IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WIRE AND RODS OF METAL AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Charles Shaw, of Patricroft, near the
City of Machester, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
CUTTING WIRE AND RODS OF METAL AND OTHER MATERIALS."-A com-
munication from abroad by William C. Flinn, of Nashua, in the
State of New Hampshire, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 16th July 1869, and dated the 6th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Charles
Shaw at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 6th February 1869.
I, JOHN CHARLES SHAW, of Patricroft, near the City of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR CUTTING WIRE AND RODS OF METAL AND OTHER MATERIALS," a communi-

page_text: cation to me from abroad by William C. Flinn, of Nashua, in the State
of New Hampshire, in the United States of America, to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to cut wire or rods of any required
length and with a perfectly true and square face, and the machinery or
apparatus consists of a pair of cutting discs, both of which are perforated
with any number of holes of different diameters to suit the size of the
wire or rod to be cut; these holes are drilled in a slightly diagonal
direction in order that the end of the wire or rod may be perfectly square
when cut. One of the cutting discs is cast in a case which is secured
to the floor or to a bench or held in a vice, and the other disc is held
up to the cutting face by the cover of the case, both parts of the case
being bolted together. The second cutting disc has a projecting tongue,
against which a cam at the end of a lever acts; this lever is hinged to
the case, and through the lever passes the spindle of an adjustable
gauge. The wire or rod to be cut is pushed through the corresponding
holes of the two cutting discs, the end of the wire being stopped by the
gauge; the lever is then acted upon to bring the cam against the
projecting tongue of the movable disc, thereby shearing or cutting off
the portion of wire or rod projecting through the case. The lever is then
brought back to its original position by a spring acting on the tongue
of the movable cutter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Charles Shaw in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CHARLES SHAW, of Patricroft, near the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Charles Shaw, Her special.
license that I, the said John Charles Shaw, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Charles.

page_text: Shaw, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WIRE AND RODS OF
METAL AND OTHER MATERIALS," being a communication to me from abroad
by William C. Flinn, of Nashua, in the State of New Hampshire, in
the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Charles Shaw, 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 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 John Charles Shaw, 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 (that is to say) :-
11
The object of this Invention is to cut wire or rods of any required
length and with a perfectly true and square face, and the machinery
or apparatus consists of a pair of cutting discs, both of which are per-
forated with any number of holes of different diameters to suit the size
of the wire or rod to be out; these holes are drilled in a slightly
diagonal direction in order that the end of the wire or rod may be
perfectly square when cut. One of the cutting discs is cast in a case,
which is secured to the floor or to a bench or held in a vice, and the
other disc is held up to the cutting face by the cover of the case, both
parts of the case being bolted together. The second cutting disc has
2. projecting tongue, against which a cam at the end of a levér acts; this
lever is hinged to the case, and through the lever passes the spindle of
an adjustable gauge. The wire or rod to be cut is pushed through the
corresponding holes of the two cutting discs, the end of the wire being
stopped by the gauge; the lever is then acted upon to bring the cam
against the projecting tongue of the movable disc, thereby shearing or
cutting off the portion of wire or rod projecting through the case.
The

page_text: cutting disc is then brought back to its original position by a spring
acting on the tongue of the movable cutter.
And in order that the Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation I will proceed to describe the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, reference being had to the Figures and letters marked
thereon:-
Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved machinery or apparatus
suitable for cutting wire of any thickness up to one-quarter of an inch
in diameter; Figure 2 is an edge view, and Figure 3 a plan of the
same.
The cutting apparatus consists of a stationary steel disc a, which is cast
with or let into the cast-iron case b, and the movable steel disc 0, which
is held in close proximity with the disc a by the cover d screwed to the
case b. The two pieces b and d are secured in a vice or in the box.or
stand e, which is screwed to a bench or table. To the disc c is forged
the projecting tongue c¹, against which the cam f at the end of the
lever g acts, and this lever is jointed to a stud passing through pro-
jections from the case 6 and cover d. To the lever g is connected the
adjustable gauge h, the position of which can be regulated by a set
screw according to the length of wire to be cut off. The holes in the
discs a and c are drilled simultaneously to insure their uniformity in
diameter and position, but instead of being at right angles to the face
of the discs they are drilled in a slightly diagonal direction, as shewn
by dotted lines in Figure 2, the object of which is to obtain a perfectly
square cut at the end of the wire. The Drawing represents the parts
in the positions they occupy when the holes in the cutting discs coincide;
the lever g is then down, as shewn by the full lines in Figure 1, and
the attendant after setting the gauge h according to the length of wire
to be cut off, now pushes the wire first through the hole in the case b,
then through the discs a and c, until the end of the wire is stopped by
the gauge h. The attendant then presses against the lever g until it
assumes the position shewn in dotted lines in Figure 1, and the cam f
acting on the tongue c¹ causes the cutting disc c to turn partly round
in the direction of the arrow, thereby shearing or cutting off the portion
of wire projecting beyond the disc a. The lever g is then brought
back to its original position by the hand of the operator, and the spring i,
which fits in a recess in the case, acts against the under side of the

page_text: tongue c¹ and holds it in contact with the cam f. When the lever g is
down the gauge h is again opposite the hole through which the wire
to be cut is introduced, so that the attendant with one hand can push
forward the wire until the end comes against the gauge, and then with
the other hand presses the lever back to the position shewn in dots to
cut the projecting end off. By this means any number of pieces of
wire all of precisely the same length and with perfectly square ends
can be cut in rapid succession, but in some cases the gauge can be
dispensed with.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, and Figure 5 an edge view of the
improved machinery or apparatus suitable for cutting wires or rods of
larger dimensions. In this instance the frame, consisting of the sides b
and d, is securely bolted to the floor, the steel cutting disc a being let
into the side d, and the other disc c being movable in a recess in the
side b. The set screws d¹ pass through the side 6 and act against the
disc a to hold it in contact with the cutting disc c. The cam facts as
before on the tongue c¹ projecting from the disc c, and the lever g is of
considerable length according to the diameter of the wire or rod to be
cut. The gauge h and spring i act in the manner before described.
In Figure 4 the lever g is shewn at about one-half of its stroke, and
the cutting disc c is supposed to have partially cut through the
rod k.
The foregoing description and the Drawings refer only to such cutting
machinery as may be worked by hand, but it is evident that steam or
other power may be applied to work the cam for the lever g.
I would also observe that by varying the shape of the holes in the
discs a, c, square, flat, or other shaped bars or rods can be cut.
I wish also to remark, that should the cutting edges of the discs a
and c become dull the position of the discs can be reversed, so as to
bring the other edges into working position.
Having thus stated the nature of the Invention communicated to
me by the within-named William C. Flinn, and described the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim, the improved machinery
or apparatus shewn and described for cutting wire or rods of metal and
other materials by means of two cutting discs.

page_text: And, secondly. I claim setting the holes of cutting discs through which
the wire or rod passes while being cut in a diagonal position, in order
that the end of the wire when out may be square, as shewn and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Charles Shaw, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of August One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.