IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR TRIMMING PLAYING CARDS AND OTHER USES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
•
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
TRIMMING PLAYING CARDS AND OTHER USES." A communication from abroad.
by Victor Eugène Mauger, of Now York City, in the County and State of
New York, United States of America.
+
Sealed the 21st October. 1876, and dated the 10th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th May 1876.
WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
"IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR TRIMMING PLAYING CARDS AND OTHER
Agent.
USES."
.
This Invention has for its object to produce a machine for trimming a pack of
playing cards or other substance with great exactness, and without leaving rough
edges on such cards or articles.
This Invention consists of the novel arrangement of an annular reciprocating
trimming knife moving on and embracing a reciprocating clamp; and also in the
combination of the above-mentioned devices with a stationary clamp which fits.
exactly into said annular knife; and also in the arrangement of flexible gauges, all
as herein-after more fully described.
The pack of cards to be cut or trimmed is supported on a stationary bed or block -
on the machine frame. The cutting or trimming knife consists of a continuous
annular blade with a horizontal or oblique cutting edge, its form or circumferenco
corresponding with the form of the finished card; thus when the cards are to be
made with quadrantal corners the annular knife will have four straight sides joined
by quadrantal corners. The bed or block when used is of a size and form to fit
exactly into said knife. The knife is suspended by rods or otherwise from the
inachine frame directly above the block, and is connected with an eccentric lever or.
treadle in such manner that it can, by such eccentric lever or handle, be moved up
and down, The knife embraces and is guided on an inner sliding block or follower,
which can be moved vertically by a screw or cam, or other mechanical means; this
block is and moves exactly in line with the stationary block, and the two opposite

page_text: faces of the two blocks should be made exactly of the size and form of the card to
be trimmed, although the face of the sliding block may be smaller.
The pack of cards to be trimmed is placed upon the stationary block with its
edges projecting over the same; the follower is then moved down upon the pack
to hold the same firmly in position and prevent all motion thereof during the
cutting process; finally, the knife is moved down along the follower and shears
the pack of cards on all sides, imparting to it the desired form, and producing
perfectly smooth and well defined edges.
When the knife has cut the pack it is elevated without disturbing the follower
until it has cleared the cards, and thereupon the follower is elevated to liberate the
pack.
Flexible gauges are placed on the frame near the side and end of the stationary
block to facilitate the proper placing of the pack of cards thereon. These gauges are
moved aside by the descending knife.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
tho said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th November
1876.
#1
WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent. IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR TRIMMING PLAYING CARDS AND OTHER USES."
A communication from abroad by Victor Eugène Mauger, of New York City, in the
County and State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention has for its object to produce a machine for timming a pack of
playing cards or other substance with great exactness, and without leaving rough
edges on such cards or articles.
The Invention consists of the novel arrangement of an annular reciprocating
trimming knife moving on and embracing a reciprocating clamp; and also in the
combination of the above-mentioned devices with a stationary clamp which fits
exactly into said annular knife; and also in the arrangement of flexible gauges, all
as herein-after more fully described.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved
machine for trimming playing cards; Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of the same;
Figure 3, a horizontal section of the same on the line c, c, Figure 1.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
The bed
The letter A represents the frame of the machine; B is a stationary bed or block
for the support of the pack of cards C to be cut or trimmed; D is the cutting or
trimming knife. The same is a continuous annular blade with a horizontal or
oblique cutting edge, its form or circumference corresponding with the form of the
finished card; thus when the cards are to be made with quadrantal corners, the
annular knife will have four straight sides joined by quadrantal corners.
or block B when used is of a size and form to fit exactly into said knife. The
knife D is suspended by rods a, a, or otherwise, from the frame A directly above
the block B, and is connected with an eccentric lever or treadle in such manner that
it can, by such eccentric lever or treadle, be moved up and down. The knife D
einbraces and is guided on an inner sliding block E, which can be moved vertically
by a screw or cam d, or other mechanical means; this block E is and moves exactly
in line with the stationary block B, and the two opposite faces of the two blocks
should be made exactly of the size and form of the card to be trimmed, although the
face of the block E may be smaller.
The pack of cards to be trimmed is placed upon the block B with its edges pro-
jecting over said block, as indicated; the follower E is then moved down upon the
pack to hold the same firmly in position and prevent all motion thereof during the
cutting process; finally, the knife is moved down along the block E, and shears

page_text: the pack of cards on all sides, imparting to it the desired form, and producing
perfectly smooth and well defined edges.
When the knife has cut the pack it is elevated without disturbing the block E
until it has cleared the cards, and thereupon the block E is elevated to liberate
the pack.
Flexible gauges e, e, are placed on the frame near the side and end of the block B
to facilitate the proper placing of the pack of cards on said block. These gauges.aro
moved aside by the descending knife.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The reciprocating annular knife D applied around the reciprocating follower
E to move each independent of the other, substantially as herein shown and
described.
2nd. Tho combination of the annular reciprocating knife D and inner recipro-
cating follower E with the stationary block or bed B, substantially as herein shown
and described.
3rd. In combination with the knife D and follower E the flexible gauges e, e, sub-
stantially as specified.
In witness whereof. I. the said William Clark. have hereunto set my hand