IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLIPPING SEAL AND OTHER SKINS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lorentz Albert Groth K.G.V Civil Engineer and Managing
Director of the Universal Inventors and Patentees Financial Company
Limited, 30 Finsbury Pavement London E.C. for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLIPPING SEAL AND OTHER SKINS " -communicated.
to him from abroad by Gustav Cimiotti, and Ferdinand F. Cimiotti, both
TT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lorentz Albert Groth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd July 1883.
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH KGV Civil Engineer, and Managing Director of the
Universal Inventors and Patentees Financial Company Limited N° 30 Finsbury
Pavement London E.C. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLIPPING SEAL
AND OTHER SKINS a communication to me from abroad by Gustav Cimiotti
and Ferdinand F Cimiotti both of the City County and State of New York
United States of America
"
This invention has reference to certain improvements in the machine for clipping
seal and other skins for which Letters Patent have been granted to the said
Lorentz Albert Groth, heretofore under date of August 6th 1880 and numbered
3226 which improvements are designed with a view to increase the efficient working
of this machine and to protect in a still greater degree the wool ofo the fur to be
clipped against any accidental injury or cutting arising from the inattention of the
workmen or from irregular skins By means of the improvements the machine is
also adapted to trim those parts of the furs with a shorter wool which parts could
not be clipped by our former machine and which had consequently to be clipped
by hand The invention consists of a knife edged bar over which the fur is
strotched and fed by suitable means of a device for delivering a current of air on
that part of the skin stretched tight over the edge of the bar of oscillating guard
combs having auxiliary guard plates that are arranged above the comb and sot
forward or back thereon so as to retain and protect the shorter wool The invention

page_text: consists further of laterally adjustable edge protectors above the guard plates that
protect the wool at the edges of the skin against injury by the cutting knivos
above the edge protectors
The supporting frame of this improved machine for clipping seal and other skins
carries a fixed knife edged bar that extends transversely across the frame Over
this bar the seal skin or other fur is tightly stretched by means of a roller at one
side of the knife edged bar and a roller at the other side The skin is gradually
unwound from one roller and wound up upon the other it being tightly stretched
over the edge of the bar by a transverse rod secured by spiral springs to the frame
The rollers are intermittently actuated by means of pawls and ratchets or other
suitable mechanisin operated by a treadle whereby the skin is moved forward step
by step over the knife edged bar as will more fully appear-by-reference-to-the-
Letters Patent heretofore referred to. Above the knife edged bar and of the same
width is arranged a bellows or other suitable device for delivering a current of air
upon that part of the skin which is at that moment above the knife edged bar
The air delivering device is provided with a nozzle the narrow discharge orifice
of which is located vertically above the knife edged bar The bellows is actuated
by the alternating action of the treadle which is connected thereto by cords or
rods and of suitable weights attached to cords which are passed over pulleys at
the upper part of the frame This treadle is also connected in suitable intermediate
mechanism with slotted and vertical guided plates which are provided with central
recesses in their upper parts for the knife edged bar
To the lower parts of the guide plates are pivoted the shanks of oscillating
guard combs which are arranged above and symmetrical to the knife edged bar
and pressed outwardly away from the same by a V shaped spring The inclined
outer sides of the shanks of the combs move along antifriction rollers on the side
plates of the frame during the downward motion of the treadle The joint action
of the slotted guide plates and rollers serve to move the combs downwards and
towards each other so that they close over that portion of the skin which is at the
time above the knife edged bar The side plates and rollers are set higher or lower
by means of a wedge shaped key or by any equivalent mechanism so as to secure
the exact position position of the combs on the strip of the skin above the knife
edge.
Immediately above the guard combs are arranged auxiliary guard plates which
are not made of comb shape but of continuous sheet metal These auxiliary
guard plates serve the purpose of protecting those parts of the skin where the wool
is very short and irregular as for instance those portions of the skin at and around
the fore feet, the head portion flanks &c
Tho guard plates are moved towards or away from each other by means of
eccentrics at the upper ends of vertical shafts which are operated by handles at
their lower ends The shafts of the eccentrics turn in suitable bearings of the
frame The eccentrics engage by crank pins longitudinal slots of the guard plates
and thereby move the guard plates The guard plates are further guided by slots
that are arranged at right angles to the longitudinal slots on fixed guide pins of
the frame by which and the eccentric pius the extent of lateral motion of the
guard plate is controlled. These guard plates are supported on the wooden strips
to which the guard combs are secured each being separately operated by the
attendant who turns first the handles of the rear plates and then those of the front
plate The effect of the guard plates is to reduce the length of the combs
projecting beyond the edges of the guard plates so that the projecting portion of
the combs will correspond in size to the shorter length of the wool at those parts of
the fur where the guard plates are to be used the shorter wool cannot therefore
pass through the tines of the combs and is protected against injury by the cutting
knives above the guard plates
The guard plates are retained in this position until those portions of the skin
having shorter hair is clipped They are then returned again into their former
position so as to leave the entire length of the combs free for clipping the

page_text: remaining parts of the skin in the regular manner set forth in the patent
referred to
By the employment of the auxiliary guard plates all those parts of the skin
which heretofore had to be picked by hand can now be finished on the machine
in the same manner as the other parts of the skin having the long wool
Next above the guard plates are arranged laterally adjustable edge plates which
serve for protecting the edges of the skin These edge plates or protectors are
guided in slotted ways in the supporting strip of the front comb and secured
thereto after adjustment by set screws
These edge protectors are extended from the front strip backward over the width
of the skin They serve to keep the edges down so that that part of the wool
which would spring or project through the combs owing to the curling up of tho
edges is covered and prevented from being cut off by the cutting knives which aro
arranged next above the laterally adjustable protectors and operated by the hand
crank so as to clip and cut off the projecting bristles or water hairs
By means of the auxiliary devices described to wit the guard plates for the
retention of the short wool and the laterally adjustable edge protectors the clipping
of the soal or other skin can be accomplished in a more perfect and reliable manner
without the least injury to the fine wool of the skin so that the entire surface of
the skin assumes finally that soft velvety appearance which is the characteristic of
a carefully clipped skin

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Lorentz Albert Groth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th December 1883.
!.
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH K.G.V. Civil Engineer and Managing Director of The
Universal Inventors and Patentees Financial Company Limited, 30, Finsbury
Pavement, London, E.C. “IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES-FOR-CLIPPING-SEAL-
AND OTHER SKINS A communication to me from abroad by Gustav Cimiotti
and Ferdinand F. Cimiotti both of the City County and State of New York
United States of America
23.
This invention has reference to certain improvements in the machine for clipping
seal and other skins for which Letters Patent have been granted to me Lorentz
Albert Groth, heretofore under date of August 6th 1880 and numbered 3226, which
improvements are designed with a view to increase the efficient working of this
machine, and to protect in a still greater degree the wool of the fur to be clipped
against any accidental injury or cutting arising from the inattention of the
workmen, or from irregular skins
By means of the improvements the machine is also adapted to trim those parts
of the furs with a shorter wool which parts could not be clipped by our former
machine, and which had consequently to be clipped by hand.
The invention consists of a knife-edged bar over which the fur is stretched and
fed by suitable means, of a device for delivering a current of air on that part of
the skin stretched tight over the edge of the bar, of oscillating guard-combs having
auxiliary guard-plates that are arranged above the comb and set forward or back
thereon so as to retain and protect the shorter wool. The invention consists
further of laterally adjustable edge-protectors above the guard-plate that protect
the wool at the edges of the skins against injury by the cutting knives above the
edge-protectors, as will be more fully explained hereinafter and finally pointed out
in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings Figs. 1 & 2 represent a vertical transverso
section of our improved machine for clipping seal and other skins shown
respectively before and during the clipping operation. Fig. 3. is a front elevation
partly in section, Fig. 4. is a detail plan of the guard-combs, plates, edge-protectors
and clipping knives, and Fig. 5. are details of one of the auxiliary guard-plates and
its actuating mechanism.
Similar letters of referenco indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawings, A represents the supporting frame of our improved
machine for clipping seal and other skins, and B. is a fixed knife-edged bar that
extends transversely across the frame. Over this bar the seal-skin or other fur is
tightly stretched by means of a roller C. at one side of the knife edged bar and a
roller C¹ at the other side. The skin is gradually unwound from the roller C.
and is wound up upon the roller C, it being tightly stretched over the edge of the
bar B. by a transverse rod i, secured by spiral springs i', and frame A. as shown
clearly in Figs. 1 & 3.
The rollers C. C. are intermittently actuated by means of pawls and ratchets or
other suitable mechanism separated by a treadle E. whereby the skin is moved
forward step by step over the knife edged bar as will more fully appear by
reference to the Letters Patent heretofore referred to.
Above the knife edged bar B. and of the same width as the same, is arranged
a bellows or other suitable device D., for delivering a current of air upon that part
of the skin which is at that moment above the knifo edged bar B.

page_text: The air delivering device D. is provided with a nozzle D¹, the narrow discharge
orifice of which is located vertically above the knife edged bar B.
The bellows D. is operated by the alternating action of the treadlo E. which is
connected thereto by cords or rods and of suitable weights attached to cords d,
which are passed over pulleys at the upper part of the frame A
This treadle E. is also connected in suitable intermediate mechanism with slotted
and vertical guided-plates m., which are provided with central recesses in their
upper parts for the knife edged bar B.
To the lower parts of the guide plates m. are pivoted the shanks n. of oscillating
guard combs F. which are arranged above and symmetrical to the knife edged
bar B. and pressed outwardly away from the same by a V shaped spring n.
The inclined outer sides of the shanks n. of the combs F. move during the
downward motion of the treadle along anti-friction rollers n³ of sido plates n³ of
the frame A., The joint action of the slotted guide plates m and rollers n³ serve
to move the combs F. downward and towards each other so that they close over
that portion of the skin which is at the time above the knife-edged bar.
The slide plates n³ and rollers n² are set higher or lower by means of a wedge
shaped koy n or by any equivalent mechanism so as to secure the exact position
of the combs on the strip of the skin above the knife edge.
Immediately above the guard-combs F are arranged auxiliary guard plates F¹
which are not made of comb shape but of continuous sheet metal.
These auxiliary guard-plates serve for the purpose of protecting those parts of
the skin where the wool is very short and irregular, as for instance those portions
of the skin at and around the fore feet, the head portion, flanks &c.
The guard plates F' are moved towards or away from each other by means of
eccentrics at the upper ends of vertical shafts ¹ which shafts are operated by
handles at their lower ends.
The shafts of the eccentrics a turn in suitable bearings of the frame A. The
eccentrics engage by crank pins³ longitudinal slots of the guard plates F¹
and move thereby the guard plates F. F.
The guard plates F. are further guided by slots that are arranged at right
angles to the longitudinal slots . on fixed guide pins of the frame A. by which
and the eccentric pins the extent of lateral motion of the guard plate F' is
controlled.
The guard plates F¹ are supported on the wooden strips to which the guard
combs F are secured each being separately operated by the attendant who turns
first the handles of the rear plate F¹ and then those of the front plate F¹. The
effect of the guard plates F¹ is to reduce the length of the combs F. projecting
beyond the edges of the guard plates, so that the projecting portion of the combs
will correspond in size to the shorter length of the wool at those parts of the fur
where the guard plates are to be used.
The shorter wool can therefore not pass through the tines of the combs F. and is
protected against injury by the cutting knives G. above guard plates F. The
guard plates F are retained in this position until those portions of the skin having
shorter hair are clipped.
They are then returned again into their former position so as to leave the entire
ength of the combs free for clipping the remaining parts of the skin in the
regular manner set forth in the patent referred to.
By the employment of the auxiliary guard plates F. all those parts of the skin
which heretofore had to be picked by hand can now be finished on the machine in
he same manner as the other parts of the skin having the long wool.
Next above the guard plates F¹ are arranged laterally adjustable edge plates F
which serve for protecting the edges of the skin.
The edge plates or protectors F are guided in slotted ways w. w in the supporting
trip of the front comb F, and secured thereto after adjustment by set screws w². w¹
as shown clearly in Figs. & 4.
These edge protectors F. are extended from the front strip backward over the

page_text: width of the skin. They serve to keep the edges down so that that part of the
wool which would spring or project through the combs, owing to the curling up of
the edges is covered and prevented from being cut off by the cutting knives G.
which are arranged next above the laterally-adjustable protectors and operated by
the hand crank G¹, so as to clip and cut off the projecting bristles or water hairs.
By means of the auxiliary devices described, to wit: the guard plates for the
retention of the short wool and the laterally adjustable edge protectors, the clipping
of the seal or other skin can be accomplished in a more perfect and reliable manner
without the least injury to the fine wool of the skin, so that the entire surface of
the skin assumes finally that soft velvety appearance which is the characteristic of
a carefully clipped skin.
Having thus described our invention we claim as new and desire to secure by
Letters Patent :
1. In a machine for clipping seal and other skins, the combination of a knife.
edged bar, means for stretching and feeding the skin over said bar, a device for
delivering a current of air upon that part of the skin above the edge of the bar,
oscillating guard-combs arranged at both sides of the bar, auxiliary guard plates
arranged above the combs, and means for adjusting the auxiliary guard plates
substantially as and for the purpose set forth
2. In a machine for clipping seal and other skins, the combination of a. knifo
edged bar, means for stretching and feeding the skin over the bar, a device for
delivering a current of air upon that part of the skin above the edge of the bar,
oscillating guard combs, arranged at both sides of the bar, auxiliary guard plates
above the combs and reciprocating clipping knives above the guard plates
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a machine for clipping seal and other skins the oscillating guard combs
provided with auxiliary guard plates arranged above the combs and with means
for setting the guard plates forward or backward, so as to shorten. or lengthen the
projecting portions of the combs, substantially as set forth.
4. In a machine for clipping seal and other skins the combination of a knife
edged bar, means for stretching and feeding the skin over the bar a device for
delivering a current of air on the strip of skin above the knife edge, oscillating
guard combs at both sides of the bar, auxiliary guard plates above the combs,
laterally adjustable edge plates or protectors extending transversely over the guard
combs and guard plates and reciprocating clipping knives arranged above the edge
protectors, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. In a machine for clipping seal and other skins, the combination of the
oscillating guard combs, guard plates arranged above the combs, means for setting
the guard-plates on the combs and laterally adjustable edge protectors which are
guided along the strip of the front comb and extended backward over the guard
plates of both combs, substantially as specified.
In witness whereof I the said Lorentz Albert Groth have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Nineteenth day of December in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three
LOREN
ALDEDT DATE