A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING WOOD OR FOR CHOPPING OTHER HARD OR TOUGH MATERIALS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinand Robert Müller, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Merchant, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING WOOD OR FOR CHOPPING OTHER HARD OR TOUGH
MATERIALS."
Scaled the 18th May 1877, and dated the 28th November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinand Robert Müller
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1876.
FERDINAND ROBERT MÜLLER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Merchant. "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING WOOD OR
FOR CHOPPING OTHER HARD OR TOUGH MATERIALS."
This Invention relates to a new or improved and most simple construction of
portable tool or implement for splitting wood (and other hard or tough materials)
into large or small pieces, and then chopping or cross cutting the same into short
lengths, and suitable when made in small sizes for being fixed on a stationary bench
or table to be easily actuated by a winch handle or hand wheel as a domestic, office,
or workshop tool for splitting and making firewood by any person with much
greater ease and less risk of cutting the hands than when done as heretofore by a
hand axe or chopper.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in fixing or forming a sharp
wedge-shaped cutter, of a sufficient depth and thickness to catch and split the wood
(or other material) to be split or cut upon a barrel or cylinder or other equivalent,
either fixed or formed on a revolving spindle turned in bearings in the sides of an
open rectangular or other suitable frame capable of being screwed down to a firm
table or other stationary foundation having the actuating winch handle or hand
wheel fixed on the overhanging end of the spindle for the small sizes; but for large
sizes a band, pulley, or toothed wheels might be fixed on the spindle, so that it
might be driven by a belt or wheel gearing from any convenient motive-power
shaft. A rest is left or fixed on the frame in front or at the side of the wedge-
shaped cutter for supporting the wood or other material to be split or cut while
the cutter is being turned round, as described, to enter and sever or split them,
room being left below for the cutter to pass round and the short pieces to yield and
break when chopping or cutting crosswise with the implement. The wedge cutter
Darice CJ2

page_text: is made pointed or sharpest at the outer edge to gripe and draw the material being
cut towards it, and may have the bevel all on one side or partially on both sides,
as desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ferdinand Robert Müller in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th May 1877.
FERDINAND ROBERT MÜLLER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Merchant. "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING WOOD OR
FOR CHOPPING OTHER HARD OR TOUGH MATERIALS."
My said Invention relates to a new or improved and most simple construction of
portable tool or implement for splitting wood into pieces (large or small according
to the size of the tool, which is also applicable for splitting or cutting other hard
or tough materials), the smaller split pieces can then be chopped or cross cut into
short lengths. The machines when made in small sizes are suitable for being fixed
on a stationary bench or table at a proper height to be easily actuated by a winch
handle or hand wheel as a tool suitable for splitting and making firewood in
houses, offices, or workshops by any person with much greater ease and less risk
of cutting the hands than when done as heretofore by a hand axe, knife, or other
chopper.
And the nature, novelty, and mode of performing the Invention consist in fixing
or forming a sharp pointed segmental wedge-shaped cutter a (of a depth and
thickness suitable to catch and split the size of wood or other material to be split
or cut) upon a barrel or cylinder A (or other equivalent), either fixed or formed on
a revolving spindle B, turned in bearings c in the sides of an open rectangular or
other suitable frame C, capable of being screwed down at c¹ or otherwise secured to
a firm table or other stationary foundation D having the actuating winch handle b,
or it might be a hand or fly wheel formed or fixed on the overhanging end of the
spindle B for the smaller sizes, but for large sizes a band pulley or toothed wheel
might be fixed on the spindle B, so that it might be driven by a belt or wheel
gearing direct or through a speed reducing intermediate shaft driven from any
convenient motive-power shaft. A rest is formed or fixed in the frame C in front
or at the side C¹, C, of the wedge-shaped cutter a for supporting the wood Z or
other material to be split or cut while the cutter a is being turned round, as
described, to enter and sever or split it each turn or oscillation, as indicated in the
Figures at 2, room being left below for the cutter to pass round and the short
pieces of wood to yield and break when chopping or cutting them crosswise with
this tool or implement. The wedge-shaped cutter is preferably made pointed or
sharpest at the outer edge to gripe and draw the material being cut towards it, as
seen at a¹ in Figure 1, and the angle or bevel of the wedge cutter a is made equal
on both sides, as desired, and shown in Figure 2; this might however be all made
on one side, leaving the other side plain as a cutting edge in an annular plane at
right angles to the axle B.
The drawing shows a machine two-thirds the full size suitable for splitting or
cutting firewood with one cutter a from rough boarding, old barrels, or other waste
wood in short lengths; but the machine might be made of larger sizes, with one,
two, or more of the cutters, of any suitable depth, placed at any desired distance
apart to suit the size and nature of the material being cut or split, and when
desired the rests C might be made in the form of cutters, projecting up from the
frame C, for the chopping of such hard or tough materials as bones or old ropes.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which
it is or may be performed or carried into effect, I may observe that I do not confine
myself to the precise modification or details herein described and shown, as many
variations may be made therefrom without departing from the essential features

page_text: of the Invention; but what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as
the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,
the making of a new or improved portable apparatus or inachine with a revolving
segmental wedge-shaped cutter on its revolving or oscillating boss or axle for
splitting wood or chopping other hard or tough materials, all substantially as herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ferdinand Robert Müller, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
F. R. MULLER. (L.S.)