US394898A

US394898A - Machine for cutting veneer from logs

Info

Publication number: US394898A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1905-12-18

Description

(No Model.) l 2r sheets-'sheet I.

F. L. WILSON.

MACHINE FOB. CUTTING VENBER PROM LOGS. No. 394,898. Patented Deo. 18, 1888.

(No Model.) 2 `sheetsshee8 8.

P. L. WILSON.

MACHINE POR CUTTING VENEBR FROM LOGS. No. 894, 8. Patented D88. 18, 1888.

Nrrnn rares PnrnNT OFFICE.

FITZIIAND L. IVILSQN, OF TEST BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

IVIACHIN FOR CUTTING VENEER FROM LOGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,898, dated December 18, 18,88.

Application filed January l0, 1888. Serial No. 260,306. (N0 model.)

To LZZ whom z' may concern:

Be it known that I, FITZLAND L. WILsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Bay City, in the county of Bay and State ot' Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Veneer from the Log; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to machines for cutting veneer or for slicing thin lumber from a log; and the objects of the invention are, first, to construct a machine which will be more rapid and ettective in its operation of cutting the veneer from the log; second, to provide a veneer-cutting machine that will operate to advantage upon logs of small size, and that will cut the log entirely into veneer and avoid leaving' a large portion at the last uncut to be lost as refuse; and a third object of my invention is to construct and arrange a machine for cutting' veneer or thin lumber in such a manner that the cutting operation thereof upon the log shall be performed relative to the grain of the timber, that smoother and more even boards will be produced; and a fourth object of the invention is to provide a machine which will operate to cut veneer or thin lumber from soft or porous timber without steaming the log previous to the cutting operation, whereby the labor of the veneer-cutting operation is greatly reduced and a better and more desirable article of commerce will be produced; and a fifth object is to provide a knife having a high speed for cutting veneer or thin lumber, which operates to pass through and sever the fiber of the timber with g'reater ease and precisioin and reduces the liability ot' doubling and drawing the fiber downward before the knifeedge.

A sixth object ofthe invention is to provide aveneer-cutting knit'e having a high-speed rotary motion with a reciprocating' motion, whereby a draw or shearing' cnt is produced when the knife is passing through the timber, which reduces the tendency of the knife to lead or draw with the grain of the timber when passing through the log.

A seventh object is to arrange a verleercutting' machine having' knives provided With a rotary movement, and also with an intermittent to-and-fro movement in the direction of their length in such a manner that the equilibrium of the knife-bar will be changed during the cutting operation, so that the excess ot' weight is placed upon the knife making the cut and during the cutting operation, .whereby the said knives will be held in position by the centrifugal action of t-he overbalancing end of the knife-bar during the intervals of inaction between the said reciprocating' movements thereof.

The invention consists, chieliy, in a revolving' wheel or disk of suitable size, and provided with radial cutting-knives which operate to slice boards or thin lumber from the side of a log or cant properly presented thereto, and in devices for producing a sliding or reciprocating movement of the radial knives while making a cut through the log, and also in the' combination and arrangement of the several devices and parts which enter into the construction of the machine, as I hereinafter more fully describe and claim.

The devices which I employ to attain these objects are illustrated in the accompanying' drawings, in which Figure l is a front side view in elevation of my improved machine, partly sectional. Fig. '3 is a horizontal section ot' Fig. l, taken at a' tr. Fig. 3 is a section at y yy in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a section at a" af in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is an end view ot` Fig. l, looking from the right. Fig. (3 is a rear view of the hub and central disk and a portion of the radial arms. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the knife-bar and slides detached. Fig. S is a'side view of a vertical section ot the central portion of the wheel, taken at the dotted line y y. Fig. 9 shows a portion of the yoke which joins the knife-bars, having a central vertical slot and the arm in position within the said slot at the beginning of the end or reciprocating vmovement of the knife-bar in one direction. Fig. l0 is the same ready for movement in the op- IOO posite direction. Fig. 11 shows the log and knife and the position ot' the cutting-edge as .it passes through the log.

o. represents the hub oi' a wheel, l), and c is a shaft upon which the hub a is mounted and secured, and d is a disk portion which surrounds the hub an d extends outwardly toward the rim g, and Vis Inovided with the flanges e upon its rear surface for strengthening and supporting the radial arms j, which are secured by bolts to the disk between the 'langes,

and the outer ends are rigidly bolted to the Y halt' oi? the number ol teeth contained in the rim (y.

71 and i are parallel arms extemfling from the hub (l to the rim g, and are secured in position in a similar manner to the armsf, but hav ing, however, the radial slots between the I arms.

f and 7,-. are knile-bars placed upon the surlaee ot' the bars /1, with their edges reaching to or partly over the slotsj between the arms, and with their .inner ends connected to each other by the yoke I, which is provided with an opening, m, through which passes the hub a and the shaft c, and the yoke is also provided with a slot, m', which extends across the central portion ot' the yoke upon one side ot' the opening m.

The outer edges ot' the bars k and 7,5 are each provided with a V projection extending the entire length of the arms and [itted into the Vgrooved slides n, which are iirmly secured to the faces oli' the arms h, and the opposite edges oil the bars on the portions at the outer and also the inner ends thereof are each provided with a V projection, o and o', which extend only a short distance t'rom the ends toward the central portion of the arms and are litted into zuljustable V-groove l slides P and l, which are secured Ato the outer portions ot' the arms i and to the l'aee of the disk d, and arranged to be adjusted to take up any looseness ot' the bar which may take place from wear or otherwise.

The iittin gs are herein shown and described as V slides and grooves, the., as being the most convenient and easily constri'leted and adjusted lor placing the knife-bar in proper alignment and to take up any looseness thereof; but other forms of slides may be used :it more convenient, and I do not confine the construction ot' the slides entirely to the particular form described.

'lo the front or face side ot' the bars k and 7;. are secured in a suitable manner the knives r] and q. These knives q and q extend [from the V projections o to the projections o', andv are arranged with their cutting-edges coincident with their 1t' ront surfaces, the bevel which forms the Cutting-edge being from the rear side, or the side which lies upon the knit'ebar, and the edge ol' the knife-bar is also cut away to eonlorm to the contour ot" the bevel upon the rear side ot' the knives.

rl`he sha lt c is jouri'ialed into suitable boxes, s and s, on the front and rear sides ot' the wheel, the l'ront box, s, being supported upon u is a lgear-wheel provided with teeth in its ]i)eriphery, which intvrmesh with the teeth in the wheel u, and are ol' a number equal to onel'ieriphery ol the rigid wheel `1l. 'lhe wheel a is mounted upon a shalt, lf, which is passed through the slot `nl` in the yoke and suitably journaled into the disk (I, while the opposite end ot' the shat't is journaled into and supported by a volve, u', which reaches above and below the wheel a and yoke with .its ends turned inwardly and secured to the disk (l.

fr is an arm, one end ot' which is provided with an opening and passed upon the shaft l', and is rigidly secured thereto in a position to bring the arm within the slot m.

Suitable rotary motion is imparted to the shat't e and the wheel hby meansot' the crank o' and a pitman, yr', the pitman being connected with a steam-engine eylimler, (o1-other suitable means may be employi-al l'or rovolving the shal't, it' desiredg) and a reprf'isents a logl to be eut into veneer, and is properly supported and firmly secured (in any convenient manner) to the carriage h, and is presented with its side to the laee otf the. wheel, and the size ol' the wheel is regula-ted to the length ol.' the logs to be eutor operated upon, and the carriage is provided with any proper feeding mechanism (not herein shown) which moves the log intermittently toward the Face ol. the wheel h and the cutters q q.

As the wheel l) is revolved, the gear-wheel a is carried bythe shaft "e around the stationary wheel u, and the number ot' teeth in the wheel n being one-hall" ot' the number oIi teeth in the wheel, n, two revolutions ot' the wheel u are eliected while the wheel l; performs one revolution, and the arm 1: being revolved by the wheel a', and operating upon the slot nl, etlfects a movement ot' the bars 7u and 7;. and the cutter-knives outward and inward with each revolution ot' the wheel u', and the wheel n', making two revolutions while the wheel l) makes one rm'olutiou, causes each ot' the eutterwknives to be reeiproeated twice during one revolution ot' the wheel I.

The arm e is arranged relative tothe wheel u so that the knite entering the log will be moved in the (lireetion ot' its length toward the rim oi' the wheel d uringI the period it is making its out through the log, and the width ot the slot in. is regulated so that the arm fir will move from one side ot the slot to the other while the knife which has made the last out passes the lower portion or quarter ot' TOO TIO

outward in the direction ol' its length while passing' the downward portion of its revolution and while cutting' the log' the opposite knife'is drawn inwardly while passing' the upward movement of its revolution, and the reciprocating' movement of the knives and bars ceases during' the period the arm c is passing' from one side of the slot m to the opposite side thereof.

As shown in Fig'. il, the log' is arranged relative to the knives in such a position that the knife passing' over the downward portion of its revolution first beg'ins the cutin thelog' at its inner end, so that thc cutting-edge thereof will, when passing' through the Vvwood, lie diagonally to the g'rain thereof, which, tog'ether with the reciprocatii1gmavement of the cutters, obtains a draw or shearing cui; as the knives pass through the log,whicl1g'reatly reduces the power and energy necessary vt'or driving' thc knives through the log', and also reduces the strain upon the operating' parts of the machine, as the knife making' the cut first burics its heel or portion nearest the hub into the wood, so that the energ'y of the impact of the wheel and bars is gradually expended upon the log' without perceptible shock or jar. rlhe knife-bar being' moved outwardly while the knives are passing' through the log', the end of the bar which then extends outward to the greatest distance will vslightly overbalance the opposite end, and the centrifugal force of the heavy end of the bar retains the bar in position while the arm c passes from one side of the slot to the other,

and during' the period that the heavy end of the bar is passing' over the lower quarter of its revolution, and during' which period the log' is moved by the feeding' devices toward the knives for presenting' a new cut thereto.

c are gage-pieces which are secured to the face of the wheel for the purpose of preventing' any projecting' portion of thelog' from passing' between the spokes or radial arms of the wheel.

The knife-edge passing through the log' at an angle (as shown in Fig'. ll) with the grain or fiber ot' the timber, and also having' a sliding' movement lengthwise of the log' during' the cutting' operation, produces very smooth and uniform lumber or veneer, and the operation of the knives is so rapid and accurate that a veneer ot' superior qualit-y is produced at a cost g'rwitly less than by the old machines and methods, and by operating' the cutters at an ang'le with the `g'rain of the timber the board or veneer is rolled away from the log' with the bend partially across the tiberof the wood, which avoids the checking' and blistering' of the lumber which occurs when the cutting' is performed with the knife-edge parallel with the lgrain. i

I have herein described as having the cutting-knives moving' outwardly during their cutting' operation; but l do not continermyinvention entirely to that movement, as an inward movement can be obtained by the same mechanism by shifting the arm l", which will lt is also plainly 7o of the arm is not material, (it being' an ordi- 7 5 nary crank movement,) so long` as the operation of the parts and the .rcsult produced thereby are the same.

The g'roovcd g'uides P and l maybe vfirmly set u p to the knife-bars and the bars held 8o thereby rigidly in position, first, however, placing' the knife-bars in position to balance each other and removing the arm n', and then the wheel may be revolved without imparting' to the knives a reciprocating' motion, which is 8 5 an advantage in cutting' many kinds of timber-as hard wood or timber' having' compact tiber and minute sap-cells, (be.

A great advantag'e is obtained by the use of the radial knives moving at a very hig'h 9o' speed through the timbeigas the grain of the timber divided by devices moving' with velocity is much less liable to eat in or sliver, and this result more especially obtains with the cutting' of thin veneer or timber, which is usu- 9 5 ally produced from log's which have a curled or knurled grain and present every condition unfavorable to the cutting' ot' smooth and even lumber.

'hatl claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with a log-carriage and a wheel having' its side face presented to the carriage and mounted upon a shaft having' a rotary motion, of one or more radial bars secured by slides to the side face ot' the said wheel and carrying' one or more cutter-knives and capable ot' a reciprocating' movement, and suitable devices for producing' the said reciprocating' movement, whereby the timber is cut shearing'ly, substantially as set forth.

In a machine for cutting veneer lfrom the log', the combination of a wheel mounted upon a shaft having' a high-speed rotary motion with the radial bars /f and 7s', carrying' cutter-knives and secured to the face of the wheel on opposite sides of the hub by g'roo ved slides, and having' their inner ends connected tog'eth er by a yoke and provided with a recip rocatiug' motion, whereby the timber is cut shearing'ly, substantially as and for the purpose ("lescribed.

23. In a veneer-cutting machine, the combination, with a log-carriage and a wheel mounted upon a shaft having' a rotary motion, of the radial knife-bars carrying' cutter-knives and adjustably secured to the face of the said wheel, and having' their inner ends connected by a yoke and provided with an intermittent to-and-t'ro movement in the direction of their length, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth. c

4. In a veneer-cutting' machine, the combination, with a log-carriage and a wheel suit- TOO IIO

UiA

ably mountei'l upon a shali't and provided with a rotaryv nlotion, and having radial knife-bars 'earryi no' Cutter-kn ives a nd adj ustahly secured to the Itat-e of the wheel on opposite sides of the huh, of' a yoke, as havingr its opposite ends joined tothe inner ends of the kni't'ehars and provided with a transverse slot, an arm, r', within the said transverse slot, a shal'i, r, passed through the said slot and earrlving;i the arm, and journaled to the said wheel lwiween its axisaud ils periphenv', and having' a revolution around The axis oi the wheel in eonner'lion therewith and an independent revolution around its own axis, suhsl'aiitiallyY as and Y[for the purpose set rforth.

5. ln a veneer-eutting' maehine, the combi nation, with a log-earriage and a wheel, l), mounted upon a shaft having a rotary motion, and provided with radial knife-hars earlvingl entier-knives and adjustahlv secured to the lntion around its own axis, and also around the periphery of the said wheel il., a gearwheel, u', mounted uponv the shaft r and engaging with the wheel u, and 4an arm, fu', mounted upon the shaftn within the slot m', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

(i. In a maehinelfor cutting,I veneer from the log, the combination, with the log-Carriage, 111e shalt r1, having a rotary motion, anda wheel, l), mounted upon the shaft, the radial. hars /s and 1', earryingl cutter-knives and seeured on opposite sidesol' thehub and against the fave of the wheel by gromf'ed slides, the yoke coupling the inner ends of the hars together and provided with an opening, m, and a slot, f/u, ol'I a rigid gear-wheel, n, surrounding;- the said shaft the geawwheel u', engaging' with the gear-wheel u, a shaft, y1*,oarrying the gear-wheel u', and passed through the slot face ot the wheel on opposite sides ofthe huh i thereof', a yoke having' an opening for the said huh and connected by' its opposite ends tothe n1 and journaled into the disk (I, and the arin r', secured upon the said shaft u within the slot nl', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence ol two witnesses.

FITZLAND L. 'WILSON Vitnesses:

J. THoiLxs XV. A. WRIGHT.