Improvements in the Construction of Cutter Blocks for Woodworking Machinery.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1899-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Cutter Blocks for Woodworking
Machinery.
I, ALBERT ALFRED ATKIN, Managing Director of Atkin & Sons Limited, of
Sheffield Works, Rea Street South, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is an improved cutter block for use in general woodworking, and
has for its object to so construct the said cutter block that its use shall be more
safe against personal injury than hitherto, and also so that the wood cuttings or
shavings shall not, as is now the case, fly into the air and be objectionable to
the person using the said block, whilst, generally speaking, the finish of the work
is improved.
The cutter block according to this invention is characterised by a cylindrical
stock or body-part of cast or wrought iron or other suitable material and of any
suitable size, having formed upon its circumference or periphery a number of
grooves or ways set at an angle both longitudinally and transversely to the axis
of the said stock, and a number of channels or passages which are formed adjacent
to the open sides or the mouths of the aforesaid grooves, and which follow the
inclination thereof in the longitudinal direction of the cutter block's stock or body;
the said grooves being formed to receive cutting irons or blades, and the channels
or passages to form primary receptacles and guides for the cuttings or shavings
so as to pass them on to the one end of the cutter block and prevent their flying
about, the said cuttings or shavings dropping out from the one end of the stock
either onto the bed of the machine or into a suitable receptacle. The cutting
irons are simple plates which fit into the said grooves so that their cutting edges
come just beyond the circumference of the stock or body and adjacent to the
mouth of the channels or passages to receive the cuttings or shavings, and they
are fixed into these grooves by clamping screws or such like devices which will
allow of them being easily taken from the stock for sharpening up and being put
again in position.
Suitable setting up devices are arranged in conjunction with the cutting irons
and grooves, by which the gradual wear of the said cutting irons can be com-
pensated for in order to bring the cutting edges always to project true above the
exterior surface of the cutting block's stock, but it must be understood that the
said cutting edges project above the said circumference only just sufficient to do
their work upon the material being shaped, so that if by any chance the work
should slip and the hands of the workman should come in contact with the
cutter block, little or no damage would result.
In a cutter block constructed according to this invention the cutting irons are
easily interchangeable, which would allow of a greater variety of work to be done
without independent cutter blocks for each particular pattern or formation of a
moulding or beading or whatever may be the work operated upon.
The channels or passages adjacent to the cutting irons may, if necessary, project

page_text: into a cut-away part in the body of the chuck, which said cut-away part is in
communication with the bore of the cutter block.
Dated this 21st day of December 1898.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agents for the Applicant,
Improvements in the Construction of Cutter Blocks for Woodworking
Machinery.
I, ALBERT ALFRED ATKIN, Managing Director of Atkin & Sons Limited, of
Sheffield Works, Rea Street South, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, 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-
This invention is an improved cutter-block for use in general woodworking. It
is characterised by a cylindrical stock or body having its surface or circular
periphery formed a number of longitudinal grooves or ways, wherein are adjust-
ably arranged a number of cutting irons, and with a similar number of channels
or passages whose mouths come adjacent to the cutting edges of the said irons,
the said channels or passages forming collectors and conductors for the wood cut-
tings or shavings. The object of the invention is to construct a cutter-block
which will lessen the danger of personal injury that exists with those cutter-
blocks at present in use, and which will gather and direct the wooden cuttings or
shavings from the edges of the cutting irons so as to prevent them flying in all
directions round the worker; whilst further by the particular arrangement of the
parts of the said improved cutter-block the finish of the work operated upon is
improved.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings the invention is practically illustrated,
Fig. 1 being an end elevation, Fig. 2 a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a transverse
section of a cutter-block with the cutting irons in position ready for use. Fig. 4
shows in end elevation the cylindrical stock or body-part separate, and Fig. 5
a face view of one of the cutting irons. The method of fixing the cutting irons
in position and the adjustment thereof to compensate for grinding is clearly shown
in Figs. 2 and 3, whilst in Figs. 4 and 5 it will be obvious that the said irons
are interchangable in view of any particular pattern of moulding or beading
which may be desired upon the work operated upon.
In these figs. of the drawings a² is the cylindrical stock or body-part of the
cutter-block a, and is formed of steel, iron or other suitable material, and of any
suitable size. It has formed upon its circumference or periphery a3 a number of
grooves or ways e set at an angle both longitudinally and transversely to the axis
of the said stock, and also a similar number of channels or passages d, whose
mouths come adjacent to the open sides of the grooves or ways, the said
channels following the inclination of the ways c. The grooves c are formed as
seatings or holders for cutting irons or knives 9 and the channels or passages d
as primary recepticals or guides for the cuttings or shavings as they leave the
edges of the knives, so that the said cuttings are passed on from the one end of
the block to the other and drop out from the one end of the stock into a suitable
receptical, and this without being flirted about. The cutting irons or knives g
are simple plates fitting the grooves c and arranged therein so that their cutting
edges g2 come just beyond the periphery of the stock or body-part a², adjacent to

page_text: the mouths of channels of passages d, and are clamped within these grooves c by
screws or set pins or other similar devices which will allow of them being
easily taken from the block for sharpening up and resetting. Crossly directed
slots g³, g³, are formed in the cutting irons in order that they may be adjusted in
a forward direction to obtain the desired projection of the cutting edges beyond
the periphery of the stock.
Suitable setting up devices may be arranged within the grooves c at the back
of the knives, where a fine adjustment of the cutting edges is necessary, but it
is to be understood that the said cutting edges project above the periphery of the
stock only just sufficient to accomplish the work upon the material being shaped,
so that even if the work held to the cutter block should by any chance slip, owing
to a hard knot in the wood or its feed being in any way miscalculated, and the
hands of the workman come in contact with the cutter-block, little or no personal
damage would result.
With a cutter block constructed according to this invention a greater variety
of work can be done without independent cutter-blocks for each pattern, as the
knives are interchangeable and can be quickly taken out, put in, and adjusted.
The channels or passages d may, if necessary, project through into the bore n
of the stock in the manner shown by the dotted lines m2 in Fig. 4.
A cutter-block according to this invention is more uniformally balanced and
its knives better supported than is the case with those hitherto in use, and the
oblique or angular disposition of the knives render possible a better finish of the
work under operation.
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:-
―
First. Constructing the cutter-block stock or body-part externally cylindrical,
and forming and providing within and upon its cylindrical face longitudinal
channels or passages and cutting irons or knives, the latter set into suitable
grooves or ways so that the cutting edges of the knives project slightly beyond
the cylindrical face of the stock and come adjacent to the mouths of the said
channels or passages, for the purposes substantially as described.
Second. A cutter-block for wood working, comprising the combination of a
cylindrical stock or body-part a², formed upon its face a with grooves or ways c
and channels or passages a set at an angle to the axis of the stock, cutting irons
or knives set in said grooves or ways so as to be adjustable and detachable, and
means for clamping said irons in position, substantially as described and set forth.
Third. A cutter-block for wood working, constructed and having its parts
arranged and fitted in the manner substantially as set forth in Figs. 1 to 5.
Dated this 21st day of September 1899.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Also at Liverpool, London, and Manchester,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.