Improvements in Printers' Combination Lead and Rule Cutters
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printers' Combination Lead and Rule Cutters,
HARRY BURDETT ROUSE, of 1163, W. 70th Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.,
Salesman, 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 certain novel improvements in printers' combination
lead and rule cutters; and more particularly to an improved reversible gage
having peculiar advantageous features in connection with this class of machines.
The object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction of the
gage, and thereby increase the utility, accuracy and range of the cutter, thus
greatly conducing to the speed and convenience of manipulation.
To this end, the invention consists in the construction, combination and
arrangement of the device, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and par-
ticularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, the same reference characters marked thereon
indicate the same parts of the invention.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a printer's combination lead and rule cutter,
embodying my improvements.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the center of the bed or table.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the table and table gage.
Figure 5 is a similar view showing the table gage reversed to cut leads or
rules of a greater length than the table-bed.
Figure 6 shows the manner of mounting the gage rod beneath the table-bed.
Figure 7 is another explanatory view of the same.
Figure 8 is a front elevation of the gage head shown in Figures 6 and 7.
Figure 9 is a side elevation of the cutting end of the machine, showing a
detachable wire bracket, to support the projecting end of the lead or rule.
Figure 10 is a top plan view of the same.
In the drawings, 1 denotes the bed-plate, formed with the integral legs 2
and 3, and the leg standard 4. The usual hand-lever 5 is fulcrumed on the
upper end of the standard, and it is connected by the link 6 with the spring-
actuated cutter-jaw 7, also fulcrumed on the standard below the hand-lever.
The bed-plate is provided with the longitudinal rib S, and with the parallel
grooves 9-9, one of which is formed on either side of the rib, and extends the
entire length of the bed. The top face of the rib is provided with a graduated
scale, denoting picas.
10 denotes the gage-head which straddles the rib, and its sides are formed
with parallel guide flanges 11-11 which have a sliding engagement with the

page_text: grooves 99, and consequently extend below the face of the table-bed. 12 denotes
the gage-rod, fixed at one end to the head 10, and extending rearwardly through
a guide post 13 arising from the leg 2, and this rod is also provided with a
graduated pica scale, as shown, which forms a continuation of the rib scale above
mentioned, so that when the gage-head 13 is reversed, as shown in Fig. 5, leads
or rules of unusual length may be cut with the same facility as those more com-
monly required.
The lower face of the gage-rod is provided with a series of graduated teeth 14,
corresponding to the pica scale on the rib 8, and the intervening spaces,
between these teeth, are V-shaped to receive the correspondingly formed locking
teeth 15 on the spring-actuated bolt 16, extending upwardly through the
post 13, and its lower end carries a milled head thumb-washer 17, which is held
in place by a nut 18.
19 denotes a guide pin fixed in the leg 2, and extending through the washer,
to prevent the latter turning on its axis. This construction retains the locking
teeth 15 in parallel alignment with the spaces between the teeth 14 on the gage-
rod, and consequently ensures their engagement. A similar gage-rod 121 is
mounted in the cutter-arm 7, and its adjustment is in like manner regulated by
the bolt 16 which is manipulated by the milled head nut 17. The outer end
of the rod 12 carries a gage-arm 20, in the lower end of which is mounted a
hinged shelf 21, which, when in a horizontal position, supports the outer end of
the lead or rule while being cut, but in cutting very short rules or leads, this
shelf may be turned downwardly and out of the way as shown in Fig. 2, to the
gage-face of the arm extending under the cutter arms, and coming up to within
working distance of the table.
In Figures 9 and 10, I have dispensed with the hinged shelf 21, and in lieu
thereof, I employ a detachable wire bracket 24, which has a sliding engagement
with the cutter, and which forms a convenient support for the end of the lead
or rule, which extends over the cutting edge of the bed or table.
In Figures 7 and 8, the same principles of construction are involved, the
gage-rod and locking bolt in this instance being mounted beneath the table-
bed, and to conform to this arrangement, I have provided the outer end of the
gage-rod with a cross-head 22, in which are mounted the spring-actuated
plungers 23-23, which project into the path of, and form the gages for the
leads and rules respectively, and in cutting very short pieces, these plungers
will come under the cutter arm, which in descending, retracts them, without
interfering with their efficiency as gages.
This particular form of gage-rod can be easily, quickly and accurately set
to half, as well as whole, pica measure (the printer's standard of measurement).
It is also absolutely positive in engagement and self-centering as well; the
tapering teeth on the bolt, and the corresponding notches on the gage-rod
accurately compensate for wear, as it is obvious that any wear will only allow
the teeth to mesh more deeply.
Another important feature to which attention may be called is the flanges
on the gage-block 10, which project into the grooves 9-9 formed in the table-
bed, and thus extend below the face of the table on which the lead or rule to
be cut is laid. Consequently, no lead or rule however thin, can slip under
the head-block.
While I have shown and described the particular form of grooved table or
bed and flanged gage as applied to a lead and rule cutter, I do not wish to be
understood as limiting myself to such use, as it is evident that the same gaging
device is applicable to other machines of this class, as for example, brass rule
mitering machines and the like; neither do I wish to limit myself to a notched
rod, as a notched bar of a rectangular form, and provided on one of its edges
with the retaining notches, may be employed to accomplish the same result.
The accompanying drawings show my invention in the best form now known

page_text: to me, but many changes in the details might be made within the skill of a
good mechanic without departing from the spirit of my invention, as set forth
in the claims at the end of this specification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, a grooved bed plate, in combination
with a flanged gage-block having a sliding engagement with said grooved bed-
plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, a ribbed and grooved bed or table, in
combination with a flanged gage-block straddling the rib, and having a sliding
engagement with said grooved bed or table, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
3. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, a grooved table, a flanged gage-block
having a sliding engagement with said grooved table, a notched rod carried
by said gage-block, and means for locking said rod at predetermined points,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, a grooved table, a flanged gage block,
a notched rod carried by said block, and a spring-actuated bolt adapted to
engage said notched rod, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, a grooved table, a flanged gage block,
a notched rod carried by said block, and a spring-actuated locking bolt formed
with teeth which are adapted to engage said notched rod to retain the same
at certain predetermined points, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, an adjustable gage head, and a shelf
hinged to said head, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, an adjustable gage head, and a series
of spring-actuated plungers carried by said gage-head, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
8. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, a table, a gago-block having a longi-
tudinal sliding engagement with said table, a notched rod carried by said gage-
block, and means for locking said notched rod and gage-block at predetermined
points, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
9. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, a grooved table, a flanged gage-head
having a longitudinal sliding engagement with said grooved table, substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
10. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, a table provided with a longitudinal
rib, and a gage-head having a longitudinal engagement with said rib and
table, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
11. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, the combination with the cutter pro-
per, of the detachable wire bracket 24 having a sliding engagement with said
cutter, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
12. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, a table, a gage-head having a longi-
tudinal sliding engagement with said table, a notched rod carried by said gage-
head, and means for securing said rod and gage-head in a normal and in a
reversed position with reference to said cutter, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
13. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, the combination with a notched rod
having a suitable head attached to one end, and a cutter jaw provided with
means for locking said rod at predetermined points, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
14. In a printer's lead and rule cutter, the combination with a notched rod,
a cross head with depressible plungers attached to one end of said rod, and means
for locking said rod at predetermined points, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.

page_text: 15. A gage for a machine of the class described consisting of a notched rod,
a gage-block attached to one. end of said rod, and means for locking said rod at
predetermined points, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 17th day of July 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.