IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING AND ORNAMENTING THE EDGES OF BOOKS, PAPER, OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin West, Bookbinder, of No. 2, St. James"
Walk, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING AND ORNAMENTING THE EDGES OF BOOKS, PAPER,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin West at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
March 1861.
I, BENJAMIN WEST, Bookbinder, of No. 2, St. James' Walk, Clerkenwell,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING AND ORNAMENTING THE EDGES OF
BOOKS, PAPER, VELLUM, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
The machine which I am about to describe is for the purpose of cutting
and ornamenting the edges of books, paper, vellum, and other substances
by one process.
My Invention consists of a machine constructed in the following manner,
namely A frame of a longitudenal form, made of iron or any other material;
at one end of such frame is a moveable press; in which the book or books, paper,

page_text: vellum, or any other substance, are placed; this press is then propelled forward
upon the longitudenal frame by means of wheels or levers attached to the
press, and worked either by hand or steam power.
Upon the top of the upright sides of the frame is fixed a knife, and behind
it are also placed a roller or rollers, or a segment or segments of rollers,
blocks, dies, plates, or types composed of metal or other materials, either
plain or ornamental, and to the sides of the above named frame I. also place
similar knives and rollers, or-segment or segments of rollers, blocks, dies, plates
or types. Such knives and rollers are so arranged that I can, if necessary,
use my said machine for cutting only. And to such frame I also attach an
inking or coloring apparatus similar to that in use for printing purpose.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now
proceed to describe its mode of working. I place the book or books, paper,
vellum, and other substances in the press as above described; it is then propelled
first against the edge of the knife or knives, which cuts the edges of the book,
books, paper, vellum, or other substances, and then is passed under the roller
or rollers, segment or segments of rollers, blocks, dies, plates or types, which
emboss or otherwise ornaments the edges so cut.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin West in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th September 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
WEST, Bookbinder, of No. 2, St. James' Walk, Clerkenwell, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the 19th day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and 61, in the twenty-fifth year of Her.
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Benjamin West, Her special licence that I, the said Ben-
jamin West, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Benjamin West, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times
thereafter: during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully. might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain, and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention.
for IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING AND ORNAMENTING THE EDGES OF BOOKS, PAPER,

page_text: VELLUM AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon.
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin West, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
*and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent. :
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin West, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 consists of a machine for the purpose of cutting and
ornamenting the edges of books, paper, vellum, and other substances, by one
or more operations, and is constructed as herein-after described.
My machine, which may be constructed of iron or other suitable material,
consists essentially of two portions, viz., 1st, of a couple of parallel rails or
bearings constituting a rigid frame, placed in a horizontal or other position;
2nd, of a carriage carrying a screw press and so constructed as to travel to and
fro on the above named rails or bearings, the motion to the carriage being
communicated by any motive power whatever.
The screw press, which may be fixed to the carriage or removable from it,
is for the purpose of holding the books, paper, vellum, and other substances
while being submitted to the cutting and ornamenting operations herein-after
described, and is provided with adjusting screws to adapt it to books, paper,.
vellum, and other substances of various dimensions. Across the upper portion
or vertical sides of the frame a knife is fixed and adjusted by means of screws in a
horizontal position; and beyond the knife there is placed one or more ornamen-
tal rollers, segment or segments of rollers, or dies, blocks, plates or types, com-
posed of metal or other material, and on the vertical sides of the above-named
frame I place other knives and rollers, segment or segments of rollers, blocks,
dies, plates or types. These rollers, segment or segments of rollers, blocks,
dies, plates or types are so arranged that when the carriage containing the press
holding the material to be cut has passed the knife or knives, then the rollers,
segment or segments of rollers, blocks, dies, plates or types, charged with colour
by the inking or colouring apparatus now in ordinary use, is brought in contact
with the edge or edges of the material and so ornaments it. After the
carriage has passed beyond the before-mentioned cutting, and ornamenting
apparatus, the rollers return to their original position.. I can, if required,

page_text: employ my machine for cutting only, by not bringing the inking and orna-
menting apparatus into action. This machine is also rendered double acting
by placing a knife or knives at each extremity of the frame.
Having now described the construction and object of my cutting and
ornamenting machine I will next describe its mode of working.
I place the books, paper, vellum, or other substances intended to be cut
and ornamented in the press as above described, this press is then placed
on the above-mentioned carriage (if the press and carriage are not con-
structed all in one), which carriage is then propelled first against the edge
or edges of the knife or knives which cuts the edges of the books, paper,
vellum or other substances, and then under the roller or rollers, segment
or segments of rollers, blocks, dies, plates, or types which ornament the
edges of the material so cut as aforesaid, and then the carriage containing
the press either deliver such press at the other end of the machine or
returns back with it.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not confine myself to the
precise shape, size, or material of which the same is to be made, nor do
I claim as part of my Invention any particular mechanism by which the same
is worked, or the inking and colouring apparatus, and the mechanism con-
nected therewith; but what I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure
by Letters Patent, is that by means of a stationary knife or knives to cut
the edge or edges of books, paper, vellum, and other substances, and by
means of a roller, rollers, segment or segments of rollers, blocks, dies, plates
or types, composed of metal or other substances, to emboss, print, or other-
wise ornament the edge or edges of books, paper, vellum and other substances
by a machine constructed as before described.
In witness whereof the said Benjamin West, have hereunto set his
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
HENRY HALL,
38, Matilda Street,
Islington.
BENJN. WEST. (L.S.)