IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINARY FOR CUTTING, COLLECTING, AND DELIVERING FIREWOOD FOR BUNDLING
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edmund Squire Norcombe at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th February 1879.
EDMUND SQUIRE NORCOMBE, of 114, Camden Street in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINARY FOR CUTTING, COLLECTING, AND DELIVERING
FIREWOOD FOR BUNDLING."
On a suitable frame I have a reciprocating block or frame (working on parallel
bars or slides), in which are securely fastened a number of knives or blades for the
purpose of making longitudinal incisions in blocks of wood to be converted into
firewood, which I will designate the "incisive frame." The shape or form of these
knives or blades form an important feature in this Invention; they are made of
steel or other metal, and are either square or oblong, and of suitable thickness.
On its front or cutting side are a succession of steps, say, one sixteenth of an inch
in height, so that the lowest would be the first to enter and make an incision in.
the block of wood to a corresponding depth; then a level or serrated space, then
the second step and its level or serrated space would enter the wood, and increase the
depth of the incision another sixteenth of an inch, and so on, increasing step by
step until the last or highest would make the incision in the wood to the depth
required. In compound machines the "incisive frame" will cut on its return and
forward travel or journey; the steps will decrease in the same ratio towards the
other side of the blade. The knives or blades are easily removed in case of
breakage, or of their requiring to be sharpened by slackening two or more screws.
The serratures on the steps are to facilitate its passage through knots, hard wood,
&c. I also make the knives or blades of a curved figure, rising gradually from the
edge which will first enter the wood until it attains the necessary height to make
the incision of the depth required. I also effect the same object by means of
seperate small blades or knives, securely fastened to the "incisive frame" in a lino
one after the other, gradually raising to the required height, and decreasing towards
the opposite side when required for compound machines. The next important
portion of the Invention consists in having the slicing, which I will designate the
"chisel blade," reciprocating on similar parallel bars or slides to the "incisive
frame," but moving or travelling at a right or any other angle to the "incisive
frame," the object of this being twofold, to prevent the waste of wood which is
invariably the case when the slicing travels in the same direction as the incisive
knives, and it renders the cutting of knots and hard wood easy, for the "chisel
blade" would only have to cut the block of wood to the depth of a half an inch when

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it would reach the nearest incision made by the "incisive frame" blades, when a
piece of wood would be detached, say, a half an inch by three eighths, by six inches
long, forming what is called a stick," and the "chisel blade" in its continued
descent would detach each consecutive piece, and any knots in the block, if of
large size, would be cut in portions instead of in their intirety. This blade is also
easily removable for sharpening, &c., and is adjusted by means of screws. Motion
is given to the "incisive frame" and " chisel blade" by means of discs, cams,
eccentrics, or other mechanical contrivances, and its action may be described as
follows: The wood being cut into block of the required length and breadth is fed
between the feeding rollers, by which it is carried forward intermittantly or con-
tinuously until the necessary length has projected, say, three eights of an inch,
when the "incisive frame" makes the inceisions of the required depth in its passage
towards the end of its travel or course; the "chisel blade" descends, cuts off the
incised end of the block of wood, and rises to allow the block to advance another
three eights, which the "incisive frame" will incise on its return, and the " chisel
blade will again descend as before, thus converting the block of wood into what
is known as firewood. The cut pieces of wood fall on to an endless web or belt,
which moves intermittantly, so that when any required number of pieces or sticks
that will constitute a bundle have fallen on the web or belt it will move forward,
conveying the heap of sticks within reach of the "bundlers," who are seated on
either side of the endless web, each of whom will seep off on to her table such
heaps of sticks as she may require to form a "bundle" of firewood." I do not
confine myself to a reciprocating motion for giving alternate movement to the
"incisive frame" and "chisel blade," but I effect the same by a combined rotary
and reciprocating motion, also by the rotation of two segments of a wheel rotating
at an angle to each other. On one is placed the "incisive frame," and on the
other the "chisel blade;" or by giving an oscillating motion to the "incisive frame"
and "chisel blade," placed on two seperate pendulums, working at an angle as
before described. What I distinctly claim are:-First. Constructing and arranging
the "incision blades" or knives so that the incisions are made in the wood gradually.
Second. In arranging the "incision frame" and slicing "chisel blade on seperate
frames placed at an angle to each other, and cutting alternately. Third. Conveying
the cut wood or "sticks" in quantities sufficient to form a "bundle" of any required
size by the intermittant movement of an endless belt or web.
"