IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOOD SCREWS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Francis Wilson and James Monroe Whiting,
of the State of Rhode Island, in the United States of America, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOOD SCREWS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Francis Wilson
and James Monroe Whiting at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 5th April 1854.
We, GEORGE FRANCIS WILSON and. JAMES MONROE WHITING, of the State
of Rhode Island, in the United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOOD
SCREWS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a peculiar arrangement or combination of parts
into a machine for cutting wood screws, for which purpose a series of holders
or revolving spindles suitable for holding and revolving screw blanks are used.
These spindles or holders are placed and revolve at a tangent to the periphery
of a circular rotating tool, which carries numerous cutters, and by reason of
there being a can or guiding track for the cutters, they are caused as they come

page_text: opposite a screw blank to be moved outwards, and to make a cut around the
revolving screw blank. Each cutter, after making its cut, is moved back out of
action till it comes to the next screw blank; it is then moved outwards to make
its cut, and so on continually; the succeeding cutters being protruded further
out than the preceding one, cuts more and more deeply into the screw blank.
The cutting point or edge of each of the succeeding cutters is wider than the
preceding one, and therefore cuts wider and wider as well as deeper and deeper
into the screw blank carried by the holders. It will be evident, that by thus
using several cutters in the same rotating tool, several revolving holders may
be used, each carrying a screw blank in the presence of the rotating tool, and
have the separate cutters act in succession on each screw blank.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Francis Wilson and James Monroe Whiting in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd October 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
FRANCIS WILSON and JAMES MONROE WHITING, of the State of Rhode Island,
in the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said George Francis Wilson and James Monroe Whiting, Her special
licence, that we, the said George Francis Wilson and James Monroe Whiting,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
George Francis Wilson and James Monroe Whiting, our executors, adminis-
trators, 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
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOOD SCREWS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said George Francis Wilson and
James Monroe Whiting, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, should particularly describe

page_text: 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 we, the said George Francis Wilson and James
Monroe Whiting, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention consists of a peculiar arrangement or combination of parts
into a machine for cutting wood screws, for which purpose a series of
holders or revolving spindles suitable for holding and revolving screw blanks
are used. These spindles or holders are placed and revolve at a tangent to the
periphery of a circular rotating tool, which carries numerous cutters, and by
reason of there being a cam or guiding track for the cutters, they are caused as
they come opposite a screw blank to be moved outwards, and to make a cut
around the revolving screw blank. Each cutter, after making its cut, is moved
back out of action till it comes to the next screw blank; it is then moved out-
wards to make its cut, and so on continually; the succeeding cutters being
protruded further out than the preceding one, cuts more and more deeply into
the screw blank. The cutting point or edge of each of the succeeding cutters
is wider than the preceding one, and therefore cuts wider and wider as well as
deeper and deeper into the screw blank carried by the holders. It will be
evident, that by thus using several cutters in the same rotating tool, several
revolving holders may be used, each carrying a screw blank in the presence
of the rotating tool, and have the separate cutters act in succession on each
screw blank.
Having thus stated the nature of our said Invention, we will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a plan; Figure 2 is a vertical section; Figure 3 is a plan of
the cam wheel or plate.
The same letters in the different Figures refer to like parts. a, a, are tongs
made to revolve by mechanism through the gears b, b. c, c, cutting or threading
tools. d, d, rest for screws, operated by the cam e, as shewn, with springs, &c.
ff, cam wheel or plate. x, x, cam, which forces the cutters into the blank.
The tools c, c, fit and play in grooves angular to the axis of the tool post or

page_text: head B, B, and are forced back into the grooves by the springs w, as shewn.
C, C, support to the cam a. D, D, driving worm and gear.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Francis Wilson and James
Monroe Whiting, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this Ninth
day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four.
Witnesses,
ISAAC ANTHONY BROWNELL,
GEORGE FRANCIS WILSON. (L.S.)
JAMES MONROE WHITING. (L.S.)
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A.
JOSEPH WILSON,
Douglas, Massachusetts, U.S.A.