Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1899

page_text: which the tubular luged pillar is used, the lever is made to oscillate in a plane
which is invariably fixed, and the tension is applied by means of an auxiliary lever
mounted in the fore end of the main lever and capable of pivotal motion in &
vertical plane relatively thereto canting fore-and-aft, for the purpose of pressing
on the cutter more or less without altering the vertical position of the main lever
relatively to the comb face.
In the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a tension adjusting
fork 6 is provided which is capable of settling itself as between the cutter and
the lever for the purpose of equalising tension transversely on the two outer
knives of the cutter 7. In consequence of the unequal grinding of the cutter it
is necessary to provide means for equalising pressure over all parts of the same.
It is not novel to provide for this purpose a fork capable of partial rotation on a
centre radial, to the axis of oscillation of the main fever; but the particular and
advantageous construction of parts in my present invention by which this result
is obtained is novel.
;
The axis of the hollow overhung pin 8 on which the square sleeve is mounted is
radial to the axis of oscillation of the main lever; this hollow spindle is set
eccentrically on the disc 11 in which the driving spindle 12 terminates,
and by the rotation of the said disc conveys motion to the lever.
The sleeve 9 works neatly between jaws 13 on the back end of the
lever and converts the conical circular motion of its pin 8 into plane
reciprocating motion. The middle part (14) of the lever is semi-tubular
forming a hub and is fitted to work on the tubular pillar. The rear half of its
upper portion is cut away to provide clearance for setting and working it on the said
pillar the foot of its bored central parts 14 is provided with a hardened plate 15 on
the centre of which the footstep point 16 of the tension pin 17 bears. When the
thumb-nut 18 is rotated, the point 16 rises or falls and applies or relieves pressure
on the lever. It is important that the thumb-nut should not vary its vertical
position relatively to the casing of the machine, and it is also desirable that whilst
the centre bearing on which the oscillation of the lever takes place should be of
liberal length, the height of the machine should not be unduly in-
creased. A uniform shape of casing convenient for handling facilitates
work with the machine. The pin 17 is screwed at its lower part 19 to work in
the tapped part 4, of the pillar 3, and is provided with a feather pin 20 to work
in the vertical slot 21 in the sleeve 22 of the thumb-nut 18, see Fig. 15; the top of
the pin is formed with a cap 23, between which and the internal shoulder 24 of
the sleeve 22 a spiral spring 25 in compression is set. 26 is a pin whose point is
adapted to engage in the serrated top of the tubular pillar. The tubular pillar
footstep bearing construction has many advantages. Bearings of liberal area are
obtained by forming the lever with a hub centre which encases the pillar, whilst
the upward thrust due to the reaction of the tension is taken on a frictionless
point at the centre of oscillation. The hub lever is not broadly novel, but the
adaptation of a design in which that principle is used, to combine therewith tension
mechanism operating by sliding the lever hub along the tension pillar vertically
and a rocking fork for equalising tension on the cutters is novel.
The rear wing of the lever is bored (27) to obtain lightness whilst preserving
rigidity, and the boring is extended through the lug 28 which makes a seating
for the rounded rear end of the fork 6. The end of the forward wing 19* of the
lever terminates in a hemispherical part 29 which is cored out (30) for lightness;
this hemispherical piece 29 fits into a cup 31 on the back of the fork.
The rear part of the upper end of the tubular pillar 3, is supported by a pillow
piece 32 on the upper part of the case, and its rigidity is thereby ensured.
The design of the case is such that it is well adapted for handling. The
shank 33 is little more than an inch in width and forms an oil bath for the shaft 12,
and the girth increases gradually towards the cutter, contracting somewhat rearward
of the pillar 3 to make a good hand grip. 34 is an oil cutter; 35 is a loose pin
inserted to prevent the fork from falling out of place when the thumb-nut is eased

page_text: back or the cutter withdrawn. The interior of the tubular pillar forms an oil
reservoir from which all parts of the centre bearing are oil fed.
There is a maximum of simplicity in the design and a minimum number of parts.
When the machine is taken adrift, there are only five removable parts, exclusive of
the comb and cutter, viz., the square thimble 9, the lever 14, the fork 6, the
tubular pillar 3, and the tension pin 17. The pin 17, its thumb-nut 18 and
spring 25 are not adapted to be taken apart except in the work-shop.
The mode of operation of the machine is as follows:-
Cutting is performed as is usual by the reciprocation of the cutter over the comb,
said reciprocation being performed by the lever which converts the rotary motion
of the shaft into reciprocating motion.
The conical pendular motion of the square sleeved crank pin is not novel.
The necessary pressure on the cutter, usually termed "tension" is obtained by
screwing round the thumb-nut 18; this movement does not alter the height of the
nut relatively to the casing, but it does alter the vertical position of the pin 17 in
the tubular pillar 3 by screwing it up or down in the tapped collar 4 in the
lower end of the said pillar. The rotation of the nut 18 and its sleeve 22 is
communicated to the pin 17 by the feather 20 which works in the vertical slot 21 in
the sleeve 22.
The screwing down of the pin 17 causes the point 16 to bear upon the washer 15
and press the lever down to a lower plane and support it there inflexibly; the
lever is free to fall lower when the depth at the cutter is reduced, but it cannot rise
until the thumb-nut 18 is eased back. The distribution on the three tines of the
cutter of the tensional pressure thus applied to the lever is effected by the fork 6
whose fingers are constructed in the usual way and provided with dowels; the
middle finger is formed of a flat spring. The rear end of the shank of this
fork rests in the seating 28, and its forward part presses up against the hemi-
spherical end 29 of the lever.
The machine is taken adrift readily, and almost as quickly set up again by a
reverse action, by screwing out the tension pin 17 and removing the closure plate 1
and the comb and cutter, and taking out the two pins by which the wings ō of the
tubular pillar are fastened to their seating 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1, In a shearing machine, the combination of an oscillating lever having its
bearing upon and capable of vertical adjustment along a fixed tubular pillar by
means of a "tension screw" acting as a footstep bearing and a fork for distributing
the tension equally between the outer knives of the cutter, substantially as
described.
2, In a shearing machine, a tubular bearing for the oscillating lever, and,
working in a tapped collar within such bearing, a pin whose point bears on the
lever to apply pressure thereto and to control its vertical position relatively to the
plane of the comb face, substantially as described.
3, In a shearing machine, a footstep bearing the pin of which works within a
tubular bearing, a sleeve ou a thumb-nut and a feather for conveying the rotation of
the nut to the screwed stem of the bearing point without varying the vertical
position of the thumb-nut relatively to the casing, substantially as described.
4, In a shearing machine, a footstep bearing the pin whereof works within a
tubular pillar bearing, a sleeve and a thumb-nut having a notch pin adapted to
engage with the serrated top edge of said tubular bearing, a feather for conveying
the rotation of the nut to the screwed pin which terminates in the bearing point
without varying the vertical position of the thumb-nut relatively to the casing,
and a spring for holding down the thumb-nut, substantially as described.
6. In a shearing machine having a lever capable of vertical adjustment to
oscillate in planes parallel with the comb face, the combination with such lever, of a

page_text: forked lever for distributing pressure on the cutter, of which forked lever the
rear end is mounted in a seating 28 on the lever, and the forward part on a spherical
seating 29 on the forward end of the lever, substantially as described.
6, In a shearing machine, the combination of the tubular bearing 3 mounted on
luga 5, supported by a pillar 32, and fitted with a footstep pin 17 adjustable as to
the vertical position by means of a thumb-nut 18, substantially as described.
7, In a shearing machine, the, combination of the tubular bearing 3, screwed
stem 17, point 16, feather 20, thumb-nut 18, sleeve 22, and spring 25, substantially
us described.
8. In a shearing machine the combination of main oscillating lever with foot
bearing 15, fork 6, point 16 mm screwed stem 17, thumb-nut 18 with feathered
sleeve 22 for varying the vertical position of said point 16 and with it the plane. of
oscillation of said lever, substantially as described.
Dated this 11th day of January One thousand eight hundred and ninety nine