A NEW MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING DOWN TREES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Camille Espir, of 9, Gracechurch Street, in the
City of London, Continental Advertising Contractor, for the
Invention of "A NEW MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING DOWN
TREES." A communication from abroad by Samuel Léonce Suarés,
David Ferdinand Fonseque, and Bertrand Cordes, all of 18, Rue de
la Chaussée d'Antin. Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Camille Espir at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th February 1874.
I, CAMILLE ESPIR, of 9, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,
Continental Advertising Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "A NEW MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING DOWN
TREES" (a communication), to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a machine for cutting through the trunks
of trees of whatever size in a most expeditious and certain manner, and
requiring but little manual labor in its working compared with the

page_text: ordinary laborious operation of sawing. It consists of a square iron
frame sufficiently large to encompass an ordinary tree, one side of the
frame being moveable for the purpose of placing it around the tree, and
this side is then screwed or fixed on. Under this square frame and
attached to it is a circular frame, and beneath this and radiating are
long screws for attaching the frame to the trunk of the tree.
Above the square frame and resting on it is a moveable bar to
which is attached the knife or cutting instrument. Two long handles or
levers, one on either side, are attached to the circular frame for the
purpose of turning it round, this circular frame having in connection
with it a star-like wheel and screw (with pinion movement at the side),
which wheel on passing over the long screws above mentioned turns and
propels the travelling bar to which the knife is attached, so that all that
is required on cutting down a trec is to place the frame around the
trunk, screw into the same the long screws. The levers or handles are
then taken hold of by the operators, and the circular frame turned
round, this operation carrying the star-like wheel and screw to which is
attached the moveable bar and knife, which at every revolution round
the trunk necessarily diminishes in its radius, and cutting into the tree
deeper and deeper at every such revolution, and the cutting can be so
nicely regulated that any danger arising from the falling trunk can be
obviated and prevented. This machine is constructed of iron, certain
portions being of steel, and it can be made of any size and to suit trees
of any growth or dimensions, and can be placed on any particular part
of the trunk, cither close to its base or at any attitude from the ground
required, and it can be placed to cut at any angle; and it can be
arranged for manual, steam, or other available motive power that may
be found requisite.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four,, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Camille Espir, Her special licence that
I, the said Camille Espir, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Camille Espir, my 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 "A NEW MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR
CUTTING DOWN TREES," a communication to me from abroad by Samuel
Leónce Suarés, David Ferdinand Fonseque, and Bertrand Cordes, all of
18, Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Camille Espir, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the samo 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 Camille Espir, 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:-
The machine made according to this Invention cuts the tree whatever
may be its diameter, and it makes but one regular cut from a quarter to
half an inch, which is the only loss in the timber, and further it allows
the tree to fall in any direction desired; and this machine will be found
to work without trouble or danger to those who use it, and it advances
or cuts into the tree at the rate of half an inch per minute, so that a tree
over a yard in diameter is cut down in about fifty minutes, and it is
perfectly practicable, and may be adopted in any country in the world,
as it is quite portable and gives no trouble in keeping in good working
order. This machine cuts the tree by turning on it as the turnér cuts
wood on the lathe, with this difference, that on the lathe the wood turns,
whereas in this Invention it is the tree which is stationary and the plane

page_text: And, fourthly. The form of the cutting instrument P, which resembles
a plane with a central point which divides the shaves and puts them off,
as herein-before particularly described and shewn on Drawings, or any
mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Camille Espir, have hereunto set my 5
hand and seal, this Fourth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
CAMILLE ESPIR. (L.S.)