IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR KNIVES AND SAWS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Nicoll, of 42, Regent Circus, and 46,
Lombard Street, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CIRCULAR KNIVES AND SAWS,"
Scaled the 24th December 1858, and dated the 30th June 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Nicoll at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th June 1858.
1, BENJAMIN NICOLL, of 42, Regent Circus, and 46, Lombard Street, London,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN
CIRCULAR KNIVES AND SAWS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of the use of cutters or knives and saws of a peculiar
and new form, namely, circular, but perforated or open instead of being plane
discs as heretofore; and secondly, the Invention consists of the peculiar
arrangements and mechanism which are employed for actuating these cutters
and saws, and which vary according to the purposes for which they are intended.
With these open circular knives or cutters I am enabled to cut vegetable.
substances and textile fabrics, and the saws may be used for any sawing
purposes. The knives or cutters are used either in a vertical or horizcutal
Price d

page_text: position, and from their being open there is a greater facility for adjust-
ing the work than when the cutters are solid, and combined with my
mechanical arrangements they form more effective instruments than have
been hitherto used.
When used for cutting textile fabrics, I place one or more of the open
cutters on a table or in a frame, either in a vertical or horizontal position, and
cause them to rotate by means of a treadle actuating cog wheels, or by steam
or other power. One convenient arrangement is to have the inner cir
cumference of the cutter cogged, so as to take into gearing, but as there are
many ways of actuating such machines, it is superfluous to enter into any
description of them. The improved open circular saw may be used precisely
in the same manner as the solid circular saw, or as it may be cogged in the
interior, it will admit of other and more convenient modes of working.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Nicolls in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th December 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
NICOLL, of 42, Regent Circus, and 46, Lombard Street, London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Benjamin Nicoll, Her special licence that I, the said
Benjamin Nicoll, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Benjamin Nicoll, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR KNIVES AND SAWS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Benjamin Nicoll, 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 Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same

page_text: 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 Benjamin Nicoll, 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:-
This Invention consists of the use of cutters or knives and saws ofa peculiar
and newform, namelycircular, but perforated oropen,instead of being plane discs
as heretofore; and, secondly, the Invention consists of the peculiar arrangements
and mechanism which are employed for actuating these cutters and saws, and
which vary according to the purposes for which they are intended. With these
open circular knives or cutters I am enabled to cut vegetable substances and
textile fabrics, and the saws may be used for any sawing purposes. The knives
or cutters are used (either in a vertical or horizontal position, and from their
being open there is a greater facility for adjusting the work than when the
cutters are solid; and combined with my mechanical arrangements they form
more effective instruments than have been hitherto used.
When used for cutting textile fabrics, I place one or more of the open
cutters on a table or in a frame, either in a vertical or horizontal position, and
cause them to rotate by means of a treadle actuating cog wheels, or by steam
or other power. One convenient arrangement is to have the inner cir-
cumference of the cutter cogged so as to take into gearing, but as there
are many ways of actuating such machines, it is superfluous to enter into
any further description of them. The improved open circular saw may
be used precisely in the same manner as the disc circular saw, or, as it
may be cogged in the interior, it will admit of other and more convenient
modes of working.
But in order that my Invention may be fully understood and carried into
practical operation, I will proceed to describe one of my improved cutting
machines suitable for cutting textile fabrics, and especially useful to tailors,
shirt makers, outfitters, slop sellers, and other extensive manufacturers of
articles of clothing.
The Drawing represents the machine of the full size of that which is adapted
for ordinary shop purposes, but it is obvious that the diameter of the cutter or
kuife may be considerably increased, in which case the other arrangements will
be larger. Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine shewing the counter P,
in section; Figure 2 is a plan and section of the same through the line 1, 2.
A is a flat annular steel cutter or knife sharpened on its outer circumference,

page_text: (as shewn at A in the plan). This circular knife or cutter revolves freely
within three grooved pullies or rollers, the edges of which are grooved to
receive the back or inner circumference of the cutter A; B is a cast-iron frame
or standard; I) are two small brackets fixed on to the framework B, for the
purpose of carrying the centre screws which support the pullies G; E is a
moveable cast-iron cup piece for carrying the lowest of the three pullies C, and
fitted with a helical steel spring G, and adjusting nut, so arranged that the
requisite degree of pressure can be produced on the inner circumference of the
cutter to bring the same to a firm bearing; H are two conical friction wheels
on spindles I, which are caused to press hard on each side of the front of the
cutter, and to revolve in opposite directions by means of the pullies K, and the
gut band M, passing over the the guide pully L, giving the cutter a rapid rotary
motion in a downward direction; N are two shifting frames with bearings
carrying the spindles L, these frames are fixed to the main framework B by
screws and slotted holes; O are two strong steel springs acting on the frames
N, causing a strong continual pressure of the conical wheels against the cutter
A; P is a board or part of a counter or table on which the goods to be cut
are placed, and is fixed to the framework by means of the blocks Q and the
bolts F. Power from a treddle or steam engine being applied to the gut band
M, the friction wheels will revolve and cause the cutter to rotate at any
required degree of speed. The materials to be cut having been previously
ruled or marked so as to guide the operator, are placed at P and brought to
the edge of the knife, which speedily cuts them through in the required direc-
tion. For the purpose of ruling or marking linen or other fabrics for after
use, I attach a little apparatus to the machine of the following description:-A
rod or bar of metal passing through the machine supports a small case or box
containing within a piece of vulcanized india-rubber and a piece of black lead,
which are secured by means of a pin. The lead is allowed to come into con-
tact with the linen or other material to be ruled, and as the linen is drawn
through under the knife or cutter the lead marks parallel lines thereon. The
india-rubber serves to give elasticity to the lead, so that it may allow easily of
the passage of the fabric under it, while however it marks it. There are
many advantages attending the use of a circular open knife or cutter, such as
I have described; one in particular, being the convenience afforded by the form
for guiding the materials to be cut, for both hands may be employed in the
operation without danger of their being cut, as is the case in using many other
machines, and there is no obstruction to a full view of the work in progress.
Although I have shown one arrangement only of the improved circular

page_text: cutter, there are many modifications of the machine; among others in place
of the arrangement shown, the kuife may be moved by the action of cog
wheels taking into and driving the knife, and the same with respect to
saws; both may be use vertically or horizontally, and may be driven in various
ways.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and how the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood, that what I claim if,
the circular knife or cutter and saw herein-before described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Nicoll, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, 1858.
B. NICOLL.
(L.S.)