NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR TURNING, THURMING, AND SHAPING Wood
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Llewellyn, of Lancaster, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR TURNING, THURMING, AND SHAPING Wood.”
Sealed the 1st September 1877, and dated the 17th March 1877.
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Llewellyn at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th March 1877.
THOMAS LLEWELLYN, of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist.
"NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR TURNING, THURMING, AND
SHAPING WOOD."
My Invention relates, 1st, to the turning of wood, and 2ndly, to what is known
as "thurming," the latter term being applied to a process in cabinet making, by
which pilasters, posts, legs, and similar work are worked in a succession of mouldings
on the square, either with four, five, six, seven, or eight equal sides, as the case may
require, and which process has heretofore been performed by hand.
In carrying out the 1st part of my Invention, which relates to turning, I employ
a spindle or cutter block, which is square or hexagonal or otherwise, as the number
of cutters may require, and is driven by two small pulleys at a speed of say 3,000
revolutions per minute. The article to be operated upon is held by two headstocks,
which may be placed at any required distance apart, so as to take any length of
work, their position or distance apart being regulated as in ordinary lathes. The
whole bed, including a tail piece and slide, which carries an intermediate spur wheel,
is fixed upon a sliding table, so that when work is fixed in the headstocks, it
can be run under the cutters by means of a hand wheel and screw. The perpen-
dicular distance between the cutters and the centre of the headstocks is regulated by
another hand wheel with corresponding screws, which raise or lower the table slides,
headstocks, and other connections. When the work is fixed the cutter block is set
in motion, and the table is screwed towards the cutters.
A spindle carried by one of the headstocks, and on which is mounted one of the
centres, and a spur wheel in gear, with the intermediate wheel before mentioned, is
prevented on coming in contact with the cutters from being driven by them by
Prine Gd1

page_text: means of a small spring catch, which only allows it to revolve in the required direc-
tion, and the table still sliding forward, whilst the direction of the cutters maintains
the spindle tight against the spring, the work is cut down to the proper diameter
before the spindle revolves, the revolution of the spindle taking place immediately;
when the cutters have reached the proper depth by reason of the intermediate wheel
being then brought into gear with a pinion mounted by preference on the main shaft;
this may be caused to take place at any diameter by altering the position of a slide
piece, which slides upwards in the tail piece, or the position of the intermediate
wheel in a slot, in which its axis is fitted, so as to cause it to come into gear; when
the proper depth has been reached, the spindle then moves once round, and the work
is finished.
•
In carrying out the 2nd part of my Invention, the operation of thurming is per-
formed automatically in the following manner :-The intermediate wheel and the
pinion are out of action, and are prevented from coming into contact by loosening a
bolt and allowing the slide piece to hang down. The work is held in the same manner
as in turning, except that a pin is inserted into the headstock, so as to fit into one
of two series of holes provided in a dividing block mounted on the spindle, one
series consisting of say six holes at equal intervals, and the other of eight holes.
The pin is placed in say hole No. 1 of the second series, and the work is fixed; the
table is then run under the revolving cutters as in turning, causing the work to
become smooth on the upward surface; the pin is then removed, and the dividing
block moved round to the extent of the distance between two holes, and so another
surface is formed angular with the first, and thus by fitting the pin in each hole in
succession an octagon is formed, and by fitting it in each intermediate hole a square
is produced, whilst by means of the other series of holes a hexagon is formed, and
so on, according to the arrangement of the holes and the adjustment of the pin.
In thurming or shaping pilasters, posts, or similar kinds of work, too long for the
lathe, the lathe is removed from the table, and the work fastened to the latter, and
passed under the cutters in the manner herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Llewellyn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
September 1877.
"
THOMAS LLEWELLYN, of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist.
'NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR TURNING, THURMING, AND
SHAPING WOOD."
My said Invention relates, first, to the turning of wood, and secondly, to what is
known as thurming or therming, such term being applied to a process in cabinet
making, by which pilasters, posts, lets, and similar work are worked in a succession
of mouldings on the square, either with four, five, six, seven, eight, or any other
number of equal sides, as the case may require, and which process has heretofore
been performed by hand.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention, which relates to turning, I employ
a spindle or cutter block, which is square or hexagonal or otherwise, as the number
of cutters may require, and is driven at a speed of say 3,000 revolutions per minute.
The article to be operated upon is held by two headstocks, which may be placed at
any required distance apart, so as to take any length of work, their position or
distance apart being regulated as in ordinary lathes. The whole bed, including a
tail piece and adjustable plate, which carries an intermediate spur wheel, is fixed
upon a sliding table, so that when work is fixed in the headstocks it can be run
under the cutters by means of a hand wheel and screw. The perpendicular distance
between the cutters and the centre of the headstocks is regulated by another hand
wheel, with corresponding screws, which raise or lower the table, headstocks, and
other connections.

page_text: In one of the headstocks is mounted a spindle carrying one of the centres and a
spur wheel, which is in gear with the intermediate spur wheel before mentioned;
this spur wheel, when it is brought within the range of a pinion as heroin-after
described, receives a rotatory motion, which is transmitted through the wheel in gear
with the spindle, whereby the work is caused to revolve. As however, when the
work is brought under the operation of the cutters by the motion of the table, thero
would be a liability to the work being rotated by their action, it is necessary to
provide means for preventing the rotation of the work until the requisite period.
This object is effected by means of a small detent or catch, which only allows the
spindle to revolve in the required direction, the cutters maintaining the spindle
tight against such catch. The work is cut down to the proper diameter before the
spindle revolves, the revolution of the spindle taking place immediately when the
cutters have reached the proper depth by reason of the intermediate wheel being
then brought into gear with the pinion before mentioned; this may be caused to
take place at any diameter by altering the position of the adjustable plate, which is
capable of sliding upwards in the tail piece, so as to cause the wheel to come into
gear when the proper depth has been reached, after which the spindle moves once
round and the work is finished.
In carrying out the second part of my Invention the operation of therming is por-
formed by machinery in the following mauner:-The intermediate wheel and the
pinion are out of action, and are prevented from coming into contact by loosening a
bolt and allowing the adjustable plate to hang down. The work is held in the same
manner as in turning, except that a pin is inserted into the headstock so as to fit
into one of two series of holes provided in a dividing block mounted on the spindle,
one scries consisting of say six holes at equal intervals, and the other of eight holes.
The pin is placed in, say hole No. 1 of the second series, and the work is fixed; the
table is then run under the revolving cutters, as in turning, causing the work to become
smooth on the upward surface; the pin is then removed, and the dividing block
moved round to the extent of the distance between two holes, and so another surface
is formed at an angle to the first, and thus by fitting the pin in each hole in succes-
sion an octagon is formed, and by fitting it in each intermediato hole a square is
produced, whilst by ineaus of the other series of holes a hexagon is formed, and so
on, according to the arrangement of the holes and the adjustment of the pin.
In therming or shaping pilasters, posts, or similar kinds of work of great length,
the headstocks, with their appurtenances, are removed from the table, and the work
fastened to the latter direct, and passed under the cutters in the manner herein-before
described.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a side elevation of a turning and therming
machine, constructed according to my said Invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation
of the same; Figure 3 a longitudinal section taken along the line 1—2, in Figure 2,
and Figure 4 is a plan corresponding to Figure 2.
A is the main framing of the machine, provided on its top surface with two
overhanging arms or brackets B, fitted at their extremities C, with bearings in
which the cutter holder D is mounted. This holder is caused to revolve at a high
speed by means of straps (from any suitable prime mover) passed over two pulleys
E, keyed on its opposite ends; it may be either square in section, as shown in
Figure 3, or hexagonal, or of any other polygonal form, according to the number of
cutters employed, which cutters are fitted in grooves a, and are arranged and fixed
in the requisite position to suit the character or design of the work to be
produced.
The article to be operated upon is held between two headstocks F, G, mounted
upon a sliding bed or table H fitted to an inner frame I, the position of the head-
stock G being capable of adjustment to admit of articles of different lengths being

page_text: held by them. The two opposite sides of the frame I are provided with guides b,
along which the bed or table H is caused to slide by means of a screw K, working
in a nut L fitted to the under side of the bed or table H. The screw is actuated
by a hand wheel M mounted on the outer end of a short shaft N, the opposite end
of which carries a bevel wheel O in gear with a corresponding bevel wheel O¹, fast
on the extremity of the screw K, so that by turning the hand wheel M in one
direction or the other the table H will be caused to slide along the guides band
convey the article held between the headstocks F, G, towards or from the cutters
as required. In addition to the horizontal sliding motion, herein-before described,
the bed or table H is capable of being adjusted vertically in order to regulate as
required the distance between the cutters and the centres of the headstocks, which
vertical adjustment is obtained in the following manner:-P, P1, are two screws
passing through sockets Q, Q1, on the frame A, and working in nuts R, R¹, carried
by the frame I. To the lower end of each of these screws there is keyed a bevel
wheel S, S¹, in gear with bevel pinions T, T₁, fast on a horizontal shaft U, working
in bearings c in the main frame A; the bevel wheel S' is also in gear with another
pinion T, keyed on to the inner end of a short horizontal shaft V, which carries at
its outer extremity a hand wheel W for the purpose of rotating the shaft and
thereby transmitting motion through the gearing T, S, T, T, and S to both screws
simultaneously, so as to elevate or lower as required the frame I, together with the
bed or table H and the headstocks F and G.
The article to be operated upon having been fixed between the headstocks F
and G and the height of the table H, properly adjusted, the cutter holder is set in
notion in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3, and the table H is moved forward
so as to bring the article under the action of the cutters which then cut the article
to the required depth on one side only; during this time the article remains
stationary, that is to say, without receiving rotatory motion, it being prevented
from rotating under the action of the cutters by a detent or catch d engaging in a
slot or hole in the spindle f of the head stock F; on the outer end of the spindle f
there is keyed a spur wheel X in gear with another spur wheel Y, which is carried
on an adjustable stud centre Z, fitted to an adjustable plate g, the latter being con-
nected by means of a bolt h to a tail piece i formed on or attached to the head
stock F.
When the bed or table has advanced sufficiently towards the cutters to cause
them to cut the article on one side to the required depth, as herein-before described,
the spur wheel Y has arrived within the range of a pinion k, fast on the driving
shaft, and caused to engage therewith; the wheel Y thus receives a rotatory
motion which is transmitted through the wheel X to the article under operation,
which is thereby caused to rotate slowly in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3,
whilst the cutters continue their action, and after about one revolution of the article
the operation is completed.
-The
The operation of "therming" is performed in the following manner:-'
wheel Y is first thrown out of action by loosening the bolt h, so as to cause the
adjustable plate g, carrying the wheel Y, to hang loose and out of gear with the
pinion and the wheel X. The article to be operated upon is fixed between the
headstocks F and G, and the height of the table having been adjusted it is then
advanced in the manner herein-before described for turning, so as to bring the
article under the action of the cutters which impart to it the desired form or face
on the top thereof. During this operation the article is prevented from rotating
in the headstocks by means of a pin m, screwed into one of two holes n, provided
in a bracket o, secured to the headstock F, the end of the pin entering one of two
series of holes p, p, formed in a sleeve or dividing block q, fitted on to the spindle f
of the headstock F.
When one face of the article has been operated upon by the cutters, the table H
is drawn back sufficiently to admit of the article being partially rotated, so as to
present another side to the action of the cutters, such partial rotation of the article
being effected by turning the wheel X by hand after removing the pin m from the

page_text: hole in the sleeve or dividing block g. The article in its altered position is then
secured by inserting the pin m in another of the holes of the series, and the table
with the article is again advanced towards the cutters, the same oporation being
repeated as many times as there are faces to the article to be operated upon.
Any number of faces may be operated upon in the manner herein-before
described; for example, assuming that the series of holes p consist of eight holes and
the series p of six holes, if the article contains eight sides, that is to say, is
octagonal in section, it will be turned to such an extent at each operation as to
admit of the pin m being inserted in each hole in succession of the series of holes p;
if it contains only four sides the pin will be inserted in each alternate hole of the
same series, whilst if the article contains six sides or three sides the pin m is
inserted in succession in each hole or each alternate hole, as the case may be, of tho
series of holes p'. In like manner any other number of sides forming any angle
with each other may be operated upon by arranging the number and position of the
holes in the dividing block accordingly.
If desired, as for example in the case of articles of great length, the head-
stocks F, G, with their appurtenances may be removed from the table H and the
article to be operated upon secured to the latter direct, and passed under the cutters
in the manner herein-before described, the article being turned and adjustod as
required in order to present the different sides or portions to be operated upon in
succession to the action of the cutters whereby a similar result will be obtained,
By means of this machine pillars, pilasters, posts, legs of furniture and other
similar articles, having three, four, five, six, or any other number of sides may bo
formed with mouldings of any desired description by employing a suitable number
of cutters of the requisite counterpart form.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. A nachinc or apparatus for turning wood, constructed, arranged, and
operating in such a manner that the article under treatment is first cut to the
requisite depth or to any given depth on one side under the action of revolving
cutters, while it is prevented from rotating, and is then reduced over its entire
periphery by its rotation conjointly and simultaneously with the continued action
of the cutters, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by the accom-
panying Drawings.
Secondly. The application and use to and in the thurming or therming and
shaping of wood, of machinery constructed and arranged so as to operate sub-
stantially in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Llewellyn, have to this my Specifi-
tion set my hand and seal, the 10th day of September One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
THOS. LLEWELLYN. (L.S.)