Machine for Cutting Boards from Logs.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Machine for Cutting Boards from Logs.
I, EDWARD BRADLEY, of No. 19 West 30th Street, in the city, county and state of
New York, U.S.A. Doctor of Medicine, 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:-
This invention relates to a machine for cutting logs directly into boards of any
desired thickness by means of a reciprocating knife actuated by a steam piston.
In the annexed drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine, and Fig. 2 a
plan of the same, the minor details of construction in these figures being omitted on
account of the smallness of the scale; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the right hand end of
the machine; Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the feed screw bearings with the latch for
the feed locking devices, on a larger scale.
Fig. 5 is a view of the outer side of the knife carriage; Fig. 6 a section of the knife
carriage with only the inner delivery roil and the bender attached thereto, and sections
of the ways upon which the knife carriage moves; Fig. 7 is a view of the inner side
of the knife carriage; Fig. S a section of the same adjacent to the edge of the knife on
line a, a, in Fig. 7, with sections of the ways B, B₁; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section
on line y, y, in Fig. 5; Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the feeding devices; Fig. 11 a
side view of the same; Fig. 12 a plan of the same, and Fig. 13 a front view of the
feed spindle stand.
Fig. 14 is an end view of the ratchet gearing upon the knife carriage for actuating
the straightening roll a, with the rack attached to the way B'; and Fig. 15 an alter-
native form of locking cam.
In Figs. 1 and 2 which are drawn upon a very small scale, many of the details are
omitted which are shown in the other figures, and in Fig. 4, which represents (also
upon a small scale) the lock for the feed gearing, many of the details are omitted,
which are shown in Fig. 10.
A is the bed of the machine having one of the ways B attached to its front edge.
C is the steam cylinder affixed to a post D which, with a post D', sustains the upper
way B between which and the way B the knife carriage slides, sustaining the knife e
in a vertical position.
Frepresents the log, and F¹ the stay log for carrying the same, mounted upon
brackets F2 which slide upon suitable guides upon the bed A. Feed screws G are
journaled with thrust collars, in bearings G₁ fixed to the bed, and would, in
practice, be connected by a chain applied to the wheels G².
A crank shaft S is mounted in posts H upon the bed and connected by a crank H¹
and rod H² with the knife carriage E.
An auxiliary shaft I is shown mounted in two of the posts H below the shaft S
and connected with the shaft by gears 1'.
The shaft is also connected by pulleys J, J¹, and belt J with an auxiliary
engine K which is also used to drive the feed gearing and to reverse the feed
screws to retract the stay log when the knife is stopped.
The
To operate the engine K independently of the knife carriage, the pulley J'
would be made detachable from the shaft I by any suitable clutch mechanism,
which is not shown herein as it forms no part of iny present invention.
piston rod C of the cylinder is attached directly to the knife carriage E to
exert the desired force upon the knife; the stroke of the carriage being regulated
by the connecting rod H².
In practice the feed is operated alternately with the cutting movement of the
knife, and the log is thus successively fed upon the knife and the wood removed
from the log in slices of the required thickness.

page_text: The knife, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, is attached to a reciprocating knife
beam L held movably upon the carriage E by gibs or guides L', and the weight
of the beam is nearly counterbalanced by a spring M attached at one end to the
carriage and at the other to the beam, by adjusting screws M¹.
The ways B, B', as shown in Fig. 6, are of square section, and the knife
carriage consists partly of two T-bars (lettered E) upon which the gibs L' and
other fixtures are secured. The T-bars are held in position upon the ways by gibs B
upon the outer side of the same, and bearings N are mounted upon the upper gib and
T-bar E at the opposite sides of the upper way B¹.
These hearings carry a crank shaft 'n provided with a worm drum N¹ and with a
crank pin o connected by link o' with the knife beam L. A wire rope m is wound
once about the drum and has its ends fastened upon the way B' by adjusting screws m¹.
The ends of the rope being held stationary, the reciprocation of the knife carriage
moves the drum along the rope, and the drum is thus rotated and the link o' and knife
beam vibrated several times during each cutting stroke of the knife.
The knife is movable transversely to the movement of the knife carriage, so as to
use, adjacent to the edge of the knife, a presser roll r adapted to hold the wood from
splintering in the cutting operation. Such roll would not operate if placed at any
other than a right angle to the movement of the carriage, and the knife cannot there-
fore, in conjunction with such roll, be placed obliquely to the movement of the carriage
to produce a draw cut, as is done in many other classes of cutting machines.
To secure the advantages of a draw cut, I have therefore devised the knife beam
reciprocated upon the knife carriage, and am thus enabled to move the knife blade
longitudinally as its edge is moved transversely through the wood, and therefore cut the
wood with the least possible strain or injury. I have operated a knife in cutting
boards an inch thick from the log, but find that the angle of the knife causes the
board to curl considerably and that the last end of the board sticks between the knife
and presser roll.
I have therefore provided the straightening devices shown herein, and a part of the
straightening rolls also serve as a means of drawing the last end of the board from
the grip of the knife and presser roll to deliver the board automatically from the
knife.
The straightening device is shown herein consisting chiefly in several rolls mounted
upon the carriage independently of the knife beam, which latter is thus enabled to vibrate
in contact with the wood while the board is moving steadily through the straightening
apparatus. The straightening roll a is journaled as close to the edge of the knife as
possible, and a recess a¹ is therefore formed in the knife beam to clear the periphery
of the roll.
Opposite to the roll a, a roll bis journaled in hinged arms c and pressed toward the
roll a by screw & operating upon a block of elastic material c¹ to press the rolls b and a
elastically together. The roll a is rotated positively to retract the board from the knife
by a wheel d mounted in bearings s upon the carriage and rotated in contact with a
rack d fixed upon the way B¹, as shown in Fig. 1.
As the wheel dis rotated in opposite directions by the reciprocation of the carriage,
and it is desirable to turn the roll a in one direction only, I mount a pinion loosely
upon the shaft of the wheel d, and attach to the shaft an arm carrying a pawl
which operates in one direction upon the pinion f and thus turns the roll a as desired
(see Fig. 14).
The pinion fis connected with a cog wheelf upon the end of the roll a by an
intermediate gear f³.
To guide the board, when cut, to the aperture of the rolls a and b, a shield o
is held adjacent to the knife edge by arms o pivoted upon the carrier of the
presser roll r.
The shield is held in its operative position by a yoke o² having projecting pins o³ at
the ends which are engaged when in operation with sockets of suitably formed upon
the carriage as shown in Fig. 5. By moving the pins o³ to the right to clear their

page_text: sockets, the shield may be turned entirely away from the knife, to clean out the cavity
in case splinters become lodged therein.
The board is thus directed, as it moves from the knife, through the rolls a and b
which are not rotated by means the pinion f during the cutting stroke of the knife;
but upon the return stroke of the knife carriage the roll a is suitably rotated, and the
end of the board remaining near the presser roll is pulled outward and the board
discharged from the carriage.
To straighten the board, it is bent in a curve opposite to that imparted by the knife
which may be effected by means of rollers adjacent to the rolls a and b, but to accom-
plish another object I prefer to use a bender in the form of a pivoted plate or shield P
which is hinged in bearings P¹ upon the carriage adjacent to the path of the board and
having its free end movable to either side of such path, as is indicated by the full and
dotted lines in Fig. 9.
Such bender operates to deflect the end of the board into the desired curve and
directs it into the mouth of a delivery trough G provided upon the end of the carriage
to discharge the board in a given path.
When first cutting a rough log, the slabs which may come of various lengths from
the knife would operate to clog up the channels provided for the passage of the boards,
and the bender P is used at such times to throw the slabs or short pieces out of the
carriage without bending them and without directing them into the delivery trough.
The delivery trough is arranged to still further bend the wood by providing a
fulerum roll R inside the bender P, the wood being bent over such roll by the contact
of the forward part of the board with the inside of the trough Q, as shown in Fig. 9,
and the trough thus operating as a straightening agent in relation to the roll R in the
same manner as the bender P operates in relation to the roll a.
The operator is intended to stand in front of the machine at the left end of the log F
in proximity to the handle P3 by which the bender P is actuated to throw the slabs or
boards out of the knife carriage when desired.
The operator standing at this point can see a part of the log as the knife passes over
it, and can judge what portion of the log will make perfect boards and, to avoid
arresting the motion of the machine, it is necessary that the bender should be under
the control of the operator while the entire carriage is in motion, and be capable of
movement into the two positions shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 9.
To effect this result, I project the axle of the bender through the lower bearing P
upon the knife carriage and provide it with a crank P2 having an anti-friction roller !'³
upon its crank pin, as shown in Fig. 5.
I also provide an oscillating shifter P journaled in bearings P³ upon the way B and
provided with the hand lever P3 (Fig. 2) for oscillating the same at pleasure.
The shifter is provided with a groove fitted to the crank pin roll P³, the groove
being parallel with the path of the carriage and holding the crank and bender in a
given position as the shifter may be turned through the whole stroke of the carriage.
Fig. 6 shows the shifter and the crank P2 tipped outwardly, in which position the
crank is adapted to hold the bender, as shown in full lines in Fig. 9, to intercept the
boards in their passage through the rolls a and , and to bend the same and divert
them into the trough Q.
With the shifter in such position, the handle P³ would be pressed downward an..
the weight of the handle would therefore operate to hold the bender P normally in the
position to straighten the boards and discharge them through the trough Q and rolls R¹
When the operator perceives it necessary to throw the boards or slabs out of the
carriage instead of straightening them, the handle P³ would be raised to throw the
bender into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, in order to accomplish
the desired object.
The delivery of the cut wood through the straightening device or otherwise, would
thus be under the control of the operator while the machine is in motion.
The bender and the trough each operate to impart an additional curvature in the
wood in a direction contrary to that naturally produced by the bevel of the knife, so
that the board is prepared when delivered from the trough to be used immediately or

page_text: to be stacked up in flat piles for drying if required. To prevent the board from
sticking in any of the straightening devices or discharge channel (as the trough Q)
and to positively deliver the piece of wood from the carriage before another is
cut by the knife, I have provided a pair of rolls R' mounted independently of
the carriage with the aperture between them in the path of the board as it is
discharged from the carriage.
These rolls are journaled upon the frame and are so located as to grasp the
board when the carriage is at the extreme end of its stroke, and thus prevent the
boards from being carried back by the carriage in its cutting movement.
The rolls are rotated in the direction of the arrow a¹ (Fig. 9), and are intended
to deliver the board positively away from the machine; and to prevent the strain
upon the board which would be required to force it between such rolls, I prefer-
ably form one or both of the rolls with a flat side R2 which permits the board to
pass between the rolls just before the end of the stroke, as each roll would be
turned around with the flat side in the position indicated by the dotted lines >>²
before the movement of the carriage was reversed.
The board, when gripped by the mutilated rolls, is drawn forward from the
trough as the carriage advances to make a cutting stroke, and the space between
the straightening devices is positively cleared for the succeeding board.
To bring the flat sides of the rolls uniformly into the same positions at the
extreme end of the stroke so as to freely admit the board, the rolls R¹ are made
to rotate once, twice, or any other even number of times for each stroke of the
knife, by means of the shaft R and suitable connections to the shaft S. Such
4.
rotation is shown effected, in Fig. 2, through the medium of shafts w and the
wheels wl, and the gearing between the engine and the crank shaft.
Heretofore I have used a ratchet, moved adjustably over the teeth of a feed wheel,
to produce a variable feed for cutting boards of different thicknesses, and find that
the momentum of the feed wheel, and of the feed screws attached thereto, is liable to
turn the screws after the feed pawl has stopped moving, and to thus produce an
excessive and irregular feed.
I have therefore devised the feed mechanism shown herein, which operates to rotate
the feed screws through an exact arc and to positively lock them at the end of the
feeding movement, and to hold them in a fixed position until again actuated.
It is also necessary to connect the locking mechanism with the screws by gearing
adapted to turn the screws through various arcs, to cut boards of different
thicknesses.
The two feed screws would be connected by a chain (not shown) upon sprocket
wheels G2, and, to effect all these objects I mount a feed spindle y adjacent to one of
the screws and connect it therewith by change wheels g and an intermediate ", as is
common in such cases (see Fig. 13).
I provide the end of the feed spindle with a locking cam h (shown in Figs. 10
and 11), having one or more notches 'adapted to engage a vibrating bolt h², which
thus holds the cam in a fixed position.
The feed spindle is connected, by suitable gearing, with the auxiliary engine K,
through the intervention of a friction clutch / (Figs. 1, 11 and 12) which is adapted
to slip when the cam is locked, and is in readiness, at any moment, when the bolt is
withdrawn, to rotate the spindle and feed screws.
Such rotation of the feed spindle and screws G must be effected quickly, while the
crank His turning the centre preparatory to removing the knife through the log;
and where the feed is very fine it is preferable to use a cam with more than one notch,
as shown in Fig. 15, and to lock the same at the end of a partial rotation.
As the cam is therefore rotated quickly, it is necessary that the bolt should be
pressed toward the cam, as by a spring 76 (Fig. 10) and should only be retracted for
an instant, and then pressed upon the surface of the part to promptly engage the
notch h¹.
To secure this result, the surface of the cam is preferably made of spiral shape, as
shown in Figs. 10 and 15, and the bolt is retracted by a lever h³ provided with a

page_text: trip which is operated upon, at the desired point in the stroke, by a rapidly moving
dog i.
The shaft q is driven by sprocket wheels q¹ and a chain, indicated merely by a dotted
line q² in Fig. 2.
The dog i is fixed, by means of a screw and a slot in its foot vl, adjustably upon
the rim of a wheel k which is rotated once for each cut of the knife. The feed spindle
and shaft 1 are connected by sprocket wheels s, s¹, the chain for connecting which is
indicated only by the dotted line s² in Fig. 10.
One portion of this chain is also engaged with one side of a sprocket wheel s³ upon
the trip disk k, and operates to rotate the dog i at the desired rate (once in each rotation
of the knife) while it also operates to rotate the feed spindle at a much quicker rate,
owing to the small diameter of the sprocket.
The sprocket wheel s² is fitted to turn loosely upon the shaft q and is coupled there-
with by means of the clutch 1.
To obviate the necessity of the friction clutch slipping during the major part of
the knife's stroke, I provide a clutch lever or levers having a roller 12 pressed by a
spring upon the surface of a cam k¹ formed upon the trip wheel k.
13
Such cam holds the clutch engaged while the knife carriage is turning the end of
its stroke, so as to actuate the feed at the desired time, and releases the clutch when
the knife begins its cut. It is immaterial whether the bolt 2 be tripped by means of
a rotating dog or by a reciprocating dog, as the latter would readily clear the trip j
upon the return movement of the dog, by pivoting the trip, as shown in Fig. 10.
This part of my invention consists in tripping the bolt 2 by a dog actuated in
unison with the movements of the knife carriage, so as to actuate the feed at the desired
point in such movement.
Having thus set forth my invention, it will be seen that the feed screws may be
rotated positively through any given arc, and locked in that position during the
cutting movement of the knife, and that the knife may be rotated longitudinally in its
passage through the wood, and the wood straightened as it leaves the knife, and
discharged positively from the knife carriage in a given path, so that it may be
delivered from the machine uniformly at the same point, instead of falling from the
throat of the knife, as is commonly the case.
It is immaterial whether the straightening and discharging devices be constructed
and arranged precisely as shown herein, as my invention consists broadly in giving to
the slice of wood, as it is cut from the log, a reverse curvature to that imparted by
the bevel of the knife, so that the wood may be approximately straightened and adapted
to lie approximately fat when piled up for drying or for transportation.
My improvements in the straightering devices are applicable to the machine,
whether the delivery rolls a, b, are used or not, and the latter are applicable to any
machine in which a presser is used adjacent to the knife, and which is liable to pinch
the end of the board and prevent it from falling from the carriage.
The construction for the discharge channel is also immaterial, as a series of rolls
suitably arranged, would be a perfect equivalent for the trough in discharging the
board from the carriage in a given path, so that it may be taken away from the
machine by the rolls R', or by any other of the various forms of carriers that are
commonly used in mills for automatically transferring the lumber.
The combination of a vibrating knife beam with a knife and a presser roll, are also
applicable to other forms of machines than that shown herein.
It is obvious that any element, rotated with the feed screw would operate as a
locking cam, if provided with a suitable projection or notch to engage a movable latch
or bolt; and the form of the locking cam and bolt is therefore immaterial.
I do not make any specific claim to the use of a presser roll adjacent to the edge of
a knife, as such a combination is not my invention.
It will be noticed that the rotary motion of the roll a and of the crank shaft n, is
derived from the rolling contact of a wheel, (upon the knife carriage) with a stationary
fixture upon the frame of the machine.
Thus, the toothed wheel d rolling upon the rack d', induces a rotary motion in the

page_text: roll a, and the grooved drum N' rolling upon the stationary rope in induces the rotary
motion of the crank pin o to reciprocate the knife e upon the knife carriage. It is
obvious that either of these mechanisms might be substituted for the other, and it is
therefore immaterial what form of wheel be used upon the knife carriage, and what
form of stationary fixtures be used upon the frame to make a rolling contact
therewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1st. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with a knife carriage reciprocated
to cut intermittingly, of a reciprocating steam piston rod attached to such carriage, a
knife beam movable upon the carriage transverse to the piston rod, and mechanism
movable with the carriage for reciprocating the knife beam.
2nd. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with a knife carriage reciprocated
to cut intermittingly, of a reciprocating steam piston rod attached directly to such
carriage, an adjustable presser roll sustained upon the carriage, parallel with the edge
of the knife, and mechanism movable with the carriage for reciprocating the knife
beam.
3rd. In a wood slicing machine, the combination with a knife carriage reciprocated
to cut intermittingly, of a reciprocating steam piston rod attached directly to such
carriage, an adjustable presser roll sustained upon the carriage transversely to the
path of the carriage, a knife and knife beam movable upon the carriage parallel with
the presser roll, and mechanism movable with the carriage for reciprocating the knife
beam.
4th. In machine having a reciprocating knife carriage, the combination, with
the carriage, of a roll sustained upon the carriage and arranged transversely to the
path of the carriage, to press upon the wood, and a knife and knife beam movable
upon the carriage parallel with the presser roll, as and for the purpose set forth.
5th. In a wood slicing machine having a reciprocating knife carriage with the edge
of the knife in a vertical position, the combination, with a presser roll upon the
carriage sustained transversely to the path of the carriage, of a knife and knife beam
movable vertically, parallel with the presser roll, and a spring to counterbalance the
weight of the knife beam, substantially as herein set forth."
6th. In a machine having a reciprocating knife carriage, the combination, with the
carriage. of a knife and knife beam movable thereon, and a rotating shaft journaled in
bearings upon the knife carriage, and provided with a crank and connections to the
knife beam, to reciprocate the latter, as and for the purpose set forth.
al
7th. In a machine having reciprocating knife carriage movable upon a frame
having parallel ways, the combination, with the carriage, of a knife and knife beam
movable thereon, a rotating shaft journaled in bearings upon the carriage, a crank
upon the shaft and connections to the knife beam to reciprocate the same, and a
wheel upon the shaft making a rolling contact with a stationary fixture upon the frame
o rotate the crank, substantially as herein set forth.
Sth. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with the knife and an adjustable
presser sustained adjacent to the same, of one or more straightening rolls operating to
reverse the curvature of the beard upon its delivery from the knife, as and for the
purpose set forth.
9th. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with the knife and an adjustable
presser sustained adjacent to the same, of one or more straightening rolls operating
to reverse the curvature of the board, and delivery rolls for drawing the board from
the grip of the knife and presser, substantially as herein set forth.
10th. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with the knife and an adjustable
presser sustained adjacent to the same, of one or more straightening rolls operating to
reverse the curvature of the board, the delivery rolls a and b for drawing the board
from the grip of the knife and presser, an! a shield o° to direct the board between the
delivery rolls, substantially as herein set forth.

page_text: 11th. In a wood slicing machine having a reciprocating knife carriage, the
combination, with the knife, of delivery rolls mounted upon the knife carriage for
drawing the board from the knife, a discharge channel to direct the board from the
carriage in a given path, and a movable plate upon the knife carriage adapted to
throw the board from the carriage or into such discharge channel, as and for the
purpose set forth.
12th. In a wood slicing machine having a reciprocating knife carriage, the com-
bination, with the knife, of delivery rolls mounted upon the knife carriage for
drawing the board from the knife, a discharge channel to direct the board from the
carriage in a given path, and rolls upon the frame adjacent to the carriage at the end
of its stroke, to take the board from such discharge channel, substantially as herein
set forth.
13th. In a wood slicing machine having a reciprocating knife carriage, the com-
bination, with the knife, of delivery rolls mounted upon the knife carriage for drawing
the board from the knife, a discharge channel to direct the board from the carriage in
a given path, and rolls upon the frame to take the board from such discharge channel,
one or more of such rolls being flatted to freely admit the board, and rotated an even
number of times for each stroke of the knife, substantially as herein set forth.
14th. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with the knife and the stay log,
of a feed screw, a locking cam rotated with the same, a bolt or latch for holding the
same from rotating, and a dog operated to retract the bolt at each movement of the
knife, substantially as herein set forth.
15th. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with the knife and the stay log,
of a feed screw, a feed spindle adjacent to the same, change wheels for connecting the
screw and the spindle, and a locking cam and movable bolt applied to the feed spindle
and actuated substantially as herein set forth.
16th. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with the knife and the stay log,
of a feed screw, a locking cam rotated with the same, a bolt or latch for holding the
same from rotating, a friction clutch having one part rotated continuously, another
part connected by suitable gearing with the locking cam and operating to rotate the
same, when engaged, a clutch lever for engaging the friction clutch to drive the
locking cam, and means, as the camı k¹, for actuating the clutch lever once for each
stroke of the knife, as and for the purpose set forth.
17th. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with a reciprocating knife
carriage, of a knife, an adjustable presser sustained adjacent to the same, delivery
rolls upon the carriage for drawing the board from the grip of the knife and presser,
and a wheel upon the carriage connected with such rolls, and making a rolling
contact with a stationary fixture upon the frame to rotate such rolls, substantially as
herein set forth.
18th. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with a reciprocating knife
carriage, of a knife, an adjustable presser sustained adjacent to the same, delivery
rolls upon the carriage for drawing the board from the grip of the knife and presser,
a wheel upon the carriage making a rolling contact with a stationary fixture upon the
frame, and a pawl and ratchet connection from such wheel to the delivery rolls to
actuate the same in one direction only, substantially as herein set forth.
19th. In a wood slicing machine, the combination, with a reciprocating knife
carriage, of a knife, an adjustable presser sustained adjacent to the same, delivery
rolls upon the carriage for drawing the board from the grip of the knife and presser,
a toothed wheel upon the carriage meshing with a stationary rack upon the frame,
and a pawl and ratchet connection from such wheel to the delivery rolls to actuate the
same in one direction only, substantially as herein set forth.
DAL 911
2000
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.