Improvements in Paper Cutting Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Paper Cutting Apparatus.
I, JOHN WHITE, of the Firm of James Bertram and Son (Limited), Leith Walk
Foundry, in the City of Edinburgh, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for ripping or slitting and cross cutting
paper from the web or webs into sheets and it has for its objects to dispense with
the use of toothed wheels between the rolls feeding in the paper and the cross
cut knife whereby greater accuracy in the length of the sheets cut is ensured,
and to otherwise simplify the mechanism of revolving paper cutters in order to
reduce tear and wear and the power requisite for driving such machines.
According to my invention the paper feeding or leading in rolls instead of
being independent are combined with or fitted on the shafts carrying the ripper
knives which slit the paper, the paper being led in to the knives over a guide
roll. The slitting or ripper knives are of the usual form and are carried upon
two parallel shafts one of which, preferably the upper, is fitted with one or more
rings or collars which rest upon and drive or are driven by like rings or collars
or blocks on the shaft below the lower rings serving as the knife blocks against
which the knives fitted on the upper shaft shear the paper which is drawn in
between the rings on the upper shaft and the blocks below. The rings or single
ring and the upper ripper knives are in this arrangement driven simply by friction,
but they may be driven by means of spur wheels whose diameters at the pitch
line are equal to the outside diameters of the rings and blocks to ensure that the
circumferential velocities of the rings and blocks will be exactly the same. Should
it be desired to drive the upper ripper knives at a higher circumferential velocity
than the under ripper knives the shafts may be connected by means of spur wheels
the diameters of whose pitch lines would be of the required proportions. In the
latter case the circumferential velocity of the rings would be the same as that of
the blocks as the rings would be free to revolve on the shaft while the relative
velocities of the shafts would be determined by the diameters of the pitch lines
of the spur wheels connecting them. The lower shaft is driven through belt
pulleys from a counter shaft carried preferably on a swing frame which provides
for tightening and slackening the driving belt. When the swing frame is at its
lowest position the belt is sufficiently stented to drive the lower knife shaft, and
when at its highest position the shaft is raised to allow of the belt hanging loose
from its pulley.
This arrangement dispenses with the use of. fast and loose
pulleys, claw and friction clutches with their attendant defects.
The cross cutting knife is carried in the usual way by a revolving cylinder
placed behind the ripper knives and shears the paper against an inclined bed
knife or blade as it leaves the ripper knives and the rings or collars on the knife
shafts which feed in the paper. The revolving cylinder is driven by belt pulleys,
which may be interchangeable to vary the speed, from a shaft driven by a cross
belt on belt cones from a shaft driven from the ripper knife shaft, the pulleys on

page_text: the latter shafts being also interchangeable to vary the speed to suit various
lengths of sheet being cut and stenting or guide pulleys being provided to stent
the belts.
:
The usual expansion pulley may be used in lieu of the tapered cones in which
case the length of sheet cut may be regulated by the relative diameters of the
change pulley and expansion pulley.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agent for the Applicant..
Improvements in Paper Cutting Apparatus.
I, JOHN WHITE, of the Firm of James Bertram and Son (Limited), Leith Walk
Foundry, in the City of Edinburgh, Engineer, 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 apparatus for ripping or slitting and cross cutting
paper from the web or webs into sheets and it has for its objects to dispense with
the use of toothed wheels between the rolls feeding in the paper and the cross
cut knife whereby greater accuracy in the length of the sheets cut is ensured,
and to otherwise simplify the mechanism of revolving paper cutters in order to
reduce tear and wear and the power requisite for driving such machines.
"
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 being a
front elevation, and Figs 2 and 3 end elevations from opposite ends of the paper
cutting machine. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively front view and plan of the belt
tightening and slackening device.
According to my invention the paper feeding or leading in rolls A instead of
being independent are combined with or fitted on the shafts B, B', one shaft B
carrying the ripper knives C which slit the paper D, and the other B carrying
cutting blocks G against which the knives are pressed by springs C placed
between rolls A and the knife carrying blocks F, the paper being led in to the
knives C over a guide roll or rolls E. A number of the leading in rolls A on
the lower shaft B serve merely to support the web and are not necessarily arranged
opposite the leading in rolis A. on the upper shaft B. The slitting or ripper knives C
and the cutting blocks G are of the usual form and are carried upon two parallel
shafts B, B', one of which, preferably the upper, is fitted with one or more rings
or collars F which rest upon and drive or are driven by like rings or collars or
blooks G on the shaft B.below, the lower rings G serving as the knife blocks
against which the knives C fitted on the upper shaft B shear the paper which
is drawn in between the rings F on the upper shaft B and the blocks G below.
The rings G and the upper ripper knives C are in this arrangement driven simply
by friction, as shown, but they may be driven by means of spur wheels whose
diameters at the pitch line are equal to the outside diameters of the rings F
and blocks G to ensure that the circumferential velocities of the rings F and
blocks G will be exactly the same. In the latter case the circumferential velocities
of the top and bottom feeding or leading in rolls A would be exactly the same.
The bottom leading in rolls A being secured on the shaft B', while the top leading
in rolls A running loose on the shaft B would be driven by the friction of their

page_text: contact with the former. While the top leading in rolls A run loose on shaft B
the ripping knives C are fixed fast on shaft B (in the desired position) and travel
with it. The relative diameters of the wheel on the bottom shaft B', and of the
pinion on the top shaft B, would determine the velocity ratios of the top ripper
knives C and bottom blocks G. The lower shaft B is driven through belt
pulleys H, H', from a counter shaft I carried preferably on a swing frame J
which provides for tightening and slackening the driving belt K. When the
swing frame J is at its lowest position the belt K is sufficiently stented to drive
the lower knife shaft B', and when at its highest position the shaft I is raised
to allow of the belt hanging loose from its pulley H. This arrangement dispenses
with the use of fast and loose pulleys, claw and friction clutches with their
attendant defects.
The cross cutting knife L which extends across the machine is carried in the
usual way by a revolving cylinder L' placed behind the ripper knives C and
shears the paper against an inclined bed knife or blade M as it leaves the ripper
knives C and the rings or collars G on the knife shafts which feed in the paper.
The revolving cylinder L' is driven by belt pulleys N, N', (which may be inter-
changeable to vary the speed) the former of which is secured on the shaft B' of
the lower feeding rolls and transmits motion through the latter to a shaft R
which by means of a pulley Q on same shaft and a pulley O on the end of the
revolving cylinder L' drives said cylinder, the pulley O being interchangeable to
vary the speed to suit various lengths of sheet being cut, and stenting or guide
pulleys S being provided to stent the belt P.
The usual expansion pulley may be used in lieu of the stepped cones in which
case the length of sheet cut may be regulated by the relative diameters of the
change pulley and expansion pulley.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. Paper cutting apparatus, the several parts of which are constructed combined
and arranged to operate, substantially as described.
2. In paper cutting apparatus the combination with the slitting or ripping
knives secured upon a revolving shaft, of feeding rolls a number of which are
secured upon said shaft and a number secured upon a shaft frictionally driven
by or driving said ripping knife shaft, the last mentioned rolls serving also as
knife blocks, substantially as set forth.
3. In paper cutting apparatus the combination with the slitting or ripping
knives secured upon a revolving shaft, of feeding rolls a number of which are
secured upon said shaft and a number upon a shaft geared to the first mentioned
shaft, substantially as set forth.
4. In paper cutting apparatus the combination with the combined slitting or
ripping knife shaft and feed rolls of a belt stenting device consisting of a pivoted
frame carrying the driving pulley capable of being raised out of contact with the
belt, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of December 1899.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agent for the Applicant.