A Machine for Sorting Veneers for Match Boxes and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Machine for Sorting Veneers for Match Boxes and the like.
I, VICTOR ALDERIN of 27 Bondegatan Engineer and ANDERS BJURHOLM of
20 Kungsträdgardsgatan Brewer's Pupil hoth in Stockholm Sweden do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The subject of this invention is a machine for sorting veneers for match boxes
and the like. Hitherto the sorting has been done by hand which is troublesome
and time wasting. The machine sorts the veneers in a manner which fulfils all
requirements the split or otherwise damaged veneers being rejected as well as those
of less width than required for the making of the box.
A machine constructed according to our invention is shewn in the accompanying
drawings of which
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section on line A. B of Figure 2 which latter
is a plan view.
Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections on lines C D and E F respectively.
a and bare two magazines or boxes of which a is intended for holding the
unsorted veneers and 6 for receiving the sorted or perfect veneers during the
working of the machine. The unsorted veneers are pushed out from the magazine a
one by one by means of a pusher c so that the front end of the veneer can be
caught hold of by a pair of movable hooks d d which with their heads press the
end of the pushed out veneer against the pieces e and thus hold fast the veneer and
during its forward motion pull the veneer out. The latter is then carried forward
fairly against two groups of planes ff which are movable backwards and forwards
and the cutting edges of which are so shaped as to follow along the veneer and to
tear it asunder if it should contain any knothole or crack. But if the veneer
remains whole it will continue its forward motion till it comes fairly against two
groups of reciprocating tongs g which take hold of the veneer on its two long side
edges and at the same time during the motion to the back pull it and tear it
asunder in case the veneer should have a crack that has escaped the action of the
planes. At the same time the veneers which have not the width required for
the box are separated. This is done by the aid of other tongs h which are
carried along by the just named tongs gy but do not reach so far forward. If
the veneer has the proper width these tongs hh take hold of the extreme edges of
the veneer and are carried along by the tongs y g during their backward motion.
On the other hand if the veneer is too narrow the tongs h h do not catch hold but
spring back under the influence of springs and abut against a coupling rod i which
in its turn acts upon a plate k under the magazine for the sorted veneers so that
the plate is lifted and the veneer which is too narrow does not enter the magazine b
but falls down under it. But if the veneer is of the right width and is quite
whole so that the tongs g g let it go without tearing it asunder the veneer continues
its forward motion under the magazine band is entered therein on the plate k, the
veneers already in it being lifted by the heads of the hooks d. When the fore end
of the veneer has come so far as the back wall of the magazine it is stopped in
its motion by that wall whereby the hooks d let go the veneer the latter being then
in its place in the magazine.
The above is in a few words the action of the machine and an indication of its
principal and necessary parts. We shall now describe the mechanisms whereby the
said parts may suitably receive their proper motion.
The machine is supposed to be driven from the strap pulley R on the machine
shaft L which is provided with a crank V that acts with a tappet G of known

page_text: form see Figure 1. The tappet G is fixed on or in one with a slide or bolt S
working in the table of the machine and having two longitudinal branches see
Figure 2. The slide thus receives reciprocating motion. The pusher c is fixed to
or in one with it. The hooks d d which catch hold of the front end of the pushed
out veneer are pivoted one to each side of the piece e Figures 1 and 4 the piece e
being pivoted to a chain K that passes round the sprocket wheels Hand H³.
The chain lies in the middle of the wheels and lugs or teeth on the pieces'e gear
with the edges of the wheels having corresponding teeth. The wheel H¹ receives
step by step motion from the bolt S by pawl and ratchet gear, see Figure 1. The
other ends of the hooks d have rollers d¹ which during the rotation of the wheels
glide up a curved rail de fixed to the framing whereby a spring between the hooks d
and the piece e is put into tension, the hooks leaning backwards. When the hooks
leave the guide rail they fall with some force against the veneer that was pushed
out, so that its end rests against the piece e whereby the hooks take firm hold of
the veneer and pull it out of the magazine.
In order to keep the chain K even between the two wheels H¹ and H' and to
support the piece e the front and rear end of each chain link is provided with a
projection K' which holds the piece e in right position.
The planes are arranged in two groups each consisting of two pivoted crutches f*
one below the other, Figures 1 and 3, and having arms the ends of which carry
the planes themselves. These are with a certain amount of mobility fixed to
the arms and are provided with cutting edges at the front and back, see
Figure 3. The lower crutches fare carried by an arm f' which is movable in a
boss on the framing. The crutches receive reciprocating motion from the bolt S
by means of the arms which carry a roller that works in a groove in
the bolt S. An arm which goes back from the upper crutches and is provided
with a roller co-acts towards the close of the back motion of the tappets G with
a slanting surface f10 in the upper part of the aforesaid boss whereby the crutch
is so turned that the planes connected thereto are raised from the veneer. At the
same time the planes of the lower crutch are also raised from the veneer because
the two crutches co-act through means of a tooth on the upper and a corre-
sponding recess f" in the lower crutch f
9
The planes belonging to each group thus in the open position move forward to
the veneer fall together when they have entered a little upon the veneer follow
along with it on the upper and lower sides forward to the edge working with one
cutting edge then turn and work with the other edge, until the rollers on the
arms travel up the slanting surfaces 10 in which moment the planes in each
group depart from each other and accomplish the back stroke.
If the veneer during this action of the planes has been found quite whole it
continues its advance till it comes fairly opposite the tongs y and h Figures 2 and 4
.of which have the office of examining if the veneer has any longitudinal crack
that may have escaped the planes ƒƒ whilst the tongs ascertain how far the
vencer is of the right width. In the same manner as is the case with the planes the
tongs g are arranged in two groups, each consisting of a reciprocating crutch g
which carries the pivoted pairs of arms g or tongs proper. The middle one of the
arms is prolonged to the rear forming an arm g with roller which co-acts with
a slanting surface go in the aforesaid boss on the framing, so that the upper tong
halves are turned upwards when the tappet goes back. The lower tong halves are
simultaneously turned down by the co-action of the pairs of arms with each
other through the means of a tooth gl¹ on one of the upper arms and a corresponding
recess in the corresponding lower arm. The crutch is provided with an arm g
which is movable in a boss g on the framing and obtains reciprocating motion from
the bolt S through the arms y go of which the latter carries a roller 9 which works
in a groove g in the bolt springs, not shewn in the drawings, hold the pairs of
arms y pressed against each other. When the crutches y advance towards each
other the roller travels on the arms g' out on the slanting surfaces g¹º, so that the
tongs or pairs of arms are kept open. When the roller leaves the slanting

page_text: surface the springs between the tongs are not able to press them together before the
tongs have entered somewhat upon the veneer. The tongs are then closed and
begin to move backwards. Should the veneer be cracked the tongs will tear it
asunder the tongs remaining closed until the roller on the arm comes to the
slanting surface g10 when the tongs will again open and let go the veneer.
The tongs which have to examine if the veneer has the right width are also
arranged in two groups and made to turn in the ends of arms h¹¹ which are loose
upon the spindles J J around which the aforesaid arms g can turn. They are acted
upon in pairs by springs between them but not shewn on the drawing and which
tend to close them. The tongs h do not reach forward so far as the tongs g by
which they are carried along through means of the arms .h" on the tongs h that
enter recesses g on the tongs g. The arms 'h' are acted upon by springs (not
shown) which tend to carry them back. When the tongs g in the
open condition
move forward they carry the tongs h h with them till the tongs close and take
hold of the veneer. The tongs are then freed from the tongs g. close by the
action of their springs, and take hold of the extreme edges of the veneer, if it be
wide enough to allow of it. They then hold the veneer fast until the tongs g
during their back motion come to them and open, whereby the tongs are caught
and carried back by the tongs g. But if the veneer is so narrow that the tongs h
after they in the forward motion of the tongs g have been liberated therefrom
cannot catch hold of the veneer, the latter is thrown back under the influence of
the springs of the arms whereby they come against one end of a coupling rod i
pivoted to the bolt S. Its other end which carries a roller ¹ will then in the con-
tinued motion of the bolt come against the end of a lever system k¹³ connected to
a plate k arranged under the magazine 6 Fig. 1, so that the plate k is turned
upwards. When the narrow veneer has advanced to the magazine bit passes under
the raised plate kabuts with one end against the wall of the magazine is freed from
the hooks d and drops under the magazine.
But a veneer of the proper width is brought into the magazine above the
plate k under the veneers already therein which as above described are raised by
the slanting heads of the hooks d d in order not to hinder the entry of the veneer.
At the back wall of the magazine the veneer is freed from the hooks d d which
cannot hold it any longer as the magazine wall stops its progress and the veneer
is now in its place in the magazine, while the hooks d and the pieces e continue
their motion with the chain K around the wheels H' H³.
As above described the plane groups as well as the tongs obtain their recipro-
cating motion by means of the rollers f and 98 which work in recesses ƒ and g
in the bolt S. But in order that the planes and tongs shall not move forward
during the advance of the bolt S before the veneer is carried forward, the
recesses 7 and 97 are provided with a "turn table" or reversing device f g
which shut off the recesses f' 9' during the advance of the bolt S and instead
open a recess which is parallel with the bolt and into which the rollers f³ 98 pass
through which the planes and tongs remain stationary. In the back motion of the
bolt the reversing devices again open the recesses f' 9' while the just named recesses
are held closed so that the planes and tongs can move backwards and forwards to
do their work. As the two reversing devices are quite alike we will only describe
one of them viz.: the one for the recess f7.
A part of the recess f consists of a disc f" which is movable at right angles to
the longitudinal branch of the bolt S through the peg v¹ and the recess v' in the
bolt S, which here is provided with a strengthening part or boss. The peg vis
taken hold of by one end of a lever which is pivoted on the bolt and at the other
end carries a roller v. During the back movement of the bolt S the disc ƒ¼ takes
the position shewn on the drawing. But at the close of this movement the roller o
comes against a slanting stop l on the framing, whereby the lever is turned so
that the disc f is carried forward covering the upper part of the recess f.
The lower part of the recess f which is parallel with the bolt is now open for the
roller while the edge of the disc forms a barrier or closure so that the

page_text: roller cannot come up into the recess 7. The bolt now advances and meanwhile
the roller has no reciprocating motion. At the close of the bolts forward
stroke the turn table is shifted round again into the position shewn on the
drawing, the roller then coming against another stop whereby the lever v³ is
turned, so that the turn table device is brought back and closes the part of the
'recess which is parallel with the bolt.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In a machine for sorting veneer for match boxes and the like the application
and use of one or more reciprocating planes arranged to act upon the upper or
the under side or upon both sides of a veneer pushed out of a magazine said
planes having a cutting edge at the front end or the rear end or both and being
fixed with a slight amount of mobility to holders or spindles, all in such manner
that a damaged veneer is torn asunder by the motion of the planes in one direction
or the other.
2. In a machine for sorting veneer for match boxes and the like the applica-
tion and use of one or more pairs of reciprocating tongs which during their
forward motion are kept open by co-action with slanting surfaces on the framing
and which during their backward motion are kept closed by springs all in such
manner that the tongs at the close of the forward motion take hold of the sides of
the veneer and in the backward motion tear asunder a damaged veneer that may
not already have been torn asunder by planes if used.
3. In a machine for sorting veneer for match boxes and the like the applica-
tion and use of reciprocating tongs which are carried along by the tongs g
secondly claimed during their forward motion by means of the arms h" on the
tongs and corresponding recesses g13 in the tongs g the said tongs h not reaching
so far out as the tongs and being adapted to simultaneously with them take hold
of the outer edges of the veneer if the latter is of the right width but if the veneer
is too narrow for them to take hold to spring back by the aid of springs and to
turn a reciprocating coupling rod i so that the one end of the latter can abut
against one end of a system of levers k¹³ the other end of which terminates with
a plate k forming the bottom of a magazine for the sorted veneers whereby the
said plate k is lifted so that veneer that is too narrow and which was brought along
- by the tongs g. h cannot be entered in the magazine.
4. The machine for sorting veneers for match boxes and the like substantially as
described and shewn.
Dated this 10th day of Mar 1809
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.