Improvements in the Method of and Machinery for Making Firelighter Grids.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Machinery for Making
Firelighter Grids.
I, BOOTH SUTCLIFFE, of 15, Square Road, Halifax, in the County of York,
late Wood Working Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention is for automatically cutting or forming slots or mortises in
wood, and is intended for use in manufacturing fire lighters, but is also applic-
able for other purposes.
The firelighter consists of a block of wood with two or more slots formed
lengthwise in the same, leaving the block in the form of a grid, this grid is
afterwards dipped in any suitable inflammable substance or composition.
My apparatus or machine consists of a fixed table upon one side of a suitable
frame or stand, upon this table is a hopper in which are placed any number of
wood blocks, of which the firelighter grids are to be made, openings at the
bottom of the hopper allow the wood block to be fed forwards to a moveable
table operated upon by a suitable vertical slide fixed upon the machine frame.
Underneath this moveable table is mounted preferably two saws fixed upon a
shaft placed at one end of the machine these saws preferably revolve at an angle
to the shaft and so cut slots or mortises according to their relative position upon
the shaft: the wood block after being moved on to the moveable table, is pressed
or lowered on to the saws by the vertical slide, upon which is a groove or slot
engaging with an antifriction bowl or runner upon a suitable disc, this disc is
mounted upon a fixed head and is driven by gear wheel gearing with a small
gear wheel cast upon the boss of a large pulley fixed upon a stud upon the
machine frame; the vertical slide (when the antifriction bowl or runner disen-
gages with the groove in same) is raised by means of cords or chains and weight.
The table is returned simultaneously by similar means, upon which a tappet on
the disc raises a lever attached to an elbow crank, this elbow crank operates
upon a connecting rod connected with a pusher or plunger, which brings a second
block forward on to the moveable table, knocking off the grid already formed
which falls into a suitable receptacle; the operation is then repeated; upon the
other side of the machine frame is a duplicate apparatus both apparatus are
operated simultaneously and in such a manner that as one grid is being formed
upon one side a second grid is being brought into position on the other.
by placing clutches upon the disc shaft only one apparatus may be employed
at a time.
Also
The different motions are so arranged and speeded that the feed motion cut-
ting the grids, and return of the slide and table, take place at the right time,

page_text: so that the machine is continuous and automatic, the attendant merely having
to keep the hoppers supplied with wood blocks or slabs.
Doted this Twenty-fifth dow of Mo 1808
JOHN E. WALSH,
Waterhouse Chambers, Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved machinery for making firelighter
grids.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 1.
My apparatus or machinery may consist of a single machine, that is, where
only one hopper is employed, or it may be in the form of a compound machine
as shown in the drawings.
I employ a fixed table A upon each side of a suitable stand or frame B.
upon this table A is a hopper C. in which are placed any desired number of
wood blocks D. of which the firelighter grids are to be made, openings C₁ at
the bottom of the hopper, allow the wood block D, to be fed forwards to a move-
able table E, operated upon at intervals by a suitable vertical slide F, attached
to a fixed head G upon the machine frame B.
Underneath this moveable table E is mounted preferably two saws H, fixed
upon a shaft J passing across the machine, these saws I preferably mount in a
diagonal manner, so that they revolve at an angle to their shaft. in a greater
or less extent according to the width of slot required in the grid. The wood
block after being moved on to the moveable table, is pressed or lowered on to
the saws by an adjustable proiecting grate or jaw K. attached to the vertical
slide F, this jaw K is adjustable according to the thickness of block or depth
of slot or mortise to be formed in the same.
Upon the vertical slide F is formed a groove or slot L, and upon a suitable
cross shaft M carried by the fixed heads G. is a disc or wheel N, upon the
face of which is mounted a bowl or runner P, which, as the wheel or disc N
revolves, engages with the slot or groove L in the vertical slide, and depresses
the said slide the required distance, after which the bowl disengages itself upon
the continued rotation of the wheel or disc, and the slide being released, is raised
into position for the next operation by means of cards or chains R. pulleys R

page_text: and weights R2, the traverse of the slide F is regulated or adjusted according
to the distance the bowl or runner P is from the shaft M, centre to centre.
The shaft M for operating the slide is driven at the required speed by means
of a large pinion wheel S, gearing with a small pinion S', upon a stud S², upon
this stud is also a large pulley T, driven by belt T from a small pulley or
pulley boss T2, upon the main driving shaft T3 of the machine.
As the vertical slide is depressed as before described, it also depresses the
moveable table E carrying the wood block or grid D, and upon the slide F
being raised, the moveable table is also raised in a similar manner, by pulleys E¹,
cords or chains E2, and weights E³.
When the grid has been formed and the table E has reached its normal posi-
tion, the said grid is removed and replaced by a fresh block in the manner
hereinafter described. As the table arrives at its original position, a tappet U
mounted upon the shaft M. is so arranged as to come in contact with the pro-
jecting arm of a vertical lever V, this vertical lever is attached to an elbow
crank W, this elbow crank is connected with and operates a bent lever W¹,
attached to a pusher or plunger W2, so that, upon the cam coming in contact
with the projecting arm V, it raises the lever V₁ and moves the plunger such
a distance as to bring a second block into position upon the moveable table, this
movement of the second block knocks off the grid already formed, which may
fall into any suitable receptacle, the operation is then repeated.
The saws are driven by a small pulley X and belt from the large
pulley X2, upon the main driving shaft T and a belt Y upon the saw shaft .T.
drives on to a loose pulley Y¹ upon the driving shaft T3, this loose pulley by
means of the extended boss T. operates the feed motion as before described.
Upon both sides of the machine is a duplicate apparatus, and both may be
operated simultaneously and in such a manner, that as one grid is being formed
upon one side, a second grid is brought into position on the other. Also when
it is necessary from any cause to have only one apparatus at work at once, or
if desired to stop the feed entirely, such feed motion upon either or both sides
of the machine, may be put in and out of gear by means of forked levers Z, and
clutches 7, upon the feed shaft M.
The different motions are so arranged and sneeded. that the feed motion, cut-
ting the grids, and return of the slides and tables, take place at the proper time.
so that the machine may be continuous and automatic, the attendant merely
having to keep the hoppers supplied with wood blocks or slabs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. Forming slots or mortises in wood firelighter grids, by means of saws
mounted and operating in the manner and for the purposes described.
2. In machinery for the manufacture of firelighter grids, and for forming slots
or mortises in wood, the use and employment of a fixed table A, supporting a
hopper C, saws H mounted diagonally upon their shaft, moveable table E, slide F.
having a groove L, adjustable grate, crosshead or jaw K, disc or wheel N. runner P.
and mechanism for returning the said slide and table, operating in the manner
substantially as shown and described.
3. In machinery for the manufacture of firelighter grids. and for forming
lots or mortises in wood, the use and employment upon the feed shaft M. of a
lise or wheel N, having a bowl or runner P. engaging intermittently with a
groove or slot L. in the slide F, for lowering the wood on to the saws, in the
manner substantially as shown and described.
4. In machinery for the manufacture of firelighter grids, and for forming slots
or mortises in wood. the tappet U upon the shaft M, arm V upon lever V₁, elbow
rank W, and bent lever W for actuating a plunger at intervals for the purposes
of forth.

page_text: 5. In machinery for the manufacture of firelighter grids, and for forming slots
or mortises in wood, the use and employment of clutches Z', upon shaft M, oper-
ated by levers 7, for disconnecting the feed mechanism from the 'driving
mechanism upon one or both sides of the machine, as shown and described.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of February 1899.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Waterhouse Chambers, Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.