j 

 170 farmers' and mechanics' journal, 



•when to be split or edged. This consists of a straight piece of 

 wood or board, which is made to shde parallel to the saw ; (th6 

 place for this to slide in, is shown in the Plate, by a piece framed 

 on to the side.) On this piece of board, and at right angles with 

 it, are fixed two other pieces of board, and at the same distance 

 from each other, as the length of the board to be edged or split. 

 These two pieces are graduated into feet and inches, by which the 

 exact width of the board is obtained. 



The third and fourth saws, (placed near M,) are used for halving 

 the boards, in order to match them together ; one of these is placed 

 vertically, and the other horizontally. The horizontal saw pro- 

 jects a little by the other, and is nearly in contact with it. They 

 thus cut at right angles to each other ; and when a board is held 

 edgewise to them, a square piece is cut out, equal in thickness, or 

 diameter, to one-half of the thickness of the board to be cut. In 

 order that the board, or stuff, to be halved, should be cut in the 

 middle, the following apparatus has been invented ; viz. a lever is 

 framed into the side of the machine, parallel to the vertical saw, 

 having its fulcrum (which is a pin, upon which it turns,) exactly in 

 the middle. At one end of this, and at right angles with it, is affix- 

 ed another plate of wood, or iron, which is moved back and forth, 

 by moving the lever. On this last mentioned slide, and at right 

 angles to it, is fixed a flat piece of wood, or iron, placed on its 

 edge, and may be called a guide. When at rest, it is immediately 

 over the vertical saw ; but when the slide is pushed back bv the 

 lever, it recedes a little from the saw. Immediately over the lever 

 is placed a similar guide, which is attached to one end of it by a 

 pin. These two guides meet each other directly over the vertical 

 saw. When a board is placed between them, it pushes the guide 

 attached to the lever, to the left ; this moving the lever, pushes 

 the slide, and the guide attached to it, just as far to the right ; and 

 thus places the centre of the edge of the board, directly upon the 

 vertical saw, and it is cut or halved in the middle. 



The halving is sometimes performed by means of a circular 

 plate, to which is attached chisels of the required width ; but the 

 saws are preferable. 



Fig. 1. — A, is the drum, or main cylinder. 



B, the crank which moves the cutting saw. 



C, the carriage, by which the saw is moved backward 

 and forward. 



