Improvements in Machines for Cutting Match-splints, or for Cutting Strips of Metal or other Material into a Series of Articles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 26th Oct, 1895
UBDII LELE
[Communicated from abroad by THE CONTINENTAL MATCH Co., a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of New Jersey, United
States of America, and doing business at No. 26 Cortlandt Street, New York,
in the County and State of New York, United States of America.]
Improvements in Machines for Cutting Match-splints, or for Cutting
Strips of Metal or other Material into a Series of Articles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firin of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to an improvement in a machine for cutting match splints
from strips, or veneers of wood, which are usually cut so that the width of the
strip corresponds to the length of the match splint, and which are split up into
splints by my improved machine. The object of my invention is to produce a
machine which has practically two cutting druins, the teeth of which serve as
knives and mesh together, to provide a simple and positive means of ejecting the
splints from between the teeth of the drums at any desired point, to construct this
ejecting mechanism in such a way that it shall work positively and without danger
of getting out of repair, to arrange the feed of the machine in such a way that the
veneer shall be fed evenly between the drums, and in general to produce a machine
which is adapted to cutting splints very nicely and rapidly, and which may also be
used for cutting metal or strips of other material into a series of articles.
To these ends my invention consists of a splint cutting machine comprising
oppositely arranged cutting drums having meshing teeth with ejectors arranged
between the teeth of both drums; also in certain features of construction and
combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures refer to corresponding parts throughout the
several views.
Figure 1 is a broken plan view of the machine embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is an end view of the machine.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the two cutting drums, showing
a strip of veneer being fed between the drums.
Figue 5 is a broken detail end view of the cutting drums, with their teeth and
ejectors slightly modified so as to cut round splints or analogous articles.
Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.
Figure 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the end portion of one of the
cutting drums and the Hange which overhangs the said end portion of the machine.
Figure 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8 of Figure 6, and shows the inside
of one of the end rings of the machine and the cam rings carried by the said end
rings.
Figure 9 is a sectional plan on the line 9-9 of Figures 3 and 8.
Figure 10 is a detail cross section through a portion of one of the cutting drums,
showing one set of ejecting wedges in position to move an ejector.
Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10, but showing the second set of ejecting
wedges in position for use.

page_text: Figure 12 is a detail section of one of the end rings of the machine, the section
being taken on the line 12-12 of Figures 3 and 4.
Figure 13 is also a cross section of one of the end rings. the section being taken
on the line 13-13 of Figures 3 and 4.
The machine is provided with two cutting drums 10 which are exactly similir in
construction and are preferably similar in size. These drums have peripheral
teeth 11, which mesh, as illustrated clearly in Figure 4, and as they come together
cut through the strip of veneer 12, which is fed to the drums, and the severed
splints which are cut or split from the veneer are left between the teeth of the
drums until ejected by mechanism which will be presently described.
The drums 10 are carried by shafts 12ª which are journaled in the frame 13
of the machine, which frame may be of any suitable construction, and one of
the shafts is provided with a driving pulley 14, or equivalent means of driving
it, while the two shafts are connected by gears 15, so that both shafts and drums
turn in unison. The frame is braced by suitable cross rods 16.
When the veneer 12 is cut by the teeth 11 of the drums, as specified above,
the severed splints are forced inward between the teeth and upon ejectors 17,
which extend longitudinally between the teeth, and which when forced outward
to the edges of the teeth, push out the splints. The ejectors 17 are beveled or
inclined at the ends and on the back sides, as shown at 18 in Figures 10 and 11,
to enable them to be easily acted on by the wedges 21, described below, and
these inclined ends project into the slots 20 of the guide rings 19, which are
secured to the ends of the drums 10 and the slots of which register with the spaces
between the teeth 11 of the drums.
The ejectors 17 are forced out by means of longitudinally sliding wedges 21,
which move in the slots 20 of the guide rings 19 and which have inclined inner
ends to abut with the inclined ends 18 of the cjectors 17. The wedges 21 are
held against radial movement by the rings 22 which are formed on the inuer side
of the flanges 23 of the end rings 24 which are bolted to the machine frames at
the ends of the drums, so that a pair of such end rings embrace the ends of one of the
drums 10. The ejectors are arranged in alternate series, that is, so that one set of
ejecting wedges 21, which is arranged between a certain pair of teeth of the cutting
drum, will move outward at one point, while the wedges between the next pair of
teeth will move out at another point, thus causing the splints held between the
teeth of the drum to be ejected at two different points, and, it will be understood
from the description to follow that this arrangement may be carried out to any
desired extent, so that the deposition of the splints may be effected at as many
points as may be necessary or desirable.
To provide for the above operation one series of ejecting wedges 21 have grooves 25
in their outer sides which follow the cam rings 26 on the inner sides of the
flanges 23, and these cam rings swell inward at a certain point which, as illustrated,
is at the point 27 on the section 12-12 of Figure 4, so that when the drum 10 is
revolved and the wedges following the cam ring reach the cam, or swell, 27, they
are forced inward, thus pushing out the ejectors 17 and throwing out the splints, as
illustrated in Figure 4, the ejectors being prevented from moving outward too far
by the overlapping flanges 23.
The other series of ejecting wedges 21 are grooved on their inner sides, as shown
at 28 in Figure 11, and these grooves receive the cam ring 29 which is arranged
concentric with the cam ring 26, but is provided with a base flange 30 which is
secured to the end ring 24. The cam rings 29 swell inward, as shown at 31 in
Figure 13, this point being on the section 13-13 of Figures 3 and 4, so that when
the ejecting wedges reach this part of the cam rings 29, the wedges are moved
inward, the ejectors 17 opposite them are moved outward and the splints are forced
from between the teeth, as shown clearly in Figure 4. It thus follows that half the
splints of one of the drums 10 will be ejected at one place and the remaining halt
at another, and as only half the splints which are cut are discharged by one drum,
the ejecting of splints takes place at four different points on the machine, and as

page_text: the machine cuts very rapidly this enables the splints to be conveniently taken care
of and conveyed away by any suitable system of carriers. It will, of course, be
understood that the principle of the machine would be the same if the injectors were
all actuated at a certain point, but it is desirable to have the multiple arrangement,
of ejectors, as otherwise the machine cannot be run as rapidly as is to be desired,
for the reason that no means can be provided for taking care of the splints.
The end rings 24, referred to above, are bolted securely to the frame 13, a
shown at 32 in Figures 1 and 2, but any suitable means may be employed for holding
the rings in stationary position.
The veneer 12 is guided between the drums 10 by means of the angular guides 33,
(see Figure 1) which are held on the cross rod 34 and are adjustable back and
forth in relation to each other, so as to adapt them to varying widths of veneer,
the guides being held in any desired position by set screws 35 which project through
a portion of the guides and impinge on the rod 34. The rod 34 is held in
brackets 36, which are fastened to supports 37 on the main frame 13.
After leaving the guides 33 the veneer is pressed into close contact with one of
the drums 10 by the roller 38 which is mounted on the shaft 39, this being journaled
on the brackets 36, and the veneer is thus held so that there is no chance for it to
kink as it enters the machine.
As the veneer enters between the drums it is rapidly cut into splints by the
teeth 11, and half the splints are held between the teeth of one drum, while
the other half are held between the teeth of the opposite drum, and the splints
stick between the teeth until they reach the points where the ejectors are actuated
by the cam rings 26 and 29, as already described, at which points they are thrown
out upon suitable carriers which are arranged to receive them.
The arrangement described is adapted for cutting splints which are rectangular
in cross section, but if it is desired to cut splints, or other articles, which are circular
in cross section, the faces of the teeth are concaved, as shown at 11 in Figure 5,
while the ejectors 17 which are placed opposite the teeth, (that is the ejectors of one
drum are opposite the teeth of the other drum) are similarly concaved.
I have shown and described a machine which is especially intended for cutting
match splints, but, it will be understood at once that the machine may be adapted
for cutting other articles, either from veneer or other material, the only necessary
nodification being to properly space the teeth, as otherwise the machine is adapted
to cut anything which is essentially straight and which can be cut by the action of
the oppositely arranged teeth 11.
I have shown and described ejecting wedges 21 at both ends of the ejectors 17,
and shall refer to this duplicate arrangement in the claims, but, it will of course be
understood that one set of wedges may be used singly, that is, a set at one end of
the ejectors without affecting the principle of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A machine of the kind described, comprising oppositely arranged cutting
drums having meshing teeth, a series of outwardly moving ejectors held between
the teeth of the drums, and a cam and wedge mechanism for actuating the ejectors,
substantially as described.
2. The combination with a cutting drum having peripheral teeth which serve as
knives, of the ejectors held between the teeth of the drum, and reciprocating wedges
arranged to move behind the ejectors, substantially as described.
3. The combination with the revoluble cutting drum having peripheral teeth
which serve as knives, of the ejectors between the teeth, the reciprocating wedges
movable behind the ejectors, and the stationary cam rings at the ends of the drums
and in engagement with the wedges, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the cutting drum having peripheral teeth which serve
as knives, of the ejectors between the teeth, the wedges reciprocating behind the

page_text: ejectors, and a double set of cam rings arranged to engage alternate wedges and
move them inward at. different points during the rotation of the cutting drum,
substantially as described.
5. The combination with the cutting drum having peripheral teeth which serve
as knives, of the ejectors held between the teeth and provided with inclined ends,
the wedges inclined to fit against the inclined ends of the ejectors, and the stationary
cams for actuating the wedges, substantially as described."
6. The combination with the revoluble cutting drum having peripheral teeth
which serve as knives, of the ejectors arranged between the teeth, the reciprocating
wedges behind the ejectors, the stationary end rings having flanges overlapping the
ends of the ejectors, and the cam rings carried by the stationary rings and arranged
to engage and actuate the wedges, substantially as described.
7. The combination with revoluble cutting drums having peripheral teeth which
serve as knives, and the ejectors arranged between the teeth, of the reciprocating
wedges behind the ejectors, the alternating wedges being provided respectively with
grooves on their outer and inner sides, and a double set of cam rings held stationary
at the ends of the drum and adapted to engage the grooves of the wedges,
substantially as described.
8. A match splint machine having its several parts constructed, combined and
arranged to operate, substantially as described in the foregoing Specification and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of August 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.