Improvements in Machinery for Cutting into Slices Gelatine or other Substances of the like kind.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Cutting into Slices Gelatine or
other Substances of the like kind.
I, PAUL CYPRIEN CHENAILLIER, of 30 Boulevard St. Germain, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Gelatine in the form of glue is ordinarily manufactured in square blocks or cakes,
which are afterwards divided into sheets of from 5 to 6 millemêtres in thickness,
12 to 15 of which are cut from each cake.
My present invention has for its object an improved machine for so cutting up the
cakes, by which the operation is effected very quickly and with perfect regularity.
The machine consists of a horizontal frame or bed upon which at one end is
arranged a strong open vertical plate or frame divided by horizontal knives or cutters
the space between which is equal to the thickness of the sheets which are to be cut.
Behind this frame are fixed upon the bed two side walls or plates extending back
sufficiently and then united by a strong transverse vertical fixed plate having
horizontal grooves formed across it.
A chamber is thus formed into which the block
or cake which is to be cut up is placed from above.
The front plate which carries the parallel cutters as described is fitted so that it
moves along the bed, by which it is guided, until it meets the fixed plate last described,
and it has below it a strong nut passing down through a slot in the bed, and through
which fits and works a horizontal screw turning in bearings below the bed so that if
the screw is turned round, the moveable plate is moved along the bed.
The front end of the screw has fixed upon it a bevelled toothed wheel gearing with
two corresponding bevelled toothed wheels upon a transverse shaft turning in bearings
upon the frame and actuated by steam or other convenient power.
The two last toothed wheels turn loose upon the shaft and are driven by couplings
or clutches sliding on keys upon the shaft and having angular teeth engaging with
similar teeth upon the back of the wheels, so that by sliding the couplings upon the
shaft either of the bevelled wheels can be connected with and driven by the latter.
The couplings are connected together and are moved backward and forward by a cam
or lever actuated by a horizontal rod sliding in bearings below the bed of the machine
and having adjustable stops fixed upon it which are moved by a cam or stud. fixed
below the nut through which the screw passes as already described, so that when the nut
with the frame and cutters connected with it have travelled sufficiently far at each
end of its stroke, the bevelled wheels are first disengaged and then reversed so that the
screw is turned in the opposite direction and the travelling plate and cutters brought
back.
At the upper edges of the fixed sides of the chamber which receives the cake as
described, are arranged grooves in which slides a cover, the back edge of which is
provided with a bar the outer end of which abuts against the upper end of a lever
which is constantly forced forward by a spring round the centre upon which it turns.
By this means the sliding cover is forced forward in its guiding grooves so us to close
the top of the chamber in which the cake is placed. When however the cover is
pushed back until the chamber is open it is held by a spring catch at its back end which
catch is released by a lever operated by the moving frame soon after the latter has
commenced its backward stroke.
A weighted lever of the usual-kind is arranged in connection with the sliding rod
by which the bevelled wheels are thrown in and out of gear as already described.
The chamber being open, the cake of gelatine is placed into it, and by means of the
weighted-lever last described the bevelled wheels are thrown in gear and the screw

page_text: urned so as to bring back the moveable frame and cutters, compressing the gelatine
between the fixed transverse plate and the moveable frame. The movement of the
latter almost immediately releases the catch which holds the cover open, and it is
driven forward by the spring lever so as to close the chamber. The gelatine con-
tinuing to be compressed, is forced in sheets between the horizontal cutters, and at
the end of the travel of the latter the sheets have entirely left the chamber and can be
removed.
As the moveable frame travels back it pushes the sliding cover before it, forcing
back the spring lever until the cover has been caught and held by the spring catch.
By this time the cam below the nut has come in contact with the rear stop upon the
sliding reversing bar and has thrown over the weighted lever so as to reverse the
action of the toothed wheels and of the screw, and the travelling plate and cutters move
forward leaving the cover still held back.
The cam below then comes in contact with the other stop upon the sliding rod and
throws the bevelled wheels out of gear but does not raise the weighted lever far
enough to again reverse the toothed gear, so that the machine stops until a fresh cake
has been placed in the chamber, when the operation recommences.
It is evident that other substances as well as gelatine may be cut into slices in the
way described.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Cutting into Slices Gelatine or
other Substances of the like kind.
I, PAUL CYPRIEN CHENAILLIER, of 30, Boulevard St. Germain, Paris, in the
Republic of France, 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, and accompanying drawings,- (that is
to say):
Gelatine in the form of glue is ordinarily manufactured in square blocks or cakes,
which are afterwards divided into sheets of from 5 to 6 millimetres in thickness,
12 to 15 of which are cut from each cake.
My present invention has for its object an improved machine for so cutting up the
cakes, by which the operation is effected very quickly, and with perfect regularity.
In the accompanying drawings, which are in illustration of my invention, Figure 1
is a vertical section through the machine,.with the cover of the box which receives the
gelatine open. Figure 2 is a plan. A'is the box in which the block of gelatine is placed,
B a fixed plate forming one end of the box, and a frame carrying a sufficient number
of blades or cutters which form the other end of the box. D is a strong plate forming
the upper part of the frame of the machine. E is a cover for the box, which slides in
grooves in the sides of the latter, F a guide which supports the cover when it is
pushed back to open the box, G a catch fixed to the cover and held by the holder H
to keep the cover open as shewn in the drawing, I is a screw by which the box is
moved as hereinafter described. J is a nut fixed to the box A, and K is an arm or
lever fixed upon a cylinder L which encloses a suitable, spring the tension of which
can be adjusted as desired. M is a bar fixed to the cover and pressing the bar K back
to the position shewn in the drawing. N is the frame of the entire machine, Oa
hevilled toothed pinion fixed upon the screw I, and O! O" similar pinions running
freely upon the driving shaft Q and having angular clutch teeth formed upon their
side which engage with corresponding teeth upon the sliding clutches P P which
are fitted upon keys on the shaft Q. These clutches can be moved end ways upon the
"shaft by means of forks fixed upon a transverse bar P sliding in guides. It is a bar
by moving which the clutches can be moveil so that the pinion O is put in or out of
gear with the other pinions. S is a plate upon the end of the bar R.having inclined
+

page_text: edges acting upon studs upon the bar (as shewn in dotted lines in figure. 2) so that
the latter together with the moveable clutches is moved backward and forward as. the
rod R is moved. T is a weighted lever which completes the movement of the bar in
connecting and disconnecting the clutches in the usual well known way, by means of
the shorter slotted arm U acting upon a stud at V upon the rod R.
Adjustable stops V₁ V" acted on by the boss or cam X regulate the extent of the
stroke of the nut J and of the box to which it is fixed. Vi v are stops which
limit the movement of the rod R.
Fast and loose pullies Y, Y', carry a driving belt in the usual way, and Z is a fly
wheel and handle for working the machine by hand if desired.
a, a², are levers for effecting automatically the release of the cover, is a tappet
which strikes the lever a as it passes and forces it down.
:-
The operation of the machine and apparatus described and shewn is as follows:-
The machine being as shewn in the drawings, the cover E is held open by the catch H,
the spring at L being compressed, and the clutches being out of gear so that the
shaft Q and the clutches upon it turn freely.
The chamber or box A being open, the cake of gelatine is placed into it, and by
means of the weighted lever T the bevilled wheels are thrown in gear and the screw I
turned so as to bring back the chamber moveable frame and cutters, which slide upon
the plate D compressing the gelatine between the fixed transverse plate B and the
moveable frame and knives. The movement almost immediately brings the catch b
in contact with the lever a and draws down the catch H which holds the cover E open,
and it is driven forward by the spring lever K. so as to close the chamber A. The
gelatine continuing to be compressed, is forced in sheets between the horizontal
cutters C and at the end of the travel of the latter the sheets have entirely left the
chamber and can be removed, the edges of the cutters entering corresponding grooves
in the fixed plate B.
As the moveable frame travels back it pushes the sliding cover E before it, forcing
back the spring lever K until the cover has been caught and held by the spring
catch H. By this time the cam X below the nut has come in contact with the stop
upon the sliding reversing bar and has thrown over the weighted lever T so as to
reverse the action of the toothed wheels and of the screw and the chamber A,
travelling plate and cutters move forward leaving the cover E still held back as
shewn, the catch turning upon its centre and passing over the lever a without
moving it. The cam X then comes in contact with the other stop V upon the
sliding rod R and throws the hevilled wheels out of gear but does not raise the
weighted lever far enough to again reverse the toothed gear, so that the machine
stops until a fresh cake has been placed in the chamber, when the operation
recommences.
The size and proportions of the parts of the apparatus may be varied more or less
as desired.
It is evident that other substances as well as gelatine may be cut into slices in the
way described, and two or more chambers may be arranged side by side, or one behind
the other if desired.
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. The machine for cutting up gelatine or other substances of the like kind, con-
sisting of a chamber having one end fixed whilst the other end, consisting of a
sufficient number of cutters, is moveable and is made to approach the fixed one,
compressing the substance placed between them so as to force it between the cutters,
the movement of the moveable end being effected by means of a screw turning in a
nut attached to the moveable end, and operated by means of bevilled toothed pinions
and clutches or their equivalents upon a driving shaft, so that the screw can be made
to turn in either direction substantially as described and shewn in the drawings.

page_text: 2. In combination with the apparatus described in the first claim, the system of
levers acting upon the cover of the chamber so as to hold it back during the advance
of the chamber, and to release it and drive it forward by means of a spring at the end
of the stroke, substantially as described and shewn in the drawings.
. Dated this 30th day of November 1889.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Patentee.