IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR CHOPPING WOOD."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Joseph Ditchburn, of Lewisham, in the County of
Kent, Civil Engineer and Naval Architect, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR CHOPPING WOOD."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Joseph Ditchburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th October 1878.
THOMAS JOSEPH DITCHBURN, of Lewisham, in the County of Kent, Civil
Engineer and Naval Architect. "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR CHOPPING
WOOD."
This Invention relates to a novel mode of constructing and arranging knives,
tools, choppers, or cutters, whereby wood can be cut or chopped up into pieces of
various sizes according to the purposes for which such pieces of wood are to be
used.
By the improved mode of arranging the several parts of the machine, and the
mode of working the same, greater facilities than heretofore possessed by machines
having a similar object in view are obtained or secured.
The improved machinery is principally intended for cutting up short blocks of
timber into firewood, or splints for lucifer matches, but it may be used for cutting
up wood for other purposes.
The main improvement consists in constructing the knife, chopper, or cutter either
in one piece or in several parts with the cutting edges arranged at right angles to
each other, thus W. These knives or cutters are attached to a cast iron block or
cross head, which is capable of moving up or down in guides, and is worked by.
means of cranks, cams, or other suitable devices.

page_text: The material to be cut is fed beneath the knife or knives either direct or at an
angle, and the machine vertically cuts or chops the wood at one action into the
required forms and number of pieces. The knife or knives can be constructed either
separately in Vor other suitable forms which can be properly fixed at suitable
-distances or a single.knife.or_cutter with the cutting edge set at an angle in the
way above described may be employed, but for various reasons it will be found
preferable to form the cutting tool of any convenient number of separate V shaped
cutters assembled together and firmly secured to a moveable block or carrier as
above mentioned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Joseph Ditchburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th April 1879.
THOMAS JOSEPH DITCHBURN, of Lewisham, in the County of Kent, Civil
Engineer and Naval Architect. IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR CHOPPING
WOOD."
ss
This Invention relates to a novel construction and arrangement of knives, tools,
choppers, or cutters, and apparatus for operating the same, whereby wood can be cut
or chopped up into pieces of various sizes according to the purposes for which such
pieces of wood are to be used. By the improved mode of arranging the several
parts of the machine, and the mode of working the same, greater facilities than
heretofore possessed by machines having a similar object in view are obtained or
secured.
The improved machinery is principally intended for cutting up short blocks of
timber into firewood or splints for lucifer matches, but it may be used for cutting
up wood for other purposes.
. The improvements consist in constructing the knife, chopper, or cutter, whether
in one piece or in several parts, with the cutting edges arranged at right angles to
cach other, thus W. These knives or cutters are attached to a cast-iron block or
cross head provided with a series of V grooves, the successive planes whereof are at
right angles to each other, which cross head is capable of moving up and down in
guides in the framing and is worked by means of cranks, cams, or other suitable
devices for giving reciprocating motion. The material to be cut is fed beneath the
knife or knives along a diagonal feed bed arranged at an angle of 45° to the line of
the cross head, the blocks to be cut being fed at each stroke of the knives a distance
not greater than the width of the blades of the cutters, and the machine vertically
cuts or chops the wood at one action into the required forms, square or oblong, and
number of pieces according to the number of knives. The knife or knives can be
constructed either separately in Vor otherwise, in double V or continuous V forms,
and are or is secured by a binding rail and screws on the cross head in the V shaped
grooves thereof.
In the Drawings,-
Fig, 1 is a side view of apparatus constructed for carrying this Invention into
effect.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation, and Fig. 3, a section, at line a, b, Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4, a plan; Fig. 5, detail of cross head grooves; and Figs. 6 and 7 transverse
section and side view of one of the single V knives.
A is the framing of the machine; and A', the upright containing or provided
with the guides whereon works the cross head B provided with a series of V grooves,
as clearly shown in Fig. 5, for reception of and to act as a backing for the upper
part or shanks of the knives V. C is the top rail of the cross head which may be
cast of a piece with the said cross head or be bolted thereto as shown, and against
this said rail C the top of the knives bear at each stroke. D is the binding rail
which is secured, as is clearly shown in Fig 2, by bolts and nuts; E is the diagonal
feed bed; F is the crank wheel connected by link F to the cross head for giving
reciprocating motion thereto, said crank wheel F being geared with and driven
from the spur wheel G on the driving shaft. A fly wheel H is shown for actuating
by hand, but a rigger or shaft will be provided for power driving or otherwise,
as convenient. For feeding the block to be cut, a ratchet feed will be provided of
ordinary kind, and with a toothed feed wheel working under and through the feed
bed E. The sides of the knives will be flat towards the block to be cut and bevelled
on the inner side of the feed, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. In cutting thin splines it
may be necessary to apply a backing block against the block, being cut to prevent
the splines from being split off, and a backward motion will then be given to allow
the cut off portions to fall away.

page_text: Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention in such
wise that the same may be readily carried into practical effect, I claim,-
In apparatus for cutting or chopping wood the V knives secured in and operating
by the reciprocating cross head to cut or chop the blocks fed upon the diagonal feed
bed, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth, and shown by the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Joseph Ditchburn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
THOMAS JOSEPH DITCHBURN. (L.S.) _
In the presence of
WALTER A. BARLOW,
Patent Agent & Engineer,
6, St. Paul's Churchyard,
London.