IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING-OUT CLOTH, LEATHER, PAPER, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Gracey, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, in
Ireland, Shirt Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR CUTTING-OUT CLOTH, LEATHER, PAPER, AND OTHER SIMILAR
MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Gracey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th December 1881.
JAMES GRACEY, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, in Ireland, Shirt
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING OUT CLOth, Leather,
PAPER, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS."
My Invention is applicable for shaping cloth, leather, paper, and other materials
according to any desired pattern for the formation of wearing apparel and other
articles of various kinds.
It consists in the use of a knife or blade set at a slight angle from the perpen-
dicular, or formed with a wedge shaped or convexed edge, attached by a moveable
joint or link to a tumbling bar or reciprocating lever, and driven vertically at a
high velocity by means of an eccentric, or cain, or cog and other wheels and
gearing actuated by a treadle or other motive power.
Instead of a knife or blade such as I have described I may employ a sharply
edged disc, or a disc furnished with lancet shaped knives or blades, or a ring knife
or blade attached to a disc or discs which are convexed or otherwise, rotating at a
high velocity, and driven by cog and other wheels or genring.
Or 1 may use a vertical knife or blade to which I impart also a forward motion
by the aid of a cam or crank operating upon it as it descends.
The material to be shaped set on a table having a slot or groove to admit
the end or lower portion of the knife, blade, or disc, and is kept in position by an
adjustable foot or presser depending from the frame of the machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Gracey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th June
1882.
JAMES GRACEY, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, in Ireland, Shirt
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING-OUT Cloth, Leather,
PAPER, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS."
This Invention relates to an improved apparatus for cutting out cloth, leather,
paper, and other similar materials to any desired pattern for the manufacture of
wearing apparel and other articles, and has for its object to enable the operation of
cutting out and shaping the same to be performed with far greater facility and
certainty than has hitherto been practicable.
And in order that my said Invention may be better understood and readily
carried into effect, I will now with the aid of the accompanying Drawings, whereon
similar letters of reference indicato corresponding parts, proceed more particularly
to describe and ascertain the same.
Figure 1 of such Drawings shews a view in side elevation of the arrangement of
the blade in my improved cutting out apparatus, and
Figure 2 shews a front view of such blade together with 'a portion of the framo
work and its attachments.
The dotted lines in the lower portion of Figure 1 indicate the ribs of the
framework, while those in the upper portion indicate the edge of the sheath
presently mentioned.
In order to carry out my Invention I proceed as follows:-I make a suitable
framework a on which I fix a table b, whereon the material to be cut or shaped is
placed, and held in position by an adjustable foot or presser (not shown in the
Drawing), attached to the frame of the machine and regulated by a spring.
Such table has a slot c formed therein to allow of a blade d working up and
down therein, such blade being carried in suitable bearings e to which it is fastened
by screws f
A vertical throw is imparted to this blade by a tumbling or rotating barg and
revolving disc actuated by a treadle (likewise not shewn) to which it is connected
by suitable gearing, as indicated at i, j, Figure 2.
The vertical throw thus created is converted into a curvilinear or angular
motion as desired by cams & furnished with runners carried on studs m, m'.
In order to reduce friction the blade works in a sheath fastened to the table,
which sheath also serves as a support to the upper cam, while the under cam is
attached to the lower bearing by the stud m³, as seen in Figure 1, and such lower
bearing is connected with the revolving disc and tumbling or rotating bar, as shewn
in the Drawings.
The advantages resulting from the employment of my improved cutting out
apparatus are, firstly, greater accuracy; secondly, rapidity of execution; thirdly,
greatly reduced friction; fourthly, a constant and regular feed induced by the
curvilinear or angular motion of the blade which insures the blade clearing itself
when ascending, at the same time that it requires but little driving power.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my snid
Invention and the manner of carrying the same into effect I would have it under-
stood that what I claim and desire to secure by the hereinbefore in part recited

page_text: Letters Patent is the improved apparatus for cutting out cloth, leather, paper, and
other similar materials constructed, arranged, and fitted substantially in the manner
hereinbefore described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Gracey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
JAMES GRACEY. (LS)