g 3. Figure 14 shews a plan; Figure 15, a front view; and Figure 16,
a section of another arrangement of apparatus, according to this part of my
Invention; and it will be seen that in this case the cutter carrier is guided
between the guides o, o, as in that just described, but in this case the guides
being closer together, and the socket of the cutter passing through the lever a,
the tendency of the cutter to shift from its work is not so great. The cutter
is retained in the socket y by the set screw y', and the socket y is retained in
the carrier A by the set screw A¹. Figure 17 shews a side view, and
Figure 18 a section of another arrangement of cutter carriers, which is guided
by the guides o, o, and is secured by the pin e to the lever a; but in this case
the cutter is adjusted in respect to the depth of cut by the nut k, which is
supported in the bracket 7, the nut ke having a female screw formed through
it, which embraces the stem of the link m, as shewn, in such manner that
by turning the nut by means of the arms k¹ the depth of the cut pro-
duced by the cutter z may be varied. Figure 19 shews a plan, and Figure 20
a front view of another arrangement of apparatus, according to this part of
my Invention, particularly adapted to heavy work. In this case the cutter
carrier A, which is shewn separately on a larger scale at Figures 21, 22, and 23,
is supported on wheels A', A', which run upon the projecting edges B', B', of
the frame B. The stone or other material to be cut is supported upon the bed
of the machine, as shewn. The lever arm a (a continuation of which to form
a handle is shown by red lines in plan) passes through the opening A³ in the
cutter carrier, such opening being formed in the centres thereof to embrace
closely the lever arm a, as is clearly shewn by dotted lines in Figure 19. The
cutter is supported in the socket y, with a capability of being raised or lowered
by means of the nut D embracing the stem z¹, and the cutter is set in any
position in the socket y by the set screw E, and the socket y, with the cutter,
are capable of a sideway movement by means of the screw F, which passes
through a female screw formed through the projection y on the socket y, as
shewn. And I would remark, that in respect of each of the machines in

page_text: cutting stone, the cutting edges of the cutting tools do not require to be
sharpened on a turkey stone, but in cutting wood or soft metal, such as lead,
I usually so sharpen them.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best means
I am acquainted with for performing the same, I would wish it to be under-
stood that I do not claim any of the mechanical parts separately; nor do
I confine myself to the details shewn, provided the peculiar character of my
Invention be retained. But what I claim is,
First, the mode of combining a cutter carrier and screw, with other appa-
ratus, as described in respect to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Secondly, I claim the mode of arranging a rotatory cutter carrier, with
machinery for working the same, the cutters being capable of adjustment to
and from the centre of the cutter frame, as described in respect to Figures
5, 5%, and 6.
Thirdly, I claim the mode of arranging machinery suitable for performing
circular or part of circular work, wherein the cutter carrier is capable of
moving to or from the centre of movement of the machine, as described in
respect to Figures 7 and 8. And,
Fourthly, I claim the mode of constructing machines as herein described,
whereby levers a are caused to put cutter carriers into action, the cutter
cariers being guided in their movements as described in respect to Figures
9 to 23 inclusive.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Myers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
GEO. (LS.) MYERS.