IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR TRIMMING BOOKS, AND CUTTING PAPER AND SIMILAR MATERIALS
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th August 1873.-A communication from abroad by Mary
H. Semple, of Lowell, Massachusetts, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
TRIMMING BOOKS, AND CUTTING PAPER AND SIMILAR MATERIALS," a communi,
cation, to be as follows:
1
This Invention relates to improvements in machines for trimming the
edges of books and for cutting paper and other similar materials, and
consists in constructing and arranging the operating parts of the
machine in such a manner that the book, paper, or other material to be
cut is brought up to and against a knife at an angle, by which means a
"draw" cut or slanting cut is obtained. This object is accomplished by
mounting a carriage or table upon which the book, paper, or other
material to be cut is placed upon inclined ways; the said carriage is made
to travel back and forth on these ways, while the edge of the knife is

page_text: secured in a horizontal position in the line of motion of the said carriago
or table, and as the book or paper is made to advance toward the knife
it so advances at an angle to the cutting edge of the latter, and a
"draw" cut or slanting cut is obtained. It will however be obvious
that it is not essentially necessary to the carrying out of my Invention,
that the said knife should be secured in a horizontal position, as it may
be placed in other positions so as to accomplish the same result, provided
the said inclined ways are secured at a proper angle therewith.
The said improved machine is supported on a rectangular frame of
suitable construction and strength for supporting and accommodating
the operating parts thereof; to the sides of the said frame the inclined
ways above mentioned are secured. On one side of the said frame and
above the inclined ways is secured by any suitable means a cutting
knife with its edge toward and in a line with the said inclined ways, this
knife is generally placed in a horizontal position, but as before stated it
may be placed in other positions provided a proper angle is maintained
between its cutting edge and the inclined ways. One of the ways or
rails may have a plain top surface, and the other way or rail may have a
groove formed in it to receive a corresponding projection formed or pro-
vided on the under side of the carriage or table, for the purpose of
guiding the latter in its movement and keeping it in a proper position in
relation to the aforesaid knife.
Under the table extending lengthwise of the frame and häving
bearings in cross pieces secured near each end of the said frame is a
screw shaft, which works through a screw nut secured to the under side
of the carriage or table for the purpose of moving the latter up or down
the inclines, and thus bringing the book or paper up to the knife to be
cut, and away from the knife when the cut has been made. This screw.
shaft may be provided with either a single or a double thread, as may be
preferred, or as may be necessary for imparting the desired speed to the
carriage or table; on its upper and outer end is a bevel wheel or pinion
which meshes with a bevel wheel mounted on the driving shaft; through
the medium of these gear wheels the said screw shaft is rotated.
The upper portion of the aforesaid carriage or table on which. arc
placed the books, paper, or other material to be cut is composed of two
plates placed one upon the other; the upper plate is capable of being.
moved around to bring each of its four sides successively toward and in

page_text: a line with the knife. The lower plate before-mentioned is provided with
flanges on two of its sides, so that it may be held and moved toward and
from the knife at right angles thereto. On the top of this plate is
inserted in a recess formed in the said plate a slide, catch, or gauge;
there is also provided on the top of the said plate a circular groove or
way; this groove is continuous when the said slide, catch, or gauge is
forced in until recesses formed therein and corresponding in width with
the said circular groove or way come in line with the latter, but when
the said slide is forced out by means of a spring with which it is provided
the said circular groove or way is interrupted or closed at two points; on
the under side of the aforesaid upper plate are four ledges or projections
which fit and move in the circular groove or way in the lower plate; the
spaces or intervals between the said ledges are each equal to the width of
the said slide, catch, or gauge, so that the latter can be pushed in
between any two of the said ledges, and when so pushed in and the
recesses in the slide are in. the line of the circular groove or way, the
upper plate is free to move around its centre uninterruptedly, but when
the recesses in the said slide, catch, or gauge are not in line with the
said circular groove, the upper plate can only move around until the
ledges strike against the slide, and it is firmly held until again released
by forcing in the slide. By these means the upper plate is capable of
being moved around 90° at a time, thus bringing up its four sides
successively under the knife and at right angles thereto. A pin is
secured at the centre of the lower plate and passes upward and
through a hole or perforation provided in the centre of the upper plate
around which pin the latter rotates.
•
On the upper plate there are provided brackets through whose upper
portion passes a screw rod or shaft having a hand wheel on its upper end
and a clamping board on its lower end for the purpose of properly
securing to the table the book, paper, or other article or material to be
trimmed or cut.