Improvements in and relating to Guillotine Paper-cutting Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 8th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in and relating to Guillotine Paper-cutting
Machines.
I, LEONARD UPCOTT GILL, of 170 Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex,
Publisher do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to an improved gauge or stop, applied to paper cutting
machines for trimming the edges of books, pamphlets or folded newspapers, whereby
the necessity for the operator to pass his hands or arms under the cutting knife,
when placing the material to be cut, is obviated, and great speed in the execution of
the work is obtained.
In guillotine cutting-machines as at present constructed the gauge or stop is placed
on the same side of the machine as the flat or cutting edge of the knife; but
according to my invention I use a travelling wood or metal gauge or stop on the
opposite side of the machine, facing the bevelled or chamfered edge of the cutting
knife, and I arrange this gange or stop-so that its position with respect to the cutting
edge of the knife may he adjusted as desired.
The gauge or stop is also mounted in such a manner that it will work automatically
away from the knife as the knife comes down and cuts the paper, thus preventing the
cuttings or shavings from jambing between the knife and the gauge or stop, and
will on the rising of the knife automatically resume its first position ready for the
next cut. I do not limit myself to any particular arrangement or device for giving
the travelling motion of the gauge or stop, as it may be taken from any convenient
moving part of the machine according to the type of the machine to which this
gauge or stop is fitted, but I prefer to obtain it from the knife bar, so as to ensure
the synchronous action of the stop or gauge with the knife.
In using a cutting machine fitted with my improved gauge or stop the operator
stands on the opposite side of the machine to that which he occupies in the usual
machines, that is to say, on the side facing the flat or cutting edge of the knife, and
he presses the paper or material to be cut up against the gauge or stop, the said
gauge or stop being adjusted to cut off the desired quantity from the paper or other
material.
A machine fitted with the automatic travelling gauge or stop as berin before
described is especially suited for trimming the edges of newspapers, pamphlets etc.,
as the particular arrangement of gauge or stop allows the machine to be kept
constantly running i.e., the knife continually rising and falling thereby increasing
both the power and speed.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Guillotine Paper-cutting
Machines.
I, LEONARD UPCOTT GILL of 170 Strand, London in the County of Middlesex,
Publisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
My invention relates to an improved gauge or stop applied to paper cutting

page_text: machines for trimming the edges of books, pamphlets or folded newspapers, whereby
the necessity for the operator to pass his hands or arms under the cutting knife when
placing the material to be cut, is obviated, and great speed in the execution of the
work is obtained.
In guillotine cutting machines as at present constructed the gauge or stop is
placed on the same side of the machine as the flat or cutting edge of the knife, but
according to my invention I use a travelling wood or metal gauge or stop on the
opposite side of the machine, facing the bevelled or chamfereil edge of the cutting
knife, and arrange this gauge or stop so that its position with respect to the cutting
edge of the knife may be adjusted as desired.
The gauge or stop is also mounted in such a manner that it will work automatically
away from the knife as the knife comes down and cuts the paper, thus preventing
the cuttings or shavings from jamming between the knife and the gauge or stop, and
that it will on the rising of the knife automatically resume its first position ready for
the next cut.
I do not limit myself to any particular arrangement or device for giving the
travelling motion of the gauge or stop, as it may be taken from any convenient
moving part of the machine according to the type of the machine to which this
gauge or stop is fitted, but I prefer to obtain it from the knife bar so as to ensure
the synchronous action of the stop or gauge with the knife.
In using a cutting machine fitted with my improved gauge or stop the operator
stands on the opposite side of the machine to that which he occupies in the usual
machines, that is to say, on the side facing the flat or cutting edge of the knife, and
he presses the paper or material to be cut up against the gauge or stop, the said
gauge or stop being adjusted so that the knife shall cut off the desired quantity from
the paper or other material.
A machine fitted with the automatic travelling gauge or stop as hereinbefore
described is especially suited for trimining the edges of newspapers, pamphlets &c. as
the particular arrangement of gauge or stop allows the machine to be kept constantly
running, ie., the knife continually rising and falling, thereby increasing both the
power and speed.
"
The manner in which my invention may be carried into effect will be understood
by the annexed drawings which represent my improvements applied to one of the
existing machines. When my invention is applied to new machines these will be
somewhat modified.
Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the machine showing the knife bar or beam in its
highest position and the automatic stop or gauge in its normal position. Figure 2
is also a rear elevation of the machine and shows the knife bar or beam in its
lowest position and the automatic stop or gauge in its highest position. Figure 3 is a
plan of Figure 1.
-
Figure 4 is a cross section on line 1 - 1 Figure 1 showing the gauge or stop in
its normal position (previous to the descent of the knife bar) when a comparatively
small width has to be cut off the material. Figure 5 is a cross-section on line 2 - - 2
Figure 1 showing the gauge or stop in its normal position (previous to the descent of
the knife bar or beam) when a wider cut is required. Figure 6 is a cross section on
line 3 3 Figure 2 showing the knife bar in its lowest position and the gauge or
stop in its highest position clear of the knife bar.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are on a larger scale than Figures 1, 2 and 3. The same letters
of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.
A is the knife bar or beam operated as is usual in paper cutting machines of
this character and A' is the knife. Bis my travelling gauge or stop placed so as to
face the bevelled or chamfered side of the knife instead of the flat side as has been usual.
This gauge or stop has a reciprocating movement to and from the knife and this
movement is imparted to it as follows:-Upon the face of the knife bar A. is a cam C
which in the ordinary downward movement of the knife bar acts upon a lever D)
secured to a rocking shaft E which shaft is mounted in bearings E' E' attached to
the framing of the machine. On the rocking shaft E are two levers F F whịch arẹ

page_text: connected to the gauge or stop B through the intermediation of links F F¹ attached
10 small bracket bearings on the gauge B.
By the action of this mechanism (which, however, can obviously be considerably
varied) the gauge B during the downward movement of the knife bar is caused to
move back from its normal position, that is to say, in the line of cut (see Figures 4
and 5) to the position seen in Figure 6, and during this backward movement it rises
owing to the inclined grooves or guides G in frames G¹ G' attached to the frame of
the machine. The lever D is fitted with an adjustable counter weight H which keeps
it in contact with the lower edge of the cam C, and by its adjustment more or less
resistance can if desired be given to the gauge B when the work is placed against it
and when this cain rises in the following upward movement of the knife bar the gauge
or stop B again moves forward to the line of cut. If the width of the cut is to be
always uniform the movements of the gauge or stop will likewise be always uniform,
that is to say the gauge will always return to the same position in relation to the
knife, but when the width of cut requires to be varied at every cut or every second
or third cut then the movements of the gauge B are varied accordingly as hereinafter
explained.
Whether the cut is to be varied or not the workman stands at the feed table R
facing the flat side of the knife A¹ and places a pile of papers S against the gauge B.
He then starts the machine and this can be done by a foot lever (not shown) acting
through rods and bell cranks upon the starting lever Q at the opposite end of the
machine.
The knife bar A commences to descend together with the usual clamp T which
is slightly in advance of it. While the knife is performing the cut the cam C
through the intermediation of the mechanism already described viz.,-the lever D.
rocking shaft E, levers F F and links F F is causing the gauge or stop B to move back-
wards and upwards until it reaches its highest position, Figure 6, where it remains
for a time. This backward and upward movement of the gauge prevents the cuttings
or shavings getting jammed between it and the gauge.
In a newly constructed machine the cuttings inay be allowed to fall through an
opening or shoot to the floor and the movement of the gauge need not be upward
but only backward so as to clear them, but in adapting my invention to an existing
machine having the under metal frame or support of the old feed board, an opening
or shoot is not readily obtained and it is therefore desirable to provide means for
automatically removing the cuttings. This may be effected by means of endless
travelling bands of india rubber or other suitable material (not shown in Figures 5
and 6) passing over shafts and having projecting tongues 01 which as the bands
travel project beyond them and come upon the cuttings which they then draw back
and sweep along the frame below the bands O finally ejecting them over the rear
end of the machine. I make no claim, however, in the present Specification to this
sweeping or clearing arrangement for the cuttings as it forms the subject of a separate
application for Patent No. 19878 of 1889.
In the ascent of the knife bar after completing the cut the gauge or stop returns
to its normal position, the workman places another pile of papers against it or another
edge of the same pile and the knife again descends.
I have already referred to its being sometimes required to vary the width of cut
every time or every second or thind time. For instance in trimming a folded
magazine or newspaper it will generally be required to cut the top edge or "hend,"
the fore-edge, and the bottom edge or tail. The fore-edge should have a wider cut
than the head and sometimes a wider cut than the tail and the cuts for the head and
tail should also as a rule be differentiated. I adjust and make the changes auto-
matically by means of stops in connections with the gauge or stop B. One device for
the purpose and which is adapted for giving alternately a wide and a narrow cut is
shown in the machine illustrated and also in detail in Figure 7. It consists of a
pawl J on the knife bar A and of a tappet K free to turn on a stud or pink which is
secured to a hanger attached to a horizontal bar I, which is connected to the frame
of the machine. On the side of the tappet K is an oval cam K' with the larger

page_text: diameter of which the adjustable stop M comes in contact; this stop M is connected
by an arm or lever M² to the rocking shaft E and thus controls its action. In the
downward movement of the knife bar A the pawl J gives a quarter turn to the
tappet K, while in the upward movement the pawl rides over the tappet inactively.
In the position of the tappet-K-aud-oval cain-K¹ seen in Figure 7 the stop M if it
were allowed to come in contact with the cam would allow of the maximum forward
movement of the gauge B and would consequently produce the minimum cut; when
the cam is in the reverse position the forward movement is reduced and a much
wider cut is given (see Figure 5). I show, however, other adjustable stops N N
which are attached to guides on the gauge B and act against the frame of the
machine which forms an abutment thereto. These stops N N come into action before
the stop M. can get into contact with the smaller diameter of the oval cam K¹ and
they therefore make the corresponding cut somewhat more than the minimum.
The cuts are thus controlled alternately by the larger diameter of the oval cam K¹
and by the stops N N. If the pawl I be thrown out of gear so as not to act on
the tappet K the ents will always be of the same width.
Figure 8 represents another form of tappet and cam for varying the cut, one or
more pawls being employed to actuate them according to requirement. This cam is
provided with adjustable pieces and which may be of the same or different
lengths. The cam will produce three variations of cut if the two pawls J be used,
these two pawls giving the cam one third of a revolution at ench descent of the knife
beam, and if one pawl be thrown out of action an alternate variation of cut will
be given, as the movement of the cam will only be one-sixth of a revolution the
spaces between the pieces and causing the stops N N attached to the
guides on the gauge B to come into action at the intermediate periods.
Figure 9 shows another modification by which four varying cuts can be made each
adjustable, also three varying cuts by cutting two piles together, heads and tails and
fore-edges separately. The cam which in this case is in the shape of a cross is provided
with adjustable pieces and k one in each arm.
By this arrangement a pile of work can be cut on its four edges to any required
degree of variation in eacli instance, the order of the cuts following the same sequence
in all cases. In the second case where two piles of work are placed on the machine
at once, first the two heads are cut, then the piles are reversed and the tails cut,
then the fore-edges are presented separately, thus making up the four cuts and
completing one series.
It is obvious that many other modifications could be made to produce the same or
other variations in cutting, but the above are sufficient for the purpose of illustrating
my invention.
In constructing a new machine according to my invention the framework will
obviously be considerably modified seeing that the old feed board and its support.
will be dispensed with and that the cuttings or shavings will fall out of the machine
by reason of their own weight as they are cut. The old starting lever (shown at Q)
will also he situated at the other end of the machine within reach of the workman or
a foot lever will take its place.
--Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said iuven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim
in respect of guillotine paper cutting machines is —
1. A machine arranged to be fed from the side that faces the flat side of the
guillotine cutter and having a gauge or stop at the opposite side of the cutter,
this gauge or stop moving away from the cutter as the cutter comes down so as to
prevent jamining of the cuttings or shavings and returning to position after or during
the ascent of the cutter substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In adapting the arrangement referred to in Claim 1 to old or existing machines,
arranging that the gauge or stop shall rise as it moves away from the cutter so as to
allow the cuttings or shavings to be removed along the support or frame of the old
feed board, substantially as herein before described..

page_text: 3. The combination with a travelling or movable gauge or stop such as referred to
in Claim 1 facing the hevelled or chamfered edge of the cutter, of means whereby the
position of the said gauge or stop and therefore the width of cut can be
automatically varied at every cut or at every second cut or otherwise as may
be arranged according to the particular work in hand substantially as herein before
described.
4. The improved guillotine paper cutting machine arranged and acting substantially
as bereinbefore described and represented in the annexed drawings.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.