US544163A - Ice-cutting machine - Google Patents

Description

m. e e h S 4 (No Model.)

Patented Aug.,6, 1895..

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

M. FEY. IGE'GUTTING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

' 4 Sheets -Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

M. PEY. ICE CUTTING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 6,1895.

vawtoz m 33:1 Gite mm 6 (No, Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

' M. PE Y. ICE CUTTING MACHINE. No. 544,163. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

ATTORNEYS.

' UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN FEY, on TAMAQUA, PENNSYLVANIA;

ICE-CUTTIINQMACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 544,163, dated August 6, 1895.

Application filed October 3, 18 93.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN FEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tamaqua, in the county of'Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompany-v ing drawings.

My invention pertains particularly to the means for guiding the machine and forcutting ice-blocks of different widths.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and wherein likeletters indicate corresponding parts in the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of machine constructed and arranged to embody my improvements. Fig. 2 is a view inside elevation of the same. Fig. 3 shows a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line at of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a similar view taken on the line y y of Fig. 1, and Fig. is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 2 z of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the construction of the cutter. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of that portion of the machine which guides the latter and determines the width of the ice-blocks cut by it.

' Inthe drawings, A denotes a carrying-frame which is supported at the rear by a swiveled caster or wheel, and B the main shaft of axle mounted in suitable bearings adjacent the forward end of the frame and projecting at each side, with the ends reduced to form spindles for the wheels 0 G. On the inner faces of the hubs of these wheels ratchet-teeth o c are formed, (see Fig. 5,) and are engaged by spring-actuated pawls b, seated in recesses 19 of the collars b which latter are suitably fixed to-revolve with the shaft. Thus as the ma-' chine moves 'rearwardly the wheels will revolve loosely on the shaft, for the purpose to be hereinafter described.

Between the longitudinally-disposed beams a a of the frame and revolving loosely on the shaft B is a drive sprocket-wheel D, from which motion is transmitted to the cutter E through intermediate gearing consisting of a sprocket-pinion d keyed on a short shaft 01 which is mounted in suitable bearings and carries a large gear d Serial No. 487,076- (No model.)

This gear works in a pinion e on the cutter-shaft o The shaft e is rotatably mounted in bearings e -formed at or near the extremities of the arms e which areloosely secured on the shaft .di'so as to swing freely when lowered or raised by means of the operating-lever e The extremities of the shaft 6 project beyond the bearings and enter-segmental guides e, which are located on either side of the cutter, and serve to. hold the shaft firmly and prevent sagging: or swaying. A notched bar c is also provided, into which the lever 6 may be placed when the cutter has been properly adjusted.

The cutter E is keyed to revolve with the shaft, and consists of a disk e having one face'thereof adjacent the circumference cut away to forman annular shoulder e", against which the shanks of the teeth e abut. Each of these teeth is formed with a fiat tapering shank e rabbeted on opposite sides and overlapping to form a locking connection between the teeth when in position on the disk, where they are secured either by rivets or bolts. The important advantage of having the teeth separately detachable will be at once apparent, owing to the comparative ease and convenience in replacing broken or fractured teeth.

The means for guiding the machine and determining the width of the ice-blocks to be cut'are as follows, reference being had particularly to Fig. 7: 'lransversely of the frame and at each side of the cutter mechanism duplicate pairs of slotted bars f f are secured and supported on depending framesf f Directly beneath these bars f and parallel thereto are placed two similarly-slotted bars f 3 f and se cured to the vertical portions of the depending frames f Thus there is a set of slotted parallel bars f and f at each end of the frame on each side of the cutter, and one set is parallel to'the other on the same side of the machine. Each set of slotted bars f f serves as a horizontal transverse guide for a vertical bar f whose ends are secured to blocks f that slide in contact with said bars f f and are clamped thereto adjustably by means of screw-bolts. These vertical bars f are grooved on their inner opposite sides to pro vide guideways for the horizontal bar f which carries the depending guides f. The

latter are thin plates, arranged parallel and in line with thelongitudinal axis of the machine. They enter a cut or kerf in the ice and thus guide the machine. As a means for adjusting the said barf and guides f vertically I employ the chainf and levery, whose arrangement is apparent from the drawings. The lever is held at any required angle-11a, in any adjustment-by a notched or ratchet bar f which is secured in vertical position on the upper side of the frame.

From the foregoing description it is apparcut the bars f may be adjusted laterally to place the guides f nearer to or farther from the cutter for varying the width of cut made by the machine, and that the guides may be raised and held above the surface of the ice or lowered to a greater or less depth in a kerf therein, as conditions may require.

The operation of the machine is as follows: It being understood that the first ,cut or kerf is necessarily made in the ice by some wellknown means-such as, for example, an iceplow-assuming that the cutter is elevated, so as to clearthe surface of the ice, the clutch G on the main shaft shifted or thrown out of engage ment to disconnect the sprocket-wheel D, the guides are adjusted and the machine placed in proper position-that is, with one set of guides j iowered into the kerf or cut 0. The clutch is then thrown to connect the sprocket drivewheel D, and as the machine moves forward the cutter. is lowered and rapidly sinks into the ice unless adjusted by the driver. On

arriving at the end of the pond or cut the guides and cutter are elevated, and owing to the pawl-and-ratchet connection between the hubs of the traction-wheels it is possible to make a very short turn, since one wheel will be locked and thus act as a pivot around which the entire niac'hin'e swings. After the turn has been made the opposite set of guides are lowered,as above described, into the kerf just made and the clutch is again shifted to lock the drive-wheel D, and as the machine moves forward the cutter is again lowered.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an ice-cutting machine, the combination with the cutter, of a dependent frame arranged alongside the same, vertical guide posts which are adjustable laterally in the frame or toward and from the cutter, a hori zontal bar which is slidable vertically on such posts, and vertical, aligned guides which are attached to and pendent from said horizontal bar, and adapted to run in a kerf or cut in the ice, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an ice cutting machine, the combination with the cutter, of a frame arranged alongside the same, and having two sets of horizontal parallel and slotted bars fixed at each end of such frame, a vertical and grooved guide post secured between the two slotted bars of each pair means for clamping and holding the posts fixed in any lateral adjustment, a horizontal bar extending between the posts and adapted for adjustment vertically thereon, aligned guides pendent from such bar and adapted to run in a kerf or cut in the ice, and means for raising and lowering theguides, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN FEY.

\Vitnesses:

ROY L. WmTcoMB, J O. ULRICH.

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