AN IMPROVED METHOD OF GUIDING PLANES AND ABRASIVE TOOLS, LEADING TO A DEVICE FOR PLANING OUT OF WINDING' WITH APPARATUS AND IMPROVED PLANE ADAPTED TO THE SAID METHOD."
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Wood at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 28th June 1878.
20
JOSEPH WOOD, of 6, St. James's Road, Bethnal Green, London, in the County of
Middlesex. AN IMPROVED METHOD OF GUIDING PLANES AND ABRASIVE TOOLS,
LEADING TO A DEVICE FOR PLANING OUT OF WINDING' WITH APPARATUS AND
IMPROVED PLANE ADAPTED TO THE SAID METHOD."
The carpenters' common plane is guided by its sole sliding on the surface of the
wood under operation. I substitute for the latter surface one smoother and more
level, above and parallel to it, divided longways (by a space equal to the width of
the plane) into two equal portions, each about 1 inch wide and herein-after
called the "guiding surfaces;" and I substitute for the sole two smooth and level
surfaces, each about 1/4 inch wide, fixed to cach side of the plane at the same level
near its top. These surfaces slide longwise on the "guiding surfaces," which are so
adjusted for height that the cutting edge of the plane can reach the wood to be
planed and remove a shaving, after which the "guiding surfaces" are lowered the
thickness of another shaving, and so on till the wood is reduced to the thickness
required. When the wood is wider than the cutting edge is long, either the wood
or the "guiding surfaces" are shifted transversely.
I will now shortly describe the contrivance in parts.
A "frame" for carrying the other parts; it has fixed across its top two or more
straight horizontal pieces parallel with one another on which the "table" travels.
Each end has several perpendicular strips of wood about 40 inches long and rising a
little above the rest of the "frame." These strips are a little apart, the spaces
between them receiving similar strips in the "guide supports.".

page_text: "
The "table" sustains the wood for planing and shifts its position sideways; it is
a little longer than the utmost length of the wood, and wide enough to take the
utmost width and the "holding apparatus." Underneath, fixed across, are two or
more slide pieces, counterparts of those on the "frame;" on these the "table"
travels.
"
The "guide supports are two rectangular frames, each consisting of several
vertical strips of wood kept in position by screwing to horizontals, and so spaced
that each will fit between the perpendicular strips at the ends of the "frame" thus,
the "guide supports" can slide vertically and be adjusted to any required height,
according to the thickness to be planed. The top horizontal of each guide
support" overhangs the “frame” a little. Into the space between the overhang and
the top of the "frame" I can introduce interchangeable guage blocks of various
sizes, which prevent the "guide supports" being inadvertently lowered too much,
thereby making thinner wood than is intended.
The "guide bridge" containing the "guiding surfaces" and the plane, is a long,
narrow, and inflexible structure, supported at each end on the top horizontal of the
"guide supports," by means of which it is raised or lowered.
The "Plane."-I dispense with the sole of the plane. In front of the cutting edge
and parallel with it I fix a steel edge of about 80°, the front face of which makes
with the surface of wood under operation an angle of about 5°. The piece of steel
terminating in this edge of 80° is adjustive nearly vertically for any thickness of
shaving. The cutting edge is adjustive in a nearly horizontal direction. The
"plane" has on each side at the top a projection, about 1 inch wide, the under
surface of which is smooth and level. A self-acting contrivance slightly lifts the
"plane" in its return stroke, and keeps it well down on the "guiding surfaces" in
its cutting stroke.
The "Holding Apparatus."-Across each end of the " tablo," flush with its surface,
is a narrow plate of iron; the outer edge of it overhangs. Two pieces of bent ash
or similar wood, the length of the "table," about 2 or 3 inches wide, and about
1/2 inch thick (or less if thinner wood than 1½ inch is to be planed), are furnishod
at each end on their convex sides with small iron hooks; one edge of each of these
bent pieces has a row of very short steel points. At the middle of one long side of
the "table" is a stop rising a little above its surface; along the other long side of
the "table" is a parallel link motion worked with a push-and-pull screw.
.
The apparatus acts thus:-The bent pieces being in their places, that is,
straightened out on the "table" with what were their convex sides downward,
with their hooks grasping the iron edges, and the rows of steel points facing one
another, the wood is placed on the "table" between them; the screw and parallel
motion then push across the "table" the two bent pieces and the wood, till the
three are brought up by the stop, and the steel points hold the work in its position.
For planing edges after the faces are planed, the wood is held by pressure on the
planed faces, when the points are not required.
"
Movements" for Raising and Lowering the "Guide Supports" and for Travelling
the "Table."-I use either parallel link motion, or racks and pinions, or gut belts,
or in combination.
The "plano," when power is not used, may be set in motion by hand or by
attaching to it one end of a straight rod pushed forward and drawn back
alternately, or a gut line running on pulleys and connected with suitable
mechanism. A light fly wheel is useful to equalize the stroke.
When power is available I use an overhead drum driven reciprocally, carrying a
catgut running on guiding pulleys, one end fastened to the front and the other ond
to the back of the "plane."
Other tools than wood planes may be used, and other materials than wood may
be worked, and simple plane surfaces, bevels, edges, ends, and complex surfaces may
be produced.
By the preliminary use of my improvement and then passing the wood through a

page_text: parallel planing machine," I make the latter perform the work of a "trying-up
machine." For this purpose I use in my machine a grooving plane, and cut
longwise on one face of the wood two parallel grooves of, say, 5, or 3/4 inch width,
the bottom of both grooves being "out of winding."
"
On the bed of the "parallel planing machine "I adjust two bars fitting the two
grooves; the wood is then passed through the "parallel planer" with the grooves
downwards, and sustained and guided by the bars within the grooves; the grooved
face can then be planed, when both surfaces will be parallel and "out of winding.”
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