Improvements in Apparatus for Sawing Timber.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Sawing Timber.
I, JOE MILLICAN, of the Saw Mill, Thornthwaite, Keswick, in the County of
Cumberland, Saw Mill Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
It is well known that a great deal of cross cutting is at the present time done
by hand which might to great advantage be performed by machinery; indeed it
is the exception to find in some saw mills a machine for cross cutting timber.
This is in some measure due to the fact that most of the machines which have
been made for cross cutting logs are not convenient for the purpose, and further-
more that convenient and ready means have not been provided for cramping the
log in the machine to cross cut it, a considerable portion of the time which would
have been expended in cross cutting it by hand being thereby lost in adjusting
it in the machine. There can be no doubt however, that a properly constructed
machine which will cut through a large log quickly, as it lies on the ground,
and yet leave the entrance to the mill perfectly free, is a most desirable addition
to any saw mill, not only for cutting the butts off logs before passing to the
frames or rack benches, but also for cutting the timber into short lengths before
being converted.
Now this invention is designed to supply this want, and to provide a machine
in which the saw is made to advance through the timber while the latter is at
rest. This is an important point because not only is it inconvenient to hold up
long heavy logs, and move them past the saw by hand, but it is very difficult in
this manner to bring such logs forward in a line exactly at right angles to the
plane in which the saw runs, any deviation from which tends to bend and cripple
the saw.
In carrying my present invention into effect the plan I prefer is:-I provide
a saw strained in a gate or frame to prevent buckling. To this frame reciprocal
motion is given by means of a crank and connecting rod, and its stroke is pro-
portioned to the diameter of the largest log required to be cut. The saw frame
works by preference on anti-friction rollers, so that friction in reciprocating is
reduced to a minimum. The saw is made to advance through the timber in the
following manner:-
The anti-friction rollers on which the saw frame works, are mounted in brackets
which are secured to an iron bar capable of having a vertical movement imparted
to it. Near each end of this bar a bell crank mounted on a stationary pivot is
located, one arm of each of which cranks are pivoted to a connecting rod worked
by a hand lever, the other arms being pivoted to the aforesaid bar, the pivots
working in slots if desired in the bar to allow play for the movement of the pivots.
In such case the bar is held from moving longitudinally by means of a radius
rod coupled thereto. To advance the saw therefore towards and through the tim-

page_text: ber, all that is necessary is to pull the hand lever in one direction, and the bar
together with the reciprocating saw frame will be raised upwards against the log
which is held stationary by cramping devices while being sawn, thus cutting it
through the strokes of the saw being parallel one with the other.
The apparatus I have described above is by preference located below the floor
of the mill and the saw advanced towards the log (which is cramped on the floor)
by raising the saw upwards in the manner described, a groove being provided in
the floor through which the saw can be raised to cut the timber, and in which
it can reciprocate. This groove can be covered over by a board held in guides
when the apparatus is not being used. When however the apparatus is required
for use, this board is entirely removed from the guides, and in its place an
arrangement of dogs or cramping devices inserted, which hold the log while it is
being sawn. One of these dogs may consist of a pair of upright pins with a space
between for the saw to reciprocate, and having a roughened face on one side.
The other dog may consist of a slide to which upright dogs are attached with
roughened gripping faces, this slide being rendered adjustable by means of a
screw passing through a nut in the slide. By this device therefore by turning
the screw, one dog is moved towards the other and the log firmly held between
while they are being sawn, and the arrangement is such that after each cross cut
the log can be instantly uncramped, shifted, and recramped for another cross
cut without loss of time.
One great advantage of this machine is that the logs need not be raised on to
a saw bench, but are cut on the floor level and can be rolled or moved along the
floor into position to be cut by the saws, thus avoiding the hand labor which
would be involved in lifting up heavy logs on to a saw bench.
I have described the above way in which my invention may be carried into
effect, but it must be understood that I do not confine myself to the saw being
made to advance vertically upwards to cut the timber, as if desired the saws may
be arranged to advance sideways or they may be arranged above the floor and
made to advance downwards in order to cut through the timber while the latter
is at rest. In such cases the apparatus above described may be employed, with
but slight alterations in its arrangement or construction, or I may employ a
framework supported a sufficient distance above the floor to allow the log to be
placed underneath, in which framework there is mounted a frame which is capable
of a vertical sliding movement. The reciprocating saw frame is mounted in this
vertical sliding frame, and is reciprocated by a crank and connecting rod. The
frame in which the saw frame reciprocates has its vertical movement imparted
to it by means of a suitable lever or arrangement of levers, the plan I prefer being
a hand lever pivoted on a fixed pivot and coupled to the vertical sliding frame
at one end by means of a connecting rod. At one end of this lever there is a
toothed segment gearing into a toothed segment on another similar lever which
is coupled to the other end of the vertical sliding frame, also by means of a con-
necting rod. Thus when the lever is operated I ensure that the vertical sliding
frame shall move in exactly a vertical plane and the saw will be made to advance
through the timber the strokes of the saw being parallel one with the other. In
action the log is placed on the floor of the mill beneath the main frame of the
machine and against one of the uprights which support this frame above the
floor. A slide is then mounted on this frame, and moved horizontally until it
abuts against the log. This slide is provided with teeth or grooves at intervals
on one side, and there is a lever pivoted to the frame having an arm attached
thereto arranged eccentrically. By forcibly bringing this lever down and causing
the eccentric arm to engage in one of the teeth or grooves, the slide will be forcibly
pressed against the log and cramp it in position. My reason for providing
more than one tooth in the slide is to enable logs of various diameters to he
clamped in position under the saw. The saw is set into motion to cut the log,
and by operating the other lever the saw is made to advance and cut through
the log which is firmly fixed by the cramp. The saw is then raised again, the

page_text: log uncramped, readjusted in another position, and the operation repeated
as before.
same
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Sawing Timber.
I, JOE MILLICAN, of the Saw Mill, Thornthwaite, Keswick, in the County of
Cumberland, Saw Mill Proprietor, 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;―
It is well known that a great deal of cross cutting is at the present time done
by hand which might to great advantage be performed by machinery: indeed it
is the exception to find in some saw mills a machine for cross cutting timber.
This is in some measure due to the fact that most of the machines which have
been made for cross cutting logs are not convenient for the purpose, and further-
more that convenient and ready means have not been provided for cramping the
log in the machine to cross cut it, a considerable portion of the time which would
have been expended in cross cutting it by hand being thereby lost in adjusting
it in the machine. There can be no doubt however, that a properly constructed
machine which will cut through a large log quickly, as it lies on the ground,
and yet leave the entrance to the mill perfectly free, is a most desirable addition
to any saw mill, not only for cutting the butts off logs before passing to the
frames or rack benches, but also for cutting the timber into short lengths before
being converted.
Now this invention is designed to supply this want, and to provide a machine
in which the saw is made to advance through the timber while the latter is at
rest. This is an important point because not only is it inconvenient to hold up
long heavy logs, and move them past the saw by hand, but it is very difficult in
this manner to bring such logs forward in a line exactly at right angles to the
plane in which the saw runs, any deviation from which tends to bend and cripple
the saw.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of my apparatus with the saw
arranged below the floor level;
Figure 2 the same with the saw partly advanced through the stationary log
of timber;
Figure 3 a plan;
Figure 4 front elevation of my apparatus with the saw raised above the floor
level.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, I provide a saw A strained in a gate or
frame B to prevent buckling. To this frame reciprocal motion is given by means
of a crank and connecting rod C, and its stroke is proportioned to the diameter
of the largest log required to be cut. The saw frame works by preference on
anti-friction rollers D, so that friction in reciprocating is reduced to a minimum.
The saw is made to advance through the timber in the following manner :—
The anti-friction rollers D on which the saw frame works, are mounted ir
brackets E which are secured to an iron bar F capable of having a vertical move-

page_text: ment imparted to it. Near each end of this bar a bell crank G mounted on a
stationary pivot H is located, one arm of each of which cranks is pivoted to a
connecting rod I worked by a hand lever J, the other arms being pivoted to the
aforesaid bar F, the pivots working in slots 4 in the bar to allow play for the
movement of the pivots. The bar is held from moving longitudinally by means
of a radius rod 5 coupled thereto. To advance the saw therefore towards and
through the timber, all that is necessary is to pull the hand lever J in one direc-
tion, and the bar F together with the reciprocating saw frame B will be raised
upwards against the log K which is held stationary by cramping devices while
being sawn, thus cutting it through, the strokes of the saw being parallel one
with the other. M is the saw bench or floor level, N a slot to permit the rising
of the saw therethrough.
The apparatus I have described above is by preference located below the floor
of the mill and the saw A advanced towards the log (which is cramped on the
floor) by raising the saw upwards in the manner described, the groove N being
provided in the floor through which the saw can be raised to cut the timber, and
in which it can reciprocate. This groove can be covered over by a board held in
guides when the apparatus is not being used. When however the apparatus
is required for use, this board is entirely removed from the guides, and in its
place an arrangement of dogs or cramping devices inserted, which hold the log
while it is being sawn. One of these dogs may consist of a pair of upright pins P
with a space between for the saw to reciprocate, and having a roughened face on
one side. The other dog P2 may consist of a slide P¹ to which upright dogs P³
are attached with roughened gripping faces, this slide being rendered adjustable
by means of a screw R passing through a nut S in the slide. By this device
therefore by turning the screw, one dog is moved towards the other and the log K
firmly held between while they are being sawn, and the arrangement is such
that after each cross cut the log can be instantly uncramped, shifted, and re-
cramped for another cross cut without loss of time."
One great advantage of this machine is that the logs need not be raised on to
a saw bench, but are cut on the floor level and can be rolled or moved along the
floor into position to be cut by the saws, thus avoiding the hand labor which
would be involved in lifting up heavy logs on to a saw bench.
I have described the above way in which my invention may be carried into
effect, but it must be understood that I do not confine myself to the saw being
made to advance vertically upwards to cut the timber as if desired the saws may
be arranged to advance sideways or they may be arranged above the floor and
made to advance downwards in order to cut through the timber while the lafter
is at rest. In such cases the apparatus above described may be employed, with
but slight alterations in its arrangement or construction, or I may employ a
framework T supported a sufficient distance above the floor to allow the log K
to be placed underneath, as shown in Figure 4, in which framework there is
mounted a frame F which is capable of a vertical sliding movement. The recip-
rocating saw frame B is mounted in this vertical sliding frame, and is recipro-
cated by a crank and connecting rod C. The frame F in which the saw frame
reciprocates has its vertical movement imparted to it by means of a suitable lever
or arrangement of levers, the plan I prefer being a hand lever J pivoted on a
fixed pivot J and coupled to the vertical sliding frame at one end by means of
a connecting rod U. At one end of this lever there is a toothed segment V,
gear-
ing into a toothed segment W on another similar lever which is coupled to the
other end of the vertical sliding frame, also by means of a connecting rod U.
Thus when the lever is operated I ensure that the vertical sliding frame shall
move in exactly a vertical plane and the saw will be made to advance through
the timber, the strokes of the saw being parallel one with the other. In action
the log is placed on the floor of the mill beneath the main frame T of the machine
and against one of the uprights X which support this frame above the floor. A
slide is then mounted on this frame, and moved horizontally until it abuts

page_text: against the log K. This slide is provided with teeth Z or grooves at intervals on
one side, and there is a lever 2 pivoted to the frame having an arm 3 attached
thereto arranged eccentrically. By forcibly bringing this lever down and causing
the eccentric arm 3 to engage in one of the teeth Z or grooves, the slide will bo
forcibly pressed against the log K and cramp it in position. My reason for pro-
viding more than one tooth in the slide Y is to enable logs of various diameters
to be clamped in position under the saw. The saw is set in motion to cut the
log, and by operating the other lever, the saw is made to advance and cut through
the log which is firmly fixed by the cramp The saw is then raised again, the log
uncramped, re-adjusted in another position, and the operation repeated same as
before.
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;-
1. The improvement in apparatus for sawing timber, substantially as described,
whereby a log can be cut through quickly as it lies on the ground, a great
desideratum in any saw mill, this result being effected by providing a reciproca-
ting saw mounted either above at the side of, or below, the timber on a bar or
frame, the latter capable of having an advancing and retreating movement im-
parted to it by means of a hand lever or its equivalent, in such manner that the
saw can be advanced towards and through the timber at the same time that the
saw is reciprocating, in combination with means for clamping the timber firmly
while being sawn.
2. In apparatus for sawing timber, the arrangement for reciprocating the saw
and making it advance in strokes parallel to each other through the timber, while
the latter is at rest, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for sawing timber, the arrangement of dogs or clamping device
for holding the log firmly fixed while it is being sawn, in combination with sta-
tionary guides for holding these dogs or clamping devices in position while
enabling them to be removed when not required for use, substantially as
described.
4. The clamping device for holding a log in position when the saw is located
above the floor level, and means for enabling logs of various diameters to be
clamped in position under the saw substantially as described in reference to
Figure 4.
5. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved apparatus for cross cutting timber substantially as set forth.
Dated this 10th date of Tanname
1900
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, & London.