IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARA- TUS FOR CUTTING, SPLITTING, OR CHOPPING WOOD, TOBACCO, CHAFF, OR ANY KIND OF FOOD FOR CATTLE, AND OTHER THINGS." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Edwards, of City Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARA-
TUS FOR CUTTING, SPLITTING, OR CHOPPING WOOD, TOBACCO, CHAFF, OR
ANY KIND OF FOOD FOR CATTLE, AND OTHER THINGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edwards at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th February 1878.
JOHN EDWARDS, of City Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING, SPLITTING, OR CHOPPING
WOOD, TOBACCO, CHAFF, OR ANY KIND OF FOOD FOR CATTLE, AND OTHER THINGS.”
My Invention more particularly relates to improvements in apparatus or machinery
for cutting, splitting, or chopping wood for the purposes of fire lighting, but it may
be for other purposes, such as those named.
In working my Invention I use a wheel constructed in such manner that the
flange or projecting rim is on one side of the arms or spokes and may be placed at
either right angles to the arms or spokes, or any angle that may be found most
suitable for the effectual operation to the material employed. Inside this flange,
that is to say, the side of flange or rim that is nearest to the shaft or spindle on
which the wheel revolves, I place a series of cutters or projecting knives for the
purpose of splitting or dividing the material into equal or irregular size pieces, the
points of these said knives to be pointing towards the centre of the wheel.
I also place a knife or knives in such manner that it or they will cut or split the
material at right angles to the aforesaid cutters or projecting knives, and so perform
the operation of forcing the material away from the machine through apertures
which are formed in the rim or flange of the said wheel. The wheel is mounted on
a shaft or spindle supported on two standards, and running in suitable bearings
with fast and loose pulleys for driving the same; or it may if preferred be driven
by hand or other gear.

page_text: The material to be cut or chopped may be fed towards the cutters by hand,
or any well-known feed motion, either automatically or independently of the
wheel through a hopper or any contrivance which is most suitable for the particular
material being operated on.
I do not, however, claim any novelty in my Invention with regard to feeding
apparatus for material, but what I claim is,-
That the wood or other material shall be made to travel from (and not towards)
the spindle or shaft on which the wheel revolves, which will cause the wood or
other material when separated from the bulk to be thrown through the apertures or
openings in the rim of the wheel, so as to be entirely clear of the machine, and thus
preventing the material from being damaged or broken, as it would be if brought
in contact with the revolving wheel.
I also claim the placing of the cutters or projecting knives inside the rim or
flange of wheel with the cutting parts pointing towards the centre of the said
wheel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th August
1878.
'IM-
JOHN EDWARDS, of City Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer.
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING, SPLITTING, OR CHOPPING
WOOD, TOBACCO, CHAFF, OR ANY KIND OF FOOD FOR CATTLE, AND OTHER THINGS."
My Invention consists in improvements in machinery or apparatus for cutting,
splitting, or chopping wood and other materials, but especially adapted for chopping
wood into suitable pieces for the purposes of fire lighting.
In putting my Invention into practice I employ a wheel which is supported on
both sides by standards which are supplied with suitable bearings to carry the shaft
or spindle on which the wheel revolves. I prefer the wheel to revolve vertically,
but it may, if desired, revolve in a horizontal position.
On each side of the arms or web of the said wheel I have a projecting flange
or rim for carrying the knives or cutters for operating on the material which
it may be desired to out, split, or chop into widths and thicknesses. On these
said flanges or rims I secure sets of knives or cutters in such manner that the
cutting edges or points of them shall be inside the flanges or rims, as I desire
to operate on the said material from the inside of wheel instead of the outside,
as at present performed, agreeable to which arrangement I feed the material
into contact with the knives or cutters in a direction from the centre on which
the wheel revolves instead of towards it.
And in order that my said Invention may be more fully understood, I will proceed
to describe the Sheet of Drawings which I have annexed hereto.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the said wheel which revolves on the shaft or
spindle H, showing one of the side frames B. Also one of the standards C (which
is used to support the necessary feed motion).

page_text: In my Drawings I have shewn two sets of knives or cutters on each side, but it
will be readily understood that by increasing the diameter of the said wheel, the
number of knives could be increased accordingly.
The arrow on the flange of wheel indicates the direction in which the wheel
revolves.
The large knives marked G are the knives which cut or split parallel to the shaft H
on which the wheel revolves.
In order to fix these said knives, as shewn on Drawing, it is necessary to cut a
portion of flange or rim away, which space allows the material when operated on to
be thrown or forced away from the machine; these spaces are marked X.
The smaller knives marked J are the knives which cut or split at right angles to
the knives G, with their cutting edges pointing towards the shaft on which the
wheel revolves, and may be placed at any position on the flange or rim of wheel
which would be found most desirable for the particular material being operated on.
F is the floor or foundation on which the machine would stand. C, C, are the
standards whose tops support the material in position while being operated on,
which material is shewn by E, the arrow immediately above it denoting the
direction in which it travels towards the knives G, G, and J, J, J, when the machine
is in motion.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the said machine shewing the standards B, B, on each side, also
the standards C, C; on one end of the shaft H are the fast and loose pulleys D, D,
for driving the said wheel, or where practicable, if desired, the machine may bo
driven by hand or other power.
Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the flange or rin shewing one mode of
securing the large knives G. It also shews the apertures X through which the
material is forced after being chopped or cut by the knife G when the machine
is in motion.
Fig. 4 is also a side view of a portion of the flange or rim shewing the small
knives J whose cutting points project from the internal diameter of the said flange
or rim, and are secured by pins or cotters passing through the said knives J, thus
preventing the said knives from coming out while the machine is in motion.
Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of the said wheel A, looking towards its internal
diameter, shewing the smaller knives J.
Fig. 6 is an end view of standards C, C, shewing manner in which it is constructed
to form a steady resisting surface for material while being operated on.
I have not shewn any feeding apparatus for material, as any well-known feed
motion can be used, either automatically with the said wheel A, or independently,
or by pushing the material into contact with the knives by hand.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention, and the means
of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,
the arrangement of the knives or cutters, whereby the said knives or cutters shall
project from the internal diameter of the rim or flange of the said wheel, and that
the material to be operated on shall be fed in a direction from the centre on which
the wheel A revolves, which will cause the material, after being chopped or split by
the knives or cutters G and J, to be thrown or forced entirely clear of the machine
through the apertures or spaces marked X.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Edwards, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JOHN EDWARDS.
(L.S.)