1850. J 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



169 



The patentee does not strictly confine himself to the above 

 details, so long as the peculiar character of his invention be re- 

 tained. He malces no claim to the application of eitlier the hydro- 

 meter or the thermometer to ascertaining the density or saltiiess 

 of the water of marine steam-engine boilers; but that wliicli he 

 claims is. the peculiar arrangement, combination, and adaptation 

 of means (each by itself well known) embodied in tlie single 

 instrument above described, wlierel>y the marine steam engineer is 

 enabled, by the mere inspection of the said instrument, to ascer- 

 tain, at all times and under all circumstances, the density of the 

 water in the boiler, independently of the pressure within the 

 boiler. 



PLANING AND GROOVING MACHINERY. 



William Edward Newton, of Chancery-lane, "./oj- improve- 

 ments in machinery fnr planing^ timguing, and grooving boards and 

 planks." — Granted October j, 1819; Enrolled April 5, 1S50. [Re- 

 ported in the Patent Joitniul.] 



The planing, tonguing, and grooving of planks or boards, as 

 performed according to this invention, is effected by means of a 

 separate series of tools, acting in a somewhat similar manner to 

 the ordinary hand tools used by carpenters, their construction 

 being also of a like character. These tools are fixed in a frame- 

 work, while the board or plank to be operated upon is moved up 

 by machinery to tlie work. Tlie machine, as arranged according 

 to this invention, consists of an endless belt or chain of plates, 

 which form a table for the support and advance of the wood; this 

 chain is formed of a series of narrow plates, linked together, the 

 length of which form tlie breadth of the chain, and is sufficient to 

 afford room for the greatest width of plank to be 0|>erated ui)on; 

 these are linked together in the manner of an endless chain, and 

 pass over two drums, one situate at tlie feeding-end of tlie ma- 

 chine, and the other at or about tlie middle of its length. The 

 respective parts are sujiported by two principal side-frames, which 

 carry the bearings of the before-mentioned drums. The a,\is of 

 the central drum is driven by a train of sjiur gearing from the 

 driving shaft, which is communicated to the chain by means of 

 recesses in the periphery of the drum, into which tlie knuckle 

 joints of the chain are received. These drums are placed, with 

 their axes, in a horizontal position; the chain, while traversingthe 

 upper portion of its course, forming the table for the support of 

 the wood; the jilates of the table during this time rest at each 

 end on the side frame, and are thereby kept in the same hori- 

 zontal plane. A like endless chain is also provided, whicli is placed 

 immediately above tlie other, and at the under line rests on the 

 wood under operation. This chain is, however, considerably 

 shorter than the other, the end-carrying drum of which is imme- 

 diately over the lower end drum, and the other is disposed at about 

 one-third the length of the frame from that end. The wood to be 

 planed will thus be pressed between the two chains, the under 

 chain however continues the support of the wood beyond the Iiold 

 of the upper chain, and at which point the planing tools take 

 effect. These tools are fixed to two cheek plates or frames, fitted 

 on the two main wood frames, and form also the immediate support 

 of the chain, as before mentioned. The drum of the upper chain 

 bears in a separate frame, which is free to rise and fall, for the 

 purpose of admitting the different thicknesses of wood to be planed 

 This moveable frame is connected by two links, one on eitlier side 

 of the machine, placed in an inclined position, which, according to 

 their incline, give a greater or less bite on the wood. 



The upper chain being also driven, the tendency is to run off the 

 wood, which is prevented by these links. The wood is fed in at the 

 end of the machine, between these two endless chains, and as it 

 emerges below the upper chain, at the opposite end, it passes 

 below the planing cutters, whicli are a set of eight (more or 

 less) double and single plane irons, similar to the ordinai-y plane 

 iron, but of the full width of tlie machine. These planing 

 cutters are set one behind the other, in such manner that each 

 succeeding iron wiU cut a little deeper than the jn-eceding one, and 

 set at such angles that the rough outside may at one and the same 

 time be operated upon with the smooth or finishing cut. On pass- 

 ing from under the planing tools, the wood is received on a station- 

 ary bed, on which it is held down bv transverse rollers. The 

 operation of tonguing and grooving then takes effect at the oppo- 

 site end of the machine, for which purpose the wood, after being 

 planed, is introduced between two sets of ploughing or tonguing 

 irons, one set so as to take effect on either edge of the board The 

 board is at the same time held down, or pressed by edge rollers; 



one set, together with one set of the cutting tools, are adjustable 

 to suit the width of the board under operation. The rollers are 

 fitted two on each transverse spindle, one roller at either end; the 

 one being fixed, and the other moveable ; while the cutters are 

 held in a frame, sliding transversely, and moved by set screws, for 

 that purpose. The cutting tools are similar to those ordinarily 

 used for tlie inu-jiose by carpenters, and placed at angles to the 

 wood best suited for tlie purpose. Inclined or bevelled edges may 

 also be jirepared in like manner. Instead of the upper endless 

 chain, to feed the machine, a set of weighted rollers may be em- 

 ployed, supported in a swinging frame, connected, as before ex- 

 plained, by the side links, in order to obtain tlie rise and fall, and 

 to admit the different thicknesses of wood, together with the ne- 

 cessary bite on the wood, for the purpose of feeding it. 



The patentee claims : First — Tiie general aiTangement of the 

 machinery described. 



Secondly — The employment of stationary cutting tools, combined 

 with yielding-bar mouth-pieces, set forth. 



Thirdly — Causing the top chain plate, or rollers substituted in 

 lieu thereof, to press on the plank under operation, with a force 

 varying with the resistance opposed by the cutting instruments, by 

 altering the inclination of the connecting side-links described, for 

 the ])uri)0se of forcing the plank under operation up to the cutting 

 tools; and 



Lastly — The use of adjustable edge rollers, to suit the different 

 widths of wood, in combination with the tonguing and grooving, or 

 other stationary cutters, as described. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN VENEERING 



Mr. John .Meadows, of Princes-street, ('oventry-street, has 

 obtained a patent J'or improvements in veneering, which consist in 

 effecting the union of the ordinary veneer in such manner, that it 

 may be applied to irregular surfaces in one piece, instead of joining- 

 it at the angles and forming it in several pieces, as usual, which 

 not only gives a great deal of trouble, but requires to be done to a 

 nicety, and when complete, is unsightly, so far as regards the 

 joints being always perceptible; and further, is very liable to get 

 chipped or become detached from the article to which it is applied. 

 In illustration of this mode of applying veneers, a number of ogod 

 mouldings joined with several curved and flat surfaces, meeting at 

 sharp or right angles, are shown in the drawings. A description of 

 one of these will suffice for the whole. The frame or other piece 

 of work to be veneered is prepared of the form required, which, 

 supposing it to be first of an ogee form, the veneer is laid on a 

 bed of that form, placed in a machine somewhat like an ordinary 

 screw press. This bed is hollow, for the purpose of heating it by 

 steam or other medium; pressure is then exerted by the screw on 

 the frame, which is thereby pressed down on the veneer, and into 

 the form required, between the heated bed and the frame or piece 

 of wood to be veneered: so far, the process is very similar to that 

 ordinarily adopted. The next surface presented, or that adjoining 

 the ogee, is a hollow cur\'e, meeting in a right angle the edge of the 

 ogee; the veneer is of sufficient widtli to cover this, as well as any 

 other portion of the frame service required. t)n the edge of the 

 ogee bed a hollow bolster is hinged, having a hand lever, by which 

 it is raised, so that the side presented to the veneer, which is of the 

 curved form required, forces the veneer into the hollow, so as to 

 effect complete contact with the whole of that surface; a suitable 

 curved ratchet is provided, which sustains the bolster in its 

 elevated position, the lever being such as to give sufficient pres- 

 sure for the purpose; the veneer is thus bent over the angle and 

 pressed into the curve. The next is a flat service, united by a 

 right angle to the hollow. Another pad or bolster is hinged by a 

 lever to the bed of the press, which is now raised and sustained by 

 a click taking into a curved rack; the veneer is thereby bent over 

 the succeeding angle, and on to the flat service, when the pad, to 

 give the final pinch, is forced up by a screw; the pressure on the 

 whole of the parts is allowed to remain until the adiiesive material 

 is sufficiently set for the purpose. The bolster and ])ad before 

 mentioned have the le\ers and screws repeated at intervals, accord- 

 ing to the length of the frame or surface to be acted ujion. It will 

 be obvious that other arrangements and forms of the parts will be 

 required, according to the particular form to be veneered. Instead 

 of employing ordinary glue for the purposes of veneering, according 

 to this invention, the patentee employs parchment cuttings boiled 

 down and mixed with whiting, to the consistency of paste, which is 

 applied uniformly on the back surface of the veneer, the bed being 



24 



