IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PLANING METAL
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PLANING METAL."
-A communication from abroad by William Sellers, of the City of
Philadelphia, United States of America.
Sealed the 6th January 1863, and dated the 81st July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 31st July 1862.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
5 in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PLANING METAL,"
to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is, first, to simplify the construction of planing
machines for metal. Second, to provide a more thorough system of bracing
the bed between the uprights. Third, to impart a smooth and uniform motion *
to the table, upon which is placed the metal to be planed. Fourth, to place
the pulley shaft so. that its axis may be parallel with the line of motion of the
table, enabling these machines to be placed parallel to lathes, and permitting

page_text: a better arrangement of workshops. Fifth, to impart a feed motion to the
cutting tool by positive gearing, and not by friction, thereby rendering its
movement more certain. Sixth, to operate the feed goaring (for giving the
cutting tool its feed) from the driving gear of the machine in lieu of obtaining
that motion from the table. Seventh, to operate the bell shifter in such a
manner that the belt shall only be moved its own width, thereby diminishing
the wear upon it, and. decreasing the width and weight of the driving
pulleys.
The nature of the Invention consists in furnishing the table of the machine
with a rack of the ordinary construction, and in operating this rack by screw
gearing, which enables the driving shaft to cross the bed diagonally, passing
out in a position near enough to the upright which carries the side rest and
cutting tool to enable the driving belts to be within reach of the operator, and
it also consists in transmitting and arresting motion by means of a ratchet,
which must be the driver, and a double pawl attached to the object to be
driven, so that wliile retained in gear with the ratchet motion will be imparted
to the object to be driven until by the interposition of a suitable stop the
continuous motion of the ratchet will lift the pawl out of gear.
And it further consists in providing this pawl with a suitable projection,
having upon it a friction pad which shall always be in contact with the driver,
so that when the motion of the driver is reversed, the friction pad will reverse
the position of the pawl and cause it to presents its other end to the ratchet,
which is thus enabled to move it in the opposite direction until the pawl is
again lifted out of gear by the interposition of a suitable stop as before.
And it also consists in controlling the position of the two belts which impart
motion to the machine in opposite directions by means of the segment of an
internal and external wheel, working about a common centre, and having one
tooth on each gearing into a corresponding tooth on each belt shifter in such a
manner that a full movement of the segment in either direction will operate
the belt shifters,-but not at the same time, one being arranged to complete its
movement before the other commences, and upon reversing the motion of the
segments, the movement of the shifters will take place as before, but in the
reverse order, that is, the shifter which completed its movement last will
commence and complete its movement first whenever the segments are moved
in the opposite direction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 31st January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Nowton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, tho
said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PLANING METAL," being a communication from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The objects of this Invention, as communicated to me from abroad, are,
first, to simplify the construction of planing machines for metal. Second, to
provide a more thorough system of bracing for the bed between the uprights.
Third, to impart a smooth and uniform motion to the table upon which is
placed the metal to be planed. Fourth, to place the pulley shaft so that its
axis may be parallel with the line of motion of the table, thus enabling these
machines to be placed parallel to lathes, and permitting a better arrangement
of workshops. Fifth, to impart a feed motion to the cutting tool, by positivo
gearing and not by friction, thereby rendering its movement more certain.

page_text: Sixth, to operate the feed gearing from the driving gear of the machine and
giving the cutting tool its feed either before it commences its cut or after it
has finished the same, which cannot be done when the feed is operated from
the table. Seventh, to operate the belt shifter in such a manner that the belt
shall only be moved its own width, thereby diminishing the wear upon it, and
decreasing the width and weight of the driving pulleys.
The Invention consists in furnishing the table of the machine with a rack
of an ordinary construction, and in operating this rack by a worm or screw,
which enables the driving shaft to cross the bed diagonally, passing out in a
position near enough to the upright, which carries the slide rest and cutting
tool, to enable the driving belts to be within reach of the operator.
And it also consists in a peculiar mode of transmitting and arresting motion
by means of a ratchet which must be the driver, and a double pawlo attached
to the object to be driven, so that while retained in gear with the ratchet
motion will be imparted to the object to be driven, until by the interposition of
a suitable stop the continuous motion of the ratchet will lift the pawl out
of gear.
And it further consists in providing this pawl with a suitable projection,
having upon it a friction pad which shall always be in contact with the driver,
so that when the motion of the driver is reversed the friction pad will
reverse the position of the pawl, and cause it to present its other end to
the ratchet, which is thus enabled to move it in the opposite direction, until
tho pawl is again lifted out of gear by the interposition of a suitable stop as
before.
And it also consists in controlling the position of the two belts which impart
motion to the machine in opposite directions by means of the segment of an
internal and external wheel working about a common centre, and having one
tooth on each gearing into a corresponding tooth on each belt shifter in such
a manner that a full movement of the segment in either direction will operate
the belt shifters, but not at the same time, one being arranged to complete its
movement before the other commences, and upon reversing the motion of the
segments, the movement of the shifters will tako placo as before, but in the
reverse order, that is, the shifter which completed its movement last will
commence and complete its movement first whenever the segments are moved
in the opposite direction.
To.describe the machine more particularly, reference may be had to the
accompanying Drawing, making part of this Specification in which the same
letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Fig. 1 represents a side elovation of a planing machine constructed according

page_text: to the Invention; Fig. 2 is an end view, partly drawn in section; Fig. 3 is a
plan of the machine with the table removed to shew more clearly the parts
below the same; Fig. 4 is a detached plan of a portion of the table; Fig. 5 is
a section of the same through the line 1, 2, Fig. 4; Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10;
are detached views of the feed motion on an enlarged scale.
A is the bed of the machine to opposite projections of which are bolted tho
uprights B and B', carrying the slide C. The top of the bed A is provided
with V-shaped grooves extending its entire length, in which slides the table D;
it being provided with downward projecting ribs a, a, of corresponding bevil
to the V-grooves. To the under side of the table and central between the
slides a, a, and extending its entire length, is attached the rack E. Motion is
communicated to the table by nicans of a worm upon a shaft F, crossing
the bed diagonally (in the manner best seen at Fig. 3), which worm G
gears with the rack E. The driving shaft F revolves in bearings b and c,
which are cast in the bed and connected by a trough d, serving as a receptacle
for the lubricating material in which the worm G is kept constantly running.
The end of shaft F in the bearing 6 receives a portion of the thrust from the
motion of the table, under the cut against a step I, whilst a portion of the
lesser thrust during the return motion of the table is received against the
hardened collars d' and d², at the other end of G, d' being fastened against
the end of bearing c and d², attached to the shaft F; the remainder and
smaller portion of this thrust is received against the sides of the bearings 6
and c.
The shaft F is at the end opposite to the step H, supported in a third
bearing attached to a stand I, and outside of this bearing it is fitted with a
bevil wheel J which is driven from a pinion K on the pulley shaft L, the
latter having the usual fast pulley f, and loose pulleys e and e', transmitting
alternately by means of an open and crossed belt from the counter slíaft above
the
power for the reciprocating movement of the table. Upon reference to
Fig. 4 it will be seen that the position of the teeth in the rack of the table
slightly varies from a right angle to the line of motion; this is done to counter-
balance the side pressure which would otherwise be produced upon the table
by the action of the screw under cut.
The advantages of the improvements as regards facilities for bracing the
bed in the parts under strain from the cut will be obvious on reference to
Fig. 3. Here it will be seen that the sides of the bed directly between the
posts and the uprights B and B' are firmly braced by a box-shaped connection
consisting of the vertical ribs i, i, and top and bottom plates j and j. To
give the utmost capacity to the machine, it is very desirable to bring the
driving belts each of the uprights and within reach of the operator for

page_text: convenience, and to accomplish this in the ordinary rack planer the space
between the uprights is usually occupied by the gearing; and admits of a very
narrow brace, and in the screw planer this brace must be much diminished
in height to give room for the screw, so that the strengthening of the most
vital part of the machine is rendered very difficult. In addition to the above
braces the bearings b and c of the shaft F; united by means of the trough d,
connect the two sides of the bed in such a manner as effectually to strengthen
it, and enable it to resist the end thrust of the shaft F...
The improved mode of transmitting and arresting motion by means of a
ratchet and pawl is applied as a feed motion for the cutting tool, the parts
constituting this improved feed gearing being carried upon a stand M, which
is bolted to the front of the upright B'. The pulley shaft L has one of its.
bearings g in this stand, outside of which bearing it is provided with a
pinion h. This pinion gears into a spur wheel N, which has a long sleeve
journal N' (Figures 7 and 8) in the stand M, and is upon its outer face pro-
vided with an internal ratchet wheel O.. To the end of a shaft P, passing
through the sleeve N', is attached in front of the ratchet wheel O a circular
plate Q; this plate carries the double pawl R, which has its point of support
on a pink (Fig. 8) projecting from a block l, the latter being fitted to a cor-
responding recess in the plate Q, to which it is further secured by the rivets
in, m. The friction pad n is attached to a flat arm o of the pawl R, and con-
sists of a piece of leather rivetted or otherwise secured to the arm o on the
side next to the face of the ratchet wheel O, with which it is held in contact
by the pressure of a spiral spring p confined in a recess in the block . At the
end next to the spur wheel N the stand M is formed into a semicircular shield
or cover S (Fig. 6), protecting the wheel N and pinion H, and acting as a
safeguard to the workman. A flange 9 projects on the front side of this cover,
and embracing the circular piece Q serves at r and r¹ as a double stop for
arresting the motion of the plate Q and its shaft P in either direction, as here-
after described.
The motion given to the spur wheel N by the pinion alternately in
opposite directions is transmitted to and arrested in the shaft P, the operation
of the device to this end being as follows:-On reference to Fig. 6 it will be
seen that the pawl R is represented as resting with its arm Q against the
stop, and in such a position in regard to the internal ratchet wheel as to be
out of gear with the teeth of the latter. Assuming now the ratchet wheel to
be rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 6, it will be evident that the
friction produced by this motion upon the pad n of the pawl R will chango
the position of the latter by drawing it around on its fulcrum in the direction

page_text: indicated by a second arrow, Fig. 6, thus throwing the pawl into gear with the
first approaching tooth of the ratchet wheel, and thereby transmitting the
motion of the latter to the shaft P and, plate Q, to which the pawl is
attached.
In this manner the shaft P continues to be driven, until the paw! R
approaching the stop r' in the manner shewn in red lines, Fig. 6, is again
shifted to its former position, and thrown out of gear by coming in contact
with tho said stop r', and immediately after the motion of shaft P is posi-
sively arrested by the block / coming in contact with the stop r, the ratchet
wheel o being free to continue its rotary motion. As soon, however, as the
motion of the spur wheel N is reversed, the friction of o upon the pad n
throws the pawl R into gear, and the shaft P is moved in the opposite
direction until arrested by the stop r, in the manner before described. The
alternate movements of the shaft P in opposite directions are by means of a
crank wheel T which it carries, transmitted to a vertical rod t, which through
a vibrating arms, pawl u, and ratchet wheel v, gives the requisite movements
to a screw w in the slide C for feeding the cutting tool.
-
The improved device for controlling the position of the two belts which
impart motion to the machine in opposite directions will be more fully under-
stood by referring to Fig. 3, in which U, U, are the belt shifters, supported
by and moveable around their respective centre studs x, x. V is a tooth of an
external, and W of an internal wheel, both being upon one piece Z, supported
by and moveable around the stud Y, the tooth V gearing with a corresponding
space upon one belt shifter, and the tooth W with the other. As represented
in the Drawing, the segments upon Z are central between the extremities of
their movement, and both shifters bearing upon their respective loose pulleys.
Supposing now Z with its segments to be passing this position while moving
in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, it will be seen that the tooth W having
just completed the movement of its shifters in passing out of gear with the
same at the instant that the tooth V goes into gear with its shifter, moving it
until this tooth goes out of gear, when no further motion of the shifters can
take place until the motion of the segments is reversed. If now the segments
be moved in the opposite direction, the tooth V having passed out of gear with
its shifter last, will be in a position (the motion being reversed) to go into
gear first, and consequently the shifter which completed its movement last,
will now complete its movement first, and the tooth V will pass out of gear
with it as the tooth W goes into gear with its shifter. The advantages of this
arrangement are, that the position of engaging teeth on the segment wheel and
shifters determines the difference in time between the movements of the two

page_text: shifters; these may be varied, so as to allow.the belt moving off the driving
pullley to be entirely clear before the other goes on. It is evident also that
when the segment teeth V and W have passed out of gear, the belt shifters
U, U, are locked, so that no movement can take placo until the sogment wheel
is moved, thus making the position of the shifters perfectly secure.
The use of an internal and external wheel causes the driving and driven
surfaces, when in action, to move away from each other, making the move-
ment perfectly easy and without strain, which would not be the case if both
segments were of the same character.
Having thus fully set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improved
Machinery for Planing Metal," as communicated to me from abroad, and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim,―
First, the means above described for transmitting motion to the beds of
planing machines.
Second, the described device for transmitting and arresting rotary or
vibrating motion, consisting of a driving ratchet wheel and pawl, with friction
pad or its equivalent combined with a stop or stops, the whole operating sub-
stantially in the manner set forth.
Third, the described manner of shifting the belts by the use of an internal
and external segment wheel, operating substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Thirty-first day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)