CERTAIN IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR WORKING OR CUTTING WOOD INTO ALL KINDS OF MOULDINGS, REBATES, CORNICES, OR ANY SORT OF FLUTED WORK,
Year: 1827

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANTOINE
ADOLPHE MARCELLIN MARBOT, of No. 38, Norfolk Street, Strand, -in the
County of Middlesex, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did by petition humbly represent to His present most
Gracious Majesty King Georgo the Fourth, that in consequence of a com-
munication made to me by a certain foreigner residing abroad, with whom I
am connected, I was in the possession of a new Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR WORKING OR CUTTING WOOD INTO ALL KINDS OF
MOULDINGS, REBATES, CORNICES, OR ANY SORT OF FLUTED WORK," and I humbly
prayed His said Majesty to grant me a Patent for the sole use and sale of the
said Invention, whereupon His said Majesty, being graciously pleased to grant
my request, did issuo His Royal Letters Patent, bearing date at Westminster,
the Third day of February, in the eighth year of His reign, by which said
Letters Patent His said Majesty does, for Himself, His heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the 'said Antoine Adolphe Marcellin Marbot, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said Antoine Adolphe Marcellin Marbot,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of them, by himself and
themselves, or by his and their deputy or deputies, servants and agents, or
such other as I, the said Antoine Adolphe Marcellin Marbot, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, shall at any time agree with (and no others), from
time to time and at all times during. the term of fourteen years from the

page_text: date of the said Letters Patent, may make, use, exercise, and vend the said
Invention within that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and also in His said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad; and
further, His said Majesty does by His said Letters Patent require and strictly
command all His subjects whatsoever that they or any of them shall not
directly, or indirectly during the said term of fourteen years, make, use,
exercise, or put in practice the said Invention or any part thereof within
England, Wales, or the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, or the Colonies and
Plantations abroad, or in any way counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same,
or make additions thereto or subtrations therefrom; and the said Letters
Patent also contain a proviso, enjoining me, the said Antoine Adolphe Mar-
cellin Marbot, to particularly describe and ascertain, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, and also to cause that instrument to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Antoine Adolphe Marcellin Marbot, do hereby declare that the said improved
machinery is described and ascertained in and by the various Figures con-
tained in the four Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, together with the
following description thereof, that is to say:-
Sheet 1 contains a side elevation of the whole machine, and also a hori-
zontal plan of the machine, looking down upon the same from above. The
plan corresponds to the elevation, and the elevation and plan are drawn to
a scale of one-eighth of the real size of the machine. The other Sheets of
Drawings, marked Sheet 2, Sheet 3, and Sheet 4, contain several Figures of
detached parts of the machine. The Figures in Sheet 2 and Sheet 3 are
drawn to one-fourth of the real size. The Figures 16, 17, and 19, in Sheet 4,
are drawn to one-half of the real size, and the Figure 18, in the same Sheet, is
drawn to one-fourth of the real size. In most cases the same letters are used
in all the Figures to denote the same parts. The working or cutting of wood
into all kinds of mouldings, rebates, conices, or any sort of fluted work is
performed by certain edged tools or sharp steel cutters, which are fixed to an
horizontal axis F (sec plan, Sheet 1,) so as to project out from the different
sides of the axis, and from different parts of its length. The axis F is turned
rapidly round by means of the machinery marked A, B, C, g, E, H, and g,
Sheet 1, and which machinery is put in motion by the mechanical power of
a steam engine or a water wheel, or by the strength of horses, or by manual

page_text: force, in order to cause the said cutters to revolve with continuous circular
motion, and their sharp edges are adapted to cut and reduce into thin chips any
wood with which those revolving cutting edges are brought into contact. The
cutters are arranged in distinct series upon the axis F, that is to say, several
cutters are disposed about the different sides of the said axis, radiating from
its centre, and their cutting edges conforming to the circumference of a circle
or circles described about that centre, as shewn at v, Fig. 17, Sheet 4, so that
those cutters follow each other in the same circular path (or nearly the same
path) when the axis is turned round, in order that they may all cut in suc-
cession upon the same piece of wood, either at the same part or at different
parts of the surface thereof, and several such series of cutters v are affixed to
to the axis F side by side at different parts of its length, as is shewn in
Figures 16 and 18, Sheet 4, the cutters of each series revolving in a distinct
circular path of their own when the axis F is turned round, and the different
series of cutters are situated at such distances apart side by side upon the
axis F as is suitable to enable each series to work or cut a separate piece of
wood, as is shewn at Y, Figure 16. The several pieces of wood Y which are
thus to be cut at the same time are firmly fixed and held fast side by side in
a horizontal position by stops o and clamps q, see the plan, Sheet 1, upon a
table or bench U, U, which is situated beneath the horizontal axis F of the
revolving cutter v, the lengths of the pieces of wood being parallel to each
other, and across or at right angles to the axis F, which is applied over and
across all the pieces of wood in a suitable manner to cause the cutting edges
of its cutters v by their revolving motion to intercept and cut away so much
of the upper surfaces of the said pieces of wood Y as is requisite to work or
excavate those surfaces into the forms or shapes corresponding to the forms or
shapes previously given to the sharp cutting edges of the revolving cutters v
which are affixed to the axis F, and the said forms are made suitable for sucli
mouldings, rebates, cornices, or such sort of fluted work as is required to be
worked or cut out by the said improved machinery. The horizontal axis F with
its revolving cutters vis supported in bearings, which are fixed upon a move-
able carriage S or horizontal frame, see plan, Sheet 1, and by the action of
the machinery marked I, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, and R, the carriage S is
slided horizontally along upon suitable bearers Z and 7, with a slow and pro-
gressive motion in a straight line, following the direction of the length of the
several pieces of wood Y which are to be worked or cut, and the cutters are
thus carried along over all the length of the pieces of wood from end to end with
such an accurate rectilinear motion as that the cutters may by their revolving
motion cut away, and reduce the upper surfaces of the pieces of wood to exact

page_text: a straight line in the direction of their lengths from end to end; the form of
the services in a direction across the length of the pieces or their transverse
sections, as Y, Fig. 16, Sheet 4, being worked or cut into the same forms as
those of the cutting edges of the revolving cutters v, and which edges are
previously formed to the required pattern. The several pieces of wood Y, which
are fixed side by side upon the table U to be worked or cut at the same time,
may be worked or cut out, each one into a different form, according as the
edges of the different series of cutters v, which are to operate upon cach separate
piece of wood Y, are previously formed. All the revolving cutters are
fastened to the horizonal axis F by means of screws and clamps, marked u in
Figures 16, 17, and 18. The clamps u can be released in order to take off the
cutters v, either to grind and sharpen their cutting edges, or to change them
for other cutters having edges of a different form, suitable to the intended forms
of the mouldings, rebates, cornices, or other sort of fluted work which is required
to be cut or worked by them. Those cutters v which are fixed to the axis in
one series, so as to follow each other in nearly the same circular path when the
axis is turned round in order to cut the same piece of wood, are some of them
adapted to cut the upper surface thereof, and others are adapted to cut the
upright edges or margins of the pieces of wood, as is represented in Sheet 4,
at Figures 16 and 18. In order to fasten the several pieces of wood Y side
by side upon the upper flat surface of the table U, it is furnished at one end
with stops O, see the Plan, Sheet 1, which projects upwards from the flat
surface of the table, in order to retain the ends of the several pieces of wood Y
from sliding endsways along the table, and the other end of the table is provided
with clamps (see Plan, Sheet 1, and Figures 14 and 15, Sheet 3), which
clamps, being advanced or driven up towards the end of the several pieces of
wood Y, so as to press against the same, will hold the other ends of the pieces
of wood Y fast against the stops 0; at the other end of the table the clamps 2
are fastened by screws upon the table U to retain the pieces of wood thereupon.
The table is supported at each end by upright screws, two of which are shewn
at m, m, Fig. 7, Sheet 2, by which the table can be raised or lowered so as to
level and adjust the upper surfaces of the pieces of wood Y to such a height,
that the revolving cutters v, in travelling over the said surfaces, will cut away
and reduce the same as much as is requisite to form the intended mouldings,
rebates, cornices, or other sort of fluted work, but no more. The moveable
carriage S, which contains the axis F and its cutters v, is moved along the
straight line, in which the carriage is adapted to move with a very gradual and
slow progress, whilst the revolving cutters v are caused to move very rapidly,
that they may work or cut the wood by removing a very great number of very

page_text: thin chips or shavings from its surface, and thus the splitting or breaking up
the wood into a rough surface is avoided, although it is cut with expedition.
The straightness and uniformity of the mouldings in the direction of their length
and the evenness of their surfaces depend chiefly upon the steadiness and
slowness of the motion with which the carriage proceeds, and upon the firm
fixing of the pieces of wood; but the correctness of the shape of the mouldings
in their transverse section and the smoothness of their surfaces depend upon the
form and sharpness and correct adjustment of the revolving cutters upon the
axis F. It is requisite that the pieces of wood shall be very firmly held and
supported during the operation of the cutters, so that they cannot yield or
spring away from the cutters. For this purpose the upper surface of the
table U is made very true and straight, and the several pieces of wood Y, which
are laid flat upon that surface are sustained thereby at every part of their
length to prevent them from bending downwards. Note.-When mouldings
are to be worked upon very thin pieces of wood they should be fastened upon
other stronger pieces which are applied flat upon the table, as is shown at Y in
Figures 16 and 19, Sheet 4. To prevent the pieces of wood Y bending laterally
or yielding sideways from the cutters, guides or pieces of iron are affixed to the
two sides of the carriage S by screws, as shewn at a, Figures 4 and 5 and 8,
Sheet 3. These guides a extend across the carriage beneath the axis F of the
revolving cutters v in a proper situation that the upright edges of the several
pieces of wood Y may bear laterally against them and steel springs b are also
fixed by screws to one of sides of the carriage S; these springs project down
beneath the axis F, so as to stand opposite to the guides a. The guides a and
the springs b apply to the two opposite sides or upright edges of the several
pieces of wood Y, and the springs keeping the pieces of wood coming in
contact with the guides a, they cannot retreat from the action of the cutters.
The carriage S and the axis F with the revolving cutters v are moved quite to
one end of the machine, while the pieces of wood Y are fixed upon the table;
but that being done, the machinery is put in motion to turn the axis F of
the cutters rapidly round, and at the same time to advance the carriage very
slowly along the length of the pieces of wood, and when the cutters have
acted upon them from one end to the other the mouldings are finished.
The machine is then stopped, and by turning a handle 6, which is affixed
to the wheel O, the carriage is moved back by manual labor to its former
position, in order to take out the finished pieces of wood and put in
other rough pieces. To facilitate the motion of the carriage when it is thus
moved back by hand, a cord is attached to the carriage, and is conducted ove..
pulleys X, Sheet 1, and a weight V is suspended from the end of the cord;

page_text: this weight is raised up as the carriage moves by: the action of the machinery
during the action of working the wood, but by its descent the same weight
acts in aid of the exertion of the man, who returns the carriage back again, by
turning the wheel O by its handle 6. The improved machinery is put in
motion by an endless strap or belt.a. (see the elevation, Sheet 1, which
encompasses the pulley A, and also some other pulley or drum wheel, which is
turned regularly round by the mechanical power of the millwork or first mover,
and pulley A is thus kept in continual motion; it is fitted loose upon its axis
B, so as to turn round freely thereupon, except when it is pushed towards the
large wheel C, which wheel is fixed fast upon the same axis B, and a tooth e,
which projects from the pulley A, is caused to intercept a similar tooth f, which
projects from the wheel C, and by the contact of the two teeth e and f the
wheel C is turned round, so as to put all the machinery in motion. The
periphery of the large wheel C is formed with a groove to receive the long
endless cord G, which is carried round about the pulley E, fixed upon one end
of the axis F of the revolving cutters, and after encompassing the pulley E,
the cord is conducted over a tension pulley H at the other end of the machine,
and then returus back to the wheel C; by means of the cord G the axis F of
the revolving cutters is turned rapidly round, and the communication of that
motion remains the same during all the progressive motion of the carriage from
one end of its course to the other, for the cord g acts the same upon the pulley
E wherever the carriage may be, whether nearer to or further from the
wheel C. G is a small fly wheel, which is fixed upon the axis F of the
revolving cutters, to regulate its motion, and enable the cutters to overcome
the resistance of cutting through knots. The centre pin or stud, upon which
the tension pulley H is mounted, can be removed to a greater distance from
the great wheel C by means of a screw movement (sec Sheet 1), so as to make
the endless cord g tight, and prevent it from slipping upon the pulley E or
upon the wheel C. At the extreme end of the axis B of the great wheel Ca
small pinion J is fixed, and it turns a large cog wheel K, which turns round
upon a stud or fixed centre pin, which is supported by the framing of the
amachine; a small cog wheel L is fitted upon the central boss of the wheel K
in such manner, that it can either be connected by a catch h with the wheel K
so as to turn round therewith, or else the catch h can be disengaged, and then
the pulley L can turn round independantly of the wheel K. The wheel L
receives a long endless chain M, which is carried horizontally along a trough N
all the length of the machine, so as to hold up the chain in a suitable position
that it may apply to the teeth at the circumference of a large cog wheel O, fixed
on the extreme end of a horizontal axis P, which is sustained in bearings j affixed

page_text: to the carriage S. The endless chain communicates motion from.the cog wheel
L to the wheel O in all positions of the carriage, whether it is nearer to or
farther from the great wheel C; the chain M is conducted round an extension
pulley K at the farther end of the machine, and then returns to the small cog
wheel L, which has teeth to enter into the spaces of the links of the chain, and
thus compels the chain to circulate slowly whenever the wheel L is turned
round, by its connection with the larger cog wheel K, and that wheel receives
a low motion from the pinion j at the end of the axis B. Upon the axis P of
the large cog wheel O a small pinion Q is fixed, and its teeth engage with those
of a long straight rack R, which is fixed horizontally against one of the hori-
zontal bearers 1, upon which the carriage S slides; when the large wheel O is
turned slowly round by the endless chain M, the pinion Q, acting in the teeth
of the rack R, rolls along the same in such manner as to advance the carriage
along upon its bearers and Z with a very slow and gradual motion, in order to
work and cut all parts of the length of the several pieces of wood Y. The
catch h, which is attached to one of the arms of the wheel K, as shewn in
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet II., is adapted to catch into notches in the edge i of the
wheel L, when that wheel is required to be turned round in order to advance
the carriage slowly but if the catch h is disengaged, then the wheel L becomes
loose upon the central boss of the wheel K, in order that the carriage may be
run back, by turning the handle 6 of the wheel O by hand. The pinion
J which turns the wheel K can be removed from the end of the axis B, and
another pinion substituted, either of a larger or smaller size, in order to cause
the carriage to advance with a quicker or a slower motion, according as is
found necessary for cutting or working different kinds of wood; for if it is of a
brittle texture and with many knots, the advancing motion must be slower than
for more even wood, so that the cutters may reduce the surface by taking off
more minute chips or thinner shavings. The carriage S is made of metal, and
rests by its own weight upon the two horizontal bearers Z and I, along which it
is intended to slide; one of the bearers Z is formed with an angle or edge upon
the upper side, as is shewn in Figures 4, 5, and 7, Sheet III., in order to guide
the carriage laterally as well as to bear its weight, but the other bearer / is
flat upon the upper edge. The bearers Z and are made of metal, and must
be very true and straight on their bearing edges, and they must be very solidly
fixed, parallel to each other, and to the length of the pieces of wood Y,
which are to be worked or cut in a horizontal plane; they are fastened
against the side rails T of the fixed framing of the machine; those side
rails are supported upon suitable upright legs T, and the legs of the
opposite sides of the machine are connected by strong transverse pieces T,

page_text: see Figures 7 and 16. The edges of the horizontal table U, U, are received
in notches which are cut out of the transverse pieces T, so that the table
is returned laterally, at the same time that it is freely at liberty to be
raised or lowered by the screws m; and n is a binding screw, fixed to the
table, and having a nut beneath the transverse piece T, in order to hold the
table down more firmly upon the ends of the levelling screw m than would
be done by the weight of the table alone. The clamps q, q, by which the ends
of the several pieces of wood Y are retained, are fitted into grooves in a metal
socket P, Plan Sheet 1), and Figures 14 and 15, Sheet III., which is fastened
down across the width of the table U, the length of the clamps 9 being in the
direction of the length of the pieces of wood Y. The socket is fastened to the
table by two screws, shewn at t, Figure 15, and the table is pierced with a
number of holes to receive these screws, and the clamps may be fixed to any
part of the length of the table, according to the length of the pieces of wood Y
which are to be worked or cut. The guides a, Figures 4, 5, 7, and 8, Sheet III.,
which retain the pieces of wood from the lateral flexure, and also the springs b
are fastened to the carriage by screws, both which are received in long openings
through the sides of the carriage, see Figure 4, Sheet III., whereby the position
of those guides and springs can be adjusted and regulated, suitably to the
breadth between the edges of the pieces of wood; or some of the said guides
and springs may be removed if it is required to cut or work wider picces of
wood Y than is represented in the Figures, so that a smaller number of pieces
will fill up the width of the machine. The axis F, with all its cutters, may
be removed from the machine in order to sharpen or adjust its cutter, and
another similar axis with sharp cutters being provided to put in its place, the
machine may be kept at work with very little interruption. It is essential to
the performance of the improved machinery that the cutters shall be kept very
sharp, and their positions correctly adjusted upon the axis. To stop the motion
of the machine, the pulley A must be slided along the axis B, to remove it so
far from the wheel C that, the teeth e and f will be separated from contact
with each other; the pulley A will then turn round freely upon the axis B,
and the wheel C, together with all the rest of the machinery, except the pulley
A, will stand still. A circular groove is formed around the central part of the
pulley A, and a fork 6 is applied in this groove, as is shown in Figure 2,
Sheet II. The fork b is formed at. one end of a rod D, which proceeds
parallel to the axis B, and the other end of the rod is jointed to an elbow
lever D 1, which turns about a pin fixed to the frame of the machine. To
the other arm of the elbow lever a long rod D 2 is jointed, and proceeds all
the length of the machine against the outside of the horizontal rail of its

page_text: frame; at the extreme end of this rod D 2 an upright lever d is applied, as is
shewn detached in Figure 2, in such manner, that when the handle at the
upper end of the lever d is pushed back towards the axis B, it pushes the
rod D 2 endways, and by means of the elbow lever D 1 and the forked rod D, b,
the pulley A is advanced towards the wheel C, so as to put the tooth e in a
position to intercept the tooth f, whereby the pulley A will turn the wheel C
and its axis B, so as to put all the machinery in motion. But if the handle of
the lever d is drawn forwards, it draws the rod D 2 endways, and by the elbow
lever and forked rod removes the pulley A so far from the wheel C as to
disengage the latter, and then the machine will stand still; a holding catch is
applied to the rod to fasten it in either position, in order to keep the machine
stopped or to keep it in motion; this catch is shewn separate in Figure 8,
Sheet II., and its action, similar to that of the tumbler of a door lock, open its
sliding bolt.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed and carried into effect, I, the said Antoine
Adolphe Marcellin Marbot, do further declare that the novelty of the said
improved machinery consists in the combination of the several essential parts
thereof, one with another, whereby such improved machinery is rendered
capable of working or cutting wood into all kinds of mouldings, rebates,
cornices, or any sort of fluted work, in the manner herein-before stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Antoine Adolphe Marcellin Marbot, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Tenth day of April, in the year of
To One thodi
1