IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Reuter, of the City Road, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Reuter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd December 1874.
I, CHARLES REUTER, of the City Road, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING PAPER COLLARS AND OTHER ARTICLES,"
to be as follows:―
This Invention relates more particulary to the stamping or impressing
of paper collars in imitation of folds and stitching, and with any other
necessary marks or ornamentations, and the cutting of button holes
therein, but is also applicable to the stamping or impressing of other
articles, and consists in the employment of a peculiar arrangement and

page_text: combination of machinery or apparatus for effecting these objects,
whereby a considerable saving in time and labor is effected.
In carrying out this Invention I provide a horizontal table over which
traverses an endless band on which the collars (for example) are placed
in a row and at a slight vertical angle, such collars being conducted
along intermittently towards a feeder by self-acting means as herein-
after described. Behind the end of the table there is disposed a
chamber into which the collars to be stamped are introduced one by one,
and which chamber is made fixed at one side and there provided with a
fixed die, the counterpart being carried on the opposite side of the
chamber which is made movable to and from the fixed die, and is
driven by cranks or eccentrics from a shaft actuated by gearing or
otherwise from the main shaft of the machine.
To the movable side of the die chamber there are attached brackets
carrying bars, the opposite ends of which are provided with vertical arms
having pointed appendages which are employed for feeding the collars
into the chamber. Each bar is provided with a projecting pin or stud
which as the side of the die chamber is moved in one direction is free to
traverse along a fixed surface formed on the frame of the machine, but
in the opposite direction is caused to ascend a hinged incline whereby
the points with which the vertical arms are provided are elevated.
When, however, the pin or stud reaches the extremity of the hinged
incline the points fall and propel a collar along towards the die chamber
until it arrives at the edge of a fixed incline down which it falls into
such die chamber, a slight recess being formed, into which the stud
drops at the required moment so as to cause the points to descend
slightly below the level of the band and force the collar down the
incline.
Suitable guides are provided for the purpose of supporting the collar
in the die chamber prior to the action of the dies, such guides being
moved to and from the chamber at the required moments by means of
sliding rods working in brackets or supports and driven by a cam or
eccentric or other suitable means.
If desired additional supports may also be employed for maintaining
the collars in a vertical position before the operation of the dies. These
supports consist of transverse bars which are caused to rise and fall under
the action of a hinged bar connected with the movable side of the die

page_text: chamber, the opposite end of such bar to that at which it is hinged-
working during the traverse of the movable dic up and down a fixed
incline formed on the frame of the machine.
The motion of the endless band for conducting the collars towards the
feeder is also obtained from the same mechanism as that which actuates
the feeder through the intervention of an adjustable bar jointed to a
lever arm which is fast on a horizontal shaft. On this shaft there is
fixed a roller, around which and between it and another roller the band
is caused to pass so as to exercise a sufficient amount of pressure upon the
band to effect its traversc, a ratchet wheel and detent being provided in
order to prevent the return motion of the shaft.
The collars or other articles after having been stamped or impressed
by the dies falls through the bottom of thc chamber into any suitable
receptacle whence they may be removed as required, or they may if
desired be conveyed away automatically by an endless band or other
suitable means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Reuter in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th May 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
REUTER, of the City Road, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-four, in the
38th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Reuter, Her special license,
that I, the said Charles Reuter, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Reuter, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING PAPER COLLARS AND OTHER ARTICLES,"

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Reuter,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and scal, 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 Charles Reuter, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and :
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention relates more particularly to the stamping or
impressing of paper collars in imitation of folds and stitching, and with
any other necessary marks or ornamentations and the cutting of
button holes therein, but it is also applicable to the stamping or
impressing of other articles, and consists chiefly in the employment of a
peculiar arrangement and combination of machinery or apparatus for
effecting these objects, whereby a considerable saving in time and labour
is effected.
According to my Invention the collars or other articles to be stamped
or impressed are placed in a row and at a slight vertical angle upon an
endless travelling band or apron by which they are conducted along
intermittently to a self-acting feeder, having for its function to propel
such articles and cause them to fall one by one into a die chamber where
the article is supported, while it is operated upon by the die automatically
and then discharged from such chamber to be conveyed away by self-
acting means or otherwise.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed two Sheets of Drawings,
the same letter of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) of my Drawings is a side clevation; Figure 2 is a
corresponding plan, and Figure 3 (Sheet 2) is a longitudinal section of a
machine constructed in accordance with my Invention; Figure 4,

page_text: (Sheet 1) represents a detail sectional elevation of a portion of the
apparatus which will be herein-after more fully referred to.
A is the die chamber, one side, vidclicet, that a of which is stationary,
being secured to the main frame B of the machine, and carries the
the portion of the die, whereas the opposite side c to which the
counterpart d of the die 6 is attached is made moveable, and capable
of sliding along the upper part of the frame B to and from the fixed
die b.
To the movable side c of the die chamber A there is secured one end
of each of two connecting rods C, C, the opposite onds of which rods are
respectively connected to crank pius c, c, of crank discs D, D, fast on
the shaft E which is mounted in bearings f, f, in the main frame B of
the machine. The shaft E also carries a spur wheel F driven by a spur
pinion F fast on the driving shaft G which is supported in bearings 9, 9,
in the main frame B. A reciprocating motion to and from the fixed
die b is thus imparted to the movable die d from the driving shaft G
through the intervention of the gearing and connections before mentioned,
so as to cause such movable die to approach the fixed dic b, and stamp
or impress a collar or other article which has been introduced into the
die chamber A between the two counterparts b, d, and then recede for
the discharge of the collar or other article which has been stamped or
impressed, and the introduction of another to be operated upon.
In front of the fixed dic 6 thero is arranged the endless travelling
band or apron H on which the collars or other articles to be stamped or
impressed are placed at a slight vertical angle, which band passes over a
table I and also around rollers i, h¹, h, mounted on spindles extending
across and supported in bearings in the main frame B, and has an
intermittent motion imparted to it by means hercin-after described, so
that the whole of the collars placed thereon are conducted onwards in
the direction of the die chamber A.
When it is required to operate upon articles of considerable length,
such for example as collars, the same are allowed to project beyond the
band H the requisite distance at cach side thereof, and to overlap the
table I, guides I being provided for the purpose of confining the ends
of such articles so as to insure that they are all presented uniformly to
the action of the dies. The guides I' are capable of lateral adjustment
to suit the different widths of the various articles to be stamped, and are

page_text: secured by screws and thumb nuts 1 to the table I. The table I is'
supported at one end upon legs or standards 2 resting upon the floor,
whereas its opposite end is secured by means of catches 3, 3, carried on
the guides I', and engaging with projections 4, 4, formed on a frame 5,
which constitutes a fixed guide for the collars or other articles during
their descent into the die chamber A.
.
In order to feed the collars (for example) one by one into the die
chamber I employ points or fingers K, K, which are caused to move to
and fro above the table I in such a manner as to pass over the collars
when they are performing their traverse towards the front of the table,
but to come in contact with and propel a collar in the direction of the
die chamber when making their return motion, springs ¹ being employed
in order to exercise a sufficient amount of pressure upon the collars to
maintain them in position, and prevent more than one collar being acted
upon at a time. The points or fingers K, K, are mounted so as to bo
capable of adjustment on a transverse rod k, which is itself adjustably
connected at its opposite ends respectively to two vertical arms 1, 1,
carried at one end of bars L, L, which are jointed at their opposite ends
to brackets m, m, formed on or attached to the movable side c of the
die chamber, so as to partake of the motion of the same. Each of the
bars L, L, is provided with a projecting pin or stud n (shewn clearly in
the detail, Figure 4) which as the side c of the die chamber is moved
in the direction of the arrow is free to traverse along a fixed surface or
guide o formed on a bracket B¹ attached to the frame B of the machine,
but in the opposite direction is caused to ascend an incline M hinged to
the frame B, whereby the points or fingers K, K, are elevated. When
however the pin or stud n arrives at the upper extremity of the hinged
incline M (into the position shewn by the dotted lines n' in Figure 4) it
falls over the end of the incline M on to the guide o, by which means
the points or fingers K, K, are caused to descend into contact with that
one of the collars which is in closest proximity to the die chamber A,
and to propel such collar along towards the latter until it reaches the
edge of an inclined surface provided at p, down which it falls into the
die chamber A. The guide o has formed therein a recess o³, into which
the stud n passes at the required period (as shewn by the dotted lines n³,
Figure 4) so as to cause the points or fingers K, K, to descend slightly
below the upper level of the band H and force the collar down the
incline p, after which the stud n rises out of the recess o¹, lifting the

page_text: hinged incline M, and subsequently reascends such incline when the
return stroke of the die takes place.
The collar is supported in the die chamber A prior to and during the
action of the dies by means of guides q, q, which are moved to and from
the chamber A at the required moments under the action of sliding
bars N, N. These bars are connected together by a cross bar O carrying
guide rods r, ", which slide through guide blocks 8, 8, attached to the
frame B.
The motion of the cross bar O in the direction of the die is obtained
by means of a cam P fast on the shaft E, which cam acts upon a lever
arm Q pivotted to the frame B at t, and also jointed to one end of a
connecting rod R, the opposite end of which is attached to the cross
bar O. To the lower end of the lever arm Q there is secured one end of
a spring S, which is connected at its opposite end to the frame B of the
machine and serves to maintain the lever arm Q in contact with the
cam P, and to bring back the cross bar O to its original position.
The cam P is so timed as to cause the guides q, q, to be brought into
contact with the face of the fixed die b when a collar is about to be
introduced into the die chamber, in which position they remain during
the action of the dies (slots for their reception being provided if required
in the face of the movable die d), and to admit of such guides then
receding for the discharge of the collar which has been operated
upon.
Additional supports may also be employed, as shewn in my Drawings,
for maintaining the collars or other articles in a vertical position pre-
viously to the operation of the dies. These supports consist of prongs T, T,
attached to a transverse bar u, and arranged in such a manner as to be
capable of descending so as to support a collar (for example) in the die
chamber prior to the action of the dies, and then rising clear of the die
chamber at the time when the movable die d is in the act of operating
upon the collar introduced into such chamber. In order to obtain the
before-mentioned motions of the supports TI attach to the bar u pendent
bars v, v, the lower ends of which rest upon hinged bars U, U, jointed
at one end to the bracket m of the movable side c of the die chamber A,
and resting at their opposite ends upon fixed inclined surfaces V, V,
formed on the frame B of the machine. The bars v, v, are provided with
slots, in which engage screw pins carried on the frame 5 so as to maintain

page_text: the bars in position whilst admitting of their vertical motion under the
By means of this arrangement when
the direction of the fixed die b. the
action of the hinged bars U, U.
the movable die d is moving in
bars U are caused to ascend the inclines V, V, and thereby gradually
elevate the pendent bars v, v, and with them the bar u and the supports T,
which when the return stroke of the die d takes place descend by their
own gravity as the bars U, U, pass down the inclines.
The motion of the endless band H for conducting the collars or other
articles towards the feeding points or fingers K, K, is also obtained from
the same mechanism as that which actuates the latter through the inter-
vention of a bar W, which is adjustably connected at one end to a
bracket m carried on the movable side c of the die chamber A, and is
jointed at its opposite end to a lever arm X mounted loosely on a hori-
zontal spindle w, to which the roller h¹ is secured. On the spindle w
there is also fixed a ratchet wheel Y, with the teeth of which engages a
pawl x jointed to the lever arm X in such a manner that the ratchet
wheel Y, and with it the roller ¹ (around and between which and the
roller the endless band H passes) will be rotated when the dies are
operating, but that they will remain stationary when the movable die d
is performing its return stroke, a detent y being provided in order to
prevent the back motion of the ratchet wheel. By this means the whole
of the collars or other articles placed upon the band H are during the
stroke of the movable die d in the direction of the fixed die conducted
towards the points or fingers K, K, a given distance (which may be
regulated at pleasure) whilst the points or fingers K, K, which are then
maintained suspended above the table I, are moving in the opposite
direction to the band H. When however the die d recedes the band HI
remains stationary, but the points or fingers K, K, come into action by
first descending into contact with one of the collars (for example), and
then performing their longitudinal return stroke, whereby the collar is
propelled to the edge of the inclined surface p, down which it falls into
the die chamber A, as before mentioned. Simultaneously with the latter
movement of the die d and the points or fingers K, K, the guides q, q,
are brought into contact with the face of the fixed die b, and the
supports T, T, are introduced into the dio chamber so as to guide and
support the collar until the movable die dis in the act of operating, when
the supports T, T, are olevated by the means herein-before described, the
guides q, q, remain however in contact with the fixed die until the

page_text: operation of stamping or impressing the article having been effected, the
movable die d is on the point of commencing its return stroke when
they are withdrawn in order to admit of the discharge of the article
which has been operated upon.
The pawl x may be held out of action, and the feeding or supply of
the collars or other articles be suspended when required by means of a
cam lover Z pivotted to the table I, and provided with a spring z-for
maintaining it in either of two positions which it is capable of assuming.
When the cam lever Z is in the position shewn in the Drawing the
pawl x remains in gear with the ratchet wheel Y, but by turning such
lever a quarter revolution the tail ¹ of the pawla is moved outwards
under the action of a projection ¹ formed on the lever, and the pawl is
consequently disengaged from the ratchet wheel. The operation of the
points or fingers K, K, is also simultaneously with that of the pawl x
suspended by the act, of turning the cam lever Z by reason of the pro-
jection ¹, which in the normal vertical position of the lever allows the
bars L, L, to move freely, offering an obstruction to their descent when
the cam lever Z and its projection are turned into a horizontal
position. The points or fingers K, K, are thus maintained elevated, and
simply move to and fro without acting upon the collars or other articles
arranged upon the band H and table I beneath them.
'The collars or other articles after having been stamped or impressed
by the dies fall through the bottom of the chamber A into any suitable
receptacle, whence they may be removed as required; or if desired they
may be conveyed away automatically by an endless band or other
suitable means. In my Drawings I have shewn an arrangement of
apparatus which has been found advantageous in practice for auto-
matically delivering the articles which have been operated upon from
the die chamber. This apparatus consists of a frame 6 for the reception
of the collars or other articles discharged through a hopper or shoot 7
from the die chamber A, which frame is suspended, so as to be capable
of vertical motion in front of the frame B by means of cords 8, 8, passing
over and attached to pullies 9, 10, mounted on the spindle w. The
frame 6 gradually descends by reason of the motion of the spindle w
under the action of the pawl x and ratchet wheel Y as the collars or
other articles fall therein, its size being so arranged as to ensure its being
approximately filled by the time it has reached the bottom of its course,
when (by opening out or turning down the body of the frame, which

page_text: is fitted with hinges at 11) the contents may be discharged on to a
travelling band or apron, or into any convenient receptacle to be con-
veyed away wherever may be required. When the collars or other
articles have been discharged the frame 6 is elevated to its former
position by the act of turning the handle 12 with which the pulley 10
is provided, the pullies 9 and 10 being fitted to the spindle w by means
of toothed clutches, which enable them to be disengaged therefrom for
the facility of winding up the cords 8, 8, and to be again thrown into
gear (in which position they are maintained by means of springs) when
the delivering apparatus is required to operate.
In punching out button holes the waste fragments of paper or other
material are forced through a slot formed in the fixed die into a
chamber 13 provided behind the latter, whence they are discharged
through a shoot 14 into any convenient receptacle at the side of the
machine.
If desired the feeding apparatus may be either wholly or partially
dispensed with, the collars or other articles being fed by hand to the dies
and supported during the action of the latter, and then released from
the die chamber in the manner herein-before described.
It is obvious that by the addition of a suitable arrangement of ink
trough and inking and distributing rollers, the collars or other articles
may be stamped or impressed in any desired color, as also that à form
of types and a pattern may be substituted for the dies, so as to effect
the stamping or impression after the manner of letter-press printing.
The arrangement of the points or fingers K, K, elevated and lowered
under the action of the hinged inclines M, M, may also be employed in
combination with machines of a different construction from that herein-
before described, such for example as ordinary or other printing machines,
for the purpose of feeding the sheets to be printed into the machine, the
details of the parts being in that case modified in a manner, which will
be well understood by persons conversant with that class of machinery.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The application and use of points or fingers having a recipro-
cating to-and-fro motion in combination with hinged inclines for

page_text: elevating and lowering such points or fingers, substantially as and
for the purposes herein-before described, and as illustrated by my
Drawings.
Second. Stamping or impressing by the employment of dies or
impression instruments working horizontally supporting the articles to
be stamped or impressed previously to and during the action of the dies
or instruments and releasing such articles for their delivery from the
machine, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by my
Drawings.
Third. The combination with the points or fingers for delivering the
articles to be stamped or impressed to the dies or impression instruments
of automatic apparatus for feeding or supplying the articles to the points
or fingers supporting such articles previously to and during the action
of the dies or impression instruments stamping or impressing them, and
finally discharging them from the die or impression chamber, the whole
being arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes
herein-before described, and as illustrated by my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Reuter, have to this my
Specification set my hand and scal, the Twenty-sixth day of
May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.