Improvements in Devices for Ripping Seams or Cutting Purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Ripping Seams or Cutting
Purposes.
I, FRANCIS MARTIN BATCHELOR, Manufacturer, of 211 Twenty-fourth
Street, Portland, in the County of Multnomah and State of Oregon, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved ripping device
more especially designed for use on sewing and like machines, and arranged to
conveniently and readily rip seams or cut material and the like.
The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations
of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the
claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same; and
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the same, on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
The improved ripping device is provided with a knife A, fitted to slide in a
slot B formed in the apex of a forwardly rounded rest B, secured at its base
on a base plate C resting on a sewing machine table D, as indicated in Figure 2.
The cutting edge A' of the knife A extends throughout the length thereof, so that
when a reciprocating motion is given to the said knife and the material to be
ripped or cut is advanced on the apex of the rest B, the cutting edge rips the
same or cuts the material as the latter advances on the rest.
In order to properly guide the knife A in its up and down movement I provide
the same with a vertically extending slot A engaging a guide E secured on
the base plate C within or under the rest B, said guide being provided with side
flanges E arranged to engage the sides of the knife A in advance of the slot A³,
as is plainly indicated in Figure 3. The slot A2 of the knife terminates at the
upper end in the aperture A³ for the purpose of allowing any trash that may
collect in the said slot to work out easily at the aperture A³.
In the upper end of the knife A is mounted a pivot F engaging in an elongated
slot G' in a lever G fulcrumed on a vertically adjustable pivot H at the upper end
of a post H' secured to the plate C. The outer end of the lever G is formed
with an elongated slot G engaging a stud J secured on the needle bar K of a
sewing machine so that when the latter is set in motion the reciprocating motion
of the needle causes a swinging of the lever G whereby a vertically reciprocating
motion is given to the knife A to rip a seam or cut the material advanced ou the
apex of the rest B.
In order to securely hold the several parts in proper position on the sewing
machine table I provide the plate C with a transversely extending flange C
abutting against a like flange N' on a plate N formed with a longitudinally
extending slot O through which is passed a bolt P for clamping plate N upon the
sewing machine table.
L are bolts passing through transversely extending slots C and N in the
flanges C and N¹ respectively, so that the plate C can be transversely adjusted, to

page_text: bring the lever G in proper relation to the stud J on the needle bar K; and when
the adjustment has been made, the plate C is fastened to the plate N by tightening
the nuts on the bolts L. A longitudinal adjustment of the plate C can be made by
adjusting the plate N on the top of the sewing machine table D, so that the slot G
is in proper relation to the stud J.
I prefer to go construct the lever G that the width of the slot G will be
adjustable, and for this purpose one of the end members or jaws between which
said slot is located, is formed as a separate piece G³ and mounted adjustably by
means of set screws M working in slots M¹ arranged approximately perpendicularly
to the direction of the slot G.
As an additional means of keeping the knife clean, I provide converging guards 1
located above the rest B and engaging the sides of the knife A. Said guards
may be adjustable longitudinally of the rest B by means of the horizontal slots I'
made in the guards, a screw 1' passing through said slots and through the post H'.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is,
1. A knife having a straight cutting edge, and a slot spaced therefrom, and
parallel to the cutting edge, the slot extending from the bottom edge of the knife
and terminating at its inner end in a widened aperture, substantially as described.
2. A ripping attachment for sewing machines, comprising a reciprocating knife
provided with a slot parallel to the direction of its reciprocating motion, a
stationary guide adapted to be secured to the sewing machine, extending
transversely through the knife at the slot thereof, and means for imparting a
reciprocating motion to the knife, substantially as described.
3. A ripping attachment for sewing machines comprising a reciprocating knife
provided with a slot parallel to the direction of its reciprocating motion, a
stationary guide extending transversely through the knife at the slot thereof and
provided with flanges at each side or face of the knife, and means for imparting a
reciprocating motion to the knife, substantially as described.
4. In a sewing machine, a ripping attachment, consisting in the combination of
the reciprocating needle bar, the vertically reciprocating ripping knife, an
actuating lever engaging the needle bar and the knife and a stationary support
for the lever, said support being adjustable longitudinally and transversely on the
frame of the machine, as and for the purpose set forth.
5. A ripping attachment for sewing machines, comprising a plate adjustable
longitudinally and transversely on the table of the sewing machine, a rest of the
character described held on said plate adjustably, a knife fitted to slide vertically
in a slot in the said rest, and means for imparting a reciprocating motion to the
said knife, as set forth.
6. In a sewing machine, a ripping attachment consisting in the combination of
the reciprocating needle bar, the vertically reciprocating ripping knife, an
actuating lever engaging the needle bar and the knife, a stationary support for
the lever, the support being adjustable upon the frame of the machine in the
direction of the lever's length and also in a direction parallel to the lever's pivot
substantially as described.
7. In a sewing machine, a ripping attachment consisting in the combination of
the reciprocating needle bar, the vertically reciprocating ripping knife, an actuating
lever engaging the needle bar and the knife, a stationary support for the lever, a
plate carrying said support and adjustable to the lever's pivot and a plate carrying
said plate and adjustable therewith in the direction of the lever's length,
substantially as described.
8. A knife having a straight cutting edge, and a slot located immediately in
the rear of the said edge, the slot extending from the bottom edge of the knife
upwardly and parallel with the cutting edge, substantially as described.
9. A ripping device provided with a slotted rest curved downwardly at its front

page_text: end, and a ripping knife arranged to reciprocate in the slot of the rest, substantially
as shown and described.
10. A ripping device provided with a reciprocating knife, and stationary guards
engaging said knife, substantially as described.
11. A ripping device provided with a reciprocating knife, and stationary guards
engaging said knife, the guards being adjustable transversely of the direction in
which the knife reciprocates, substantially as described.
12. A ripping device provided with a slotted rest a knife arranged to reciprocate
in the slot of the rest, said knife being provided with a slot extending in the
direction in which the knife reciprocates, and a stationary guide arranged below
the rest and engaging the slot of the knife, said guide being provided with
flanges engaging the sides of the knife in advance of its slot, substantially as
described.
13. A ripping device provided with a slotted rest, a knife arranged to reciprocate
in the slot of the rest, said knife being provided with a slot extending in the
direction in which the knife reciprocates, a stationary guide arranged below the
rest and engaging the slot of the knife, and stationary guards engaging the sides
of the knife above the rest, substantially as described.
14. A ripping device, provided with a reciprocating knife, and an operating
lever therefor, one end of the lever being forked or slotted and having one of the
fork members adjustable relatively to the other, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of July 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.