Improvements in Connection with Apparatus for Cutting Piled Fabrics.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 13th May, 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Connection with Apparatus for Cutting Piled
Fabrics.
I, JOHN PLATT, of Lythgoes Lane, Warrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Velveteen Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in connection with apparatus for cutting
piled fabrics.
Prior to my present invention many arrangements have been devised for releas-
ing the knife from the moving part (which traverses it along the cloth) this release
taking place whenever the knife pierces the cloth or encounters an obstruction;
but all such arrangements have consisted of more or less complicated combina-
tions of mechanism.
In carrying my invention into effect I prefer to employ an ordinary knife and
guide placed on a travelling carriage which I connect to the usual reciprocating
cord or the like by an attachment which is strong enough to drive the knife and
cut the pile but is at the same time weak enough to break or yield and so dis-
connect the carriage from the reciprocating cord which moves it when the knife
pierces the cloth or meets with any obstruction, the result being that the con-
nection is broken instead of the cloth being injured. Although I prefer to employ
an ordinary knife and guide I may use any knife fitted with releasing mechanism
and in some cases I may dispense with the travelling carriage and connect the
knife directly to or actuate it from the reciprocating cord by an attachment which
will break or yield as described. It will also be obvious that I may hold the
knife by a similar attachment capable of breaking or yielding in those cases
where the cloth is traversed whilst the knife remains stationary.
Dated this 7th day of October 1897.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicant.
Improvements in Connection with Apparatus for Outting Pilled
Fabrics.
I, JOHN PLATT, of Lythgoes Lane, Warrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Velveteen Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement:-

page_text: the pile of piled fabrics and more particularly to those in which the knife is
traversed along the cloth to be cut.
Prior to my present invention many arrangements have been devised for releas-
ing the knife from the moving part which traverses it along the cloth to be cut,
this release taking place whenever. the knife pierces the cloth or encounters any
obstruction but all such arrangements have consisted of more or less complicated
combinations of mechanism, including some device which comes into contact
with the cloth in the event of the knife piercing the cloth.
My invention is intended to effect the release of the knife from the traversing
power in the event of any increase in the normal resistance offered by the actual
cutting of the pile of the cloth. Thus, the knife will be released in the event of
its piercing the cloth, or it may be released without the cloth being pierced, if
the cutting edge of the knife becomes dull and thus offers increased resistance or
if the guide becomes broken or bent so as not to be capable of guiding the knife,
or if the knife meets with any obstruction which in the ordinary course would
break it, or if the "knife and guide" turns out of the race into the uncut face
of the cloth.
.
My invention enables an ordinary fustian cutter's knife and guide, free from
any attached mechanism whatever, to be used with safety, thus facilitating the
work of the operator.
In carrying my invention into effect I prefer to employ an ordinary knife and
guide, placed on a travelling carriage, which I attach to the usual reciprocating
cord or the like, by an attachment which is strong enough to drive the knife and
cut the pile but is at the same time weak enough to break or yield and so discon-
meet the carriage from the reciprocating cord which moves it when any increase
in the normal resistance occurs, the result being that the connection is broken or
severed instead of the cloth being injured.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings-
Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation and Figure 2 a part plan of a frame or
table and apparatus to which my invention is applied for cutting piled fabrics.
Figures 3 and 4 are a longitudinal sectional elevation and plan respectively of
the knife carriage illustrating one mode of attachment and Figures 5 and 6 are
similar views to Figures 3 and 4 respectively illustrating another mode of attach-
ment.
In these views, a designates the piled fabric to be cut, which is stretched by
means of two tightening rollers 6 (one only of which is shown) over the spear
or beam c at each end of the cutting frame, and d is the travelling cord which
receives a reciprocating motion by means of a pair of pulleys e (of which one is
shown) mounted one at each end of the frame and driven by hand or power, prefer-
ably by hand in any convenient manner. Instead of attaching the
knife carriage f firmly to the travelling cord d I pass the cord
through a longitudinal groove fl in the carriage and keep it in position
by rings or staples g fixed to the carriage in such a manner that the cord may run
freely through the groove fl and staples g without obstruction. I then attach
the carriage f to the travelling cord d by a thread of ordinary thin sewing
cotton h (Figs. 3 and 4) or the like. The cotton thread or equivalent is only
of sufficient strength to actuate the carriage f with the knife and guide i when
the knife is cutting the pile of the cloth a in the ordinary manner; but is weak
enough to break if more than the normal resistance is encountered.
When the thread breaks, the carriage f on which the knife i is placed ceases
to be actuated by the travelling cord 2 but remains stationary on the cloth whilst
the cord d travels freely through the groove f¹. The carriage and knife being
thus arrested any damage to the cloth is prevented. The cotton thread hor its
equivalent may be proportioned in strength to the strength of the pile which it
has to cut.
In the case of corduroys or similar strong fabrics a thread of linen or the like
t

page_text: may be required but for ordinary velvets and velveteens a thread of sewing cotton
is sufficient.
In Figures 5 and 6 I show another mode of attaching the carriage f to the
travelling cord d. In this case an arm jis pivoted at to the carriage f and is
retained normally in the position shown in Fig. 6 by means of a weak spring k
secured on the carriage. A thread, wire or equivalent h is firmly attached at one
end to the travelling cord d at a point in front of the carriage and its other end
is formed into a loop which is placed over the pivoted arm. j. In the event of
the knife i which is placed on the carriage f meeting with more than normal
resistance the spring yields and allows the free end of the arm j to move forward
when the loop of the thread or equivalent slips off the end of the arm and so
disconnects the carriage f with the knife i from the travelling cord d.
Although I have only shown and described two forms of attachment it will be
obvious to any practical man familiar with the art that many other forms might be
employed without departing from the nature of my invention, which consists
essentially in the use and application of a frangible or sensitive attachment
which will break or yield in the event of more resistance being met with than is
sufficient to cut the pile without injury to the cloth.
I prefer to employ an ordinary fustian cutter's knife and guide without any
attached mechanism but I might use any known form of knife with releasing
mechanism; and although I prefer to use a carriage on which to place the knife
I may dispense with such carriage and connect the knife directly to, or actuate
it from, the reciprocating cord by a frangible or sensitive attachment which will
break or yield when more than the usual normal resistance is encountered and
thus sever the connection as before described.
In order to prevent the carriage f from slipping forward on the reciprocating
cord d a knot may be tied on the said cord with or without a small washer m
behind it and large enough not to enter the groove f¹ in the carriage.
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
1. The combination with a knife and guide and means for actuating the same,
of a frangible or sensitive attachment to the actuating means said attachment
being strong enough to actuate the knife when cutting under normal conditions
but weak enough to break or yield and thus allow the knife to become detached
from the actuating means when more than the normal resistance is encountered
substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a knife and guide, knife carriage, and means for
actuating the same, of a frangible or sensitive attachment connected at one end
to the actuating means and at the other end to the travelling knife carriage sub-
stantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a travelling knife carriage and means for actuating
the same, of a frangible or sensitive attachment connected at one end to the
carriage and at the other end to the actuating means substantially as set forth.
4. In combination, the reciprocating cord, the knife and guide i, and the
frangible or sensitive attachment h to the said cord substantially as set forth.
5. In combination the reciprocating cord d, the travelling carriage f, the knife
and guide i and the frangible or sensitive attachment h substantially as set forth.
108
1000
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicant, 17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicant, 17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.