IMPROVEMENTS IN KNIVES FOR CUTTING PAPER AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Cox, of Wenlock Road, Wenlock Basin, City
Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and Manufacturer of Paper -
Cutting Machines, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNIVES FOR
CUTTING PAPER AND OTHER MATERIALS."
Sealed the 13th April 1854, and dated the 13th February 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Cox at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th February
1854.
I, JAMES Cox, of Wenlock Road, Wenlock Basin, City Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Manufacturer of Paper Cutting Machines, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNIVES
FOR CUTTING PAPER AND OTHER MATERIALS " to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved form of knife or cutter, the principal
application of which is for the purpose of cutting out the blanks to be used in
the manufacture of bags, and consists in forming the cutting edge of the knife
of the annexed form,
, so that an angled cut is effected vertically
throughout the entire pile of paper, each sheet being then ready for folding
into a bag.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said James Cox in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th August
1854.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
Cox, of Wenlock Road, Wenlock Basin, City Road, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Engineer and Manufacturer of Paper Cutting Machines, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Cox, Her special license that I, the said James Cox, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Cox,
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 KNIVES FOR
CUTTING PAPER AND OTHER MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said James Cox, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 James Cox, 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 to an improved form of knife or cutter, the prin-
cipal application of which is for the purpose of cutting out the blanks to be
used in the manufacture of bags, and consists in forming the cutting edge of
the knife of the annexed form,
so that an angled cut is
effected vertically throughout the entire pile of paper, each sheet being then
ready for folding into a bag.
Fig. 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a complete side
elevation of a paper cutting machine with my improved form of knife or
cutter attached. Fig. 2 is a corresponding front view of the same. Fig. 3 is
a longitudinal vertical section of the machine taken through the centre thereof.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of the machine corresponding to Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an
enlarged detailed plan of the top of the knife or cutter holder or bar. Fig. 6
is a corresponding side elevation of the same, with the knife attached.
represents a transverse section of the knife or cutter and holder; and Fig. 8 is
a diagram, shewing the peculiar form of the cutting edge of the knife in plan.
A, A, are the side standards of the machine which are tied together by the
cross rails. B, B, and fixed cross head C; through the centre of the cross head
Fig. 7

page_text: is passed the vertical pressing screw D, which is fitted at its upper end with
the weighted lever arms E, E, and rests at its lower extremity in a hole in the
upper surface of the pressing beam F. This beam slides vertically in the
grooves G, G, formed in the insides of the standards A, as shewn at Fig. 4,
and serves to compress the pile of paper to be cut, which is laid upon the fixed
table H. An adjustable guage I, slides horizontally over the surface of the
table H, being actuated by the horizontal screw spindle J, which works through
the nut or tail piece K, passing through a slot in the table, and' attached to the
under side of the guage. The spindle is supported at its front end by the
bearing L attached to the under side of the table; a small winch handle M is
keyed on to the front end of this spindle so as to be conveniently situated for the
hand of the attendant. N is a graduated rod attached to the end of the guage
I, and working in a groove in the table, whereby the size of the sheets when
cut may always be determined on beforehand, by setting the guage accordingly.
In order to insure the paper being cut square the table H is ruled longitudi-
nally with a series of parallel lines, as shewn in the plan, Fig. 4. O is the
knife or cutter (the peculiar form of which constitutes the essential feature of
my Invention), which is attached by screws P, P, or otherwise to the knife
holder or bar Q.
I may here observe with regard to the knife, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise angle or form of cutting edge shewn in my Drawings, as
many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the principle or
main feature of my Invention, which is the constructing of knives in such a
manner that their cutting edges shall be in three vertical planes, as shewn by the
Nos. 1, 2, and 3, in the diagram, Fig. 8. The bar or knife holder Q slides in the
vertical grooves or guides R, R, and is actuated by the gearing herein-after
described. Near each end of the knife holder Q is attached a rod or bar S, S,
which are each formed with a rack T, T, near their lower extremities, and united
by the transverse tie bar U. The racks T gear into the pinions V, V, fast on the
transverse shaft W; this shaft works in suitable bearings in the framework or
standards of the machine, and carries at one extremity the large spur wheel X,
which gears into the pinion Y, fast on the spindle Z. This shaft or spindle
has also keyed on to it the internal toothed wheel a, which gears into the
smaller pinion situated under it, and fast on the end of the first motion shaft.
c, which runs across the machine, and is fitted at its opposite end with a winch
handle d, by which the machine is set in motion. e is a projecting stop piece
attached to the rim of the large spur wheel, and this stop piece by coming
in contact with another stop piece f, fixed to one of the standards of the
machine, serves to prevent any further descent of the knife when it has

page_text: reached the bottom of its cut. In operating by this machine the handle d
may either be fitted to the shaft c, as shewn in my Drawings, if a slow motion
is required and a heavy cut to be made, or it may be unshipped and fitted on
to the square end of the shaft Z, when a quick motion is required or a light
cut merely to be effected. On turning the shaft c the pinion b will communicate
a rotary motion to the shaft Z through the internal toothed wheel a. The
pinion Y on the shaft Z gives a slow motion to, the large spur wheel X,
whereby the pinions V, V, on the shaft of this wheel will be caused to rotate
and communicate a vertical downward movement to the racks T, T, and knife
or cutter O. By the time the stop e on the wheel X has arrived at the fixed
stopf in the framing, the knife will have completed its cut, and the motion of
the handle & must consequently be reversed to effect the elevation of the knife.
By the peculiar form of knife or cutter herein-before described it will be
obvious that the paper when cut by such knife will be ready for folding into
bags, and that no waste whatever of material will occur. The sheets are to be
sufficiently large to form two bags, so that the portion which is cut out of one
sheet is left on the other, and vice versa. All waste of material is thus avoided,
as well as a great saving of time effected in the manufacture of the bags.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention; but 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,―
The application and use, of knives or cutters for cutting paper or other
materials constructed in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Cox, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twelfth day of August, One thousand eight hundred and