Improvements in Machines for Outting or Cropping the Nap of Fustians, Velveteen, Plush, Velvet, or the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 29th Feb, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Outting or Cropping the Nap of
Fustians, Velveteen, Plush, Velvet, or the like.
1, FERNANDO ALSINA, of Barcelona, in the Kingdom of Spain, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
1
This invention relates to machinery or apparatus employed in cutting or cropping
the pile or nap of shaggy fabrics or fustians, whether made of cotton, wool, silk or
other animal or vegetable fibre, the improvements being comprised under the
following heads
First. The frame or "bridge," from which the knife-holders are suspended, may
be arranged at an angle to the line of the uap; such angle of inclination being
variable according to requirements, and the bridge or frame being capable of
adjustment while remaining parallel to its initial plane.
Secondly. The knife-holders are so suspended from, or pivoted to, the frame oi
budge as to be capable of moving in all directions, except that of the advancing
material
Thudly. A plate to which the guide for the blade or knife-edge 18 secuted, 18 80
pivoted as to enable the knife-edge to be displaced in the vertical plane, and to
assume either the operative position with its pot just touching or "sweeping" the
material, of the position of rest with its point raised above the material, or tho
position which it ought not to assume, except by accident, and in which its edge
would penetrate the material.
Fourthly. An improvement in the blocking or arresting mechanism, whereby
the machine is instantaneously airested in the event of the knife-edge or blude being
moved from the operative position, or when it happens to cut or pierce the fabric
under treatment.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings which represent a nap-cutting on cropping machine embodying my
improvements.
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations of the front and rear respectively.
Fig. 3 18 a plan of a part of the machine (corresponding with Fig. 1).
Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the knife-holder, and means for attaching the
knife.
Fig. 6 18 a detail view of the coupling sleeve or clutch, forming part of the
lacking or arresting device.
The knife-holder consists of a rod a so shaped or bent at its upper end, as to he
capable of freely or moveably fitting in a step-bearing 6. The rod a is furnished
with a screw d, the extremity d¹ of which is made conical and has its beating in the
conical recess in the bearing b. The rod a is also provided with a collar e,
adjustable on and rod by means of a set-screw. This collar e 18 formed with a
perforation or recess e' adapted to receive one end of the hook f.
The machine comprises as many knife-holders a as there are bearings b'. These
benrings are secured to a bridge or frame 6, supported on screws c' c', whereof the
ends work in nuts ; these nuts being adapted to slide along the guides as the
corresponding screws are turned by hand, through the medium of the hand-wheel c³
and intermediate bevel-gearing.
The nuts c, together with the bridge b, may thus be moved to, or adjusted in, the

page_text: situation calculated to ensure coincidence between each blade or knife-edge and the
line of nap-tbreads or loops to be operated upon.
This
The bridge b carries an arm & joined to the bar or rail by the lever r.
rail or bai is suspended from, or linked to, the said bridge b through the medium
of rods whereby it is free to oscillate to the required extent; the rail being
furnished with bosses wherein one extremity of each of the hooks engages.
The krife-holders are adapted to turn about their vertical axes or pivots, and to
Oscillate in any direction so as to accommodate any variations of width and any
regularity which miny occur in the formation of the lines of uap or weft-thiends.
But they are precluded from following the direction of the progress of the fabric,
any such movement being checked by the hooks f, engaging with the bosses ³ on
the rail'.
The guide m of the knife-edge is, by means of a spring m' and a set-screw m³,
attached to a plate & which turns about the pivot located within the sleeve gl of
the support a which is arranged upon the rod a of the knife-holder. The plate k 18
provided with a rod h carrying a coiled spring h', whereby the plate is constantly
pressed down, the effect of the arrangement being to prevent the plate from moving,
and to securely retain it in the operative position (1, Fig. 4). So soon however as
the knife-edge receives an impulse more powerful than the resistance offered by the
rod. the plate-edge moves either to the position 2, or to the position 3, as the case
may be.
The device for instantaneously arresting the working of the machine, on the
knife becoming displaced, consists of electrical appaintus comprising a commutator
or switch, and an arresting pawl. The switch or commutator consists of a metal
plate n fitted to the support g, and insulated therefrom by means of the insulating
material oo. The plate is so aanged in relation to the rod h, that, as the
blade moves towards the position 3 and thereby causes the rod to descend, the
knob or button thereon comes into contact with the metal plate a, thereby closing
the circunt and allowing the electrical current to act upon the arresting pawl. The
locking or arresting mechanism proper consists of a coi! ', the armatures of which
is arranged to act as a pawl upon the sliding portion of a clutch. For this
purpose the said sliding portion has two projections and, (Fig. 6,) provided
on it, which projections are adapted to impinge against the point s' of the aimaturo,
FO as to anest the rotary motion of the clutch.
Each knife-holder is provided with a plate n and a wire connecting it to a
bar n³, which bar is in its turn connected with the positive pole of a battery.
The coil is connected with the negative pole by the conductor, and is in
electrical communication with the loom through the medium of the wie n' and
>crew n³.
By means of this arrangement, when the rod desceuds and brings its stud or
nob down upon the plate, the instantaneous closing of the circuit is the result.
The coil, traversed by the current, attracts the end of the pawl or armature,
(Figs. 1 and 6,) the opposite end of which engages with one of the pro-
jections or of the friction clutch, and thereby arrests the rotary motion of
the said clutch. The part of the friction clutch, which is made integral with
the diving pulley 2 and 18 in constant rotation, acts, by means of its inclines,
upon the sliding portion v, and repels it; the latter portion, carrying the lever
towards the position. On the motion of the portion of the clutch being
arrested, the shaft 24, by which motion is transmitted to the machine, also coases
to turn.
In preparing for work a machine of the improved construction, the knife-
holders a are first suspended in then respective bearings, the conical ends
of the screwed being placed in the recesses 6. The guides m of the knife
blades are then turned to the position 2 so as to obviate any damage to the
fabric t, when inserting the same in the machine. In Figs. 1 and 2, the fabric
or material is shown in dotted lines, the arrows indicating the direction of travel
through the machine. In stretching the fabric, the tension is controlled and
1
I

page_text: adjusted by means of a brake-device, such as 1 (Fig. 2), which embraces the
end of the roller 1. By means of the hand-wheel c³, the screws c' are rotated in
order to bring the frame or bridge into the required position to place the
knives just above the nap to be cropped. The knife-holders may now be adjusted
in position and the guides m lowered so as to resume their normal or operating
position (1). The point of the guide enters the line of weft-threads forming the
Dap, and retains this position, until the desired contact between the weft and the
knife is brought about. The knife-holders are then coupled to the rail
by means of the hooks f, (Figs. 1 and 2,) when the machine will be ready for
work.
In starting the machine, the lever, Fig. 1, is pushed to the left, until it
assumes the position indicated in dotted lines at . This has the effect of
engaging the sliding portion of the clutch with its counterpart, which is
attached to the driving pulley &¹. On the latter revolving, motion is transmitted
to the shaft, and thence to the shaft i, by means of the spur-wheel. The
roller p receives motion from the shaft i, through the intervention of the bovel
gearing B; the roller g being operated by means of a strap or belt q'.
As the material advances towards the gathering roller q, each blade of the
kmfc-holder cuts oue line of weft or nap, unless, by reason of some accident, the
blade deviates from its normal position and penetrates the body of the material,
When this occurs, i.e., when the blade and its guide assume the position indicated
at 3, Fig. 4, the plate k is moved out of its normal position, the rod h, operated by
the spring ', descends, and the electrical circuit is completed; the coil s¹
attracting the armatures. The point of the armature engages with the one or
the other of the projections ' or ', with the result that the sliding portion v of
the clutch is arrested, and the machine instantly stopped.
When the blade which caused the stoppage of the machine has been replaced in
its working position, the lever is moved to the position, and the machine again
started.
18
In the drawings, I have represented, by way of example, a machine comprising
fou knife-holders a; but it will be understood that the number of these knife-
holders may be varied according the requirements of each individual case.
The present improvements may be applied to existing machines employed in
cutting or cropping the pile or uap of shaggy fabrics or fustians, whether of cotton,
wool, silk or other animal or vegetable fibre.
Dated the 7th 1a 1005
Improvements in Machines for Cutting or Oropping the Nap of
Fustians, Velveteen, Plush, Velvet, or the like.
I, FERNANDO ALSINA, of Barcelona, in the Kingdom of Spain, Manufacturer,
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:-
This invention relates to machinery or apparatus employed in cutting or
cropping the pile or nup of shaggy fabrics or fustians, whether made of cotton,
wool, silk or other animal or vegetable fibre; the improvements being comprised
under the following heads :--
First. The fiame or "
," from which the knife-holders are suspended,
bridgo,"

page_text: may be arranged at an angle to the lue of the nap; such angle of inclination
being variable according to requirements, and the bridge ou frame being capable of
adjustment while remaining parallel to its initial plane.
Secondly. The knife-holders, which nie so suspended from, or pivoted to, the
frame on bridge as to be capable of moving in all directions, except that of the
advancing material.
Thirdly. A plate to which the guide for the blade or knife-edge is secured is so
pivoted as to enable the knife edge to be displaced in the vertical plane, and to
assume either the operative position, with its point just touching or "sweeping" the
material, or the position of rest, with its point raised above the material, or the
position which it ought not to assume, except by accident, and in which its edge
would penetrate the material.
Fourthly. An improvement in the locking or arresting mechanism, whereby the
machine is instantaneously arrested or locked in the event of the knife-edge or blade
being moved from the operative position, or when it happens to cut or piorce the
fabric under treatment.
The invention will be best understood with the aid of drawings, and for
this purpose I will refer to the drawings which accompanied my Provisional
Specification, whereof
Figs. 1 and 2 represent front and rear elevations respectively of a nap-cutting or
-cropping machine embodying my improvements.
Fig. 3 is a plan of a part of the machine (corresponding with Fig. 1).
Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the knife-holder, and means for attaching the
knife.
Fig. 6 is a detail view of the coupling sleeve or clutch, forming part of the
locking or arresting device.
The knife-holder consists of a 1od a so shaped or beut at its upper end, as to be
capable of freely or moveably fitting in a step-bearing b. The iod a is furmshed
with a screw d, the conical extremity d' of which has its beating in the conical
recess in the bearing 6. The 10d a 18 also provided with a collar e, adjustable
on eaid rod by means of a set-screw. This collar e 18 formed with a perforation or
recess & adapted to receive one end of the hook f.
The machine comprises as many knife-holders a as there are bearings b. These
bearings are socuted to a budge or frame b, supported on screws cc' working in
nuts c; the nuts c sliding along guides c, upon the rotation of the screws by means
of the hand-wheel c³ and intermediate bevel-gearing.
The nuts, together with the bridge b, may thus be moved to, or adjusted in, the
situation calculated to ensure coincidence between each blade or kuife-edge and the
line of nap-threads or loops to be operated upon.
The bridge carries an arm & joined to the bar or rail, by the lever r. This
rail or bar is suspended from, or linked to, the said bridge & through the medium of
1ods, whereby it is free to oscillate to the required extent; the rail being
furnished with bosses wherein one extremity of each of the hooks f engages.
The knife-holders are adapted to turn about their vertical axis or pivot, and to
oscillate in any direction so as to accommodate any variations of width and any
irregularity which may occur in the formation of the lines of uap or weft-threads.
But they are precluded from following the direction of the progress of the fabric,
any such movement boing checked by the hooks f being in engagement with the
bosses on the rail r¹.
The guide m of the knife-edge is, by means of a spring m and a set-screw m²,
attached to a plate & which tuns about the pivot located within the sleeve g' of
the support g, the latter being arrauged upon the 1od a of the hifc-holder. The
plate is provided with a rod canying a coiled spring whereby the plate is
constantly pressed down, and prevented from moving, and securely retained in the
position 1, Fig. 4. So soon however as the knife-edge recoives an impulse more
powerful than the resistance offered by the 1od h, the plate & moves cither to the
position 2, or to the position 3, as the case may be.

page_text: The device for instantaneously arresting the working of the machine, on the
knife becoming displaced, consists of electrical apparatus comprising a commutator
or switch, and an arresting pawl. The switch or commutator consists of a metal
plate n. fitted to the support g, and insulated therefrom by means of insulating
material o o; the rod h being so arranged that, as the blade moves towards the
position 3, and thereby causes the rod to descend, the knob or button thereon
comes into contact with the metal plate n, thereby closing the encuit and allowing
the electrical current to act upon the arresting pawl. The looking or arresting
mechanism proper consists of a coil or bobbin s', the armatures of which is arranged
to act as a pawl upon the sliding portion of a clutch. For this purpose, the
sliding portion is provided with two projectious o' and ' (Fig. 6) adapted to
engage the point of the armature, whereby the rotary motion of the clutch may
be arrested. Each knife-bolder 18 furnished with a platen connected with a bar n'
by means of a wire n', the bar being connected with the positive pole of a battery.
The coil or bobbin s' is connected with the negative pole by the conductor n³, and
is in electrical communication with the framework of the machine through the
medium of the wire n' and screw n³. When the rod h descends and brings its stud
or knob into contact with the plate n, the electrical circuit is instantaneously closed.
The coil or bobbin s', traversed by the current, attracts the ends of the pawl or
armature, (Figs. 1 and 6,) the opposite end of which engages with one of the
projections or of the friction clutch, and thereby prevents further movement
of the clutch. The part z of the friction clutch, which is made integral with the
driving pulley and is in constant rotation, acts, by means of its inclmes, upon the
sliding portion v, and repels it, the latter portion, carrying the lever .r towards
the position. On the motion of the portion of the clutch being arrested, the
shaft, by which motion is transmitted to the machine also ceases to turn.
In preparing for work a machine of the improved construction, the knife-
holders a are first suspended in their respective bearings 6', the conical ends d' of
the screws d being placed in the recesses 6. The guides m of the knife blades
are then turned to the position 2 (Fig. 4) so as to obviate any damage to the
fabric, when inserting the same in the machine. In Figs. 1 and 2, the fabric or
material is shown in dotted lines, the arrows indicating the direction of travel
through the machine. In stretching the fabric, the tension is controlled and
adjusted by means of a brake-device, such as (Fig. 2), which embraces the end
of the roller By means of the band-wheel c, the screws c¹ are rotated in order
to bring the frame or bridge b into the required position to place the knives just
above the to be cropped The knife-holders may now be adjusted in position
and the guides m lowered so as to resume their normal or operating position 1
(Fig. 4). The point of the guide enters the line of weft-threads forming the
nap, and retains this position, until the desired contact between the weft and the
knife is brought about. The knife-holders are then coupled to the rail by
means of the hooks f, (Figs. 1 and 2,) whereupon the machine is ready for
work.
In starting the machine, the lever a, Fig. 1, is pushed to the left, until it
assumes the position indicated in dotted lines at . This has the effect of
engaging the sliding portion of the clutch with its counterpart z, which 18
attached to the driving pulloy . On the latter revolving, motion 18 transmitted
to the shaft, and thence to the shaft, by means of the spur-wheel.'. The
roller p receives motion from he shaft, through the intervention of the bevel-
gearing B, the roller 9 being operated by means of a strap or belt g'.
As the material advances towards the gathering roller 2, each blade of the
kmle-holder cuts one line of weft or nap, unless, by reason of some accident, the
blado deviates from its normal position and penetrates the body of the material.
When this occurs, 1.e., when the blade and its guide assume the position indicated
at 3, (Fig. 4,) the plate 18 moved out of its normal position, the rod h, operated
by the spring h', descends, and the electrical circuit is completed; the coil or
bobbin attracting the armature s. The point of the armature engages with

page_text: the one or the other of the projections a¹, ³, with the result that the sliding
portion of the clutch is arrested, and the machine instantly stopped
When the blade which caused the stoppage of the machine has been replaced
in its working position, the lever 18 moved to the position, and the machine
again started.
In the drawings, I have represented, by way of example, a machine compusing
Jou knife-holders a, but it will be understood that the number of knife-holders
may be varied according to the requirements of each individual case
The present improvements may be applied to existing machines employed in
cutting or cropping the pile or nap of shaggy fabrics o fustinns, whether of cotton,
silk, or other ammal or vegetable fibre.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim.-
In a machine for cropping pilo fabrics, the employment of one or more knife-
holders freely suspended from a budge adapted to be inclined at any angle to the
line of weft or nap to be cut, and at the same time to be moved across the machine,
the knife-holders being arranged to follow the movements of the budge and to
oscillate about their pivots, substantially as herein described.
2 In a machine for cupping pile fabies, the combination with knife-holders of
the character referred to in the preceding claiming clause, of a plate adapted to
turn about a horizontal axis or spindle, a blade guide m secured to the said
spindle, and a spring-actuated rod adapted to retain the said plate in its normal
operative position, unless and until it meets with a resistance capable of overcoming
the resilience of the spring, substantially as and for the pun pose herein set forth.
3. In a machine foi cropping pile fabies, the combination with knite-holders
eely suspended from a sliding bridge, of a bar linked to the said bridge and
connected through the medium of a lever to an arm carried by the budge,
substantially as and for the purpose herem set forth, the knife-holders being
attached to the said bar in such a manner that they are securely held against
displacement under the strain noidental to cutting only, whilst, for the purpose
of facilitating other operations, they may be readily caused to assume other
positions
4 In a machine for cropping pile fabrics, the employment of an instantaneously-
acting arresting or locking device, comprising a rod h arranged, upon the displace-
ment of a blade in the kuife-holder, to drop upon a plate n, and an electrical coil,
the armature of which acts as an arresting pawl by engaging with a projection
upon the sliding portion of a clutch provided with inclined teeth, the inoveable
portion of the said clutch being thus repelled and caused to act upon the reversing
fever, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 25th day of January 1890