GB Patent: GB-177,701,152
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| Machine for sawing wood, stone, and ivory
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Patentee:
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| Samuel Miller (exact or similar names) - Southampton, England |
| Manufacturer: |
| Not known to have been produced |
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Patent Dates:
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| Granted: |
Apr. 11, 1777 |
Espacenet patent
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Jeff Joslin
Patent Specification
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Description: |
| This is likely the first patent for a circular saw. The circular saw was invented many times in many places; some hand-powered, others externally powered; some used enormous blades for cutting wood, others tiny blades for cutting ivory or gemstones. Some of these inventors never perfected their invention, others figured out solutions for tensioning the sawblade to avoid warping, and for safely supporting and guiding the work-piece through the blade. And most of these early inventors did not obtain patents for their invention. So it is virtually impossible to agree on a "first" inventor.Various articles claiming Samuel Miller as the inventor of the circular saw invariably point to this patent. The patent itself mentions the circular saw-blade only in passing, which implies that it was already a known technology. The patent itself describes how to power the saw by a rope or chain passing over pulleys and a sliding table that feeds the work into the saw."TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL MILLER, of the Town and County of Southampton, Sailmaker, send greeting..."NOW KNOW YE, that ..., the said Samuel Miller, do hereby declare that my said Invention of An Intirely new Machine for the more Expeditiously Sawing of all Kinds of Wood, Stone, and Ivory, is described in the following manner (that is to say):--"The machine that gives the power, a horizontal windmill. The shaft of this mill stands vertical, with four levers fixed to it, at right angles with the shaft, to which levers are fixed the sails. These sails when in motion are one half of their time horizontal, the other vertical. The upright shaft being in motion, communicates its power to an horizontal shaft. This shaft hath a large wheel to it, round which goes a rope or chain, which is continued to a smaller; through the small wheel goes a square bar of iron that receives the saws, which are a circular figure. Those saws being in motion, the matter or substance they are to cutt is brought forward as follows: -- The horizontal shaft, as mentioned before, hath a small wheel on it, with a groove to receive a rope, the rope is continued to a smaller, that hath a pinion to it, connected to a straight bar under the chariot, which hath teeth to match the pinion; the chariot moves in a groove likewise on a center; it hath two motions, one to advance forward and the other sideways, which is performed by a screw annexed to the end of the chariott. This screw is turned by hand to direct the pieces against the saws, agreeable to any line wanted to be cutt."In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Miller, have hereunto sett my hand and seal, this Fifth day of August, One thousand and seven hundred and seventy-seven." |
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