IMPROVEMENTS IN MÄ- CHINERY FOR SAWING, BORING, AND SHAPING WOOD
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HAMILTON, of London, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of
September (One thousand eight hundred and fifty), in the fourteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Hamilton, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial license,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said James Hamilton, my
exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Hamilton; my
exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, shoul
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and.
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MÄ-
CHINERY FOR SAWING, BORING, AND SHAPING WOOD;" in which said Letters Patent:
is contained a proviso that I, the said James Hamilton, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to
be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Hamilton, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists, first, of improvements in machinery for sawing wood,
chiefly applicable for the staves of casks.
Secondly, my Invention consists of improvements in machinery for boring
wood for the purpose of inserting dowels.
Thirdly, my Invention consists of improvements in machinery for effecting
these parts of the shaping of staves for casks, which are technically called
"backing and hollowing."
Fourthly, my Invention consists of improvement in machinery for giving to
wood the required form and the proper bevil at the edges for staves of casks.
And, fifthly, my Invention consists of improvements in machinery for
shaping wood for the purpose of dowels.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS, SHEET 1.
Figure 1 is a side view of machinery used in sawing wood for staves;
Figures 2 and 3 are end views; Figure 4 is a plan. The same letters and
figures on this Sheet refer to the same parts. A, A, A, A, is the frame; A*
is one of two fender posts; B, B, are two hanging brackets, firmly bolted to
the bottom of the machine for supporting the crank shaft; C is the crank
shaft; D is the fly wheel; E is the eccentric; F is the eccentric rod; G is a
bar with a pall G* jointed on its end, and working the ratchet wheel H; this
bar is connected at its lower end to a slotted lever I, working on the pin I* ;
the lever is connected to the eccentric rod by a pin passing through the slot,
and the upper end of the eccentric rod; the pin passes through two links 1°,
which connect the eccentric rod F with the lever J; the lever J turns on its
lower end on a pin J; K is a graduated notched plate, fixed on the side of
the frame A, and marked 1, 2, 3. It will be seen that by moving the lever J
into figure 2 it will increase the stroke of the bar G, and give an additional
feed, and by moving it into figure 3 it increases it still more, making it con-
venient to increase or decrease the feed at pleasure. L, L, are two palls
working in the ratchet wheel, to prevent it receding when at work; M is a
lever turning on the pin M*; at its lower end N is a thin piece of steel running
.

page_text: between the ratchet and frame, and so shaped as to strike pins placed in the
palls, lifting them out of gear by moving the lever M in one direction, and
throwing them into gear by moving the lever M in the reverse direction; O is
a steel spring, secured to the fender posts A* (described in Figure 2); P, P,
are two palls resting on the wood when being sawn, to prevent it being lifted
up by the saws; Q is the wood being sawn; R is the rack or carriage, which
is moved backwards and forwards by pinion E*; S is a press lever, described
in Figure 4; T is a cord fastened to the end of lever S, and running over
pulley U, with a weight V attached, to press the rollers W, W, (Figure 4)
against the wood Q, which is guided by the fence plate X. Figure 2 is an
end view; Y, Y, are the fast and loose pulleys; Z is a connecting rod or
pitman connected with the crank C at its lower end, and at its upper end to the
centre gate b, which moves up and down in guides a, a, a, a, which are screwed
or bolted upon the fender posts A*, A*. On each side of this gate is another
gate, fully described in Figure 4; c, c, are two rollers placed in the ends of
two forked sliding pieces; these sliding pieces pass through the fender posts
A*, A*, and are pressed up against the two sliding gates by means of the
springs 0,0; two metal boxes d, d, are inserted in the fender posts A*, A*,
for the roller slides to pass through, and be kept accurately in their places.
One of these rollers presses against the front sliding gate as the gate is worked
up and down, and the other roller presses against the back gate i, causing the
gates to be kept against and guided by the templates e, e, (seen in Figure 4, as
the sawing progresses). It will readily be seen that the direction of the saw
will be guided by the templates e, e; these templates may be varied in shape,
as required, for the particular work. Figure 3 is a view of the front end, and
is fully described in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4 is a plan; A, A, A, A, is the
top frame; fand f¹ are two pieces or head blocks connecting the rack R, R,
or carriage frame in which the wood is placed to be sawn; g is a forked piece
of wood, attached to the connecting end f, for the purpose of pushing the:
wood forward; Q, Q, are the timbers being sawn; X is a fence plate;
W, W, are two rollers pressed up against the wood Q, Q, by means of the-
levers S, S, more fully described in Figure 1; e, e, are the templates screwed.
firmly to the carriages R, R; 6 is the centre gate running up and down
in the guides a, a; h is the forward sliding gate; i is the back sliding. gate.
These two gates are fitted to the rear and front of the centre gate b, by.
dovetail pieces similar to those of a slide rest of a lathe, and made to move
freely to the right and left, being governed by the templates e, e, and the
pressing rollers c, c; these gates being connected in the manner set forth, are
governed in their up-and-down stroke by the centre gate b; the front and rear

page_text: gates have each two saws j. j, (seen in Figures 1 and 2,) stretched in them by
buckles k, k, k, k, k, k, k, k, which are made to slide freely on the top and
bottom of each gate, enabling a workman to set them at any given distance
apart. It will be seen in this arrangement, as shewn in the plan, that two
saws are stretched in the front gate and two in the rear, consequently the
forward saws enter the wood about two inches before the wood comes up to the
rear saws, which are so set as to enter and follow in the cuts made by the front
saws; and it will be seen that the front saws having entered a distance begin
to diverge to the left hand, and when the rear saws arrive at the same point
they begin to diverge to the right hand, as shewn by the lines 1, 1, 1, 1, and
continue to make their cuts until they arrive near the end of the wood, at which
time the saw gates are pressed in by the templates e, e, which cause the cuts
at each end to be like those shown by the dotted lines m, m, m, m, and
corresponding with the cuts I, I, I, I. Instead of employing two saws in
each gate, as above described, it will be obvious that one, three, or more saws
may be employed; also, that the cuts, whether straight or curved, will depend
on the forms of the templates.
'
I would remark, that I am aware that it has before been proposed to cut
wood for the staves of casks by means of two saws made to enter and leave the
wood at the same time, and capable of diverging and converging when sawing;
but in the arrangement above described the saws enter and leave the wood one
behind the other, which is advantageous, and the mode of employing the parts
S, W, X, enables wood to be sawed up into staves, and also into pieces useful
for the heads of casks.
The machinery, as shewn and described, is arranged so that the saws enter
and leave the wood in the same cut; but it will be obvious that by different
forms of templates, the saws of the two gates, though coming into action in
succession, may enter and leave the wood in different cuts, also that where one
cut only is required through one piece of wood, one saw only in one of the
gates will require to be employed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING, SHEET 2.
Figure 1 is a front view of machinery for boring staves and parts of
heads of casks and like purposes; Figure 2 is an end view; Figure 3 is
a plan. In these Figures the same letters and figures refer to the same
parts. Figure 1: A, A, A, A, is the framing; B is a table or platform
screwed or bolted on bracket frame; C, C, is an iron framing made to rise
and fall by means of a rack and pinion, as shewn in Figure 2; D is
a shaft with pinions keyed on and gearing into racks placed on the inner

page_text: sides of frame C; the frame C is made to move up and down, and is
guided by clamps E, E, E, E, bolted to framing A, A; on the end of this
shaft is a ratchet wheel F, and crank handle G. His a pall for the
purpose of retaining the ratchet wheel Fin its place, enabling the workman
to raise or lower the table B to any required height. On the top of table or
platform B are two slide guides I, I; there is also on the centre of table Ba
dovetail sliding guide J. In the end of dovetail slide J is a swivel nut L,
through which passes a screw M; N is its handle, enabling the workman to
give the upper bench K. any inclination or angle required for boring staves or
other pieces of wood to receive dowels. In each of these guides are slides,
with hinged joints bolted to an upper table K; on the top of the frame A, A,
is a bed plate (seen in Figures 2 and 3), on which are plummer blocks q, q;
R and Rare two mandrils, running in plummer blocks 2, 9, 2, 2, (seen in
Figures 2 and 3), having chucks on their ends for receiving boring bits T, T,
(seen in Figures 2 and 3). U, U, are fast and loose pulleys for working
mandrils R and R; V is a carriage sliding in dovetail grooves V, VI, (seen
in Figures 2 and 3). This carriage has a shaft W, made to turn to the right
or left by the slotted lever X, which is connected to the shaft W; in this slide
is a fence or stop piece W*, made to move. either to or from the fulcrum on
which the slotted lever X turns, and is fastened in its place by a nut Y (seen
in Figure 3). Z (seen in Figure 3), is a piece of heading resting on table
K, one end being against the fence W* in a position to be bored for the
dowels. It is now to be pushed up by the hand to stop pieces a, a, giving equal
depth to each hole; the slotted lever W* is then to be turned over upon the
other end of the table ; the wood is then to be turned end for end (keeping
the same side up) and the end of the heading is to be guided by fence
W*, the same as before, giving uniformity to the surfaces, holes, and ends,
when united.
The mandril R¹ runs in a sliding head h, and can be moved to and from the
mandril R by means of the screw c and handle d, enabling the workman to
regulate the distance from hole to hole, as may be required. Whenever any
change is made in the distance the holes are required to be apart, the sliding
carriage V is to be moved to the centre and fastened by the thumb screw e,
being of equal distance from mandril to mandril, or bit to bit.
The fence
piece W is to be set corresponding with the length of the heading or material
to be bored. When casks are required to be made of an oval or irregular
circular form, it is desirable that the staves should be dowelled together,
consequently they must be bored at a given bevil. In such case it will be
seen that ample provision is made for this purpose, by means of the table K

page_text: being made capable of adjustment to any given bevil or angle required, by
means of the screw M; the table K is then to be drawn out, and the stave
placed upon it and pressed up against the boring bits. It will be seen that staves
so bored will have their holes so perfectly agreeing as to receive dowels without
the risk of their being bent or broken in putting the casks together. Figure
2 is an end view; A, A, A, A, is the frame; B is the table or platform, -bolted
to bracket slide C; D is the pinion shaft; D¹ is the pinion; E' is the rack
referred to in Figure 1; F is the ratchet wheel; G is its handle; H is the
pall; I are the guides; J is the dovetail guide; K is the table top on hinged
joints M*; M is a screw for raising the table K; N is its handle; O arc the
jointed slides; P is the bed plate, having dovetail grooves in it for the purpose
of adjusting the distance from one bit or augur to the other; Q, Q, are the
plummer blocks, in which the mandril R¹ revolves; S is a chuck to receive
the boring bit, and screwed on the end of the mandril R'; T is the boring bit;
U, U, are the fast and loose pulleys; V is a sliding carriage; W* is the fence;
X is the slotted lever; Y is the nut to fasten the fence in its position (seen in
Figure 3) Z is the wood to be bored; a is a stop piece; b is the mandril
sliding carriage; c is the screw; d is its handle; e is the thumb screw for
fastening the carriage V in its place. Figure 3 is a plan, and is fully
described in Figures 1 and 2. The bands for working the mandrils R. and
R' are driven by the same pulley, which may be placed either above or below
the machine.
I would remark, that I am aware that boring machines, each having two or
more drills simultaneously put in action, have before been made and used for
boring wood for casks and other purposes, I do not therefore claim the same;
and I would state that this part of my Invention consists in combining with
such machinery means, such as herein described, for adjusting the distance of
the, drills, for adjusting the wood on the table, and for adjusting the table, as
herein explained.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING, SHEET 3.
Figure 1 is a side view of machinery for backing and hollowing staves;
Figure 2 is an end view; Figure 3 is a view of the other end; Figure 4 is
a plan. In these Figures the same letters and figures refer to the same parts.
Figure 1: A, A, A, A, A, is the framing; B is one of the plummer blocks in which
the shaft C revolves; on the centre of this shaft is a fast pulley D; on each
side of this pulley and directly under the staves E, E, as indicated on the plan,
are two sets of revolving adzes F, placed on the shaft C in the usual way; one
set of cutters on. one side of the pulley D have convex edges, and the set

page_text: on the other side of the pulley D have concave edges, each being adapted to
the diameter of the cask to be made. In the centre of the concave adzes is
a wheel E*, being of the same diameter as the cut of the adzes; this wheel is
to prevent the wood being cut below the surface of the centre of the stave as.
it passes through the machine, and as the cutters curve up on each side of this
wheel it gives the desired form to the stave without wasting the strength of
the timber or stave in its middle. The same arrangement is made on the other
side of the pulley D for hollowing the staves, the only difference being that for
hollowing a stave convex cutters are used instead of concave, and wheels E**,
are employed in the place of the wheel E*, as seen in Figures 9 and 10.
E is a stave, being backed or rounded on its upper surface according as the
concave or convex cutters are used; this stave slides over two short
pieces F, F, screwed on the top G of the machine, one in front and the
other in the rear of the adzes or cutters, their upper surfaces being nearly the
same height as the cutters (shewn in Figures 11 and 12); H, H, are two
of the rollers pressing the stave firmly down and keeping it in its place when
being operated upon. Four rollers are required for this operation, as shewn
in Figure 4, two only are shewn in this view; they are connected together
by three axles (shewn in Figures 5 and 6), and marked I, I, I* ; thesc
rollers are kept in their places by the axles I, I, being of a sufficient
length to pass through each roller into the slots in the side guides J, J, J, J,
(Figure 4.) These two axles I, I, are connected together by a third axle I*.
Over the back axle is a shaft K, the bearings of which work in the same side
pieces as the axles I, I, of the pressing roller H, H. On the centre of the
shaft K is an arm L, which is connected to stirrup M; its other end is con-
nected to the centre of the axle I*. On the shaft K is another lever N.; on
this lever is a weight O, capable of sliding either way on the lever N, giving
more or less pressure on the rollers H, H, H, H, as may be required. This
weight is kept in its place on the lever N by means of a set screw O*. It
will be seen that as the pressure is on the centre of the axle I*, each and all
of the rollers turning freely on their own axis will receive an equal pressure
from the weight O. On the end of the shaft C is a pulley P; P* is a band;
Qis a groove pulley, keyed on to shaft R, which runs in plummer blocks
S, S, bolted on to the back end of frame A, A, as seen in Figure 3. T is a
bevil wheel, keyed on shaft R, which gears into another bevil wheel T. This
bevil wheel is keyed on the end of worm shaft U, which runs at one end in-
plummer block V, fastened to the frame A; the other end runs in a bracket
W, bolted upon the top G of the frame A, A. Upon the upper end of shaft U
is a worm X, which is geared into worm wheel Y. This worm wheel is

page_text: keyed upon the middle of shaft a. This shaft runs in two brackets b, b, which
are bolted to the side frames A, A. Between the worm wheel Y and
brackets b, b, are two chain wheels 'c, c; at the other end of the frame A, A, are
two brackets d, d, strongly bolted upon the extreme end of the frame A, A.
Through these brackets is a shaft e, on the ends of which are flanch pulleys
ff 9, 9, are two flat endless chains, with a mortice in cach link, which
fit on to the chain wheels c, c, regularly when the wheels are in motion;
the chain wheels c, c, are loose on the shaft a, and are brought into action
by the clutches h, h, and levers i, i, as seen in Figures 3 and 4. The ful-
crums of these levers i, i, turn on screws j, j, in the brackets k. On each
endless chain g,.g, are four hooks g*, g*, g*, g*, more or less, which drop on
and take hold of the ends of the stave E as the chain passes round and draws
the stave E through between the cutters F and press rollers H, H, H, II.
It will be seen that when the pulley D is put in motion by means of a band in
the usual way, it gives action to the various parts connected with it, and
forces the staves through the machine, and gives them the desired shape or
form, they being rounded on the back or hollowed in the belly, according to
the cutters used. Figure 2 is an end view, and fully described in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a view of the other end, and is also described in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a plan fully described; Figure 5 is a plan, and Figure 6 an end
view, of the press rollers H, H, H, I, .and axles I, I, I. Figures 7 and 8
shew two views of the adzing frames. Figures 9 and 10 shew two views of
the axis C, with two sets of adzes thereon, one set for hollowing, and the
other set for backing. Figures 11 and 12 shew the two descriptions of
cutters employed.
I would remark that I am aware that rotatory cutters or adzes for adzing
wood for various purposes have before been used; I do not, therefore, claim
the same, this part of my Invention consisting of combining the use of rota-
tory cutters or adzes with other mechanical parts herein shewn and described,
for the purpose of backing and hollowing staves for casks, as herein explained.
DESRIPTION OF THE DRAWING, SHEET 4..
Figure 1 is a side view of a circular saw bench for bevilling and shaping
wood for staves; Figures 2 and 3 are end views; Figure 4 is a plan. In
these Figures the same letters and figures refer to the same parts. Figure 1:
A, A, A, A, A, is the frame; B is a circular saw hung in the usual way;
C.is a bench hung on hinges at the edge by means of hinged joints C*, C*,
seen in Figures 2, 3, and 4, and made to rise or fall by means of screws
D, D, they giving any required bevil to the stave E; F is a frame, on which

page_text: the stave is fastened by means of a lever G operating upon the clamp E,
which is pressed firmly upon the end of the stave E, the other end of the
stave being pressed up strongly against the dog I; J is a template, which
guides the sliding frame F by means of rollers or guides K, K, (seen in
Figure 4) running in the template or groove L; N is an apparatus for regu-
lating the quantity of waste timber to be sawn off the edge of the stave, and
is fully shewn in end view, Figure 5; O is a guide plate with grooves in it,
to give stability and correctness to the upper piece N, which is made to slide
in it; the upper plate N has two slots in it R, R, through which pass two
set screws Q, Q. The plate N has a jointed guide P with arms (shewn in
Figure 4), which is made to rise and fall as required. It will now be seen
that the plate N having on it the guide piece P, can be moved either back-
ward or forward, as required, giving the exact amount of wood to be sawn off
the edge of the stave; this apparatus is to be screwed on the top of the bench
where the stave is confined (as described before) to be sawn. S is a guaging
piece hung on joints T, T; these joints are screwed into shaft U, which turns
in brackets V, V; these brackets V, V, are screwed firmly to and move with
the sliding frame F pushed up against the guide piece P, and confined, as
before described, by lever G; when one edge has been sawn, the stave is then
reversed, which brings the sawn side next the guage piece S, it is then pushed
up against the guide piece P by means of the guage piece S confined by the
lever G, and sawn, as before. The points W, W, of the guage piece S are so
arranged as to be at the same distance from the cut of the saw as they respec-
tively arrive at it; the stave will consequently be the same width at one end as the
other when sawn. X (Figure 4) is a wedge piece, for the purpose of throwing
off the waste piece of the stave and giving freedom to the action of the saw
when making its curves. When the stave is confined in its place, as described,
it is pushed forward by hand against the saw, which gives the required form;
as shewn by the dotted lines M, M, and at the same time the proper bevil.
It will be ready understood that by substituting other templates in place of
template J, any required form may be given to the edge of the stave, and by
such means of combining parts, a saw bench is constructed suitable for shaping
and bevilling staves for casks by means of a circular saw.
I will now describe the fifth part of my Invention, which is shewn in
Drawing No. 2; Figure 4 is a side view of the machine for making
dowels or pins; Figure 5 is a plan; Figure 6 is a section. In all these Figures
the same letters are used to 'represent the same parts. A is the bed or
foundation plate; B is a projection, on the top of which are two dovetail guides

page_text: C, on which is a slide D, fitting and moving thereon. This slide D is jointed
to the connecting rod E by means of a pin F; the other end of the connecting
rod E is connected to the eccentric band G (see Figure 5), which is worked by
the eccentric H on the shaft I, on which is a fly wheel J and a fast and loose
pulley K, K. L, L, are plummer blocks. On the slide D is bolted the piece M,
for the purpose of carrying the cutter N (see Figures 5 and 6). On the
under side of the slide D is a square punch or driver 0 (see Figure 6) running
in a grove P (Figure 6) in the projecting piece B; the punch or driver is
fixed to the slide D; Q is a cap or guide piece bolted upon projection B for
the purpose of guiding and keeping in its place the piece of wood R, R,
(Figure 6,) cut or split off square by the cutter N, falling down exactly in line
with the punch or driver O, when the cutter N is drawn back. S is a hollow
die or cutter bolted to the flanch T; this cutter is bored out smoothly for the
required size of a pin or dowel, and made sharp at the end at which the wood
enters. U is a trough standing at an inclination with the bed plate A of about
forty-five degrees, and of sufficient width to receive the piece of wood W to be
split into pieces of the required size, as it is pressed down by the weight V. W
is the wood of the required length and thickness for the dowels. Three square
pieces (only two are seen) R, R, of the required dimensions for each dowel are
first to be placed in the receiving aperture, then the wood W is to be placed
in the trough U, and the weight V placed on its top to bear it down as it
progresses. It will readily be seen that by putting the machine in motion
that each revolution will press through the hollow cutter S one of the pieces of
wood R, R, in the receiver. It at the same time will cut or split off another
piece from the wood W to supply the place of the piece already driven through,
and so on in succession until all the wood W is used up.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I make no
claim to the separate mechanical parts, nor do I confine myself to the details
as herein shewn, as the same may be varied so long as the peculiar character
of any part of my Invention be retained. But what I claim is, -
First, the combining machinery, as herein described, for sawing wood,
chiefly applicable for the staves of casks.
Secondly, I claim the combining machinery, as herein described, for boring
wood for the purpose of inserting dowels.
Thirdly, I claim the combining machinery, as above described, for effecting
those operations in the shaping of staves for casks, which are technically called
"backing and hollowing."

page_text: Fourthly, I claim the combining machinery, as above described, for sawing
wood to the proper forms for staves of casks, and giving to their edges
the required bevils.
And, fifthly, I claim the combining machinery, as above described, for
shaping wood for dowels.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hamilton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty-seventh day of March. One thousand eight