Improvements in Devices for Cutting Cards with Bevelled Edges for Photograph Mounts.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Cutting Cards with Bevelled Edges
for Photograph Mounts.
I, BERNARD MCHUGH, of 39 Slater Street, Ottawa, in the County of Carleton,
in the Province of Ontario, Canada do hereby declare the nature of my said
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 produce a device whereby all the sides and
corners of a card may be cut simultaneously, cutting the card out of a sheet of
bristol or other board at one operation, instead of, as has heretofore been the case,
cutting the cards first with square edges, then piling several cards first one
above the other, the edges to be trimmed receding as they ascend, thus forming
steps, then holding the pile thus formed in a press and trimming the edges with a
scraper, this operation having to be repeated as many times as there are sides of
the card.
My device consists of a die of a truncated pyramidal shape having knives on its
sloping sides and angles, the knives being operated simultaneously by a block
carried in a press and having a vertical movement, the said block having sloping
sides impinging on the upper edges of the knives.
In the drawings:-
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved cutter, the press being omitted.
Fig. 2 is a top view of the die holding the cutting knives, (half only being
shown).
Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3 3, Fig. 2, showing the knives down.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4 4, Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the side knives.
Fig. 6 is a partial section on line 6 6, Fig. 1, showing one of the angle knives.
Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the angle knives.
Fig. 8 is a section showing the manner in which the corner knives are secured.
Fig. 9 is a detail view of an angle of the die.
A is a die of a truncated pyramidal shape. On each of its sloping sides are
formed one or more cylindrical chambers a open at the top and also open to the
face of the slope. Two or more pins bare screwed in the die projecting at right
angles to the sloping sides, and are threaded on their outer ends to receive the
nuts
The angles C formed by the junction of the sloping sides of the die are provided
at their upper ends with chambers c, similar to though smaller than the chambers a,
pins, are secured in the die below the chambers, the lower portion of the angles C
are formed with a dovetailed groove D deep at the base of the die and running
shallower as it ascends as shown in Fig. 9.
The side knives E lie flat against the sloping sides, their upper edges projecting
above the top of the die, the outer edges of the top of the knives being slightly
rounded; each of these knives is provided with one or more pins e, these pins are
received in apertures formed in cylindrical bosses F, which are adapted to slide in
the chambers a, spiral spring f being inserted in the bottom of the chambers,
exerting an upward pressure on the pieces F, and so raise the knives; two or more
elongated slots G are formed for the pins b, and plates g are secured over the
knives, the lock nuts 62 holding the said plates firinly in position leaving the
knives free to slide. The cutting edge of the knives E may be formed of a
separate piece E³ and pinned to the main body, so as to be renewed when worn.
CD
07

page_text: The upper portion of the inner edges of the sides of the knives E are bevelled to
allow room for the shanks of the corner knives.
H are corner knives, the cutting edges are rounded and they are so arranged
that the edges are overlapped by the side knives, the lower edges of these knives
slide and fit in the dovetailed grooves D, a rather slender shank h (to facilitate
placing the knife in the groove) connects the cutting portions with the heads I,
which is provided with a slot i, through which the pins & pass and is secured with
washer and lock nuts; a pin is secured in the head which passes into an aperture
in a sliding piece J, sliding in the chamber c, and provided with spiral springs j
similar to the top of the heads of these knives have a V-shaped groove K, as
shown in the detail.
In the centre of the die A is formed an aperture L, open at the top and reaching
nearly to the bottom, an aperture 1 of smaller dimensions connecting with the larger
aperture, is reamed out at the bottom; two smaller apertures are formed one on
either side of the central aperture.
N is a block in the shape of an inverted truncated pyramid, having on its under-
side pins M adapted to enter the apertures m, in the centre of this block is an
aperture n of a diameter large enough to receive the head p of the pin P, this
aperture is open at both ends, that is it passes entirely through the block but at
the under side is only large enough to admit the body of the pin P, this pin
passes down into the aperture L in the die A where it is secured by means of the
screw R.
Spiral spring S may be inserted between the die A and block N. The block N
is secured in any suitable manner to a press having a vertical movement.
The operation of my device is as follows:-The knives when in their normal
positions, are held by the springs so that their cutting edges are on a level with the
lower edge of the die, the die being held to the block N by the pin P, when the
die touches the card the block continues to descend, the sloping sides impinging
on the upper edges of the side knives, and the angles engaging the V-shaped
grooves on the corner knives, thus pressing the knives through the card, the
head of the pin sliding up in the aperture n. The top outer edge of the side
knives being rounded the pressure is on the inner side, directly over the
cutting edge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A device for cutting cards with bevelled edges, consisting of a die of a
truncated pyramidal shape, carrying slidingly on its sloping faces, spring retracted
knives, and on the angles formed by the junction of the sloping faces, spring
retracted knives sliding in dovetailed grooves, the upper edges of all the said
knives projecting above the upper face of the said die, a block secured loosely to
the said die and adapted to be held in a press, the sloping edges of the said block
impinging on and pressing down the said knives, when pressure is applied,
substantially as set forth.
2. A device for cutting cards with bevelled edges, consisting of a die of a
truncated pyramidal shape carrying slidingly, on its sloping faces spring retracted
knives the upper edges of the said knives projecting above the upper face of the
said die, a block shaped like an inverted truncated pyramid, secured loosely
by means of a pin to the said die, the head of the said piu being free to slide
in the said block, the sloping edges of the said block impinging on and pressing
down the said knives when pressure is applied to the said block, substantially as
set forth.
3. In a device for cutting cards with bevelled edges, the combination with
a die of a truncated pyramidal shape having chambers formed on its sloping sides
to receive spiral springs of the spiral springs in said chambers, bosses sliding in the
said chambers, knives carried slidingly on the said sloping sides, pins secured in

page_text: the said knives, and the said pins passing into apertures in the said bosses,
substantially as set forth.
4. In a device for cutting cards with bevelled edges, the combination with the
die carrying spring retracted knives on its sloping sides and on the angles
made by the junction of the said sloping sides; of the block N having guide pins M
adapted to enter apertures in the said die A, the head of the said pin sliding in the
aperture n in the said block the said aperture being smaller at its lower end,
substantially as set forth.
5. In a device for cutting cards with bevelled edges, the combination, with a die
of a truncated pyramidal shape, carrying spring retracted knives on its sloping sides,
of the corner knives H, sliding in dovetailed grooves D, the top of these knives
having V-shaped grooves K, and means for retracting the said knives, substantially
as set forth.
Dated 1+ August 1801
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.