IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHI- NERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING PAPER AND SIMILAR MATERIALS
Year: 1853

page_text: the 24th June 1853.-A communication.
(Void by reason of notice to proceed not having been given within the
time prescribed by the Act.)
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHI-
NERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING PAPER AND SIMILAR MATERIALS," being a
communication from Monsieur Pfeiffer, a foreigner, resident abroad, to
be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction of machinery for
cutting the edges of the leaves of books, and for giving the grooved or
curved cut to the front of the leaves. In order to give the plain cut to
the sheets of paper or leaves of the book to be bound they are arranged

page_text: in the following manner :-Several volumes are placed one on the other
with the loose backs in their proper places in the pile. The opposite
edge of the sheets or leaves and backs to that about to be cut is placed
in contact with a guage attached to the supporting table. This guage is
fitted on its face with horizontal strips of wood or metal, which project
from its face a certain distance corresponding to the required overlap
of the backs of the book beyond the leaves. The backs are for this
purpose placed between the strips, and the leaves against the face of
the strips, therefore the one will overlap or overhang the other. The
mass thus arranged is now pressed together by tightening screws in a
suitable frame, and the cut is formed by a knife which traverses
obliquely, being actuated by a screw set at an angle with the cutting
edge, which may or may not be horizontal. Having thus cut succes-
sively the two plain edges of the books, the third or front edge remains
to be cut, which must be done by a circular cnt, to give the required
grooved or channeled appearance to the front of the book when closed.
For this purpose a circular or curved knife in the same machine is
brought into action. The form of this knife is somewhat that of a
crescent, the circumference of its outer edge corresponding exactly with
the curve of the cut to be given to the leaves. This knife has a partial
rotatory movement given to it by a segmental rack actuated by a
pinion. The rack forms a portion of the knife holder, and the knife is
fitted in line with its centre of oscillation or vibration, thus a partial
rotatory movement is transmitted to the knife, which rocks or vibrates
always in the axial line of the centre of the curve forming the blade.
The leaves to be grooved are held between suitable pressing surfaces,
and the knife brought up to them, the frame carrying this portion of
the cutting mechanism being moved on suitable guide rails. During
the curvilinear cut of the knife a rectilinear movement is also given to
it in the direction of its axis by means of a traversing screw, producing
a species of helical cut by the two combined movements of the cutter.
Suitable guages are employed to regulate of course the depth of cut,
and to prevent the edge of the knife from being injured by coming in
contact with the edge of the pressing plate or beams which hold the

page_text: leaves. These two cutters may of course be made in two separate
machines, if necessary, but it will frequently be found desirable to
unite the two in one combined machine.