Improvements in or relating to File and Rasp Cutting Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to File and Rasp Cutting Machines.
I, JAMES DWIGHT FOOT, of No. 102, Reade Street, in the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America, Merchant, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to cut two file or asp blanks simultaneously
and yet produce articles which are regularly cut and uniform in character, and
to this end my invention consists in providing a file or asp cutting machine with
blank holding beds capable of rocking and vertical movements, adapting them to
accommodate the positions of the blanks to the action of the cutting tool or
tools, as fully set forth hereinafter.
My improvements are adapted to be used with file cutting and in some cases
with rasp cutting machines of different constructions and they are applied in
machines having a base, a horizontal groove, a carriage, sliding longitudinally
in said groove and a propelling screw, with which the carriage may be connected
as desired by turning down a wing, while a cutter reciprocates above the car-
riage under the action of well-known devices not necessary to be described.
Upon the carriage is mounted a member, which I term a support, so as to be
capable of rocking upon its central axis. This support may vibrate upon trun-
nions at the ends or may be otherwise supported so as to yield when pressure is
brought against the top face upon either side of the longitudinal centre.
preferable aangement consists in ecessing longitudinally both the support
and the carriage so as to receive a bearing bar, fitting said recesses, there being
sufficient room between the lower face of the support and the upper face of the
carriage to permit the desired rocking of the former. In recesses in the cari iage
on opposite sides of the longitudinal centre are inserted springs, which bear
upon the support and tend to maintain it in a level position.
A
There are two beds for the file blanks arranged parallel to each other and
each mounted to vibrate on its longitudinal centie upon a bearing at the upper
side of the support. While any suitable means may be employed for so mounting
the beds I prefer to recess the upper face of the support and under faces of the
beds to receive bearing bars.
Suitable means is provided for normally maintaining the level positions of the
beds, as for instance, a transverse strip of rubber may be bolted to the upper face
of each bed, tending to maintain both faces on the same plane but permitting
each bed to rock to a certain extent independently of the other. The upper face
of each bed may be provided with a zinc or other facing, as usual and each bed
is also provided with a strap for slipping over and holding the tang of a blank
and side bearings; and to prevent the longitudinal movement of the beds, the
carriage is provided at one end with a stop or bearing plate and at the opposite
end with a standard, through which extend screw bolts, that may be turned to
bring their ends so close to the ends of the beds as to prevent longitudinal move-
ment of the latter.

page_text: The faces of the beds and of the file blanks thereon are below the cutting tool
the reciprocation of which, in connection with the travel of the carriage, results
in cutting the blanks transversely or diagonally at successive points.
Heretofore it has not been practicable to accurately cut a number of files
simultaneously in a single machine, as owing to wear of the cutter or imperfect
adjustments of the parts one blank would be cut deeper than another, or deeper
upon one side than upon the other, resulting in imperfect and irregular articles.
By the above means, however, the cut upon each blank is regular and the
articles produced are of uniform character, inasmuch as each bed and the face of
the blank thereon will always accommodate itself to the inclination or position
of that portion of the cutting edge of the tool which acts upon the blank. That
is, in the operation of cutting, the face of the blank and the edge of the tool
will be maintained parallel to each other, and the blank cannot be cut deeper at
one edge than at the other Further, the two blanks will be cut uniformly even
if one should be thicker than the other, because the support for the blanks will
vield as soon as the cutting edge of the tool is brought against the face of the
blank which is most elevated and until both faces are in contact with the cutting
edge, after which the cutting operation upon both will be uniform.
While I have referred to the use of a single tool or cutter operating upon both
blanks there may be two cutters mounted upon a reciprocating carrier or head.
In such case it is immaterial whether or not the cutters wear uniformly In this
construction also bearing heads may be formed upon the support.
I may remark that while the bed may be of a V-shape, this particular shape is
not necessary, as the bed may be a square or flat bed or other shape, as for
instance, a half-1ound bed, without affecting the general principles of the
invention.
Dated this 6th day of February 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to File and Rasp Cutting Machines.
I, JAMES DWIGHT FOOT, of No 102, Reade Street, in the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America, Merchant, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
--
My invention has for its object to cut two file or rasp blanks simultaneously
and yet produce articles which are regularly cut and uniform in character, and
to this end my invention consists in providing a file or rasp cutting machine with
blank holding beds capable of rocking and vertical movements, adapting them to
accommodate the positions of the blanks to the action of the cutting tool or
tools, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which.
Figure 1 is a side elevation showing one form of file cutting apparatus provided
with my improvements,
Figure 1 being a central transverse section of the bed and carriage, Figure 1,
Figure 2 is an end view with the presser foot removed,
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the carriage, bed and their support;
Figure 4 is a plan of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 3;

page_text: Figures 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views showing in an exaggerated way the
capacity of the blank supports to accommodate themselves to the tool under
different positions:
Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating certain modifications.
My improvements are adapted to be used with file cutting and in some cases
with rasp cutting machines of different consti uctions, but, as shown, they are
applied in machines having a base A, horizontal groove B, carriage C, sliding
longitudinally in said groove and a propelling screw D), with which the carriage
may be connected as desired by turning down a wing F, while a cutter E, recipro-
cates above the carriage under the action of well-known devices not necessary to
be described
A
Upon the carriage is mounted a member, which I term a support G, so as to
be capable of rocking upon its central axis. This support may vibrate upon
trunnions at the ends or may be otherwise supported so as to yield when pressure
is brought against the top face upon either side of the longitudinal centre.
preferable arrangement consists in recessing longitudinally both the support and
the carriage so as to receive a bearing bar a, fitting said recesses, there being
sufficient room between the lower face of the support and the upper face of the
cariage to permit the desired rocking of the former. In recesses in the carriage
on opposite sides of the longitudinal centre are inserted springs b which bear upon
the support and tend to maintain it in a level position.
There are two beds H, H, for the file blanks aanged parallel to each other
and each mounted to vibiate on its longitudinal centre upon a bearing at the
upper side of the support G While any suitable means may be employed for
so mounting the beds I prefer to recess the upper face of the support and under
faces of the beds to receive bearing bars c c.
Suitable means are provided for normally maintaining the level positions of
the beds, as for instance, a tiansverse strip of rubber d, bolted to the upper face
of each bed, tending to maintain both faces on the same plane but permitting
each bed to rock to a certain extent independently of the other. The upper face
of each bed may be provided with a zinc or other facing, as usual, and each bed
is also provided with a strap e, for shipping over and holding the tang of a
blank, and side bearings ; and to prevent the longitudinal movement of the
beds, the carnage C, is provided at one end with a stop or bearing plate f, and
at the opposite end with a standard g, through which extend sciew bolts h h,
that may be turned to bring then ends so close to the ends of the beds as to
prevent longitudinal movement of the latter.
The faces of the beds and of the file blanks thereon are below the cutting
tool E, the reciprocation of which, in connection with the travel of the carriage,
results in cutting the blanks transversely or diagonally at successive points.
A presser foot 30 is employed, the edge of which is adapted to beat upon the
surfaces of both file blanks at a point just in advance of the cutter or cutters.
The said presser foot is formed with a shank 31 adapted to be received in the
opening of a sleeve 32 carried by a rod or bar 33 and adapted to rotate freely
therein in a direction transverse to the line of movement of the carriage or
file blanks and thereby conform to the faces of the file blanks and hold them in
the position to which they are turned by the blows of the cutter which after the
first or second blow bings the said blanks to a level position. The rod 33 is
received in a socket or guide 34, and is adapted to be vertically adjusted therein
and the degree of pressure of the presser-foot upon the file blanks is determined
by a lever 35 which is pivoted at one end to the frame of the machine and has
a slot 36 to receive a pin projecting from the od 33 As a convenient means
of maintaining pressure upon the lever 35, a weight 38 is connected adjustably
to the outer end thereof, and in order that said level may be lifted to carry the
presser foot out of contact with the file blanks, it is pivotally connected to a
link 39, which is in turn connected to a foot lever 40, pivoted intermediate
its ends to a suitable support 41.

page_text: Heretofore it has not been practicable to accurately cut a number of files
simultaneously in a single machine, as owing to wear of the cutter or imperfect
adjustments of the parts one blank would be cut deeper than another, or deeper
upon one side than upon the other, resulting in imperfect and irregular articles
By the above means, however, the cut upon each blank is regular and the
articles produced are of uniform character, inasmuch as each bed and the face
of the blank thereon will always accommodate itself to the inclination or posi
tion of that portion of the cutting edge of the tool which acts upon the blank.
That is, in the operation of cutting, the face of the blank and the edge of the
tool will be maintained parallel to each other, and the blank cannot be cut deeper
at one edge than at the other. Further, the two blanks will be cut uniformly
even if one should be thicker than the other, because the support for the blanks
will yield as soon as the cutting edge of the tool is brought against the face of
the blank which is most elevated and until both faces are in contact with the
cutting edge, after which the cutting operation upon both will be uniform
While I have referred to the use of a single tool or cutter operating upon both
blanks there may be two cutters mounted upon a reciprocating carrier or head,
as shown in diagram Figure 8. In such case it is immaterial whether or not
the cutters wear uniformly. In Figure 8 I show also bearing heads, a c¹ for med
upon the support G. In Figure 6 I illustrate diagrammatically the positions
taken by the parts with a cutter having a straight edge and blanks of the same
thickness. In Figure 7 I indicate the action assuming the cutting edge of the
tool to present different angles to the different blanks.
I may remark that while I have shown the bed in a V-shape, this particular
shape is not necessary, as the bed may be a square or flat bed or other shape, as
for instance, a half-round bed, without affecting the general principles of the
invention.
It will be seen however that the axis upon which each bed and support rocks
is below the bed or support.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
-
1. A file cutting machine provided with blank supporting beds each rocking
upon an axis below the bed and with a support rocking upon an axis below it,
and with means for securing and holding the blanks and for, feeding the support,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a file-cutting machine two 1ocking file blank beds combined with a
rocking support, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the travelling carriage of a file-cutting machine, of
a support mounted on said camage to tock on its longitudinal axis, and two
blank beds each 1ocking upon said support, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of a carriage, a support having a longitudinal central rock-
ing bearing on said carriage and two parallel blank beds each having a central
rocking bearing on said support, substantially as set forth.
5. In a file-cutting machine, two rocking file blank beds combined with a rock-
ing support, and springs tending to maintain the said support in a level position,
substantially as set forth.
6 In a file-cutting machine, two rocking file blank beds combined with a rock-
ing support, and springs tending to maintain the said support and said beds in
level positions, substantially as set forth
7. The combination of the carriage of a file-cutting machine, a central bearing
bar, and recessed support resting thereon, two parallel bearing bars fitting
recesses in the face of said support, and recessed blank beds resting on said
bearing bars, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination of the carriage of a file-cutting machine, a central bearing
bar, and recessed support resting thereon, two parallel bearing bars fitting

page_text: recesses in the face of said support and recessed blank beds resting on said bear-
ing bars, and springs arranged to normally maintain the support and bed in level
positions, substantially as set forth
1000
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.