IMPROVEMENTS IN SAWING MACHINES, AND HIS NEW METHOD OF WORKING SAWING MACHINES
Year: 1784

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, ROBERT
CAMERON, of Rosamond Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, sends greeting.
WHEREAS the King's most Excellent Majesty, by Letters Patent under
the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the Thirtieth day of September,
in the twenty-fourth year of His reign, gave and granted unto the said Robert
Cameron, his executors, administrators, and assigns, His Majesty's special
licence, full power, sole priviledge and authority, for the said Robert Cameron,
his executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of them, by himself or
themselves, or by his or their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such
other as he, the said Robert Cameron, his executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with (not exceeding the number of five), and no-
other, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein ex-
pressed, to make, use, exercise, and vend his new-invented "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SAWING MACHINES, AND HIS NEW METHOD OF WORKING SAWING MACHINES," within
that part of Great Britain called England, the Dominion of Wales, and
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to him, his executors,
administrators, and assigns, or any of them, in their discretion should seem
meet, to have and to hold, exercise, and enjoy the said licence, power, pri-
viledge, and advantage to the said Robert Cameron, his executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, for the term of fourteen years from the date of the said
Letters Patent next immediately ensuing, and fully to be compleat and
ended, according to the Statute in that case made and provided; in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that if I, the said Robert Cameron,
should not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing

page_text: under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majestie's
High Court of Chancery within four calendar months next immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent,, that then the said Letters Patent, and all
liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease,
determine, and become void, as by--the said -Letters- Patent,-relation being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Cameron, in pursuance of and
in compliance with the said proviso in the said Letters Patent contained, and
the purport and true intent and meaning thereof, and of His Majesty's said
most gracious intentions, do (by this Instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, duly executed) hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention of
making my said new-invented Improvements in Sawing Machines, and my
New Method of working Sawing Machines, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, appears from the Plan or Drawing, and index or
references thereto made and explained, and hereunto annext.
In witness whereof; the said Robert Cameron hath hereunto set his hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of January, in the twenty-fifth year
of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of
God of Great Britain, France," and Ireland King, Defender of the
Faith, and so forth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven
hundred and eighty-five

page_text: fixed centre, hinders the carriage from being drove back by the saw frame
when it descends cutting the wood..
7
To the above general description I shall add a particular description of a
method of stretching a number of saws placed near one another, and a method
of holding the wood whilst sawed, which will enable any person acquainted'
with such sort mechanism to construct a machine for sawing the vaniers... The
principle of the method of stretching the saws here represented consists in
making the'.saws or the ends of the saws of different lengths, so as to stretch
one set of saws: above or beyond the place where the other set are fixt. or
stretched. An example of this method is given in the Drawing, where D, D.,
represents the saws, which in this instance are in two sets of different lengths.
They are all fastned at the lower end at L, to the cross rail of the saw frame;"
at. the upper end they are stretched by wedges M; and N, which are placed one:
above the other, so that the plates fastned to the ends, of the saws, to form
buckles or conveniences. for stretching the saws, may not be opposite each
other in the two sets of saws.. By this means the, saws admit of being placed.
nearer together...
Figure 2d is a representation of. the saws as without the frame. A is a side'
view of one of the short saws; B is a side view of one of the long saws;
C, C, is an edge view of a number of saws stretched in this manner (that is to
say), they are fastned on the lower end by the puce D, which goes thro' all the
saws, and is fastned to the cross rail of the saw frame.
The Figure at E, F, shews the buckles or contrivances for stretching them
at the top end. The method of holding the wood whilst sawed consists in
fastening the plank or other piece of wood to be cut sideways to the carriage,
and likewise supporting it under the edge. In Figure 1st the piece of wood.
B is fastned to the carriage by means of the instrument P, Q, resembling a'
cabinet-maker's hand-screw. It is likewise fastned to one or more places, by
means of the instrument R & S, resembling a vice.
Figure 3d is a cross section of the princifical operating parts, where A, A,
is the saw frame; B, B, sections of the sides of the carriage; D is the end
of the piece of wood to be sawed, which is fastened at the end by the
instrument E, E, referred to in Figure 1st at the letters P, Q. F, F, is the
instrument referred to in Figure 1st at the letters R, S, by which it is fastned
at one or more places to the side of the carriage. G is a piece going across
the carriage, and supporting the piece of wood to be sawed under its edge.
Figure 4th is a plan of the principal operating parts, where A, A, is the
carriage moving forward on the fixed frame B, B, by means of the ratchet
wheel, pinion, and rack, above described; C, C represents the end of the saw
frame; D is the piece of wood to be sawed, which is fastned to the carriage

page_text: at the end by the instrument E, E, referred to in Figure 1st at the letters
P, Q, likewise at F, F, by the instrument referred to in Figure 1st at the
letters R, S. The above examples of the method of stretching the saws I
likewise apply to the sawing of thin boards in general; I have described them
as methods which I practice, altho' in vanier sawing, a number of saws placed
near one another may be stretched by a wedge or other mechanical instrument
going through a number of saws, and in order that it may stretch them all
equally it will be necessary to be at great pains to adjust all the saws to
their proper lengths, which may be done by stretching all the saws seperately
by the same weight, and by means of a gage adjusting them to their lengths,
or vaniers may be sawed by a single saw, & a contrivance in the carriage to
regulate the wood sideways, or a contrivance in the saw frame to regulate the
saw sideways, so as to perform as many operations on the same peice as may
be found necessary, which last contrivance may be used with one or more
convenient number of saws. Very narrow vaniers may likewise be sawed by
means of circular saws, which are fixed on an axis, and move with it in
one direction. My new method of working sawing machines for sawing of
wood or stones, consists in applying the power of the steam engine to work
these machines, either by a direct application of the power of the engine, or
by raising water to turn a wheel which works the sawing engine. My
improvements in sawing machines consists in adapting these machines to the
sawing of mahogany and other hard woods used for vaniers, and to the sawing
of thin boards in general. The method by which I saw mahogany and
other hard woods into vaniers consist in fixing the wood to be cut on a
moveable carriage, and in fixing a saw or a number of saws in a frame which,
being moved to and fro', saws the wood which on the moving carriage is
brought forward to be cut.
AND BE IT REMEMBRED, that on the Twenty-eighth day of January,
in the year above mentioned, the said Robert Cameron came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing herein-before contained and specified,
in form above mentioned. And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt
according to the tenor of the Statute made in the sixth year of the reign of
their Majesties King William and Queen Mary of England, and so forth.
Inrolled the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the
year above written.

page_text: Figure 1. In the annexed Drawing is a Section lenghways of the principal operating parks of the Machme, where, A.A. is the moveable carriage immon which the Wood B. to be cut is fixed, c.
-paid the Saws D. D. and which being moved to and fro saw the Wood which on the Carriage A.A. is moved towards the Saus by means of the Leaver, E .
C. is the frame in which are
the rachet wheel and clicks F. G. and H and the pinion und ruck I and K.
The operation of the Machine is cis follows: When the Saw frame C. C. is moved upwards it moves the Leaver E. round its center O. and the click or pall 6. being hinged at one end to
the leaver E. between the center 0 and the end of the leaver which is acted on by the Saw frame, and the other end of the Click laying hold of the teeth of the Wheel F, when
the suw frame rises the wheel F. is moved round its axis, and by the pinion I working into the rack II, moves the Curriage towards he saws, then by the descent of the Saw
Frame there is so much of the wood cut as the curriage is advanced forward per stroke The other click H. which falls into the neth of F. being hinged
hinders the Carriage from being drove back by the Saw Frame, when it descends cutting the Word -
on a fixed center
To the above general description I shall add a particular description of a method of steetching a number of saws pluced near one another, and a method of holding the wood whilst sawed
which will enable any person acquainted with such sort of mechanism to construct a machine for sawing vaniers. The principle of the method of sturning the sovs here represented consists of
stretched. An example of this method is given
making the saws or the ends of the saws of different lengths, so as to shech one set of Suus above or beyond this place where the other set are fixed
me
m the Drawing where D.D. reprevents the saws which in this instance are in two sets of different lengths. They are all fustined at the lower and est Le to the cross hail of the saw frame
at the upper end they are sketched by wedges M and N which are placed one above the other, so that the plates fastened to the ends of the Saws to form buckles or conveniences forl
s means the saws admit of being placed nearer together.
shetching I the saws may not be opposite each other in the two sets of saws; by this,
one of the long rus; C.C. is an edge view of a mmber of saws
of the short saws. B. is a side view of
Figure 2. is a representation of the saws without the frame 1. is a side view of
stretched in this manner (that is to say) they are fastened at the lower ind by the piece D, which goes through all the saws and is fastene: to the cross rail, of the saw frame. The
•fastening the plank or other piece of
Figure at E and F shows the buckles or contrivances for shutching them at the top end. The method of holding the wood whilst waived consent m.
means of the instrument P.Q. resembling a
Wood to be cut sideways to the liriage and likewise supporting it under the edge. In Figure 1 the peice of wood B is fustined to the Carriage by
Gabinet makers hand screw. It is likewise fastened to one or more places by means of the instrument R and S resembling a vice.-
-Figure 3 is a cress section of the principal operating parts, where A. A is the saw fame B.B. Sections of the sides of the Carreries; D is the end of the price of wood
to be saved, which is fastened at the end by the Instrument E. E reffered to in Figure 1 at the letters P. Q. F. F. is the instrument repred to in Figure 1th at the Letters R. S. by
which it is fastened at one or more places to the site of the Carnage 6 is a peice going across the Carriage, and supporting the peice & wood to be served under its eitge
Figure 4 is a plan of the principal operecting parts, where A. A. is the Carriage moving forward on the fixed frame B.B. by means of the ratchet wheell in a rack, abovel
described C. C. represents the end of the Saw frame; D. is the piece of wood to be sauved which is fustened to the carriage at the end by the instrument E. E. refferred to in Figure
1st at the letters P. Q. likewise at F. F. by the Instumment reffered to in Figure 1th at the Letters R.S. The above examples of the method of stretching the Saws I. likewise applying
sawing. a number of ous placed near one another may be s
to the souwing of thin Boards in general. I have described them as methods which I practice, altho' in vanuer
stretched by a wedge or other mechanical instrument going thro' a number of saws, and in order that it may stretch them all equally, it will be necessary to be at great
of a gage adpisting them to.
pams to adjust all the saws to their proper lengths, which may be done by sketching all the saws separately. by same weight, and by
thair lengths. Or Vamers may be sawed by a single saw, & a contrivance in the Carriage to regulate the wood sideways or a contrivance in the saw frame to regulate the saw sideways
se ses te perform as many operations on the same peice as may be found necessary, which last contrivance may be used with one or more convenient number of saws Very
vanuers
may
new.
likavise be sawed by means of Circular saws, which are fixed on an axis and move with it in one direction-
means.
A
narrow
these
My method of working suwing machme for sawing of wood or stoned consists in applying the power of the Steam ingine to with these Machines, either by a direct appli-
cation of the power of the Engine, or by raising water to turn a wheel which works the saving engine. My improvements in sawing Machines consists in adapting
Machines to the sawing of Mahogany and other hard woods used for vaners and to the sawing of thin boards in general. The method by whic. I saw mahogany and other hard boards
into vaniers consists in fixing the wood to be cut on a moveable Carriage, and in fixing
· fixing a Saw or number of Saws in a • frame, wuch being moved to and fro saws the
wood which on the moving Carriage is brought forward to be Cut
11
Drawn on Sne by Malbr & Sons.