Improved Cutting Stamp for Leather Fabrics, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
Improved Cutting Stamp for Leather Fabrics, and the like.
I, ALOYS PIEPER, of Lüdinghausen, Germany, Manufacturer, 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 present invention relates to a stamping-knife provided with a punch and a
counter by means of which the portions of leather, linen and the like to be cut out
are marked with a number and counted in such a manner that the number of the
stamped pieces can be constantly read, a labour which up. to the present had to be.
done separately, but now a remarkable saving of time and money is effected.
A form of practical construction of the invention is shown in the annexed
drawing.
Fig. 1 shows the upper part of the stamping-knife with numbering punch and
counter working automatically.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line xx of Fig. 1, the counting device being
removed.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section, through a numbering-punch for thick leathers.
Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of a numbering punch for thin leathers, stuffs, felts
and the like.
Fig. 5 a vertical section of same.
Up to the present, time portions of leather, linen and the like which were cut out
by means of a machine or suitable cutting stamp, were classified and numbered.
after cutting according to their size, that is to say, marked with similar
numbers and signs which served as distinctive and respective marks, and.counted
afterward.
The object of my apparatus is to do away with this long and laborious process.:
The said apparatus is provided on its inner face with a number stamp working
automatically and with a counter on the outer face. The knife being depressed
for cutting the article face the latter is at the same time marked by the
number stamp and the portions which are cut out, are counted by the automatic
counting device.
The number stamp is made in three different shapes; in metal to mark the
thick leather, and in rubber or metal to print simply the number on leathers,
linens, plushes, felts and the like, the numbers of the two latter stamps having
been previously provided with a colouring matter.
The number stamp to mark the number and the like on leather, and the
like is essentially composed of a socket b. provided with a stamp a (Fig. 3) and
on the upper end of said socket is screwed a closed nut c.. The lower extremity
of the stamp has a number or any other mark d which is fixed thereon in a
suitable manner or engraved in the substance or can be in relief.
The spiral
spring for the rubber-rings e.(Fig. 3) located in the upper part of the socket, give
to the stamp, when pressure is applied thereon, a certain elasticity which is
necessary, for this reason, that the blade of the knife cuts out the leather placed
underneath before the numbering is accomplished.
According as the leather is rough or soft and as the number should be struck
more or less firmly, the removable spring f can be selected more or less strong: In
order to limit the course of the stamp towards the upper part, said stamp is
provided with two screws g moving in the slots h of the socket, and screwed into.
two holes i diametrically opposite, others being placed at different heights. When.
the socket is provided with six slots of different length for instance, two of which being..

page_text: engaged at a time by the stop screw g the apparatus may always be lengthened or
shortened a little and thus can be exactly adjusted to the height respectively to the
wearing of the knife and to the thickness of the material which is to be stamped.
The square-headed screws of the stamp pass through the wall or blade of the
stamping knife a³ and the stamp is secured thereto by means of a thumb-nut or an 5
ordinary nut, (Fig. 6) in such a manner that the upper and lower ends are even
with the edges of the knife. If the leather to be cut is placed under the stamping-
knife and a pressure is applied thereon by the stamping-machine, the knife first
cuts the leather, whilst the stamp, by reason of its elastic support, raises slightly
and then, with a varying resistance of the spring, numbers or marks the leather.
The same is repeated in the working of all the pieces of leather so that these pieces
are easily worked or marked according to their size: it is evident that for other
kinds and forms of leather, other stamping-knives and other stamps must be used.
It suffices also in these cases to change the stamp proper of the latter. The same
construction which has just been described is also applicable to the stamp of rubber
or metal, for thin leather stuffs, plushes, felts, linens and the like (Figs. 4 and 5),
where the number and mark is not stamped but simply provided with a colouring
matter, which is printed on the leather, stuff and the like. Said stamp may be of
any suitable kind, but I preferably adopt the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5
of the accompanying drawings, and provided with an automatic inking device;
with such a construction it is necessary that the stamp a¹ normally projects so far
beyond the upper edge of the knife, as the inking pad t requires space for being
moved away from said stamp each time the latter is depressed.
As shown in Fig. 4, the inking pad t is normally in a horizontal position and
presses against the number or mark d' on stamp a¹, whereby said mark or number
is normally held in contact with the colouring matter of said pad. As the knife is
operated, the stamp a³ will be depressed at the same time against the action of
spring f³, whereby the inking pad t is caused to swing about its journal t¹ into the
position shown in Fig. 5. This swinging movement is produced by a horizontally
projecting pin (not visible in Figs. 4 and 5) extending through an elongate slot t² as
the stamp will be depressed.
In order that the stamp a¹ be yieldingly arranged after its depression, I insert a
hollow bolt (formed as shown) into said stamp, said bolt being continually
promoted upwards by a coil-spring v located within said bolt and pressing, on the
one hand, against the underside of bolt-head gland on the other, upon a cross-piu p,
secured to the stamp a¹ and extending through an elongate slot q² in the wall of
bolt q. Said coil spring rests on a cross-pin p² secured to C² and adopted to
move in vertical slots q', provided in stamp a¹. The coil-spring is much more
resilient than spring v, so that in operation, the stamp a¹ is first depressed and then
moved upwards again by the back-pressure exerted by the bed-plate, whereby the
pin p
is moved in slot q2 and the coil spring v compressed.
The letter y designates a set-screw for securing the removable block n (on which
the number or sign is marked) to the lower end of stamp a¹.
Figs. 6 and 7 show another form of construction of the device.
As to the third form of construction (Fige. 6 and 7) which is applicable to stamps
for colour printing, it resembles somewhat the first form of construction: the
arrangement, the vertical movement and the elastic support of the number-stamp
(which in this case may be made of metal or rubber) being similar to the construction
of the stamp shown in Fig. 3.
A spiral spring about 2 cm. high is arranged in the middle and around the
stamp which should be made of less diameter here. Under this spring is a pin g¹
guided into a groove h¹ made in the stamp and corresponding to the height of the
spring, and the said pin lies with its two ends in two slots diametrically opposite
one another, said slots being made in the socket. At the upper part and within
the socket, immediately under the closed nut, is arranged a metal ring w¹ in which
are also secured three pins e passing through three holes made in the closed nut
and extending beyond it, the outer ends of said pins being secured to a disk w².

page_text: Under the said metal ring is the elastic support which may be made of rubber or
formed of a spiral spring ; the elasticity of the said support must be greater
than that of the lower spring surrounding the stamp; the operation of this device
is the same as that of Nos. 1 and 2. The lengthening and shortening is effected
here by slots made in the socket at different heights.
As the knife should be emptied at each cut and the stuff to be worked,
again removed from the stamping block, the knife has simply to be placed with the
apparatus on a prepared pad and the apparatus is thus constantly kept supplied
with colour and this always gives a clear and clean printing.
Figs. 8 and 9 show a vertical section and an elevation of the counting device.
The said automatic counter is preferably secured to the curved wall of the
stamping-knife towards the inside by any suitable means and includes a similar
mechanism to that of the counting stamps usually employed in commercial offices.
But the handle or pressure knob is omitted in this counter. With the usual counting
stamps provided with a handle or pressure knob, the latter is again raised, after
being depressed, by the action of a suitable spring arranged within said handle or
or knob.
In the counting device shown in Figs. 8 and 9, said spring is replaced
by two lock-springs, attached to the side plates of casing r, and the free
ends of which press against the pin or journal 3, of the pawl s; said paul s is
pivoted on two arms s', which in turn, are pivotally secured at s² (Fig. 8) to the side-
plates of casing"; the pressure produced on the pin or journal 13 by said lock
springs 2 promotes said arms upwards. The free end of pawl s engages a ratchet-
wheel, the periphery of which is provided with marks or numbers ¹. As the stamping
knife is operated and a pressure produced upon the extension 3 on the counting
device the arms s¹ and therefore the pawl 8 will be depressed against the action of
springs ; whereby the ratchet-wheel is rotated by one tooth, and the face
provided with the mark or number applied upon the article.
It is obvious that the counting device may have a plurality of ratchet wheels
mounted on a common journal, so that one can count continuously from 1 (or by
commencing at any numeral) up to 999999. In this case each wheel will be
provided with ten numerals, i.e. from o to 9. At each revolution of each wheel the
following wheel turns only by one numeral, so that the decimal system is here
applied.
The counting device may be arranged on any part of the knife. Any suitable
counter may also be used by effectuating the necessary modifications in the con-
struction thereof. The two combined devices thus form two independent
arrangements, one being only for marking and the other for counting the stamped
pieces, and they can therefore be used as well separately as in combination.
The arrangement is found of the great advantage that the pieces of leather,
linen and the like of any kind or quality can be cut out, marked and counted at the
same time, whereof results considerable economy of time and work and therefore of
money.
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 stamping-knife of the class described, comprising a number-stamp"
distinguished by a metal stamp (a), yieldingly arranged within a socket (b), the
under side of said stamp being turned towards the leather or other material to be
worked, and provided with a number or other mark (d), penetrating into the leather,
and a knife cutting the leather, substantially as described and for the purpose set
forth.
2) A stamping-knife of the class described, comprising a number-stamp, said
stamp or the plate thereof being provided with a number or other mark made of
metal, rubber or any other material, substantially in connection with an
arrangement, causing said stamp to press on a pad supplied with colour, when the
knife is emptied or said stamp being provided with any other automatic inking

page_text: device to number the leather, linen, felt, plush or other substances to be cut
of any shape or quality, substantially as described and for the purpose set
forth.
3) A stamping knife of the class described, comprising a number-stamp provided
with a number or other mark of metal, rubber or any other material, an automatic
inking device for said stamp, substantially in combination with a wheeled-
counting-device, adapted to automatically count the stamped pieces at each
movement of the knife, substantially as described and for the purpose set
forth.