IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING UP WOVEN AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julius Homan, of Milk Street, Cheapside, in the
City of London, Manufacturing Outfitter, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING UP WOVEN AND OTHER FABRICS."
Sealed the 25th April 1856, and dated the 13th November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Julius Homan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
November 1855.
I, JULIUS HOMAN, of Milk Street, Cheapside, in the City of London;
Manufacturing Outfitter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING UP WOVEN AND OTHER FABRICS,"
to be as follows:-
The main object of this Invention is to economize labor in the cutting out
of garments. For this purpose I use a rotating circular knife, which stands
above a slotted table on which a pile of material to be cut is placed, the
uppermost layer being suitably marked to guide the operator. The table is
capable of being raised and lowered as required in order that the knife may
make a straight vertical cut through the pile of material. When I require to

page_text: cut along a curved line, I propose to employ, in place of a flat disc, concave
disc knives, which will facilitate the turning of the pile of material to keep the
edge of the knife in the line required to be followed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Julius Homan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULIUS
HOMAN, of Milk Street, Cheapside, in the City of London, Manufacturing
Outfitter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
Julius Homan, Her special license that I, the, said Julius Homan, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Julius
Homan, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CUTTING UP WOVEN AND OTHER FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Julius Homan, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
'
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Julius Homan, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to the use of a novel arrangement of mechanism for
cutting out garments or other articles, the object being to economise labor, and
to produce a clean smooth cut, superior to that produced by shears. For this

page_text: purpose
I use a circular knife, which rotates in bearings carried by a slotted
table on which a pile of material to be cut is placed, the uppermost layer being
suitably marked to guide the operator. A portion of the table I render capable
of rising when required to enable the knife to make a vertical cut straight
through the pile of material.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents in front view my improved
mechanism for expediting the cutting up of fabrics into parts of garments (the
table being shewn in section); Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same; and Fig. 3
is a plan view of the table. a, a, is the table, supported in any convenient
manner and at any suitable elevation; b, b, is a moveable portion of this table,
hinged to the fixed part a, a, as shewn at Figures 2 and 3. It is kept in
position by its own gravity, but by means of the treadle lever and rod c, c, it
may be elevated at the pleasure of the workman to the dotted position of Fig. 2.
Attached to the part 6 is a plate e, which is slotted in a line with a slot made
in the fixed part a of the table, both of which slots are for the purpose of
receiving the rotary knife f. This knife is mounted in adjustable bearings g. 9,
attached to pendent brackets h, h, which are bolted to and supported by a cast-
iron framing i, i. On the spindle of the cutter f a pulley k is fixed, and from
this pulley driving bands 1, 1, pass upwards to a pulley m. This pulley m is
keyed to the driving shaft n, which has its bearings on the framing i, i. Rotary
motion being communicated from any first mover through the driving pulley o
to the shaft n, that motion is transmitted by the bands and pulleys m, l, k, to
the cutter f, and a pile of woven fabric 7 being then brought into contact with
its edge, it will sever the pile in the direction of the line of progress of the pile.
The pile of goods to be cut up, it will be understood, is moved up by hand to
the knife edge, and it is moved about (while the knife is rotating in the
direction of the arrow, Fig. 2,) under the edge thereof, in the direction corre-
sponding to the markings on the top layer of cloth. In order to finish a cut
straight and square in the body of the work, the attendant depresses the treadle
c with his foot, and thereby lifts up the hinged part of the table together with
the pile of cloth, and submits the uncut angle of cloth to the action of the
knife. When this is done, the table is allowed to fall to its original position.
I prefer to make the knife with a smooth bevil edge, as indicated by the
Drawing, but a serrated edge may be employed, if thought desirable. Below
the plate c, c, are adjustable guides p, p, for insuring the steady and unwaving
action of the kuife.
Having now set forth the nature and object of my Invention of "Improve-
ments in Machinery for cutting up Woven and other Fabrics," and explained

page_text: the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that
under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First, the adaptation and use of a rotary circular knife or cutter for cutting
up fabrics, as herein described.
And, secondly, the use in combination with the circular knife or cutter of
the hinged piece b, or its equivalent, for raising the pile of fabrics into contact
with the rotating cutting edge, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julius Homan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. E. PHILLIPS.
JULIUS HOMAN. (L.S.)