IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR -A CUTTING THE THREADS OF NET, LACE, AND OTHER FIGURED FABRICS.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Smith, of the Firm of Robertson,
Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London;
Patent Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
-A
CUTTING THE THREADS OF NET, LACE, AND OTHER FIGURED FABRICS.'
communication from abroad by Leon Octave Deschamps and
Stanislas Delisse Oudit, of Paris, France.
""
-
Sealed the 23rd January 1872, and dated the 31st July 1871:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James Smith
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 31st July 1871.
I, THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR CUTTING THE THREADS OF NET, LACE, AND OTHER FIGURED
FABRICS," to be as follows:-
This relates to an apparatus by which the cutting of the spot or figure
threads of net, lace, and other figured fabrics, so as to leave the spot or

page_text: hand cutting dispensed with.
The chief points of this Invention are,—
1st. The arrangement and employment of two flexible and independent
blades of steel arranged so as to cut different widths of threads between
the spots or figures, the blades being mounted on a nose piece or carrier,
which is adjustable upon a base plate of the apparatus.
2ndly. The arrangement of a presser or plate acted upon by a spring
by which the threads to be severed are held firmly while the blades are
cutting them.
And, 3rdly. In the employment of guard lips or an annular ring on
the base plate for controlling the action of the blades.
I proceed to describe the apparatus:-A metal plate or base has
connected to its fore end a shoe, the point of which is tapered or rounded
off to find an easy entrance under the threads when pushed along the
fabric; from this shoe at either side a curved steel blade projects towards
the rear, the blades being formed with knife edges for severing the
threads as they become bound or fixed against the spots or figures
according to the width or distances the spots of figures are from one
another. At the rear of the base plate upon a standard a curved spring
is fastened, whose fore end carries a presser plate for passing over the
threads and holding them while the cutting is taking place. The tail
ends of the cutting blades are held in a kind of ring or two plates bent
over towards each other to control their action. The apparatus has a
handle and a curved bar or connecting piece, so that it can be used with
facility.
The blades can readily be replaced by others so as to suit the fabrics
to be cut. They are very flexible, and increase gradually in height
towards the middle of their length so as to readily cut the threads.
The presser plate holds the threads firmly while they are being cut,
and even after one side is cut by one of the two, blades the thread is
so firmly held that the other side is cut by the other blade with the
same neatness.
The blade carrier is calculated to fit the intervals between the spots
or figures of the fabric to be cut, but the elasticity of the blades enable

page_text: fabrics to be cut the figures on which are somewhat further apart or
closer together than the calibre of the blade carrier.
Several of the apparatus may be mounted or fixed upon the same
handle if found necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas James Smith in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 31st January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of
166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas James Smith, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas James Smith, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas James Smith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thercafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR CUTTING THE THREADS OF NET, LACE, AND OTHER FIGURED
FABRICS," (communicated to me from abroad by Leon Octave Deschamps
and Stanilas Delisse Oudit, of Paris, France,) upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas James Smith, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in [the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas James Smith, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and

page_text: by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
This relates to an apparatus by which the cutting of the spot or figure
connecting threads of net, lace, and other figured fabrics, so as to leave
the spots or other designs of which their pattern is composed standing
out in relief, is effected in a regular and perfect manner, and the tedious
operation of hand cutting dispensed with.
The chief points of this Invention are,―
First. The arrangement and employment of two flexible and inde-
pendent blades of steel arranged so as to cut different widths of threads
between the spots or figures, the blades being mounted on a nose piece
or carrier, which is adjustable upon the base plate of the apparatus.
2ndly. The arrangement of a presser or plate acted upon by a spring
by which the threads to be severed are held firmly while the blades
are cutting them.
And, 3rdly. In the employment of guard lips or an annular ring on
the base plate for controlling the action of the blades.
I proceed to describe the apparatus with reference to the accom-
panying Drawings, of which Figure 1 in an elevation, and Figure 2 a
plan of the apparatus or cutter. Figure 3 shows the blades separately.
A metal plate or base a has connected to its fore end a shoe f, the
point of which is tapered or rounded off to find an easy entrance under
the threads when pushed along the fabric; from this shoe, at either
side, a curved steel blade g, g', projects towards the rear, the blades being
formed with knife edges for severing the threads as they become bound
or fixed against the spots or figures according to the width or distances
the spots or figures are from one another. At the rear of the base plate
upon a standard 6 a curved spring i is fastened, whose fore end carries
a presser plate j for passing over the threads and holding them while the
cutting is taking place. The tail ends of the cutting blades are held in
a kind of ring h or two plates bent over towards each other to control
their action. The apparatus is provided with a handle d and also a
curved bar c or connecting piece, so that it can be used with facility.
The blades g, g¹, are detachable, and can readily be replaced by others, so
as to suit the pattern or the fabric to be operated upon. They are very
flexible and increase gradually in height towards the middle of their
length so as to readily cut the threads. The presser plate j holds the

page_text: threads firmly while they are being cut and even after one side is cut by
one of the two blades the thread is so firmly held that the other side is
cut by the other blade with the same neatness. The width of the shoe,
or blade carrier f, is intended to fit the intervals between the spots or
figures of the fabric to be cut, but the elasticity of the blades will enable
threads to be cut the figures on which are somewhat further apart or in
some cases closer together than the oalibre of the blade carrier.
Several of the apparatus may be mounted or fixed upon the same
handle if found necessary.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. The general arrangement and construction of the apparatus for
cutting the threads of net, lace, and other figured fabrics, as described
and shewn with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The employment of two flexible and independent blades of
steel arranged so as to suit different widths of threads between the spots
or figures of the fabric, substantially as described and shown.
Thirdly. The employment of a presser plate acted upon by a spring,
by which the threads are held firmly while being cut, as described and
shewn.
And, fourthly. The employment of guard lips or an annular ring fixed
upon the base plate so as to hold the blades and control their action,
as described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Smith, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
shewn.
And, fourthly. The employment of guard lips or an annular ring fixed
upon the base plate so as to hold the blades and control their action,
as described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Smith, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.