IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SAWING WOOD
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nathan Thompson, of Abbey Gardens, St. John's
Wood, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR SAWING WOOD."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nathan Thompson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
February 1868.
I, NATHAN THOMPSON, of Abbey Gardens, St. John's Wood, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SAWING WOOD," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for sawing
wood. When sawing irregular or varying bevils I employ in front of the saw
(which is is by preference a band saw) a rotating fence consisting of a wheel
or pulley capable of revolving on an axis level with the surface of the saw
bench and in a line with the saw. Out of this revolving fence a quadrant is
cut, and this serves as a guide for the wood to be sawn. In cutting a bevil
from a plank or other piece of rectangular section a line is marked on the
upper surface of the wood where the saw is to cut, and the angle of the piece
of timber being laid in the angle of the fence, the cut is commenced, and then
by inclining the wood more or less (the revolving fence moving with it) the
saw is made to follow the line previously marked. This being done ensures the
obtaining the requisite bevil, supposing the line to have been properly marked,

page_text: as the fence obliges the saw to cut out of the wood along the lower angle of
the piece. I also use a fence acted upon by a spring; the said fence I secure
to the table top. The object of this arrangement is to form a rest to lay the
timber to be cut against parallel to the vertical line of the saw, so as in cutting
a wedge, or variable thickness, or a twisted face, a parallel between the top
and bottom edge of said cut is insured.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improvement on the compound
sawing machine described in the Specification of a former Patent granted to
me, and dated the 11th February 1861 (No. 846). In this machine, as
described in the Specification of my said former Patent, there is a carriago
which is capable of running to and fro past the saw; this carriage carries
apparatus for holding the timber to be cut, for advancing it to the saw, either
at one end only or at both ends simultaneously, and also for inclining it. The
carriage is placed opposite a large circular saw, which, as the carriage runs
past it, makes the required cut.
According to my present Invention, I substitute for this circular saw a band
saw, which is more convenient, as it is not liable to jam as sometimes happens.
with the circular saw.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Nathan Thompson in the Great Seal Pateut Office on the
24th August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NATHAN
THOMPSON, of Abbey Gardens, St. John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, beaing date the Twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Nathan Thompson, Her special licence, that I, the said Nathan
Thompson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Nathan Thompson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-

page_text: MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SAWING WOOD," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Nathan Thompson, 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 performed, 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 Nathan Thompson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for sawing
wood. When sawing irregular or varying bevils I employ in front of the
saw (which is by preference a band saw) a rotating fence consisting of a
wheel or pulley capable of revolving on an axis level with the surface of the
saw bench and in a line with the saw. Out of this revolving fence a quadrant
is cut, and this serves as a guide for the wood to be sawn. In cutting a bevil
from a plank or other piece of rectangular section a line is marked on the
upper surface of the wood where the saw is to cut, and the angle of the piece
of timber being laid in the angle of the fence, the cut is commenced, and then
by inclining the wood more or less (the revolving fence moving with it) the
saw is made to follow the line previously marked. This being done ensures
the obtaining the requisite bevil, supposing the line to have been properly
marked, as the fence obliges the saw to cut out of the wood along the lower
angle of the piece.
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 a front view, of a rotating fonce thus con-
structed, together with parts in connection therewith.
a, a, is a casting, which is bolted down to the table of the band or other
saw; a' is a slit in this casting, in which the saw b (here represented as a band
saw) works; c is the rotating fence; it is a cylinder from which a quadrant
has been cut; on it is a projecting ring c', and this enters a semicircular
groove in the piece d, which is screwed to the casting a. The rotating fence c
is also supported by friction pulleys e, the axes of which are carried by recesses
in the casting a.
Figure 3 is a front view of a very similar arrangement, but suitable for larger
sizes; Figure 4 is a back view, Figure 5 a plan, Figure 6 a vertical section,
and Figure 7 an end view of the same.
a, a, is a casting, as before, made to bolt on to the table of the saw; c is the

page_text: it;
this
rotating fence, which however in this case is made of a circular form only for
one quadrant, where it bears on the friction pulley e, which supports
pulley turns on a pin a' screwed into the casting a. The fence c, as before, has a
circular ridge c' upon it, which in this case enters a corresponding groove in
the casting a, and it is kept in its place by two small friction pulleys f, f,
which bear on it at the back; the pulleys f turn on pins fixed in the casting a.
The arms c³, c, of the fence c may be made of any length, so as to be able to
hold steadily the largest pieces of wood with which it will be required to work.
The dotted lines in Figures 3 and 4 show the rotating fence as it appears when
inclined for a bevil of 45 degrees or thereabout. In both the arrangements
above described the lower angle of the rectangular piece of wood is kept
to the saw whatever may be the curve or direction of the cut on the upper
surface of the piece.
The same end may be attained by arranging the table of the saw to swing
or turn, its motion being about a line in the plane of the saw, and also in the
plane of the surface of the table, an ordinary fence being secured to the table
to support the wood as it is pushed past the saw. By means of such a saw.
table, and fence a piece of wood may readily be cut to any bevil, and varying
as may be required in the length of the piece, whilst the lower surface of the
piece is kept of uniform width throughout, or by working the saw and table
without a fence, the width also of the lower surface may be made to vary in
any manner which is required. By this arrangement the whole table of the
saw is converted into a rotating fence, similar to those previously described.
Figure 8 is a front view, and Figure 9 a side view of a band saw with a
table so arranged.
a, a, is the framing, and b, b, the pulleys, round which the saw c runs ; d is
a lever with a weight at the end by means of a rod d¹; it presses the bearing
of the upper pulley 6 constantly upwards, so as to keep the saw always tight;
this arrangement is ordinary, as is also the apparatus e for steadying and
lubricating the saw. The tilting table f has bolted to its under side the
pieces f, f, which carry the circular segments f, f, and these fit into corre-
sponding grooves in the bearing pieces g, g; these bearing pieces are secured
by bolts to the frame a. The table is so balanced either by the weight of the
timber upon it or otherwise, that it tends constantly to return to a horizontal
position, but by applying a moderate force, it may, if the work be not very
heavy, be tilted to any extent which may be required; g* is a lever carried by
the frame. It is used when the work is heavy to tilt up the table. When
the outer end of this lever is depressed its inner end presses on the under side

page_text: of the table and raises it. The curved dotted line marked on the piece of
wood h, which in Figure 9 is shown in the process of cutting, is a line for the
saw to follow. The inclined lines on the piece of wood h, in Figure 8, indicate
the variation in bevil which will be produced by following the said curved line
in Figure 9.
I also use a fence acted upon by a spring; the said fence I secure to the
table top. The object of this arrangement is to form a rest to lay the timber
to be cut against parallel to the vertical line of the saw, so as in cutting a
wedge, or variable thickness, or a twisted face, a parallel between the top and
bottom edge of said cut is insured.
Figure 10 is a plan, and Figure 11 a vertical section, of a fence arranged to
act in this manner.
a is the bed or table to which the fence is secured; b is the fixed portion or
sole plate of the fence; and c is the sliding portion thereof, which is caused to
slide outwards or towards the saw by means of springs d, d, as shown. The
face or part c¹ of the fence is parallel to the vertical line of the saw; it is pre-
ferred to form it of wood; a recess c³ is formed in it, within which the saw e
may enter.
The piece of wood to be sawn is placed against the face of the
fence before the saw commences its cut, and is so held by the attendant;
sufficient force is then to be exerted to press back the moveable fence c, and
in so doing the saw will enter and cut to the requisite depth, and make a cut
parallel to the exterior side or edge of the wood where the cut commences.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improvement on the compound
sawing machine described in the Specification of a former Patent granted to
me, and dated the 11th February 1861 (No. 346).
In this machine, as described in the Specification of my said former Patent,
there is a carriage which is capable of running to and fro past the saw;
this carriage carries apparatus for holding the timber to be cut, for
advancing it to the saw, either at one end only or at both ends simul-
taneously, and also for inclining it. The carriage is placed opposite a
large circular saw, which, as the carriage runs past it, makes the required cut.
According to my present Invention, I substitute for this circular saw a band
saw, which is more convenient as it is not liable to jam, as sometimes happens
with the circular saw.
I arrange the apparatus in the manner described in the before-mentioned
Specification, and shown in Sheet 1 of the Drawings thereunto annexed, except
that for the circular saw frame there shown, a band saw and frame is sub-
stituted. The band saw and frame may be of ordinary construction, and are

page_text: placed so as to bring the saw to a position corresponding with that which the
circular saw before occupied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nathan Thompson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
NATHAN THOMPSON. (L.S.)