Improvements in Multiple Saw Frames.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by ANTOINE JEANSAUME, of No. 6, Boulevard de
Strasbourg, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer.]
Improvements in Multiple Saw Frames.
I, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., Fel. Ch. Inst. P.A.,
practising as Phillips & Leigh of No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in multiple saw frames, and consists in
providing for the variability of the distances between the saws for the purpose of
adapting one frame to saw a block up into slabs of various widths. It is especially
applicable to frames for sawing up stone and marble.
The fixed frame of the saw consists of four columns standing one at each corner
of a suitable base. A strong rectangular frame, one on each side of the saw frame,
is adapted to be moved up and down these columns, and held at any height thereon,
by suitable mechanism, such as a rack and pinion gear.
The saws are endless and are carried round suitable drums journalied trans-
versly at the corners of the moveable frame. Suitable tightening devices are
provided.
These drums are eccentric to their axes, all the eccentricities being set at the
same angle so as to give the saws an up and down motion as they move forward.
At each end of the said frame is a set of grooved pulleys on a moveable transverse
shaft. Each pulley and the opposite one on the other shaft hold as much of the
respective blade as extends from one to other, turned through an angle of 90°, i.e.,
out of the horizontal into the vertical plane. Both of the transverse shafts are
provided with suitable traversing gear such as a hand wheel engaging with a
screw thread on the outer end of each shaft.
A scale and index are also provided with each gear. Eccentrics may also be
employed to give the necessary transverse motion to the shafts.
The block to be sawn is placed upon a table under the vertical portions of the
saws.
1...
Domban 1001
HENRY H. LEIGH.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Multiple Saw Frames.
I, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., Fel. Ch. Inst. P.A.,
practising as Phillips & Leigh, of No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare
is
same
the nature of this invention, and in what manner
be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
the
to
This invention relates to improvements in multiple saw frames, and consists in
providing for the variability of the distances between the saws for the purpose of
adapting one frame to saw a block up into slabs of various thicknesses, and much
more rapidly than heretofore. It is especially applicable to frames for sawing up
stone and marble.

page_text: .
The fixed frame of the saw consists of four columns standing one at each corner
of a suitable base. A strong rectangular frame, one on each side of the saw frame,
is adapted to be moved up and down these columns and held at any height thereon,
by suitable mechanism, such as a rack and pinion gear.
The saws are endless and are carried round suitable drums journalled trans-
versely at the corners of the moveable frame. Suitable tightening devices are
provided.
These drums are eccentric to their axes, all the eccentricities being set at the
same angle so as to give the saws an up and down motion as they move forward.
At each end of the said frame is a set of grooved pulleys on a moveable transverse
shaft. Each pulley and the opposite one on the other shaft hold as much of the
respective blade as extends from one to the other, turned up through an angle
of 90°, i.e., out of the horizontal into the vertical plane. Both of the transverse
shafts are provided with suitable traversing gear such as a hand wheel engaging
with a screw thread on the outer end of each shaft.
A scale and index are also provided with each gear. Eccentrics may also be
employed to give the necessary transverse motion to the shafts.
The block to be sawn is placed upon a table under the vertical portions of the
saws.
In order that the invention and the means by which it is to be carried into
practical effect may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe it and them in
detail, referring in so doing to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken
as part of this Specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating the arrangement of the essential parts of the
saw frame.
Fig. 2 is a plan taken on the line y-y of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a part plan illustrating a modification.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line a-x of Fig. 3.
Fig: 5 is a diagram illustrating the eccentricity of the drums.
The same reference letters indicate the same parts throughout the figures.
K, K are columns standing upon a suitable base or foundation. J, J, J, J are
the two sides and two ends of a frame. There are columns K and one of these
frames on each side of the saw frame. The two frames are braced together by
means of transverse ties T. Four drums E are mounted upon the frames, their
axles resting in bearings e. The axles of these drums are not quite concentric with
the peripheries of their respective drums, so that as the latter revolve, any given
point in their surfaces deviates slightly from a circle of the same diameter set out
from a drum axis as its centre. The eccentricity in question is only about from a
quarter to half a millimetre, so that it is scarcely perceptible in the drawings, but
it is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 5. Whatever may be the amount of
eccentricity it is exactly the same for all the drums and the lines of maximum
eccentricity in the four drums are at the highest points of their respective rotations
simultaneously. The frames J can be, by means of the rack M and the gear
wheel L, raised or lowered upon the columns K. They carry, besides, on their
lower sides two shafts C which are fitted with loose grooved pulleys B.
provision is made for preventing the latter from moving laterally. On one side of
the saw frame, the shafts C are prolonged into a screw threaded end which projects
outside the frame J and through a fixed loop 1. A hand wheel H is provided to
engage the screw threaded end, and as it turns freely against the loop I without
moving from it, its rotation effects the horizontal movement of the shaft C from one
side of the saw frame to the other. The index G fast on the shaft shews, as it
moves over a fixed scale F, the amount of lateral motion, and provides for its being
adjusted exactly.
Proper
A series of endless band saws A is led about the drums. Each saw is in tension
and on the flat except where shewn vertical. They are worked by the rotation of
the drums and in addition to their longitudinal travel, the eccentricity of tlie drums

page_text: causes them to rise and fall a little. The saws are engaged by the grooved
pulleys B and by them turned out of the horizontal and maintained in the vertical
plane.
Each of the pulleys B above mentioned is held on its shaft C in the required
position by a collar on each side of it. These collars are movable upon the shaft
and are held to it by set screws, one to each collar.
The improved saw frame constructed as above described is used as follows. The
block P to be sawn is set under the saw frame with its top face within the reach of
the vertical portions of the saws. The drums are rotated by any known means and
traverse the saws. The frames J are then slowly lowered, and all the saws get to
work simultaneously. The downward travel of the frames is continued, and the
saws cut down deeper into the stone with a longitudinal motion to which is super-
added short up and down movements. The object of the latter is to allow the grains
of sand in the saw cut to settle under the saw each time that the latter lifts, so as to
be in position for cutting the stone the next time the saw comes down. When the
saws are at the bottom and have cut through the block, the latter is divided into
slabs corresponding in respect of their thickness to the distance between the saws.
The frames J and saws are next raised and the position of the pulleys B readjusted.
according to the thickness of the next slabs to be sawn, by means of the index G
and the scale P.
Now that the means by which the saws are moved from side to side has been
clearly set forth, it will be apparent that this lateral motion may be effected during
the act of sawing to produce, for example, serpentine slabs, balustrades and other
contours, by compelling the saws to follow lines previously traced upon the end of
the block according to the desired contour.
Fig. 3 and 4 illustrate an arrangement whereby such contours may be sawn by
means of a cam H₁ shaped accordingly and adapted to contact with one end
of each axle C, a returning spring R being in constant contact with the other end.
Let it be supposed that the cam H¹ stands, at the moment that the cut is started,.
in the position illustrated in Fig. 4. By means of a pulley Q and driving belt, the
cam H is moved very slowly about its axis while the saw A is cutting downwards
through the block P. Under the action of the cam H' and against the pressure of
the spring R, the axle C, which is now controlled in respect of lateral motion by
the two said members, moves slowly to one side accordingly, and the saws A running
through the grooves of the pulleys B follow serpentine lines indicated by the dotted
lines instead of cutting down vertically.
c', c, c³ represent three different positions occupied by the geometric centres of
the drums during the rotation of the latter about their axes of rotation e'. In the
case of each drum the distance between the geometric centre and the centre of
rotation e' is only as a matter of fact from a quarter to a half of a millimetre. As
the drums rotate each one assumes the positions E', E and E³ in succession, and
consequently the saw in the same time goes through in addition to its forward
motion a vertical reciprocating one. A', A', A' represent three different positions
of the saw corresponding with the positions E, E, E³ of the drums.
Having now particularly declared and ascertained the nature of my said inven-.
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A saw frame for sawing blocks of stone, substantially as described.
2. In a saw frame such as the one hereinbefore described, providing for the-
lateral motion in either direction of the operative sawing mechanism for the purpose-
of producing very thin slabs, as set forth.
3. In a saw frame such as the one hereinbefore described, hand saw drums set
eccentrically on their axles, as for the purpose set forth.
4. In & saw frame such as the one hereinbefore described, the use of cams of
varied contour bearing against the ends of the shafts which carry the grooved saw

page_text: pulleys in combination with returning springs bearing against the opposite ends, as
and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 8th day of September 1802
HENRY H. LEIGH,
Chartered Patent Agent.