IMPROVE- MENTS IN TOBACCO CUTTING MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Legg, of the City Engine Works, Eagle Wharf
Road, Hoxton, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TOBACCO CUTTING MACHINES."
Sealed the 1st September 1876, and dated the 12th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Legg at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July 1870.
ROBERT LEGG, of the City Engine Works, Eagle Wharf Road, Hoxton, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOBACCO CUTTING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in tobacco cutting machines by
which improvements the knives are held more firmly to the work, their friction
reduced, and the general construction of the machines simplified, and consists of
mechanism for guiding and adjusting the knives and rollers and for regulating' the
feed, and in the general arrangement of a machine embodying these improvements.
For this purpose I fix the knife on a cross head worked by a crank in such a
cause the sur-
way that both ends of the knife move at the same velocity, and
face of the knife to clear the work by making it describe in its descent a slight
curve to which its plane is nearly tangential, this curve is determined by radius
bars or levers connected to the cross head, and extending in a nearly horizontal
direction, almost at right angles to the knife to an axis on which they vibrate near
the back of the feed box. I make the compressing rollers and nose piece of the
machine to rise and fall in a curved course corresponding to that of the knife by
mounting them in a pair of cheek plates with levers in continuation nearly of
equal length to the knife levers, and vibrating on a centre which nearly coincides
with that of the knife levers. By varying the direction of eccentricity of the
axis of the knife levers to that of the roller levers a means is obtained of adjusting
the knife accurately to the nose plate whilst the machine is in motion. The degree
of fineness of the cutting is regulated by varying the eccentricity of a moveable
stud pin in a plate on the crank shaft which gives motion through a train of speed
reducing gear to the several rollers.
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Robert Legg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th January 1877.
ROBERT LEGG, of the City Engine Works, Eagle Wharf Road, Hoxton, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOBACCO CUTTING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in tobacco cutting machines by
which improvements the knives are held more firmly to the work, their friction
reduced, and the general construction of the machines simplified, and consists of
mechanism for guiding and adjusting the knives and rollers, and for regulating the
feed, and in the general arrangement of a machine embodying these improvements.
For this purpose I fix the knife on a cross head worked by a crank in such a
way that both ends of the knife move at the same velocity, and I cause the surface
of the knife to clear the work by making it describe in its descent a slight curve
to which its plane is nearly tangential, this curve is determined by radius bars
or levers connected to the cross head and extending in a nearly horizontal direction
almost at right angles to the knife to an axis on which they vibrate near the back
of the feed box. I make the compressing rollers and nose piece of the machine to
rise and fall in a curved course, corresponding to that of the knife by mounting
them in a pair of cheek plates with levers in continuation, nearly of equal length
to the knife levers and vibrating on a centre which nearly coincides with that of
the knife levers. By varying the direction of eccentricity of the axis of the knife
levers to that of the roller levers, a means is obtained of adjusting the knife
accurately to the nose plate whilst the machine is in motion. The degree of
fineness of the cutting is regulated by varying the eccentricity of a moveable stud
pin in a plate on the crank shaft which gives motion through a train of speed
reducing gear to the several rollers.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I now proceed to
describe it by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine einbodying my improvements for
cutting tobacco; it is a machine in which the tobacco leaf is drawn from a feeding
trough and pressed by rollers which convey it to the knife. Figure 2 is a sectional
elevation of the same through the line A, B, in Figures 3 and 4.
Figure 3 is a front elevation and Figure 4 a plan or horizontal projection of the
machine as seen from above. Similar letters of reference are used to identify the
same parts of the machine in each of the Figures.
A, A, are the main frames united by B, B, B, B, stretcher bolts; D is the wooden
surfaced lower feeding roller or drum on which the tobacco is pressed and cut,
C, C, C, are the upper compressing and feeding rollers mounted in E, E, carriage
plates extended backwards forming the sides of the feeding trough and hinged to
the axle M; F, F, are levers; G, G, links by which the weight W presses down the
upper rollers; H is a crank and I a connecting link for working; J, the cross head to
which K the knife is fixed; L, L, are side levers or radius bars for guiding the
knife, they are hinged on the eccentric ends of the axle; M, M, is an axle held in
bearings at the back of the machine, and on its middle part, which is concentric
with its own bearings, are hinged the top roll carriage plates E, E, whilst on its
projecting ends, which are slightly eccentric, the knife levers L, L, are hinged;
N is a worm wheel segment; O, a worm; and P, a hand wheel for turning the
excentric spindle M through a part of a revolution in its bearings for adjusting
the contact of the knife with Q, the nose plate; R is a worm; S, a worm wheel, and
Ta worm pinion for giving simultaneous movement to all the rollers; U is a spindle
"universal jointed" at both ends for driving the upper rollers in positions varying
with the thickness of the feed; V is a saw toothed ratchet wheel moved inter-
mittently by X a catch, Y a link, and Z a stud pin V being changeable, and the
eccentricity of Z variable for the purpose of regulating the fineness of the cutting.
a, a, are fast and loose pulleys and 6 belt shifting gear for driving the machine by

page_text: steam or other power; ca fly wheel for distributing the work of the crank, and in
which a handle d is fixed when the machine is required to be worked by hand.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I claim as original-
First. The mode of guiding the knife by means of radial arms vibrating on an
axis placed parallel to the axis of the compressing rollers and to the face of the
knife instead of at right angles thereto as in former machines.
Second. The guiding of the compressing rollers and restraining them and their
nosepiece to a curved course corresponding to that of the knife by means of levers
hinged to an axis nearly coinciding with that of the knife, but slightly eccentric
thereto.
Third. The variation of this eccentricity for the purpose of regulating the contact
of the knife with the nose plate.
Fourth. The general arrangement and construction of the machine as drawn and
described herein embodying my improvements.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Legg, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
THAA
ROBT. LEGG. (...)