Improved Method of and Apparatus for Reproducing Fac-simile Carvings in Wood and other material.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Reproducing Fac-simile
Carvings in Wood and other material.
I, CAESAR HASS, of 298 Burdett Road, Limehouse, County of Middlesex,
Manager of Furniture Manufactory do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for object, the production of fac-simile carvings of originals
through the intervention of a negative produced therefrom, such negative being
relatively incorrect and distorted but serving as a matrix, by or from which, the
fac-simile can be produced.
According to my invention, I construct a machine for carving wood, or like
panels in relief, bas relief, or other style by means of multiple cutters rapidly
rotated by belt or friction gearing in a particular manner, and have imparted to
them a vertical percussive movement by means of a rising and falling plate operated
by a crank and necessary levers, said vertical percussive movement being regulated
as to depth and contour of cut by a negative or reverse design of the original
carving intended to be reproduced.
The negative or reverse design is fastened to the under side of the before
mentioned rising and falling plate, and has in addition to its vertical movement
for operating the cutters, a transverse and automatic longitudinal motion over the
top of the cutters that by means of worm and belt gearing the cutters may be
operated over all parts of the design for cutting the wood, or other material (panel)
fixed below them, said panel having precisely similar transverse and longitudinal
movements, as the negative or reverse design, being in fact, fixed to the base plate
of the movable structure that carries the before mentioned rocking plate.
I wish it to be particularly understood that in order to secure a correct copy of
the original carving, it is necessary to obtain the negative or reverse design by the
machine on which it is intended to be used; and for the following reasons;- -That
if a negative or reverse casting be obtained from the original carving in the well
known manner, and used in the machine before described, the carving produced
will differ from the original by the difference of the thickness of the cutter spindles
used, that is to say, all projections of the reproduced carving will be smaller than
the original, by the thickness of the cutter spindle, and all depressions will be
similarly enlarged, resulting in a distorted representation of the original carving.
It is therefore one of the peculiar features of my invention to use a distorted, or,
as it were, incorrect negative, or reverse design to obtain a correct fac-simile of
the original carving, said negative being produced by using the original carving,
or positive casting of said original carving as a guide for determining the operation
of the cutter spindles in the manner before described, whereby a negative is
produced with its depressions corresponding to the projections of the guide, larger
by the thickness of the spindles, and its projections similarly smaller, so that when
said negative is used as a guide in the machine by which it was cut, will result in
the production of a perfect fac-simile of the original.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have appended the
accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to my invention
with the side frame of the bed plate removed.
Figure 2 is a top plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a front view of part of the machine showing the transverse disposition
of the cutter spindles and dummies.
Figure 4 is a plan, with top parts removed to more clearly show the gearing
arrangements.

page_text: Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the cutters.
Figure 6 is a detail of the plate upon which the wood or panel to be carved is
fixed.
Figure 7 is a detail view showing the manner in which the multiple cutters are
rotated by belts.
In carrying my invention into practice, I arrange upon a suitable lower frame A,
the bed plate B, to which is securely fixed, by bolts D, the side frames C, C,
forming a superstructure for carrying the multiple spindles and cutters, which
revolve in bearings screwed into the top and bottom plates D¹ and E respectively.
Arranged at a suitable distance above the spindles, is another plate F, also
fixed to the side frames C, C, by the studs G, G, and through which pass the
pins H corresponding in number and position to the revolving spindles or cutters
before mentioned.
The frames I, I, are connected at the top by the cross beams J, J, and at the
bottom, they rest upon, and are fixed, by bolts, to a plate K, upon which the
wcod L, or other material to be carved is placed. The beams J, J, also support a
casting M with its countershaft N rotated in bearings P by a belt Q from a
pulley R fixed to the shaft S supported by brackets T attached in any suitable
manner to the beam J, or side frames I, as may be convenient.
A rising and falling plate U is suspended from the casting M to which it is
articulated by the levers V pivoted at W, to which is imparted a rocking motion
by the crank X and connecting rod Y when the countershaft N is set in motion,
the plate U being guided by the studs Z uprising from the fixed frames I, I, to
prevent any lateral movement of the plate U.
The whole of the structure formed by the side frames I, I, plate K, cross
beams J, casting M, and their attachments have a compound sliding movement
by means of the worm gear operated by the shafts a and b, as hereinafter fully
described.
To prevent any undue strain or tilting action by the pull of the belt c upon the
pulley R, a stretcher bar e is arranged upon and between the shafts b, S, in such a
manner as to allow of the small longitudinal and transverse movement imparted to
frames I, I, the arm f serving as an additional support.
The longitudinal and transverse movements of the frames 1, I, and their
attachments are effected by a worm g fixed upon the shaft b gearing into a worm
wheel h secured to one end of the shaft i mounted in bearings j,j, projecting
inwardly from the lower frame A, and a worm k fixed to the other end of said
shaft gearing with a worm wheel / fixed to the screw spindle m working in a nut
depending from a frame n, upon which the plate K and its superstructure is
arranged in such a manner, as to be drawn transversely with the frame n in the
guide grooves p, and yet be free to move in a longitudinal direction upon the
frame n under the action of worm y, worm wheel r, worms, and rack t Figure 1
fixed to the underside of the plate K, the necessary motion being communicated to
the shafts a aud 6 from the main shaft e by belts.
The frames I, I, and attachments are caused to automatically move backwards
and forwards by reversing the direction of rotation of the shaft a, this is done by
causing the straight and crossed belts r,, to be alternately shifted from the fast
pullies y, y, to the loose pulley, under the action of a slider A' operated by the
bell crank B', or equivalent means from the movement of the side frame I itself.
The wood, or other panel to be carved is fixed upon the platen C¹, Figure 6, by
screwing it to the metal or other suitable battens D1 chamfered at one edge to fit
a corresponding undercut in the groove of the platen C', into which it is fitted and
secured by passing a wire E¹ between the batten and the groove, the curve on each
side of same serving to bind them in position.
When the wire E' is removed, the panel and battens D" can be shifted a little
to the left to release the chamfer from the undercut before mentioned, and
lifted out.
The depth to which the panel is to be cut is regulated by raising the platen C³

page_text: by the hand wheel F', which gears into the wheel G¹ (see Figure 4) that in turn
operates the wheels H', 1' to revolve the pinions J' fixed to the studs K' having
right and left handed screws, and as they all rotate at the same circumferential
speed, the platen C' is equally lifted from all sides to the necessary height.
The main shaft is set in motion, the belts L' pass round the drum M¹ and are
interlaced between the pullies N' of every alternate couple of spindles and around a
dummy Q, as shown in Figure 7, the number of belts L' used corresponding to the
number of spindles arranged across the machine. The spindles P¹ revolve in conical
bearings R screwed into the plates D', E, before mentioned.
Within the spindles P1, and arranged to turn with them are the cutters S¹ which
are forcibly depressed into the panel to be carved by the movement of the rising
and falling plate U, and the negative V₁ striking the pins H the depth to which
they are forced corresponding to the varying undulations of the negative pattern.
The cutters having a rapid rotary movement as well as a percussive striking
action cut away the wood to the pattern required determined of course by the
formation of the negative guide produced and operated as before described, said
cutters are returned to their uppermost position by the spiral springs T', by which
they are encircled, and they abut up against preferably a zinc plate to deaden the
sound.
Between each row of spindles are inserted strips of felting W₁ soaked in oil to
lubricate them in their bearings, which are further kept cool by a strong current of
air induced by a blower.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Mechanically producing a relatively incorrect or distorted negative from an
original carved panel, and the employment of said incorrect or distorted carved
panel as the matrix by which a fac-simile of the original can be produced, as
hereinbefore described.
2. In a carving machine, the employment of multiple rotating and percussive
cutters in combination with a rising and falling plate, to which a negative or reverse
carving is attached, for operating and governing the vertical movements of the
rotating cutters as to depth and contour of cut, all operated in the manner and for
the purpose described and substantially as shown.
3. In a carving machine the construction and arrangement of parts whereby a
transverse and automatic reversible longitudinal movement, is imparted simul-
taneously to the rising and falling plate and panel to be carved, fixed above and
below the cutters respectively, substantially as described and shown.
4. In a machine for reproducing fac-similes of an original relief, bas-relief, or
other style of carvings, the employment of a relatively incorrect or distorted
negative, or reverse carving produced and operated in the manner and for the
purpose described.
5. In a carving machine, the use of multiple rotating and percussive cutters,
constructed and supported in fixed bearings, in the manner substantially as
described and shown with reference to Figure 5 of the annexed drawings.
6. The arrangement for attaching the wood, or other panel, to the movable plate,
and the means for raising and lowering same to the required height as described
and shown with reference to Figures 4 and 6.
7. The improved apparatus shown in the annexed drawings, and method of
operating same for reproducing fac-similes of wood, or other panel carvings, as
set forth.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Caesar Hass.
COOL HOIRTAY
in Con HAI CUU nana