IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF JOINTS FOR BOXES, DRAWERS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND FOR PLANKS AND TIMBERS, AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE PREPARATION OF BUCH JOINTS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry William Wimshurst, of Wilmott Road,
Dalston, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF JOINTS FOR BOXES, DRAWERS, AND
OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND FOR PLANKS AND TIMBERS, AND IN MACHINERY TO
BE USED IN THE PREPARATION OF BUCH JOINTS."
Sealed the 16th May 1865, and dated the 7th March 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry William Wimshurst
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th March 1865.
I, HENRY WILLIAM WIMSHURST, of Wilmott Road, Dalston, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF JOINTS FOR BOXE, DRAWERS, AND
OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND FOR PLANKS AND TIMBERS, AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED
IN THE PREPARATION OF SUCH JOINTS," to be as follows:-
The chief object of this Invention is to form the angle joints for boxés,
drawers, and such like articles, in a manner that will ensure greater strength
[Prise 8d.]

page_text: than is commonly obtained in such joints, a more sightly coupling and one
more simple of construction than the ordinary dovetail joint coupling. To
secure these results I aim at obtaining the largest available contact surface
for the contact parts, and this I effect my making parallel slots or cuts equi-
distant from each other across the edges of the pieces of wood that are to form
the joints; I thus produce on the edges a series of tongues or projections with
parallel sides; these tongues I make of a thickness corresponding to the
width of the slots, which will in general be equal to that of an ordinary saw
cut. The tongues of the one piece will then fit into the slots of the other,
and vice versa, and thus extended contact surfaces will be produced, which on
being brought together, and a little glue being run in, will form a very firm
and secure joint.
This mode of connecting pieces of wood is applicable also to joining
planks and timbers lengthwise, and producing a strong flush joint. It
admits also by a slight modification of angle joints being partly or wholly
hidden.
In carrying out my Invention, I propose to use a set of reciprocating cutters,
which will enable me to prepare the wood to form the hidden or secret joint
coupling; or I use a novel arrangement of sawing machinery, which will slot
a pile of wood at one operation.
In order to make the secret joint coupling I proceed as follows:-I make
cuts through the edges of the pieces that are to form the sides of my drawer
or box, as explained above, and the front and back pieces I fix upon a table,
over which is mounted a clamping frame containing a number of chisels firmly
secured therein. This frame I cause to work in a perpendicular direction by
means of a crank or other mechanical arrangement. The thickness of these
chisels is equal to the thickness of the saws used to prepare the side pieces,
and similarly spaced. The wood is then operated upon somewhat in the
manuer of an ordinary morticing machine, the chisels being stopped at an
arranged distance, and before they have cut entirely through the wood. The
wood may be made to move backwards at each stroke of the chisels, so
as to clean the saws; or a second series of chisels working horizontally
may be made to clean the bottom of the cut, proceeding stroke for stroke
with the perpendicular chisels. If necessary both pieces may be cut by the
chisels, a small portion in front of the teeth being left and mitred, in which
case a complete secret dovetail joint is formed. This machinery may be
constructed to work either horizontally, perpendicularly, or at any angle.
Or in place of the chisels a number of small revolving cutters may be used,

page_text: the same being properly spaced for operating upon the edges of the wood
passed between them.
The sawing machinery which I employ consists of a horizontal spindle fitted
with a series of saws spaced out at distances about equal to width of cuts
made by the saws. The wood to be operated upon is laid in a pile upon a
table, which is capable of sliding in vertical guides, and upon this table the
wood is firmly clamped by means of a press follower worked by a press
screw passing through a cross head attached to and set above this table. A
vertical motion is given to the table to pass the edges of the pile of wood
under the action of the saws through a hand wheel, on the axle of which
is a pair of chain wheels for winding up chains attached to the table. A
counterbalance weight serves to ease this vertical motion.
In order to sharpen the saws as they wear without displacing them from the
machine I mount in front of the saws a rotary emery wheel or cutting wheel
of the kind made under Parnacott's Patent, dated April 27th 1864, No. 1062.
This wheel I set in an adjustable bearing in a sliding frame, which by means
of suitable gear may be traversed across the machine, so as to carry the emery
or cutting wheel across the line of saws. By adjusting the elevation and the
angle of this wheel and advancing it properly up to the saws, one tooth in
each saw may be sharpened at each traverse of the wheel. The saws being
then turned equal to the width of a tooth a similar result may be obtained
at the next traverse, and so on until all the teeth have been presented to
the saw sharpener.
For preparing planks or boards for jointing in a line with their length
the teeth of the saws should be fined or tapered off. By the form of joint
thus produced the whole or nearly the whole strength of the material so
joined is retained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry William Wimshurst in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th September 1865.
HENRY
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM WIMSHURST, of Wilmott Road, Dalston, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry William Wimshurst, Her special licence that I, the said
Henry William Wimshurst, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Henry William Wimshurst, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF JOINTS FOR
BOXES, DRAWERS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND FOR PLANKS AND TIMBERS, AND IN
MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE PREPARATION OF SUCH JOINTS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry William Wimshurst, 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 per.
formed, 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 Henry William Wimshurst, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The chief object of this Invention is to form the angle joints for boxes,
drawers, and such like articles in a manner that will ensure greater strength
than is commonly obtained in such joints, a more slightly coupling and one
more simple of construction than the ordinary dovetailed joint coupling. To
secure these results I aim at obtaining the largest available contact surface
for the parts to be brought into contact, and this I effect by making parallel
slots or cuts equidistant from each other across the edges of the pieces of wood
that are to form the joints, and in general of a depth equal to the thickness of
the wood employed. I thus produce on the edges a series of tongues or pro-
jections with parallel sides, as shewn at Fig. 1, Sheet I., of the accompanying
Drawings. These tongues I make of a thickness corresponding to the width
of the slots, which will in general be equal to that of an ordinary saw cut.
The tongues of the one piece will then fit into the slots of the other, and vice
versa, and thus extended contact surfaces will be produced, which on being

page_text: brought together, and a litile glue being run in, a very hirm and secure joint
will be made, as shewn at Fig. 2.
To render this mode of connecting pieces of wood practically useful, I
employ the arrangement of machinery shewn at Sheets III. and IV., which
will cut the tongues and slots with great accuracy, and in an economical and
expeditious manner; but when an angle joint, equivalent to what is known in
the trade as a secret dovetail is required, and where cost is not so much an
object, I modify the joint above described, so as partly or wholly to hide the
tongues.
Figures 3, Sheet I., shew a modification of the joint suited for a drawer,
wherein the tongues are visible only from the side.
Figures 4 and 5 shew a further modification of the joint suitable for the
best cabinet work, in which joint the tongues are completely hidden.
In carrying out this part of my Invention, I employ the arrangement of
reciprocating chisel cutters, shewn in Sheet II.of the Drawings,wherein Fig.1
is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a front view of the machine for cutting the
tongues and slots for the hidden or secret joint coupling.
In order to prepare the wood for the operation of this machine I reduce
the end that is to be jointed to the sectional form shewn at Fig. 3, that is to
say, I cut away the wood until a wedge-shaped projection is formed on the
outer edge; this may be done by a rotary cutter, similar to that shewn at
Fig. 3, or by any other approved means. The wood thus prepared is then
ready to be slotted. For this purpose it is secured to a sliding table amounted
on a fixed bed A of the slotting machine, Figures 1 and 2, and it is held to
the sliding table by a screw cramp b. Upon the fraining carrying the
bed A are secured standards B,B, which are fitted at top with bearings for
receiving a crank shaft c. Pendent from this crank shaft is a rod c', which is
jointed to a sliding frame d; this frame works in guides attached to the
brackets B, and is fitted with a series of chisels e, which are spaced out at
distances apart equal to the breadth of the cutting edges. On the fixed bed A
of the machine is also mounted a fixed chisel holder f in which chisels g are
secured, the same being spaced out as in the sliding frame d; as the throw of
the crank determines the depth of cut to be made by the chisels e, and as
it is necessary for forming a secret or hidden joint to preserve the wedge-
shaped edge of the wood intact, it will be necessary so to adjust the chisels e as
to ensure their cutting only to the required depth, which is indicated by the
position of the chisels e at Fig. 1. The chisels g are set at or slightly below
the level of the bottom of the cut made by the chisels e, and they serve the

page_text: purpose of clearing the bottom of the cut. Rotary motion is imparted to the
crank shaft through the belt pulley h, and a slow progressive motion is given
by the attendant to the wood to bring it under the action of the chisels, and
the slotting operation then proceeds, as indicated by the Diagram, Fig. 6,
Sheet I. The traverse of the wood is effected by means of an ordinary
traversing screw i, which works iuto a tapped lug bolted to the under
side of the sliding table. A hand wheel keyed to the outer end of this
screw is slowly turned by the atendant until the table is arrested, as is usual
in machinery of this class, by means of a fixed stop on the bed of the machine.
The crank shaft is then stopped by throwing off the driving belt, and the
traversing screw is rotated quickly in the reversed direction to carry back the
wood, which on being released from the clamp 6 will present the appearance
shewn at Figures 4, (Sheet I.)
When the joint shewn at Figures 4, Sheet I., is required to be made, that
is with the tongues completely hidden, the edges of the coupling pieces must
both be prepared in the manner just described. But when the joint Figures 3,
Sheet J. is required, that is with the tongues hidden on one side of the angle
only, then the one piece is to be prepared as described with reference to
Sheet II., and the other by cutting slots through the machine by means of
saws, as will be presently more particularly described, it will therefore be
understood, that the thickness of the chisels and the thickness of the cutting
edges of the saws used to prepare the side pieces must be equal, and that
in both cases they must be similarly spaced.
I will now describe the improved sawing machinery which I employ for
cutting the joint shewn at Figures 1, Sheet I.
In Sheet III., Fig. 1 shews the improved machine in front elevation; and
Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same.
A is a horizontal spindle fitted with a series of saws a, a, spaced out at
distances about equal to the width of the cuts to be made by the saws. This
shaft is mounted in standards B,carried by the main framing C of the machine,
and it carries at one end a driving pulley b, and at the other end a dividing
wheel chaving the same number of teeth as the saws. This dividing wheel is
used to facilitate the setting of the saws, as will be hereafter described, and
into its teeth takes a stop c¹, which is operated by a screw c², for the purpose
of locking the shaft while the saws are being set or sharpened. The driving
of the saw spindle A is effected by a strap from a pulley on the main driving
shaft A¹. The wood to be operated upon is laid in a pile upon a table D,
which is affixed to a vertical sliding frame D¹; this sliding frame is supported

page_text: by a chain D3, which is pendent from a pulley D³, keyed to a transverse
shaft D', having its bearings in the main framing. The shaft D' also carries
a pair of chain pulleys D³, the chains pendent from which are connected to
counterweights D6. These counterweights serve to maintain the table with its
load at any required level as it is moved up to the wood in contact with the
rotating saws. The frame D' carrying the table slides in vertical guides C¹
formed on transverse bars of the framing C.
The wood to be operated upon is firmly secured by means of a press
follower E, worked by a press screw E¹, passing through a cross head E³
attached to and set above the table. A vertical motion is given to the table
to pass the edges of the pile of wood under the action of the saws through
a hand wheel 1', keyed to one end of the shaft D'. The pile of wood is
brought into position by the aid of an adjustable fence F, which regulates
the depth of cut made by the rotating saws.
In order to provide for the sharpening of the saws as they wear without,
displacing them from the machine, I mount in front of the saws a rotary
emery wheel or cutting wheel G,of the kind made under Parnacott's Patent,
dated April Twenty-seventh, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four,
No. 1062. This wheel GI set in an adjustable bearing in a sliding frame
shewn detached, and on an enlarged scale in Sheet IV., and by means of
suitable gear I traverse it across the machine, so as to carry the emery or
cutting wheel across the line of saws.
Fig. 3, Sheet IV., shews on an enlarged scale, the sharpening apparatus
detached, and in side elevation; and Fig. 4 is an end view of the same.
The
emery wheel Gis mounted on a vertical spindle g, which turns in a hollow
shaft G* that is capable of sliding endwise in a tubular socket G¹. This
spindle y carries at its lower end a driving pulley g*. The tubular socket G¹
is capable of swivelling on a centre at g', carried by a bracket G2, shewn
detached, and in plan view at Fig. 5, to adjust the wheel G to any angle
correspondling to the angle of the teeth to be sharpened. When thus adjusted
it is held in position by
a clamping screw. The bracket G' is secured by
bolts to the vertical face of a slide G³, which is carried by a saddle G. A
bed H with V edges secured to the main framing cat the back of the machine
carries a saddle G, and permits of its traversing across the machine, and
thus passing the emery wheel across the face of the saws. T'he saddle G' is
formed with a pendent bracket arm, which forms the bearing for a
spindle on the outer end of which is a hand wheel 2, and on the inner
end a grooved pulley 43. Laid round this pulley is a cord h', which

page_text: extends across the machine, and has at its ends secured to opposite sides
thereof. By giving rotary motion therefore to the pulley h³, through the
hand wheel, the sharpening apparatus will be traversed from side to side
of the machine.
Projecting from the back of the tubular socket G¹ is an arm which receives
an adjustable bracket g², carrying a pair of guide pulleys g³, 9', and above
this arm the socket is provided with a pair of lugs, which carry the fulcrum
pin of a hand lever i. This lever carries a finger which passes through a
slot in the tubular socket, and enters a slot cut in the hollow shaft G. By
depressing this lever I, the hollow shaft G will be raised, and with it the
emery wheel, which is thus brought into position to cominence working, the
teeth being sharpened by preference from the point downwards. The emery
wheel is advanced to its work by means of a traversing screw h* applied
to the slide G³.
Rotary motion is given to the emery wheel or cutter G, through an endless
cord i, which passes round a broad drum A2 on the driving shaft A' (which
allows of its lateral traverse) thence up to the guide pullies g³,g, and round
the driving pulley g*. It will now be understood that by adjusting the
elevation and the angle of the wheel G, and advancing it properly up to
the saws, which are held fast by means of the dividing wheel c and stop c',
one tooth in each saw will be sharpened by one traverse of the wheel across
the machine. This being accomplished, the saws are to be turned on their
axis a distance equal to the width of a tooth, the dividing wheel being first
released from the stop c'. The screw c² is then caused to raise the stop
into the next succeeding notch of the dividing wheel, and the saws being
again locked a similar result is produced at the next traverse of the emery
wheel, and this operation is to be repeated until all the teeth have been
presented to the saw sharpener.
The last part of my Invention relates to the preparation of planks
or boards for jointing in a line with their length. This is shewn in Sheet I
at Figures 7. In order to produce this peculiar construction of scarf
joint, the teeth of the saws are fined or tapered off, so that wedge-shaped
tongues and slots of corresponding form are obtained. By the use of this
kind of joint the whole or nearly the whole strength of the material joined
up
is retained.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of Improvements in the
Construction of Joints for Boxes, Drawers, and other like Articles, and for
Planks and Timbers, and in Machinery to be used in the Preparation of such

page_text: Joints," I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim constructing angle and scarf joints, in the manner
and by the means above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry William Wimshurst have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
H. W. WIMSHURST. (L.B.)