IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SHEARING METALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John McLachlan, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Rolling Mill Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR SHEARING METALS."
Sealed the 1st October 1878, and dated the 10th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John McLachlan at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th April 1878.
JOHN MCLACHLAN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Rolling Mill Manager.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SHEARING METALS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the machinery used for shearing,
paring, or cutting into strips sheets of steel, iron, brass, or other metals for the
purpose of executing the work with greater rapidity and exactness.
In carrying out my Invention, I use for the cutters or shears circular discs of
steel, which may be arranged to cut on one or both edges, and they are provided
with centre holes corresponding with the diameter of two shafts or axles, which are
carried by and revolve in the bearings of suitable housings or headstocks. One
shaft or axle is fixed above the other, and both are provided with a screw thread
formed on their circumference, and extending from the inside of one bearing
or neck to the other, being that part of the shaft on which the cutters are to be
secured.
The cutters are adjusted and secured in their relative positions by nuts or screwed
washers working on the threads of the screwed shafts or axles, one being placed on
each side of each cutter.
The shafts or axles can be adjusted both vertically and endwise, and are geared
together by pinions or wheels in the ordinary manner, and may be driven by either
hand, steam, or other motive power.
Opposite the centre or mouth of the cutters and parallel with the shafts or axles,
I provide an adjustable guide which may either consist of two plain bars with a

page_text: suitable space between them, or, if preferred, rollers may be substituted for the
purpose of guiding and supporting the sheet of metal to the cutters.
In front of the guide, I fix a table or slide having a short horizontal movement
to and from the guide; this movement may be obtained by any suitable mechanical
means.
On the table or slide I secure a parallel strip or gauge, against which the end of
the sheet of metal to be operated upon is placed, and on forcing forward the table
the strip or gauge carries the sheet of metal forward with it the front edge of the
sheet passing through the before-mentioned guides and into the mouth of the circular
cutters which carry it forward automatically, cutting it at the same time into the
required number of strips.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John McLachlan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th October
1878.
JOHN MOLACHLAN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Rolling Mill Manager.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SHEARING METALS."
My said Invention relates to improvements in the machinery used for shearing,
paring, or cutting into strips sheets of steel, iron, brass, or other metals for the
purpose of executing the work with greater rapidity and exactness.
In carrying out my said Invention, I use for the cutters or shears discs of steel
which may be arranged to cut on one or both edges, and are provided with centre
holes, corresponding with the diameter of two shafts or axles, which are carried by
and revolve in the bearings of suitable housings or headstocks. The shafts or axles
are arranged the one above the other, and both are provided with a screw thread
formed on their circumference, and extending nearly from the inside of one bearing
or neck to the other, being that part of the shaft or axle on which the cutters arc
to be secured.
The cutters are adjusted and secured in their relative positions by nuts or screwed
washers working on the threads of the screwed shafts or axles, one being placed on
each side of each cutter.
The shafts or axles may be made capable of adjustment, both vertically and end-
wise, they are geared together by pinions or wheels in the ordinary manner, and
nay be driven by either hand, steam, or other motive power.
Opposite the centre or mouth of the cutters and parallel with the shafts or axles,
I provide guides for the purpose of directing the sheet of metal, and supporting it
in its motion to and through the cutters, the sheet, as it is fed into the machine,
being placed on a table arranged in front of the guides, with one side edge
of the sheet in contact with a parallel strip or gauge disposed at one side of the
machine.
The apparatus having been set in motion, the sheet of metal is moved forward,
and its front edge passes through the before-mentioned guides and into the mouth

page_text: of the circular cutters, which advance it automatically, cutting it at the same time
into the required number of strips which may be received upon a table placed at the
opposite side of the machine.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of referenco
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of a machine for shearing
metals, constructed according to my said Invention; Figure 2 is a plan of tho
same; and Figure 3 is a sectional elevation, both corresponding to Figure 1.
A, A', are the cutters or shears, consisting of discs of steel, which are mounted on
shafts B, B¹, carried in bearings in the standards C, C', of the machine. Theso
shafts are formed with a screw thread throughout nearly their entire length to the
outer periphery of which thread the cutters are fitted; jamb nuts a, a, are also
provided, one at each side of each cutter, so that the cutter may be moved into any
required position upon the shafts, and may then be secured in any adjusted position
by means of the said nuts. The shafts are also formed with a longitudinal groove b,
to which is adapted a key or feather c provided on the cutters, so as to obviate any
tendency of the cutter to turn on the shafts.
It is preferred to arrange the upper cutters A and the lower cutters A' relatively
to each other in the manner shewn, that is to say, to so place the cutters upon the
shafts that the consecutive upper cutters A will be alternately at the right and at
the left of the corresponding lower cutters A¹.
The shafts B, B¹, have fast thereon spur wheels D, D', in gear the one with the
other, so that motion is transmitted from the upper shaft to the lower shaft, tho
former carrying a pulley E for receiving motion from any suitable prime mover;
F, F, are brackets carried by the opposite standards, and which support bars c, d,
extending from one standard to the other. These bars (which form a mouth or
guide for the sheet metal under operation) also carry figers e, e, which are so placed
as to prevent the cut metal from either wedging between the cutters or curling
round the shafts.
The sheet of metal G (Figure 3) to be operated upon is placed upon a table H, so
as to bear against a gauge, which is capable of adjustinent by means of a screw g
to suit the width of the sheet, and the machine being set in motion the sheet is fed
forward, either by hand or automatically between the guides d, d, and their fingers
e, e, into the mouth of the cutters A, A', which then advance it automatically,
cutting it simultaneously into the required number of strips, the saine being
received upon a table I provided for the purpose at the opposite side of tho
cutters.
The shafts are adjustable both vertically and endwise, being set up and secured
by means of the screws h, h², collars h³, h³, and wedges i, i. The fingers e, e, are
also made adjustable to suit the varying positions of the cutters.
The shafts may be continued beyond the standard C¹, and be fitted at these
extended portions (marked, ',) with an additional pair of cutters A², A³, an
additional standard C² being provided to support the end of the lower shaft B' and
a removable bracket Cs for supporting the upper set screw h.
By thus providing a pair of cutters at the exterior of the standard C', facility is
afforded for operating upon large work, such, for example, as circular saws, the
bracket C being removed, when the cutters A2, A3, are required to be used.
The dotted lines F2, Figure 1, represent a sheet in course of being pared by means
of the cutters A², A³.
It is obvious that when the extended portions k, k³, of the shafts are not used
the set screws h, h¹, are to be carried by the standard C'.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited

page_text: Letters Patent is, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts
forming a machine for shearing metals, substantially as herein-before described, and
illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John McLachlan, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
JOHN MOLACHLAN. (L.S.)