Improvements in Self-clamping Guillotine Cutting Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 15th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-clamping Guillotine Cutting Machines.
I ALFRED MORFITT of Hockley Mill Engineer in the Town and County of
the Town of Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
A new arrangement and combination of machinery for self-clamping or holding
the piles of paper, millboard etc. while being cut in an ordinary paper cutting
machine, whereby the cumbrous springs or weights hitherto in use, and the power
absorbed in working or lifting the same is entirely dispensed with.
The invention consists in a double cam or two separate cams fixed to and revolving
with the main spur wheel shaft. The outer cam consists of a long dead dwell and
a projection and gives an oscillating motion by means of a bowl or truck fixed by
an axle to one end of a lever pivoted at about its centre to the framing, the other
end having a swivel joint and being connected by a link to a friction-clutch cover
imparts the oscillating movement to it. This clutch cover oscillates on a rocking
shaft working in bearings at the back of the machine and near the floor. To this
rocking shaft is keyed, but free to move on it, a friction clutch which is connected
by a suspended fork and an adjustable rod to the bottom end of a lever working on
a stationary axle fixed to the framing of machine the upper end of this lever
carries a bowl or truck to which an intermittent movement is given by the inner
cam. To each end of the rocking shaft is fixed a counterbalanced lever which are
connected by side rods to the clamp or pressing bar, the counterbalance always
causing the clamp to ascend after the pressure is released. A treadle connected by
a lever & link to the rocking shaft, brings the clamp bar down to show where
knife will cut. The clutch is of large diameter and consists of a boss with two
wings inside which are pivoted adjustable arms, to the upper ends of these are
pivoted friction segments fitting the inside of clutch cover, a groove is cut round
the boss in which work the trucks or bowls carried by the suspended fork and
serves to knock the clutch in or out as operated by the inner cam. The inner cam
consists of a series of projections and dwells and a counter cam. The action is as
follows. The knife being at the top of its movement, the treadle is free to move
the clamp bar down which will indicate where knife will cut. On starting the
machine one of the projections on the inner cam acting on the truck will knock the
clutch partially in the cover expanding the arms, at the same time the outer cam
will move the oscillating lever and with it the clutch cover, clutch, rocking shaft,
levers, and clamp bar until it reaches the pile of material when a further knocking
in of the clutch by the cam will finally hold the cover, and now that the outer cam
has almost completed its movement the full pressure is brought hard on the
material. The knife now descends to cut the material and all strain of the clamping
is removed except the small pressure on the truck as it revolves on the dead dwell
of cams.
When the cut is completed and the knife ascends the counter cam of the
inner cam knocks the clutch out of the cover and the clamp bar ascends, and the
outer cam assumes its position as at starting.
Dated this 14th day of July 1890.

page_text: Improvements in Self-clamping Guillotine Cutting Machines.
I ALFRED MORFITT, of Hockley Mill, in the Town and County of Nottingham,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for cutting
piles of paper, millboard, and similar material, such machinery consisting of a table
for supporting the paper, a clamping bar for holding the paper firmly upon the
table, and a horizontal knife to which an oblique rising and falling motion is
imparted.
My improvements refer to the clamping bar and to the method of operating the
same, the object being to dispense with the heavy weights or cumbrous springs
heretofore used and with the physical labour necessary to work the same and to
utilize the ordinary driving power of the machine in place thereof.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents an end elevation of an ordinary guillotine machine with my
improvements applied thereto;
Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof:
Fig. 3 is a detail in plan taken through line m. m, Fig. 2. and
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are details of parts hereinafter referred to.
Fig. 7 represents a modification of certain parts of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1
and 2.
A. A are the end frames of the machine, which are connected by the top rail A¹
and the middle rail A2 (Figs. 2, 3, 4,). B is the main driving shaft, from which
motion is communicated by the usual train of gearing, not shown, to the large
toothed wheel C mounted on the short shaft D.
The wheel C carries a stud D' on which is mounted a block D' working between
the arms of a forked lever D³ to the upper end of which is connected by means of
the link D the knife D' which thus receives its motion in the usual manner.
On the shaft D is fixed a plate E carrying a quick-throw cam E¹ shown in full
line in detail Fig. 6. In the groove of this cam works a truck or runner mounted
on one arm of a lever E' fulcrummed at E³ to the cross-rail A2, the other arm of
the said lever terminating in a universal joint E and being connected by the rod E
to a shell E, which forms a portion of a friction clutch-box. Two of such
shells E, E are mounted loosely upon a shaft Es which is free to rock in its
bearings. On each end of this shaft is fixed a lever fone arm of which carries a
counterbalance weight whilst the other arm is connected by rod with the
clamping bar f³.
By means of the foot lever f*, lever f connecting rod f* and lever f', the
latter fast on the shaft E8, the attendant can readily bring down the clamping
bar upon the pile of paper placed on the table 8 and thus satisfy himself that
the paper is in proper position for being cut before setting the machine in motion,
the weights serving to raise the bar after the test.
Keyed to the shaft Es but free to move end wise thereon, are the working parts
of the clutch boxes E' E', such working parts consisting in each case of wings E
inside which are pivotted arms E10 which are adjustable as regards their length by
the screws e. e the upper ends being pivotted to the friction segments e¹ which fit
inside the shells or covers E E7. Grooves e² are formed around the bosses e³ in
which work trucks pivotted to the forked ends of the clutch-levers e, the levers
being mounted on studs fixed in the cross rail A2, see Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

page_text: On the underside of the rail A is forined a bracket to which is fulcrummed a
lever e, the free end of which carries a truck, which rides upon a cam e formed on
the plate E.
To the lever is pivotted one end of an adjustable rod e', which controls the
levers ee by means of which the clutch boxes are thrown in and out of
gear.
As
seen in Fig. 2, the clutch boxes are out of gear, the truck on the lever & being at
rest upon the lowest part of the came, and the machine in a position to start.
The material having been placed upon the table and adjusted by a trial
descent of the clamping bar 3 as above described, the machine is started, the
direction of motion being indicated by the arrow on the wheel C.
The immediate results of the start, are to throw the friction clutches into gear
and to impart a rotary motion to the shells E' E', and as soon as the friction,
developed, is sufficient to overcome the resistance of the weights 1, the shaft Es
will be caused to revolve, putting in motion the levers and connecting rods ""
and bringing down the clamping bar fs upon the material.
By properly regulating the length of the rod e', the clamping bar can be timed
to reach the material before the clutch arms E10 are fully extended, so that in
case the pile of material is too thick, the clutches can slip, and so allow for a
pause in the descent of the bar, until the truck rises the summit of the came,
when the full pressure will be put on the friction segments et after which the
truck on the lever e will ride upon the medium portion or long "dwell" of the
cam, whilst the cutting of the material is effected.
There is little or no friction on the cam during this period, as the strain is
distributed between the leverse and e, the lower half of the former being in a
straight line with the latter, and remaining so until the clutches are released
after the cut by the counter cam x', the clamping bar is raised by the counter-
balance weights f', and the shells E', and E' returned to their original position
by the cam E and the parts connected therewith. The shells E8, E' are connected
so as to work in unison by means of a plate G which is bolted to the flanges G¹
formed on the shells; but it will of course be understood, that the use of a double
or single clutch is optional.
Where great pressure has to be exerted by the clamping bar the modification
shown in Fig. 7 may be used.
In this case the rod f' is connected at its lower end with a toothed segment
lever H fulcrummed to the frame at h. The segment lever gears with a pinion H¹
fixed on the end of the shaft E8 in place of the lever f, this lever being fulcrummed
to the frame A and the counterbalance weight being employed as before.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In machines such as described, the combination of parts for operating the
clamping bar, and comprising
(a) the cam E', the lever E' and rod E' for rotating the friction-box
shells E, E' and
(b) the cam es, rod e' and e, e for operating the internal parts of the clutch
boxes, and causing them to participate in and impart the motion of the
shells E, E, to the shaft Es, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
2. In machines such as described, the method of regulating the amount of friction
developed in the clutch-boxes by means of screws e and adjustable rod e', substan-
tially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In machines such as described, the combination of shafts Es, balanced levers f,
and connecting rods for operating the clamping bar f³, substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 4. In machines such as described, the modified form of apparatus for communi-
cating motion to the clamping bar, substantially as described and illustrated
in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of April 1891.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.