IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PLANING OR CUTTING OFF THE SIDES OF ARMOUR PLATES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Fox, of the Firm of Fox Brothers, Engineers,
Derby, in the County of Derby, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PLANING OR CUTTING OFF THE SIDES OF ARMOUR PLATES."
Sealed the 11th March 1864, and dated the 16th September 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Fox at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th September
1863.
I, JOSEPH Fox, of the Firm of Fox Brothers, Engineers, Derby, in the
County of Derby, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PLANING OR CUTTING OFF THE SIDES OF ARMOUR
PLATES," to be as follows:-
The machine to which the improvements are attached is a strong and
powerful planing machine with standards to carry two cutting frames, one on
each side, and on each frame two self-acting compound slide rests are so fixed
as to carry their respective tools opposite each other. The leading tools are
narrow and taking at least 1" in cut in depth every time. The broader
tool which is used on the return motion widens the groove so as to keep it
clear for the next cut. The speed of table of machine is at the rate of 18 ft.
per minute, at which rate the time occupied in planing off both sides of an
armour plate 18 ft. long and 4 ins. thick is 2 hours and 24 minutes. In
this mode of planing the tools are set to the width. The plate requires to be
finished. The method in which the armour plate has been planed to its

page_text: required width up to the present time has been by commencing cutting on the
outside of the rolled plate on each edge, and continuing such cuts until the
required width was obtained, which in average cases required three days.
I claim, first, as new and of my Invention the application of two cutting
frames attached to oue set of standards.
Secondly, the arrangement and construction of the four cutting tools.
Thirdly, the method described of useing the back tools wider than the front,
thereby preventing the leading tools from getting fast.
Fourthly, the mode of cutting the plates through vertically.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Fox in the Great Seal Patent Office' on the 14th
March 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
Fox, of the Firm of Fox Brothers, of Derby, in the County of Derby,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Joseph Fox, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph
Fox, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Fox, my executors, administrators, 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 "IMPROVED MA-
CHINERY FOR PLANING OR CUTTING OFF THE SIDES OF ARMOUR PLATES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Fox, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands. and seals, should particularly describe 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 I, the said Joseph Fox, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement (that is to say) :-
•
The machine to which the improvements are attached is a strong and
powerful planing machine with standards to carry two cutting frames, one on
each side, and on each frame two self-acting compound slide rests, which are
so fixed as to carry their respective tools opposite each other. The tools for
taking the leading cuts are narrow and take at least "th in cut in depth.
every time; the other tools are broader and are used for widening the groove,.
so as to keep it clear for the narrow cuts. The speed of the machine is at the
rate of 18 feet per minute. In this mode of planing the tools are set to the.
required width of the plate (finished).
But that the nature of my improvements, and the means which I adopt
in carrying the same into effect may be fully understood, I will proceed to.
describe the Drawings annexed.
Sheet 1, Figure 1, shews a front or end elevation; Figure 2 shews a side.
elevation; Sheet 2, Figure 3, shews a plan of the machine.
Sheet No. 1, Figure 1 and 2. A is the bed on which the table B is made,
by means of suitable gearing to move alternately backwards and forwards ;.
C, C, are upright standards attached one on each side the centre of the bed A
and strongly braced together at the top by the cross stay E; D, D, are cross
slides or cutting frames for carrying the slide rests, and are raised or lowered
on the standards C, C, by means of the vertical screws S, S, S, S, to which
motion is communicated from the hand wheels W, W; F, F, F, F, are
compound slide rests carrying the cutting tools G, H, and H, G. Two of
these are attached to each cutting frame, so as to be capable of sliding hori-
zontally along when required. R, R, are vertical rods which are caused to
move up and down each time the table B travels backwards and forwards on:
the bed A by means of the rocking shafts Q, Q, which are acted on by the
catches O, O, on table B. The slide rests F, F, F, F, are made self-acting
horizontally, when required, by means of ratchet gear from the upright rods
R, R. b, b, are two universal jointed rods which receive a horizontal motion
from the vertical rods R, R, through the bell cranks X, X, these rods work
the ratchet wheels Y, Y, Y, Y, and through them give the vertical and
angular feed motion to the slide rests F, F, F, F, and tools G, H, and H, G.
Sheet No. 2.-Figure 3 is a plan of the machine. A is the bed on which
the table B is made to move regularly backwards and forwards by means of
rack and pinion, or other suitable gearing; C, C, are upright standards bolted
on each side of the bed midway between each end of it; attached to the
standards are the two cutting frames D, D, which are made so as to be moved

page_text: up or down on the standards C, C, by means of the vertical screws S, S, S, S,
which are worked by the hand wheels W, W. On: each of the two cutting
frames D, D, are two compound slide rests F, F, carrying the cutting tools
one on each slide rest (shewn in Fig. 1 & 2, Sheet 1). The front tools H, G,
are cutting when the table is moving in the direction of B 2, and the back
tools G, H, on its return towards B 3. The tool boxes are made self-feeding
vertically by means of ratchets V, V, V, V, acted on by the universal jointed.
rods b, b, which are worked by bell-cranks X, X, and vertical rods R, R,
(shewn in Figs. 1 & 2, Sheet 1). The tools H, H, are made narrower than
the tools G, G, which latter clean and widen the cuts made by the tools H, H,
so that the tools H, H, recommence their cuts perfectly clean.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the means
which I adopt in carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood:
that I claim as new and of my Invention, the arrangement and construction
of the four cutting tools, and the method described of using the four tools so
that they shall be placed right and left hand (that is to say) one broad and
one narrow tool to be on the same side, and both cutting at the same time,
which process causes the machine to do the same amount of work each way.
the table moves.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Fox, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
HERBERT EDWIN HUNT.
JOSEPH FOX. (L.B.)