IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING INDIA-RUBBER
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTOPHER
NICKELS, of York Road, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her
Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West..
minster, the First day of August, in the third year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Christopher
Nickels, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Christopher Nickels, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Christopher Nickels, my, exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed; should and .lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING INDIA-RUBBER;" in which.
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Christopher Nickels,
should cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and.
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said.
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said.
Christopher Nickels, do hereby declare that my improvements in machinery

page_text: for cutting india-rubber, and the manner in which the same is to be per-
formed, are particularly described and ascertained in and by the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and the following description thereof (that is to say):-
Drawing No. 1 is a perspective view of a machine for cutting india-rubber
into sheets, or veneers, or fillets, from the inner surface of a hoop or circle. A 5
is the driving shaft and rigger, which may be turned by any convenient power;
B is an horizontal shaft, with a crank S at one end and a fly wheel G on the
other; there is a band H leading from this shaft to the shaft e, on the end of
which there is a worm or screw, gearing into a screw wheel on the top of the
shaft D.
About the middle of this shaft D there is a worm, as shewn in Figure 1 at
I; there is also a worm at the bottom of this shaft D gearing into a worm or
screw wheel on the shaft E; there is also a worm on this shaft E gearing into
a toothed drum on the shaft F, the top end of which is a screw, working into
and through a nut J in the bed of the machine; the bottom end is turned
straight and smooth, that it may rise or fall through the socket K in the
bottom framework; L is a metal hoop or ring, turned true inside and out; on
the outside there is a fillet standing out from the periphery of the hoop; this
fillet works up or down in the two grooves in the standards M, M, keeping
the hoop in an upright position; the hoop is likewise held in the same position
by a roller in each of the plummer blocks N, N, working against the flat edges
of the circle, while it rests its weight on a globular end above the screw of the
upright shaft F, as is better seen in Figure 2. There is also a toothed rach
(to correspond with the worm on the shaft D, Figure 1,) around and attached
to the back outer edge of the hoop, as at 0, 0, 0; P is a stiff metallic back,
perfectly straight, with feathered edges, working in suitable bearings on plumber
blocks N, N, and is made to reciprocate by the throw crank S and the con-
necting rod R, at about four hundred strokes per minute. The cutter is a
straight piece of thin steel, ground to a fine knife edge), is screwed on to the
reciprocating blade or back P, that it may easily be detached for the purpose
of being sharpened. There is a straight edge T or roller, as U, Figure 2, that
should be made so that it may be adjusted to any thickness of sheet or veneer
required to be cut.
When the machine is in operation, a constant supply of water is required to
the cutting edges of the knife, for which purpose I have water laid on from a
reservoir, and regulate the supply by the tap V, Figure 2.
As the sheet or veneer is cut off, I attach it to the roller W (which is sup-
ported by the arms X, X,) and wind it up. This may be made to wind up
itself by a cord with tightening pulleys from any of the slow-motioned shafts,

page_text: or may be made to move by a cord and weight. Y is the india-rubber to be
cut into sheet, fillets, or veneers, and Z is the india-rubber so cut.
Having now noticed every part of the machine under a different letter, I
will trace the action:-The shaft A drives the shaft B and the reciprocating
cutter from that to the shaft C, from that to shaft D, which by the middle
worm I moves at a very slow speed the grand hoop or ring of metal and
caoutchouc in the direction of the arrow towards the reciprocating knife.
The worm at the bottom of this shaft D turns the shaft E, and from thence
the screw or upright rising shaft F, which shaft by different size gear may be
made to rise quicker or slower, to give the proper supply of india-rubber to
the edge of the knife wherever the guage T or U may be set.
For the preparation of the india rubber, I will refer to my former Patent,
dated October the Twenty-fourth, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six,
and add, that I press the india-rubber into oblong forms, suitable for my purpose
(but I do not confine myself to cutting that particular sort of caoutchouc, for,
should it be made in its native state or by any other means in proper shape or
form, it is obvious it may be cut in like manner). I then cut off each end
square or thereabouts, and join them together by warming them against a
steam or other sufficient heat for a minute or two (which brings out its adbe-
sive properties), and then by pressing them against each other; when long
enough I curl it round a drum, bringing the two ends together, joining them
in the same manner, which makes the ring or hoop of caoutchouc Y. This
ought to be made rather larger than the inside of the hoop L, that it may be
forced in tight, and to make it fast in the hoop L, I cement it to the inside
thereof.
I would remark that I do not confine myself to the precise means shewn
for combining the parts of the machine, but what I claim as the first part of
my Invention is, the mode of cutting sheets of india-rubber from the internal
towards the external surface.
Drawing No. 2 is a perspective view of a machine for cutting long strips or
fillets and squares for rubbing out lines and other purposes. A is the frame-
work of the machine with a groove or railway on the upper edges; B is a
moving bed or table to slide on the railway; C, C, C, are two shafts driven by
any convenient power, working in suitable bearings, with circular knives or
cutters d, d, d, placed at proper distances from each other by means of brass
washers or collars E, which are made thin, that by putting a number of them
together the cutters may be fixed at any distance apart from each other. The
bed or table B is clothed with a thickness of india-rubber (or other flexible
substance), about three-eighths thick, that when it passes under the cutters,.

page_text: their edges will cut into it about one-eighth of an inch. Figure 1 is a front
view of the shaft c, cutters d, and collars E, screwed up fast together;
Figure 2 is a cover to lay over the knives to keep the water from splashing
about; Figure 3 is a tube or pipe to lay under the cover and over the knives,
perforated to supply each knife with water. The machine being in action, I
lay the slabs of indian-rubber (which have been previously cut or prepared by
any of the well-known means to the right thickness) upon the bed B, and then
move the whole through the first set of cutters, which cuts it into slips; I
then pass it through the next set of cutters, which divides it into square or
oblong pieces. The bed is then drawn back, to its.starting place or carried
round, as in the ground plan, Figure 4, for a fresh supply; Figure 6 is a
section; where the rubber may be drawn through without the bed, or cutters
travelling.
What I claim as the second part of my Invention is, the mode of dividing
flat surfaces of india-rubber by means of rotatory cutters on flat tables, as above
described.
Drawing No. 3 is a perspective view of a machine for cutting india-rubber
into tapes or ribbons. A is the framework; B is a shaft with flanges holding
a circular cutter, driven by any convenient power; there is a band C from
this shaft to the rigger on the shaft D, which has a worm at the further end
gearing into a cog wheel on the shaft E, on the front end of which there is a
grooved rigger F carrying a band or cord down to the hollow shaft G. This
hollow shaft G has a bearing at each end, which bearings can be adjusted
nearer to or further from the edge of the cutter on the shaft B; at one
end of the hollow shaft there is a square socket one inch through, which
receives the end of the square part of the screw shaft H; this shaft has
a screw one-third its length working in a nut J, which moves also nearer or
further from the cutter, corresponding with the hollow shaft G; there is a
round part in the middle of the square shaft H at H³ of an inch long; K is
a cylinder with a square socket through it to fit on to the square shaft H,
with a screw at K¹ to fasten it on to the shaft H; this cylinder is clothed
with a thickness of india rubber for the circular knife to cut into or against;
L is a roller revolving on a centre, at each end receiving motion by a cord
from the hollow cylinder G; M is a tank to receive the water, and also the
ribbons or tapes as they are cut; N is the reservoir of water with the pipe and
cock leading to the knife to keep it constantly wet. Figure 1 is a section of
the hollow cylinder G; Figure 2 the plan of screw shaft H; Figure 3 the
plan of the cylinder K; Figure 4 the plan of the cylinder of caoutchouc
joined up from an oblong-slab, such as is shown at Figure 5.

page_text: I will now trace this machine through its operation. I take a slab of india-
rubber, either ground and pressed or in its native state, and join it up into a
ring or hoop, as before described; I then stretch it on to the cylinder K, and
then fasten the cylinder on to the screw shaft H, placing that shaft in the
square socket in the hollow cylinder G, and also into the screw nut J. The
water must then be turned on and the machine set in motion, when, after the
first revolution or more, I take the end of the ribbon and lay it over the draw-
ing roller L, which gradually draws the ribbon from the cylinder as fast as it
is cut, and the india-rubber falls into the water tank M below, and so soon as
the cylindrical part of the axis H comes into the square socket G, the axis H
will no longer be turned with the socket G.
What I claim as the third part of my Invention is, the mode of employing
india-rubber as a surface on which other india-rubber is cut, by which the knife
will be preserved longer and the cutting performed more advantageously.
And I do also claim the mode of applying the roller L for carrying off the
india-rubber fillets, and further, the mode of driving by means of a hollow
socket G the axis H, having a circular neck or other proper contrivance
formed thereon, which coming into socket G, the axis H will no longer be
turned.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Nickels, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty.
CHRISTOPHER (L.s.) NICKELS.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of January, in
the year of our Lord 1840, the aforesaid Christopher Nickels came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the First day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty.