Improvements in Cropping Machines for Clipping the Loose Flores off the Surfaces of Linen, Cotton, and other Woven or Web Fabrics.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1887
Complete Left, 8th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 27th Apr., 1888
Improvements in Cropping Machines for Clipping the Loose Flores
off the Surfaces of Linen, Cotton, and other Woven or Web
Fabrics.
We, ARCHIBALD FULTON CRAIG, and ROBERT FULTON CRAIG, both of the
Caledonia Engine Works, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of our Invention to be as follows:-
This invention comprises the general construction of a quadruple cropping machine
susceptible of considerable modification in the details, for clipping the loose projecting
fibres twice on the two opposite sides of the fabric, while passing through the
machine. That is to say, a new or improved arrangement and combination of the
parts of a cropping or clipping machine, having two pairs or double sets of rotating
scroll cutters (or sets of edge cutting blades mounted helically on each cutting
cylinder) rotated at a very high speed, with the circumferential scroll cutting edges
working close up against a long thin stationary cutting blade, fixed longitudinally to
the frame of the spiral cutters. All so as to clip the loose fibres between the rotating
cutters and the stationary cutting blade, as both of these are swivelled to bear up or
down against the respective under or upper surfaces of the fabric while it is being
drawn at a moderate suitable regulated speed through the machine over fixed guide
bars and rollers, and also under or over long hollow fixed stretching bars with
rounded edges, one mounted at a proper angle tangentially to each cutting cylinder,
that this and its cutting blade will clip properly with an elastic effect on the part of
the fabric thus drawn across the stretching hollow bars or beds; four clipping actions
taking place, two on each side of the fabric, before it leaves the machine.
The scroll cutting cylinders, have by an improved arrangement of mechanism a
slow to-and-fro motion given to them, which gives a sharpening action to the cutting
edges both of the scroll and fixed blades; and all these parts, and the bearings of the
cutting cylinders are fitted with proper adjusting fittings and screws in their swivelling
arms for setting all the parts to their accurate cutting positions. Cropping or clipping
machines constructed in accordance with these improvements will produce better work

page_text: and keep longer in good working order than such machines have been as heretofore
constructed.
One general construction of cropping or clipping machine made in accordance with
this invention and embodying the improvements thereof consists all as follows:-
The framing consists of two main strong cast-iron side or end vertical open frames with
central webs at the solid parts, and strengthening T flanges all round the edges,
expanded out and down at the ends, with broad double sole flanges or feet for screwing
them to any suitable floor or foundation. These side frames are further secured and
stayed to each other by the end flanges of rigid vertical and horizontal cast iron
frames of an open or cruci-formed construction which stays the whole machine in a
rigid self contained or portable manner.
The fabric or web to be clipped or treated passes longitudinally through the machine
in the centre parallel to the side or end frames, undulated as will hereinafter be
described over its fixed guide and stretching bars and beds and drawing rollers. All
the drawing shafts of the drawing and guide rollers, and the cutting cylinders have
their journal axes thus working transversely across between the frames, the journal
bearings of the fixed revolving shafts and centres being generally formed or mounted
in the side frames. But the adjustable bearings of the scroll cutting cylinders are
mounted in their respective arms or levers of their oscillating frames, the oscillating
centres or axes of which work in fixed bearings in the side frames; the said oscillating
frames also carrying the longitudinal planed bar to which each thin fixed cutting blade
is secured by screws and a gripping light bar flat on the gripping side and rounded
on the outside, both the revolving and fixed knives being mounted adjacent to their
respective tangential long hollow bed across which the cloth is stretched in being
drawn through the machine, substantially as before stated.
All the automatic working parts of the machine are driven from a first motion high
speed shaft, mounted in bush bearings in the side frames at the lower back end of the
machine, through a fast and loose pulley and band passed over these, preferably on the
outer end of this shaft, at the driving end of the machine and which would have its
outer end journal preferably carried in a broad solid standard from the floor, having a
lateral shifting fork and bar carried in guides in this pillow block and in the near side
frame for shifting the belt from the fast to the loose pulley as occasion required, by
a light oscillating shaft carried in journal brackets along the inside of the side frame,
with one lever projecting up at its inner end coupled to the said shifting bar; while a
hand lever would be fitted on the front end of the spindle convenient to where the
nian attends to the working and starting of the machine and feeding in of the
fabric. On the first motion driving shaft, between the fast and loose pulleys and
the side frame of the machine, two large driving belt pulleys would be fitted, or one
pulley with two separate grooves, and deep projecting guide flanges, for driving the
transmitting belts in different planes of the small flanged pulleys and spiral cutting
cylinders, of the front or first set and those of the second or rear double set of pulleys
and cutting cylinders, with their respective guide and tightening pulleys all at a very
high speed as will hereinafter he described. The other end of this first motion shaft
has a spur pinion mounted on it outside the other end framo of the machine, and
which gives motion to change reducing speed spur wheels carried on a movable stud,
and which in turn give motion by a pinion to the large spur wheel of the main roller
which draws the fabric through the machine passing round under it, and between a
gripping roller carried in arms on an oscillating spindle in the side frames of the
machine the continuation of these arms or levers on the opposite end of the spindle
having shifting weights mounted on them, which regulate the action of the small
gripping roller on the drawing roller. This large spur wheel on the spindle of the
drawing roller, is made with a collar boss and hand lever to shift in and out of gear
with its pinion so as to stop the motion of the drawing rollers, and this end of the
shaft has a hand fly wheel to turn the drawing rollers by hand to pass the fabric back
or forward through the rollers when desired. Another drawing and delivery roller
is mounted on the top of this first actuated drawing roller, which may be driven by
toothed wheels from it, the cloth passing round under the first drawing roller, and

page_text: between it and the second drawing roller, over which it passes and, fitted with a
dressing roller also mounted over it. at the extreme back end of the machine, so that
the web or fabric is delivered behind the machine from between this second drawing
roller and pressing roller, all finished ready for being folded or removed. The fabric
is drawn in the same direction, at a slow speed through the machine, in which the
spiral knives rotate at a very high speed to cut the loose fibres off it. On the
opposite end of each spindle from its driving end of the spiral cutting cylinders, a
collar boss is mounted with an embracing shifting crosshead, having stud centres and
rings working in the grooved bosses for each pair of cutting cylinders, and oscillation
is given to each of these crossheads in the centre so as to traverse the cutting cylinders
slightly to-and-fro at a slow speed, and still allow of the cylinders oscillating to-and-
from the fabric on which they are acting. This to-and-fro motion is given to
each crosshead by the upper flat end of a vertical spindle carried in bearing
brackets from the back side end of the machine, the flat part working up through
a vertical slot in the crosshead, so that it may oscillate up and down on
an axis
corresponding to that of the frame carrying the spiral cutters, while yet being shifted
to-and-fro transversely to give this motion to the spiral cutters. This oscillating
motion is given to the two vertical spindles by a lever secured on each, projecting
parallelly in through the openings in the back side frame, where they are coupled
by a connecting rod on the inside of the frame, this connecting rod or a continuation of
it, having a stud and anti-friction roller working in an eccentric groove in a horizontal
screw spur wheel turned at a slow rate by a screw on the first motion shaft. Two,
preferably vertical hand levers, are mounted on a strong stud projecting out from
the side frame at the driving or front end of the machine, this stud being one of those
which preferably carry one of the guide pulleys of the transmitting driving belt of the
front spiral knives. The one hand lever through an arrangement of links and
levers tightens up this belt, which also drives the second spiral cutting cylinder, and
the same motion of the lever is made to oscillate a strong spindle passing through
between the frames of the machine, with short levers inside connected by links to
the oscillating frame carrying both cutting cylinders so as to bring these into
action on the stretched fabric at the same time as the band is tightened to drive
them. The other hand lever through a separate set of links and levers tightens up
the band, which drives the second or back set of cutting cylinders, ranged in an
equivalent manner to the first, but preferably higher in the frame and machine,
this lever by a strong transverse oscillating bar passed through the two frames of the
machine, and by spanners and links inside, also oscillates the frame carrying these
two cutting cylinders to bring them into action on the fabric to act on them at the same
time while tightening their belts. The other guide rollers of these belts are secured
on studs projecting from the side frames, adjustable to the best position for giving the
greatest circumferential action of the belts round the pulleys of the knives, all in the
direction the fabric is traversed as before siated, but at a very high speed. The web
or fabric to be treated is laid down loosely or in folds in front of the machine, and
passed over and under two transverse regulating tension or tightening swivelling bars
for giving any desired regular degree of tension or friction to the fabric being drawn,
which is regulated by the angle at which these bars are set, and held by a ratchet
wheel and pawl on one of their bosses; shifting guide bosses being also fitted on these
parallel bars for setting to the width of fabric being treated for the time being to guide
the cloth on towards the other guide bars and the cutters. The cloth from these
tension guide bars is first passed over the first stationary guide bar, which leads the
cloth down to and and under the hollow stretching fixed bed of the first cutting
cylinder, working under it and acting on the under surface; the cloth being then
drawn forward over the second hollow stretching fixed bed under the second cutting
cylinder, which thus acts on the upper surface of the fabric; while the fabric is
conducted down from this second stretching bar over a loose turning guide roller
below, and up over a second guide roller high up in the machine, which guides the
fabric down under the first hollow fixed stretching bed over the first cutting cylinder
of the second set of cylinders, which thus acts a second time on the under surface of

page_text: the fabric, which is then drawn along over the second fixed stretching bed under the
second cutting cylinder, which thus acts on the upper surface of the fabric for the
second time, the fabric being then carried direct down to the drawing and delivery
rollers as before explained.
This direction and disposition of the web or fabric leaves ample room for the fitting
and mounting of deep trays or sheet iron cases in advance of, and lower than the
cutting rollers for retaining all dust and the cut off fibrous material, preferably
mounted on the oscillating frames of the cutting rollers, or it might be on fixed
brackets on the transverse frames of the machine. Light sheet-metal covers would
also be hinged or portably mounted over these cutting rollers to any fixed part of the
framing to direct the clippings towards the receiving trays, and prevent them flying
about the machine.

page_text: Improvements in Cropping Machines for Clipping the Loose Fibres
off the Surfaces of Linen, Cotton, and other Woven or Web
Fabrics.
.
We, ARCHIBALD FULTON CRAIG, and ROBERT FULTON CRAIG, both of the Caledonia
Engine Works, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
our Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, reference
being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say :-
Our said invention comprises the general construction of a quadruple cropping
machine susceptible of considerable modification in the details, for clipping the loose
projecting fibres twice on the two opposite sides of the woven web fabric, while
passing through the machine. That is to say, a new or improved arrangement and
combination of the parts of a cropping or clipping machine, having two pairs or
double sets of rotating scroll cutters (or sets of edge cutting blades mounted
helically on each cutting cylinder) rotated at a very high speed, with the
circumferential scroll cutting edges working close up against a long thin stationary
cutting blade, fixed longitudinally to the frame of the spiral cutters.
All so as
to clip the loose fibres between the rotating cutters and the stationary cutting
blade, as both of these are swivelled to bear up or down against the respective
under or upper surfaces of the fabric while it is being drawn at a moderate
suitable regulated speed through the machine over fixed guide bars and rollers, and
also under or over long hollow fixed stretching bars with rounded edges, one mounted
at a proper angle tangentially to each cutting cylinder, that this and its cutting blade
will clip properly with an elastic effect on the part of the fabric thus drawn across the
stretching hollow bars or beds, four clipping actions taking place, two on each side of
the fabric, before it leaves the machine.
The scroll cutting cylinders, have by an improved arrangement of mechanism a
slow to-and-fro motion given to them, which gives a sharpening action to the cutting
edges both of the scroll and fixed blades; and all these parts and the bearings of the
cutting cylinders are fitted with proper adjusting fittings and screws in their
swivelling arms for setting all the parts to their accurate cutting positions. Cropping
or clipping machines constructed in accordance with these improvements will produce
better work and keep longer in good working order than such machines have been as
heretofore constructed.
And in order that our said Invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, we have hereunto
appended an explanatory Sheet of Drawings in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure is a side elevation, partly in section to show some of the new or improved

page_text: parts more clearly, and Figure 2, a front end view, both of a cropping machine
constructed in accordance with the improvements of our invention for clipping the
loose fibres off the surfaces of linen, cotton, and other woven or web fabrics.
Figure is a sectional elevation of the upper part of the after or delivery end of the
machine, corresponding to and to a larger scale than shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is
a plan corresponding to Figure 3, but of the front frame A¹, and side of the machine,
both to show the details of the cutting mechanism more clearly than shown in
Figures 1 and 2.
Referring to these Drawings; one general construction of cropping or clipping
machine made in accordance with this invention and embodying the improvements
thereof consists all as follows:-The framing consists of two main strong cast-iron side
or end vertical open frames A A', with central webs at the solid parts, and strengthening
Tflanges all round the edges, expanded out and down at the ends, with broad double
sole flanges or feet All for screwing them to any suitable strong floor or foundation.
These side frames A. A' are further secured and stayed to each other by the end
flanges of rigid vertical and horizontal cast iron transverse frames A², of an open or
cruci-form construction which stay the whole machine in a rigid self contained or
portable manner.
The fabric or web f to be clipped or treated passes longitudinally through the
machine in the centre, parallel to and between the side or end frames A A', undulated
as will hereinafter be described over its fixed guide and stretching bars and beds and
drawing rollers. All the driving shafts of the drawing and guide rollers, and the
cutting cylinders have their journal axes thus working transversely across in and
between the frames A A¹, the journal bearings of the fixed main revolving shafts and
centres being generally formed or mounted in bush bearings in the side frames. But
the adjustable bearings of the spindles d of the spiral or scroll blade cutting
cylinders D1, D2, D³, 14, are mounted in their respective arms or levers of their
oscillating frames E E', the oscillating centres or axes E2, of which work in fixed
bearings at E, in the side frames A A¹. The said oscillating frames E, E', also
carry the longitudinal planed bar F, to which each thin fixed or stationary cutting
blade F¹, is secured by screws and a gripping light bar F2, flat on the gripping side
and rounded on the outside, both the revolving and fixed knives D and F, being
mounted adjacent to their respective tangential long hollow transverse bed or
bars G1, G2, G3, G4, across the horns G of which the cloth is stretched in being
drawn through the machine, substantially as before stated, the hollow bars G¹ to G
being fixed by adjusting screws in strong flanged brackets A³ formed on the top of
the frames A A¹.
All the automatic working parts of the machine are driven from a first motion high
speed transverse shaft B mounted in bush bearings in the side frames A A¹, and an
outer standard B near the lower back end of the machine, through a fast and
loose pulley B, and band passed over these, preferably on the outer end of this
shaft, at the driving end of the machine, and which would have its outer end
journal preferably carried in the broad flanged strong standard B" from the floor,
having a lateral shifting fork and bar B2, carried in guides in this pillow block B
and in the near side frame A for shifting the belt from the fast to the loose
pulley as occasion required, by a lever bon a light oscillating longitudinal shaft B³
carried in journal brackets 6", along the inside of the side frame, with one lever bl
projecting up at its inner end coupled to the said shifting bar B2; while the
hand lever is fitted on the front end of the spindle convenient to where the man
attends to the working and starting of the machine and feeding in of the fabric f
On the first mortion driving shaft B, between the fast and loose pulleys B', B', and the
side frame of the machine, two large driving belt pulleys CC, are fitted, or it might
be one pulley with two separate grooves, and deep projecting guide flanges, for driving
the transmitting belts c, cl, in different planes of the small Hanged pulleys c¹ and c² of
the spiral cutting cylinders D', D2, of the front or first set, and those c³, c, of the
second or rear double set of pulleys and cutting cylinders D³, 1*, with their respective

page_text: guide and tightening pulleys C², C", all at a very high speed on the outside of the
frame A of the machine as will hereinafter be described. The other end of this first
motion shaft B has a spur pinion e mounted on it outside the other end frame A¹, of
the machine, and which gives motion to change reducing speed spur wheels e¹, ell
carried on a movable stud 2, and which in turn gives motion by the pinion el to the
large spur wheel mounted on the spindle h of the main roller H, which draws the
fabric through the machine, passing round under it, and between a gripping
roller H carried in sliding bush bearings H", in the side frames A A', of the machine,
with a second gripping roller H, similarly mounted in slotted bearings over the one H',
all carried in the main side frames A A¹, so as to grip the cloth and deliver it at
the back end of the machine at ", or the bearings of these rollers H', or H2 might be
mounted in arms on an oscillating lever spindle fulcrumed on the main frames A, A¹,
the continuation of these arms or levers on the opposite end of the spindle having
shifting weights mounted on them, which regulate the pressure or action of the
small gripping rollers H¹ or H² on the drawing rollers, and might have an
arrangement of oscillating levers at H³ for delivering the fabrics in folds behind the
machine. The large spur wheel e³, on the spindle h, of the drawing roller H, is made
with a 'collar boss at I or it might be a coupling, and hand lever I fulcrumed at I², to
the side frame A', to shift in and out of gear with its pinion ell, so as to stop the
motion of the drawing rollers H H', and this end of the shaft h has a hand fly wheel /¹
to turn the drawing rollers H H' by hand to pass the fabric back or forward
through the rollers when desired. The drawing and delivery roller H', mounted on
the top of this first actuated drawing roller H, is. preferably driven by toothed
wheels 1, 2, from the shaft the cloth f, passing round under the first drawing
roller H, and between it and the second drawing roller H, over which it passes, and
fitted with the pressing roller H2 also mouted over it at the extreme back end of the
machine, so that the web or fabric is delivered at behind the machine from
between this second drawing roller H¹, and pressing roller H³, all finished ready.
for being folded or removed. All three rollers H, H1, H2, may be geared together
to give them an equal surface speed or the surface speed of the top roller H2
may be increased so as to cause a slight friction rubbing action on the cloth.
The roller H would preferably be covered with cloth or india-rubber to give a better
gripping action. The fabric f is drawn in the same direction, at a slow speed through
the machine, in which the spiral knives D rotate all as indicated by the arrows in
Figure 1, at a very high speed to cut the loose fibres off it against the stationary
blade knives F. On the opposite end of each spindle d from its driving end outside
the frame A A', of the spiral cutting cylinders D, collar bosses d' are mounted with a
double ended embracing shifting crosshead or lever d, having stud centres and rings
working in the grooved bosses d¹, at d², for each pair of cutting cylinders D', 19³,
and D3, D, and oscillation is given to each of these cross-heads d, d, in the centre
so as to traverse the cutting cylinders slightly to-and-fro at a slow speed, and still
allow of the cylinders oscillating to-and-from the fabric on which they are acting.
This to-and-fro motion is given to each cross-head ", d, by the upper flat end g¹ of
a vertical spindle g carried in bearing brackets g" secured to and projecting out from
the front side frame A' of the machine, the flat part g' working up through a vertical
slot at d in each of the crossheads d", d", so that it may oscillate up and down on an
axis corresponding to the axis E2, of the frames E, E¹, carrying the spiral
cutters D', D, and D3, D4, while being yet shifted to-and-fro transversely to give this
motion to the spiral cutters D. This oscillating motion is given to the two vertical
spindles by a lever g², g³, secured on each spindle g projecting parallelly in through
the openings in the back side frame A', where they are coupled by a connecting
rod gil on the inside of the frame, the lever g or a continuation of it, having a stud and
antifriction roller g', working in an eccentric groove 9' in a horizontal screw spur.
wheel turned at a slow rate by a screw at g' on the first motion shaft B which gives
the said reciprocatory motion to the vertical spindles g, g, and clutch levers d", d",
of the spiral cutters D, before described. Two preferably vertical hand levers J,
g
J¹

page_text: are mounted on a strong stud at Ju, projecting out from the side frame A at the
driving end of the machine, this stud J" being one of those which preferably carry
one of the guide pulleys C, of the transmitting driving belt c passed up from the
large driving pulley C, to actuate the pulleys c, c², of the front spiral knives D', D².
The one hand lever J, through an arrangement of links and levers ), j, 12, 13, and
pulley C, tightens up this belt c, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, which also
drives the second spiral cutting cylinder D², and the same motion of the lever J is
made to oscillate a strong spindle K passing through and working in bearings in the
frames A A, of the machine, with short levers k, inside connected by links ¹ to the
oscillating frames E E' carrying both cutting cylinders D1, D2, so as to bring these
into action on the stretched fabric f at the same time as the band c is tightened to
drive them. The other band lever J¹, through a separate set of links and
levers i,,,, and pulley C", tightens up the band c", which drives the second or back
set of cutting cylinders D3, D4, ranged in an equivalent manner to the first, but
preferably higher in the frame and machine all as seen particularly in Figures 3 and 4.
This lever J, and rods i by a strong transverse oscillating bar K passed through the
two frames A A¹, of the machine, and by the spanners and links k, k², inside, also
oscillates the frame E, E', carrying these two extra back cutting cylinders D3, D4, to
bring them into action on the fabric f to act on them at the same time while tightening
their belts. The other guide rollers C2 and 2 of these belts are secured on studs
projecting from the side frame A A, adjustable to the best position for giving the
greatest circumferential action of the belts round the pulleys c¹, c, and c³, c, of the
cutting rolls D, all in the direction the fabric is traversed as before stated, but
at a very much higher speed. The web or fabric f to be treated is laid down loosely
or in folds in front of the machine, and passed over and under two transverse
regulating tension or tightening swivelling bars 1, 11, for giving any desired regular
degree of tension or friction to the fabric being drawn, which is regulated by the
angle at which these bars 7, P, are set, and held by a ratchet wheel and pawl in on
one of their bosses L, L, rotating on studs L' projecting inwards from the front ends
of the frames A A'. The spindles are fitted with guide flange-bosses 12 set and
secured by pinching screws on the spindles 1, 11, to suit the width of fabric
passing through the machine for the time being to be cropped, as seen more particularly
in Figure 2, and indicated by the dotted lines f, f. The cloth from these regulating
tension guide bars 1, 1, is first passed over the first stationary guide bar at f which
leads the cloth down to and under the horns or polished smooth guide faces G, G,
of the hollow stretching fixed bed or bar G¹ of the first cutting cylinder D' working
under it and acting on the under surface; the cloth f being then drawn forward over
the second hollow stretching fixed bed G G³, under the second cutting cylinder D
which thus acts on the upper surface of the fabric f; while the fabric is conducted
down from this second stretching bar D², over a loose turning guide roller below,
fitted in bush bearings f, in the frames A A', and up over a second guide roller f
high up in the machine, which guides the fabric down under the first hollow fixed
stretching bed G, G³, over the first cutting cylinder D³ of the second set of
cylinders D3, D4, which thus acts a second time on the under surface of the fabric,
which is then drawn along over the second fixed stretching bed G, G4, under the
second cutting cylinder D, of this set which thus acts on the upper surface of the
fabric for the second time, the fabric being then carried direct down to the drawing
and delivery rollers H H', as before explained.
l
This direction and disposition of the web or fabric f leaves ample room for the
fitting and mounting of deep trays or sheet iron cases M in advance of and lower than
the cutting rollers F, F, for retaining all dust and the cut-off fibrous material,
preferably mounted on the oscillating frames E, E', of the cutting rollers, or it
might be on fixed brackets on the transverse frames of the machine. Light leather
or sheet-metal covers would also be hinged or portably mounted over these cutting
rollers to any fixed part of the framing to direct the clippings towards the receiving
trays M, and prevent them flying about the machine.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
First. The construction, or general arrangement and combination of the parts, of a
cropping machine, for clipping the loose fibres off the surfaces of linen, cotton, and
other woven or web fabrics, substantially as herein described, in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The constructing of a cropping machine with two pair or double sets of
rotating scroll cutters, for clipping the loose fibres twice on both sides of the fabric,
while passing through the machine, substantially as herein described in reference
to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
Agents.