Improvements in Wire Cutting Mechanism for Card Setting and other Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wire Cutting Mechanism for Card Setting and
other Machines.
I, SAM MIDGLEY of Leicester in the County of Worcester, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to cutters or cutting mechanism for card setting machines,
and the object of my invention is to improve upon the construction of the cutters,
or cutting mechanism, now in general use in card setting machines, for cutting off
the wire, preparatory to its being bent and thrust through the card clothing; and my
improved cutter, or cutting mechanism is especially adapted for cutting the hardened
and tempered steel wire now generally used in the manufacture of card clothing, and
which is so hard as to quickly dull the edge of the old form of cutters.
And my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and operation
of a cutter, or cutting mechanism for card setting, or other machines, as will be
hereinafter fully described, and the nature thereof indicated by the claims."
It will be understood by those skilled in the art, that in card setting machines,
the wire which forms the teeth of the clothing is fed into the machine at regular
intervals, and is then cut off in suitable lengths by the cutter, preparatory to being
operated upon by the other mechanisms of the machine, my invention relates simply
to the cutter, or cutting mechanism for cutting off the wire, which may be attached
to and used in connection with any of the ordinary forms of card setting machines.
In my cutting mechanism, the cutter blade is rigidly supported, and has a recipro-
cating motion back and forth at right angles to the movement of the wire to be cut,
and is so supported and arranged that its cutting-edge may be adjusted up or down,
relatively to the position of the wire to be cut, so that the full width of the cutter, or
cutter blade, may be utilized as a cutting edge; and as soon as a portion of the
cutting edge becomes dull or blunted, a new cutting edge may be presented to
the wire, and this without resharpening the cutter, or stopping the operation of
the machine.
And further, I combine with the cutter blade, an adjustable plate, against the
edge of which the cutter blade shears or cuts off the wire, and as said plate becomes
worn, it can be adjusted with the cutter blade, relatively to the position of the
wire, and when necessary, it can be removed and reground, and adjusted to the
cutter blade.
The cutter, or cutter blade, of my cutting mechanism, can be readily removed,
when necessary, for sharpening. The cutter blade is given a reciprocating motion in
a horizontal plane, by means of an arm or lever hinged to its rear part, and connected
with a cam on one of the shafts of the machine, or in any other suitable manner.
Referring to the Drawing:
Figure 1 represents a front end view of my improved cutting mechanism for card
setting machines, showing the cutter blade and plate in their lowest position, relatively
to the wire to be cut.
Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 1, except that the cutter blade and plate are
shown in their highest position, having been moved up from the position shown in
Figure 1, so as to utilize the full width of the same as cutting edges.
Figure 3 is a side view of the cutting mechanism, looking in the direction of
arrow a, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a plan view, looking in the direction of arrow b, Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a vertical cross section on line X, X, Figure 3, looking in the direction

page_text: Figure 6 is a corresponding vertical cross section, with the parts in the position
shown in Figure 2.
In the accompanying drawing, I is a block adapted to be secured to the machine
upon which my cutting mechanism is applied, and preferably provided with a plate
or extension 1', extending out therefrom to furnish means for securing said block to
the machine.
The block 1 has beveled sides 2, see Figure 4, and has its central part cored out
as shown at 3, Figure 5, and is provided with an adjusting screw 4, which passes
freely through a hole 5, in the upper part of said block 1; the thread of said screw 4
fits in a cavity in the top of said block, which forms a bearing for said head, as the
screw is turned, to raise or adjust the cutter holder, carrying the cutter and plate.
The cutter holder 6 is cut out at its rear part, and provided with the beveled
extensions 7, which are adapted to fit over and inclose the beveled sides 2 of the
block 1, see Figure 4, so that said cutter holder may be moved up and down in a
vertical plane on said block 1, as indicated in Figures 1, and 2, and 5, and 6.
A binding screw 8, see Figure 4, extends through one of the extensions 7, and
bears with its inner end against the outer surface of the block 1, to hold the cutter
holder 6 in position, when adjusted.
From the rear part of the cutter holder 6, between the extensions 7, extends a
hub 9, see Figures 5, and 6, into the cored out portion 3 of the block 1, said hub 9
is provided with a screw threaded hole, through which the adjusting screw 4 passos,
see Figures 5, and 6, the thread on said screw being adapted to engage the thread in
said hole. By loosening the binding screw 8, and turning the screw 4, the cutter
holder 6, carrying the cutter plate, is moved in a vertical plane on the block 1, the
screw 4 remaining stationary, and causing the hub, projecting out from said holder fi,
to be moved up or down on said screw, within said cored out portion 3 of the block 1,
by the thread on the screw engaging the thread in the hub, all as will readily be
understood by those skilled in the art.
A
The front end of the cutter holder 6, is slightly depressed in its central part, as
shown at 11, Figure 3, about the depth of the diameter of the wire to be cut.
plate 10 extends over said depression 11, and is secured to the front end of the cutter
holder 6 by means of screws 12, extending through slots 13 in said plate, see
Figures 1, and 2. The inner edge of the plate 10 furnishes a surface against which
the wire bears as the cutter blade cuts or shears off the wire.
The plate 10 moves up or down with the cutter blade, relatively to the wire, and
thus presents a new surface or position to the wire. When the edge of the plate 10
becomes worn, it can be removed and ground, and readily reset again, by means
of screws 12, and slots 13, so that its inner edge will always be flush with the
cutter blade.
The front side of the cutter blade holder 6, is provided with beveled grooves 14, in
which the cutter blade 15, with corresponding beveled edges, and preferably made
of a piece of steel, fits and slides back and forth.
By means of a gib 16, fitting into one of the beveled grooves 14, the cutter
blade 15 is retained in position, and the tension on the cutter blade is regulated
by means of screws 17, the inner ends of which bear on the gib 16, in the
ordinary way.
By means of the grooves 14, in the cutter holder 6, in which the cutter blade moves
back and forth, the cutter is held perfectly stiff and rigid, and its cutting edge
prevented from yielding or bending, and getting out of position.
The front or cutting edge of the cutter blade is made slightly beveled, see Figure 3,
and shears off the wire 18, which extends in the depression 11 in the end of the cutter
holder 6, between the end of said holder and the plate 10, see Figure 3, against the
edge of said plate, which is flush with the cutting edge of the cutter blade 15, see
Figures 1, and 2.
A reciprocating motion is given to the cutter blade 15, to cause the same to slide
back and forth in a horizontal plane in the grooves 14 of the cutter holder 6, in any
ordinary and well known way. A lever or arm 19, Figure 4, may be hinged to the

page_text: rear end of the cutter blade, and connected with a cam on one of the shafts of the
machine, through which a reciprocating motion is given to said lever, and through
the same to the cutter blade.
From the above description, the operation of my improved cutting mechanism will
be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and is as follows:
The wire 18 is inserted in the depression 11 in the end of the cutter blade holder 6,
between the end of said holder and the plate 10 secured thereon, and is held in its
proper horizontal position by means of the wire guide of the card setting machine, of
ordinary construction, not here shown, as forming no part of my invention.
The cutter blade holder 6, carrying the cutter blade 15, and plate 10, is adjusted
to its lowest position, (in the manner hereinbefore described), relatively to the position
of the wire, as shown in Figure 1, and the top part of the cutting edge of the cutter
blade 15 and plate 10, gradually moved upwards on the block 1, until it reaches its
highest position, as shown in Figure 2, the position of the wire 18 remaining the
same, and thus the full width of the cutter blade is presented to the wire, to act
as a cutting edge.
The advantages of my improved cutting mechanism will be apparent to those skilled
in the art.
The hardened and tempered steel wire, now generally used for card clothing, is
very hard to cut, and the ordinary die and spring cutter are very soon dulled, and
require constant sharpening and re-adjustment, and are totally inadequate for the
work they have to do, and consequently cause frequent grinding, and stopping of
the machine.
In my improved cutting mechanism, I utilize the full width of the cutter blade, as
a cutting edge, and without stopping the machine I am enabled to raise the cutting
edges, relatively to the position of the wire, so as to present new cutting edges to
cut the wire, without removing the cutter from the machine, and thereby obtain
twenty to thirty new cutting positions. The cutting edge of the cutter is also
held stiff and rigid, so as always to be presented in the proper position to the
wire.
It will be understood, that my cutting mechanism may be applied to any of
the ordinary card setting machines, and it may be used in other machines for
cutting off wire.
The details of construction of my cutting mechanism may be varied somewhat
without departing from the principle of my invention, which consists essentially in
providing a wire cutting mechanism with a reciprocating cutter, or cutter blade, and
plate, in which the position of the cutting edges, relatively to the wire to be cut,
may be adjusted, without removing the cutter blade or plate, so as to utilize the full
width of the same as cutting edges, and so as to present new cutting edges to cut the
wire, without resharpening.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a wire cutting mechanism, a cutter adapted to have a reciprocating motion,
and to have its cutting edge adjusted, relatively to the wire to be cut, so as to
present a new cutting edge to the wire, without removing the cutter, substantially as
set forth.
2. A wire cutting mechanism having a reciprocating cutter, and a plate, adapted
to be adjusted in a vertical plane, relatively to the wire to be cut, so as to present
new cutting edges to the wire, without removing the cutter or plate, substantially
as set forth.
3. In a wire cutting mechanism, the combination with a stationary block, of a
cutter holder, supported on said block, and carrying a reciprocating cutter and a
plate, and means for adjusting the cutter holder up or down on said block, so as to
change the position of the cutting edges of the cutter and plate, relatively to the wire
to be cut, without removing the same, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 4. In a wire cutting mechanism, the combination with a stationary block, of a
cutter holder, supported on said block, and carrying a reciprocating cutter, and an
adjustable plate on its front end, and means for adjusting the cutter holder, so as to
change the position of the cutter and plate, relatively to the wire to be cut, and to
present new cutting edges, substantially as set forth.
SAM MIDGLEY.
H. D. Fitzpatrick,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.