pparatus Ior Cutting” Pile Fabrics.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1887
Specification Accepted, 11th Oct., 1887
pparatus Ior Cutting” Pile Fabrics.
We, JAMES HOYLE SMITH of 377 Dickenson Road, Longsight, Manchester, in the
county of Lancaster, Fustian Master, ANDREW GODDARD of Liveaborg Terrace,
Stockport, in the county of Chester, Warehouse Manager, LLOYD HIGGINBOTTOM, of
6 Slade Lane, Longsight, Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, Engineer, and
THOMAS MANNOCK of 17 Albert Grove, Longsight, Manchester, in the county of
Lancaster, Engineer, 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 :—
The object of our invention is to provide improved apparatus for "cutting" the
pile of velvets, fustians, plushes and other pile fabrics, such apparatus consisting of
an improved form of machine upon which the said fabric is held or supported, and of
an improved form of cutting knife to be held by the operator in a similar manner to
the way the ordinary knife is now held in cutting by hand.
Our said improved machine is constructed to be driven by power and is mainly an
improvement upon the machine arranged to be worked by the foot, as described
and shewn in the specifications and drawings accompanying the application for
Letters Patent of the above named James Hoyle Smith, bearing date October 20th
1886 and numbered 13391.
In the ordinary method of cutting pile fabrics, the fabric is stretched on a fixed
frame, while the knife is held by the operator and traversed along the fabric. By
this means only a short length can be cut at a time (usually not more than two yards)
while the cutting speed is necessarily slow.
In one form of our improved machine we stretch the fabric upon a frame somewhat
similar to the ordinary hand frame, but of much greater length. This frame is
supported upon rollers or slides and is capable of being moved in such a way,
hat while the knife is held in the hand, the frame and fabric move past the knife and
nder the hand, thus enabling a much longer length of cloth to be cut at one
peration and saving the labor of pushing the knife along.
The frame is drawn towards the knife by means of a friction roller, connected to the
rame by cords or belts and forced into contact with a constantly revolving pulley by
eans of a lever in which the axle of the said friction roller is pivotted. The return
Price 1171

page_text: movement of the frame may be effected by springs, or by a cord passing over a
pulley and carrying a weight, or by a positive motion, similar to that for giving the
forward stroke, or if preferred the frame may have a positive forward and backward
motion imparted to it by means of a pinion and mangle-wheel arrangement.
A powerful brake is provided to act either upon the frame or upon the driving 5
roller, and enable the machine to be stopped either in the event of the knife breaking
or going through the cloth, or when required for any other reason.
Our aforesaid improved form of knife is so constructed as to cause the cutting
blade to be automatically and instantly withdrawn, in case of the occurence of either
of the above mentioned accidents.
In the accompanying three sheets of drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, and
Fig. 2 is a plan of an improved machine constructed according to one method of
carrying out our invention for "cutting" pile fabrics, Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation
and Fig. 4 is a plan of the details of the driving gear and brake mechanism to an
enlarged scale, such details not being able to be clearly represented in the general views, 1
Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of our improved machine for "cutting’
pile fabrics, constructed in a modified form to that shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, and Fig. 6
is a sectional elevation of our improved cutting knife.
25
Similar letters of reference are used to denote similar or corresponding parts
throughout the whole of the drawings.
A, A, is a rectangular carriage or frame, capable of forward and backward traverse
upon the rails B, B, by means of the flanged wheel C, C, journalled in the carriage A, A.
The rails B, B, are affixed to longitudinal timbers B1, B¹, supported on posts D, D.
A metal frame E, E, is affixed about midway on the timbers B', B', and carries the
driving gear and brake mechanism, which is constructed as follows: A shaft F
journalled on the frame E, E, and provided with a pulley F¹, is constantly driven in
one direction, as shewn by the arrow, from any convenient source of power by the
A shaft J is journalled at one
belt F, and has a friction pulley H keyed upon it.
end in a fixed bearing K, on the frame E, and at the other end in a lever L, which
said lever is pivotted to the frame E at L'. A drum M carrying at one end a friction
roller M and at the other end a brake drum M², is keyed upon the shaft J. The
carriage A is connected to the drum M, by means of two cords or ropes N, N¹. One
end of each cord is fixed to the respective ends of the carriage and the other ends of
the cords are fixed to and wound round the drum M in opposite directions, as shewn
in Fig. 2. A treadle lever P is fulcrummed on a standard P¹, and connected by a
vertical rod Q, provided with a screw adjustment, with the lever L. Various holes
may be provided in the standard P¹, as an additional adjustment for the treadle P, as
shewn in Fig. 1.
On depressing the treadle P with the foot, the lever is raised, and the friction
pulley M brought into contact with the revolving friction pulley H, this drives the
drum M, which winding up the cord N, traverses the carriage A along the rails B, in
the direction shewn by the arrow, until it strikes the spring buffers R, R, the treadle H
being then, or previously, released by the foot, sufficiently to throw the pulleys M
and H out of contact, the reaction of the buffers returns the carriage A to the othe
end of the frame, ready for a repetition of the same movements.
The brake strap S, on the brake drum M², is fixed at one end to the frame E an
at the other end to the lever T³, which is keyed to the rock shaft T', a weight T
hung on the outer end of a lever T, also keyed on the shaft T. This weight tends i
keep the brake always on, but an adjustable stop U is provided on the lever 1
so that when the treadle P is depressed, the lever T is raised by the stop U, an
the brake taken off at the same time that the friction pulleys are brought in
contact.
A projection U¹ is rivetted on the side of the lever T, which engages with
shoulder on a lever V and so supports the said lever T when it has been pushed up
the stop U on the lever L (as before described) and keeps the brake off. This lever
is pivotted on the frame E at V, and has a weight V hung from one end, while t
While the lever
other end is connected by a chain V3 with the end of the lever L.

page_text: is supported on the shoulder of lever V, the brake is off, and the carriage is at liberty
to be driven back by the reaction of the spring buffers R, as before described. But.
when the carriage A reaches the end of its return traverse a stop on the said carriage
strikes the lever V, forcing it down, withdrawing the aforesaid shoulder from under
the projection U¹ and so releasing the lever T, which then falls down and applies the
brake and brings the carriage to a standstill.
When through the knife breaking, or for any other cause it is desired to arrest the
motion of the carriage A, at any intermediate point, the attendant by taking his foo
completely off the treadle P, allows the lever L to fall and by means of the chain V³
to depress the lever V and bring on the brake, as before described. The fabric is
indicated by the dotted lines W, WI, W, W representing the length being cut,
W the uncut, and W the cut portion.
Split rollers X, X', are provided on the carriage A, to grip the fabric, which is
tightly stretched between them by rotating one or both rollers, their return being
prevented by ratchets or other suitable devices. Sloping boards Y, Y', are fixed ou
the carriage A, over which the fabric is stretched, and the length to be operated upon
is that contained between the upper edges of the said boards. A sloping table Z is
fixed on the frame B', under which the fabric passes close to the lower edge thereof,
and the operator rests the handle of the cutting knife upon the said table.
In the modified form of our machine shewn in Fig. 5, instead of tightening the
cloth on the carriage A, as before described, we mount loose rollers 1 and 2 on each
end of the said carriage, and underneath the table Z, on the frame B¹, we fix two
tightening rollers 3 and 4, and at the extreme ends of the said frame two other
tightening rollers 5 and 6, such tightening rollers being similar to those shewn
at X, X, in Figs. 1 and 2, or of any other suitable construction. If now the fabric W
to be cut, is firmly held at each end by the tightening rollers 3, 5, and 4, 6, while the
rollers 1 and 2 are at liberty to revolve, it is evident that by sliding the carriage A,
as before described, in reference to Figs. 1. 2. 3 and 4, the fabric will be caused to
move under the knife at double the velocity of the carriage, and that double the
length of fabric will be cut at each stroke.
Our improved knife is shewn in sectional elevation in Fig. 6, about one third the
actual size. a is a wooden handle open on the top, for the greater part of its length,
a metal tube b is fixed therein and a piston c slides in the said tube, and the knife
blade d, which is of the ordinary pattern, is fixed in the piston c.
A spring e,
preferably formed of Indian rubber, connects the piston e with the plug which is
inserted loosely in the end of the handle a. g is an arm projecting from the handle a
and having a lever or trigger h pivotted on its outer end.
This trigger is adjustable for length by means of the piece i, sliding within it, which
is notched to receive the knife d. j is an arm hinged at to the handle a and
having its outer end held down by a pin in the trigger h. A lug in on the piston
bears against a pin on the arm, and so prevents the spring e pulling the piston and
knife back into the handle. If the end of the knife catches in, or enters the fabric, or
the knife breaks, the trigger his pushed back and releases the arm j, which is thrown
up by the spring p, and the spring e then instantly withdraws the knife into the handle,
knocking out the plug f. The top of the tube is slotted to allow the lug m to pass
along it. Thus any danger of tearing or disfiguring the fabric is completely obviated.
::
It is clear that the use of our improved knife is not confined to the power frame
previously described, as it may for instance be used on an ordinary hand cutting
frame. And an ordinary knife may be used with our improved machine, though in
practice we prefer to use the said improved knife on account of the high speed at
which we perform the cutting.
Much longer lengths may easily be cut at a time on our improved machine thus
greatly reducing the number of "faults" in a given length of fabric and consequently
enhancing its value, while the speed at which we are able to drive the machine enables
a greatly increased quantity of work to be done in a given time.
We wish it to be understood that in carrying out our invention in practice we do
not necessarily confine ourselves to the precise methods of traversing the carriage A,

page_text: or of operating the brake as shewn in the accompanying drawings, as such methods
may be varied in the manner described in the previous part of this specification, nor
do we confine ourselves in other respects to the precise details of construction shewn
in the said drawings, provided that in all cases the essential principles of our invention
be retained.
We lay no claim per se to moving a pile fabric against a "cutting knife held in the
hand as such action is described in the aforesaid application for Letters Patent
No. 13391 of 1886, but having now particularly described and ascertained the nature
of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare
that what we claim is :
(1). The improved apparatus, operated by power, for "cutting" pile fabrics, in
combination with a knife held in the hand, constructed substantially as herein
set forth.
(2). The improved apparatus, operated by power, for "cutting" pile fabrics,
constructed substantially as herein described and shewn with reference to Figs. 1. 2. 3
and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
"
(3). The improved apparatus, operated by power, for cutting pile fabrics,
wherein the speed of motion of the fabric past the knife is double the speed of the
travelling carriage, constructed substantially as herein described and shewn with
reference to Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.
(4). The improved knife for "cutting" pile fabrics, so constructed as to cause the
"cutting
"blade to be automatically withdrawn into the handle in the event of
accident, substantially as herein described and shewn with reference to Fig. 6 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty second day of August 1887.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W.,
Agent for the Applicants.