Improvements in or relating to Cropping or Clipping Machines for Textile Fabrics.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1898
Complete. Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cropping or Clipping Machines for
Textile Fabrics.
I, DAVID MILLAR, of 12, Bell Street, Lochee, in the County of Forfar, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in cropping or clipping machines for
textile fabrics and the like and has for its object the providing of a new or
improved arrangement or form of construction of the spiral cutters and their
relative parts, which shall obviate or lessen injurious action, and provide improved
adjustment respectively, between these mutually, and between them and the
fabric treated; which shall secure the more complete and nearly equal treatment
of the ends of the fabric, by permitting the closer approach to each other of the
spiral cutters, and which shall allow of more ready and convenient access to
parts, for adjustment and the like.
In carrying out 'my invention I construct the pan-rail of the machine,--
which incorporates or carries with it the upper spiral cutter and its appurten-
ances, and the cloth-guiding or bridge rail for the lower spiral cutter, so that
it is free to move in or nearly in a horizontal plane, and so that the approach
or recess of the upper spiral cutter to or from its cloth guiding or bridge rail,
and of the lower cloth guiding or bridge rail to or from the lower spiral cutter,
is made in similar horizontal or nearly horizontal directions, and by simul-
taneous and equal increments. The said pan-rail with its incorporated or attached
parts, is guided in such movements by a suitable slide upon or attached to the
machine framing, and its reciprocation thereupon is effected by one or more
cranks, eccentrics, cams, or their equivalent, conveniently actuated by the
operator; and whose effort is transmitted by a detachable rod or rods passing
inside the machine framing, so as to permit of the bands and pulleys for the
spiral cutters, being brought as close as possible to their bearings. The fixed
blades for each of the upper and lower spiral cutters, I insert or dispose in or
upon their respective pan and bottom rails, in such a manner that they are
normal or nearly so to the slide before mentioned, or otherwise are or nearly
are vertically tangent to the arc of rotation of their spiral cutters. I thus lessen
or obviate the injurious action of the cutters upon their fixed blades, conse-
quent upon their bearing stress thereon, or wear of the cutter spindle bearings.
In forming the bearings for the spindles or axes of the spiral cutters, and with
a view to providing a simple and economical means of preventing such bearings
being put out of alignment, I attach the bearing blocks to the rails or framing of
the machine by means of countersunk screws or their equivalent, passing from
the inside of the recesses for the steps or brasses, so as to permit of the vertical
adjustment of cutters to blades by the insertion of packing-pieces between the
brasses and their containing block. The variable adjustment of the distance
between the cloth and the cutters is effected by screws in the known way, except

page_text: cutter 23, is made in similar horizontal or nearly horizontal directions, and by
simultaneous and equal increments. The said pan-rail 20, with its incorporated
or attached parts is guided in such movements by a slide 25, upon or attached to
the machine framing 26, and its reciprocation thereupon is effected by one or
more cranks 27, (Figs. 8, and 9,)-eccentrics or cams 28 or their equivalent.
These cranks or the like are conveniently actuated by the operator moving the
lever handle 29, in the direction of the arrow, M, (Fig. 1,); and their effect, is
transmitted by a detachable rod or rods 30, passing inside the machine framing 26.
The fixed blades 21, and 23", for the upper and lower spiral cutters 21, and 23,
respectively, I insert or dispose in their respective pan and bottom rails 20,
and 31, in such manner that they are normal or nearly so to the slide 25, or
otherwise are, or nearly are vertically tangent to the arc of rotation of their
respective spira! cutters.
In forming the bearings for the spindles or axes 33, of the spiral cutters, I
attach the bearing blocks 34, to the rails or framing 35, of the machine, by
means of countersunk screws 36, or their equivalent, passing from the inside
of the recesses 37, for the steps or brasses 38, so as to permit of the vertical
adjustment of cutters 21, and 23, to blades 21", and 23ª, by the insertion of pack-
ing pieces 39, between the brasses 38; and their containing block 34.
The variable adjustment of the distance between the cloth 40, and the cutters 21,
and 23, is effected by screws 41, in the known way except that these are adapted
as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 10, to suit the horizontal movement of the pan rail 20.
In such adaptation the said screws and lock nuts are used to move forward or
backward, and there retain the bearings 42, of the eccentric or crank shaft 43,
and thence the pan-rail 20, through the rods 30.
I substitute for the fixed shell bridge or cloth-guiding rail heretofore used,
a hinged bridge or rail 24, of which one leaf 24", is secured to the machine
framing while the remaining leaf 24, is free to rotate away from or into its
correct position of adjustment, relative to the spiral cutter 21. The hinge-
pin 24, may also act as the stud or axle of the guide pulley 45, as shown, and
may be formed for adjustment of such pulley, either eccentrically in the known
way as shown in Fig. 7, or to move in slots as shown in Fig. 1.
By my improved construction and co-relative arrangement of the parts, sub-
stantially as herein before described and illustrated in the appended sheets of
drawings, I am enabled to obviate or minimise certain known defects in crop-
ping or clipping machines, and to attain by such construction and arrangement,
various desirable objects.
Thus by my improved construction and conjoint horizontal movement of the
pan rail 20, and incorporated parts, I am enabled to bring the actual clipping
parts of the spiral cutters 21, and 23, closer together than hitherto, and thus
secure the more nearly equal treatment of the under with the upper side of the
fabric at its ends. By the same improved construction and conjunction, together
with my adaption thereto of the variable adjustment by the screws 41, I am
enabled to effect such variable adjustment of both cutters to the cloth, simul→
taneously and equally.
By my improved construction and attachment of the bearing blocks 34, I am
enabled to make the bearings for for the spindles more simply and economically
than hitherto while rendering them more rigid and less capable of being put out
of alignment. By the conjoint use of the fixed vertical blades 21, and 23, with
packing pieces 39, and the screws 32, (which my construction allows at both
sides instead of one only of such bearings), I am enabled to effect the vertical or
horizontal adjustment of cutters to blades in a more certain, delicate, and perfect
manner than heretofore, while lessening or obviating the injurious action of
cutters on blades, consequent upon their bearing stress thereon, or wear of the
cutter spindle bearings.
By carrying the rods 30, inside the machine framing 26, I am enabled to
bring the driving gear 44, of the said cutter spindles, close to the machine and
to the ends of the bearings.