Improvements in Wood Carving Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May. 1896
1000
Date of Application, 13th May. 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1997
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wood Carving Machines.
We, WILLIAM WRIGHT RATCLIFF, trading as W. W. Rateliff & Co., of
219, Old Street, in the County of London, Furniture Manufacturer, and JOSIAH
KERSHAW, of 384 King William Street, in the City of London, Timber Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to wood carving machines of the kind in which one or
more rotary cutters is or are employed in combination with a follower or tracer
designed to be moved over the surface of the article or pattern of articles to be
reproduced; such for instance as in Moore's wood carving machine.
Hitherto such machines have only been adapted for carving flat surfaces. The
object of our invention is to provide means whereby they may be used for carving
curved, round or uneven surfaces, such for instance as cabriole legs.
According to our invention the pattern and the pieces of wood to be carved are
carried between two sets of heads adapted to be rotated in order that the pattern
and the pieces of material to be carved may be moved to bring the various parts
thereof successfully beneath the tracer and the cutters.
In practice we combine with the usual slotted tables a pair of uprights carrying
heads between which the pieces of material to be carved and the pattern are
clamped. Each head is provided with a spindle carrying a socket or centre, and
one set of the heads has the said spindles screw-threaded for clamping or fixing
the articles between the two sets of heads. The spindles of the other set of head's
carry dividing plates or discs similarly graduated whereby the pattern and the
pieces of material being operated upon may from time to time be moved the
required distance as the work proceeds. In order to permit of removing the uprights
and of adjusting them to suit the articles to be carved, we form in the said tables
slots through which the uprights pass, the sides of which slots have dovetailed or
other guides designed to fit corresponding grooves in the uprights.
Although we have described our uprights as being applied to existing tables it,
is to be understood that we may use special tables which have end guides sliding
between suitable standards.
When our uprights are not in use, the slots in the tables are filled with suitable
stopping pieces.
the 19th dan of M... 1906
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Wood Carving Machines.
1, WILLIAM WRIGHT RATCLIFF, trading as W. W. Ratcliff & Co., of
219, Old Street, in the County of London, Furniture Manufacturer, and JOSIAH
KERSHAW, of 384 King William Street, in the City of London, Timber Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
021

page_text: be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:--
Our invention relates to wood-carving machines of the kind in which one or
more rotary cutters is or are employed in combination with a follower or tracer
designed to be moved over the surface of the article or pattern of articles to be
reproduced; such for instance as in Moore's wood-carving machine.
Hitherto such machines have only been adapted for carving flat surfaces. The
object of our invention is to provide means whereby they may be used for carving
curved, round or uneven surfaces, such for instance as cabriole legs.
According to our invention the pattern and the pieces of wood to be carved are
carried between two sets of heads and adapted to be rotated in order that the
pattern and the pieces of material to be carved may be moved to bring the various
parts thereof successively beneath the tracer and the cutters.
In practice we combine with the usual slotted tables a pair of uprights carrying
heads between which the pieces of material to be carved and the pattern are clamped.
Each head is provided with a spindle carrying a socket or centre, and one set of
the heads has the said spindles screw-threaded for clamping or fixing the articles
between the two sets of heads. The spindles of the other set of heads carry
dividing plates or discs similarly graduated whereby the pattern and the pieces of
material being operated upon may from time to time be moved the required
distance as the work proceeds. In order to permit of removing the uprights and
of adjusting them to suit the articles to be carved, we form in the said tables slots
through which the uprights pass, the sides of which slots have dovetailed or other
guides designed to fit corresponding grooves in the uprights.
Although we have described our uprights as being applied to existing tables it
is to be understood that we may use special tables which have end guides sliding
between suitable standards.
When our uprights are not in use, the slots in the tables are filled with suitable
stopping pieces.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a machine having our improvements
applied thereto :
Figure 2 is a plan :
Figure 3 is a view drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1 of one of the screw
clamping heads; and,
Figure 4 is a similar view of one of the clamping heads provided with a dividing
plate:
Figure 5 is an end view of the head with the dividing plate:
Figure 6 is an elevation of the chuck or carrier upon the head shewn in
Figures 4 and 5:
Figure 7 is an elevation shewing an arrangement for rotating all the heads
simultaneously:
Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a vertical and horizontal section illustrating a
detail of the arrangement shewn in Figure 7 the said figures being drawn to a
larger scale than Figure 7:
Figure 10 is an elevation of a machine provided with a modified construction of
table, the uprights carrying the heads being removed, and,
Figure 11 is a vertical section on the line 11-11, Figure 10, shewing one of
the uprights in position:
Figure 12 is a horizontal section on the line 12-12 Figure 11, and,
Figure 13 is a view of a detail shewn in Figure 11 but drawn to a larger
scale:
a is the frame of the machine which is of ordinary construction, and b, b are the
tables. c, c are the uprights carrying the heads d, d' respectively; e, e are spindles
carried in the heads d, d and provided with chucks or carriers f,f one of which is

page_text: shewn detached in Figure 6, for holding one end of the work. g, gare the clamping
spindles carried in the heads d', d' each of which screw-threaded spindles carries a
centre for supporting the work.
The uprights c, c¹ are arranged to slide in slots i, i in the table, each of the said
slots being provided with dovetailed ribs, j, j as clearly shewn in Figure 5, the ribs
being adapted to engage with corresponding slots or grooves in the uprights; any
suitable means may be employed for fixing the position of the said uprights. As
shewn, each upright has arranged behind it on each table a pair of stop plates, k, ke
held together by a bolt k¹ whilst on the centre table a set-screw / in each upright
is adapted to be tightened against the table.
As shewn in Figures 1 to 4 each of the spindles e is provided with a dividing
plate or disc m having around its periphery a series of equi-distant notches into
which a catch n is designed to enter to hold it in any desired direction.
Instead of using dividing plates, each of the spindles e may be provided with
a worm-wheel o, as shewn in Figures 7, 8 and 9, with which a worm p on a
spindle p¹ engages; the said spindle p¹ is provided with a hand-wheel q by
rotating which all the spindles e, e will be rotated simultaneously through an
equal distance.
Instead of arranging the tables to slide as in the Moore's wood-carving machine
hereinbefore referred to, the said table may be arranged to slide between
V-shaped guides r, as shewn in Figures 10, 11 and 12. These tables are not
adapted for flat work but only for carrying the uprights in the manner herein-
before described.
It will be noticed that the arrangement of the ribs or guides for carrying
the uprights in the tables illustrated in Figures 10 to 13 is slightly different from
those hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a wood carving machine the employment of two or more pairs of rotating
heads one pair of which serves for holding the pattern to be copied whilst the other
or others serves or serve for holding the piece or pieces of material to be carved,
the said heads having combined with them dividing plates or the like for permitting
of rotating the work and the pattern from time to time to the same extent,
substantially as described.
2. In a wood carving machine of the kind described the combination with the
work tables of two uprights adjustable in slots in the said tables the said uprights
carrying the rotating heads, substantially as described.
3. In a wood carving machine of the kind described wherein the work is held
between rotating heads, the provision of means whereby the said heads may be
rotated simultaneously, substantially as described.
4. The improvements in wood carving machines hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of February 1897
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.