CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER CUTTING MACHINES."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Salmon, of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Printers' Engineer, and Robert Craib Ross, of the Firm of R. C. Ross &
Sons, of the same Place, Printers' Machinists, for the Invention of " CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER CUTTING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Salmon and Robert
Craib Ross at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th August
1877.
"
JAMES SALMON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Printers' Engineer,
and ROBERT. CRAIB ROSS, of the Firm of R. C. Ross & Sons, of the same Place;
Printers' Machinists. CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER CUTTING MACHINES."
Our Invention consists in an improved combination of machinery for actuating
the cutting knife of paper cutting machines, and in the application thereto of an
under knife. The cutting knife is fixed, as usual, to a knife holder, which is
actuated by means of two cranks, one of which fits in a hole at one end of the
holder, and the other fits in a block sliding in a slot at the other end of the holder.
The cranks are fixed to two shafts, which are turned round by worms on a cross
shaft. One of these worms is fixed on the cross shaft, and the other is connected to
it by a clutch box or other equivalent. By this means the relative position of the
cranks can be varied..
The cranks impart to the knife an oscillating and diagonal motion (which may be
varied by varying the relative position of the cranks), thus producing a curved cut
which is particularly applicable for cutting the ends of books, but may be used for
other purposes.
The cutting blade may be curved to meet the horizontal table, or it may be
straight, and used in combination with a fixed under knife.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Salmon and Robert Craib Ross in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th February 1878.
JAMES SALMON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Printers' Engineer,
and ROBERT CRAIB ROSS, of the Firm of R. C. Ross & Sons, of the same Place,
Printers' Machinists. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER CUTTING MACHINES."
Our Invention consists in an improved combination of machinery for actuating
the cutting knife of paper cutting machines, and in the application thereto of an
under knife. The cutting knife is fixed, as usual, to a knife holder, which is actuated
by means of two cranks, one of which fits in a hole at one end of the bolder, and the
other fits in a block sliding in a slot at. the other end of the, holder. The cranks
are fixed to two shafts, which are turned round by worms on the driving shaft.
One of these worms is fixed on the driving shaft, and the other is connected to it
by a clutch box or other equivalent. By this means the relative positions of the
cranks can be varied.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood we will proceed to
describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a front
elevation of the improved machine; Fig. 2 is a corresponding end elevation; and
Fig. 3 is a plan of the same.
a is the driving shaft supported in bearings at a¹, a¹, in the framework b. Near
each end of the driving shaft is fixed a worm or screw c, c, which gear into the
worm or screw wheels d, d; these wheels are keyed on to the cross shafts e, e. The
cranks g, g, are fixed. on the cross shafts e, e, and connected to the knife holder or
beam hati and j. The crank pin i fits in a hole in the beam h, and the crank
pinj fits into a slide block k, which moves to or fro as required in the slot 1, the
said slot allowing the crank j liberty of action, so that the cranks can move at any
required angle to each other, the worms or screws c, c, gearing into the wheels d, d,
and driving the cranks g, g, will impart motion ati and j to the knife beam h. The
cranks g, g, may be adjusted so that they will revolve either parallel to each other,
or at any angle required by a clutch box on the shaft a, or by other equivalent for
varying the position of one of the worms c. If the cranks move parallel to each
other the knife h¹ and knife beam h will move parallel to the table f; but if the
cranks are adjusted to move at angles to each other, the knife and knife beam will then
move at a corresponding angle to the table, the angle or position of the knife being
determined by the relative positions of the cranks g, g, the knife rising or falling at
angles corresponding to the position in which the cranks are set, the knife thereby
having an angular in combination with ta circular oscillating and diagonal move-
ment imparted to it while cutting.
1、
.
11
The cutting knife h¹ may be made curved, as represented in Fig. 1, or it may be
made straight, as shewn in Fig. 4. If the knife be curved, and the curve corre-
sponding with the line of motion imparted to it by the cranks, it will then touch
the table fat all points alike, and the wood or lead pad in the table will be applied
in the usual manner. If the knife be made straight it will then work parallel if
the cranks be working parallel to each other, but if the cranks are set at angles the
knife will then pass the table more or less in proportion to the angle of the cranks,
in which case a self-adjusting bottom knife, as shewn in Fig. 5, is applied, and it is.
so arranged that the moving or top knife in the beam will pass the bottom knife.
The bottom knife marked is fixed to the holder zl, the vertical position of which
is regulated by set screws; the horizontal position of the knife z is regulated by
coiled springs on the studs 22, or other equivalents. By this arrangement the moving
or top knife is kept in contact throughout the cut with the under knife, thereby
producing a shear cutting action.
.t 1. -- ... 1. i +12 I 1:05
The motion described may be given to the knife by a combination of cams and
levers, but we prefer the cranks as applied, being more simple and less liable to get
out of order.

page_text: is
The knife beam h, carrying the knife ¹, is fitted and adjusted so that it may
move accurately between the guide plates m, m, which are fixed at the bottom to
the centre beam n, and at the top on the framework at o, o; the cross head
secured to the framework, and the press beam is suitably adjusted to work in V
guides; it is moved up or down by the lever u and screw in the ordinary
manner.
The back table w is fixed on the centre beam n, and the guide plate x is moved in
the usual way by the screw y.
The machine can be driven either by fast and loose pulleys, or by a driving
handle, as shewn at q.
The curved cut produced in the manner above described is particularly beneficial
when applied to cutting books when bound or partly bound, the angular action of
the cutter imparting a very superior finish to the work.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the
same may be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim,-
The arrangement and adaptation of machinery for imparting an angular action in
combination with a circular, undulating, or oscillating and diagonal movement to
the knife while cutting, as shewn and described.
Also the application and adaptation of a bottom knife to guillotine paper cutting
machines, as shewn and described in reference to Figs 4 and 5.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Salmon and Robert Craib Ross, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twelfth day of February, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JAMES SALMON. (L.S.)
R. C. ROSS.
(L.S.)