IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR SHAPING WOOD OR OTHER MATEOPTATS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR SHAPING WOOD OR
OTHER MATEOPTATS" A communication
Sealed the 18th July 1854, and dated the 15th May 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th May 1854.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR SHAPING WOOD
OR OTHER MATERIALS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in so constructing the cylinder or cylinders to which
the cutters are affixed that there shall be an open space or spaces in the
cylinders from front to rear, for the purpose of allowing slivers or large
shavings or chips to pass through; the lighter ones being thrown off tangen-
tially by the velocity of the cylinder, a guide or directrix on the shaft of the
cutting cylinder is provided, and may be formed of the cutter head itself,
against which the pattern is held, whilst the cutters operate on the material
to be cut, and which is laid upon or attached to the patterns by points or
otherwise. The shaft, its collars, the lower cutter head, and brace or centre

page_text: piece, may all be cast or wrought in one piece, and the plates out of which.
the cutters are formed placed therein, by running down the upper cutter head,
thereby holding them in place, and turning off and finishing the whole in a
lathe. The upper cutter head is removable, for the purpose of removing and
replacing the knives therein. Inclined or excentric grooves, recesses, or
dovetails are formed in the upper and lower cutter heads, into which are
slipped and-set the cutters; and when properly adjusted to the peripheries of
the cutter heads, the nut or cutter head is run down upon the screw cut upon
the shank, and the whole is firmly and securely held together. The knives
may be straight or curved, and, although I have found two to answer every
purpose, more may be used if deemed essential. The heel of one knife
forms the throat for the next one, and the space between the heel of the
first and the edge of the second knife may be considerable, but yet form
a perfect throat, when the velocity with which the cylinder is rotated is
considered, it being about 3000 per minute.
Suppose a pattern, having one irregular-edge, is placed-on-the table:-To
cut a duplicate of this pattern, a suitable piece of material is placed on top of
it, and held there by a few metallic points fixed on the upper, side of the
pattern; the two pieces are fed along by the hand in the direction of the
running of the cutters: this operation draws the pattern and the rough
material up against the cylinder and cutters, the pattern bears against the
head, and the rough material-against-the-knives of the cylinder. The cutters
work upon the edge of the piece to be cut, whilst the cutter head receives
the pattern, and prevents it and the piece upon it from coming any nearer to
the cutters than a given distance, which is regulated by the shape of the
pattern as the knives are gauged and set by the cutter heads, and the pattern
is also-controlled by the cutter head, it is evident that the piece will be cut
precisely to the pattern, that is, within the limit of the operation of the
machine, the said-limit being to any curve greater than the periphery of the
cutter head.
Two-sets-of-cutters-may-be-used-on-the-same-table, but_both_are_not
always absolutely necessary. One is sufficient for most purposes; but it may
be found advantageous to run one cutter in one direction and the other in a
contrary one, so that instead of turning the piece and pattern to cut with the
grain of the wood after it has passed one cutter, it may be moved against the
other, and have its opposite side or corner dressed. The pattern and piece,
instead of being fed by hand past or up to the cutters, may be fed up by
machines; but by moving the wood or other material with the motion of the
cutters, no other power than the drawing up of the piece by the action of the

page_text: cutters upon it will be found necessary to hold it there, although mechanical
means may be employed if thought desirable.
The edges of the knives, instead of being straight, may be curved, indented,
convex or concave, or inclined, for the purpose of cutting a corresponding
surface in reverse on the material operated upon. The shaft of the cutters or
the bed may also be inclined for some work.
The machine is peculiarly adapted to the cutting of arms,-backs, legs,-and-
frames of chairs,-boot-trees, the curved or irregular work of carriages or cars,
picture frames, fellies, &c., and-may-be-even used for dressing the edges of
stone, either plain or moulded.
It is not absolutely necessary that the cutter heads should be the guides for
directing the pattern; but it is necessary that the guide, whether it be the
cutter head or not, should.be concentric with the cutters.
At the top of the cutter head a drill may be placed, for the purpose of
making a hole in the material to be operated upon, so as to admit of the
cutter being passed through, in order to cut the inside of a square or other
hollow figure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th November 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special license that. I,
the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR SHAPING WOOD. OR
OTHER MATERIALS," being a communication from abroad, upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed; to be particularly 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 "Improved Machinery for Cutting or Shaping Wood or
other Materials," consists in so constructing the cylinder or cylinders to which
the cutters are applied, that there shall be an open space or spaces through
the said cylinders, for the purpose of allowing slivers or large shavings or
chips to pass through such openings from front to rear, the lighter chips or
shavings being thrown off tangentially by the velocity of the cylinder. The
rear or heels of the cutters are also drawn in more towards the centre than
the cutting edges, for the purpose of preventing such rear parts from throw-
ing out the cutters from the material being cut. A guide or director is also
formed on the shaft of the cutting cylinder, and this guide may consist of the
cutter head itself, against which the pattern is held, whilst the cutters operate
on the material to be cut, which is laid upon or attached to the patterns by
points or otherwise.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use the present Invention,
I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the Drawings, in which
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of the machine, and Figs. 2 are sections
through one of the cutter heads.
The table A may be built in any well-known substantial manner of any
suitable size for the material to be cut thereon. A pulley or drum B is con-
nected thereto, and may be driven by any first mover, by means of belts
passing around it and around the shafts C of the cutting cylinders; by this
means motion is communicated to the shafts C, and the cutter heads with the
cutters attached thereto. The shafts C rest and rotate in steps in the cross
beam D, and should have upon them a collar E, to support the belt or driving
band, and another collar immediately underneath the table, to keep the shafts
from rising out of their steps. The beam D should be adjustable for the
purpose of adjusting the shafts. The shafts C rise up through the bed or
table A, and near the top surface of the table on the shaft is permanently

page_text: fixed the lower cutter head F, from which projects still farther upward a
brace G, for supporting the upper cutter head H, which is removeable, and also
for forming a throat to the cutters. The brace G may be round, oval, or of
other form, so as to form an opening through the cylinder on each side of it,
for the purpose of allowing anything of greater size than the ordinary chips
to pass through, and out of, and not choke up the cylinder. The shaft C, its
collars E, the lower cutter head F, and brace G, may all be cast or wrought in
one piece, and the plates out of which the cutters are formed may be placed
therein, by inserting them in a groove in the upper cutter head, and holding
them in place, and turning off and finishing the whole in a lathe. The upper
cutter head is removeable, for the purpose of removing and replacing the knives
or cutters therein. Inclined or excentric grooves, recesses, or dovetails are
former in the upper and lower cutter heads, as seen in the sectional views
Figs. 2, and into these dovetails are slipped and set the cutters I; and when
properly adjusted to the peripheries of the cutter heads the nut, J (Figs. 2) is
run down upon the screw cut upon the shank K, which is a mere elongation
of the shaft C, and the whole is firmly and securely held together. The
knives may be straight or curved; and although two knives or cutters have
been found to answer every purpose, a greater number may be used if deemed
advisable. The heel of one knife forms the throat for the next one, and the
space between the heel of the first and the edge of the second knife may be
considerable, but yet form a perfect throat, when the velocity with which the
cylinder is rotated is considered, it being about three thousand rotations per
minute.
The piece A, on the table A, in Fig. 1, represents a pattern having one
irregular edge. To cut a duplicate of this pattern, a suitable piece of material
is placed on top of it, and held there by means of a few metallic points on
the upper side of the pattern. The two pieces are fed along by the hand in
the direction of the running of the cutters, and by this means the pattern
and the rough material are drawn up against the rotating cylinder, the pattern
against the head F and the rough material against the knives or cutters I, I
The cutters work upon the edge of the piece to be cut, whilst the cutter head
receives the pattern, and prevents it and the piece upon it from coming any
nearer to the cutters than a fixed distance, which is regulated by the shape of
the pattern as the knives are gauged and set by the cutter heads, and the
pattern is also controlled by the cutter head, it is therefore evident that the
piece will be cut precisely to the pattern, that is, within the limit of the opera-
tion of the machine, such limit being any curve greater than the periphery of
the cutter head.

page_text: By having all the bearings underneath the table, the workman will be
enabled to turn the piece being cut in any and every direction, so as to cut it
with the grain of the wood, and thus do smoother work without the least
danger of splitting or bearing off corners..
I have shown two sets of cutters on the same table. Both are not abso-
lutely necessary. One is sufficient for almost any purpose; but it may be found
advantageous to run one cutter in one direction, the other in a contrary one;
so that, instead of turning the piece and pattern to cut with the grain of the
wood after it has passed one cutter, it may be moved against the other, and
have its opposite side or corner dressed. The pattern and piece, instead of
being fed by hand past or up to the cutters, may be fed up by machinery; but
by moving the wood or other material with the motion of the cutters, no
other power than the drawing up of the piece by the action of the cutters
upon it will be found necessary to hold it there, although mechanical means
may be employed.
Instead of using the lower cutter head for the gauge or guide for the
pattern, the cutter may be let down or the table raised up, so that the pattern
may be on top of the piece to be cut, and be gauged or guided by the upper
cutter head. The edges of the knives also, instead of being straight, may be
curved, indented, convex or concave, or inclined, for the purpose of cutting a
corresponding surface in reverse on the material operated upon, and the shaft
of the cutters or the bed may be inclined for some work.
The machine is peculiarly adapted to the cutting out the arms, backs, legs,
and frames of chairs, boot-trees, the curved or irregular work of carriages or
cars, picture frames, felloes of wheels, and other irregular forms; and may
be even used for dressing the edges of stone, either plain or moulded, and
from its extreme simplicity and cheapness is within the reach of any mechanic.
It is not absolutely necessary that the cutter heads should be the guides for
directing the pattern, but it is necessary that the guide, whether it be the
cutter head or-not, should be concentric-with the cutters.
Fig. 3 represents a modified form of the cutter, it being constructed on a
-similar-principle-to-those-shown-in-Figs.-1-and-2,-but-has-the-addition-of-a
cutter L placed on top of the cutter head. M, M, are the cutting edges or
lips of this additional cutter, and should project slightly beyond the periphery
of the cutter. This cutter L is used when cutting out picture frames or such
like articles, so that a hole may first be made through the board or block,
in order to slip it over the cutter head. On the shaft C of this cutter head I
have shown a conical pulley N, for the twisted belt to run over. This conical
pulley prevents one edge of the belt from stretching more than the other, and

page_text: consequently produces a more uniform hold by friction on the pulley. When
a twisted belt is used over a straight drum or pulley, it will be found, upon
cutting and spreading it out, that instead of being straight, the belt represents
an arc of a circle; this is accounted for by the over-stretching of one of the
edges of such belt.
Having thus fully described the nature of the Invention that has been com-
municated to me by my foreign correspondent, as aforesaid, and the best
means with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I would
observe, in conclusion, that what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure
by Letters Patent, is,―
First, the use of rotary cutters, such as those above described, or any mere
modification thereof, in which an open space is left entirely through the cylin-
der or between the cutter and the central part of the stock, for the purpose
above set forth.
Second, I claim particularly adapting to or combining with a rotary cutter
a circular guide for the pattern concentric with the cutter shaft, whether such.
guide be a part of the cutter head or separate therefrom.
I also claim, in combination with a rotary cutter, making one or both of the
cutter heads a guide or guides for the pattern, as described.
Lastly, I claim the cutting tool, shewn in Fig. 3, and also the adaptation
thereto of a conical driving pulley, for the purpose of compensating for the
unequal tension or strain on a twisted belt.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)