A METHOD OF CUTTING CARDS BY MEANS OF MACHINERY, ALSO A PROCESS FOR APPLYING PASTE OR OTHER ADHESIVE MATTER TO PAPER, AND FOR STICKING PAPER TOGETHER WITH PASTE OR OTHER ADHESIVE MATTER, BY MEANS OF MACHINERY APPLICABLE TO SUCH PURPOSES RESPECTIVELY
Year: 1824

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
DICKINSON, of Nash Mills, in the County of Hertford, Paper Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twentieth day of May, in the fifth year of His reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Dickinson, His special licence that I, the said John Dickinson,
my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Dickinson,
my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein specified,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "A METHOD
OF CUTTING CARDS BY MEANS OF MACHINERY, ALSO A PROCESS FOR APPLYING
PASTE OR OTHER ADHESIVE MATTER TO PAPER, AND FOR STICKING PAPER TOGETHER
WITH PASTE OR OTHER ADHESIVE MATTER, BY MEANS OF MACHINERY APPLICABLE
TO SUCH PURPOSES RESPECTIVELY;" in which said Letters Patent there is con-
tained a proviso obliging me, the said John Dickinson, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said

page_text: recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Dickinson, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is described and ascer-
tained as follows, and in the Drawing hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
The cutting is performed by circular cutters placed at equal distances on
pairs of spindles, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, the edges of the cutters on
one spindle passing those on the other spindle about the eighth part of an inch,
so that when the spindles revolve with sheets or slips of cardboard or paper
placed between them so as to be carried through, a cut is necessarily made
where each pair of cutters como in contact.
My Invention consists partly in the mode of arranging the cutters at equal
and corresponding distances, so that each pair may exactly be brought into
contact. In Figure 2, a, a, represent two spindles of wrought iron or other
metal, with fixed collars b, b, and having each a scrow cut on the end opposito
the collar, with nuts g, g, for the purpose of drawing together and thereby
fixing the apparatus on the spindles; each spindle has a certain number of
stops of small diameter c, c, c, and also of larger diameter, d, d, d, which aro
of the length required for the cards or slips intended to be cut; also two end 2
stops, which on one spindle are marked e, & have each six recesses for spiral
springs, and on the other spindle are marked f; all these stops are bored out
so as to slip easily on to the spindles, and are drawn up into close contact by
the nuts g, g. Each spindle has also a certain number of circular cutters or
rings with cutting edges h, h, h; these cutters have each a hole in the centre 2
large enough to admit of their slipping on the small stops c, c, c, and the pro-
jecting necks of the stops e, Fig. 4, which are of the same diameter as the
stops c, c, c. Each spindle has also a certain number of circular blocks of
wood i, i, i, shewn more particularly in Figure 3, with a hole in the centre
large enough to admit of their slipping easily on the stops c, c, c, and six other s
holes parrallel with the contre one, for the purpose of containing in each a
spiral spring k, k, k. The blocks. are of such length that when the whole
apparatus is put together, as shown in Figure 4, they nearly fill up the space
between the circular cuttors h, h, and the spiral springs which they contain
being compressed, tend, by their expansive force, to keep the circular cutters 3
pressed up on each side against the larger stops, and the end stops e, e, have
each six recesses for the purpose of containing six spiral springs for pressing
up the cutter at that end against the large stop next to it d. The length of
the stops must be conformable to the width of cut required, and the cuts from

page_text: &
one pair of spindles may, if required, be of various widths and numbers, but in
all cases the stops on one spindle corresponding to those on the other must,
when the spindles are in their places, be exactly of the same length, or the
cutters cannot act properly. The best material for the stops is cast iron, on
account of the accuracy and strength required in them, and the larger ones
may be made hollow or of the form shewn in Figure 5. 1, in Figure 1, is a
small metal roll parrallel with the spindles of the cutters fixed at each end in a
little joint or swinging frame, so that it lays with its weight upon the bottom
set of cutters, and revolves by friction with them. m, in Figure 1, is a move-
able frame of wood or metal intended to be lifted up and down by the small
beam at each end n, which works on a fulcrum, and is acted upon by the
eccentrics o as the spindle revolves, which cause it to raise the frame m and let
it drop; the frame m must be guided by a pin at each end working in a cross
bar between the frames, or by any other simple means adapted to make it rise
and fall level. The ledge at the bottom is intended to be moveable to shift up
and down, according to the width of the slip to be cut, and to be fixed by
a. screw at the required height. Each of the large stops has two circular
groves cut on the periphery, as shewn in Figure 2, & Figure 4, and p, p, are
two plates of steel cut with projecting points, as shewn in the plan, Figure
section, Figure 12, which are so fixed that these points enter into the groves
in the upper and lower set of stops, and thereby, as the cutters revolve, push
out the cards or slips of cardboard, which would otherwise stick between the
cutters. The most convenient way of working the machine is by a treadle
acting on the crank shaft q, which has a small drum r, from whence, as it
revolves, motion is communicated by a strap to the drum S on the upper
spindle. When the machine is set to work the person who feeds it takes up
the slips of cardboard from the table t, Figure 1, and places them on the
slirling frame m, and in every revolution of the cutting spindle this frame is
raised three or four times, according to the number of horns on the eccentric,
sufficiently for the upper edge of the slip to be caught between the small roll /
and the cutters, by which means it is carried through and cut into cards.
For cutting cardboards into slips the frame m and tablet should be taken
away, and a table with a ledge on one side fixed to the frame, as shown in tho
outline section, Figure 7; and the cardboard being laid on the table must be
pushed forward by the hand under the roll Z and between the cutters, and the
person feeding may guide the board straight in and at the right place by keep-
ing the edge of the board against the ledge on the side of the table, which
should be placed at right angles with the spindles of the cutters. The circular
cutters may be pressed against the stops by blocking with wedges in between

page_text: them, or by screws acting as shewn in Figure 8; but this plan is not so safe or
convenient as the springs, which may be spiral or of any other suitable shape.
It requires different large and small stops corresponding to every width of card
or slip required to be cut, and corresponding points for extricating the cards
after being cut, and it is better to keep them fixed on different spindles all
fitted to the same frame, rather than the shifting the stops, springs, and cutters
for every different size; and in all cases the end stop is like e when the knife
is pushed from it by the springs, & likef when it is push'd to it. The extri-
cation of the cards after cutting might be performed by endless tapes or
straps revolving with the cutters, as shewn in Figure 9; but, as in that case
there must be a separate tape to every large stop, two additional small
rolls v, v, and a tightening rigger w for every tape, the mode before pointed
out is preferable. The corresponding stops on the upper and lower spindles
require to be precisely the same length, and turned smooth and truo at the
ends; and the side of the cutters next the large stops or the end stops requires
also to be smooth and true. The shape of the cutting edge is not altogether
material, but that which is shewn in the Drawing is found in practice to
answer best; the same frame is adapted for various pairs of cutters.
The pasting machinery is represented in Figure 10. 5, 2,=, represents a frame
with two reels a, a, covered with a quantity of paper in a half dry state. The
ends of the paper are conducted under and through two press rollers b, b.
Beneath these rolls there is a trough of paste, in which two rollers d, d, are
made to revolve; immediately over theso two rolls are placed two circular
brushes y, y, which are intended for pasting the under side of the paper as it
leads under the two press rolls b, b; the two rolls d, d, are slightly fluted with
very shallow circular grooves, and during the operation of the machinery
the lower side is intended to be constantly immersed in paste or other strongly
adhesive matter. Of course the ascending side of the rolls is covered with
paste, and the circular brushes are intended to take it off these rolls and pasto
the paper, and the press rolls b, b, bring the two pasted sides into contact, but
one of these rolls is adjustable, in order that the pressure may be extremely
slight. The two papers are thus unwound, pasted, and laid together, and in
that state are led alternately to the reels e and f, which are to be turned by a
slipping motion. The paste rolls a, a, besides their rolatory motion, have an
endway movement backwards and forwards to distribute the paste, and they
have also two plates of brass or other metal g, g, for the purpose of adjusting
the quantity of paste; the edges of these plates on the sides next the paste
rolls are quite straight, and should always be parrallel with them, and by fixing
the edge of the plate nearer or more distant from the paste rolls, a greater

page_text: or less quantity of paste is allowed to pass up on the surface of the rolls, and
consequently more or less is deposited on the paper. The circular brushes
should move faster than the paste rolls, and the rate of movement of each
should be adjustable. In the section, Figure 11, a method of giving motion to
the paste rolls and brushes is represented. The press rolls b, b, are provided
with pinion wheels, and the spindle of one roll has a drum which is to receive
motion by a strap from some convenient power, so that the surface of the press
rolls may move at the rate of about twenty-four feet per minute.. The spindle
of each paste roll has a rigger with many grooves to receive a band for driving
it at the required rate, viz', nearly that of the press rolls b, b; each spindle
of d, d, has also a gear wheel h, which drives the paste brush by working into
another gear wheel i fixed on the spindle of the paste brush. The endway move-
ment is given to the paste rolls by a wide metal ring being fixed on the spindle
of each with a waved groove in it and a fixed projecting pin entering this
groove, so that the rolls are moved backwards and forwards in revolving
answerably to the shape of the groove; there are of course other methods of
giving them motions, but these are as simple and effecacious as any. The
paste brushes are fixed in the frame in a chased mortice, so that they can be
shifted a little on one side when a fresh end of paper is to be led in, and then
can be pushed back and confined by a pin in the places where they are intended
to work. The brush part requires to be rather shorter than the width of the
paper, and so placed as to leave a very small portion at each side of the paper
free of paste, and for this object there should be a thin plate of metal at each
end to prevent the lateral spreading of the hairs of the brush. It is adviseable
to lead the paper after it has been pasted and joined some distance before
reeling it on the larger reels, and for this space it is conducted over a board x, x,
on the upper surface of which are to be fixed some thin projecting slips of
wood deverging from the centre of the board, and diagonally with respect to
the course of the paper; this is to expand the sheet, and is similar to a well
known process of the calico printers for extending their cloths before printing
them. The guide rolls k, k, are intended to be so fixed as to rise or fall the
paper passing over them, and thereby adjust the drag or friction between it
and the surface of the board; these boards are intended, by means of a joint,
to lift up like the leaf of a table for shifting the reels a, a. For making paste-
boards or cardboards of a greater number of sheets thickness it only requires
to repeat the operation. The reels a, a, require a drag or friction to prevent
their unwinding too easily. The motions for the different parts may be given
as described, or in any way most convenient, according to local circumstances;

page_text: the motion to the large reels should be by friction similar to the well known
methods in use for that purpose by paper makers.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Dickinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of November, in the year of our
Lord Ono thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.
JOHN (L.B.) DICKINSON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twentieth day of November,
in the year of our Lord 1824, the aforesaid John Dickinson came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.