Improvements in Wood-planing Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1894-Accepted, 4th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wood-planing Machines.
I HELGE BERGER of Elverum Norway, Landed Proprietor, do hereby declare
the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The material to be planed (boards, planks, mouldings etc.) is fed along by two
endless chains provided with hooks. The end is put in between them so that
during the rotation of the chains the said hooks one by one get hold of the end of
the material and push it before them into the machine."
For this purpose the hooks are suitably placed in the chain. Each hook is
closely connected with a bolt provided with a nut. This bolt is movable in a
suitable casting suitably secured to the chain. A spring keeps the bolt with its
hook in place ready to seize the material. All the hooks when pressed against by
the work give way on account of the said spring and are pushed inward but move
back again when the pressure from the material ceases. This arrangement may be
modified.
The chains are guided by means of guides that run in planed channels.
With former planing machines the material was brought along by rollers which
under great pressure forced the material forward, but it had the disadvantage
that the fibres of the wood through the violent pressure were so closely pressed
together that after the planed pieces had lain bye some time the fibre expanding
again made the surface uneven.
This is entirely avoided by my arrangement with endless chains, and there is
the great advantage of the surface of the planed pieces remaining as beautiful as
when they left the machine.
The material is to be put into the machine and planed standing on edge and the
machine is so constructed that it can be used with the material in this position.
The cutters plane boxes and the moulding plane are placed vertically instead of
horizontally as formerly whilst the plough-cutters are placed horizontally instead
of as formerly vertically. Compared with the old construction the system is
therefore entirely changed.
This new arrangement has the advantage that the vertical plane sides are not
spoiled by marks or indentations from the shavings as by the method hitherto in
use, where the material is planed lying on the flat side.
It must be observed that the above method of bringing along the material can
of course also be used with machines where the planing of the material is done in
the usual way, the piece lying on the flat side.
The material may be put in between two vertical plane cutters that are exactly
opposite each other to be operated upon on both sides at the same time.
The machines hitherto in general use had the plane-cutters outside each end of
the plane-box. As the material at times has to be planed first on the one side then
on the other, unequal thickness in planing is not always avoided. This invention,
however, where both the plane-cutters work simultaneously upon the material
ensures even thickness of planing before the work enters the plane-boxes. The
result is that the work is much more beautiful than can be obtained with machines
of the old construction.
: The plane-cutters are each in its bearing the one of which is fast, the other
movable according to the thickness required in the planing. The plane-cutters
revolve a little outside the sides of the bearing that are turned towards the material
so that the irons in both cutters swing just past the sharp edge breaking the
shaving over it at the same time that it is torn from the material. By this

page_text: 1.
arrangement another advantage is gained, which is that I quite prevent both plane-
cutters from knocking out splinters and tearing out knots etc. so that the material
is equally nice on both sides, which is of great importance for some kinds of planed
timber.
The material is taken to two plane-boxes that are exactly opposite each other
in order to complete the planing on both sides at the same time.
As a rule only one plane box is used with the old machines. However, where
there are two the one is in the middle of the machine the other at end and behind
the top cutter. Bad work is often produced with this arrangement on account of
the uneven planing which can scarcely be avoided in cases where the material
consists of broad thin boards.
This is avoided by my arrangement of the plane-boxes where the planing
takes place at the same time and exactly on each of the opposite sides of the
material.
Finer and more even planing is therefore obtained.
My planing machine can of course be so arranged as to work with one plane-
box, the same is the case with the cutters. The material passes two plough-cutters
and then a cornice or moulding-plane the two former being in a horizontal the
latter in a vertical position, and then the planing of the material is completed.
To work the different parts, of the old large planing machines it was necessary
to have especial spindles with belts partly over partly under and partly behind the
machine. Several belts were therefore required, one for each cutter that was to
be set in motion.
All these different belts and spindles outside the machine I avoid by suitably
placing them within the frame and all the axles, bearings and sheaves are on the
framing of the machine itself which is of great importance for the easy setting-up
or mounting of a machine.
1004
Improvements in Wood-planing Machines.
I, HELGE BERGER, of Elverum, in the Kingdom of Norway, Landed 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:-
31'
My invention relates to wood-planing machines and is illustrated in the
accompanying drawing, in which :-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of a wood-planing machine constructed
according to my invention:
Figure 2 is a plan of the same; and,
Figures 3 and 4 are views of details hereinafter referred to.
In carrying out my invention the materials to be planed, such as boards, planks,
mouldings or the like, are fed along by two endless chains a, a provided with teeth
or catches b. The end of the board or the like is inserted between the two chains
so that as they travel along the said teeth grip the board and feed it into the
machine.
11229
Each tooth b is connected to the chain in the manner illustrated in the enlarged
detail view Figure 3, that is to say, it is formed on or fixed to a bolt r provided
with a nut w. This bolt is movable in a casting q secured by screws between the
cheeks of the link. A spring z keeps the bolt v with its tooth in place ready to
grip the material. The teeth when pressed against by the work inserted between

page_text: the chains yield to the pressure on account of the springs and are pushed inward
but move back again when the pressure from the material ceases.
This arrange
ment may be modified, that is to say, the teeth can be arranged to yield in other
suitable ways, the form of the chains can be modified and one chain only can be
employed, if required, adapted to feed the material to the machine. The chains
are guided by means of guides c running in recesses in the chain wheels.
Hitherto in planing machines it has been the practice to feed the material by
means of rollers which forced the material forward under great pressure but the
great objection to this is that the fibres of the wood through the violent pressure
are so closely pressed together that, after the planed material has lain by for some
time, the fibre in again expanding renders the surface uneven,
This objection is entirely avoided by my arrangement of endless chains as the
surface of the planed material remains as smooth and true as when the material
leaves the machine.
The material is put into the machine and planed standing on edge, the machine
being so constructed as to act on the material in this position. The cutters d, d',
plane-boxes ff, and moulding-plane h are placed vertically instead of horizontally
as heretofore whilst the plough cutters 9, 9 are placed horizontally instead of
vertically. The system is therefore entirely different from that of existing wood-
planing machines.
My novel arrangement has the advantage that the planed sides are not spoiled
by marks or indentations from the shavings as by the method hitherto adopted,
where the material is planed lying flatwise and the shavings are liable to get under
the snaffles and make marks in the material.
I would observe that the above method of feeding the material can of course
also be used with machines in which the planing is effected in the usual way, the
material lying flatwise.
The two vertical planing cutters d, d¹ are placed exactly opposite each other so
as to operate upon both sides of the material at the same time.
Wood-planing machines as hitherto generally used have had their planing cutters
outside each end of the plane-box. As the material has to be planed first on one
side and then on the other, unequal thickness in plauing is not always avoided.
By my invention, however, where both the planing cutters act simultaneously upon
both sides of the material I ensure an even thickness of planing before the work
enters the plane-boxes. The result is that the work is much finer than can be
obtained with machines of the old construction.
The planing cutters d, d' are mounted in separate bearing frames or
standards E, E one of which is fixed and the other movable in order that it may
be adjusted to suit the desired thickness of cut. The planing cutters revolve a
short distance outside the sides e, e of the bearing frames that are turned towards
the material (as shewn in Figure 4 which is a section on an enlarged scale taken
on the line x, y Figure 1) so that the irons d, d¹ in the cutters pass close to the
fixed sharp edged cutters z', z³, breaking the shaving over them at the same time
that it is cut from the material.
By this arrangement another advantage is gained, namely, I effectually prevent
both the planing cutters from knocking out splinters and tearing out knots, etc. so
that the material is equally smooth and true on both sides which is of great
importance for some kinds of planed timber.
This advantage may be obtained with under cutters but not with top cutters on
the machines hitherto in use and constructed as they are at present.
Figure 4 shews only the edge of one of the cutters on one side.
The material after being operated upon by the cutters d, d' is conducted to the
two plane-boxes fif placed exactly opposite each other in order to complete the
planing on both sides at the same time.
As a rule only one plane-box is used in the old machines and when two are
employed one of them is placed in the middle of the machine, and the other at

page_text: the end and behind the top cutter. Bad work is often produced with this
arrangement on account of the uneven planing which can scarcely be avoided
in cases where the material consists of broad, thin boards which are very liable
to bend outwards from the plane-irons. This is avoided by my arrangement
of the plane-boxes where the planing takes place simultaneously and exactly on
each of the opposite sides of the material. Finer and more even planing is
therefore obtained.
My planing-machine can of course be so arranged as to work with only one
plane-box or with none; as also is the case with the cutters according to the
requirements for the different sorts of planing.
Upon leaving the plane-boxes f₁f the material passes the two plough cutters
(only one of which is indicated in the drawing) and then a cornice or moulding-
plane h, the two former being in a horizontal and the latter in a vertical position.
The planing of the material is then complete.
To work the different parts of the old, large planing-machines it was necessary
to have special shafts with belts partly over, partly under, and partly behind
the machine. Several belts were therefore required, namely, one for each cutter
to be set in motion.
All these different belts and shafts outside the machine can be dispensed with by
using the following arrangement. The power is conveyed to one shaft i by a
pulley R, thence by another pulley T placed on the same shaft i over a third
pulley n, on a vertical shaft k. From another pulleys fixed to the last named
shaft passes a belt / simultaneously setting in motion the planing cutters and the
moulding-plane. To do this the belt passes first' to the pulley on the shaft
belonging to the cutter d, thence to the pulley on the shaft of the moulding-plane h,
then to the planing cutter d', and from there back again to its starting point from
the pulleys on the vertical shaft k.
The plough cutters g, g, however, are driven by other belts direct from the
shaft i.
All the shafts, bearings, and pulleys are thus on the frame of the machine itself
which is of great importance for the easy setting-up or mounting of a machine.
The above named shaft k is, as shewn in the drawing, placed vertically in its
bearings o, p which are movable in guide-grooves by operating a suitable arrange-
ment of screws 1, m at the end of the machine. The position of the shaft can by
this means he regulated for the purpose of tightening the belting when it
slackens. This can be done without interrupting the planing which is a con-
siderable advantage over machines hitherto in use where the requisite tightening
of one of the belts always necessitates the stopping of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A wood-planing machine so constructed that the feeding of the material to be
planed is effected by one or more endless chains provided with teeth or catches
which grip the material and force it into the machine, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. A wood-planing machine such as is claimed in the first claiming clause in
which the planing cutters and moulding-planes are arranged vertically and the
plough cutters horizontally as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
3. A wood-planing machine such as is claimed in the first claiming clause in
which the planing cutters are placed exactly opposite one another in order to
operate simultaneously on both sides of the material the plane-irons in both cutters
passing close to fixed sharp edged cutters substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
4. A wood-planing machine such as is claimed in the first claiming clause
'

page_text: provided with two plane-boxes opposite each other which finish the planing of both.
sides of the material at the same time substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
5. A wood-planing machine of the kind claimed in the first claiming clause in
which one belt is employed to drive both the planing cutter and the moulding-plane,
means being provided whereby the said belt can be tightened or slackened without
the machine being stopped, substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
in the accompanying drawing.
6. The improved wood-planing machines hereinbefore described and illustrated.
in the accompanying drawing.
ני
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.