CERTAIN. IMPROVEMENTS HAVING REFERENCE TO SHIRT COLTARS AND MECHANISM FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Knowles Snow, of the County of Mid-
dlesex, and State of Massachusetts, of the United States of America,
for the Invention of CERTAIN. IMPROVEMENTS HAVING REFERENCE TO SHIRT
COLTARS AND MECHANISM FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Knowles Snow at
the Office of the Commissiouers of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 29th November 1865, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852...
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, BE IT
KNOWN, that I; GEORGE KNOWLES SNOW, of the County of Middlesex,
and State of Massachusetts, of the. United States of America, have made
a new and useful. Invention of CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS HAVING REFERENCE TO
SHIRT COLLARS, AND MECHANISM FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME," and I do
hereby declare the nature of such Invention, and the manner in which it
is to be performed; to be herein fully set forth, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, the several Sheets of which are duly numbered,
and the Figures thereof duly referred to and described.
The nature of the first part of my Invention consists in a paper shirt
collar made with imitations of stitching on each side of its two sides or
surfaces, and close to one or more edges thereof.

page_text: Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents this feature or part
of my Invention. It has been customary to make paper collars with the
imitation of stitching sunk or indented on one side only of each, in which
case the indentations of each side would often, if not always, appear on
the opposite side of the collar in relief, or by corresponding extensions or
projections therefrom. On account of their not being imitations of stitch-
ing these extensions are. objectionable to the reversal of the fold of the
collar in manner so as to enable the collar to be worn wrong side
outward after its right or other side might have become soiled. To
obviate this objection to s reversing the collar, I have been led to the
construction of a collar with one or more rows of indentations in each of
its two opposite sides, such rows being imitations of rows of stitching, and
having no corresponding extensions or projections of the paper from that
side of the collar which may be opposite to that in which the indentations
may be made. With my improved collar the folding part may be turned
down on either side of the collar to make the said folding part of the
collar to be woru either side outward, and have each side present the
appearance of being stitched, as each side will have one or more rows of
indentations along and near to its edge, and these indentations will have
no projections of the paper corresponding to them.
In the Drawings, a represents the folding part of the collar, and b is
the part on which the said portion a is to be folded, the line of the fold
being shown at ff. The rows of indentations to imitate stitching are
exhibited at c, c. This part of my Invention applies as well to folding
wristbands made of paper as to collars, the one being to be worn around
the wrist and the other being adapted for being worn around the neck of
an individual, their difference being that of form only. In other respects
they are to be considered identical.
I claim my improved manufacture of paper collar, that is, one having
in each of its two opposite sides indentations in imitation of stitching, the
whole being substantially as and for the purpose specified.
The next portion or portions of my improvements consist in certain
improved or adjustable dies or cutters for forming or stamping out shirt
collars from a sheet of paper or other suitable material or composition of
materials, the same being represented in the Drawings of Sheet 2, of
which Figure 1 is a top view, Figure 2 a bottom view, Figure 3 a side
elevation, Figure 4 a horizontal section, Figure 5 a transverse section,
and Figure 6 a longitudinal section of the said adjustable dies or cutters.
The nature of this part of my Invention consists, first, in the combina-

page_text: tion of adjustable end cutters with either one or two side cutters, as
herein-after described.
Second, in the combination of adjustable. button-hole cutters and end
cutters with either one or two side cutters, as herein-after explained..
Third, in the combination of the adjustable end and button hole cutters
with one or two side cutters and a middle button-hole cutter stationary
relatively to the side cutter, to which it may be connected, the whole
being substantially as herein-after described.
In the said Drawings of Sheet 2. A and B are two side cutters, and
C, C, are two adjustable end cutters, the latter being arranged between
the side cutters in manner as represented in such Drawings; each of the
said cutters has a sharp lower edge. The two end cutters C, C, are
secured to the two side cutters A, B, by clamp screws a, a, which go
through slots b, b, formed longitudinally in each of the side cutters, the
same being so as to enable the end cutters to be moved either nearer to
or further from one another, and fixed in position in order to adapt the
side and end cutters to the formation of shirt collars of different lengths or
sizes as occasion may require, such collars being formed fron a sheet of
paper by the pressure of the cutters thereon and through it. There is
attached to the middle of the cutter A a button-hole cutter E, which is a
tube having a sharp cutting edge at its lower end. There is also attached
to each of the adjustable edge cutters another such button-hole cutter F,
the arrangement of which, as well as that of the cutter E, being as repre-
sented in the rawings. The cutter E, while a collar is in the act of
being stamped from a sheet of paper or other material or composition of
materials, will form in such collar the middle button-hole, the two cutters
F, F, at the same time forming the two end button-holes in such collar.
As the said cutters F, F, are attached to the end cutters they become
adjustable with them, and always bear the same positions relatively to
them. The cutters combined as described are to be used in a collar
stamping press of the ordinary construction. Sometimes in stamping
collars from paper but one of the side cutters will be necessary with the
two end cutters.
What I claim as my Invention, as represented in the said Drawings of
Sheet 2, is as follows:-
I claim the combination of the adjustable end cutters C, C, with either.
one or two side cutters, as described.
Also the combination of the adjustable button-hole cutters and end
cutters with either one or two side cutters.

page_text: Also the combination of the adjustable end and button-hole cutters
with one or two side cutters and a middle button-hole cutter stationary
relatively to the side cutter, to which it may be connected, the whole
being substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
The next portion of my improvements is a machine for manufacturing
shirt collars from a sheet of paper or other material or composition of
materials, the same being described as follows, and represented in the
accompanying Drawings, marked Sheets 3, 4, 5, & 6, of which Figure 1
is a top view, Figures 2 and 3 are end elevations, Figures 4 and 5 front
and rear elevations, and Figure 6 a central vertical and longitudinal section
of it; Figure 7 is a vertical section taken transversly of the machine and
through the stamping platen, its cutters and dies, and the mechanism for
operating such platen; Figure 8 is an under side view of the platen and its
cutting and embossing dies; Figure 9 is a top view of the bed and its
embossing and cutting dies; Figure 10 is a longitudinal section taken
through the mechanism for discharging a collar from the machine after
such collar may have been folded by it. The automatic machine herein-
after described is not only intended to manufacture or stamp shirt collars
from a continuous sheet of paper, but to emboss each collar on both of its
opposite sides in imitation of stitching, and finally fold over a portion of
the collar on the rest of it, and curve and discharge such collar from the
machine.
The nature of such of my Invention as is comprised in the said machine
will be defined in the claims herein-after presented and having reference to
such machine.
In the Drawings, A denotes the frame of the machine, a driving shaft B
being located within and across the lower part of such frame. At the rear
part of the frame is a pair of feed rollers (B1, (,) on the shaft of the lower
one of which a pinion a is fixed; the said pinion engages with a gear (6)
which is arranged on a stationary shaft (c), and has a ratchet d fastened
to its side. An impelling pawl (e), carried by the shorter arm of a bent
lever (f), is jointed to a connecting rod f, which at its lower end receives
a crank pin (g) projecting from a slider (), which is arranged within a
groove (i) made radially in the side of a drum or pulley (k). An adjusting
screw, properly applied to the pulley and slider, serves to move the slider
either toward or away from the axis of the pulley, and to hold it in any
position within the groove and relatively to such axis. The object of the
slider and its adjusting screw so applied to the pulley and its crank pin is
to enable the movement of the feed rollers to be regulated as may be

page_text: required, as the collars to be cut may vary in width from time to time.
The drum () is fixed on the driving shaft and is revolved with aud by it,
and in so doing it will impart a reciprocating movement to the lever and
pawl, whereby by the action of the pawl on the ratchet the feed rollers
will have a corresponding intermittent rotary motion imparted to thein.
In advance of the feed rollers are a bed D) and a platen E, the bed being
stationary and the platen being inovable vertically over it within the frame
of the machine. The vertical movements of the platen are effected by
meins of bell cranks (m, m,) (on the driving shaft), and connecting rods
(", n,) extending from such cranks to and so as to turn on journals (o, o,)
projecting from the ends of the. platen. The said platen at or near each
of its ends is arranged between two guides (p, p.) by which it is guided in
its vertical movements. There are applied to the platen, and so as to pro-
ject from its lower surface, two adjustable male dies 4, 7, for forming the
ends of a collar, each of such dies being conjoined with one of two male
dies r,, or punches for the formation of button-holes near the ends of the
collar. The blocks 2' 7', from which the dies q. 2: project, are arranged in
slots s, s, formed lengthwise in the platen and so as to enable the dies to
be adjusted nearer to or farther from a middle button-hole male dier,
which projects from a block, which may be so applied to the platen as
to be capable of being adjusted in position transversely of it. Each die
block has a clamp screw t, which by acting on a button
the block in place. An embossing die and a male serving die ware
also applied to the platen and arranged as shown in the Drawings. Female
die blocks q, q2, 3, formed with openings to match the dies q, q, r, r, and 1,
are applied to the upper surface of the bed D, and are provided with
adjustments by which they can be properly arranged in place to co-operate
with their respective male dies, such adjustinents being shown at a, a, and
y. y. in Figure 9. There is also another embossing die which is shown
at vas affixed to the bed and arranged directly underneath the first
embossing die v, the object of such embossing dies being to imprint or
emboss on opposite sides of each collar and near its edges either imitation.
of stitches or other ornamental devices. In front of the lower embossing
die is an open slot or space w¹, into which the severing die or knife w
works in order to separate each collar from the strip of paper after the
formation of the ends of such collar. It should be observed that the two
edges of the severing die w need not be parallel, but may be curved or
formed so as to give the requisite form both to the bottom edge of one
collar and the top edge of the next one in the sheet of paper, in which
serves to clamp

page_text: case the form of the slot or female die w¹ should be varied accordingly.
Instead of the slot w¹ to operate with the cutter or die w, a single cutting
edge may be employed with the die w, in which case the cut through the
sheet of paper whereby a collar would be severed from it would give the
requisite form both to the upper edge of one collar and the lower edge
of the next adjacent collar, in which case there would be no waste of stock
such as would be cut from the sheet by the action of the die w in the
slot, the part forced into the slot being driven down through and out of it
by the successive pieces of paper forced into it by the die w. In advance
of the bed 1) is an inclined plane or table F, which has a slot z formed
through it transversely of the muchine. With this table and its slot a
folding blade G operates, that is to say, the blade moves into and out of
the slot. This blade is fastened to a bar or carrier H, from each end of
which a rod a extends to and is jointed to the lower end of one of two
levers I, I. Each of the said levers is so jointed or connected with the
next adjacent connecting rod » of the platen as to be moved thereby
during its motions, the movement of the said levers 1, I, being such as to
produce the requisite movements of the folding blade. In front of the
slot of the table F there are three adjustable stops b, c, c', which are
arranged on the table in manner as shown in the Drawings, and are
provided with adjustments by which their positions may be changed, and
they may be clamped to the table in manner as circumstances may require.
With these stops and in rear of the slot two adjustable guides d', d, are
employed, they being arranged on the table and for the purpose of properly
directing a collar between the stops c¹, c', while such collar may be falling
down the chute or inclined table F. There are also springs or top
guides e¹, e¹, extending from the platen down over the table F, this being
to prevent the collar from falling or being blown off the table. The stop b¹
is an abutment for the lower edge of the collar to rest against. Adjustable
stops f, f, may project down from the front edge of the platen and be
used for the purpose of arresting the sheet of paper or determining its
position when fed into the machine by hand without the use of feed rollers.
There is an endless belt K arranged below the slot of the table in manner
as shown in the Drawings, such belt having below it a shelf L, on which
the collar rests when against the belt. The said belt works around two
carrying rollers a4, 64, arranged as shown in Figure 10, one of such rollers
being shown in Figure 3. A presser roller c, arranged with the endless
belt K and its carrying roller a4 in manner as shown in Figure 10, receives
rotary motion from an endless band d, which works around a pulley e

page_text: fixed on the driving shaft, and also goes around another pulley f fixed on
the shaft of the roller c4. By means of the endless belt K each collar
after having been folded will be driven lenghthwise out of the machine, and
in passing between such belt and the presser roller c the collar will be
curved lengthwise by the action of the said roller, the belt, and its next
adjacent carrying roller, the curve imparted to the collar being to enable
it to readily fit around the neck of a person.
The operation of my improved machine in manufacturing a shirt collar
from a continuous sheet of paper or other suitable material may be thus
described. The paper is to be introduced between the two feed rollers,
by which it will be moved forward between the dies of the platen and
bed until the front edge of it may have advanced far enough for the end
cutting dies q, q, and the button-hole making dies to operate upon it.
Next these dies will be put in operation so as to cut away portions of the
sheet or strip and leave it with the proper form for the ends of a collar
with button-holes cut near to each end and also one in the middle of the
collar. Next the plateu will be raised upward, and while being so
elevated the feed rollers will advance the paper a certain distance, that is,
so that the collar partly formed shall be moved into a proper position for
the embossing dies to act upon it. After the collar has reached its place
between the embossing dies the platen descends, and the collar will be
embossed on its two opposite sides or surfaces. Next a further movement
of the sheet takes place far enough to carry the collar into a proper position
for the severing dies to cut it from the sheet, the platen descending after
each movement of the sheet, by which the collar is advanced. Every
downward movement of the platen causes the end portions of one collar
to be formed, the collar in advance to be embossed, and the collar pre-
viously embossed to be cut or severed from the sheet. As the collar so
made is further advanced it will be received upon and will fall down the
inclined plane or table and against the stop 6 or the stops el el, or all
three of such stops, after which the folding knife will descend upon the
collar and fold it, and press it through the slot of the table and deposit it
upon the discharging belt and its shelf. After this the belt will revolve
and force the collar between the curving rollers and out of the machine.
My machine with proper modifications of form of its dies will answer to
manufacture and embossed wristbands or various other articles which may
be made from a sheet of paper or other material.
I claim an automatic combination consisting not only of mechanism
for feeding a sheet along with an intermittent motion and machinery for
:

page_text: stamping shirt collars or articles from such sheet, but of machinery for
embossing such collars or articles on both of the opposite sides thereof.
And I also claim a combination consisting not only of such mechanical
elements, but of a mechanism for folding each collar.
I also claim an automatic combination consisting not only of mechanism
for manufacturing such collars from a sheet, and embossing them on both
sides, and folding them in manner as described, but mechanism for dis-
charging each collar from the folding element or machinery after the
folding of such collar thereby.
I also claim a combination consisting not only of mechanism for manu-
facturing or stamping shirt collars from a sheet and folding them as
described, but mechanism for curving each of such collars in manner and
for the purpose specified.
I also claim a combination consisting not only of mechanism for manu-
facturing or stamping shirt collars from a sheet and mechanism for
embossing them as described, but mechanism for folding them, and
mechanism for curving them in manner and for the pupose as specified.
I also claim the arrangement of the folding tablet inclined relatively
to the stamping mechanism in order that each collar on being discharged
from the latter may be caused by the action of gravity to slide down the
tablet and against its guides, and abut against its stop or stops, and be
carried underneath the folding blade substantially as described.
I also claim the combination of the edge guides di, d, or the same and
the top surface guides e¹, e¹, and back stop 6', or such stop b¹ and the end
stops c¹, c¹, with the inclined slotted tablet and its folding blade.
And I also claim the combination of the same and mechanism substan-
tially as described for making collars from a sheet or making and embossing
such collars.
I also claim the combination and arrangement of the stops 1, f, with
the mechanism for stamping the collars from a sheet of paper or other
material.
I also claim the improved collar discharging and carrying mechanism,
consisting of the driving roller c4 and the endless belt K and its support-
ing rollers, or their equivalents, arranged together in manner and so as to
operate substantially as described.
I also claim the combination of the slider h and its adjusting screw 7,
or the equivalent thereof, with the pulley and the mechanism for effect-
ing the movements of the lower of the feed rollers, such mechanism being
the crank pin g, and connecting rod f1, the lever f, the ratchet d, the
"ONG
1;

page_text: pawl e, the gear b, and the pinion a, the whole being arranged substan-
tially as set forth.
I also claim the combination of the adjustable male and female dies for
forming the ends of the collar.
I also claim the arrangement of the severing dies with the male and
female dies for cutting the ends of the collar.
I also claim the arrangement of the embossing dies with the end cutting
and severing dies as specified.
The next part of my Invention has reference to cutting or stamping
shirt collars from a strip of paper or other material, it being described as
follows, and represented in the accompanying Drawings in Sheets 7 & 8,
of which Drawings Figure 1 is a top view of my machine for such
purpose; Figure 2 is a longitudinal and vertical section of it, such being
taken ou the line a, b, of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front end elevation of
it; Figure 4 is an elevation of the rear part carrying the central button-
hole dies; Figure 5 is a top view, and Figure 6 an edge view of the
female end and button-hole die plate; Figure 7 is a top view, and
Figure 8 a longitudinal section of the central button-hole die plate.
This machine is intended to stamp out neck collars from a continuous roll
or strip of paper of a width corresponding to that of a collar to be made from
it. Figure 9 exhibits the arrangement of such collars in the strip, or the
cuts made in such strip in order to reduce it to collars, that is to say, the
shorter pieces e, e, being cut from the strip at equal or proper distances
apart leave the collars A, A. Each of these collars has a central button-
hole c and two end button-holes d, d, stamped through it by the machine.
With the exception of the small pieces necessary to the formation of the
button-holes, the parts marked e, e, in Figure 9 are all that it is necessary
to remove from the strip in order to convert. it into collars. In this way
of forming the collars from a strip it will be observed that the end of each
collar extends by that of the other and goes.close or nearly, close up to the
upper portion of the said collar. This peculiar arrangement of the collars
or their ends I claim to be new and of my Invention, as well as the
machine for cutting or stamping such collars in such manner from a
strip.
"
In the Drawings, A denotes the bed plate of the machine which is
dovetailed into the cutter carriage B, or is so affixed to it as to enable the
said carriage to be moved laterally and rectilinearly back and forth on the
said bed plate. Fixed to the said carriage are two plates f, g, which taken
together constitute the female die plate C. Suitable openings h, i, are

page_text: formed in the carriage B and the bed plate A, in order to allow the waste
seperated from the strip by the dies to be discharged from the plate C.
The opening between the two plates f, g, is the female die, by which
the ends of the collars are formed through the action of a corresponding
male die ¹ projecting from the bottom of a plunger 1) (see Figure 2).
The said plunger plays vertically within a box or frame E (fastened to
the carriage B and on the top surface of the die plate C), and has a cross
head or bar bolted across its top and resting on springs m, m, which in
turn rest on two ears or projections n, n, extended from the ends of the
box E (see Figure 3). The purpose of the springs m, m, is to effect the
elevation of the plunger D and the withdrawal of the male die from the
female die at the proper periods. There are two female button-hole
dies o, o¹, formed through the plate f, and there are also two other female
button-hole dies o, o, formed in the plate g, they being arranged as shown
in Figure 5. Corresponding male dies should be projected from the
bottom of the plunger D so as to enter and operate with the female dies
o', o¹, 0, 0, in a manner analogous to that in which the male die k¹ operates
with the female die . Furthermore there is applied to the carriage B
adjustable button-hole dies for cutting or stamping from the strip the
middle button-hole represented at c in Figure 9. The female dies of
these last-mentioned button-hole dics are shown at p, p, in Figure 7, as
made in and through a rictangular plate F, which is arranged on the upper
surface of the carriage B, and so as to be capable of being slid thereon
between two parallel guides 1, 7, arranged on the said carriage in manner
as represented in Figures 1, 2, and 4. Corresponding male dies pro-
jecting from two plungers r, r, extending down from a cross head s, operate
with the said female dies p, p, one of such male dies being shown at in
Figure 2. The two plungers r, r, play within a standard u which projects
upward from the plate F, and has a long screw G screwed through it, and
so connected with the box E that on moving the screw the distance of
the die plate F from the die plate C may be either increased or diminished
as circumstances may require. Passages v, w, for discharge of the waste
from the dies p, p, are made through the carriage B and the bed plate A.
The bar s rests on springs a, a, which in turn are supported on ears y, y,
the same being as shown in Figure 4, the said springs being for elevating
the diest out of the die plate after each descent of such dies.
In combination with the mechanism above described, I make use of an
adjustable gauge plate H carrying two projections z, z, which are arranged
ou and so as to extend from it in the manner as shown in Figures 1, 2,

page_text: and 3. This gauge plate slides rectilinearly on tlie carriage B, and is
provided with a clamp screw a³, by which it can be fixed in position on the
carriage and with reference to the end dies. A straight rib b, projecting
downward from the plate H, enters a groove c¹ made in the carriage and at
right angles with the outer edge of the plate f. The clamp screw a¹
passes through a groove formed in the plate H, and screws into the
carriage. It is on one of the projections or gauges that the middle button-
hole of each collar prior to the separation of such collar from the strip is
placed in order to determine the correct position of the strip for the end
dies to operate in order to cut the said collar therefrom. As the middle
button-hole of each two next adjacent collars to be formed from the strip
of paper are not at the same edge of the strip, but are situated at opposite
edges of it, in manner as shown in Figure 9, it becomes necessary that the
projections z, z, should be used alternately during the process of forming
the collars by the machine. In going through the machine the strip of
paper passes underneath the standard u and the box E, and rests on the
die plates C and F, and is to be fed along with an intermittent motion.
Previous to each descent of the male dies the carriage B is to be movel
laterally so as to transfer the paper from one side of the middle line of the
carriage to the opposite side thereof. The mechanism for so moving the
carriage and for feeding the strip of paper along and for depressing the
male dies at the proper periods are not represented in the Drawings, and
therefore need not be described, as in the adaptation of such mechanisms
such may be used as will best perform the operations. It will be observed
that in the above-described machine there are two sets of each of the dies
for making either the ends of the collars or the button-holes thereof, and
also that there are two sets of the middle button-hole dies; also that the
two sets of each kind of the dies are arranged on opposite sides of the
middle line of the carriage B.
The nature of my Invention, and what I claim in the said machine, is
as follows, that is to say, I claim the above-described arrangement and
combination of end and button-hole dies irrespective of the middle button-
hole dies.
And I also claim the above-described arrangement and combination of
end and buttou-hole dies inclusive of the middle button-hole dies.
And in combination with the end dies and the middle button-hole
dies arranged as specified, I claim a mechanisin for adjusting the distance
of the said middle button-hole dies from the end forming dies.
And in combination with the said end cutting dies and the middle

page_text: button-hole dies arranged as described, I claim the gauges z, z, whether
stationary on the carriage B or adjustable thereon as specified.
And I also claim the end forming dies substantially as described for
shaping the contiguous ends of two collars at one operation.
And I also claim the formation of collars in a continuous strip in the
manner or with their ends to envelop one another as herein-before described,
and as represented in Figure 9.
I also claim the formation of collars from a continuous strip as described
by means of end forming dies arranged as specified, and by alternately
changing the strip from one side to the other of the middle line of the dies
as described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said George Knowles Snow, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 31st October 1865.
GEORGE KNOWLES SNOW. (I. S.)