Improvements in Machines for Cutting "Top" Notches and Runners for Umbrella Furniture.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 15th Feb. 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Cutting "Top" Notches and Runners
for Umbrella Furniture.
We ALFRED CECIL WRIGHT, JAMES LESLIE WRIGHT, both of Bradford Street
Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Umbrella furniture manufacturers, trading as
"Wright and Harrington," and RICHARD BUDD of Gladstone Road Sparkbrook
Birmingham, Umbrella furniture 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 :-
Our Invention relates to the manner in which we construct & arrange a machine
for cutting the rib grooves recesses or serrations in "top" notches and runners for
umbrella furniture; whereby the notches are cut right through the rim or flange for
permitting the ribs of the umbrella to lie nearer to the handle.
The system at present in use for effecting this purpose are costly, uncertain in their
action and are liable to cause the grooves, serrations or recesses to be cut unevenly or
at irregular distances in the notch or runner, being operated and held by hand at the
position which is suitable for the cutting of each recess or groove.
By the improvements we now introduce into the machine we are enabled to cut the
notches or runners regularly & to dispense with skilled labour, by causing the action
of the machine to be automatic and reliable.
In carrying our invention into effect we construct a machine having a spindle upon
which we mount a circular saw or cutter, to be driven by means of gearing or a belt &
running upon a pulley keyed or screwed to the cutter or saw spindle in any usual
manner, which spindle revolves in fixed bearings formed upon or attached to the frame
of our improved machine.
Upon the frame of the machine we form or attach a slide carrying a vertical
mandril, which is free to rise up and down within its bearing or sleeve, the amount of
the descent being regulated by means of a nut and screw formed upon its upper end.
This mandril serves to form a centre or support for the runner or notch which is to
have a number of serrations or recesses around its edge cut by the saw. The exact
number of grooves or serrations to be cut is determined by means of a ratchet & pall,
the ratchet being fixed upon the upper part of the mandril, & the pall upon a fixed
part of the frame in such a manner that when the slide moves forward carrying with
it the notch or runner to be cut, then the ratchet moves the required distance round
through the action of the pall in its fixed position.
In order that our Invention & the manner of performing the same may be readily
understood we append hereunto three sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter
referred to.
Fig. 1. is a front elevation of our improved machine.
Fig. 2. is a plan of the same.
Fig. 3. is a detail elevation shown full size, of the mandril and part of the frame,
indicating also the notch in position.
Fig. 4. is a plan of this enlarged detail.
Fig. 5. is a detailed and separate plan of the notch or runner in position.
Fig. 6. is an end elevation of the machine shewing the slide in section.
A. A. is the frame of the machine carrying slide supports a. a. into which slide B
works freely, C is a handle for moving the slide backwards and forwards; D is a
mandril or central vertical spindle for carrying the notch or runner to be cut by means
of the saw or cutter E.
The saw or cutter shaft e revolving in bearings F¹ F¹¹.
G is a pulley for driving the saw.
H. Hare stops for preventing the slide going too far in and out I is a rotabot

page_text: keep the pall in contact with the teeth. L is a forked lever for raising or lowering
the central vertical spindle or mandril D ; M is a standard having a screwed pillar
for carrying the saw sling yoke F. which is secured to the frame of the machine
by bolts or pins f. The sling or yoke F is free to be raised or lowered by means
of the screwed nuts upon the standard pillar M. N is a guide which also carries
the pall K. O is a spring locking catch which prevents the ratchet from slipping
round. P is a throwing off fork secured to B which forces the notches or runners
off the spindle end d when the spindle D is raised after the holes have been cut
in the edges.
R is a flanged collar for receiving the ends of the fork L so that
the spindle I can be raised or lowered readily. "d" is a spring upon the
spindle top end for keeping it down in its working position, the spring being
compressed when the spindle is raised by reason of the fixed bracket or plate
arm T. S is a centreing or guide plate fixed to the slide B for ensuring that
the socket or runner shall always be placed in correct position for receiving the
end d of the spindle, & U is a finger guard plate. The action of the
machine is as follows. A notch or runner is placed within the centreing plate S
and the spindle D brought down by means of the lever L being released so that
the spring d may force the end d into the interior of the notch or runner.
handle C is moved so that the slide B advances and the saw E cuts a groove or
recess within and right through the rim or bottom of the notch or runner, the
stop H preventing the slide going beyond the required distance; the handle
then withdrawn & as the slide B moves backward the pall K being stationary
upon the guide N, causes the ratchet I to revolve slightly; the exact distance
then moved being the gauge for the divisions to be cut within the notch or runner.
This distance is subdivided so that the ratchet contains double the number of
teeth that there are divisions required. When the operation of cutting the required
divisions is completed we then withdraw the slide to an extent sufficient to move
the ratchet one tooth only, in order to put a finishing off groove between the
other grooves, which extra groove is employed for receiving the ends of the wire
when securing the ribs.
The
is
The length of the stroke can be adjusted to any extent by the stops H. and
any number of grooves can be cut by altering the teeth upon the ratchet.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of our said
Invention & in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we
claim is
1st. The construction of a notch or runner cutting machine having the ratchet
controlling gear above the saw or cutter for the purpose of cutting notches or
runners right through their necks or rims-substantially as hereinbefore described
& illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
2nd. The combination & arrangement of parts such as the slide B having a
vertical spindle D with the saw or cutter free to pass underneath the spindle
end d which carries the notch or runners for the purposes hereinbefore described
and as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1880
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for Applicants.