Improvements in Producing Objects in Relief from Flat Plates or Sheets.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 29th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1900
[Communicated from abroad by MICHELE ANTONINI, of Rome, in the Kingdom
of Italy, Gentleman.].
Improvements in Producing Objects in Relief from Flat Plates
or Sheets.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, G, Lord
Street, Liverpool, and G, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lan-
caster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is a method of obtaining a relief effect in
all kinds of fretwork by means of vertical saws.
The method consists essentially in giving a position inclined towards the
horizon to the holder or support of the plate to be cut by reason of which the
cut surface will incline towards the perpendicular, that is, be bevelled. The
invention is based on this principle, and it is specially adapted for round, oval
or square objects, such as picture frames.
In order to make a picture frame according to this invention the outlines of
the frame are cut in the desired shape out of a flat piece of wood, which rests on
a deeply recessed support (fretwork table); after this an inner design is sawn out
in any desired contour but substantially parallel with the outer line, and within
the inner line, that is, a trifle nearer the centre or the object to be framed.
another line which must again be substantially parallel but may otherwise be of
any desired contour, and so on until the innermost line, that namely which is
next the picture, is cut out.
In this manner a given number of borders or rings is obtained which together
forms the complete frame. If the fretwork table has been so adjusted that the
lines are cut tapering downwards, it is evident that the inner rings or borders can-
not fall through owing to the outermost one supporting them, whilst if each
ring is pressed down somewhat from above, it will sink down more or less accord-
ing to the angle of inclination of the cut surface beneath the original level;
but remain jointly supported in the outer border by reason of its bevel.
The totality of these borders thus pressed together present the appearance of
a single frame carved in steps or angles because the grain of the wood, the
veining of the marble, or the like runs consecutively.
It is obvious that by means of a fretwork table set at the complementary angle
a pyramidal effect can be obtained instead of a step-wise recessed one.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 illustrates a piece of fret saw work, such as a photograph frame
made according to the process described above.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section thereof.
Figures 3 and 4 show in plan view the position of the cut lines from the other.

page_text: b, c, d and e are the separate inwardly tapering and contracted borders; fon
the contrary has a raised inner line shown as in Figure 3, made by means of
the adjustment of the fretwork table.
The separate borders can be fixed by means of any suitable binding material
applied at the back.
The separate borders may also be painted, carved, gilded covered with paper or
material or otherwise decorated.
Improvements in Producing Objects in Relief from Flat Plates
or Sheets.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord
Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lan-
caster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick.
Civil Engineer, 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:-
The present invention has for its object a process for obtaining in a simple
and economical way a sculpture-like relief effect in all kinds of fretwork by
means of vertical saw in wood or any other suitable material.
The process consists substantially in giving a position inclined towards the
horizontal to the holder or support of the plate to be cut by reason of which the
cut surface, the saw remaining vertical, will incline towards the perpendicular,
that is, will be bevelled. The invention is based on this principle, and it is
especially adapted for round, oval or square objects, such as picture frames.
In the annexed drawings a picture frame has been shewn as an example, but
any other form of execution may be easily understood from the description of
this example.
Figure 1 shews a plan view of a table cut according to the new process from
a wooden plate.
Figure 2 is a section of said plate.
Figure 3 is also a section but shewing the cut rings or borders pressed down i.c.
amphitheatrically displaced the ones relatively to the others.
In order to make a picture frame according to this invention the outlines
of the frame are cut in the desired shape out of a flat piece of wood or other
suitable material, which rests on a support (fretwork table), after this an inner
design bis sawn out in any desired contour but substantially parallel with the
outer line, and within the inner line, that is, a trifle nearer the centre of the
object to be framed, another line 6, which must again be substantially parallel
but may otherwise be of any desired contour, and so on until the innermost line g
that namely which is next the picture, is cut out.
In this manner a given number of borders or rings h, i, j, k, 1, m is obtained
which together form the complete frame. If the fretwork table has been
adjusted in a position inclined towards the horizontal, so that for example the
lines b, c, d are cut tapering downwards Figures 2 and 3, it is evident that the

page_text: inner rings or borders i, j, k, l, m cannot fall through owing to the outermost one h
supporting them, whilst if each ring is pressed down somewhat from above, it
will sink down more or less, according to the angle of inclination of the cut
surface beneath the original level of border, but remain jointly supported in
the outer border by reason of its bevel.
It is obvious that in order to give the cuts e f an outward or upward inclina-
tion, i.e. opposite to that of cuts b, c, d, it will not be necessary to reverse the
angle of inclination of the holder or fretwork table, but it will suffice for cutting
the borders k, 1. m, to turn the plate in opposite direction, so that the saw works
for example at the right of the axial line of the frame provided that it was work-
ing before at the left of it, and vice versa. The borders k, 1, m may then be
pressed or displaced the ones respectively to the others in an upward direction.
The totality of these borders thus pressed together present the appearance of
a single frame carved in steps or angles because the grain of the wood, the vein-
ing of the marble, or the like runs consecutively.
The separate borders can be fixed by means of any suitable binding material
applied at the back, and also be painted, carved gilded, covered with paper or
other material or otherwise decorated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
A process for obtaining sculpture-like relief effects by simple fretwork pro-
duced by vertical saws, consisting in giving the holder or fretwork table on which
the table of wood or other material to be worked is supported, an inclination
towards the horizontal so that the saw remains vertical but the cut faces pro-
duced by the saw are inclined respectively to the faces of the work piece,-and
in thus cutting a certain number of borders or rings of any varying but sub-
stantially parallel contours, and in then pressing down i.c. displacing the various
borders the ones respectively to the others so as to give them, according as to
whether the inclination of the cuts is to the right or the left, an amphitheatrical
or pyramidal aspect, and in then fixing the borders in position, when desired. by
means of any suitable material applied to the back of them, and at last, when
desired, in colouring, painting, gilding and polishing the visible surface of the
finished picture frame or other article obtained substantially as described.
Deted the 20th love of Dreamber 1800