Improvements in and relating to the Cutting of Veneer and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 18th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by GUSTAVE ADOLPH ONCKEN, of Chicago, Illinois,
United States of America, Civil Engineer.]
Improvements in and relating to the Cutting of Veneer and in
Apparatus therefor.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the cutting of veneers and other thin sheets of wood from
a log or block and to apparatus connected therewith, and the object of the said
invention is to obtain a uniform grain throughout on the dressed surface of the
veneers from the same block or log of wood by cutting the latter lengthwise and
concave through the annual rings.
By the methods heretofore in use for cutting veneers from a block or log of wood
the grain on the surface of the single veneers cut from the same block are specifically
different from another.
But in order to obtain from a log or block of wood veneers having almost equal
grain throughout the square or cylindrical log is cut into veneers by actuating a
reciprocating knife in such a manner, that a concave cutting surface throughout the
whole length of the log is obtained. The knife is to be adapted, while cutting the
veneers from the log to concave the same and the log is to be advanced against
the knife previous to cach cut a distance equal to the thickness of each slice to be
cut and after the cut is by a cam or wedge movement withdrawn sufficiently to clear
the path of the returning knife. The block is cut from two opposite sides until
close to its heart, so that the remaining portion will show a concavo-concave cross
section. This concavo-concave portion may also be divided into small pieces by
cutting it at right angles to the former cutting faces and in the same manner as
aforesaid.
The veneers cut according to this improved method from a cylindrical or square
block are comparatively broader than those cut in the ordinary manner and as each
cut of the knife is performed equally through the annual rings of the tree the dressed
surface of all the veneers cut from the same block will have a more uniform grain
than by any other cutting method hitherto known and even if compared with those
obtained by cutting the block couvex instead of concave.
In the machine serving to carry this invention into practice the log resting upon a
support is rigidly secured in the direction of its axis between suitable claws, the
latter are provided with right and left-hand female screw threads fitting upon a
correspondingly threaded spindle. In the middle of the said spindle a worm wheel
is mounted, which engages with a worm journalled in the said support and carrying upon
its axis a hand wheel by means of which the said claws may be displaced. The two
ends of the spindle are also journalled in the said support and the latter slides at
its two ends in vertical guides of the main frame of the machine under the action of
the vertically arranged screw-spindles. By the aid of the latter the said support is
at regular intervals advanced towards the horizontally actuating knife frame and
withdrawn at cach cut in order that the block may clear the path of the reciprocating
knife on its return movement. This knife-frame is supported by suitable carriages
sliding upon borizontal concave guides of the main frame of the machine and as the
knife frame is also adapted to slide horizontally on the said carriages and at right
angles to the path of the latter the veneer is cut from the block under the
joint movement of the knife parallel and at right angles to the axis of the block.
The machine is driven from a pulley mounted on a horizontal main-shaft which

page_text: is journalled in the main frame and actuates by means of a pair of pinions and spur
wheels an intermediate horizontal shaft carrying on each of its extreme ends a pair
of crank discs. The crank pins of these discs are connected by pitmen to suitable
pins of the said carriages in order to impart, through the medium of the latter a
to-and-fro motion to the said knife-frame according to the path of the said concave
guides connected to the main frame.
The intermediate horizontal shaft is adapted to drive a vertical intermediate shaft
by the aid of a chain motion and a pair of bevel gears. This vertical shaft is
journalled at its upper end in common with the aforesaid intermediate horizontal
shaft in a bracket and it carries there an eccentric which is connected by a rod to a
ball pivot attached to the knife frame and to the latter it imparts the herein before
mentioned reciprocating horizontal motion upon the said carriages parallel to the
axis of the block. Although this reciprocating motion of the knife frame could be
obtained in view of the to-and-fro motion of the carriages when simply connecting
the same by means of a pitman to a stationary pivot of the machine, it is preferred
to employ an agitated eccentric in order to overcome the dead points otherwise
appearing at the end of each stroke of the knife frame.
The said intermediate vertical shaft is furthermore adapted to drive by means of a
pinion and spur-wheel another vertical shaft carrying a cam in the path of which is
placed the projection of a horizontal rod actuating the mechanism for advancing the
block against the knifo and adjusting the cut. This adjusting rod is guided by a pair
of stationary brackets of the main frame as well as by a bracket and the nut of an
adjusting screw and it is connected at its inner end through the medium of a pitman
to a double-armed lever which is adapted to turn according to the to-and-fro inove-
ment of the said adjusting rod upon a third vertical shaft and to actuate by means of
a friction cam secured at its second arm, a friction wheel mounted upon the said
third vertical shaft.
The reciprocating movement of the adjusting rod is caused on one hand by a coiled
spring situated between the said nut and the fixed bracket of the adjusting scrow,
and on the other hand by the said cam for the purpose of periodically actuating the
said third vertical shaft. As the stroke of the adjusting rod by displacement of its
projection through the said adjusting screw the oscillating motion of the friction cam
attached to the said double armed lever and consequently the intermittent rotating
motion of the said third vertical shaft are to be proportionally varied, the thickness
of the veneers cut by the knife can be regulated by simply turning the hand wheel
of the said adjusting screw correspondingly, whereas the motion of the third vertical
shaft is transmitted upon the support of the log of wood as will be hereinafter
described. The length of the stroke of the adjusting rod and consequently the
thickness of the veneer at a certain cut depending upon the former is duly indicated
upon a dial by a hand connected to the said friction cam on the double armed lever.
This cam however may be entirely disengaged from the corresponding friction wheel
by means of an excentric or lever in case it should be intended to stop the advance
of the block towards the knife. The transmission of the intermittent rotating motion
of the said friction wheel and its shaft is performed simultaneously by means of a
chain gearing, of which the driven chain wheels, being fitted upon a pair of axially
movable bushings which are provided with female screw threads corresponding to
the thread of the before-mentioned vertical screw-spindles carrying the block-support
and upon which they are rotated by the said chain wheels to advance the support of
the block.
In consequence of the intermittent rotating motion of the said bushing upon the
said vertical support spindles the block to be cut is periodically advanced against the
knife and the latter thereby caused to cut the veneer of the desired thickness.
The progressive motion of the support and of the log is caused by the hereinbefore
described means during the backward motion of the knife frame, therefore, the block
needs to be previously retracted a certain distance in order to clear the path of the
returning knife and in due time to be set in position towards the knife, that a regular
cut may be performed.

page_text: This periodical withdrawal of the block of wood is caused by the weight of the
support and adjusted by the to-and-fro motion of two forks the prongs of which
surrounding the said bushings of the vertical support spindles are provided with
horizontally inclined faces upon which the support through the medium of the
vertical screw spindles, the said rotating nuts or bushings and suitable cheeks rests.
The latter are adapted to admit the axial and rotating movement of the said bushings
and to fit to the inclined faces of the forks which are caused to slide between the
said cheeks according to the movement of a rotating cam performing the to-and-fro
motion of the said forks. As the inclined faces of the said forks are exactly parallel
to another, both are actuating simultaneously and in the same sense in such a manner
that on each revolution of their actuating cam the support is once with-drawn from
and once set again into its normal position to the knife, that is to say, the one during
which the knife performs its backward motion and the one during which the latter is
actuated to cut a veneer from the block on the support. The motion required to
advance the block against the knife for a fresh cut is imparted to the support and
the mechanism hereinbefore mentioned; while the support is in the withdrawn position.
The vertical shaft carrying said fork-operating cam is continually rotated by means
of a chain-gearing from that vertical shaft operating the above mentioned adjusting
rod.
In order to allow the log on the support to be easily adjusted a quick motion in
either direction may be transmitted to the latter directly from the inain driving shaft
by connecting to one of said bushings or nuts of the said vertical support spindles
a bevel wheel gearing with a corresponding wheel which is mounted upon a short
horizontal shaft being journalled in standards beneath the main frame. The short
shaft carries one fast pulley and two loose ones which are connected by an open and
a crossed belt to corresponding loose and fast pulleys upon the main horizontal shaft.
By shifting the one or the other of these belts upon the fixed middle pulleys the said
hevel gears and chain wheels are turned in one or the other direction, and therefore
the support with the log raised or lowered accordingly.
In this class of machines in which the knife frame has a reciprocal motion, the
cutting edge of the knife and the edge of the presser har must be in a plane in every
point perpendicular to the movement of the knife frame, so that the knife has only to
sustain a pressure perpendicular to its cutting edge, while the presser bar takes up
all the side pressure from the feeding device.
The yielding presser strip or bar having a uniform movement throughout its length,
as used in machinery for making a continuous board from a log of wood and described
in the Specification of a former Letters Patent No. 15728 dated November 16th 1857
may also be used in combination with that class of machine in which the knife or
log has a reciprocal movement. Instead of making the said presser strip together
with the slide upon which it is fixed, yielding from one end to the other, the slide may
be stationary in relation to the knife frame in which case it is customary to produce
said presser strip out of a certain number of small pieces, each of which to be
attached separately to the said slide and a layer of elastic material such as india-
rubber, is placed between the single parts of the presser strip and the said slide, so
that each part may yield independently from the others under the pressure of and
according to the varying resistance, which the wood may offer at any point during the
forward motion of the log in the direction towards the presser strip.
I wish it however clearly understood that this presser strip composed of a number
of single pieces as set forth may be also used together with a yielding slide of the
kind described in the Specification of the above mentioned prior Letters Patent.
11
1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Cutting of Veneer and in
Apparatus therefor.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 the cutting of veneers and other thin sheets of wood from
a log or block and to apparatus connected therewith; and the object of the said
invention is to obtain a uniform grain throughout on the dressed surface of the
veneers from the same block or log of wood by cutting the latter lengthwise and
concave through the annular rings. I attain the object (to perform instead of a plane
cut a concave one) by means of the machinery illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which―
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the entire machine on the line X X,
Figure 3.
Figure 2 a front view of the machine, partly in section.
Figure 3 a top view of the entire machine.
n
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the mechanism for imparting a
reciprocating horizontal motion to the knife carriage.
Figure 5 is a similar view of the lower end of one of the block-support-adjusting
rods and its bushings or bearings.
Figure 6 is a diagrammatical plane view of the means for operating said rods.
Figure 7, of which Figure 7 shows a modification, is a cross section, and,
Figure 8, a top view partly in horizontal section, of the knife-frame and the
flexible presser-bar.
Figure 9 represents the diagram of a cross-section of a log or block of wood as
may be employed in my machine, and
Figures 10 and 11 are the respective views of the dressed surface of pieces of
veneer cut, respectively, after the line I I and II II of Figure 9.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
In order to obtain from a log or block of wood vencers having almost equal grain
throughout, the square or cylindrical log is cut into veneers by actuating a recipro-
cating knife in such a manner that a concave cutting-surface throughout the whole
length of the log is obtained. The knife is to be adapted while cutting the veneers
from the log to concave the same, as indicated by the line I I Figure 9, and the log
is to be advanced against the knife previous to each cut a distance equal to the
thickness of each slice to be cut and after the cut, is by a cam or wedge movement
withdrawn sufficiently to clear the path of the returning knife. The block is cut from
two opposite sides until close to its heart, so that the romaining portion will show a
concavo-concave cross-section. This concavo-concave portion may also be divided
into small pieces by cutting it at right angles to the former cutting-faces and in the
same manner as aforesaid. The veneers cut according to this improved method from
a cylindrical or square block are comparatively broader than those cut in the ordinary
manner, and as each cut of the knife is performed equally through the annular rings
of the tree the dressed surface of all the veneers cut from the same block will have a
uniform grain.
In the machine serving to carry my invention into practice, and in which A is the
main frame, the log resting upon a support 69 is rigidly secured in the direction of
its axis between suitable claws a a'. The latter are provided with right and left hand
female screw-threads fitting upon the correspondingly-threaded spindle 6 6¹. In the
middle of the said spindle a worm-wheel & is mounted, which engages with a worm b³,
journalled in the support 6 and carrying upon its axis a hand-wheel 64 by means of
which the said claws a a¹ may be displaced. The two ends of the spindle 6 bare

page_text: also journalled in the said support, and the latter slides at its two ends in vertical
guides 67 68 of the main frame A of the machine under the action of the vertically-
arranged screw-spindles cc. By the aid of the latter the screw or spindle 6 6¹ is at
regular intervals advanced toward the horizontally-actuated knife-frame d and
withdrawn at each cut in order that the block may clear the path of the reciprocating
knife on its return movement. This knife-framed is supported by suitable carriages f
sliding upon horizontal concave guides e' of the main frame of the machine, and as
the knife-frame is also adapted to slide horizontally on the carriages ffl and at right
angles to the path of the latter the veneer is cut from the block under the joint
movement of the knife parallel and at right angles to the axis of the block.
The machine is driven from a pulley h, mounted on a horizontal main shaft h¹
which is journalled in the main frame and actuates, by means of a pair of pinions h² h³
and spur-wheels an intermediate horizontal shaft i carrying on each of its
extreme ends a pair of crank-discs f³. The crank pins of these discs are connected
by pitmen ff to suitable pins 7 of the carriages in order to impart through
the medium of the latter a to-and-fro motion to the said knife-frame, according to
the path of the said concave guides e e' connected to the main frame.
The intermediate horizontal shaft i is adapted to drive a vertical intermediate
shaft by the aid of a chain, chain wheels and a pair of bevel-gears k¹ k².
This vertical shaft is journalled at its upper end in common with the aforesaid
intermediate horizontal shaft in the bracket ko, Figure and it carries there an
eccentric g, which is connected by a rod g¹ to a ball-pivot g, attached to the knife-
frame d, and to the latter it imparts the hereinbefore-mentioned reciprocating
horizontal motion upon the carriages ff parallel to the axis of the block. Although
this reciprocating motion of the knife frame could be obtained in view of the to-and-
fro motion of the carriages ff when simply connecting the same by means of a pitman
to a stationary pivot of the machine, I prefer to employ an agitated eccentric in order
to overcome the dead points otherwise appearing at the end of each stroke of the
knife-frame. The said intermediate vertical shaft k is furthermore adapted to drive
by means of a pinion and spur-wheel another vertical shaft L, carrying a cam 1º,
in the path of which is placed a projection or roller m² of a horizontal rod m
actuating the mechanism for advancing tho block against the knife and adjusting the
cnt. This adjusting rod m is guided by a pair of stationary brackets m³ mº of the
main frame, as well as by a bracket m* and the nut m of an adjusting-screw m³ and
it is connected at its inner end, through the medium of a pitman m Figure 3, to a
double-armed lever n, which is adapted to turn according to the to-and-fro movement
of the said adjusting rod m upon a third vertical shaft p, and to actuate by means of
a friction-cam o, secured at its second arm, a friction-wheel p mounted upon the said
shaft p².
n,
The reciprocating movement of the adjusting-rod m is caused on one hand by a
coiled spring m', situated between the said nut m and the fixed bracket m* of the
adjusting-screw m³, and on the other hand by the said cam of the revolving shaft L,
for the purpose of periodically actuating the vertical shaft pl. As the stroke of the
adjusting rod m by displacement of the roller m' through the said adjusting-screw m³,
the oscillating motion of the friction can o, attached to the said double armed lever
and consequently the intermittent rotating motion of the shaft p, are to bo
proportionally varied, the thickness of the veneers cut by the knife can be regulated
by simply turning the hand-wheel in of the adjusting-screw correspondingly, whereas
the motion of the shaft p' is transmitted upon the support 6 of the log of wood, as
will be hereinafter described. The length of the stroke of the adjusting-rod m, and
consequently the thickness of the veneer at a certain cut depending upon the former,
is duly indicated upon a dial o' by a hand o³ connected to the said friction-cam on
the double arined lever n. This cam, however, may be entirely disengaged from the
corresponding friction-wheel p by means of an eccentric or lever o in case it should
be intended to stop the advance of the block toward the knife. The transmission of
the intermittent rotating motion of the said friction-wheel pand its shaft p' is performed
simultaneously by means of a chain gearing pº, p³, p³, p³, of which the driveu chain-

page_text: wheels p, are fitted upon a pair of axially-movable bushings sº, s*, Figure 5,
which are provided with female screw-threads corresponding to the thread of the
before-mentioned vertical screw-spindles c, el carrying the block-support, and upon
which they are rotated by the said chain-wheels ³, p to advance the support of
the block. In consequence of the intermittent rotating motion of the said bushings sº 3*
upon the said vertical support spindles e c¹ the block to be cut is periodically
advanced against the knife, and the latter thereby caused to cut the veneer of the
desired thickness.
The progressive motion of the support and of the log is caused by the herein-
before described means during the backward inotion of the knife-frame d. Therefore
the block needs to be previously retracted a certain distance in order to clear the
path of the returning knife and in due time to be set in position toward the knifo
that a regular cut may be performed. This periodical withdrawal of the block of
wood is caused by the weight of the support and adjusted by the to-and-fro
motion of two forks rr, the prongs of which surrounding the said bushing sº 5* of
the vertical support spindles, are provided with horizontally-inclined faces, upon
which the support 6 through the medium of the vertical screw-spindles e c¹ the said
rotating nuts or bushings & s* and suitable cheeks ss' rests. The latter are adapted
to admit the axial and rotating movement of the said bushings and to fit to the inclined
faces of the forks rr¹ which are caused to slide between the said checks ss according
to the movement of a rotating cam 9 performing the to-and-fro motion of the said
forks. As the inclined faces of the said forks are exactly parallel to each other, both
are actuated simultaneously and in the same sense in such a manner that on each
revolution of their actuating cam 9 the support is once withdrawn from and once
set again into its normal position to the knife that is to say:-the one during which
the knife performs its backward motion and the one during which the latter is
actuated to cut a veneer from the block on the support 6°. The motion required to
advance the block against the knife for a fresh cut is imparted to the support and
the mechanism herein before mentioned while the support is in the withdrawn position.
The vertical shaft v, carrying said fork-operating cam 9, is continually rotated by means
of a chain o and the chain-wheels u w from that vertical shaft operating the above
mentioned adjusting rod m.
In order to allow the log on the support 6 to be easily adjustod, a quick motion
in either direction may be transmitted to the latter directly from the main driving-
shaft by connecting to one of said bushings or nuts sº, Figure 2 of the said vertical
support-spindles a bevel-wheel gearing with a corresponding wheel which is
mounted upon a short horizontal shaft a being journalled in standards beneatli
the main frame. The short shaft carries one tight pulley and two loose
pulleys which are connected by an open belt z and a crossed belt to corre-
sponding loose and tight pulleys y y' y upon the main horizontal shaft. By
shifting the one or the other of those belts upon the tight middle pulleys y the
said bevel gears and chain wheels 2 pt are turned in one or the other
direction, and therefore the support 6° with the log raised or lowered accordingly.
While adjusting the block by the means set forth the feeding device may be
disengaged by simply turning the lever o Figure 3 so as to turn the friction cam o
out of gear with the friction-pulley p. In this class of machines, in which the knife
frame has a reciprocal motion, the cutting edge of the knife and the edge of the
presser-bar must be in a plane in every point perpendicular to the movement of the
knife-frame so that the knife has only to sustain a pressure perpendicular to its
cutting edge while the presser bar takes up all the side pressure from the feeding
device.
The yielding pressure strip or bar having a uniform movement throughout its
length, as used in machinery for cutting a continuous board from a log of wood may
also be used in combination with that class of machine in which the knife or log has
a reciprocal movement. Instead of making the said presser-bar together with the slide
upon which it is fixed, yielding from one end to the other, the slide ; Figures ?
and 8 may be stationary in relation to the knife-frame d in which case I am accustomed

page_text: of
to produce such presser-bar out of a certain number of small pieces each of which
to be attached separately to the said slide ; by means of bolts and a layer
elastic material such as india-rubber is placed between the single parts of the presser-
bar and the said slide; so that each part may yield independently from the
others under the pressure of and according to the varying resistance which the wood
may offer at any point during the forward motion of the log in the direction toward
the presser-bar. Although this arrangement of presser-bar will suit for ordinary
cases, I sometimes provide each part of the presser-bar with a separate roller 7
which will serve to bear against the block to be cut and to reduce the friction other-
wise occurring if the presser-bar touches the wood directly, Figure 7".
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In a machine for cutting from a log or block of wood boards or veneers the
knife-frame having a to-and-fro transverse and a reciprocal longitudinal movement over
a concaved carriage or bearings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. In a machine for cutting from a log or block of wood boards and
veneers, the combination of the reciprocating knife-frame and the log-supports guided
upon separate agitated carriages with the concave guideways and the mechanisms
for periodically advancing the log toward the knife, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Third. In a machine for cutting from a log or block of wood boards or veneers,
the combination of the reciprocating frame, the carriages travelling upon a concave
guideway the rotating eccentric g, the pivot g' and the eccentric-rod 9' substantially
as and for the purpose described.
Fourth. In a machine for cutting from a log or block of wood boards or vencers
by a reciprocating knife, the combination of the support carrying the block, the
screw-spindles cc' the bushings sº s actuated by a chain gearing with the friction
wheel p the oscillating lever n and the friction-cam o, substantially as, and for the
purpose specified.
Fifth. The combination in a machine for cutting from a block or log of wood
boards or veneers, of the block-support, the transporting spindles, the bushings or
nuts axially movable in the agitating wheels ³p the fork-ended rod 7³ the prongs
of which having inclined side-faces, the cheeks's s¹ and the rotating cam substantially
as set forth.
Sixth. The combination in a machine for cutting from a block or log of wood
boards or veneers, of the mechanism for advancing the block-support toward the knife
and the cut-adjusting mechanism consisting of the a ljusting screw m³ nut in rod m,
projection m', coiled spring m' and the rotating cam substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
Seventh. In a machine for cutting from a log or block of wood boards or veneers,
the knife-frame having a to-and-fro transverse and a reciprocal longitudinal move-
ment over a concaved bearing and provided with a lower cutting-knife and an upper
presser-bar having a uniform yielding movement throughout its length, substantially
as set forth.
DL: 10.1 1
sted this 10th day of September 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.