MACHINES FOR CUTTING AND DRESSING RAGS AND THE LIKE FOR PAPER STOCK
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention for "MACHINES FOR
CUTTING AND DRESSING RAGS AND THE LIKE FOR PAPER STOCK" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The first part of this Invention relates to the process or method of cutting rags
and other matter for paper stock.
The second part of this Invention relates to machinery adapted to carry out the
processes or methods.
Heretofore, prior to this Invention, rags and other like material has been
prepared for paper stock as follows.
First, it has been necessary to reduce the material to strips; this has been done
by hand by either cutting or tearing and afterwards the strips have been reduced
to small pieces by cross-cutting the same either by hand or machinery.
The method of stripping and cross-cutting by hand is objectionable because of
being slow expensive and unhealthy, and the method of cross-cutting by machinery
heretofore known has been unreliable and unsatisfactory as the machinery has not
been adapted to cut the material with a sufficient degree of regularity and it has.
been practically impossible to reduce the stock to the uniform size which is most
desirable in the various manipulations to which it is afterwards subjected.
Referring now to the Drawings which illustrate machines devised and adapted to
carry out the processes before referred to.
Figures 1 to 6 illustrate one form of machine devised to carry out said processes.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a modification in the construction, wherein spiral
bladed knives are used to both strips and cross-cut; and Figures 9 and 10 illustrate:

page_text: a machine wherein the stripping and cross-cutting is accomplished by rotary
cutters.
Referring first to the construction illustrated on the first Sheet.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation. Figure 2 is a plan of the same and
Figure 3 is a perspective. Figure 4, is an enlarged detail of the rotary cutters and
parts connected. Figure 5, is a like view of the spiral bladed knife and Figure 6,
is a like view of the feed and fixed knife.
Referring now to Figure 1 the method of operation or process may be described
as follows. The material to be operated upon is placed upon the first feed apron K
which moves in the direction indicated by the arrow and deposits the material
between the rotary or circular cutters a which revolving towards each other as
indicated, the edges being in. close contact, separate the material into strips equal
in width to the distance of separation of the cutting edges; this operation is called
stripping. These strips fall upon the feed apron t, which is termed the second feed
apron which moving in the direction indicated, carries the strips to the second
cutting mechanism where they are cut into short pieces, the second cut being across
and approximately at right angles to the first or stripping cut.
The second cutting is termed cross-cutting.
The cross-cutting mechanism consists of a spiral bladed cutter brevolving in the
direction indicated by the arrow; the fixed knife c is arranged above the knife b
and is adapted to be adjusted to and from the spiral bladed cutter b.
The material is carried by the feed apron t below the feed roll which is grooved
to receive the springs; these springs or guides being bent as shown, prevent the
material from being wound upon the feed roll r and while preventing clogging,.
cause the material to be presented to the blades at or near the edge of the fixed
knife, where it is seized and separated by the spiral blades.
It will readily be seen that other guides or springs may be adapted to conduct.
the material to the desired point and the Invention is not confined to the particular
construction and arrangement shown though it is deemed best.
The peculiar advantages of a spiral blade is seen in the fact that all jar is avoided
while if the blade were straight a jar would result each time the, blade came in
contact with the. material; and further with the slanting or spiral blade is obtained
a shearing.cut by the utilization of which, a clean cut is obtained with the outlay
of a less amount of power than would otherwise be required. Below the shaft of
the rotary cutters a and revolving between them is arranged the rotary clearers w
which revolving in the direction indicated, carry the material, after being cut,
downward and away from the cutters and thus prevent clogging.. The machine
frame dis of iron of sufficient weight to bear the requisite strain.
The first feed apron k moves in the first feed trough h and the feed rollo.directs
the material downward to the rotary cutters a.
The fixed knife c, is bolted to the knife bed e and the whole is adapted to be
moved in the frame either to or from the spiral cutter.
This adjustment is accomplished by the screws e¹ which are provided with
convénient hand. wheels.
The fixed knife when applied as herein shown may be reversed and its opposite
edge presented to the spiral cutter and thus the wear has a tendency to sharpen the
opposite edge, rendering the device self-sharpening.
:
Motion is imparted to the several operative portions of the machine by belts,
gears &c. as shown.
Proceeding now to describe the first modification in the construction of a machine
adapted to carry out the methods or processes.
Figure 7 is a plan of a machine having two spiral bladed cutting, devices, the
first standing at an angle to the second and Figure 8. is a side elevation of the
same..
ปี
The construction and operation of the stripping and cross-cutting devices.of this
machine is the same as the cross-cutting device hereinbefore described.. The first
ย

page_text: device separates the material into, strips which are deposited upon the apron t¹,
diagonally and are carried by it and presented to the second cutter or cross cutting
device in the same position.
The second cut being across the cut of the first, will separate the strips into
small pieces.
The detail of the construction of the cross cutting device in the machine first
described will apply to the detail of the construction of the parts of these cutting
appliances except as herein excepted.
Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the modification adapted to cut the material in both
directions with the rotary cutters or shears Figure 9 being a plan and Figure 10 a
side elevation of the machine.
The arrangement of the cutting discs is substantially the same as the stripping
device first described; the method of carrying tlie rags from the first set of cutters
and presenting them to the second or cross cutters however, is different from that
heretofore described.
This machine is provided with a trough g, which is pivoted at the end below the
stripping shears and adapted to be moved from side to side at its opposite end; a
feed apron moves in this trough in a direction to carry the rags from the stripping
shears to the cross-cutting shears; motion is imparted to the free end of this feed
trough through the medium of a lever ; which receives its motion from a cam'i;
the revolution of this cam causing the free end of the lever / to move from side to
side carrying with it, the free end of the feed trough g and as the strips fall from
the feed apron they are by this motion laid across the cross-cutting shears and are
by them separated into small pieces.
It will readily be seen that very many modifications in the construction, shape
and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from this Invention
and it is not confined to the construction or arrangements shown.
The principle of this Invention is seen in the process or method of stripping and
cross-cutting rags and other like material by machinery which may be accomplished
by the use of either of the cutting devices illustrated or their mechanical equivalents
and in the method or process of stripping and cross-cutting at one operation
i.e. without any intermediate handling.
Although the arrangement shown is deemed to be the best, yet it will be seen
that the cutting devices may be changed and differently arranged to accomplish the
same result, for instance, two sets of cutting devices of like construction may be
arranged, one cutting at right angles to the other and an apron arranged and
adapted to carry the rags from the stripper to the cross-cutter in such manner that
they will be presented in the direction of their length and cut across the first cut.
This can be more readily accomplished by using two sets of cutting devices similar
to the one adapted in the first illustration for cross-cutting the apron moving from
the first cutter in a line parallel with the axis of the spiral blade, thus presenting
the strips to the second cutter in the direction of their length, therefore as before
stated the construction may be considerably varied.
The size to which the material is cut by the spiral bladed knife may be varied
by varying the rapidity of its revolution or by varying the speed of the feed apron.
If a slow motion of the blade is desired, then the number of blades on the shaft
may be increased and thus increase the production without increasing the motion.
The variation of the size of the product from the rotary cutters is made by
varying the distance of separation of the blades or discs.
The size to which the material is cut may therefore be easily controlled by the.
operative.
The rotary cutters are preferably corrugated or notched on their peripheries,
this greatly increases their capacity of self feeding.
It is preferable to make these cutters of chilled iron though other or softer metal
may be used and hardened cutting faces supplied and a good result may be attained
ly the use of a comparatively soft metal.
!

page_text: 1
If a very narrow cut is desired with the rotary shears, the cutting discs are
constructed of sheet metal, as a thin cast metal blade will not so well stand the
requisite strain.
The best diameter found to be, not less than eight or ten inches, as the tendency
of a rotary shear of less diameter is to force the material from the cutting edges;
this is especially seen in rotary shears having smooth peripheries to overcome this
the shear angle is reduced by increasing the diameter of the cutters.
The rotary discs or cutters are mounted upon shafts as shown, alternating with
each other on the respective shafts as indicated in the Drawings, the cutters on one
shaft being separated at their edges by the cutters on the other shaft.
The cutters are held in position by a collar or shoulder which may be fixed to
the shaft at one end and being screwed on the shaft at the other end confine the
cutters within a given limit; the cutters or discs being free to adjust themselves
within this limit to the spaces intermediate between the cutters of the other
cylinder, thus the edges of the cutters of the two cylinders are kept in contact
and a shearing cut effected.
A machine having cutters as herein described may be adapted to very many
uses separate and apart from treatment of paper stock.
It will be seen that the several requisite operations may be accomplished by
separating the operative portions of the machine and causing them to be operated
as separate machines conveying the material by proper means from one device or
portion to the other and this without departing from this Invention.
The capacity of the machine may be increased by arranging two or more
stripping devices in such manner that the product from each will be deposited upon
the second feed apron and thus one cross-cutting device may be adapted to cross-
cut the product of several stripping devices.
Although the arrangement of the spiral bladed cutting device illustrated, is
deemed to be the best it will be seen it may be varied to a considerable extent
without departing from this Invention; for instance, the feed may be differently
constructed and the position and construction of the fixed knife varied yet a like
result attained.
The construction shown renders it unnecessary to sharpen or apply a knife edge
to the spiral blades, as the operation of the device tends to cause the blades to be
automatically sharpened or to sharpen themselves.
The spiral should be such that all jar is avoided and but a small portion of the
edge of the spiral blade be adjacent to the fixed blade at the same time, by this
construction, the smooth, even, shearing cut is obtained, which it has been found
impossible to heretofore attain and while the production is increased the outlay of
power required is lessened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is,
1 A rag cutting machine having two sets of cutters, one adapted to cut the rags
across the cut of the other in combination with means to feed the material to the
first set and from the first to the second set.
2nd A rag cutting machino having two sets of cutters, one adapted to cut across
the cut of the other, in combination with a positive feed, whereby the rags after
stripping, are conveyed and presented to the second cutters in such manner that
the second cut is across the stripping cut.
3rd The method of dressing rags for paper stock by machinery, consisting of first
stripping the rags by passing between cutters, then cross-cutting the strips by
passing between cutters substantially as shown and described.
4th The method of stripping rags consisting of passing them through a gang of
cutters constructed and operating substantially as described.
5th In a rag cutting machine, a gang of rotary cutters or shears adapted to strip
the rags, substantially as shown.

page_text: 6th A rag cutting machine having two sets of cutters; one adapted to strip' and
the other to cross-cut the rags, in combination with a means to convey the rags
from the first to the second cutter without turning the rags in the passage,
substantially as shown...
7th A rag cutting machine having one or more sets of stripping cutters and one
or more sets of cross-cutters and provided with means to convey the rags from the
strippers to the cross-cutters, substantially as shown.
In a rag cutting machine a stripping device located above a feed apron
adapted to convey the strips to a cross-cutting device substantially as shown.
9th A cutter for cutting rags constructed of chilled iron, substantially as
described.
10th A rag dressing or cutting machine having rotary cutters, whose axes are on
approximately the same horizontal plane, whereby the material may be dropped
directly to the shearing edges substantially as shown.
11th A. rag cutting machine having rotary cutters of large diameter, whereby
the shear angle is so reduced that the material will not be forced away from the
cutting edges substantially as shown.
12th In a machine for cutting rags and other materials, the combination of two
or more series of rotating discs, said discs being arranged or mounted on adjacent
shafts in alternating order for interacting and shearing against each other
substantially in the manner described.
13th .In a machine for cutting rags and other materials, the combination of two
or more series of rotating discs (having teeth or serrations about their peripheries)
said discs being arranged or mounted on adjacent shafts in alternating order for
interacting and shearing against each other substantially in the manner described.
14th The combination with the rotating shafts of the disc-cutters mounted
in alternating order and adjustably retained between collars whereby the shearing
angles of the several discs or cutters can be set together with greater or less force
as and for the purpose set forth.
15th The combination with the series of rotating cutters and their supporting
shafts of a series of clearers w located intermediately between the respective cutters
for forcing the severed material from the teeth thereof substantially as hereinbefore
set forth.
16th A cutter or disc for rag-cutting machines formed from sheet metal notched
or serrated about its periphery.
17th The combination, as herein before described of the cutter-cylinders composed
of the inter-acting toothed cutters or discs mounted on rotating shafts in the
manner described, the clearers arranged between said cutters, the travelling apron
and the gears, for the purposes set forth.
18th In a rag-cutting machine, a spiral bladed, revolving knife in combination
with a fixed knife and a means to feed the rags substantially as stated.
19th The spiral bladed knife b, fixed knife c, feed roll r a feed apron and guide
constructed and operating substantially as shown.
20th In a rag dressing machine, the combination of a spiral bladed cutter b fixed
knife c, feed apron t, feed roll and guide springs v all constructed and operating
substantially as shown.
21 A rag cutting machine having two sets of independently operating knives,
one set of which cuts the rags in a direction across the cut of the first, whereby the
rags are at one operation cut in both directions, substantially as set forth.
22nd In a machine for cutting rags, the combination of a rotary cutter with
means whereby the rags are fed from above the cutter substantially as and for the
purposes stated.
23rd In a rag cutting machine the combination of a rotary cutter having a spiral
blade, a fixed knife or cutting bed, and means to feed the material to be cut to the
rotary knife in such manner that the rotary operates to carry the material to the
fixed knife and means to prevent clogging on the fixed knife substantially as
shown.

page_text: 24th The combination of a spiral bladed rotary knife with a fixed adjustable
blade standing at right angles to the spiral blade, when in contact, substantially as
and for the purposes stated.
25th In a rag cutting machine one or more rotary clearers in combination with
rotary cutters substantially as shown.

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 20th day of October 1890, Amended under 2
-
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act,-1883.
[Communicated from abroad by Lemuel Coburn, Iehiel Chaffin Coburn, both of
Worcester, Massachusetts, and Charles Francis Taylor, of Springfield,
Hampden, United States of America, Manufacturers.] ·
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED)..
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention for "MACHINES FOR
CUTTING AND DRESSING RAGS AND THE LIKE FOR PAPER STOCK " and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement
:
The first part of this Invention relates to the process or method of cutting rags
and other matter-for-paper-stock.
The second part of This Invention relates to machinery adapted to carry out the
processes or methods. for cutting rags and the like.
Heretofore, prior to this Invention, rags and other like material has been
prepared for paper stock as follows.
First, it has been necessary to reduce the. material to strips; this has been done
by hand by either cutting or tearing and afterwards the strips have been reduced
to small pieces by cross-cutting the same either by hand or machinery.
The method of stripping and cross-cutting by hand is objectionable because of
being slow expensive and unhealthy, and the method of cross-cutting by machinery
heretofore known, has been unreliable and unsatisfactory as the machinery has not
been adapted to cut the material with a sufficient degree of regularity and it has
been practically impossible to reduce the stock to the uniform size which is most
desirable in the various manipulations to which it is afterwards subjected.
Referring now to the Drawings which illustrate machines devised and adapted to
carry out the processes before referred to..
Figures 1 to 6 illustrate one form of machine devised to carry out said processes.
Figures. 7 and 8. illustrate a modification in the construction, wherein spiral
bladed knives are used to both strip, and cross-cut; and Figures 9 and 10 illustrate

page_text: a machine wherein the stripping and cross-cutting is accomplished by rotary
cutters.
Referring first to the construction illustrated on the first Sheet.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation. Figure 2 is a plan of the same and
Figure is a perspective view of the machine. Figure 4, is an enlarged detail of the
rotary cutters and parts connected. Figure 5, is a like view of the spiral bladed knife
and Figure 6, is a like view of the feed and fixed knife.
Referring now to Figure 1 the method of operation or process may be described
as follows. The material to be operated upon is placed upon the first feed apron k
which moves in the direction indicated by the arrow and deposits the material
between the rotary or circular cutters a which revolving towards each other as
indicated, the edges being in close contact, separate the material into strips equal
in width to the distance of separation of the cutting edges; this operation is called
stripping. These strips fall upon the feed apron t, which is termed the second feed
apron which moving in the direction indicated, carries the strips to the second
cutting mechanism where they are cut into short pieces, the second cut being across
and approximately at right angles to the first or stripping cut.
The second cutting is termed cross-cutting.
The cross-cutting mechanismi consists of a spiral bladed catter b revolving in the
direction indicated by the arrow; the fixed knife is arranged above the knife b
and is adapted to be adjusted to and from the spiral bladed cutter b.
"
The material is carried by the feed apron below the feed roll which is grooved
to receive the springs ; these springs or guides being bent as shown, prevent the
material from being wound upon the feed roll and while preventing clogging,
cause the material to be presented to the blades at or near the edge of the fixed
knife, where it is seized and separated by the spiral blades.
It will readily be seen that other guides or springs may be adapted to conduct
the material to the desired point and the Invention is not confined to the particular
construction and arrangement shown though it is deemed best.
The peculiar advantages of a spiral blade is seen in the fact that all jar is avoided
while if the blade were straight a jar would result each time the blade came in
contact with the material; and further with the slanting or spiral blade is obtained
a shearing cut by the utilization of which, a clean cut is obtained with the outlay
of a less amount of power than would otherwise be required. Below the shaft of
the rotary cutters a and revolving between them is are arranged the rotary clearers w
which revolving in the direction indicated, carry the material, after being cut,
downward and away from the cutters and thus prevent clogging. The machine
frame d is of iron of sufficient weight to bear the requisite strain.
The first feed apron k moves in the first feed trough and the feed roll o directs
the material downward to the rotary cutters a.
The fixed knife c, is bolted to the knife bed e and the whole is adapted to be
moved in the frame either to or from the spiral cutter.
This adjustment is accomplished by the screws e' which are provided with
convenient hand wheels.
The fixed knife when applied as herein shown may be reversed and its opposite
edge presented to the spiral cutter and thus the wear bas a tendency to sharpen the
opposite edge, rendering the device self-sharpening.
Motion is imparted to the several operative portions of the machine by belts,
gears &c. as shown.
Proceeding now to describe the first modification in the construction of a machine
adapted to carry out the methods or processes.
Figure 7 is a plan of a machine laving two spiral bladed cutting devices, the
first standing at an angle to the second and Figure 8 is a side elevation of the
same.
The construction and operation of the stripping and cross-cutting devices of this
machine is the same as the cross-cutting device hereinbefore described. The first

page_text: device separates the material into strips which are deposited upon the apron,
diagonally and are carried by it and presented to the second cutter or cross cutting
device in the same position.
The second cut being across the cut of the first, will separate the strips into
small pieces.
"
The detail of the construction of the cross cutting device in the machine first
described will apply to the detail of the construction of the parts of these cutting
appliances except as herein excepted.
Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the modification adapted to cut the material, in both
directions with the rotary cutters or shears Figure 9 being a plan and Figure 10 a
side elevation of the machine.
The arrangement of the cutting discs is substantially the same as the stripping
device first described; the method of carrying the rags from the first set of cutters
and presenting them to the second or cross cutters however, is different from that
heretofore described.
This machine is provided with a trough g, which is pivoted at the end below the
stripping shears and adapted to be moved from side to side at its opposite end; a
feed apron moves in this trough in a direction to carry the rags from the stripping
shears to the cross-cutting shears; motion is imparied to the, free end of this feed
trough through the medium of a lever h; which receives its motion from a cam i;
the revolution of this cam causing the free end of the lever to move from side to
side carrying with it, the free end of the feed trough g and as the strips fall from
the feed apron they are by this motion laid across the cross-cutting shears and are
by them separated into small pieces.
It will readily be seen that very many modifications in the construction, shape
and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from this Invention
and it is not confined to the construction or arrangements shown:
The principle of this Invention is seen in the process or method of stripping and
erose-cutting rags and other like material by-machinery which may be accomplished
by the use of either of the cutting devices illustrated-or their mechanical equivalents
and in the method or process of stripping and cross-cutting at one-operation
e. without any intermediate handling.
Although the arrangement shown is deemed to be the best, yet it will be seen
that the cutting devices may be changed and differently arranged to accomplish the
same result, for instance, two sets of cutting devices of like construction may be
arranged, one cutting at, right angles to the other and an apron arranged and
adapted to carry the rags from the stripper to the cross-cutter in such manner that
they will be presented in the direction of their length and cut across the first cut.
This can be more readily accomplished by using two sets of cutting devices similar
to the one adapted in the first illustration for cross-cutting the apron moving from
the first cutter in a line parallel with the axis of the spiral blade, thus: presenting
the strips to the second cutter in the direction of their length, therefore as before
stated the construction may be considerably varied.
The size to which the material is cut by the spiral bladed knife may be varied
by varying the rapidity of its revolution or by varying the speed of the feed apron.
If a slow motion of the blade is desired, then the number of blades on the shaft
may be increased and thus increase the production without increasing the motion.
The variation of the size of the product from the rotary cutters is made by
varying the distance of separation of the blades or discs.
'
The size to which the material is cut may therefore be easily controlled by the
operative.
The rotary cutters are preferably corrugated or notched on their peripheries,
this greatly increases their capacity of self feeding.
It is preferable to make these cutters of chilled iron though other or softer metal
may be used and hardened cutting faces, supplied and a good result may be attained
by the use of a comparatively soft metal.

page_text: 1
If a very narrow cut is desired with the rotary shears, the cutting discs are
constructed of sheet metal, as a thin cast metal blade will not so well stand the
requisite strain.
The best diameter is found to be, not less than eight or ten inches, as the tendency
of a rotary shear of less diameter is to force the material from the cutting edges;
this is especially seen in rotary shears having smooth peripheries. To overcome this
the shear angle is reduced by increasing the diameter of the cutters.
The rotary discs or cutters are mounted upon shafts as shown, alternating with
each other on the respective shafts as indicated in the Drawings, the cutters on one
shaft being separated at their edges by the cutters on the other shaft.
The cutters are held in position by a collar or shoulder which may be fixed to
the shaft at one end and being screwed on the shaft at the other end confine the
cutters within a given limit; the cutters or discs being free to adjust themselves
within this limit to the spaces intermediate between the cutters of the other
cylinder, thus the edges of the cutters of the two cylinders are kept in contact
and a shearing cut effected.
A machine having cutters as herein described may be adapted to very many
uses separate and apart from treatment of paper stock.
It will be seen that the several requisite operations may be accomplished by
.separating the operative portions of the machine and causing them to be operated
as separate machines conveying the material by proper means from one device or
portion to the other and this without departing from this Invention.
The capacity of the machine may be increased by arranging two or more
stripping devices in such manner that the product from each will be deposited upon
the second feed apron and thus one cross-cutting device may be adapted to cross-
cut the product of several stripping devices.
Although the arrangement of the spiral bladed cutting device illustrated, is
deemed to be the best it will be seen it may be varied to a considerable extent
without departing from this Invention; for instance, the feed may be differently
constructed and the position and construction of the fixed knife varied yet a like
result attained.
The construction shown renders it unnecessary to sharpen or apply a knife edge
to the spiral blades, as the operation of the device tends to cause the blades to be
automatically sharpened or to sharpen themselves.
The spiral should be such that all jar is avoided and but a small portion of the.
edge, of the spiral blade be adjacent to the fixed blade at the same time, by this
construction, the smooth, even, shearing cut is obtained; which it has been found
impossible to heretofore attain and while, the production is increased the outlay of
power required is lessened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is,
1st A rag cutting machine having two sets of cutters, one adapted to cut the rags
across the cut of the other in combination with means to feed the material to the
first set and from the first to the second set, the whole constructed and operating
substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 and Figures 7 and 8 of the
accompanying drawings.
2nd A rag cutting machine having two sets of cutters, one adapted to cut across
the cut of the other, in combination with a positive feed, whereby the rags after
stripping, are conveyed and presented to the second cutters in such manner that
the second cut is across the stripping cut substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 910 of the accompanying drawings.
3rd The method of dressing rags for paper stock by machinery, consisting of first
stripping the rags by, passing between cutters, then cross cutting the strips by
passing between cutters substantially as shown and described.
I
4th The method of stripping rags consisting of passing them through-a-gang-of
eutters-constructed and operating substantially as described.

page_text: 5th In a rag cutting machine, a gang of rotary cutters or shears adapted-to-strip
the rags, substantially as shown.
6th A rag entting machine having two-sets of entters; one-adapted to strip and
the other to cross-ent the rage, in combination--with a means to convey the rags
from the first to the second cutter, without turning the rags in the passagé,
substantially as shown.
7th A rag-entting machine having one or more sets-of-stripping cutters-and-one
or more sets of cross-entters and provided with means to convey the rage from the
strippers to the cross-cutters, substantially as shown.
8th In a rag-cutting machine a stripping device located above a feed apron
adapted to convey the strips to a cross cutting device substantially as shown.
9th A cutter for cutting rugs constructed of chilled iron, substantially as
described:
10th A rag dressing or cutting machine having rotary cutters, whose axes-are-on
approximately the same-horizontal plane, whereby the material may be dropped
directly to the shearing edges substantially as shown.
11th A rag entting machine-having rotary cutters of large diameter, whereby
the shear angle is so reduced that the material will not be forced away from the
entting edges substantially as shown.
12th In a machine for cutting rags and other materials, the combination of two
or more series of rotating dises, said dises being arranged or mounted on adjacent
shafts in alternating order for interneting and shearing against each other
substantially in the manner described.
two or
13th 3rd In a machine for cutting rags and other materials, the combination of
more series of rotating discs (having teeth or serrations about their
peripheries) said discs being arranged or mounted on adjacent shafts in alternating
order for interacting and shearing against each other substantially in the manner
described.
14th 4 The combination with the rotating shafts of the disc-cutters mounted
in alternating order and adjustably retained between collars whereby the shearing
angles of the several discs or cutters can be set together with greater or less force
as and for the purpose set forth.
15th 5th The combination with the series of rotating cutters and their supporting
shafts of a series of clearers w located intermediately between the respective cutters
for forcing the severed material from the teeth thereof substantially as hereinbefore
set forth.
16th A cutter or dise for rag outting machines formed from sheet metal-notched
or serrated about its periphery.
176 The combination, as hereinbefore described of the cutter-cylinders
composed of the inter-acting toothed cutters or discs mounted on rotating shafts in
the manner described, the clearers arranged between said cutters, the travelling apron
and the gears, for the purposes set forth.
18th In a rug-cutting machine, a spiral-bladed, revolving knife in combination
with a fixed knife and n-means to feed the rags substantially as stated.
19th The spiral bladed knife b, fixed-knife-c, feed roll r a feed apron-and-guide
constructed and operating substantially as shown.
20th 7th In a rag dressing cutting machine, the combination of a spiral bladed
cutter fixed knife c, feed apron t, feed roll and guide springs v all constructed and
operating substantially as shown.
21 A rag entting machine having two sets of independently operating knives,
one-set-of which cuts the rags in a direction across the ent of the first, whereby the
rage ure at one operation cut in both directions, substantially as set forth.
2nd In-a-machine for cutting rags, the combination of a rotary cutter with
means whereby the rags are fed from above the cutter substantially as and for the
purposes stated.
23rd 8th In a rag cutting machine the combination of a rotary cutter having a
spiral blade, a fixed knife or cutting bed, and means to feed the material to be cut to

page_text: the rotary knife in such manner that the rotary knife operates to carry the material
to the fixed knife and means io prevent clogging on the fixed knife substantially as
shown.
24th The combination of a spiral bladed rotary knife-with a fixed adjustable
blade standing at right angles to the spiral blade, when in-contnet, substantially as
and for the purposes-stated:
25th 9 In a rag cutting machine one or more rotary clearers in combination with
rotary cutters substantially as shown.