A NEW, VALUABLE, AND USEPUL IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SHEARING AND CROPPING WOOLLEN AND OTHER CLOTE
Year: 1828

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME; I, CHARLES
HOOPER, of Spring Gardens,, in the Parish of Marston Bigott, in the County
of Somerset, Shear Grinder, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty King George the Fourth, in and by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fifteenth day of January last, for Himself, His heirs and successors,
did give and grant unto me, the said Charles Hooper, His especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Charles Hooper, my
exors, adñiors, and assigns, and every of them, by myself and themselves, or
by my and their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such others as I,
the said Charles Hooper, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term of years therein unexpired, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and. the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "A NEW, VALUABLE, AND USEPUL IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR SHEARING AND CROPPING WOOLLEN AND OTHER CLOTE;" in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Charles
Hooper, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar months next and

page_text: immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Charles Hooper, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described in
manner following (that is to say):-
My improved machine for shearing and cropping woollen and other
cloth operates by means of a number of steel blades or cutters, which are
affixed around a revolving axis and disposed at different sides thereof in such
manner as that the cutting edges of such blades shall correspond with the
surface of the frustrum of a cone, which is the form of the solid described
by the said cutting edge, when they are carried round with circular motion by
the continuous revolution of the axis to which they are affixed; and the cutting
edges of the said moving or revolving blades are adapted to act in quick
succession, so as to act in the manner of cropping shears by passing against
the cutting edge of a fixed blade, which is situated beneath the revolving
axis, and the under surface of that blade being applied in close contact with
the cloth which is to be sheared and cropped, the prominent fibres which
project out from the said surface of the cloth rise above the cutting edge of
the fixed blade, so as to be cropped off by the action of the cutting edges of
the revolving blades when they meet with and pass against the edge of the
fixed blade; which cutting action takes place in a similar manner to that
which results from the meeting of the cutting edges of the two blades of the
spring cropping shears with a bow, heretofore commonly employed for shear-
ing and cropping woollen and other cloths by hand. And the originality of
my improved machine consists in the particular manner, herein-after to be
described, of applying and attaching a number of moving blades as aforesaid
to a revolving axis, so that their cutting edges shall describe or move in
the surface of the frustrum of a cone instead of describing or moving in
the surface of a cylinder, as is the case in the revolving, cropping, or shearing
machines now commonly used: or in other words, the cutting edges of the
moving blades in my improved machine are situated further off from the central
line of the revolving axis at one end of the length of each blade than they
are at the opposite ends of the same blades; whereas in the common revolving
machine every part of all the cutting edges are disposed at the same distance
from the central line of the revolving axis to which they are all affixed.
It follows as a consequence that, in my improved machine, if the cutting
edge of the lower or stationary blade is fixed in a horizontal position,
then the revolving axis to which all the moving blades are affixed must
be placed in an inclined position over the said cutting edge of the stationary

page_text: blade, ono end of the said axis being supported at a higher level than
the other end, in order that the cutting edges of the moving blades which
are affixed to the axis may in their revolution conform to and pass in
contact with the horizontal cutting edge of the stationary blade. And for
the more complete explanation of the manner of applying and attaching
the moving blades to the revolving axis, I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of
Drawings representing such parts of my improved machine as contain the
new, valuable, and useful part of my Invention.
Figure 1 of the said Drawings is a longitudinal section of the revolving axis
with the moving blades attached thereto; Figure 2 is an external repre-
sentation of the same; Figure 3 is a representation of the largo end of the
cone, in which the edges of the moving blades are arranged; and Figure 4 is
a perspective view of the revolving axis with its moving blades, and also the
stationary blade S, S, fixed beneath the same, together with the framing which
supports the two ends of the said axis, and the stationary blade S, S. The
same letters of reference are used to denote the same parts in all the Figures,
and Figures 1, 2, and 3 are drawn to a scale of one fourth of the real size.
A, A, A, A, is the revolving axis made of iron, it is supported by its ends in
any of the methods usually practised for revolving axes, viz, either by small
holes in the centre of each end, or by conical points at each end, whereby the
axis can be mounted between fixed centre screws, supported by the framing of
the machine, in the same manner as it would be mounted in a turning lathe,
or else by cylindrical pivots formed at each end of the axis, and adapted to rest
in suitable fixed bearings or plummer blocks. In the Figures one end of the
axis is represented as if it were to be supported by the conical point of a fixed
centre screw a, Figures 4, inserted into a small hole made in the centre of the
extreme end of the axis, and the other end of the axis is represented with a
neck adapted to be received in a bearing b, Figure 4; and upon the extreme
end of the axis which projects out beyond that bearing the pulley B is fixed to
receive the endless strap or belt, by means of which the revolving axis is turned
round with a very rapid circular motion from the power of millwork and
machinery, as is commonly practised in other working and shearing machines;
or instead of fixing the pulley B at that end of the axis, it may, if found
more convenient, be fixed upon the other end a of the axis, near to the large
end of the cone, in which case both ends of the axis may be poised upon
conical points between centre screws, and in any case such supporting points
for the axis must be steeled or caschardened. D, E, F, are circular disks of
wood or of any other suitable material fixed fast upon the axis at equal distances
apart from each other; they are of different sizes, and their circumferences

page_text: upon
are turned truly circular and conformable to a frustrum of a conc. The
largest of these disks F is fortified by a circular plate of iron f. f, (see also
Figure 3,) which is fastened to the flat surface of the disk F, and the circum-
ference of the plate projects beyond the circumference of the wood disk, as
shewn in the other Figures. G, G, G, G, are angle bars of metal which are fixed
the conical edges of the several disks D, E, F, and extending from one of
these disks to the other, in order to form the lodgments for the several moving
blades. There are as many of the angle bars G, G, as there are blades; the
number may be varied at the discretion of the maker of my improved machine;
six, seven, eight, or nine blades are suitable numbers, but more or less than that
may be used. As many of the angle bars G, G, as are fixed in the conical edges
of the disks D, E, F, are disposed around the same so as to divide the circum-
ferrences thereof into equal parts. Each of the said angle bars is formed of a
narrow slip of metal plate bent along the middle of its breadth to turn up the two
edges at right angles to each other, or nearly so, in order to form a sort of angular
trough, one side of which is applied on the conical edges of the circumferences
of the several disks D, E, and F, and fastened thereto with screws, whereby
the other side of the angular trough stands up from the said conical elges or
circumferences at right angles thereto, so as to point nearly to the central line
of the axis A; and the said angle bars are twisted or set winding, in order
that when they are fastened upon the conical edges of the several disks D, E,
and F, they may wind in a spiral direction round about the axis; and tho
degree of obliquity at which the said bars are to be set may be varied at the
discretion of the maker of the machine, and will in some manner depend
upon the number of moving blades which are to be applied to the axis.
H, II, II, II, are the moving blades made of steel, ground to a level along
one edge of each blade, so to form cutting edges. The blades are set with a
suitable twist or wind to fit them to those sides of the angle bars G, G, which
stand up at right angles to the circumferences of the several disks D, E,
and F, in order that the flat surfaces of the blades may apply against those
sides of the angle bars. The moving blades II, II, are fixed to the axis A,
at one end of each blade, by means of a screw m, which is inserted through a
hole in an enlarged part at the end of each blade, and tapped into the axis at
a part, which is suitably formed to receive the enlarged end of the blade in
such manner that each blade when fixed by its screw m will have a tendency
to spring outwards and recede from the axis by its own elasticity, and also a
tendency to bear slightly by its own elasticity against the raised side of the
angle bar G and cause the blade to bed fairly against the same, in order that
it may be borne up and supported thereby when at work against the cutting

page_text: edge of the fixed blade. The opposite end of each blade H is reduced to a
small pin which passes through an opening in the projecting margin of the
circular iron plate f, f, and the extremity of the pin is inserted into a slit or
opening formed in a small plate g, g, which is fastened on the outside of the
circular iron plate f, f, by two screws for each plate. The said slits allow the
extremities of the moving blades to work or play a little by their own clas-
ticity, so as to recede a very little from the axis A whenever the edges of the
moving blades quit their contact with the edge of the fixed blade S, S; but
when the edges of the moving blades in the course of their revolution with
the axis are brought in contact obliquely with the edge of the fixed blade S, S,
then the elasticity of the revolving blades, and the manner by which they aro
attached to the axis A, allows them to bend and retreat a little towards that
axis, whereby the perfect contact of the moving and fixed cutting edges is
ensured with only a moderate degree of pressure one against the other, whilst
the edges of the moving blades are in the act of moving or passing obliquely
across the edge of the fixed blade, and hence the manner by which the said
moving and fixed cutting edges cut and crop off the ends of the fibres which
stand up between them is effected by a similar action to that of the common
bow spring shears for shearing and cropping by hand; only the rapidity of the
repetition of such cutting action is greatly increased by employing a number
of the cutting blades and giving them a rapid circular motion. And, in
order to give further clasticity to the middle parts of the moving blades,
springs are applied behind the back edges thereof, opposite to their cutting
edges, in order to press the said cutting edges outwards in a direction
away from the axis. These springs are applied within the angle bars
G, G, ono end of each spring being fastened upon the flat surface of
such angle bar by a screw which passes through the angle bar, and screws
into the edge of the disk D or E. The opposite end of the spring n
bears behind the back edge of the moving blade H, tending to press it
outwards, moving blade II, tending to press it outwards from the axis, and
a small screw w, which is attached to the extremity of the spring n, and which
passes through a hole in the angle bar in a direction towards the axis, has a
thumb nut screwed on the end behind the angle bar, and by screwing or
unscrewing the said nuts the force of the spring n can be restrained and limited
so as to moderate its action behind the moving blade H in such degree as is
found necessary to cause the middle parts of the edge of the moving blade to
apply with a suitable force against the corresponding part of the edge of the
fixed blade, and thus effect the cutting or cropping off of the ends of the fibres
in a proper manner; and by virtue of the conical form in which the moving

page_text: blades are arranged in my improved machines, the action of their cutting
edges against the edge of the fixed blade S, S, is still further assimilated to
that of the common bow-spring shears for cropping by hand; because the
motion with which that end of the edges of the moving blades which is
at the small end of the cone will pass obliquely across or in contact with the
edge of the fixed blade is less rapid than the motion with which the edges at
the large end of the cone pass obliquely across the edge of the fixed blade, in
the same manner as the edge of the moving blade of the. common bow-spring
shears moves obliquely with more or less rapidity across the, edge of the fixed
blade at the different parts of those edges which are more or less remote from
the bow. The frame in which the revolving axis A is mounted is represented
in the perspective view, Figure 4, and consists of two strong bars M, M, and
N, N, disposed horizontally and parellel to each other.. They are united and
screwed together at the two ends by short cross: picces O and P,.upon one of
which a standard R is affixed to carry the centre screw a, which sustains, one
end of the revolving axis A, and upon the other cross piece the bearing vis
fixed to receive the other end of the axis A. The lower fixed blade S, S, is
fastened horizontally by screws' to the horizontal bar N, N, and the exact
position of the edge of; the blade S, S, can be adjusted to place it at the
required obliquity to the revolving axis A, A, by moving the bar N against the
cross pieces. The centre screw a, which bears the end of the axis A, is fitted
through a socket formed at the upper end of another screw, which is placed
nearly upright in a slit or oblong hole through the upper part of the standard R,
and nuts are applied on the said screw both above and below the said upper part
of the standard R, in order that by turning the nuts the centre screw a may be
set higher or lower, or moved backwards or forwards in order to adjust the posi
tion of the axis A, A, so that the edges of the moving blades may meet with and
set against the edge of the fixed blade S, S, with a suitable obliquity, in order to
pass obliquely across in contact therewith, so as to cut or crop the fibres which
rise up above the edge of the fixed blade in a manner resembling the action
with which the cutting edges of the two blades of a common pair of bow-
spring shears meet each other; and as to the manner of applying the cloth in
my improved machine, and of presenting the same beneath the fixed blade
S, S, it may be greatly varied at the discretion of the maker of such machine.
It is found most advantages to cut or crop crossways over the breadth of the
piece from list to list thereof; that is, applying the length of the fixed blade
S, S, along the lengthways of the piece of cloth, for this purpose the two ends
of the piece of cloth may be gathered and wound up about two rollers which
are mounted horizontally. and. parallel to each other in a moveable frame at

page_text: such a distance from cach other as is considerably greater than the length of"
the blade S, S, and the cloth is strained tight between these two rollers, so as'
to form a horizontal extended surface. The moveable frame containing the
two rollers and the cloth is supported in a fixed stationary frame, upon tho'
ends of which the frame represented in Fig. 4 is placed, and a narrow bed'
covered with a stuffed cushion is fixed horizontally under the cloth so-as
to bear the same firmly upwards beneath the under side of the fixed-blade
S, S, in a suitable manner to keep the edge of that blade in close contact
with the cloth, in order that the superfluous fibres projecting from the
face of the cloth may rise up above the cutting edge of the fixed blade S, S,
and be cut off or cropped away by the edges of the moving blades when
they move obliquely, across the same. And the under edges of the two
bars M, M, and N, N, of the frame, Figure 4, bear upon the cloth and press the.
same downwards, so as to cause it, to be drawn tight and smoothly over the.
top edge of the stuffed cushion bed, which is beneath the fixed blade S, S.:
And, in order to cause the edge of the fixed blade S to crop successively, over:
every part of the breadth of the piece of cloth from list to list thereof, ther
aforesaid frame, which contains the two horizontal rollers on which the cloth
is wound is moved horizontally across beneathed the fixed blade S, in the
direction of the length. of the said rollers with a very slow and gradual motion,
in order that every part of the breadth of the cloth from list to list may in
succession be brought beneath the fixed blade S, to receive the cropping action
of the revolving blades against the same. And when the whole breadth of
the piece of clotli is so cropped over, the frame represented in Figure 4 must
be lifted up by the handle k, at the end of the bar M, so as to relieve the
cloth from the pressure of the fixed blade S upon its surface, and then the
two cloth rollers are turned round, so as to wind and gather up the portion of
the cloth which has been cropped, and to unwind a portion of fresh cloth,
which is strained tight between the two, cloth rollers, and then the frame
represented in Figure 4 is let down again, to bring the fixed blade S in contact
with the cloth with the cloth upon the cushion bed, as herein-before described.
And, in order to admit of readily raising up the frame represented in Fig. 4,
the ends of the horizontal bar N, N, are made with pivots, which are received
in sockets t, formed at the upper ends of upright screws, which pass down
through the fixed framing and are fastened by nuts above and nuts below,
whereby the bar N, N, can be set higher or lower, in order to make the edge
of the blade S, S, conform exactly to the upper surface of the stuffed cushion
bed, over which the cloth is strained. The bar M is borne by two upright
screws w, screwed through the said bar, one near each end of the same, and

page_text: the points of the screws w rest upon the fixed framing: by turning these screws
w, the frame, Figure 4, and the revolving axis A, together with the fixed
blade S, S, can be raised or lowered a little, in order to regulate the bearing
or pressure of the fixed blade upon the surface of the cloth. The weight of
the frame, Figure 4, is sufficient to cause it to rest steadily on the point of the
screws w.
In witness whereof I have, to this my Specification, hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight.