IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LAP' AND 'SURFACE SHAVING, THE SPLITTING AND BEVELLING OF LEATHER AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES IN SHEETS AND STRIPS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Everard Clifton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th June 1865.
I, HENRY EVERARD CLIFTON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR LAP' AND 'SURFACE SHAVING, THE SPLITTING AND BEVELLING
OF LEATHER AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES IN SHEETS AND STRIPS," to be as follows
(that is to say):
This Invention has for its object an improved apparatus for facilitating the
"lap" and "surface shaving" and splitting of leather and other analogeous
substances..
This improved apparatus consists of, say, an horizontal cylinder, the
periphery of which is formed with two or more segments of a circle, so as to
form a cam or series of cams. When more than one cam incline is used, they
are varied for the purpose of cutting longer or short lap shaves as required.
The cylinder is mounted in suitable bearings which may be constructed so as
to be capable of being elevated or depressed, and upon which bearings it may
revolve when used for "lap shaving;" immediately above this cam cylinder is
mounted a stationary knife, the bearings of which are capable of adjustment,
so that the knife may be elevated from or depressed towards the surface of the
cam cylinder, and the same is also so arranged that the knife may be advanced

page_text: In front of the
or receded in an horizontal direction. When this knife is used for "surface,"
or "lap shaving," or the splitting of leather or other material, the cutting edge
is straight, and extends across the surface of the roller, and is set at a slight
angle to the horizon, but when used for cutting other than flat surfaces the
knife is of the proper contour to give the required form to the cut on the
surface of the leather or other material to be operated upon.
stationary knife is fitted a pressing roller which works within sliding bearings
in the stationary frame, and is caused to act, in a downward direction by means
of springs, levers, weights, or their mechanical equivalents for the purpose of
'keeping the leather strips or other material against the surface or face of the
cam. In place of making the knife stationary for the purpose of "lap
shaving," the cylinder may be locked in position, and the knife caused to
advance by being mounted on the outer ends of a pair of link rods with or
without a cross head, the lower ends of which work upon or round stationary
axles.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When used for "lap shaving"
the leather or other substance to be cut is passed underneath the knife and
pressing roller to the end of the curved surface, which is brought in position
therefor when the cam cylinder is caused to partially rotate on its axis, which
brings the leather in contact with the edge of the knife, and as the cylinder
advances the inclined plane rises towards the knife until it arrives at the end
'of a segment of a circle, thus causing the leather to be cut away to the
required bevel so as to be of the required form to form a lap joint with a
counter piece. When the apparatus is used for "surface shaving" or splitting
the cam cylinder is turned on its axis until it gives the exact required thickness
between the surface thereof and the knife, when the cylinder is locked in
position, the leather being passed under the pressing roller and beween the
knife edge and the cylinder, when the leather is drawn through by hand or
any convenient mechanical arrangement. The upper surface or sheet of the
leather passes over the top of the knife, and the lower sheet or surface below
the knife. The operation of splitting is performed in precisely the same
manner as that of plain surface shaving. When the apparatus is to be used
for rounding or bevelling the only modification in the apparatus that is required
is to substitute for the plain knife a cutter or cutters to give the required
contour. When a reciprocating knife and pressing roller is used, the cam
eylinder herein before described may be used locked in the required position
for the purpose of "lap shaving." but when the apparatus is used with the
reciprocating knife and pressing roller, the cylinder which forms the rest, or
bed for the leather or other material to be operated upon must form a true

page_text: circle, inscribed from the axle of the link rods of the reciprocating knife,
so that the same when once set will never be nearer the surface of the
cylinder at one time than the other. This modification may be used for "lap
shaving" by throwing the axles of the link rods of the cutting knife a little
from the centre, from the axle of the cylinder.