US663181A - Veneer-clipper. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 663,l8l. Patented Dec. 4,1900.

L. G. MERRITT.

VENEER. CLIPPER. (Application filed Aug. 13, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.'

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(No Model.)

ENTOR,

WITNESSES [NV 56M B Y ATTORNEY.

LOUIS G. MERRITT, OF LOCKPORT, NEW YORK.

VENEER-CLIPPER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 663,181, dated December 4:, 1900. Application filed August 13, 1900. $erial No. 26,696. Nd model.)

To wZZ whom, z'tmcty concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS G. MERRITT, of Lorkport, in the county of Niagara, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in' Automatic Veneerlippers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to automatic veneerclippers in which the veneer is out by a knife having a reciprocating motion and whereby one or a pile of several sheets of veneer is fed automatically under the knife; and the object is to provide such machine with a direct and positive feed mechanism that will be free from the objections common to machines now in use and employing a rotary feed mechanism.

To this end my invention consists in the combination, with the frame, the bed, the knife-bar, knife, and connections to give the knife-bar a vertical reciprocating movement, of a feed-carriage having a horizontal reciprocating movement toward and from the knife and suitable means to lift and hold the work from contact with the carriage when the latter is moved from the knife; and my inven-. tion consists in certain other combinations of parts hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed and formin a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of the front upright portion of the machine, taken from the rear and with the horizontal portions of the machine removed; Fig. t is a sectional view showing the lifting mechanism for raising the veneer above the carriage. Fig. 5 shows a section of a bed-plate to receive the knife; and Figs. 6 and 7 are views of attachments for cutting an irregular form, as a basket-cover,

Referring specifically to the drawings, A A are the two front upright parts or legs of the frame, connected together by the horizontal bed-casting B and provided with bearings for the main or crank shaft 0 and the drivingshaft D and also provided with vertical slots or guideways for the ends of the reciprocating knife-bar E.

F F are the short rear upright parts or legs, having bearings for a shaft or rod G extending through and between them, and sockets for the horizontal side bars H H of the frame, which side bars are secured at their front ends in suit-able sockets to the uprights A A.

The carriagefor the veneer or other work to be operated upon consists of a plurality of parallel and horizontal boards, bars, or ribs I I, 850., secured edgewise to two cross-bars J J, thus making a skeleton or open frame.

The opposite ends of the cross-bars J J have.

their ends capped with brackets j j, in which are babbitted side rods K K. These rods stiffen the carriage -frame and carry the clamps L, provided with pivot-s, on which the feed-bars or connecting-rods M M are pivoted. The clamps L are adjust-able on the said side rods and occupy difierent positions, according to the degree of travel of the carriage. The travel of the carriage ranges from a fraction of an inch to sixteeninches, more or less, and as the forward movement of the carriage is limited by the bed B of the machine the clamps L have to be set along the rod to'a diiferent position each time the travel is changed. The two outside ribs of the carriage are preferably bound on the bottom edge with strips of band-iron, and these form hearings on friction-rollers a 0,, which revolve on the tie-rods N N. The carriage is conneoted by the feed-bars M M to the crank mechanism, which gives the knife 0 on the knife-bar E its reciprocating movement and in proper time relation to the vertical travel of the knife the carriage makes a forward and back movement of varying amount according to the feed desired.

' From the above it would appear that a pile of veneering placed upon the carriage would move forward and back with the carriage;

but as only the forward movement of the veneer is desired means are provided to raise the veneering from or above the carriage during its backward movement and'lower the same upon the carriage that it may move forward with the carriage during its return movement. To effect this or to lift the veneer from the carriage at the instant the latterbegins to move rearward or away from thebed and knife and to drop the veneer the instant the carriage is ready to move forward or toward the bed and knife, I provide a plurality of lift-bars P P, secured together by crosslift-bars lie between and are parallel withthe carriage-bars I I.

The main or crank shaft C, turning in bearings in the upright parts A A, carries at each end a gear-wheel R. The said shaftis driven. by a second shaft D, having pinions ff to mesh with the gears R. The pinions and gears at the opposite ends of the shafts differ in size and are of different speed ratios, and but one pair of gears is used at a-time, the other pair being disconnected by sliding the pinion on the shaft out of mesh with the gear. In this way two speeds are given to the machi he a slow one for cutting wide stock and a'faster speed for cutting narrow stock, like hoops and'slats. The shaft D is preferably driven bya belt through a friction-clutch at one end and not shown. The unfeathered arrow near the pulley indicates the direction of rotation of the shaft. Each one of the gears R R has a crank-pin 9 cast in one piece with itself, and upon this pin is pivoted the pitman-rods h h, which are connected to the knife-bar E to give it its up-and-down reciprocating movement. Upon the end of the crank-pin g is secured a disk g, having a planed way upon its outer-surface upon which a slide g is fastened by a screw. The planed way or groove on the disk extends directly toward the center of the gear, and the pivot z' on the slide g may be set at different points on a line running through the center of the gear and the center of the crank-pin to give throw to the pivot-stud t'varying from nothing to'several inches and to give the connecting-bars M M of the feed-carriage a travel of nothing to sixteen inches, more or less.

Pivoted to the upright posts la la atthe ends eeusi bar U, provided with compression -springs 'm m. The office of this bar is to clamp the pile of veneer firmly to the bed while the knife takes its out. In this machine the bar U not only clamps the veneer during the cutting operation, but it strikes the veneer at about the time the carriage begins its backward moveform of a trough or channel and are filled with wood or soft metal 4". The cutting edge of *the knife enters into this filling, and in. order that different and new surfaces of the filling may be-presented to the knife occasionally to insure a true'clean cut the bed plate or plates, as the case may be, are adjustable transversely on the bed by means of the said slots and bolts. Butone of these platesisrequired when the straight knife is used for making a straight out, as in the cutting of hoops, bands,

slats, &c., but two plates areused when the machine is employed in stamping or cutting irregular outlines or forms, like berry-boxes, peach-baskets, staves, market-basket covers, or other work requiring straight or irregular knives on both sides of the knife-bar. Attachments for doing this class of work are shown in Figs. 6 and '7, in which are shown attachments for cutting basket-covers. It will be apparent from this that attachments of other shapes may be employed for cutting other articles from the material. These attachments consist of cast-iron forms 3, with knife-seats shaped to the outline of the piece to be out. These forms are bolted respectively'to each side of the knife-bar E, suitably-shaped knives it are secured to these of the forward cross-bar of the carriage 1s a a pair of forwardly-extending arms It 70', connected together by a rod is and carrying at their forward ends a roller T, which is free to revolve in bearings. The rod is is -attached at opposite ends to coil-springs Z Z, secured to the door, and by this means the roller is drawn downward upon the work. The roller T, being attached to the carriage, moves forward and back withit. While the pile of veneer upon which it rests travels along with the carriage the roller does not'revolve, but acts simply as a clamp to hold the pile of veneer securely to the carriage and insure a positive forward'feed; but assoon as thelift-bars raise the veneer from the carriage the roller moves rearward with'the carriage, rolling upon the pile of veneer, andthe effect is to straighten out the pile and smooth the same.

' To therear of the'knife-bar E is a pressure- -into'the wood or metal filling therein.

seats by screws,'and spring-pressure rods u'u,

are employed to force the cutveneer from between the knives during the raising of the knife-bar andthe attachments. A bed-plate of sufficientwidth is secured upon'the bed B underneath each knife t for the latter'to out To allow of these attachments being seen red to opposite sides of the knife-bar, said knife-bar has its opposite sides planed smooth and parallel,and the knife-forms in contact with the "bar are planed to correspond. The spring- -pressure rods each consist of a horizontal piece'o above the knife-form, having an aperture therein for a vertical bolt fixed stationary in the top of the form and provided at itsupper end with a head to form a bearing forthe coil-spring thereon for depressing the piece '12. Rods o extend downwardly from the ends of the said piece 1), one outside of the form and one through an aperture in the below and outside of the knife-form.

form. When the knife descends, cutting through the veneer, the horizontal piecer remains stationary and is forced against the tension of the spring, due to the lower ends of the rods 0; bearing upon the veneer or work When the knife is raised, the veneer is held down upon the bed-plate, and thus separated from the knife.

Above the carriage and extending parallel with its longitudinal bars I, but above them, is a guide W for the pile of veneer to follow in order to keep it straight on the carriage. Said guide is supported by upright brackets or arms w w on the rods G and N, through which pass horizontal stems to w, suitably secured to the outer face of the guide W. The guide is adjustable transversely for different widths of veneer.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The pile of veneer is placed upon the carriage against the guide W and underneath the knife 0. After placing the proper pinion on the driving-shaft in mesh with its gear-wheel to obtain the speed required for the work the driving-shaft is revolved in the direction of the unfeathered arrow. The pressure-bar U, being set below the knife and descending with the same, clamps the veneer to the bedplate before the knife begins to cut and before the carriage starts back. After the veneer is clamped and held securely in place the knife 0 cuts through the veneer. Then the knife is raised by the pitmen connected to the knife-bar and later the pressure-bar is lifted above the veneer. The veneer is lifted by the lifting-frame slightly above the carriage, in contact again with the said pressurebar which clamps it to the said frame, while the carriage moves backward or away from the knife and the roller T rolls over the pile to smooth and straighten the same. When the carriage has reached the limit of its rearward movement, the lift-frame drops the veneer again upon the carriage and it is moved forward with the carriage toward and below the knife, when the operation of cutting theveneer is repeated. Each time the carriage moves forward it carries the pile of veneer the same distance forward, so that the strips severed from the pile by the knife are of equal width. The lifting-frame, pitmen connected to the knife-bar, and the knife are made adjustable by suitable and well-known means to regulate the depth of thecut.

I do not desire to be limited to the precise construction of the various parts of my improved veneer-clipper, inasmuch as they may be changed somewhat in form without departing from my invention.

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

1. In a veneer-clipper,the combination with the frame, the bed, the knife-bar, and means connected to said knife-bar to give the samea vertical reciprocating movement, of a feedcarriage having a horizontal reciprocating movement toward and from the k11ife-bar,and bars pivoted at one end to the frame to lift and hold the work from contact with the carriage while the latter is moved from the knifebar, as set forth.

2. In aveneer-clipper,the combination with the frame, the bed, the knife-bar, knife, a revoluble shaft, and connections between the shaft and k nife-bar to give the latter a vertical reciprocating movement, of a feed-carriage having a horizontal reciprocating movement in proper time relation to the movement of the knife-bar, and means to raise the pile of veneer from the carriage during the cutting operation and to hold it from contact with the carriage during its movement from the knife and to lower it upon the carriage for movement beneath the knife, substantially as described.

3. In a veneerclipper, the combination with the frame, the bed, the knife-bar, knife, and means connected to said bar to give the same a vertical reciprocating movement, of a feedcarriage having parallel bars for the veneer and having a horizontal reciprocating move ment toward and from the knife-bar, and a lifting-frame having parallel bars disposed between the bars of the carriage and pivoted at one end to the frame, and means to raise said frame to hold the veneer above the carriage while the latter is moving from the knife, as set forth.

4. In a veneer-clipper, the combination with the main frame, the bed, the knife-bar, knife, and means connected to said bar to give the same a vertical reciprocating movement, of a feed-carriage for the veneer having a horizontal reciprocating movement toward and from the knife-bar, a lifting-frame pivoted at its rear end to the main frame to raise the veneer from the carriage, a revoluble shaft provided with a cam, and a bracket on the forward end of the lifting-frame to engage the cam, as set forth.

5. In a veneer-clipper, the combination with the frame, the bed, the vertically-reciprocating knife-bar and knife, of a feed-carriage having a horizontal reciprocating movement, a pivoted lifting-frame for lifting the veneer from and holding it above the carriage during its movement from the knife, a revolving shaft turning in bearings in the frame, connections between the shaft and the knife-bar to reciprocate the same, connections between the shaft and the carriage to reciprocate the latter in proper time relation to the movement of the knife-bar, cams on the shaft, and brackets on the lifting-frame to engage the cams, as and for the purpose described.

6. In a veneer-clipper, the combination with the frame, the bed below the knife, the vertically-reciprocating knife-bar, guides for the knife-bar, the knife, of a feed-carriage having a horizontal reciprocating movement, a pivoted lifting-frame for lifting the veneer from and holding it above the carriage durthe frame, the bed below the knife, the vertically-reciprocating knife-bar, guides for the knife-bar, the knife, of a feed-carriage having a horizontal reciprocating movement, a

, pivoted frame mounted on the carriage, a

roller carried by the frame to bear and roll upon the veneer, springs connected to the roller-frame to cause the roll to clamp the vene'er tightly, a pivoted lifting-frame forlifting the veneer from and holding it above the carriage during its movement from the knife, a revolving shaft, connections between the shaft and the various movable parts to operate them, a pressure-bar mounted on the rear side of the knife-bar and provided with compression-springs, said bar being adapted to clamp the veneer to the bed during the cutting operation and to hold the veneer from displacement when it is raised fromthe carriage and the latter recedes from the knife, as set forth.

8. vIn a veneer-clipper. the frame, the knifebar movable vertically in slots in the frame, the carriage, the crank-shaft connected to both the knife-bar and the carriage, the lifting-frame having bars lying parallel withand in the same horizontal plane as the carriagebars, said lifting-frame being pivoted on a shaft at the rear end of the machine, cams on the crank-shaft, and brackets on the front end of the said frame engaging the peripheries of the cams as set forth.

9. In an automatic veneer-clipper, the combination with the frame, the knife-bar, knife,

crank-shaft, and connections between the crank-shaft and the ends of the knife-bar, of the horizontally-reciprocating carriage formed of parallel bars extending in the line of movement of the carriage, said bars secured edgewise upon cross-bars, side rods connecting the ends of said cross-bars, ad-

justable pi vot-clam ps on the rods, adjustable 10. In an automatic veneer-clipper,the com-' bination with the frame, the knife-bar, and the carriage, of a crank mechanism for giving the knife-bar and carriage reciprocating movements'in proper time relations and in planes at right angles to each other, consisting of a shaft turning in hearings in the frame below the knife-bar, gear-wheels on the ends of the shaft, crank-pins cast integral with the gear-wheels, disks with grooves secured on the outer ends of the crank pins, said grooves radiating from the centers of the gears, slotted slides with pivots secured adjustably on the disks by means of bolts, connecting-bars between the said crank-pins and the ends of the knife-bar, and connectinghars between the pivots of the slotted slides and the carriage as set forth.

11. In an automatic veneer-clipper,the combination with the frame, the vertically-reciprocating knife-bar, the horizontally-reciprocating carriage, of the crank-shaft turning in bearings in the frame, and connected to the knife-bar and to the carriage, a driving-shaft also turning in hearings in the frame, and two pairs of gears on the said shafts adapted to mesh with each other alternately to obtain two different rates of speed, as set forth.

12. In a veneer-clipper having an automatic reciprocating carriage, the combination with the frame, the bed, the knife-bar, and means connected to said knife-bar to give the same avertical reciprocating movement, said knife-bar having its front and rear sides provided with bearings, irregular knife-forms bolted to opposite sides of the knife bar, knives'secured to the forms, spring-pressure rods mounted on the forms, and adjustable bed-plates containing a filling of soft material to receive the edges of the knives, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof '.I have hereunto signed my name.

LOUIS c. MERRITT.

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