Improvements in Cutting-blocks for Paper and like Cutters.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cutting-blocks for Paper and like Cutters.
I, WILLIAM JOSEPH GRIFFIN, of 342 Maple Street, Holyoke, County of
Hampden, State of Massachusetts, United States of America Envelope Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to cutting blocks of improved construction on which a pile
of sheets of paper, or other material, is placed for the purpose of cutting out blanks
from said sheets by means of cutters descending against and through said sheets
and against or very slightly into said block, which blanks may be those from which
envelopes are made or they may be used for constructing paper boxes or other
articles.
The object of this invention is to provide the cutter-block into which the cutting
edge of a cutter can move but very slightly and hence its upper or cutter receiving.
surface maintains an even plane after use to a much greater extent than cutter-
blocks as heretofore made.
My said improved cutter-block consists of a body of pulp formed of suitably
digested fibrous material such as may be taken from the rag engine in a paper
manufactory and which has then been subjected to an excessive pressure in a suitable
mold by the agency of a hydraulic or other compressing machine.
The said pressure to which said mass of pulp is subjected expresses the moisture
therefrom and on becoming thoroughly dry it has a peculiarly firm consistency
which resembles a block of wood of corresponding size, and its surface offers such
resistance to the edge of a blank-cutter that the latter can enter the surface of the
block but very slightly if at all after passing through the paper, and the body of
said block being very slightly elastic under the pressure of the cutter, any inden-
tations made by the edge of the cutter disappear substantially upon the retirement
of the latter from the block, and consequently the surface of the latter is preserved
in good condition and is not likely to have particles cut out therefrom by the
cutter.
The said cutting-block is in practice made from three to four inches in thickness
and of such superficial surface as the size of the work to be cut out thereon may
demand. The cutting-block may be used without any border bars secured thereto
if desired, but I generally bolt a clamping-bar against the opposite edges of the
block by suitable bolts passing horizontally through the block midway between its
upper and lower sides and through said border or clamping bars, clamping the
latter against the edges of the block by suitable nuts on said bolts.
Dated thin Leth of W 1901
WILLIAM JOSEPH GRIFFIN.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cutting-blocks for Paper and like Cutters.
I, WILLIAM JOSEPH GRIFFIN, of 342 Maple Street, Holyoke, County of
Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, Envelope Maker, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what inanner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to cutting blocks upon which a pile of paper sheets, or

page_text: other material, is to be placed and supported while being cut with suitable cutters
or cutting dies, the object of the invention being to provide a cutting-block for the
purpose indicated which is sufficiently firm to properly sustain the material being
cut and yet to permit of the edge or edges of the cutter or cutters employed to
pass entirely through the paper or other material and slightly beyond the under
side thereof the cutter edge slightly taking into the material composing the block,
without thereby being injured or dulled.
The cutter-block consists, essentially, of a compressed body of pulp of properly
digested fibre, such for instance as ordinary paper pulp, all substantially as herein-
after described and set forth in the claims. I have in the accompanying drawings
illustrated, so far as is practicable, a cutter-block made hereunder,
Figure 1, being a perspective view.
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line a, a, Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a
perspective view of that portion of the cutter-block which is entirely formed of
compressed paper pulp.
The body of the block, or that portion on which the cutting is to be performed,
is indicated at A, in the drawings and consists of a body of pulp formed of suitably
digested fibrous material such as may be taken from the rag engine in a paper
manufactory which has then been subjected to an excessive pressure by the agency
of a hydraulic, or other compressing machine.
This body A, on the expulsion therefrom of all moisture and on becoming
thoroughly dry, has a peculiar consistency or resistance which, at least is as firm.
as a correspondingly sized block of wood, and which will permit of the edge of the
cutter or die slightly entering, and yet which will prevent an undue entrance of
said edge thereinto. The said body has certain restorative qualities whereby
indentations made by the edge of the cutter, may under the elasticity of the
compressed fibrous substance be filled in and rendered imperceptible on changing
the position of the cutter relative to the said cutting-block to take upon the same
in a slightly different place.
In the construction of the cutting-block I generally employ clamping-bars B, at
opposite edges thereof, the same being confined in place by the bolts C, which
pass
through the holes bored therefor through said cutting-block and the clamping-bars
at either side thereof, suitable confining nuts a, being provided.
While the said cutting-block, described, is most advantageous to sustain a pile of
sheets of paper to be trimmed by a paper-cutting blade, or from which blanks are
to be cut out by dies, such for instance as those employed for making envelopes,
the said block will also be found very useful for sustaining sole leather, or other
kinds thereof while the same is being cut out by beam-dies or other kinds of
cutters, as well as for supporting other materials which are to be cut in a similar
manner.
An advantage which is of much practical importance consists in the capability of
the said cutting-block to retain its shape, the top thereof when once properly planed
permanently retaining its true, or squared, surface, there being practically no
liability of the same becoming warped, and the bolts C, employed in the manner
shown and described also reinforce the cutting-block from sagging or becoming
depressed at its central portion from the impact thereupon by the cutters.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;
1. A cutter-block for the purpose substantially as set forth, which consists of a
compressed body of pulp of properly digested fibre, such, for instance, as ordinary
paper-pulp, substantially as described.
2. A cutter-block which consists of a compressed body of pulp of properly
digested fibre, such, for instance, as ordinary paper pulp, clamp-bars at opposite
edges of said compressed pulp body, and confining bolts passing through said clamp-

page_text: bars and said pulp body, and confining nuts therefor, substantially as described for
the purpose set forth.
Dated this 14th day of February 1891.
WILLIAM JOSEPH GRIFFIN.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.