‘March 2, 1943.
M. DESPRES
V
2,312,884
DOWEL MACHINE
Filed July 29, 1941
10
I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1
March 2, 1943.
‘M, DESPRES
2,312,884,
DOWEL ‘MACHINE
Filed July 29, 1941
4 Sheets-Sheet 2
:5 Name) lDespLei
A??mobs;
March 2, 1943.
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M. DESPRES
2,312,884
_ DOWEL MACHINE
Filed July 29, 1941 '
an.... .’ :L5
...
'4 Sheets-Sheet 4
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Patented Mar. 2, 1943
2,312,884. ‘
EJNH'E'ED
STATES; PATENT. OFFICE v i
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2,312,884“
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DOWEL-MACHINE
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Marcel Despres, Grand Rapids,-Mich.
Application’ July '29, 1941, Serial No. 404,489‘? '
's claims-l .(01. 144-730) -
This invention relates to machines for pro-‘b
ducing dowels.
Fig. 4 is a pian, new.‘ -
Dowels are short lengths cut
Fig. 5 is atransverseyertical section ‘through V
from rods of uniform cross-section and gener-' .
the machine between its ends.’ .
ally each end of the dowel has a continuous
beveled annular surface. The ‘dowels are used‘.
particularly in furniture construction and in‘ ,
other places where wood members are to be
Figs. 6 and 7 are ‘fragmentary transverse‘ver-jj
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tical sections throughthe upper part of the mag; ;
chine at‘ di?erent planes to better, illustratexthei"
secured together, end portions of the dowels.
being inserted and glued in holes in the mem
construction. .
bers which are to be connected.
mechanism.
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My invention is directed primarily to a ma;
chine for producing dowels very rapidly and in
large quantities from elongated rods of the I:
proper diameter. Dowels heretofore in practice
have generally been cut one at a time, the rod,
being fed in periodic movements a distance equal
to the length of one dowel which is severed from .
an end portion of the rod, there being a succeed
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Fig. 8 is an elevation'in detail of the feeding’
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- Fig. 9‘is afragmentary elevation illustrative of
the means used to rotate the rod from which the
dowels are cut, and ‘i
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Fig. 10 is a view‘ showing a ?nished dowel-and .
indicating the process which is followed in pro-‘Q
ducing the dowels with ‘bevel-ed ends.
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Like reference characters refer to like: parts '
in the several ?gures of the drawings.
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' Thedowels are cut from an elongated red I
ing lengthwise movement of the rod of the dowel
which
is circular in cross-section and of small
length distance and a severing, and these steps 2-0
diameter. The dowels 2 (Fig. 10) are of short
repeated until the rod is consumed.
lengths and at each‘ end, are beveled as indi-'
With my invention the rod is fed in periodic
catedjat 3. The dowels are cut from the rod by"
movements but a far greater length equal to a
multiple of the length of a single dowel. When Q‘ a ‘transverse cut and‘ at; the cut 'a'veshaped
groove around the rod is made so as. to simul-.
thus fed this longer distance into the machine it
taneously
bevel the adjacent, ends of two dowels.
is held in proper position and cut transversely
In the machine which I have devised for pro
to‘ the length of the dowel, and the ends of the!
ducing the dowels 2 from an elongated rod l‘of
dowel are also beveled at one time. The severed.
dowels drop through the machine and out of
the way after which there is an immediate suc
ceeding feeding of the rod from which the
dowels- are made the same distance into the
machine with a repetition of the cutting of a
large number of dowels simultaneously.
This
greatly increases the number of dowels which,
can be produced in a given time.
My-invention is directed to novel construction “
for effectively producing dowels in large quantity '_
production as described, and is concerned‘ with...v
the proper diameter, two vertical end framesilv '
are connected together'and spaced from each
other by horizontal cross bars 5. ‘The upper;
ends of the frames 4 arereduced in‘ widthand
extended upwardly as“ at ,6.“ Between and over'
the upper ends of the parts 6__ a horizontal bar 1‘
is placed and secured to provide a ?rm‘ frame '
structure.
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The dowel is fed lengthwise into the ma,
chine over a horizontal bar B'eXtending between
the ends and in-the upper .portion of the ma;
novel means for feeding the rod and controlling ' 40 chine so that the freeend of. the rod may not '
bend downwardly to a position where it cannot be‘
the feed, for rotating the rod while it is being‘
acted upon by the severing and beveling: saws ‘_
andcutters, for moving the saws out of the way '
operated upon. The rod when it has been moved‘
to a determined position in themachine is acted‘ ,
upon by a plurality of circular saws 9 and groov
when not used, and to operative position when,
they are to cut and ?nish the plurality of dowels 45. . ing cutters 10 mounted respectively upon hori-:
and, in general, for effectively attaining ‘very
large production of dowels.
An understanding of-the invention may be had‘
from the following description taken in conneca ,
tion with the accompanying drawings, in which,‘
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a machine made in
accordance with my invention.
7 .
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the upper portion
of the-machine.
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Fig.3 is an-opposite end elevation thereof;
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zontal shafts)“ and l2_ located at opposite sides.
of-Vtheupper‘portion of'the‘machine, the sawsv
and cutters being» spacedthe' right distance. by
sleeves I3 around the shafts.
4
The shafts“ and I2 are carried at the upper
ends of the generally vertical arms l4 of'bell
crank levers, one adjacent each end of the ma!
chine for each shaft which‘are mounted .upon
elongated rods l5, one at ‘each side or the ma;
chine and carried at their, ends by the frames 4. '
Said bell crank levers have outwardly extending
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2,312,884‘.
connected with the sleeve 33 extends outwardly
substantially horizontal arms Hi, which at each
over a shaft l8 and bears upon a cam 4|. When
the rise in said cam comes underneath the arm
Side of the machine are connected by a bar I‘!
to make a unit. The arms I6 pass above shafts
the continuously driven roller 32 comes against
the rod | and presses it against the idle pulley
3| whereupon the rod is moved lengthwise into
l8, one at each side of the machine and extend
ing between the upper corners thereof, and
mounted for rotation, resting upon- cams IS on
said shafts. With the rotation of the shafts the
raises in the cams l9 coming underneath the
arms I6 turn the bell crank levers to swing the
the machine until the rise in the cam 4| passes
and the feed roller 32 is permitted to fall away
from the rod. It is evident from this structure
that
with each rotation of the shaft Hi there is
10
saws 9 and grooving cutters I0 inwardly to en
a feeding of the rod into the machine with an
gage with the rod I. The saws and‘cutters will
interval between successive feedings. It is dur
be moved substantially simultaneously toward
ing said interval that the cutting saws and
each other and, as will be later described, the
grooving cutters are brought into operative cut
rod being rotated. about its horizontal axis,
ting and grooving relation with the rod which
grooves are cut so as to provide the beveled ends,
has been fed into the machine and the dowels
3 and the saws passing at least to and slightly ,
cut therefrom.
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across the axis of the rod sever the dowels there
Ateach side and at each end of the machine
from producing as many dowels as,, there are
an elongated vertically positioned member 42 is
saws at each operation. In practice it isvdesipr
located
said members having pivotal mounts at
able that the grooving take place slightly ahea ~20
their lower ends at 43 on the adjacent ends, 4
of the sawing of the rod into. dowels.’
' of the frame. Each of said :members- is widened
An electric motor 20.i_s mo “ted‘ at a ‘lower
part of .the frame on the shaft on .whichare’two
drive pulleys 2|. The shafts l2 at (oneend are
provided with pulleys 22. Endless vbelts 23 pass.
around the pulleys 22 and the drive pulleys 2|,v
at its upper end- andeach atan upper~corner
has a laterally extending ‘lug 44». (Fig. 5) which
bears against a. cam 45 on each: shaft. l8. The:
members. 42 at their upper endsat each end‘ of »
the machine are tended to .be‘forced apart. by‘
a compression spring» 46 located between them
(Fig. 4). Each at its upper portion and adjacent
at high speed.
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A horizontal drive shaft 24 is mounted in 30,. its inner edge is provided with anelongatedv
vertical slot 41. It is evident thatthe members
suitable‘bearings on the} ends of the'frame and
swing. back and forth upon their pivots .43 un
extends therethrough, being equipped with a pul-_
der the action of the cams.45> and-4 springs 43
ley 25 at one end which through a suitable belt
whereby the shafts l2 with the saws and-groove
ing cutters ‘thereonare continuously~ operated '
during the operation of the machine.
drive may be driven from any source of power.
Two bars 43 are disposed lengthwise of the"
The opposite end, of the shaft; 24 carries a
machine, one of said barsbetween the twomem
sprocket wheel 26 located at the same end and
bers 42 at each side of themachine. , saidybars
above the pulleys 2| previously described. The
areequipped with rollers 49 at their ends which
shafts l8 at‘ thev same. end, of the frame are
are received within the slots 41.. At each- end of
equipped each with a sprocket wheel 21. A single
each, bar alink 50. is pivotally connected, said
endless chain 28» passes around, all of the 40 links
extendingv downward and at their lower
sprockets 26.and 21 and underneath a chain .,
tensioning idle .sprocket 21a which is suitably.
mountedon the vadjacent end 4 of the frame‘.
whereb'y‘the shafts |8 aredriven simultaneously‘
and‘in. equal amounts.
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The. dowel rod | is guided through the up
wardly-extending end 6 of the end, of the frame
oppositethat at which the belt drive 23 and:
chainQdriVe 28..are..located, passing through a
guidej29' (Fig. 4) andover the bar 8. ’ Upon suchv
bar 8 near the guide 29an arm. 33 is secured on
is cast'integral therewith. {The army 3|Lis hori-~
zontal ‘(Fig. '7) and, above and on it arr-idle
grooved. feeding roller 3| is mounted. locatedat
' ends formed with‘H-eccentric housings to coop
erate with eccentrics, 5| secured on the shaft 24. _
There. are four eccentrics as shown in Fig.1 1‘.
With each complete rotation of the shaft 24 each;
bar .48 traverses its slots,4.'|> upwardly‘ and down:- .
wardly making alcompletei reciprocation.
As.
shown in Fig. 5, the bars traverse saidslots
simultaneously ,andvin .oppositedirections.~
A plurality of dowel rod. engaging members 52 '
are’ associated .With each of the~bars~48 extend-
ing in a vertical, direction. and-pivotally mounted
at theirlowerends between‘ears 53 onthe‘bars,
48 throughwhich.a.pivot.rod 54 passes?it being;
one side of the dowel rod |. At the opposite '55 understood that a._pair,of~su_ch members 52~is~
provided for each ,dowelthat, is- cut- duringg a.
side a driven feed. roller 32 of the same ram is
machine cycle of operations. The-members152
positioned though inclined to the. horizontal
are held in vertical position-against~ sidewise.
It
is
secured
at
the
upper
end
of
a»,
(Fig. '7).
movement, passing _ through, ‘slots in ‘plates, 55,»
shaft, which passes in a downward. direction;
one on each of the bars~48, whichplatesextend-v
through a sleeve 33 which has. a downwardly.
extending arm 34 (Fig. 8) mounted for rocking: 60 horizontally outward. therefrom -' (Figs. .51 and- 9).; . .
spring 56 betweeneachinember-52 andits bar;
movement on. a short'horizontal shaft 35- andfv A
48 holds the members.invertical.position-against;~
mounted in a bearing on the adjacent end 4 ‘of:
At its outer end the shaft-351s;
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equippedrwith a spur pinion. 31. A beveled pin
the frame.
ion 36; is pinned tothe- inner ‘end of. shaft '35“
andis in mesh with. a beveled pinion 38 at the.
the bars. Each. of. the_.members .52- at;_its inner»;
edgeis serrated with. teeth, the teeth; on’ one’; I
set or series of >members. at one sideofthe doweL- »
rod being directed downward ~andg-the. others,‘
lower end of the shaft which carries therollerf
32, One of the shafts |8 is equipped. with a
upward asshown in Fig.,5.q '
drivenvbut at ahigher speed thanthe shaft. l8
because o,f.the.diife,rence in sizes of the-gearv
lugs 44, moving the members 42 inwardrtowalfdz.
each. other and, therefore“carryingi-thev dowel
rod engaging members 52 inwardly <toward~_;each1
With this. construction after. the -_ prescribed;
gear 39 which, is_ in mesh with the‘pinion 31. 70 lengthiof the dowel>rod;ha,s-been fed'into~;the-~
,machine the rises on.the cams-45 come to _the_
Thegfeed roller 32 is therefore continuously
An arm__4\0,(Fig.. 7) integralpr,permaneptlyf?éotherto ,comeagainst-opposite sidesnofrthe red
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2,312,884
I. Reciprocation in opposite direction of the
bars 48 ‘and the members 52 carried thereby, to
gether with the opposite positioning of the ser
rations or teeth on said members 52 results in a
continuous rotation of the rod I. At the same
time the cut-off saws 9 and the grooving cutters
I 0 are brought inwardly toward each other to
engage with the dowel rod whereby the operation
ment with opposite sides of the rod. Imniedh
ately thereafter the grooving cutters Ill and the
cut-off saws 9 are moved inwardly toward the
rod, grooving the rod and cutting the dowels off
at such grooves. When this operation is ?n
ished the saws and grooving cutters, the ‘rod ro
tating members 52 and the rod lifting devices
51a, 6| move outwardly to inoperative position
opening the machine for the next succeeding
of severing the dowels and beveling the ends
occur simultaneously with a continuous turning ll)
feeding movement of the rod I until it again
movement of the rod about its longitudinal axis.
strikes the stop at 62. The operation may be re
When the rises on the cams 155 leave the lugs M
peated inde?nitely until the length of the rod
the springs 46 move the members 42 and the
I is used up and continued to be repeated with
parts carried thereby away from each other.
succeeding rods. The machine operates con
It is while the parts are thus separated that
tinuously and goes through the performance de~
the feeding of the rod by the grooved feeding
scribed whether or not a dowel rod is fed into
pulleys 3| and 32 takes place.
the machine. It is only necessary to insert the
The dowel rod when fed into the machine will
rod into the machine a distance such that it will
lie against the upper side of the'bar 8, and it
be engaged by the feeding rollers 3i and
is very desirable that the rod be lifted a short
It is evident from the foregoing that a ina-v
distance above such bar during the time that
chine capable of very great quantity product-ion
the dowel cutting operation occurs. For this
of dowels is provided. The construction is prac~
purpose lifters are provided. At one sideof the
tical and eflicient.
machine stationary lifting members 57 are pro
The invention is de?ned in the claims and is
vided and at the other side of the machine mov
to
be considered comprehensive of all forms of
able lifting members Ela are 'pivotally suspend
structure coming within their scope.
ed at their upper ends from a rod 58 extending
I claim:
between the narrow upper portion 5 of the ma
1. In a machine for cutting dowels, means for ‘
chine underneath the bar '5’. Said members 51
feeding a predetermined length of rod equal to'
and 5112 include each a plurality of arms spaced 30
the combined length of a plurality of dowels,
from each other extending downwardly between
means for stopping the rod at a predetermined
the saws and grooving cutters. The end arms
position, vertical bars at ‘each side of the rod,’
57b of the members 5164 are extended farther
means for reciprocating said bars in opposite "di
downward and are offset (Fig. 6) and by the
rections. means for alternately moving said bars '
force of coiled tension springs {-59 bear‘at their
toward the rod to engage therewith and away
ends against cams 68, mounted upon the shafts
from the rod to disengage therefrom, said en
i8, whereby with each rotation of
shafts the
gagement occurring at the times between longi
movable arms 5% are moved toward the sta
tudinal feeding movements of said rod, said bars
tionary arms by said cams and away therefrom
at their engaging edges having serrations there
by said springs after the rises on the cams have 4.0
in oppositely positioned, whereby the rod is con
passed. The con?guration of the cams is such:
tinuously rotated when engaged by said bars, a
that the arms are opened suddenly and immedishaft mounted to one side of the rod having a
ately start to close.
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On the arms inwardly extending lugs 63 hav
ing V-shaped notches therein extend toward
each other and are located in a position that
when the movable arms move toward the sta
plurality of circular saws thereon spaced from
each other in accordance with the lengths of
. dowels to be cut, means for continuously driving
said shaft, and means for alternately moving
the shaft and saws thereon toward the dowel
rod and away therefrom, ‘said movements to;v
tionary arms said lugs engage the dowel rod and
hold it at opposite sides in the notches (Fig. 5)
the dowel rod taking place simultaneously
lifting the rod above the bar 3 and holding it 50 ward
with rotation thereof.
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in a horizontal position and without parts of the
g
2.
A
construction
containing
the
elements
in‘
rod being lower than the other parts thereof,
combination defined in claim 1 combined with a'
thereby insuring that the cutting of the dowels
second shaft mounted for rotation at the oppo
shall be square across and substantially perfect.
In the upper extension 6 of the frame 4 op 55 site side of the dowel rod, a plurality of grooving
disks mounted on said second shaft and spaced
posite the guide 29 an adjustable screw 62 is
to lie in the same vertical planes with the cut
mounted (Fig. 4) which serves as a stop against
ting saws, and means for moving said shaft and
which the end of the dowel rod comes when it
grooving disks thereon toward and away from
is fed into the machine, insuring that the extent
the dowel rod, said movement toward the dowel
of the rod fed into the machine shall be accu 60 rod
occurring during its longitudinal rotation.
rate and uniform and, therefore, the dowels cut
3.
In a dowel cutting machine, a horizontal
shall be uniform throughout the entire opera
guide through which a dowel rod may be inserted,
tion of the machine.
a ?xed grooved roller mounted to turn about a
With this machine as described, the rod I
vertical axis located to one side of the guide, a
passing through the guide at 29 is fed into the
second grooved roller mounted at the opposite
machine by the grooved feeding rollers 3| and
side of the guide between which rollers the dowel
32 until the rod strikes the stop at E2. Substan
rod is adapted to be inserted, a shaft on which the
tially simultaneous with the engagement with
second roller is ?xed, a pivotally mounted jouur
the stop the feeding is rendered ineffective by
the cam 45 (Fig. 7) dropping away from the arm 70 nal bracket carrying the shaft, means for con
tinuously driving the shaft, a second continuously
4!]. ‘Thereafter and immediately following, the
driven shaft, a cam on saidshaft having a rise
dowel rod turning members 52 are brought
and an arm extending from said journal bracket
against opposite sides of the rod by the opera
to and riding against said cam, whereby the sec
tion of the cams 45 against the lugs M, and the
rod lifting members 6| are brought into engage 75 ond roller may be brought against the dowel rod
and pressed against the ?rst grooved roller during
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the time that the rise on the cam is engaged with
spaced grooving cutters mounted on the other
shaft, bell crank levers having upwardly extend
said arm.
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ing arms on which said shafts are mounted,
4. In a dowel cutting machine, means for feed
means for driving said saw and cutter shafts, two
ing a predetermined length of a dowel rod into
the machine, a stop against which an end of the CH additional driven shafts, and earns thereon, said
bell crank levers having outwardly extending
rod engages, continuously operating means for
arms resting upon said cams, whereby the cut
cutting the infed length of the dowel rod trans
ting saws and grooving cutters are periodically
versely to simultaneously cut a plurality of dowels
moved
inwardly toward each other to act upon
therefrom, two pairs of vertically positioned
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members, one at each end of the machine, each 10 the rod, as speci?ed.
'7. In a dowel cutting machine, means for pe
member having an eccentric housing at its lower
riodically feeding a predetermined length of a
end, a driven shaft, eccentrics thereon within the
dowel rod into the machine, a horizontal bar over‘
housings of said members for reciprocating one
which the rod is fed, two members, one pivotally
member of each of said pairs of members up
suspended at its upper‘ ends above said rod and
wardly simultaneously with a downward recipro
bar
and extending downwardly one to each side
cating movement of the other members and vice
of the rod and bar, said members having a plu
versa, two horizontal bars extending one between
rality of notched projections extending toward
the upper ends of and connected to the members
the bar, a driven shaft, a cam thereon bearing
at each side of the machine, two series of up
wardly extending driving bars pivotally connected 20 against said pivotally suspended member at its
lower ends whereby at predetermined times in the
to said horizontal bars at theair lower ends, those
rotation of said shaft, said notched projections
connected to one bar being to one side of the
are brought against the dowel rod to engage and
dowel rod and those to the other at the opposite
hold it in horizontal position above said bar, and
side, one of said series of bars at their inner edges
yielding means normally forcing said suspended
having serrations extending downwardly and in
wardly and the other upwardly and inwardly, and
means for periodically moving said members, bars
and driving bars associated therewith toward
each other to engage the driving bars'with said
dowel rod and rotate about its longitudinal axis. »
,5. A construction containing the elements in
combination de?ned in claim 4, said last men
tioned means comprising, vertically positioned
members pivotally mounted at their lower ends
and each having a vertical slot therein, rollers at
the ends of said horizontal bars positioned in said
slots, continuously driven shafts and cams on the
shafts to engage with the upper end portions of
said pivotally mounted members at periods of the
rotation. of said shafts to move said upper end
portions toward each other.
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6. In a dowel cutting machine, continuously
operable feeding means for feeding a predeter
mined length of a dowel rod into the machine,ga
stop against which an end of the rod engages,
means for periodically rendering said feedingv
means operative and inoperative, means for ro
tating the rod about its longitudinal axis during
the times that the feeding means is inoperative,
member at its lower portions against the cams.
8. In a dowel cutting machine, means for pe
riodically feeding a dowel rod into the machine
a predetermined distance equal to the combined
lengths of a plurality of dowels to be cut, con
tinuously operated means for rotating the rod,
means to bring said rotating means into oper
ative engagement with the rod at the times be
tween periodic longitudinal feeding movement
thereof, a plurality of continuously driven saws
spaced apart from each other distances equal to
the lengths of dowels to be cut and mounted to
rotate on an axis parallel to the length of the rod.
means for alternately moving said saws toward
and away from the rod, said movements toward
the rod to engage therewith and cut dowels oc
curring at the times between the periodic longi
tudinal feeding movements of the rod, a plurality
of rotatably mounted grooving disks located in
substantially the same planes with companion
cutting saws, means for continuously driving said
disks and means for periodically moving the same
toward and away from the rod occurring in syn
chronism with the movements of said cutting
two shafts located one at each side of the dowel 50 saws.
rod and parallel thereto, a plurality of spaced
cutting saws mounted on one shaft, a plurality of
MARCEL DESPRES.