IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING, SAWING, ri PLANING, GROOVING, TONGUEING. MOULDING, MORTISING, AND TENONING WOOD, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO PREPARING OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Rigg, senior, and Arthur, Rigg, junior, both
of Chester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING, SAWING,
ri
PLANING, GROOVING, TONGUEING. MOULDING, MORTISING, AND TENONING WOOD,
PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO PREPARING OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 18th December 1857, and dated the 18th September. 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Rigg, senior, and
Arthur Rigg, junior, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 18th September 1857.
We, ARTHUR RIGG, senior, and ARTITUR RIGG, junior, both of Chester,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRE
PARING, SAWING, PLANING GROOVING, TONGUEING, MOULDING. MORTISING, AND
TENONING WOOD, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO PREPARING OTHER VEGETABLE
SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
For these purposes, for preparing wood and other vegetable substances, we
apply either alternately or at one time steam and heated air to the wood or
vegetable substances placed or arranged in chambers; and when desired,
means of utilizing the products escaping from such chambers are applied.
When the wood has been seasoned or prepared, it is then to be shaped for its
intended purposes; to do this we employ machinery which we have invented,
which machinery is adapted to sawing, planing grooving tongueing, moulding,
mortising, and tenoning. We employ a revolving or oscillating saw or cutter,
mounted at one end of a spindle which runs in bearings attached to guides,
and these it is preferred should be vertical. The table of the saw or cutter is
so arranged that the part in front can be removed, and provision is made for
3

page_text: the attachment of this or other table below the cutter at any angle. When
desired the axis of the saw or cutter is made hollow, and may be used for the
introduction of a bar or spindle, which can be made to carry tools applicable
to different purposes. By means of any of the various known adjustments the
cutter or saw fixed at the end of the revolving or oscillating bar may be set at
any required distance from the cutter or saw on the main spindle or axis;
a boring tool or tools or face cutters may also be applied to the introduced
spindle. When face or edge cutters are applied, and when requisite, an
instrument we call a shoe to break the shaving may be used. When oscil-
lating movements are applied, and when requisite, we employ an oscillating
tool in combination with them. We act upon the fixed or revolving or oscil.
lating cutters by means of templates, cams, and change wheels, and when
necessary we give a varying motion to the wood. We employ slides on the
saw, or it may be on a separate stand for carrying an upright axis, which is
so connected with the framing as to be capable of being set at any angle,
and if a table or other support be placed under the upright axis, the
machine is adapted to flat planing; but if the framing carrying the axis be
placed at any angle, then the machine is adapted for hollow planing, and
may be arranged for producing varying hollows. When cutting mortices,
and such like work, we use a chisel which is formed with one or more cutting
edges, and it has a recess in or a passage through it above the chief cutting
edge; this or any other chisel is mounted in a slide which is guided in its
movement, and such slide receives motion from a treadle, or otherwise, by
means of suitable rods and cranks, which give motion to two links. The
end of one link is jointed to the frame, and the end of the other link is
jointed to the slide, the links themselves being jointed together.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Arthur Rigg, senior, and Arthur Rigg, junior, in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 17th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ARTHUR
RIGG, senior, and ARTHUR RIGG, junior, both of Chester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Arthur Rigg and Arthur Rigg, Her special licence, that we, the said

page_text: F
Arthur Rigg and Arthur Rigg our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Arthur Rigg and Arthur Rigg, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING, SAWING,
PLANING, GROOVING, TONGUEING, MOULDING, MORTISING. AND TENONING WOOD, PART
OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO PREPARING OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Arthur Rigg and Arthur Rigg,
cur executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should
particularly 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 we, the Arthur Rigg and Arthur Rigg 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 aud by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
For these purposes, for preparing wood and other vegetable substances, we
apply either alternately or at one time steam and heated air to the wood or
vegetable substances placed or arranged in chambers; and when desired, means
of utilizing the products escaping from such chainbers are applied. When the
wood has been seasoned or prepared, it is then to be shaped for its intended
purposes; to do this we employ machinery which we have invented, which
machinery is adapted to sawing, planing, grooving, tongueing, moulding,
morticing, and tenoning. We employ a revolving or oscillating saw or cutter,
mounted at one end of a spindle which runs in bearings attached to guides,
and these it is preferred should be vertical. The table of the saw or cutters is
so arranged that the part in front cau be removed, and provision is made for
the attachment of this or other table below the cutter. When desired the axis
of the saw or cutter is made hollow, and may be used for the introduction
of a bar or spindle, which can be made to carry tools applicable to different
purposes; by means of a set screw or other adjustinent the cutter or saw fixed
at the end of the revolving or oscillating bar, may be set at any required
distance from the cutter or saw on the main spindle or axis; a boring tool or
tools or face cutters may also be applied to the introduced spindle. When the
face or edge cutters are applied, and when requisite, an instrument we call a

page_text: motion to the wood.
shoe to break the shaving may be used. When oscillatory movements are
applied, and when requisite, we employ an oscillating tool in combination with
them. We act upon the fixed or revolving or oscillating cutters by means of
templates, cams, and change wheels, and when necessary we give a varying
We employ slides on the saw frame or on a separate
stand for carrying an upright axis, which is so connected with the framing as
to be capable of being set at any angle; and if a table or other support be
placed under the upright axis, the machine is adapted to flat planing; but if
the framing carrying the axis be placed at any angle, then the machine is
adapted for hollow planing, and may be arranged for producing varying hollows.
When cutting morfices and such like work we use a chisel which is formed
with one or more cutting edges, and it has a recess in or a passage through it
above the chief cutting edge. This or any other chisel is mounted in a slide
which is guided in its movement, and such slide receives 'motion from a
treadle, or otherwise, by means of suitable rods and cranks which give motion
to two liuks. The end of one link is jointed to the frame, and the end of the
other link is jointed to the slide, the links themselves being jointed together.
Having thus stated the nature of the Invention, we will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
To preparewood for purposes where dryand well-seasoned timber is required,
close chambers are formed, and provision made so that the wood inay be
arranged with open spaces between the pieces; one or more inlets and
outlets are provided in these chambers for the admission and exit of steam
or lieated air, which are to be admitted alternately or together. We prefer
the admission of them alternately, so that after the timber has been partially
dried we expose it to an atmosphere of steam, and then to currents of heated
air caused to enter by a fan or other means. It is well known that timber
dried when exposed to the alternate action of wind with heat and showers is
'most valued, we, by our mode of action, adopt as nearly as may be a similar
process. In the case of some timbers it may be desirable to utilize 'the
product by the condensation of such of the volatile products as may be
extracted; in such cases we arrange any ordinary means for the condensation
of the vapours as they pass out from the chamber.
To SAW, PLANE, MOULD, AND ORNAMENT MOULDINGS.
Description of the Machine shown at Sheet I., where Figure 1 is an end
elevation, and F.gure 2 a side elevation.-A is a stand or frame, upon which
is applied the slide B, carrying bearings for a shaft C, which may be hollow
and contain a spindle D. At F is a cam for raising or lowering the slide when

page_text: required. The adjustment of the slide to its work can be effected by the
stand and moveable piece H. G is a crank or other contrivance for causing
the tool or cutters on the spindle C or D, or both, to oscillate through any
required angle. The tool holder or cutter on the spindle. 1) can be set at
any distance from that on C, so that if a saw or cutter be attached to each
shaft they may be placed at any distance. The internal shaft D may be
acted 'upon either by a collar and links, as shewn in elevation in Figure 2, and
in 'plan in Figure 4, or by a cam, as shown in Figure 3. The spring I around
the shaft D is 'to keep this shaft against the collar K or cama, as the case may
be. When required motion is given to the collar Kor cam 'a, through the
shaft L'or spindle L''(Figure 3), by any ordinary means, with change wheels
intervening between it and the means for producing the motion of the wood.
On the shaft which carries the cam F (Figures 1 and 2,) are a fast and loose
pulley X; also, when required, a spür wheel M(Figure 2), by means of which
the cam F and crank G 'can have movement communicated thereto. In
Figure 2, the tool holder, 'hereafter described, and wood to be operated
upon, are shewn at E; the wood may be supported and advanced by any of
'the 'ordinary means which give regular inotion. P, P, P, P, are faces formed
in 'the upright or frame A, 'to admit of the attachment of brackets for the
support of tables to carry the wood to beoperated upon. Boring tools or face
or edge cutters may be applied to the spindle D,and a face cam or other instru-
'ment attached to the other end of the same spindle, to give an 'end motion to it.
Action of the Machine. To saw the wood with circular saws, the slide
B is 'bolted to the stand or frame A, and a saw for 'saws attached to the shaft
Cor D, or both. When 'both 'are used the 'distance between the saws is
'fixed, and thus, when the wood is advanced, one or more breadths 'may be cut.
To saw wood with vibrating 'saws, by means of a bracket bolted to the
'stánd, a table, 'capable of being set at any angle, is fixed at a proper height
above the axle of the saw. Above this table is a guide and spring, and to
the slide in the guide the upper end of a vibrating saw is fixed. The lower
end of 'the saine saw is fixed to a similar guide below the table, and 'motion
is given to it from a crank or eccentric on the saw axle.
To form plain mouldings, we attach to C or Da tool shaped to correspond
with the 'moulding required; the wood 'may then be advanced, and the
moulding formed in the ordinary way. If required a tool may be attached
'to each shaft C and D. In this and other cases, where the elasticity of the
shaft 'night affect the truth of the work, a bearing is provided for the nose
'or 'outer end of the 'sliaft D. This bearing is not shewn.
There are many
varieties of ornamented mouldings which the machine can-form; the following

page_text: is taken as an example of its action:-Suppose the mould is to be ornamented
with parts of a circle. Let the cam F be caused to revolve slowly while the
tool E oscillates rapidly. The action of F will thus set the tool down to
the work at a rate proportioned to the quality of the wood, and raise it up
again rapidly if F is so arranged. The wood may then be advanced, another
cut taken, and the operation proceeded with as before. Again, if the orna-
mented part be not a portion of a circle, but some other curve, let the cam F
(whose form must be determined for the required curve,) be connected by means
of change wheels at M to the crank G,and so the cam F raises and lowers the
tool, while the crank causes it to oscillate, and thus produce the curve required.
Lescription of Machine to Mortise Wood.-A, A, Fig. 5 in the Drawing,
Sheet 1, which represents a side elevation, is a pillar (in the Drawing the
pillar is represented as cast hollow); B, B, is a shaft, moving in the guides
C, C, and provided with means for holding a tool at the lower end; D, D,
(one only is represented) are stops to hold the wood down, whilst the
mortising tool is being withdrawn; E is a table for supporting the wood,
and carrying a back upright F, which, by means of a screw (the end of
which is shewn at G) can be adjusted to a required distance from the tool.
The table E can be fixed by any of the usual means at a proper distance
below the tools; E, I, and I, K, are links, of which there are two sets, one
set on each side of the rod B, B; the upper end H is jointed to the fixed
piece C, and the lower end K is jointed to the moveable bar B, B, which
carries the tool H, I, and L, I, are arms rigidly joined to the link H, I; at
L is a joint, connecting H, L, I, with the bar L, M; the lower end of L, M,
is connected with the foot lever N, O, whose fulcrum is at R; at P is a
counterpoise weight. The wood to be mortised is placed on the table E,
and a tool is placed in B, B; when the foot depresses the lever N, O, the
link L, H, I, and the corresponding one on the other side are depressed.
These lower the end K, and consequently depress the tool in B, B, and
causes it to enter the wood. The spring coiled round the shaft B, B,
together with the counterpoise P, operate to withdraw the tool from the
wood. a, a, is a series of holes through which a pin may be passed, to
allow the rise of the foot lever being varied.
Description of a Shoe that may be applied when Face or Edge Cutters
are used. Figure 1 shews a plan; and Figure 2, Sheet 2, a side elevation
of the arm of a machine for planing wood, and to which is attached a
travelling shoe; this arm revolves in the direction of the arrow on Figure 1,
and carries cutters at each end, or in one end only if desired; Figure 3
shews au arrangement of the tool C and shoe D for the ends of the arm;

page_text: Figure 4 shews an arrangement of similar apparatus for edge cutters. The
tool C is fastened to the revolving piece, by means of one or more set
screws I; the shoe D is made to slide in or on a carrier E, and held down
upon a pin or collar at H, by means of a strong spring G. In the face cutter
the carrier E fits in a slot, and may be adjusted by the screw F, so that the
bottom of the shoe D may be a little above the cutting edge of the tool C,
according to the thickness of the shaving that has to be taken off. The dis-
tance between the tool C and shoe D, may be regulated by means of packing
pieces between the slot in the revolving arm and the carrier E. Figure 5
represents a plan; and Figure a section through A, B, of a tool for
mortising wood; the end L fits into the spindle of a morticing machine, the
cutting edges are C, D, E, C, and F, D. The portion of the tool G, H, I, K
is perforated, or it may be only recessed, so as to leave a ledge as at I, K,
above the cutting edges of the sides as at I and K, Figure 5.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we make no claim
to any of the separate mechanical parts shewn in Sheets 1 and 2 of the
Drawings; but what we claim is,-
First, the mode herein described of preparing wood.
Secondly, we claim the combination of mechanism described in respect
to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, Sheet 1 of the Drawings.
Thirdly, we claim the combination of machinery, described in respect to
Fig. 5, Sheet 1, of the Drawings.
And, fourthly, we claim the peculiar tools described in respect to Figures
3,4, 5, and 6, in Sheet 2 of the Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said Arthur Rigg and Arthur Rigg, have
hereunto set our hands and seals this Twelfth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
ADTILLID DICA
30
Witness,
S. BEESLEY,
Chester.
ARTHUR RIGG. (L.S.)