IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER CUTTING MACHINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Salmon and John Capper, of the City of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Printers' Engineers, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER CUTTING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Salmon and John
Capper at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th September
1880.
JAMES SALMON and JOHN CAPPER, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Printers' Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER CUTTING MACHINES."
Our Invention refers to machines where the paper is clamped by selfacting
means.
This has been hitherto accomplished by friction and also by weights or weighted
levers, which have been lifted by the mechanism of the machine, and then allowed
to descend as the knife descends until the weight comes upon the clamping bar.
By this mode of action the weights or weighted levers are lifted, even when the
machine is worked without making a cut.
By our Invention the knife and clamping bar only are moved up and down, and
no weight or weight levers are lifted or moved up and down when the machine is
worked without cutting.
Our Invention consists in connecting the knife bar and clamping bar so that the
two work up and down together, but there is an elastic or other resistance provided,
so that when the clamping bar comes in contact with paper it is arrested, and as
the knife continues its descent, the elastic or other arrangement gives way, and in
doing so pressure is put upon the clamping bar and paper.
As far as our present experience goes, we prefer to carry out our Invention by
jointing a slotted lever to the knife bar, which has a diagonal motion, and causing
a bowl on a stud in a rod or part connected with the clamping bar to enter and
work in the slot in the lever.
The lever is connected with a spring or springs, having it or their abutments or
attachments on or connected with the knife bar, and there is a stop on the knife
bar to limit the movement of the lever in one direction.

page_text: Thus arranged, the knife and clamping bar will move up and down together, and
the clamping bar will descend with the knife, until it comes in contact with the
paper when the slotted lever will move, but its motion will be resisted by the
spring or springs.
The leverage of the slotted lever is increased and diminished by the lateral
movement of the knife bar, but as its leverage decreases the tension of the spring
increases, and vice versa.
Another mode of carrying out our Invention consists in forming a horizontal slot
in the knife bar which actuates a bowl on the end of a bell crank lever, having its
fulcrum on the clamping bar, to one arm of which a rod is jointed which slides in
and projects beyond the end of the clamping bar, upon which rod there is a bowl
acted upon by a lever or levers which is weighted, or has a spring or springs
attached, the force of which will act upon the bell crank lever, and as this resistance
opposes the descent of the knife, a corresponding pressure is put upon the clamping
bar. The bell crank lever and connected mechanism above mentioned is duplicated
by preference, so that one bell crank is connected with a spring or weight on one
side, and the other bell crank with a spring or weight on the other side of the
machine.
The resistance may be partly weights or springs, and partly friction, which is
- arranged to resist. the movement of the lever or levers or connected mechanism
during the descent of the knife, the friction-being-formed-by-a-wedge-brake-
tightening in one direction, and slackening in the other direction, or a cam is or
may be used-to-put-on-and-take-off-the-friction.brake_at_the times required.
We.combine.a_sole_plate with the clamping bar, which can be moved down to
the paper before the cut is made, if desired, as a guide to the adjusting of the paper,-
and the clamping bar comes down upon this sole plate when the knife descends, the
sole plate ascending with the clamping bar when it rises with the knife bar.
The sole plate in some cases is made to be acted upon by a screw, so as to be
operated when required by hand in the ordinary manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Salmon and John Capper in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th March 1881.
JAMES SALMON and JOHN CAPPER, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Printers' Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER CUTTING MACHINES,"
Our Invention refers to machines where the paper is clamped by selfacting
means.
This has been hitherto accomplished by friction and also by weights or weighted
levers, which have been lifted by the mechanism of the machine, and then allowed
to descend as the knife descends until the weight comes upon the clamping bar.
.
By this mode of action the weights or weighted levers are lifted even when the
machine is worked without making a cut.
By our Invention the knife and clamping bar only are moved up and down, and
no weight or weight levers are lifted or moved up and down when the machine is
worked without cutting.
Our Invention consists in connecting the knife bar and clamping bar so that the
two work up and down together, but there is an elastic or other resistance provided,
so that when the clamping bar comes in contact with the paper it is arrested, and
as the knife continues its descent, the elastic or other arrangement gives way, and
in doing so pressure is put upon the clamping bar and paper.
As far as our present experience goes, we prefer to carry out our Invention by
jointing a slotted lever to the knife bar, which has a diagonal motion, and causing &
bowl on a stud in a rod or part connected with the clamping bar to enter and work
in the slot in the lover.
The lever is connected with a spring or springs, having. it or their abutments or
attachments on or connected with the knife bar, and there is a stop on the knife
bar to limit the movement of the lever in one direction.
Thus arranged, the knife and clamping bar will inove up and down together, and
the clamping bar will descend with the knife until it comes in contact with the
paper, when the slotted lever will move, but its motion will be resisted by the
spring or springs.
The leverage of the slotted lever is increased and diminished by the lateral
movement of the knife bar, but as its leverage decreases the tension of the spring
increases, and vice versa.
Another mode of carrying out our Invention consists in forming a horizontal slot
in the knife bar, which actuates a bowl on the end of a bell crank lever, having its
fulcrum on the clamping bar, to one arm of which a rod is jointed, which slides in
and projects beyond the end of the clamping bar, upon which rod there is a bowl
acted upon by a lever or levers which is weighted, or has a spring or springs
attached, the force of which will act upon the bell crank lever, and as this resistance
opposes the descent of the knife, a corresponding pressure is put upon the clamping
bar.
The bell crank lever and connected mechanism above mentioned is duplicated by
preference, so that one bell crank is connected with a spring or weight on one
side, and the other bell crank with a spring or weight on the other side of the
machine.
The resistance may be partly weights or springs, which is arranged to resist the
movement of the lever or levers or connected mechanism during the descent of the
knife.
We combine a sole plate with the clamping bar, which can be moved down to
the paper before the cut is made, if desired, as a guide to the adjusting of the
paper, and the clamping bar comes down upon this sole plate when the knife

page_text: destinus, SC plate astenung WIC me clamping bar
knife bar.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2, a side sectional elevation; Fig. 3, a detached
end view of the knife bar showing spring attachment; Fig. 4 is a front elevation
of the clamping bar and other parts; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the parts for
actuating the sole plate; the said Figures illustrating one modification of our
Invention.
Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the clamping bar and other parts; and Fig. 7 an
end elevation illustrating another mode of actuating the sole plate according to our
Invention.
Fig. 8 is a front elevation; and Fig. 9, a side sectional elevation illustrating
another method of actuating the clamping bar.
Fig. 10 is a front elevation; and Fig. 11, a side sectional elevation illustrating
another mode of actuating the clamping bar according to our Invention.
We have only shown in the illustrative Drawings so many of the parts of a
paper cutting machine as may be useful in explaining our improvements.
The knife bar (except as hereinafter explained) and the mode of actuating it
the same as in ordinary paper cutting machines.
.
.
is
A, the side frames of the machine; A', the cross frames; a, the wheel having the
crank for giving motion to the knife bar; b' are parts of the rods between the knife
bar and the beam on the crank as in ordinary machines.
The knife bar (b) has diagonal slots as usual to give the lateral movement as it
descends.
In carrying out one modification of our Invention we form a slotted link c, which
isjointed to the upper edge of the knife bar b, and in the slot a bowl d¹ fits, which
is carried upon a stud in the clamping plated, which-stud-has-also-another_bowl d²
upon it at the back-of-the-clamping-plate.d, which works in a vertical slot formed
in a cross bar A², forming a part of the framing of the machine, this slot being to
resist the lateral strain which is brought upon the clamp by the action of the slotted
link c and spring.
To a projection c¹ from the link c cne end of a screwed rod e is jointed, the other
end passing and sliding through a hole in a swivel piece el, having pivots or
trunnions carried by brackets or bearings bolted to the end of the knife bar (see
Figs. 1 and 3). Upon this rod a strong steel spring e² is placed, having its abutment
against the swivel piece e¹ at one end, and against screw nuts es on the rod at the
other end,
By these nuts es the tension of the string e² is increased or decreased.
Over the spring there is a thin tube e to act as a cover.
Upon the underside of the link c there is a pin or projection c³ that rests upon
the upper edge of the knife bar b.
The slotted link (c) and spring rod e is shown in Fig. 1 in the position in which
they remain as long as the knife bar bis worked up and down, and when no
obstruction prevents the descent of the clamp d.
But when the knife bar (b) descends and the clamp & comes upon the paper to
be cut, its descent is arrested, and as the knife bar continues its downward
movement the bowl d' in the clamp remains stationary, it acts upon the slotted
link c, and causes it to assume a greater or less angle according to the thickness of
paper being cut.
The arc and lines in peculiar dotted lines in Fig. 1 show the extreme movement
of the link c and spring rod e, the spring e² acting to resist the movement of the
link (c) and thus brings pressure upon the clamp d.
Two or more springs (e²) may be used in a line or side by side if desired, and
they may be made of steel, or of india-rubber same as buffer springs, or in any
other convenient manner, or any other clastic arrangement is or may be employed
in place of steel springs.
Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate another modification of our Invention for actuating the
clamping plate.

page_text: In this case the clamping plate & has two bell-crank levers f' jointed upon it, each
of which carries on a stud a bowl which works in a horizontal slot 6s formed in the
back face of the knife bar b.
The short arms of the two bell-crank levers fare connected by a rod e, which can
slide freely in a hole in each of the short arms.
There are screw nuts at each end of the rod which will limit the rise of the long
arins of the bell-crank levers.
Upon the rode there is a strong spring e', with screw nuts e³ to adjust the
tension of the spring.
When the long arms of the levers of descend the short arms compress the spring
between them.
As long as there is no obstruction the clamp rises and falls with the knife bar b,
but when it comes upon paper its descent is arrested, and the levers f move and
compress the spring.
Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate another mode of actuating the clamping plate
according to our Invention.
The clamping plate and parts in it being behind the knife bar are shown in
dotted line, but the letters of reference are placed on the dotted parts as they
would be if the knife bar in front were not shown.
There is a horizontal slot in the back face of the knife bar b, which acts upon
bowls carried on two bell-crank levers f, which have their fulcrums on the
clamping plate d.
In a horizontal slot in the clamping plate there are two notched rods g, which
can slide in and out through a vertical slot in each side frame A.
One arin of each lever fits the notch in the slide rod g for it, and will thus give
it movement.
There are pieces * secured in the slot in the clamp to keep the slide rods g in
their places when inserted.
The outer ends of the slide rods are made with bowls, as shown on the left side,
or with a cross head, as shown on the right side of Fig. 10, and in one case the
bowl acts upon a lever h, or a bowl on the end of the lever h acts upon the cross
head of the rod g.
The levers each are secured on a horizontal shaft h' baving bearings on
the side frames A, and there is an arm h² on each shaft, which arms carry a swivel
piece h³, as explained in reference to Fig. 3, and between the two arms there is a
rode that can slide through the swivel pieces e³, and upon this rod there is a
spring the tension of which can be adjusted by screw nuts c³.
It will be seen that the spring e acts upon the levers, which force the slide
rods g inwards until a projection g' on each slide comes against the end of the
clamp.
In this position the bell crank levers are as shown in dotted line in Fig. 10, and
the clamp will be in its highest position in relation to the knife bar b, and the two
will rise and fall together as long as there is no obstruction, but when the clamp d
is arrested by the paper the knife continuing its descent will move the bell crank
levers and force the rods g outwards, this movement being resisted by the
spring e acting upon the levers.
Several lovers h² cach to carry a spring ea or one broad lever h³, is or may be
secured on the shaft h¹ to carry a series of springs (63) side by side to get the
pressure required.
In place of a spring or springs, arms are or may be secured on the shaft h¹ to
pass horizontally under the table of the machine, and have weights hung upon
them, but springs are to be preferred as causing less vibration.
The arms when springs are used are or may placed at an angle, as shown
by peculiar dotted line h*, Fig. 10, so that when moved the leverage will diminish
rapidly to some extent as the tension upon the spring or springs is increased.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate one mode of actuating the sole plate according to our
Invention. is the sole plate; it is carried on vertical rods that slide in guides

page_text: or bearings secured to the cross bar A of the framing, and the two ends of the
plate also slide in the same vertical guide slots, which are formed in the side
frames for the two ends of the clamping plate.
In the centre of the sole plate i at the back there is a projection to which a
link is jointed, the upper end of which is also jointed to a lever ** secured on a
shaft in bearings on the frame (see Fig. 5)..
is a weight to counter-balance the weight of the sole plate and connected
parts; is a hand lever on the front end of the shaft to bring the sole-plate down
when required.
Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate another mode of actuating the sole plate; 2 is a shaft
passing across the back of the machine being carried in bearings on brackets. There
are two arms i secured on this shaft i jointed by links ³, with the upper onds of
the guide rods of the sole plate i.
The shaft is actuated by hand to bring down the sole plate by a lever i on
a stud, which lever is connected by a link with an arm secured on the shaft is.
Or the sole plate is or may be brought down by a treadle lever 10 placed near the
floor line connected by a rod with an arm i¹ on the shaft
We have now particularly described the nature of our said Invention, and tho
modes of carrying the same into effect, and claim as our Invention,―
Firstly. The several combinations and arrangements of mechanisin for actuating
the clamping plate of paper cutting machines, substantially as herein before described
and illustrated by the Drawings.
Secondly. The use of a spring or springs, or other suitable elastic arrangements
between the clamping bar and the knife bar, or other mechanism moved up and
down at about the same time as the knife bar, substantially as-hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Thirdly.
The-use-of-a-spring-or-springs,-weights.or_weights, or both combined
when so arranged that the tension upon the spring or springs will not have to be
increased or the weight or weights to be lifted at the time the knife-bar-is-
moving down without cutting, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the Drawings.
Fourthly. The combination of a sole plate with a clamping plate when the
clamping plate and solo plate are combined, arranged, and actuated substantially
as herein before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Salmon and John Capper, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
TAKS GUITION
JAMES SALMON. (LS)
JOHN CAPPER.
(L.S.)