IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR WORKING IN WOOD
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Greenwood, of Leeds, in the County of
York, Machinist, and Arthur Kinder, of Great George Street, West-
minster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR CUTTING OR WORKING IN WOOD."
Sealed the 15th August 1861, and dated the 21st March 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Greenwood and
Arthur Kinder at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 21st March 1861.
We, THOMAS GREENWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Machinist, and
ARTHUR KINDER, of Great George Street, Westminster, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR CUTTING OR WORKING IN WOOD," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in machinery for cutting or working in
wood relates, first, to machinery for cutting rebates in timber that has or
has not been previously squared; second, for cutting mortices in timber;
and, lastly, for surfacing or smoothing the face of timber.
The first improvement has for its object to cut the rebates across timber
that has either been previously squared, or that has been surfaced on one side
only, and is consequently of an uneven thickness. By means of our improved
machinery these rebates can be cut so that the bottom of the rebate will be
parallel to the true or prepared surface of the timber. The machine may
also be employed for squaring up, and forming or preparing the ends of
timber, such as truck sides to receive the buffer hoops, and for rounding or
lightening out the ends of the uprights or similar work. The timber to

page_text: be operated on is placed on a bed at right angles with the machine, and is
capable of being traversed longitudinally, and fixed at any point, and there
is a gap in the centre of the bed wide enough to allow the centre frame to
descend when required. A short bed carrying a saddle is placed behind
the bed of the machine, and a balanced swing frame working in trunnions is
attached to the saddle, which together with the swing frame can be traversed
by a hand wheel. A spindle provided with suitable cutters is mounted at
the end of the swing frame, and in order to channel out a given depth on a
flat surface, the frame is brought down to a fixed stop; or a compound
cutter may be used having a certain portion only projecting beyond the
spindle, the spindle or guide coming in contact with the surface for the
purpose of regulating the depth.
In squaring and working the ends of timbers, the cutters may consist of an
ordinary circular saw for regulating the length, and the form may be given by
ordinary adzing or other cutters. In operating with this machine, the swing
frame is brought down on to the timber, and the saw cuts its way until the
guide bears on the surface; the frame is then traversed across the upper
surface down the front side, the guide being kept in contact under the
bottom and up the back. The saw and cutters then having passed entirely
round the material, it follows that the end must be squared, and the channel
and chamfer or other form given at the same time.
In working the ends of timber to any form, the timber is fixed in a suitable
fence, having one edge worked to the form required, this edge acting as a
template to determine the course of the cutter. The cutters used in this
machine consist of discs of steel-like circular saws placed at any desired
angle upon the axis on which they are mounted, and they are ground on
their edges, so that these edges are oblique to the face of the saw or cutter,
which becomes an oblique section of a cylindrical or conical figure. These
circular discs or plates are then filed on the edges in such a manner that the
cutting edges are parallel to the axis of a cylinder, or out of winding with
the axis, if concave, or any other figure.
Our next improvement applies to morticing machines, and consists of an
arrangement for bringing down the cranked axis which works the cutters, so
that at each succeeding stroke the cutter will penetrate to a greater depth
until the chisel or cutter having arrived at the stop its motion is arrested, and
the mortice will be finished to an even depth throughout. The same results
may be effected by raising the material to the chisel instead of bringing the
chisel down to the material. The chisel also is of a peculiar construction,
being made hollow with two cutting edges, one behind the other; by this

page_text: means the chips cut off by the tool may be delivered out of the hole through
the hollow chisel, thereby greatly facilitating the operation of the latter.
Sometimes we find it convenient to adapt a plunger to the hollow chisel in
order to force out the chips as the tool descends.
The self-feeding motion of the chisel or cutter is effected by a screw shaft
this motion is com-
having a regular motion imparted to it in one direction;
municated to the screw through an intermediate shaft having a pulley placed
friction-tight on the same, and when the chisel is required to descend, a
divided female nut is closed upon the screw, and the crank shaft will be carried
downwards until arrested by the stop. The friction pulley revolves without
giving motion to the screw so long as it is in this position. When the nut is
opened, the chisel is carried clear of the work, the revolutions of the screw
again commence, and upon closing the nut the same process is gone through.
The same results may be obtained by working a long slide having an inclined
groove on its face; the screw is thrown into a rack on the back of this slide,
and by causing it to traverse, the chisel is brought down. By releasing the
screw, the slide is returned to its original position, the chisel is turned, and
the screw being thrown in again, the chisel is again brought down.
The next improvement relates to an improved "fence" whereby the timber
may be secured at any required angle to the cutting tool. For instance, it
might be advantageously applied to a saw bench in which either a circular
saw or a band or riband saw is employed. In our improved "fence" two
joints are made in the retaining, supporting, or holding screws at the back of
the face plate, and the adjusting screws are lengthened to such an extent that
the plate may be inclined by drawing back the upper screws, and moving
forward the bottom ones as required. It will be evident that by means of
this "fence" the timber may be held at any desired angle while being
operated upon.
The next improvement relates to the standards for supporting the bearings
of the upper pulley of a band or riband saw. The band saw standard is pro-
vided with the usual slide to allow for the variation in the length of the
blades, but the upper pulley is mounted in a swing frame working on an axis
in the face of the slide. The motion of this swing frame is limited by a horn,
and the strain on the saw is either regulated by a counterpoise or weighted
lever, or by a screw and hand wheel, which is used for the purpose of com-
pressing a spring placed between the top of the regulating or adjusting screw
and the pulley shaft. It will be evident therefore that the bearing of the top
pulley will be sufficiently elastic to yield to any undue strain, and yet suffi-
ciently rigid to keep the band saw at its
tension.
proper

page_text: Our next improvement relates to machinery for smoothing or planing the
surface of timber or wood, and consists in the employment of a circular table
having suitable clamps for holding the material to be operated upon. This
table is made to revolve on its vertical shaft. Upon opposite sides are placed
the standards, in which are mounted spindles which carry the surfacing cutters
The timber or wood is fixed by an attendant on one side of the machine, and
having passed under one cutter is reversed before passing under the second
spindle, after which it is finally removed in a finished state.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Greenwood and Arthur Kinder in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st September 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
GREENWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Machinist, and ARTHUR KINDER,
of Great George Street, Westminster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Thomas Greenwood and Arthur Kinder, Her special license thatwe, the
said Thomas Greenwood and Arthur Kinder, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Greenwood and Arthur
Kinder, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
UTTING OR WORKING IN WOOD," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Thomas Greenwood and Arthur Kinder, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Arthur Kinder, on behalf of myself
and of the said Thomas Greenwood, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-

page_text: larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention of "Improvements in Machinery for Cutting or Working
in Wood," relates, first, to machinery for cutting rebates in timber that has or
has not been previously squared; second, for cutting mortices in timber;
thirdly, for improvements in constructing and arranging the bearings of band
and lastly, for surfacing or smoothing the face of timber.
saws;
The first improvement has for its object to cut the rebates across timber
that has either been previously squared or that has been surfaced on one side
only, and is consequently of an uneven thickness. By means of our improved
machinery, which is shewn at Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, these
rebates can be cut so that the bottom of the rebate will be parallel to the true
or prepared surface of the timber. The machine may also be employed for
squaring up and forming or preparing the ends of timber, such as truck sides,
to receive the buffer hoops, and also for rounding or lightening out the ends
of the uprights, or for similar work.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a front elevation; and
Fig. 3, an end elevation of the same.
The standards and part of the bed of the machine are seen at A, A, and
upon the part A of the bed the saddle B is made to slide. This saddle is
provided with a pair of journals which receive the hollow trunnions of the
rocking frame I. A shaft 1) works through hollow trunnions and carries
the driving pulley E,which receives its motion from a band driven by a rigger
on the main shafting. Another pulley F is mounted on the shaft D for the
purpose of driving the cutter shaft or spindle H by means of the band or
strap G. The cutter shaft or spindle His mounted in suitable bearings in the
rocking frame I, which is provided with a handle H' for working the same.
The saddle B is traversed or moved along the bed A by means of a rack on
the under side, and into which gears a pinion on the end of the short shaft J.
Rotary motion is also communicated to this shaft J by means of bevil
pinions J*, Jo, from the hand wheel shaft K. The timber to be operated on
is placed on a bed M, M, at right angles with the machine, and is held down
firmly thereon by means of the pressure rollers N, N, which may be screwed
down on to the timber by means of a hand wheel and screw N*. The bed M
is stationary, but the timber placed thereon is capable of being traversed
longitudinally up to the cutters at the end of the spindle H by means of
the cross N2 on the end of the axle of the lower roller N. The timber on the
bed M having been moved forward, the log will be held securely at any point

page_text: by the rollers N and screw N* while being operated upon by the cutters.
The bed A carrying the saddle B is placed behind the fixed part M of the
bed of the machine. The balanced swing frame I works as before mentioned
in trunnions attached to the saddle, which, together with the swing frame,
can be traversed or moved backwards and forwards by means of the hand
wheel K and suitable gearing as above mentioned. The spindle H, provided
with suitable cutters, is mounted at the end of the swing frame I, and is
counterbalanced by a weight at the other end of the swing frame.
In order to channel out a given depth of stuff on a flat surface, the frame
I is brought down by means of the handle at its outer end to an adjustable
stop O, the cutter being at the same time kept in motion. It will, of course,
be understood that a compound cutter may be used, having a certain
portion only of the cutting tool projecting beyond the spindle H, and when
the plain part of the spindle comes in contact with the surface of the wood,
the cutter will cease to penetrate the wood, and the depth of the cut is
thereby regulated; the cutters may, however, be moved along the surface
of the log, and will cut a rebate to the required depth.
For squaring and working the ends of timbers an ordinary circular saw
This circular
may be combined with the cutter for forming the rebate.
saw may be fixed on the end of the spindle which carries the cutters, and
will cross cut the timber or log to the proper length while the rebate is
being formed by the adzing or other cutters. In operating with this
machine the swing frame I is brought down on to the timber, and the saw
or cutter at the end of the spindle E cuts its way into the timber until the
guide bears on the surface of the log. The frame I is then traversed or
moved along the upper surface and down the front side of the end of the
log, the guide being kept in contact with the timber; the cutters are then
passed under the bottom and up the back of the log. The saw and cutters
then having passed entirely round the log of timber, it follows that the end
must be squared and the rebate and chamfer or other form given at the
same time. In working the ends of timber to any form, the timber is fixed
in a suitable fence, having one edge of the fence worked to the form required;
this edge will act as a template to determine the course of the cutter.
Our next improvement applies to morticing machines, and consists of an
arrangement of mechanism for bringing down the cranked axis which works
the cutters, so that at each succeeding stroke the cutter will penetrate to a
greater depth until the chisel or cutter having arrived at the stop its motion
will be arrested, and the mortice will be finished to an even depth throughout.
Fig. 4, Sheet II., is a plan view of our improved morticing machine;

page_text: Fig. 5, Sheet III., is a side view of the same; Fig. 6, Sheet IV., is a front
view of so much of a morticing machine as is necessary to shew our
improvements.
A is a pulley which receives motion by means of a strap from some
convenient driving shaft. This pulley A is keyed upon a shaft having on
its opposite end one of the pair of friction wheels B and C. On the opposite
end of the shaft upon which the wheel C is keyed is mounted the bevil
wheel E, which takes into a corresponding bevil wheel F, through which
a plain part of the vertical screw shaft F* passes; this plain part of the
screw F is grooved, and a pin or key in the boss of the bevil wheel F is
made to work therein, so that the shaft may be turned ou its axis by the
bevil wheel, and also allowed to move up and down vertically. Above the plain
part of the screw F* is a collar which is provided with journals that rest
in bushes, which are capable of sliding to and fro in sockets in the rocking
arms G. The screw shaft F* is thus supported by the rocking arms G,
and of course these parts move up and down together. On the top of the
main casting is placed the clasp nut H, (see plan view, Fig. 4, Sheet III.)
This clasp uut is divided into two halves which are attached to two slides,
and are capable of being moved to and fro by the double excentric on the
vertical shaft I*. This double excentric is made to work in slots cut in the
slides I, I, so that by the rotation of the shaft 1* the slides will be moved,
and the two halves of the nut H made to clasp the screwed shaft F*.
Ou the lower end of the excentric shaft 1* is keyed a bevil pinion which
takes into the bevil wheel J keyed upon the horizontal shaft L. Upon
this shaft L is keyed the arm M, which by means of the rod N is connected
to the foot lever or treadle O.
The cutting tool a is secured in a holder 6 to which an up-and-down motion
is communicated by a crank pin c on the face of the toothed wheel d by
the intervention of the connecting rod e. The toothed wheel d is mounted
on a shaft which has its bearings in the ends of the rocking arms Go, Go,
and motion is imparted to the wheel d with its crank pin c by the toothed
wheelf, on the main shaft g of the machine. This shaft g carries at one
end a pulley or band wheel h, and when driven by any prime mover, the
shaft g, through the toothed wheel f, causes the wheel to rotate, and by
means of the crank pin c and connecting rod e an up-and-down motion is
communicated to the morticing tool and holder as before mentioned.
will now be understood that when the two halves of the clasp nut H are
closed on the screw shaft F*, and motion is imparted from the prime mover
to the pulley A, the screw shaft F* will be rotated, and by acting on the
It

page_text: collar and bush in the fork of the rocking arms G, G, will depress the
same, and with them the other rocking arms G* which carry the crank
pin shaft. The wheel d with the crank pine will thus be brought downwards,
and with it the connecting rod e, and chisel or cutting tool, slide, or holder b.
The cutter will therefore be made to take a progressively deeper cut at
each stroke of the machine until the rocking arms G* come into contact
with the adjustable stop screw P seen by dots in Fig. 6. When the halves
of the clasp nut H are opened and disengaged from the thread of the screw
shaft Fo, the balance weight Q, which is suspended by a rod from the outer
end of the rocking arms G*, descends, and thereby raises the opposite ends
of the rocking arms G*, and with them the wheel d which carries the crank
pin. This motion will also raise the cutter slide and lift the cutting tool
or chisel clear of the work.
The next improvement relates to the standards for supporting the bearings
of the upper pulley of a band or riband saw. The band saw standard is
provided with the usual slide to allow for the variation in the length of
the endless blade or band saw, but the upper pulley is mounted in bearings
made at the ends of a pair of rocking arms or frame which is capable of
a vibrating motion in a vertical direction on studs or axles secured to fixed
arms, attached to the back face of the slide. The motion of the rocking
arms or frame is limited by a horn or projecting block on the face of the
slide, and the strain on the band saw is regulated either by a counterpoise
or weighted lever, or by a screw and hand wheel, which is used for the purpose
of compressing a spring placed between the top of the regulating or adjusting
screw and the pulley shaft.
In Sheet V. Fig., 7 is a plan view of the parts connected with the bearings
of the axle of the upper band saw pulley or wheel; Fig. 8 is a side view,
and Fig. 9 a front view of the same. A is the shaft which carries the upper
pulley of the band saw, and is mounted by its two journals in bearings at the
end of the rocking arms or frame B; this rocking frame B is jointed to two
arms C, Fig. 7, projecting from the vertical slide C. The other or outer
ends of the rocking arms or frame B, or that part in which the bearings of
the shaft A are made, are supported upon a spiral spring which rests on the
collar of the adjusting screw D, which passes through a female screw tapped
in the arm E. On the face of the slide C a projecting piece or horn F is
placed in order to stop the axle or shaft A from rising, and to limit the action
of the spiral spring. The position of the slide C in its guides is regulated by
means of the adjusting screw and hand wheel H, whereby the slide C can be
set at any point that may be desired. The arm E is fixed on the face of the

page_text: slide C,and its outer end may, if desired, be provided with a guide (not shewn
in the Drawing) to guide the band saw, and keep it in a proper line, as is
usual in machines of this description.
It will be evident from an inspection of the Drawing that the bearing of
the upper pulley of the band saw will, by this peculiar mode of mounting it,
be sufficiently elastic to yield to any undue strain, and yet sufficiently rigid to
keep the band saw at the proper tension required for effective working.
Our next improvement relates to machinery for smoothing or planing the
surface of timber or wood, as shewn in Sheets VI., VII., and VIII. of the
accompanying Drawings; Fig. 10, Sheet VI., is a plan or bird's eye view of
the machine; Fig. 11, Sheet VII., is a front elevation; and Fig. 12,
Sheet VIII., a sectional elevation of the machine.
The material to be operated upon is placed upon a moveable table a of a
circular or other convenient form, and is firmly secured thereon by suitable
clamps, as shewn in the Drawing. This table is made to revolve on its
vertical axis, and as many pieces of wood (to be smoothed or planed) are
secured on the top of the table as it will conveniently hold. Upon opposite
sides of the table are placed the standards B, and in suitable bearings made
in the arms C, C,which are bolted or screwed to these standards, are mounted
the spindles D, which at their lower ends carry horizontal arins, to which the
surfacing cutters or smoothing tools E, E, are secured. One of these spindles
carries a drum or pulley F, which is driven by a band or strap actuated by
some prime mover, and the rotation of one of the spindles D communicates
motion to the other spindle by means of the pulley G, G, and band H. The
pieces of wood to be operated upon by the smoothing or planing tools E, E,
are placed and secured on the moveable table by an attendant who stands
on one side of the machine, and each piece of wood, after having passed
under one of the sets of cutters or smoothing tools E, is to be released from
the clamps by another attendant, and taken up and reversed or placed with
the smoothed surface downwards on the table and reclamped, when it may be
passed under the second set of cutters, or smoothing or planing tools, after
which it may be finally removed in a finished state from the machine.
The rotation of the table round its axis may be effected by any convenient
mechanism, such as a toothed pinion made to gear into a rack placed on the
under side of the table, as shewn in the Drawing, or by means of a snail or
endless screw made to gear into a screw wheel on the central shaft, and this
mechanism may be so arranged as to give the table a slow progressive motion
independent of the attendants, orso that the attendants may put such mecha-
nism in motion by means of a hand wheel or winch handle. By this means,

page_text: and with two attendants to place and secure the pieces of wood on the table,
and reverse and remove them when required, the cutters may be kept in
constant operation, and no time will be lost in reversing or removing the pieces
of wood.
We would observe that although we have shewn in the Drawings two sets
of cutters or smoothing tools (one on each side of the moveable table), we
sometimes construct smaller and less powerful machines, in which only one set
of smoothing or planing tools is used to smooth both sides or surfaces of the
wood; we therefore reserve to ourselves the right to construct these machines
with one, two, or more sets of cutters as may be desired or preferred.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in Machinery for
Cutting or Working in Wood," and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, we claim as the Invention secured to us by Letters Patent
as aforesaid,
-
First, the general arrangement of the machine herein set forth for cutting
rebates, or for squaring or preparing the ends of timber; we claim parti-
cularly mounting the cutting tools in a rocking frame or arms in combination
with a traversing bed or slide, whereby the requisite motion for passing the
cutting tool round the timber may be obtained.
Second, as regards morticing machines, we claim the mode herein set forth
of operating the chisels, cutters,or morticing tools, so that at each succeeding
stroke they may be made to penetrate to a greater depth until the required
depth of mortice is obtained.
Third, we claim mounting the axles or shafts of band saw pullies or their
bearings in a rocking frame or rocking arms for the purpose herein set
forth.
Fourth, as regards the smoothing or planing machine herein described, we
claim the combination of a fixed cutter head or heads with a revolving or
moveable table on which the wood or timber to be operated upon is secured
by suitable clamps.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Arthur Kinder, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one..
ARTHUR KINDER. (L.S.)