CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING FUSTIANS AND OTHER PILED FABRICKS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Hunter Brandon, of No. 11, Beaufort Build-
ings, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING FUSTIANS AND
OTHER PILED FABRICKS." -A communication from W. R. Harris and
W. E. Baker, both of the United States of America.
Sealed the 29th May 1855, and dated the 12th March 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Hunter Brandon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th March 1855.
DAVID HUNTER BRANDON, of No. 11, Beaufort Buildings, Strand, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING FUSTIANS AND
OTHER PILED FABRICKS" to be as follows:-
Two drums or cylinders are placed parallel with one another, and mounted
on suitable frames, on one of which the stuffs (uncut) are rolled, the outside
end of the piece being attached to a short apron connected with the second
drum; this second drum is caused to revolve by any convenient moving power
unrolling the stuff from the first cylinder on to its own periphery until the
whole piece has changed drums. It is during the passage from one drum to
another that the operation of cutting is performed by as many stationnary

page_text: knifes or blades as there are rows of loops in the width of the stuff. For this
purpose the stuff is made to pass over a small table, having about the
same width as the stuff, and slightly raised above the surface of the afore-
mentioned drums. The knifes are ajusted on a bar running across and
above the stuff, with their points directed towards the loops which are
advancing. These knifes or blades are shod with a sheath projecting a
certain distance in advance of the point of blade, for the double purpose of
preventing injury to the foundation of the stuff during the operation of cutting,
and guiding the knifes so as to ensure their cutting the loops centrally.
The distance apart of these knifes is maintained by one or more combs if
necessary. In order to resist the tendency to collapse in the stuff during the
cutting, we employ spiked wheels or temples, the points of which traverse the
stuff on each side where the knifes are cutting, and being set in an angular
position, strain it in the direction of its width. We also apply friction to each
drum, so that the stuffs may be strained in the direction of their lengths to
any desirable degree.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Hunter Brandon in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
HUNTER BRANDON, of No. 11, Beaufort Buildings, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said David Hunter Brandon, Her special licence that I, the said David
IIunter Brandon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said David Hunter Brandon, 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
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING FUSTIANS AND
OTHER PILED FABRICKS," (being a communication from W. R. Harris and
W. E. Baker, both of the United States of America,) upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said David Hunter Brandon, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 William Hunter Brandon, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say):-
Two drums or cylinders are placed parallel with one another, mounted on
suitable frames, on one of which the stuffs uncut are rolled the outside, and
being attached to a short apron connected with the second drum, this second
drum is caused to revolve by any convenient moving power unrolling the stuff
from the first cylinder on to its own periphery until the whole piece has
changed drums. It is during the passage from one drum to another that the
operation of cutting is performed by as many stationary knives or blades as
there are rows of loops in the width of the stuff; for this purpose the stuff is
made to pass over a small table having about the same width as the stuff, and
slightly raised above the surface of the afore-mentioned drums. The knives
are adjusted on a bar (running across and above the stuff) with their points
directed towards the loops which are advancing. These knives or blades are
shod with a sheath projecting a certain distance in advance of the points
of the blades, for the double purpose of preventing injury to the foundation of
the stuff during the operation of cutting and guiding the knives so as to
ensure their dividing the loops centrally. The distance apart of these knives
is maintained by one or more combs if necessary. In order to resist the ten-
dancy to collapse in the stuff during the cutting, spiked wheels or temples are
employed, the points of which traverse the stuff on each side where the knives
are cutting, and being set in an angular position, strain it in the direction of
its width; friction is also applied to each drum, so that the stuffs may be
strained in the direction of their length to any desirable degree.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine at a scale of one-fifth; Figures
2, 3, 4, are detailed views at half size. This machine consists in two side
frames a, a, to which are attached the two drums b, b', the fustian (which is
shewn in pink) is first rolled round the drum b, one end passing over the table
or platform c, and attached to the drum b. Both these drums are provided

page_text: with aprons. of leather,. or other substance. of. sufficient length to reach the
table c, in order to be able to commence cutting the loops from the very
beginning of the piece. Motion'is transmitted to the machine by means of
the shaft d; on which is the pinione working into the wheel f; fitted on shaft
of drum b. which revolves in the direction of the arrow. On the groove bar
or shaft g are mounted the knives or blades h; these knives or blades are shod
with a metal sheath' h, projecting a certain distance in advance of the point
of the blade, for the double purpose of. preventing injury to the foundation of
the stuff during the operation. off cutting, and. of guiding the knives so as to
ensure their dividing the loops centrally.. The bar or rod k¹ is introduced-after
the knives are placed, to prevent their coming off the bar: This bar ¹ may
be. notched as a comb, and yet allow some lateral and upward motion of the
knives, but it is believed that a plain-bar k is best when using the form of
knives shewn together with a grooved bar or shaft. The points, of the knives
by this construction: and combination of parts can rise or fall freely or move
laterally, both of which movements are essential for successfully cutting
fustians or such like fabrics. is a division bar provided with grooves.corre-
sponding in width with those on the bar g; this bar is arranged so that it can
be readily raised or lowered; l, k, are point wheels or temples, for the purpose
of straining the stuff in the direction of its width, at the place where the
knives are operating, in order to counteract the tendency to collapse. The
form of temple used for this purpose may be varied, but those shown are
believed to be the best:: On the shaft of each of the drums. and b, are
inounted the pullies 7, over each of which a strap m passes, one end being
attached to the lever n, on which is the moveable weight o, producing friction,
thus offering resistance to the unrolling of the stuff, and consequently straining
it. in the direction of its length:
Having thus explained the parts of the machine, I will shortly call atten-
tion to the peculiarity of its working..
The use of a grooved shaft or bar g for supporting one end of the knives
admits of the knives turning a distance sideways and perpendicularly,
whereby they adjust themselves to either variation in thickness; or from a
straight line; at the same time the sides of the groove in the shaft or bar
serve to maintain the edges of the knives in a vertical position; thus obvi-
ating, all difficulty of not cutting the piles in the centre. The use also of a
division bar (the division's on which correspond to the centre of the pile, in
the same manner as those on the grooved shaft or bar g,) serves to keep the
knives in a right line while being removed from the machine, and for the
purpose. of receiving and raising the points of the knives and guards to

page_text: an elevated position without their being deranged from the before-named right
line; it also serves for keeping the knives thus until the division bar r is over
the centre of the piles, and then by moving forward the fabric the points will
be all introduced underneath the loops ready for cutting; and it should be
stated that when this has been done, the bar r is to be lowered from contact
with the knives to allow the points of the knives and guides to rest upon
the body of the fabric, the fabric at this point resting upon a solid bed plate,
which forms a solid support for this end of the knives and the guards, thus
leaving them firmly supported at both ends and at liberty to follow the centre
of the piles, by vibrating to the right or to the left of the fixed centre, as well
as perpendicularly, thus forming a double centre for the knives by means of
the sides of the grooves. The use of the bar ¹ prevents the knives slipping
off the grooved shaft, and the use of temples or mechanical apparatus for
straining the fabric in the direction of its width prevents contraction opposite
the cutting line. The distance apart of these temples is to be variable or
adjustable in the positions, in order to take in stuff's of different widths.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to
any of the mechanical parts separately, nor do I claim the use of two rollers
or cylinders, acting with a series of separate knives, so as to cut the pile of
fustian and other fabrics, machines containing combinations of such parts
having before been employed for such purposes; but what I claim is, the
combination of the parts g, h, k, r, l, m, and the application of temples
or mechanical distending apparatus for extending the fabrics when cutting
longitudinally with several independent knives.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Hunter Brandon, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five
30 Witnesses,
A. H. BRANDON.
J. L. BENSUSAN.
D. H. BRANDON. (L.S.)