IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING INTO LENGTHS TAPES OR WAX THREADS FOR VESTA MATCHES, AND PLACING THE SAID LENGTHS IN LATHS OR CLAMPS, AND FOR CUTTING INTO LENGTHS-SPILLS OR OTHER STRIPS OR RODS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Birch, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR CUTTING INTO LENGTHS TAPES OR WAX THREADS FOR VESTA MATCHES,
AND PLACING THE SAID LENGTHS IN LATHS OR CLAMPS, AND FOR CUTTING INTO
LENGTHS-SPILLS OR OTHER STRIPS OR RODS."
Scaled the 24th December 1867, and dated the 1st August 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Birch at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st August
1867.
I, JOHN BIRCH, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CUTTING INTO LENGTHS TAPES OR WAX THREADS FOR VESTA
MATCHES, AND PLACING THE SAID LENGTHS IN LATHS OR CLAMPS, AND FOR CUTTING
INTO LENGTHS SPILLS OR OTHER STRIPS OR RODS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the arrangement or combination herein-after
described of the parts of machinery for cutting into the required lengths the
tapes or wax threads for Vesta matches, and delivering the cut off lengths on

page_text: to laths or supports preparatory to dipping the ends of the same into the
composition with which they are required to be tipped. The said machinery
may also be used for cutting spills or other strips or rods into uniform
lengths.
The said machinery consists essentially of the following arrangement or
combination of parts:-The tapes or wax threads to be cut into lengths are
fed across the bed plate or table of the machine, the said tapes being made to
advance by two rolls between which they pass. The said rolls are covered
with vulcanized caoutchouc or other elastic substance which will enable them
to bite or grip the said tapes sufficiently to carry them forward without
producing any
mark or impression thereon. The required pressure is given
to the upper roll by a weighted lever. The said rolls have an intermittent
motion communicated to them in the following manner:-On the end of one
of the rolls is a ratchet wheel and a ratchet lever, the said ratchet lever
carrying a pall which engages with the ratchet wheel. The driving shaft of
the machine carries at its end a crank giving motion to a connecting rod
jointed to the ratchet lever. On each rotation of the driving shaft the rolls
are made to rotate through the required angle, and to advance the tapes the
required distance under the cutters herein-after described. The length of
feed is regulated by connecting the connecting rod to the ratchet lever at a
greater or less distance from the centre on which it turns. The cutting off of
the lengths from the tapes or wax threads is effected by a compound cutter or
series of cutters working in a vertical plane in front of and parallel to the
feeding rolls described. The motion of the cutters is effected by the short
arms of two levers, the long arms of which levers bear upon cams on the
driving shaft. The figures and positions of the said cams are such that
during the advance of the tapes by the feeding rolls the cutters are in their
raised positions, and as soon as the tapes are brought to rest the said cutters
are made to descend and cut off the required lengths from the tapes. The
cut off portions or lengths of the said tapes are received on grooved laths, the
said lengths occupying the grooves in the said laths. These lathes are situated
horizontally and descend by an intermittent motion in a vertical plane in front
of the cutters. The ends of the laths slide in vertical grooves in the frame of
the machine. The said laths are lowered by means of toothed wheels passing
through slots in the framing, the teeth of which toothed wheels engage with
the ends of the laths. The said toothed wheels receive the required inter-
mittent motion from the cutters by means of projections on the carrier of the
cutters, giving a partial rotation to the toothed wheels on each descent of the
cutters.

page_text: The laths filled with the cut off lengths are removed from the machine
by hand, and the said lengths are carried away on the said laths to be
dipped.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Birch in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BIRCH, of Birmingham, in the County of Birmingham, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date, the First day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Birch, Her special licence that I, the said John Birch, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Birch, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING INTO
LENGTHS TAPES OR WAX THREADS FOR VESTA MATCHES, AND PLACING THE SAID
LENGTHS IN LATHS OR CLAMPS, AND POR CUTTING INTO LENGTHS SPILLS OR OTHER
STRIPS OR RODS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Birch, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE,, that I, the said John Birch, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My Invention consists of the arrangement or combination herein-after"
described of the parts of, machinery for cutting into the required lengths the
tapes or wax threads for Vesta matches, and delivering the cut-off lengths on

page_text: to laths or supports preparatory to dipping the ends of the same into the
composition with which they are required to be tipped. The said machinery
may also be used for cutting spills or other strips or rods into uniform
lengths.
The said machinery consists essentially of the following arrangement or
combination of parts:-The tapes or wax threads to be cut into lengths are
fed across the bed plate or table of the machine, the said tapes being made to
advance by two rolls between which they pass. The said rolls are covered
with vulcanized caoutchouc or other elastic substance which will enable them
to bite or grip the said tapes sufficiently to carry them forward without
producing any mark or impression thereon, or they may be made of metal or
wood, and grooved so as to receive and carry forward the tapes, &c. The
required pressure is given to the upper roll by a weighted lever or roll. The
said rolls have an intermittent motion communicated to them in the following
manner: On the end of one of the rolls is a ratchet or friction wheel, and a
ratchet or other lever, the said ratchet lever carrying a pall or break which
engages with the ratchet or other wheel. The driving shaft of the machine
carries at its end a crank giving motion to a connecting rod jointed to the
ratchet lever. On each rotation of the driving shaft the rolls are made to
rotate through the required angle, and to advance the tapes the required
distance under the cutters herein-after described. The length of feed is
regulated by connecting the connecting rod to the ratchet lever at a greater.
or less distance from the centre on which it turns. The cutting off of the
lengths from the tapes or wax threads is effected by a compound cutter or
cutters working in a vertical plane in front of and parallel to the feeding rolls
described. The motion of the cutters is effected by the short arms of two
levers, the long arms of which levers bear upon cams on the driving shaft.
The figures and positions of the said cams are such that during the advance of
the tapes by the feeding rolls the cutters are in their raised position, and as
soon as the tapes are brought to rest the said cutters are made to descend and
cut off the required lengths from the tapes. The cut-off portions or lengths
of the said tapes are received on grooved laths, the said lengths occupying the
grooves in the said laths; these laths are situated horizontally and descend
by an intermittent motion in a vertical plane in front of the cutters. The
ends of the laths slide in vertical grooves in the frame of the machine. The
said laths are lowered by means of toothed wheels or springs or levers passing
through slots in the framing, the teeth of which toothed wheels or projections
of springs or levers engage with the ends of the laths. The said toothed
wheels or springs or levers receive the required intermittent motion from the

page_text: cutters by means of projections on the carrier of the cutters giving a partial
rotation to the toothed wheels on each descent of the cutters.
The laths filled with the cut-off lengths are removed from the machine
by hand, and the said lengths are carried away on the said laths to be
dipped.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Birch, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the above-named John Birch
in the presence of
JOHN GILBERT BRADBURY,
Solicitor,
Birmingham.
JOHN BIRCH.
L.B.)