IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEARS AND OTHER APPARATUS FOR CUTTING, CROPPING, AND SHEARING CERTAIN SUBSTANCES
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL
WELLS INGRAM, of Birmingham, Manufacturer, send greeting.
1E, 1, HOMAS
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventh day of October, in the fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Wells Ingram, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Thomas Wells Ingram, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Thomas Wells Ingram,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEARS AND OTHER APPARATUS FOR CUTTING, CROPPING, AND
SHEARING CERTAIN SUBSTANCES," being partly a communication from a foreigner
residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging
me, the said Thomas Wells Ingram, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause
the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, 1, the Sanu
Thomas Wells Ingram, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say):-
These "Improvements in Shears and other Apparatus for Cutting, Cropping,
and Shearing certain Substances," apply to several descriptions of instruments,
apparatus, or machines designed for cutting fibrous materials, such as shears
or scissors for cutting cloth, paper, and similar substances, snuffers for
cropping the snuffs of candles, and chopping machines for rags, ropes,
junk, &c., preparing for paper making and other uses. The improvements in
scissors, shears, and snuffers consist in so forming their blades, handles, and
connecting joints, that in the act of cutting, one of the blades only with its
handle shall be moveable, whilst the other blade with its handle remains
relatively stationary. In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents in
èlevation a pair of these improved shears or scissors. Figure 2 is a view
looking down upon the upper edge of the same. Figure 3 shews the same
shears, the blades being open as in the act of cutting. Figure 4, similar
positions of the parts as in the last-mentioned Figure, but representing the
opposite side of the shears. The same letters of reference point out the same
parts in all these Figures; and it should be observed that the scale of the
Figures in the Drawings may be varied according to the required size of the
shears or scissors. The lower blade a with its handle 6 are formed in one
piece, the under parts of which it may be desirable to make straight and
coincident (but that is not essential). The upper blade c is alone moveable,
working upon its fulcrum pin d fixed in the hilt of the stationary blade. The
handle e, by which this moveable blade c is actuated, turns upon a fulcrum pin f,
also fixed in the hilt of the stationary blade, and the blade c and handle e are
connected by a link g and joint pins to the extremities of what may be called
This
the shorter arms of these levers, that is, the blade c and handle e.
connecting link is shewn detached with its pins and parts of the ends of the
levers at Figure 5. It will hence be perceived that by raising the bandle e,
as in Figures 3 and 4, the blade c of the shears will be raised or opened ready
for cutting, and that by depressing the handle e into the position shewn
in Figure 1, the blade c will be brought down as in the action of cutting, the
lower blade a and handle 6 having remained quiescent. In order to bring the
cutting edges of the two blades together with any pressure
required, an adjusting screw h is inserted into the back of the hilt of the fixed
that
may
be

page_text: blade, which screw acts upon a small elastic plate or piece let into a groove
in the blade a, and held by a dove-tail at bottom; so that by turning the
screw h the plate i may be made to press with greater or less force against
the back of the tail part of the blade c, and thereby force the cutting edge of
the moveable blade against that of the stationary blade. A modification, of
the form and construction of the joints or connecting parts of the blade c and
handle e is represented in the elevation of another pair of shears or scissors at
Figure 6, and the same with a different position of the moveable blade at
Figure 7. This moveable blade c and its handle e are shewn detached and
separated from each other at Figure 8, the respective letters indicating the
same parts as before. Instead of the link g, by which the two levers
cand e were connected, as before described, there is in this instance a
tooth or round part z, at the tail end of the blade c, which is intended
to work in a corresponding recess or curved notch y at the end of
the handle e. When these two are mounted upon their fulcrum. pins
d and f, fixed on the hilt of the blade a, as shewn in Figures 6 and 7, the
recess y acts upon the boss z, and by leverage causes the blade c to rise and
fall. A similar tightening screw is applied to the back of the plate or piece
i for the purpose of giving such lateral pressure against the tail piece as shall
cause the cutting edges of the blades to be brought together. The same
constructions of joints may be adapted to snuffers, nippers, and other similar
kinds of cutting or cropping implements. Figure 9 represents a top, or
horizontal view (partly in section) of a pair of snuffers, the cutting. chap. of
which is worked by similar means to those shewn in Figures. 6, 7, and 8.
Figure 10 represents the same pair of snuffers as Figure 9 (also partly in
section); but in this instance the thumb lever or handle e is moved outward,
and the chap. c thrown open, as
the act of snuffing. It will be unnecessary
to explain the construction and action of the connecting parts or joint of these
snuffers, as that is clearly shewn in the sectional part of these Figures, and has
been fully described above. Another modification of the mode of tightening
or pressing together the blades of shears is shewn in the detached Figure 14,
where the pin d, which forms the axle of the moveable blade, extends on each
side of the shears, and a helical spring is. enclosed within a cap screwed on to
the end of the pin which presses the blades together. Figure 15 represents
another kind of spring, shewn formed as a disc at Figure 16, with radial cuts
or openings; this disc is inserted into a recess in the hilt of the blade, Figure
15, and is held in its place by a screwed pin, which is the axle of the moveable
blade. The machine for chopping rags, ropes, junk, and other fibrous
materials, in preparing them for making paper and other purposes, is shewn in

page_text: the Drawings in several views.
Figure 11 is an elevation of the. machine, as
seen in front; Figure 12, the same as seen on the side; and Figure 13, a
sectional elevation taken through the middle of the machine in the same
direction as Figure 11. a, a, are the side standards of the machine; b, b, a
transverse piece connecting the sides together, and which forms the box and
guide of the cutter frame. The main rotary axle or shaft c, c, is actuated. by
a band and rigger, and governed by a fly wheel d. The middle of the shaft c
is formed as a crank, to which the plunger e is attached that carries.the bolt f
of the cutter frame g. Two excentrics h, h, carry the rods i, i, that work the
lever k, k, to which the driving clicks 7, 1, of the ratchet wheels m, m, are
attached for feeding the rags into the machine. An endless creeping band
jj,j, is tightly distended over rollers n, m, n, as shewn in Figure 13, which
band passes over the top of a roller o mounted in plummer blocks in the
roller frame p, p, and upon the upper surface of this endless band the rags are
placed to be cut. Another roller q is mounted in the same frame p above the
former, which roller carries a smaller endless band; between these two endless
bands the rags are guided and carried forward towards the cutter. The
excentrics h, h, at every rotation, by means of their rods i, i, lift the levers k, k,
and cause the clicks 1, 7, to draw the ratchet wheels m, m, round the distance
of one tooth at every operation, which movement gives rotary motion to the
roller o, and thereby advances the endless feeding band j at intervals with the
rags toward the cutter. At one end of the axle of the roller o there is a
toothed wheel or pinion r, taking into the teeth of a similar pinion on the end
of the axle of the upper feeding roller q, as shewn in Figure 11, (though in
this Figure the roller q is represented broken for the purpose of shewing the
works behind); consequently the two rollers o and q, and their feeding bands,
are made to move together in opposite directions, and as they revolve to
conduct the rags towards the cutter. This movement of the feeding bands j, j,
is further assisted by a pulley or rollers at the other end of the axle of the
roller o, from whence an endless band passes to a similar pulley or roller on
the end of the axle of the larger band roller n. (See Figures 12 and 13.) In
order that the rags may be placed to the cutter uniformly at certain intervals,
and confined whilst cutting, a sliding pressert is made to rise before the rags
advance, and afterwards to come down upon them, and hold them compactly
(as seen in Figure 13) during the descent of the cutter. This rising and
falling movement of the presser t is effected by a bridge piece u, u, extending
across the machine near the cutter, (see Figure 13,) and affixed to the back of
the presser t by bolts, as shewn in Figure 11, which bridge piece is connected
at its ends to antifriction rollers v, v, seen in Figures 12 and 13. The ends

page_text: of the bridge piece u terminate in small axles which pass through large slots
cut in the levers k, k, as represented by dots in Figure 12, and the rollers v, 'v,
are attached to the outer ends of these axles. Under the rollers u, v, powerful
springs w, see Figure 12, act for the purpose of raising the rollers, and with
them the bridge piece u and presser t, whilst the rags are moving forward
toward the cutter; but when the excentrics h, h, and their rods i; i, depress
the levers k, k, then the tops of the slots in k, k, come down upon the ends of
the bridge piece u, u, and cause it to descend and bring down the presser t
upon the rags, as represented in Figure 13, by which the rags are held firmly
whilst the cutter is in operation.
Having described the mode of feeding in the rags, I now proceed to explain
the means by which the cutter is actuated. The middle of the main shaft
c, as before said, is formed as a crank, and this crank is connected to the
plunger e. This plunger, by means of jointed links, carries the bolt f, into
the lower end of which the cutter frame g is screwed. The rotation of the
main shaft therefore causes the plunger bolt and cutter frame to rise and fall
with reciprocating movements; the descent of these parts at the moment when
the feeding is at rest causes the edge of the moving cutter a, fixed in the
frame g, to pass the edge of the stationary cutter or ledger blade Y, fixed
to the bed of the machine, and in so doing to chop or cut off so much of
the rags, rope, junk, or other materials as have been protruded through
the opening between the two cutting edges by the feeding operation when the
moveable cutter was raised. The rags, &c. thus cut off fall down through the
opening in the bed of the machine into a suitable receiver below, and are
thence taken to be washed and beaten into pulp in the ordinary way. The
back of the frame g.extends downward, and forms a guide to the moving
cutter, at the back of the frame of which an adjustable bar z is placed, which,
being pressed forward by screws, keeps the moveable cutter x in contact with
the stationary cutter or ledger blade y, and at any time may be adjusted as
circumstances may require. Another mode of feeding the rags into a cutting
machine is shewn in Figure 17, which represents in sectional elevation so much
of the cutting machine as may be necessary to illustrate its action. The parts
of this machine, as respects the cutter and its appendages, are the same in
construction and action as before described, the feeding alone being different.
The rags or other materials to be cut are placed upon the endless feeding
band j, j, as before, and are advanced towards the cutter by the rotation of
the feeding rollers o and n, which may be effected in any convenient way.
By the advance of the endless band j, j, the rags are brought on to the
bottom of a trough A, immediately in front of the cutter .x.
Let it be sup-

page_text: posed that the rags; &c. now occupy the bottom of the trough A. The pressing
plate B, attached by a joint to the end of the lever C, is to be brought down
upon the rags into the situation shewn by dots, which is effected by a sliding
This lever C is mounted upon a
movement given to the pressing lever.
fulcrum pin D, the ends of which are fixed in plummer blocks sliding in long
slots cut in the standards E, as shewn by dots. The longer arm of the
pressing lever C is connected by a rod F to a forked arm G, attached to the
rings which embrace the excentrics or cams h. It will hence be perceived
that as the main shaft c revolves, its crank will cause the bolt f and cutter
frame g to be raised and depressed, as before described, and the cutter x in
passing the ledger blade y to chop or slice the rags, &c. advanced from the
trough A, and protruded through the opening. The excentrics or cams h, h,
are so fixed on the main shaft that before the cutter x is brought down they
will cause the excentric rings G and rod F to draw the pressing lever C
forward into the position shewn by dots, and the plate B down upon the rags
in the trough A, in doing which the axle or fulcrum pin D, with its plummer
blocks, will be slidden in the long slots of the standards E, and the pressing
plate B, at the end of the lever C, be brought forward so as to protrude the
It is only further necessary to
rags through the opening between the cutters.
observe that in order to allow for any inequality in the thickness of the mass of
rags or other materials in the trough A, some elasticity must be given to the
rod F, which connects the end of the pressing lever: to the excentrics or cams
h; h. This is done by forming the connecting rod F as a piston working in a
socket in the forked arm G of the excentric rings, and inserting into the
socket an helical spring sufficiently strong to produce the required pressure on
the rings. The advance of the plummer blocks' and fulcrum pin D may be
made the means of feeding in the rags by connecting to this pin a long rod H,
having a claw at its end acting upon a ratchet wheel fixed on the axle of the
feeding roller in, by which means every time that the presser lever is advanced,
the endless band j,j, with the rags, &c., will be moved onward also, as the
pressing lever C, with its plate B, recedes from the cutter (aided by the
helical spring K), the hinder part of the plate will be raised by the power of
a tongue spring I, which enables the plate to slide back over the mass of rags,
and prevent their being dragged away from the cutter.
Having thus described the improvements for which the above-mentioned
Letters Patent have been granted to me, I will observe in conclusion, that the
particular features of novelty which I hereby intend to claim are,-
Firstly, the peculiar construction of the joints and connecting parts of the
moveable chaps and handles of the shears, scissors, snuffers, or other cutting,

page_text: cropping, or nipping apparatus, as shewn in the Drawings in the several
Figures 1 to 10 inclusive, and the adaptation of the same contrivances to other
similar kinds of apparatus, whatever may be their general forms or fashions.
Secondly, the arrangements and constructions of the parts of a machine
for chopping or cutting rags and other fibrous materials for paper making and
other uses, as exhibited in the accompanying Drawings, and described in
reference to Figures 11, 12, 13, and 17.
And, thirdly, the means or methods of tightening or pressing together and
adjusting the cutting edges of the several scissors, snuffers, shears, and other
cutting apparatus, as shewn in the Drawings and described above.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wells Ingram, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and forty-two.