IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND SPLITTING WOOD."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Charles Duffy, of Bermondsey, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND SPLITTING WOOD."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Charles Duffy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th March 1879.
" IM-
MICHAEL CHARLES DUFFY, of Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey.
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND SPLITTING WOOD."
My Invention relates to an improved mechanical contrivance for cutting and
the
splitting up wood into firewood pieces or sticks, and into pieces for other uses;
same contrivance being adapted also for similarly. treating other substances to
which the apparatus according to my Invention is applicable.
In carrying out my said Invention I mount upon a suitable framing and at each
end thereof two vertical guides or standards, upon which are free to work up and
down or reciprocate with a given amount of play or travel cross pieces, each
forming a cutter block having a series of circular disc cutters inserted thereinto;
the number of the said cutters and the distance at which they are spaced apart
from each other being proportionate to the number of pieces, and the thickness of
the same into which the wood or other material 'under treatment is to be cut up or
divided. The said cutter blocks have also secured and adapted thereto a cutting
off blade, or knife at right angles to the axes of the first named circular disc cutters,
the said cutting off blades come into contact with the wood or other material under
treatment on the last of the circular cutters having cleared the same, and so detach
the wood or other material into separate pieces.
For the purpose of working, the hereinbefore described machine or apparatus, the
cutter blocks are connected with a crank lever or disc, or suitable equivalent
therefor, carried by a shaft supported in suitable bearings to which motion is
imparted by driving pulleys and bands, the throw of the crank or eccentricity of
the disc being equal to the necessary amount of travel or "stroke" of the cutter
block. The wood or other material under treatment is kept up to the cutting
apparatus by the intervention of suitable racks, gripping pawls, and pressing
rollers, all as to be fully described in the Final Specification of this Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Michael Charles Duffy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
September 1879.
£ *IMPROVE-
MICHAEL CHARLES DUFFY, of Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey.
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND SPLITTING WOOD."
My Invention relates to an improved mechanical contrivance for cutting and
splitting up wood into firewood pieces or sticks, and into pieces for other uses; the
same contrivance being adapted also for similarly treating other substances to
which the apparatus according to my Invention is applicable.
In carrying out my Invention I mount upon a suitable framing and at each end
thereof two vertical guides or standards, upon which are free to work up and down
cross pieces, each forming a cutter block having a series of circular disc cutters
inserted thereinto; the number of the said cutters and the distance at which they
are spaced apart from each other being proportionate to the number of pieces
and the thickness of the same, into which the wood or other material under
treatment is to be cut up or divided. The said cutter blocks have also secured
and adapted thereto a cutting-off. blade or knife at right angles to the axis of the
first named circular disc cutters. The said cutting off blades come into contact
with the wood or other material under treatment on the last of the circular
cutters, having cleared the same, and so detach the wood or other material into
separate pieces.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings illustrative of my said Invention, the
same letters of reference are used in the several views to denote like or corre-
sponding parts in each. Figures 1 and 2 are side elevational views of the
apparatus according to my Invention, Figure 1 being partly in section; Figure 3
is a half plan view, and Figure 4 a front elevational view of the apparatus. The
blocks of wood to be operated upon by the machine are placed on the table A,
and are kept close up to the fence or guard B by the rollers C, C, and two other
rollers at the side not shewn in the Drawing; the said rollers are kept up to
their work by the bell crank arrangement D with weight E. The rollers can be
taken off by the foot lever or treadle F should the block or piece of wood to be.
operated upon have to be taken out or be replaced by a fresh block. The fence or
guard B travels the thickness of a firewood stick, say about 5/ths of an inch every
stroke of the machine; this motion is got from the lever G which is struck up
by the pin H every time the frame I reaches the top of its stroke; the lever G is
connected by the rods shewn in the Drawings to the pawl J, which, when the
lever is struck up, turns the ratchet wheel K as far round as is required to give
the fence or guard B the proper amount of travel, and as soon as the pin H leaves
the lever G, the said lever is brought back by the weight L. The motion given to
the ratchet wheel K is communicated by a shaft to the pinion M which works the
rack N. As soon as the fence reaches the front of the machine, the end of the rack
N strikes a lever which through the series of levers O throws out a clutch P at the
back of the ratchet wheel K, the said clutch connecting the ratchet wheel with
the pinion M. On the clutch P being thrown out, the fence does not move any
more until it is pulled back and the clutch put in gear again by the handle Q By
this self-acting clutch any accident that might happen by the fence going too far
and getting into the frame I is avoided.
Motion is given to the machine by the shaft R with fly wheel S keyed on to it,
from which a connecting rod T is taken to the frame I. It will be noticed on
referring to Figures 1, 2, and 4, that I have shewn the shaft below the machine; it
may however be arranged above the machine, in which case the connecting rod T
would be fixed to the top eye U. The frame I has four bosses which are bushed
with gun metal and work on two guide rods V. To the frame I are fitted two

page_text: gun metal castings a (Figures 1 and 4), forming the cutter blocks in which are
fitted 7 steel disc cutters b herein before described about 1 1/2 inches diameter, and
projecting about 5/ths of an inch. The said disc cutters it will be noticed are
ranged one above the other but not in a vertical line, but are "stepped" as shewn ;
the wood is split by the said cutters. The cutting off of the pieces already thus
split being effected by steel knives or blades fitted at X in the openings W of the
reciprocating cutter frame I.
The accompanying Drawing shews the arrangement of apparatus according to
my Invention for four machines (two at each end), but with the exception of the
reciprocating cutter frame I each machine is worked independently.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, I wish
it to be understood that what I claim is, the arrangement of wood splitting and
cutting apparatus herein shewn and described, and with especial reference to the
disposition or arrangement of the disc cutters b.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Charles Duffy, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.