IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND GYMITAD MATERIALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Daniel Pfeiffer, of Paris, France, and
of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING
AND GYMITAD MATERIALS"
DADER
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Daniel
Pfeiffer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd December 1858.
I, JEAN DANIEL PFEIFFER, of Paris, France, and of 4, South Street,
Finsbury, London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING
PAPER AND SIMILAR MATERIALS" to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in constructing machinery or apparatus for
ploughing or cutting the edges of books for binding, either in a straight
line or in the form of a circular groove. The books to be cut are set
and held tightly in the machine, and a knife is employed which partly

page_text: rotates, performing at the same time a rectilinear. progressive, and
alternate motion.
The Figures of the Drawings represent two transverse sections.
Fig. 1 shows the machine disposed for cutting the edges of several
volumes A, A, A, A. These are pressed between the tongues B, B,
and held against the iron plates serving as squares against which the
kuife slides. The blade holder 1 slides between two cast iron guides E
on the table F.
The fly wheel S', fixed at the extremity of the screw R, pushes
backwards and forwards the knife holder D, and when turned causes
the knife C to move, the motion of which is similar to that of a saw.
The books are placed on a wooden platform a, on which is set a rest or
guide block b, furnished with moveable iron edges c, c, against which rest
the leaves of the books. The blocks B, B, are shifted by means of two
screws g, made to act by 4 bevil wheels, two of which are fixed on the
screws and the other two on a shaft h. The portion of the leaves or
pasteboards passing beyond the jaws rests on a wooden board K, in order
to prevent the paper being torn and the blade's edge being injured.
Fig. 2 is a section of the machine disposed for cutting or ploughing
the longitudinal edges of books in a circular or other concave form.
The blade G has the shape of a portion of a cylinder of the same radins
as the concave portion of the edge of the book to be cut. The blade
holder II is fixed to a toothed sector I, set in motion by a pinion J,
set ou a shaft j, driven by another shaft by means of cog wheels.
This latter shaft is put in motion by a fly wheel and handle.
The cutting blade G, besides its rotative motion, also receives a
forward rectilinear motion or an alternate rectilinear motion, so as to
cut in a helical direction.
The portion of the sector 1, against which the blade holder H is
fixed, is prolonged on each side, one side ending in a cylindrical form,
the other in a screw.
The prolongated portion of the screw is provided with a pinion
cogging with an intermediate wheel P, Fig. 1, which receives motion
from the shaft j. The screw acts in the carriage Q, on which are set
the pieces which are to move the sector. The bow-shaped piece unites

page_text: firmly both parts of the carriage which otherwise tend to separate from
one another.
The pinion J has 2 cheeks embracing the sector 1, and turns on
its shaft j.
The books to be cut are pressed by the tongues B and screws L,
placed inside them.
If one or several volumes are to be ploughed a plate of the corre-
sponding size is fixed on the sector I, which slides on the table F, until
the guides a touch the nave of the motive wheel.
In order to have a regular motion two screws R, Fig. 1, are made to
engage in the carriage Q, and the motion of the screws is rendered
identical by means of an endless chain S, which passes over the pinion
S', the motion being given by hand or by a fly wheel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jean Daniel Pfeiffer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JEAN DANIEL PFEIFFER, of Paris, France, and of 4, South Street,
Finsbury, London, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Jean Daniel Pfeiffer, Her special
license that I, the said Jeau Daniel Pfeiffer, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jean Daniel Pfeiffer,
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 PAPER AND SIMILAR

page_text: MATERIALS, upon the condition (amongst others) that 1, the said
Jean Daniel Pfeiffer, 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 5
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jean Daniel Pfeiffer, 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 1
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say:-
My Invention consists in the peculiar arrangement of mechanical
organs for the construction of machinery for cutting the concave and 1
flat edges of books and registers by means of which machinery the
edges of several books or paper may be ent at one operation.
Figure 1, Drawing I., is a transverse section of the mechanical
arrangement for cutting the concave edges of books for binding.
Figure 2, same Drawing, is a transverse section of the arrangement
for cutting the flat edges.
Figures 3 and 4, Drawing I., and Figures 8 to 11, Drawing H.,
details of the mechanism for cutting the concave edges.
Figure 7, Drawing 11., front elevation of the machine.
Figures 5 and 6, Drawing I., longitudinal section and plan of a
mechanical arrangement for cutting concave and flat edges applicable
to ordinary presses.
Figures 12, 13, and 14, Drawing 11., peculiar forms of knives and
disposition of the same.
The machine is set up on a frame M, M, Figures 1, 2, and 7. The
volumes A, A, A, are pressed between two clamps B, and rest against
the iron rules b', Figure 7; the knife C bears exactly against the
clamps B, the knife holder D slides between two cast iron frames E,
fixed on the cast iron table F. The knife holder D is suspended in
the frame E by means of two pieces d, adjusted at r',, to the frame E,

page_text: and to the knife holder D. The pieces d serve to raise and lower the
knife holder D. The knife is set in motion by turning the fly wheel c,
Figure 7, on the nave of which is set a bevil wheel a', which cogs with
a pinion, the interior of which forms a screw nut, and within which
plays the screw V, giving an oblique motion to the knife C. The sheets
of paper and millboard covers composing the volumes to be bound aro
laid on a wooden table a, Figure 2, behind the machine, upon which
the support b, Figure 2, is fixed, serving to determine the size and
square the volumes. The support b is provided with iron rules c', c',
Figure 2, against which the leaves of the book lie, whilst the boards
touch the end of the support b, which determines the proper difference
of length between the sheets and the millboards of the books. The
position of the support b can be regulated at discretion according to the
size of the voluines. The clamps can press any required number of
volumes at a time. The clamps are brought together or set apart by
means of two opposite threaded screws y, g, driven by four bevil wheels
h, h, two of which are fixed at the end of the screws g, and the other
two on a shaft h', driven by a fly wheel i, Figures 1 and 7. The part
of the sheets and boards protruding beyond the clamps bear upon a
wooden rule, Figure 2, to prevent the tearing of the leaves.
.
Figure 1 shews the machine disposed for cutting circularly the
longitudinal edges of the sheets, so as to form the concavity in the
front of the books. The knife G is of the form of a portion of a cylinder
of equal radius to that of the concavity of the edge required. The
knife holder H is fixed to a toothed sector I, having the same centre of
rotation as the blade G. The sector I is driven by a pinion J keyed
on an axle j, set in motion by a secoud axle 1; by means of a pair of
toothed wheels the axle / receives motion from a fly wheel K.
Figures 3 and 4 shew details of the mechanism for producing the
motion of the circular knife.
To communicate a to and fro motion to the knife I make use of a
cylindrical block N, having an endless helical groove, in which is
engaged the end of a screw m serving to guide it. The grooved block
N is fixed to the sector I, on which is adjusted the knife holder H by
a setting screw nut which allows the partial rotatory motion of the

page_text: knife holder, and at the same time, when necessary, serves to neutralise
the play that might occur by the contact of two pieces. The axle 7,
giving motion to the sector I, receives a pinion O', which, with the
pinion O, cog with an intermediate wheel P, set in motion by the fly.
wheel K. The to and fro, motion is produced by the block N, on which
the pinion O'is set. The endless groover following the fixed guide m,
allows the grooved block to perform several double journeys during a
single partial revolution of the sector I, thus giving to the knife a to
and fro motion during its rotation.
The volume to be cut is pressed between the clamps B by means of
two rules L, Figures 10 and 11, fixed inside the clamps. A wooden
table Y, over which is set a carriage Z, provided with two straight iron.
rules r', one of which is moveable and parallel to the knife, holds the
backs of the volumes, and serves to determine their various sizes. The
pieces L, Figures 10 and 11, are provided at either end with a brass
die or guide m, which slides freely and follows the motion of the knife
G. To obtain this result the guide m is engaged between two discs n;
Figures 8 and 9, fixed to the knife G, and pressing against a cylindrical
part o, which forms the end of the knife, the diameter of which is in
proportion to the thickness of the volume to be cut. The said
arrangements are shown by Figures 8 and 9, in which Figure 8 is a
transverse section between the discs n, and Figure 9 a front view of
one of the blades.
To cut the edges of one or several volumes, a knife of a corresponding
size is fixed on to the sector I, and the mechanism for setting it in
motion is mounted on a carriage Q, Figure 2, which moves on the
table F, until the brass guides m touch the naveo of the knife G.
The whole mechanism of the circular knife is moveable with respect
to the frame E of the machine, so as to be separated from it when
required to cut flat wise. The mechanism of the circular knife is
supported by the carriage Q, connected by the are 9. The two long
screws S, serve to effect the approaching or receding motion of the
circular knife. The two screws are set in two screw nuts adapted to
the carriage Q, which allow the position of the knife holder to be
regulated by merely turning the screws S. which is effected by means

page_text: of a transmission shaft T, and bevil wheels S. The shatt 1 is provided
with a fly wheel X. The circular knife G may also be set in motion
by means of a screw receiving a progressive motion, and at the same
time a circular motion from the sector I, thus replacing the to and fro
motion by a helical motion. The circular knife consists of a concave
longitudinal iron blade, adjusted permanently on a cast iron holder H
A sharp steel edge G is adapted to the blade, as shown at Figure 1,
Drawing I.
Instead of constructing a complete machine, as herein-before described,
for cutting hollow edges, I could apply the contrivance shown at
Figures 5 and 6 to ordinary presses. This contrivance consists of a
small demi circular blade a, hinged on a kind of sector b, provided with
a moveable gudgeon playing in the right grooved part of a screw nut c,
and which is traversed by a long threaded setting screw'd. This screw
is provided, at both ends, with a handle e, to work it, and is carried on
supports f, forming a kind of frame, which may be moved horizontally
on two fixed rails g. When the apparatus is set in motion, the knife a.
receives a double motion round the axle i, and a rectilinear motion
parallel to the rails and to the concave edge to be produced. The
vertical setting screw h, serves to raise or lower the blade and bring it
to its proper place in respect to the surface to be cut. The rails or
grooves are so disposed as to allow of being set nearer or farther
apart, according to requirement.
The circular motion may be superseded by giving to the blade
a lengthened triangular shape, as shewn at Figures 12 and 13,
Drawing II.
Figure 12 shews the portion of the machine which carries the knife
A. The knife A slides on a guide C, driven by a screw B, or by any
other suitable contrivance. The blade A is either concave or flat,
according to the form of the edges to be cut. The triangular forin of
the cutting part of the blade enables me to dispense with one of the
two motions.
Figure 14 shews a circular toothed knife, adaptable to the mechanism
Figure 12, and which, by means of a rotatory motion, cuts the concave
part of the books. The arrangement of the frame D is similar to that
of the frame before described.

page_text: And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein laid
down, reserving to myself the right of modifying the form of the
mechanical organs, and also of changing the contrivances for putting
the same in motion; but what I claim as my Invention, and intend to
be protected by the said Letters Patent, is,-
First, the construction of a circular knife and mechanical arrange-
ments for cutting the concave edges of books and registers, as herein-
before described and referred to in Figures 1, 3, and 4, Drawing I., and
Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11, Drawing II.
Secondly, the mechanical arrangements for cutting the flat edges of
books, and registers, and paper, as herein-before described and
referred to in Figure 2, Drawing I., and Figure 7, Drawing II.
Thirdly, the peculiar construction and arrangement of knives, as
herein-before described and referred to in Figures 12, 13, and 14,
Drawing II.
Fourthly, the construction of an apparatus applicable to ordinary
book cutting presses for cutting the concave and flat edges, as herein-
before described and referred to in Figures 5 and 6, Drawing I.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Daniel Pfeiffer, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
J. D. PFEIFTER. (L.8.)