IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SPLINTS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Pace, of Warwick Road, Upper Clapton,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SPLINTS."
Sealed the 5th December 1873, and dated the 9th October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Pace at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th October 1873.
I, EDMUND PACE, of Warwick Road, Upper Clapton, in the County
3 of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SPLINTS," to be as
follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in machinery or
apparatus for cutting splints, and relates to improvements upon an. In-
vention for which Letters Patent were granted to myself and James
Henry Howard, dated April 29, 1872, Number 1285, whereby I am
enabled to work the machine faster than heretofore, whilst the machino
is more durable and more certain in its action.

page_text: The present improvements refer, firstly, to a novel method of carrying
and operating the lancets or scoring knives. These lancets or scoring
knives I mount in a holder which is formed on or carried by a lever
upon in one
mounted upon an axis of motion, and this lever is acted
direction by a spring or springs to carry the lancets or scoring knives
out of action, whilst a cam, eccentric, or incline acts thereon to force the
lancets or scoring knives into position for action. The cam,.eccentric, or
incline is operated by a tail piece or projection connected therewith
which is struck by a projection from the framing of the machine as the
lancets or scoring knives travel to and fro, and thereby causes the lancets
or scoring knives to come into position or enables the springs to carry
them out of position, as required.
The Invention refers, secondly, to improvements in means for holding
the block of wood firmly.in position in the machine whilst being cut.
For this purpose instead of employing a locking latch or lever mounted
on an axis of motion at one side of the block of wood to be cut into
splints as heretofore, I employ a much longer locking latch or lever
which is mounted on an axis carried by the holding down lever, and I
cause it to come under inclined catches fixed to the frame of the machine
on each side of the wood to be cut, and as far therefrom as practicable,
by which means the wood is held much more firmly than heretofore,
and the lancets or scoring knives are prevented following the grain of
the wood, and are thereby caused to act with greater certainty than
heretofore.

page_text: seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edmund Pace, Her special license that
I, the said Edmund Pace, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Edmund Pace, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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
OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SPLINTS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Edmund Pace, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hand and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Edmund Pace, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in machinery or
apparatus for cutting splints, and relates to improvements upon an
Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to myself and James
Henry Howard, dated April 29th, 1872, No. 1285, whereby I am enabled
to work the machino faster than heretofore, whilst the machine is more
durable and more certain in its action.
The present improvements refer, firstly, to a novel method of carrying
and operating the lancets or scoring knives. These lancets or scoring
knives I mount in a holder which is formed on or carried by a lever
. mounted upon an axis of motion, and this lever is acted upon in one
direction by a spring or springs to carry the lancets or scoring knives
out of action, whilst a cam, eccentric, or incline acts thereon to force the
lancets or scoring knives into position for action. The cam, eccentric, or
incline is operated by a tail picce or projection connected therewith
5. which is struck by a projection from the framing of the machine as the
lancets or scoring knives travel to and fro, and thereby causes the

page_text: -lancets or scoring knives to come into position, or enables the springs to
carry them out of position, as required.
The Invention refers, secondly, to improvements in means for holding
the block of wood firmly in position in the machine whilst being cut.
For this purpose instead of employing a locking latch or lever mounted
on an axis of motion at one side of the block of wood to be cut into splints
as heretofore, I employ a much longer locking latch or lever which is
mounted on an axis carried by the holding down lever, and I cause it-to
come under inclined catches fixed to the frame of the machine on each
side of the wood to be cut, and as far therefrom as practicable, by which
means the wood is held much more firmly than heretofore and the
lancets or scoring knives are prevented following the grain of the wood,
and are thereby caused to act with greater certainty than herotofore.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accom-
panying Drawings, moro fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 is a plan of a tool box con-
structed according to the first part of my Invention for holding and
operating the lancets or scoring knives; and Figure 3 is a side elevation,
and Figure 4 is a plan of mcans constructed according to the second
part of my Invention for holding the block of wood firmly in position in
the machine whilst being cut.
At Figures 1 and 2, a is a portion of the slide for carrying the scoring
knives b. This slide is mounted in suitable guides to enable it to bo
moved to and fro in a horizontal direction so as to carry the scoring
knives 6 past the block of wood to be cut into splints, which block is
held in position, as herein-after described. The lancets or scoring
knives are mounted in a holder c¹ formed on or carried by a lever c
which is mounted upon an axis of motion c³ carried by the slide a, and
this lever c is acted upon in one direction by a spring or springs d to
carry the lancets or scoring knives bout of action, whilst a cam, eccentric,
or incline e¹ mounted on an axis of motion e acts upon the lever c to
carry the lancets or scoring knives into position for action.
The cam,
eccentric, or incline e¹ is operated by a tail piece or projection e³ con-
nected therowith which strikes against the framing of the machine, or a

page_text: projection therefrom as the slide a and the lancets or scoring knives b
travel to and fro, and thereby causes the lancets or scoring knives 6 to
come into position, or enables the spring d to carry them out of position
for work, as required. By these means I am enabled to work the
machine faster, whilst the machine is more. durable and more certain in
its action than when mounting and operating the lancets or scoring
knives, in the manner described in the Specification of Letters Patent
hercin-before referred to.
At Figures 3 and 4 which show the mode of carrying out the second
part of my Invention, fis the block of wood to be cut into splints. This
block fis supported on the table g, and is pressed forward by the pushing
block as is well understood. The block fis guided at its sides by the
fixed guide i and adjustable guide j, and at the top by the holding-down
lever as usual, but instead of acting upon the holding-down lever k by
means of a locking latch or lever mounted on an axis of motion at one
side of the block of wood to be cut into splints, as described in the
Specification of Letters Patent herein-before referred to, I employ a
much longer locking latch or lever which is mounted on an axis of
motion carried by the holding-down lever k, and I cause each end
thereof to come under inclined catches m fixed to the frame of the
machine on each side of the block f, and as far therefrom as practicable,
by which means the block of wood fis held much more firmly than.
heretofore and the lancets or scoring knives 6 are prevented following
the grain of the wood, and are thereby caused to act with greater
certainty than heretofore.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode
in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim as my Invention is,―
First. The mode substantially as herein shown and described of
mounting and operating the lancets or scoring knives b, to carry them
into and out of position for acting upon the block of wood to be cut into
splints.
And, Secondly. I claim the mode of acting upon the holding-down
block by a locking latch or lever mounted on an axis of motion carried
by the holding-down block, the ends of such locking latch or lever`z
coming under inclined catches m fixed to the framing of the machine
on cach side of the block of wood to be cut into splints, and as far there-

page_text: from as practicable, in manner and for the purpose substantially as
herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Pace, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of April in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four..