IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING TOBACCO INTO CAKES SUITABLE FOR THE PRESS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Harvey and James Samuel Harvey, both of.
Hanover Square, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Tobacco Manufacturers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING TOBACCO INTO
CAKES SUITABLE FOR THE PRESS."
aled the 29th December 1863, and dated the 1st July 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Harvey and James
Samuel Harvey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 1st July 1863.
We, JOHN HARVEY and JAMES SAMUEL HARVEY, both of Hanover Square,
5 Newcastle-on-Tyne, Tobacco Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING TOBACCO INTO
CAKES SUITABLE FOR THE PRESS," to be as follows:-
"
This Invention consists of improved machinery for preparing leaf tobacco
and forming it into cakes previous to being pressed for cutting. We employ
a cast-iron trough or box, divided into spaces suitable to the size of the cakes.
At each division recesses are made in the sides, through which a knife works,
and pieces of hard wood. are placed or inserted at the bottom of the trough to
receive the edge of the knife after it has cut through tobacco. On the
projected ledge of the trough a dovetailed guide is cast, running the entire
length of the trough, on which, the hinge piece or fulcrum of the knife lever
slides from, one, division to another, a small catch being arranged to hold it at
each position for cutting: The knife is bolted to the lever and is worked by a

page_text: long handle, so as to obtain great power. The leaf tobacco being arranged in
the trough with the stalks all lying in one direction lengthwise, the lever is
brought into action successively at each of the divisions, and the tobacco is cut
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Harvey and James Samuel Harvey, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st January 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
IIARVEY and JAMES SAMUEL HARVEY, both of Hanover Square, Newcastle-on-
Tyne, Tobacco Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said John Harvey and James Samuel Harvey, Her special licence that
we, the said John Harvey and James Samuel Harvey, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Harvey and
James Samuel Harvey, our 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING TOBACCO INTO CAKES SUITABLE FOR THE PRESS,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Harvey and
James Samuel Harvey, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
"
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Harvey and James Samuel
Harvey, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention consists of improved machinery for preparing leaf tobacco,
and forming it into cakes previous to being pressed for cutting. We employ

page_text: a cast-iron trough or box, divided into spaces suitable to the size of the cakes..
At each division recesses are made in the sides, through which a knife works,
and pieces of hard wood are placed or inserted at the bottom of the trough to
receive the edge of the knife after it has cut through the tobacco. On the
projected ledge of the trough a dovetailed guide is cast, running the entire
length of the trough, on which the hinge piece or fulcrum of the knife lever
slides from one division to another, a small catch being arranged to hold it at
each. position for cutting. The knife is bolted to the lever and is worked by a
long handle so as to obtain great power. The leaf tobacco being arranged in
the trough, with the stalks all lying in one direction lengthwise, the lever is
brought into action successively at each of the divisions, and the tobacco is cut
clean and fair into cakes of the proper size for the press.
Or the trough may
slide under the knife, hinged on a fixed bracket.
In order to explain our said Invention as completely as possible, we
now proceed to describe the same, with reference to the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, and Fig. 2 is an end view.
A is a trough or box of cast iron, divided into spaces suitable to the size of
the cakes; at each division recesses are made in the sides, through which the
knife works, and pieces of hard wood are inserted in the bottom to receive the
edge of the knife.. On the projected ledge a V-shaped guide B is cast, running
the entire length of the trough, on which the hinge piece of the knife lever
slides from one division to another, a small catch being arranged to hold it at
each position for cutting. The knife c is bolted to the lever, which is worked
by a long handle.
· Figs. 3 and 4 shew another arrangement of the same machine. A is the
trough, as before, but, placed on wheels, on which it moves along the two
rails a, a; the knife is hinged on the fixed bracket B, and may be worked
either by hand or by connecting it with an engine, the trough being moved
along for each cut.
Figs. 5, 6, and 7 shew an end, side, and plan view of a modification of our
Invention. A is the trough or box, on the upper flanges of which the frame B
slides along, carrying the knife C, which is worked down by the screw and
hand-wheel D, through the cake of tobacco to be cut. The side screws E, E,
are for the purpose of binding the tobacco while being cut, and are screwed
down upon
the cake on each side of the knife, thus securing a clean cut, and
preventing the edges of the leaves doubling down under the knife.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we would remark in conclusion, that we

page_text: do not restrict ourselves to the precise details and configuration of parts
herein described and shewn, as the same may obviously be varied or modified
without in any way departing from the principles on which the Invention is
based; but what we claim, and desire to be secured to us by the herein in part
recited Letters Patent, are, the general arrangement and combination of parts
as herein shewn and specified, or any others substantially to all intents and
purposes the same, constituting "Improvements in Machinery for Cutting
Tobacco into Cakes suitable for the Press," according to the title thereof.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Harvey and James Samuel Harvey,
⚫ have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventh day of December,
⚫ in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
ANDREW GUTHRIE,
4, Carlton Street,
Newcastle. Tyne.
JOHN HARVEY.
(L.S.)
JAMES SAMUEL HARVEY. (L.S.)