Improvements in and relating to Cutting Devices for Photographic Prints and other Uses.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cutting Devices for Photographic
Prints and other Uses.
I, CHARLES HENRY WORTHEN, of No. 29, Union Street, Taunton, in the County
of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Photographic prints must have clean cut, sharply defined edges necessitating
the use of an extremely keen trimming cutter, and the print in course of trimming
is placed commonly upon a glass or metal support to aid in securing the desired
smoothness of edge.
Inasmuch as each print must, as a rule, be trimmed separately, the keenness
of the cutter wears off very rapidly, under the condition noted, and the cutter
must be sharpened frequently, with considerable annoyance, and no small
expense.
To obviate the attrition of the hard surface of the metal or glass upon the
cutter, a trimmer has been provided in which a rotary cutter, supported from
above by a trolley-like arrangement and rotated positively by a belt is moved
along the end of a board, over which projects the print to be trimmed, but the
trolley support bends under the pressure of the operator's hand, the cutter gets
below its proper cutting position, and adding to these the absence of suitable
supporting and clamping means for the projecting portion of the print, the
result is that the latter is frequently crimped over and chewed off, instead of being
cut properly.
I have instanced the difficulties of trimming photographic prints properly,
as typical of the severest requirements to which a successful and durable cutting
device is subject, and my invention has for its object the production of a cutting
device which shall meet these requirements fully and be perfectly adapted for
use as a photographic print trimmer, but I contemplate its utilization in any
class of work for which it may be qualified by the improvements constituting
my invention.
In one embodiment of my invention I provide a work support-say of a
common type of trimming board of suitable material, preferably wood for the
sake of lightness, and if of wood, provided preferably with a cutting edge, which
may conveniently be constructed of a bar of metal inlaid flush with the surface of
the support and having a longitudinal surface groove, one wall of which con-
stitutes the "edge."
The work support may be, and preferably is, provided with one or more
suitable guides, slightly raised above its surface, and its shape and proportions
may vary, as desired, or found convenient.
In accordance with my invention a travelling cutting member is provided
having
with
a
a
cutter
wall or
with
a straight
"6
' edge," and
an
edge
inclined
to run along and cooperate
or bevelled abutment is also

page_text: provided parallel
with the <
edge," the travelling member having a
bevelled portion to ride along the bevelled portion of the abutment, which
latter is inclined toward the "edge," so that the effect is that when the members
are in operative relation and the cutting member is being run along the edge
of the abutment it tends constantly to slide down the bevelled portion of the
latter until its straight edge engages the fixed "edge."
The disposition of the bevelled abutment and the cooperating bevel on the
travelling member may be varied somewhat, but I have found a convenient
arrangement thereof to be afforded by forming the bevel of the travelling member
on the cutter itself, say a rotary cutter mounted for convenience of manipulation
in a carriage of desired or suitable contour.
The form of bevelled abutment which can be used most conveniently with a
bevelled rotary cutter of the said type as it is, closely adjacent the fixed edge,
is formed of a piece of sheet metal, or other suitable material, which is preferably
hinged or pivotted at its rear end or edge on an axis parallel with the fixed
"edge" to permit the abutment to be swung upward from the latter.
To prevent undue protrusion of the abutment above the support it is bent
preferably, and for the sake of stability may be mounted in suitable bearings on
the support say by lugs bent up from a metal plate secured to the board by
suitable fastening means, as screws, these lugs receiving a spindle which serves as
the axis of the abutment.
Thus constructed the abutment may be utilized as a clamping member or means
to clamp the edge of the photograph print or other work adjacent the fixed edge,
and such a clamp is particularly desirable when use is made of a bevelled
rotary cutter, inasmuch as such a cutter tends constantly to cut in a circle, and
the print can be firmly held to prevent it from being cramped under this circular
action of the rotary cutter, which otherwise would be communicated to it.
The use of the bevelled abutment as a clamping member is facilitated by the
cooperating bevelled surfaces, the downward pressure upon the carriage being
communicated through the cutter to the abutment and at the same time that said
bevel is causing the straight edge to engage firmly with the fixed "edge" the
cutter is forcing the abutment to clamp the edge of the print or other work
against the surface of the work support, holding it firmly during the cutting
operation.
The clamping pressure is applied to the member automatically at the point and
time when it is most needed, that is just as the cutter, rotary or otherwise, is
approaching the cutting point, the effect of the pressure on the member, of
course, extending for a little distance before and behind the point at which the
cutter may be at any given instant.
The carriage may be of any suitable form, and the cutter mounted therein in
any convenient fashion, in the form described the carriage may take the form
of a block, in a recess of which is mounted the cutter on a journal entering suitable
bearings of the carriage, said bearings may be metal plates with holes at the
end of the journal and attached to the carriage by suitable fastening means.
as screws.
4
I may use the cutter without any guide or track other than the fixed edge and
abutment or I may use a guide rail or track, and when desired, a rail supported
above the surface of the work support to permit passage of the work thereunder,
and having a contour suitable to cooperate with the carriage, such cooperation
being effected, in this instance by an undercut groove in the rail into which 5
enters an upward projection from the carriage.
The rail may be supported in desired position by any suitable means, and one
convenient form of such means is to provide risers secured to the work support
by suitable fastening means, as screws, the latter preferably passing through slots
for the sake of adjustment, while similar adjustment may be provided for between 5
the rail and the risers by slot and screw connections.
✓ As, in accordance with my invention, the travelling member cooperates with

page_text: the clamping member to operate the latter to clamp the work to the work support
during cutting traverse, so also, in the preferred form of my invention it is adapted
to operate the clamping member to give clearance to the work for insertion or
withdrawal.
Any suitable means to effect this end may be adopted, and one form of con-
struction for the purpose, comprises a lever-fulcrumed on an upturned lug or
projection of the said metal plate, one arm of the lever being extended into
position to engage the clamping member, while the other end is extended into,
and near the end of, the path of the travelling cutting member so that when
the latter is brought into a certain position the lever is tipped and raises the
member to give clearance for insertion or withdrawal of the work.
One of these levers or equivalent means may be provided, if desired, at each side
of the clamping member.
Considerable variation in the construction and arrangement of parts may be
made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not limit myself
to the exact construction described.
Improvements in and relating to Cutting Devices for Photographic
Prints and other Uses.
I, CHARLES HENRY WORTHIEN, of No. 29, Union Street, Taunton, in the County
of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for improvements in
and relating to cutting devices for photographic prints and other uses and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
―
Photographic prints must have clean cut, sharply defined edges, necessitating
the use of an extremely keen trimming cutter, and the print in course of trimming
is placed commonly upon a glass or metal support to aid in securing the desired
smoothness of edge.
Inasmuch as each print must, as a rule be trimmed separately, the keenness
of the cutter wears off very rapidly under the condition noted and the cutter
must be sharpened frequently, with considerable annoyance, and no smal]
expense.
To obviate the attrition of the hard surface of the metal or glass upon the
cutter, a trimmer has been provided in which a rotary cutter, supported from
above by a trolley-like arrangement, and rotated positively by a belt, is moved
along the end of a board, over which projects the print to be trimmed, but the
trolley support bends under the pressure of the operator's hand, the cutter gets
below its proper cutting position, and adding to these the absence of suitable
supporting and clamping means for the projecting portion of the print, the
result is that the latter is frequently crimpled over and chewed off, instead of being
cut properly.
I have instanced the difficulties of trimming photographic prints properly,
as typical of the severest requirements to which a successful and durable cutting

page_text: device is subject, and my invention has for its object the production of a cutting
device which shall meet these requirements fully and be perfectly adapted for
use as a photographic print trimmer, but I contemplate its utilization in any
class of work for which it may be qualified by the improvements constituting
my invention.
The various features of my invention will be illustrated and described fully
in the accompanying drawings and specification and set forth in the claims.
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a trimming board or cutting
device, in the construction of which my invention has been embodied, parts being
broken away.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same and Figure 3 a similar detail view on
an enlarged scale, on the section line - Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a view in rear, elevation i.e., looking from left to right Figure 2;
and
Figure 5 is a similar detail view showing the parts in a different relative
position and broken away partly for the sake of clearness.
In the embodiment of my invention selected as a convenient form for illus-
tration and description, A. designates a work support taking the form, in this
instance, of a common type of trimming board and which may be of any suitable
material, preferably wood for the sake of lightness, and if of wood, provided
preferably with a cutting edge B, which may conveniently be constructed of a bar
of metal inlaid flush with the surface of the support and having a longitudinal
surface groove, one wall of which constitutes the "edge."
The work support may be, and preferably is provided with one or more suitable
guides a, slightly raised above its surface, and its shape and proportions may vary
as desired or found convenient.
or "
In accordance with my invention a travelling cutting member is provided
having a cutter with a straight edge to run along and cooperate with the wall
edge" B, and an inclined or bevelled abutment is also provided parallel with
the "edge" B, the travelling member having a bevelled portion to ride along
the bevilled portion of the abutment: which latter is inclined toward the
edge" B, so that the effect is that when the members are in operative relation
and the cutting member is being run along the edge of the abutment it tends
constantly to slide down the bevelled portion of the latter until the straight edge
engages the fixed "edge."
"
The disposition of the bevelled abutment and the cooperating bevel on the
travelling member may be varied somewhat, but I have found a convenient
arrangement thereof to be afforded by forming the bevel of the travelling member
on the cutter itself, and in the instance illustrated have made use of a rotary
cutter C mounted for convenience of manipulation in a carriage 1 of desired or
suitable contour.
The form of bevelled abutment which can be used most conveniently with a
bevelled rotary cutter of the type illustrated, is shown at E, being closely adjacent
the fixed edge, and being formed of a piece of sheet metal, or other suitable
material, which is preferably hinged or pivotted at its rear end or edge on an
axis parallel with the fixed "edge" to permit the abutment to be swung upward
from the latter.
To prevent undue protrusion of the abutment above the support it is bent
preferably, as at e, see Figure 3, and for the sake of stability may be mounted
in suitable bearings F on the support A, being shown in this instance as lugs bent
up from a metal plate f secured to the board A by suitable fastening means,
as the screws f¹, these lugs receiving a spindle e¹ which serves as the axis of the
abutment.
When thus constructed the abutment may be utilized as a clamping member or
means to clamp the edge of the photograph, print or other work adjacent the
fixed edge, and such a clamp is particularly desirable when use is made of a
bevelled rotary cutter, inasmuch as such a cutter tends constantly to cut in a

page_text: circle, and the print can be firmly held to prevent it from being cramped under
this circular action of the rotary cutter which otherwise would be communicated
to it.
The use of the bevelled abutment as a clamping member is facilitated by the
cooperating bevelled surfaces, as will be readily understood from Figure 3, where
it will be seen that downward pressure upon the carriage D will be communicated
through the cutter C to the abutment E, and at the same time that said bevel is
causing the straight edge e to engage firmly with the fixed "edge" B the cutter
is forcing the abutment to clamp the edge of the print or other work H against
the surface of the work support, holding it firmly during the cutting operation.
It will be understood readily that by this arrangement the clamping pressure
is applied to the member E automatically at the point and time when it is most
needed, that is just as the cutter, rotary or otherwise, is approaching the cutting
point, the effect of the pressure on the member E, of course, extending for a little
distance before and behind the point at which the cutter may be at any given
instant.
The carriage D may be of any suitable form, and the cutter mounted therein in
any convenient fashion, in this instance the carriage taking the form of a block,
in a recess d of which is mounted the cutter Con a journal &² entering suitable
bearings d' of the carriage, said bearings being illustrated as metal plates with
holes at the end of the journal and attached to the carriage by suitable
fastening means, as the screws see Figure 4.
It is within the spirit of my invention to use the cutter without any guide
or track other than the fixed edge and abutment, but it may be found convenient
to use a guide rail or track, and accordingly I have illustrated for use, when
desired, a rail M, supported above the surface of the work-support to permit
passage of the work thereunder, and having a contour suitable to cooperate with
the carriage 1), such co-operation being effected, in the instance illustrated, by an
undercut groove m in the rail into which enters an upward projection + fromr
the carriage see Figure 2.
The rail M may be supported in desired position by any suitable means, and
one convenient form of such means is shown in the shape of risers a¹, secured to
the work support by suitable fastening means, as screws the latter preferably
passing through slots a³ for the sake of adjustment, while similar adjustment may
be provided for between the rail M and the risers a by slot and screw con-
nections a a³.
The carriage D may be grasped by hand and operated to and fro along the
cutting edge, or may be operated by any other suitable means.
As in accordance with my invention, the travelling member cooperates with
the clamping member to operate the latter to clamp the work to the work-support
luring cutting traverse, so also, in the preferred form of my invention it is
adapted to operate the clamping member to give clearance to the work for
insertion or withdrawal.
Any suitable means to effect this end may be adopted and I have illustrated
one form of construction for the purpose, comprising a lever P fulcrumed at p
on an upturned lug or projection 2 of the plate f: one arm of the lever being
extended into position to engage the clamping member E, while the other end
is extended into, and near the end of the path of, the travelling cutting member
so that when the latter is brought into the position shown in Figure 5, the lever is
tipped and raises the member to give clearance for insertion or withdrawal
of the work.
One of these levers or equivalent means may be provided if desired, at each
side of the clamping member as illustrated.
Considerable variation in the construction and arrangement of parts may be
made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not limit
myself to the exact construction illustrated and described, otherwise than as set
forth in the claims.

page_text: 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
1 claim is :-
1. In a cutting device; a work support having a cutting "edge"; a clamping
member adapted to clamp the work to said support near said " edge," and a
travelling cutting member adapted to traverse said support and work; said cutting
member co-operating with said clamping member to maintain the same in
clamping relation with said support and work, and being directed against said
"edge" by engagement with said clamping member.
2. In a cutting device; a work-support having a cutting "edge"; a clamping
member adapted to clamp the work to said support near said edge," and a
travelling cutting member adapted to traverse said support and work; said
cutting member co-operating with said clamping member to maintain the same in
clamping relation with said support and work; and being directed against said
edge by engagement with said clamping member; and means to hold said
traversing member up to its work.
3. In a cutting device; a work support having a cutting "edge"; a bevelled
abutment parallel with said "edge"; and a travelling cutting member provided
with a cutter, and having a bevelled portion adapted to travel along said bevelled
abutment; said bevels co-operating under cutting pressure to cause said cutter to
enter into cutting relation with said "edge."
4. In a cutting device; a work-support, provided with a cutting "edge" and a
parallel rail; a clamping member adapted to clamp the work to said support, and
having a bevelled portion adjacent to, and parallel with, said "edge"; and a
travelling cutting member adapted to traverse said support, working between
said rail and edge," and having a bevelled edge and a straight, or cutting, edge,
said bevelled edge cooperating with said bevelled portion of said clamp, and said
straight edge with said fixed "edge."
5. In a cutting device; a work support; a clamping member adapted to clamp
the work thereto; and a travelling cutting member adapted to traverse said
work-support and to engage said clamping member to operate the latter.
6. In a cutting device; a work support; a clamping member adapted to clamp
the work thereto; and a travelling cutting member adapted to traverse said work-
support and to engage said clamping member to operate the latter to hold the work
during cutting traverse, and also to give clearance for insertion or withdrawal of
said work.
7. In a cutting device; a work-support; a clamping member adapted to clamp
the work thereto; a travelling cutting member adapted to traverse said work-
support; and means to enable said travelling member to operate said clamping
member to give clearance for insertion or withdrawal of said work.
8. In a cutting device; a work-support; a clamping member "mounted
pivotally thereon, a travelling cutting member adapted to traverse said support;
and a lever adapted to be engaged and operated by said travelling member to
move said clamping member to give clearance for insertion or withdrawal of
said work.
9. A cutting device comprising the following instrumentalities, viz-a bed
or work-support provided with a flush, grooved, cutting bar or edge," and a
runway or rail supported in parallelism with said groove above the surface of
said support; a clamping member rotatable about an axis parallel with said
groove and presenting a bevelled clamping edge adjacent said groove; a travelling
cutting member comprising a carriage having a portion adapted to co-operate
with said rail, and provided with a rotary cutter adapted to enter and travel in
said groove, said cutter being bevelled peripherally on the side adjacent said
clamping-member; and a lever in, and near the end of, the path of said carriage,
and adapted to be engaged and operated by the latter and to engage said clamping
member to rotate the same and give clearance for insertion or withdrawal of
said work.

page_text: 10. A trimming board or cutting device comprising the following instru-
mentalities:-
:-a work-support A, having guides a, risers al carrying a carriage
rail M and an <<
edge" B, a clamping member E mounted rotatably in bearings F
on said support; releasing levers P; and a travelling carriage D provided with a
rotary cutter C, said parts co-operating substantially in the manner and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated the 10th day of June 1899.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.