CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON MACHINES FOR SHEARING OR CROPPING WOOLLEN CLOTHS
Year: 1824

page_text: GARDNER
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPHI
GARDNER, Smith, and JOHN HERBERT, Carpenter, both of Stanley Saint
Leonards, in the County of Gloucester, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Eighteenth day of December, in the fifth year of
His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Joseph Gardner and John Herbert, His especial licence, that we,
the said Joseph Gardner and John Herbert, our exors, admors, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Joseph Gardner and John Herbert, our
exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON MACHINES FOR SHEARING OR CROPPING WOOLLEN
CLOTHS;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging
us, the said Joseph Gardner and John Herbert, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited
Letters Patent (as in and by the same), reference being thereunto bad, will
more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Joseph Gardner and John Herbert, do hereby declare that the nature of our
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is
particularly described and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and the following description thereof (that is to say) :-
In the first place we declare that our said improvements apply only to such
machines for shearing cloth as are constructed with a fixed ledger blade and
an upper revolving cutter, whatever may be the construction of the same, or
whether the same be used for shearing or cropping the said cloth from end
to end or from list to list.
And, secondly, we declare that our said improvements so applicable as
aforesaid consist of three distinct points of Invention or contrivances, by which
our said improvements are brought about, and these are,―
First, a new lateral or horizontal motion, which we give in succession to
each blade of the revolving cutter at the same time that it is revolving, thus
causing it to slide or pass along the fixed ledger blade, by which its cutting
power is very materially improved.
Secondly, in a new and effectual means which we adopt and use for
supporting the middle part of the cushion or bed over which the cloth passes,
and by means of which it is evenly and equally held up and supported against
the cutters, without the possibility of the central part of the bed drooping or
giving way, and thus producing an even and regular face upon the whole width
of the cloth.
And, thirdly, in a new arrangement of line and contrivance for carrying
the cloth forwards under the cutters with the greatest regularity and precision.
The means by which these several points of improvement are brought
about and carried into effect will be clearly understood by referring to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and the following description thereof.
As we before observed, the first point of our improvement applies to all
revolving or vibrating cutters at present in use, whatever may be their particular
construction, and consequently to them we make no claim; but we alter the
axles upon which they revolve, by prolonging the same, and giving them a
lateral play of about half an inch between the bearings which support them;
and to one end of such axle, as at a, Fig. 1, we attach by means of a ball and
socket joint (or any other contrivance which will permit the cutting cylinder
to revolve) a connecting link or eye fitted up with brasses, and a tightening
adjustment for the purpose of embracing and working upon the crank b
formed in the small upright spindle c, c; consequently as that spindle revolves
the crank will give any requisite degree of alternating motion, to be regulated

page_text: by the throw or extent of such crank, to the cutting cylinder in the direction
of its axis; and we find that from half an inch to three quarters of an inch
of such motion is amply sufficient to produce the beneficial effect sought by
our Invention. The cutting cylinder is made to revolve as usual by a gut or
band working over the rigger or pulley d, d, formed on the side of the small
bevil wheel e, e, the axis of which projects from one side only, and works in
a proper bearing on the frame of the machine, which bearing is common to
such wheel e, e, and the axis of the cutting cylinder. The projecting axis of
the wheel e, e, is made hollow so as to permit the axis of the cutting cylinder
to pass and move through it longitudinally; but that axis must be square in
the part where it slides through the hollow axis, or, if round, must be fitted
up with a projecting cock or feather, to slide in a corresponding groove in
the hollow axis, to the intent that whenever the wheel e, e, is moved round it
may compel the cutting cylinder to move at the same time. F is a small
bevel wheel fixed upon the upright spindle c, c, and working by its teeth into
the large wheel e, e, for the purpose of causing that spindle and its crank to
revolve, whereby the lateral sliding motion is given to the cutting cylinder;
and 19, 9, is an iron projecting cock or arm screwed or fixed against. the side
frame of the machine, for carrying the spindle crank and wheel e, e, and F,
which revolve upon the two pointed center screws h, h, or in any other con-
venient manner. The relative proportional diameters, and consequent number
of teeth, of the two bevil wheels e, e, and F, must be regulated by the number
of cutting blades used or employed upon the cutting cylinder, because it is
necessary to give a lateral sliding motion to each blade in succession; therefore
if four blades are employed, as in the Drawing, the larger wheel e, e, must
be four times the diameter of the smaller wheel F, in order that such smaller
wheel and the crank upon its spindle may go four times round while the
cutting cylinder goes once round. If three blades had been employed, then
the small wheel F must make three revolutions to one of the larjer wheel e, e,
and their size and number of teeth. must be apportioned accordingly, unless
the blades are made to move backwards and forwards alternately, when the
small wheel F made be made twice as large in proportion to e, e, as above
specified. In putting the machine together, it will likewise be necessary to
observe that the crank, with its appurtenances, must be so placed as to bring
the cutting cylinder into its nearest. possible position to the axis of the wheel
e, e, when any one of the cutting blades of that cylinder is just about to
come into contact with the fixed ledger blade, and is about to commence its
cut, to the intent that during the whole progress of its cut it may be protruded
or pushed longitudinally over the ledger blade; and if-so-adjusted for any one

page_text: blade, it will be found right for all the others, provided the two wheels e, e,
and F, have been properly proportioned to each other, and that the cutting
blades are placed in a proper spiral direction upon the cylinder to which
they are affixed. The end of a strong spring is shewn at i, which is for the
purpose of bearing down the axis of the cutting cylinder to the ledger blade
at that end which is next the wheels; but this will not be necessary if the
workmanship is good and perfect, and need only be resorted to in case of wear,
or the fitting not being very perfect, as its only use is to prevent that shake
which might arise to the cutting cylinder from the teeth of the wheels. The
adjustment of the cutting cylinder as to its distance from the ledger blade
is made by screws in the usual way, but forms no part of our improvements,
and therefore need not be described.
We believe the above-described machinery to be the best adapted for
carrying this part of our Invention into effect with steadyness and certainty;
but as it consists in giving a steady sliding lateral motion to each blade of
the cutting cylinder while it is in the act of revolving and the same effect
may be produced, though less perfectly, by using cams or excentrics, or rose
work, or other contrivances, upon the upright spindle c, c, in lieu of the crank,
and by causing the axis of the cutting cylinder to react by springs, weights, or
other mechanical means, so we claim the exclusive privilege of using these,
as the principle upon which this first part of our Invention consists is that
of giving lateral motion to the cutting blades, at the same time that they are
revolving.
The second point of our Invention and improvements which relates to the
bearing up or supporting the middle part of the bed is drawn in its proper
place under the last-described Figure, k, k, representing the bed, which
consists of a truly turned cylinder of metal or hard wood, turning on gudgeons
or pivots at its two ends in proper bearings, and covered very smoothly with
woollen cloth, plush, or other fit material, over which the cloth is to pass;
but such a bed has been used before, and is not therefore claimed as any part
of our Invention, but is mentioned only to shew the use and application of
what we do claim, which consists of a shorter roller 1, 1, or rollers (though we
deem one sufficient) fixed in proper bearings under the centre of the longer
bed roller,, and likewise made to revolve on pivots. This roller I, I, should
likewise be truly turned, may be covered with cloth or other soft and elastic
material, to prevent its making a bed or indentation in the upper bed roller.
If a single roller is used, it may be of from one fourth to one third of the
length of such bed roller; and the bearings which support its axis are made
adjustable by screws, for the purpose of adjusting it very accurately to the

page_text: bed roller, so as to produce a proper pressure, and likewise to provide against
the unequal wear of the axes of either of the said rollers in their bearings.
Its use and application is so obvious, that it will be needless to enter into any
further description of it, or the mode of fixing it, as this will be apparent to
every competent workman.
The third and last point of our Invention consists in an improved modifica-
tion of the machinery for moving the cloth forwards under the cutters while
in the act of shearing.
And the better to explain this we have introduced a view of an entire
shearing frame or machine, with all our aforesaid improvements attached to it,
in their proper situations at Fig. 2, through we do not claim any part of such
frame and machine as our Invention, except only as regards the particulars
herein described as constituting the three points or objects of our aforesaid
improvements. m, m, m, m, is the ordinary frame of a machine, over the
central part of which the cutting apparatus, consisting of the revolving cutter,
ledger blade bed and their appurtenances, extends from one side to side. And
it must be observed that this apparatus, together with the several riggers or
pullies n, o, p, hold one fixed situation in the central part of the frame, and
do not move from end to end upon it; consequently the cloth must move
under the fixed cutters; and for this purpose the cloth rollers g. 9, (only one
of which can be seen in the Figure,) are fixed in proper bearings under the
square frame r, r. This frame has a long roller s, s, fixed on each of its sides,
for the piece or end of cloth to pass over.
And our aforesaid third point of improvement consists in the manner of
giving equable and steady motion to this frame and its rollers, which altogether
slides upon the two friction rollers t, t, and a third one in the centre of the
top rail of the frame, which is hidden by the rigger O. Three such friction
rollers are of course placed on each top side rail of the frame; and motion
is communicated to the machine by applying the moving power to the axis of
the large rigger n, which by a line or band passing over a small rigger on the
axis p gives increased velocity of motion to the larger rigger p, and this by
another line or band passing round the rigger d (Fig. 1) of the cutting
cylinder, and over the stretching pulley w, Fig. 2, gives rapid motion to such
cutting cylinder. A small rigger is fixed on the axle of n, and this small rigger
communicates a slow and equable motion to the larger rigger O, for moving
the frame. Upon the axis of the rigger O we hang a cylindrical roller, which
is free to move round on such axis; but by means of a cluck box or other
contrivance on the end next the rigger O it can be engaged or disengaged
from that rigger by the lever and handle, in the manner of a fast and
moving wheel, and thus it may be made to partake of the revolving motion

page_text: of the rigger O, or be stopped, at pleasure. To such roller we firmly attach
the two ends of a gut, strap, or line, which is wound a sufficient number of
times round the cylinder, and in opposite directions, in the nature of a mangle
motion. The two opposite ends of such gut, strap, or line are fixed to the two
ends of the frame at y and, one of the ends, as at z, having a tightening
screw by which the gut or line can at any time be brought to a proper state
of tension. It follows, therefore, that when the cylindrical roller is in gear
or connected with the rigger O, it will carry the frame r, r, together with the
cloth and cloth rollers and appurtenances, forwards against the cutters; but
by moving the handle the cylindrical roller is thrown out of gear, and may
be instantly stopped at the list of the cloth or in any part of its progress when
out of gear. The whole frame is likewise to be drawn backwards by hand, for
the purpose of repeating a cut or taking a new one, in which case the cloth
will require to be shifted by turning the cloth rollers 9, 9, in the usual way.
The above form of machine, as shewn by Fig. 2, applies to the process of
shearing from list to list; but any competent workman will immediately sce
how its form must be varied to shear from end to end. This, however, con-
stitutes no part of our Invention, as our improved mode of moving the
revolving cutter, bearing up the bed, and moving the cloth, apply equally to
either mode of shearing.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Gardner and John Herbert,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighteenth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
twenty-five