Improvements in or relating to Cloth-cutting Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1893
Complete-Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cloth-cutting Machines.
I WILLIAM WILLOTT POPPLEWELL of 18 Southampton Buildings in the
County of Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this
invention which has been communicated to me from abroad by James Smith of
166 Elm Street in the City, County and State of New York, United States
of America, Electrical Engineer to be as follows:-
:-
This invention has reference to certain improvements in construction of cloth
cutters of that class in which the motive power is supplied by electricity and the
motor forms a part of the casing of the cutter and in which the driving mechanism
by which the power is transmitted to the disk-shaped cutter is so arranged as to
impart a uniform and steady motion to the same, while the supporting standard and
base are so arranged as to form bearings for the axes of the transmitting gears and
to permit the ready cleaning of the parts from adhering fibres and impurities.
The invention consists of an electric clothcutting machine, which comprises an
electric motor at the upper part of the casing, a supporting standard for the casing
formed of two halves or sections provided with semi-circular extensions which form
the base of the cutter, and driving mechanisms interposed between the shaft of the
armature of the motor and the shaft of the disk-shaped cutting knife, said driving
mechanism being so arranged that the power is applied to the axle of the cutting-.
kuife at both sides of the same.
The invention consists, further, in the construction of the standard for supporting
the rotary cutter, of the driving mechanism for the same and of the base, the
underside of which is provided with converging recesses extending from the rear
part towards the centre-slot in which the cutting-kuife is rotated, said recesses
serving for conducting off the fibres, threads and other accumulations which are
produced during the cutting operation.
The casing of my improved electric cloth-cutting machine, is attached to the
underside of the pole-pieces of the field-magnets of the electric motor, which forms
the upper part of the cloth cutter. The shaft of the armature of the electric
motor is supported by suitable bearings in vertical position, the step-bearing being
arranged in a bridge at the upper part of the casing. The commutating devices are
located at the upper end of the shaft and enclosed by a cover that is attached to
the top part of the pole-pieces of the electric motor, so as to protect said
commutating-devices. To the rear part of the casing is attached a bandle by which
the cloth cutter is directed in its motion into the cloth to be cut. The current is
admitted to the electric motor by suitable conducting wires, a switch being
arranged at any suitable point, preferably at the point of connection of the handle
with the casing so that the motor can be conveniently stopped and started. To
the bottom part of the casing are attached two semi sections which together form
the supporting standard of the cloth-cutter. Each semi section is provided at its
-lower end with a semi circular extension, which is arranged at right angles to the
semi section and which together form the base on which the cloth cutting device is
supported. The semi-section of the standard and its semi-circular base portion are
made in one integral casting, the upper end of which is attached to the bottom part
of the casing. The base portions are connected by transverse links or straps which
are attached by fastening-screws to the underside of the base-portions, said straps
and fastening screws being arranged in recesses of the base-portions, so as to be
flush with the underside of the base and permit their unimpeded motion over the
cutting-table. The semi-sections of the standard are provided with suitable

page_text: bearings for the shafts of the driving gear-wheels by which motion is transmitted
from the shaft of the armature to the axle of the rotary cutting-knife. The driving
mechanism by which motion is transmitted to the rotary cutter consists of two
beveled wheels of which one is keyed to the lower end of the armature-shaft while
the other wheel is placed loosely on a fixed shaft that is attached by set screws to
bearings of the casing. The bevel wheel is provided at its inner face with a pinion
which is made of a sufficient width so as to intermesh with two thin gear-wheels
that are keyed to a short transverse shaft which is supported in the upper bearings
of the standard. The thin gear-wheels mesh with gear-wheels of smaller size, but
of the same thickness, and which are keyed to the opposite sides of a collar on the
axle of the rotary cutting-knife. The axle of the cutting knife is supported in disk
shaped buildings which form the bearings for the axle and which are screwed near
their circumference to the semi-sections of the standard. The rotary cutting-knife
is keyed to the collar of the axle and can be readily removed from between the
semi-sections of the standard by unscrewing the bushings and loosening the key by
which the knife is attached to the collar of the axle, so that the axle can be removed
in lateral direction through the openings in the standards, while the cutting-knife is
removed through the throat formed by the semi-sections at the rear part of the
standards. The base is beveled at the circumference so as to enter readily under
the layers of cloth and present the same to the action of the rotary cutting knife.
The driving-mechanism described produces the uniform rotation of the cutting-
knife in one and the same vertical plane as the power is imparted to its axle at both
sides of the knife whereby a steady vertical motion is obtained and the wobbling
and uneven cutting of the knife prevented. Another advantage of the driving-
mechanism described consists in the fact that the semi-sections of the supporting
standard are close together, so that the layers of cloth as they are cut by the knife
are readily parted and moved past the standard. This arrangement also permits
the cutting of a greater number of layers or of layers of greater thickness as
compared to the rotary cloth-cutters heretofore in use, for the reason that the
cutting knife can readily cut through a large number of layers of cloth even if the
thickness of the same be greater than the radius of the cutting knife.
The underside of the base is provided with sector-shaped recesses which extend
at the rear part of the base from both sides of the gradually widening centre-slot into
which the lower part of the cutting-knife extends. The edge of the recesses
converge from the circumference of the rear part of the base towards the centre
line of the same, said recesses serving for the purposes of producing the clearance
of any threads, fibres and other matters that accumulate during the working of the
cloth-cutter. The base is from time to time cleaned from the accumulations of
fibres &c. which to some extent are passed off along the converging edges of the
recesses and removed by a brush.
To the front part of the casing is applied an incandescent electric lamp, the
upper part of which is coated with a suitable reflecting material, so that the light
of the lamp is thrown in a downward direction on the pattern lines of the cloth to
be cut, whereby the cutter can be more conveniently operated in badly-lighted
shops or in the evening hours. Said electric lamp receives its current from the
main conductors.
Dated this 20th der of Me 1902
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Plating C
I WILLIAM WILLOTT POPPLEWELL of Southampton Buildings in the County.
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, 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, the said invention having been
communicated to me by James Smith of 166 Elm Street in the City, County,
and State of New York, United States of America, Electrical Engineer:-
This invention relates to machines for cutting cloth and similar material, and is
embodied in a machine in which the motive power is supplied by electricity and
the motor is secured to or forms part of the standard and frame of the cutter and
in which the driving mechanism by which the power is transmitted to the cutter is
so arranged as to impart a uniform and steady motion to the same, while the
supporting standard and base are arranged for the axes of the transmitting gears
and to permit the ready cleaning of the parts from adhering fibres and impurities.
In the electric cloth cutting machine embodying my invention the electro-motor
is at the upper part of the casing and the supporting standard for the casing is
formed of two halves or sections provided with extensions which form the base of
the cutter, and driving mechanism is interposed between the armature shaft of the
motor and the shaft of the disc-shaped cutting knife, said driving mechanism being
so arranged that the power is applied to the axle of the cutting knife at both sides
of the same.
The underside of the base or foot of the standard is provided with
converging recesses extending from the rear part towards the centre slot in which
the cutting knife is rotated, said recesses serving for conducting off the fibres,
threads and other accumulations which are produced during the cutting operation.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a side-elevation, partly in vertical longitudinal section, of an
improved electric cloth-cutting machine embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse-section of the same on line 2 2, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a side-elevation of one of the semi-sections of the supporting standard
of my improved cloth-cutting machine.
Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse-section through the standards, on line 4 4,
Fig. 3, and
Fig. 5 is a bottom-view of the base of the cloth-cutter, Figs. 3, 4 and 5 being
drawn on a larger scale.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawings, A represents the casing of my improved cloth-cutting
machine, which casing is attached to the underside of the pole-pieces of the field-
magnets of the electric motor.B, which forms the upper part of the cloth-cutter.
The shaft B¹ of the armature of the electric motor B is supported by suitable
bearings in vertical position, the step-bearing b being arranged in a bridge b' at
the upper part of the casing A. The commutating devices are located at the upper
end of the shaft B' and enclosed by a cover A¹ that is attached to the top part of
the pole-pieces of the electric motor, so as to protect said commutating-devices.
To the rear part of the casing A is attached a handle C by which the cloth-cutter
is directed in its motion into the cloth to be cut. The current is admitted to the
electric motor B by suitable conducting wires, a switch being arranged at any
suitable point, preferably at the point of connection of the handle with the casing A,
so that the motor can be conveniently stopped and started. To the bottom part of
the casing A are attached two semi-sections D' D' which together form the
supporting-standard D of the cloth-cutter. Each semi-section D₁ is provided at
its lower end with a semi-circular extension E which is arranged at right angles to

page_text: -
the semi-section D' and which together form the base on which the cloth-cutting
device is supported. The semi-section D' of the standard and its semi-circular base-
portion E are made in one integral casting, the upper end of which is attached to
the bottom-part of the casing A. The base-portions E' are connected by transverse
links or straps ee which are attached by fastening-screws e¹ to the underside of the
base-portions; said straps and fastening-screws being arranged in recesses of the
base-portions, so as to be flush with the underside of the base, and permit their
unimpeded motion over the cutting-table. The semi-sections D' of the standard D
are provided with suitable bearings for the shafts of the driving gear-wheels by
which motion is transmitted from the shaft of the armature to the axle of the
rotary cutting-knife. The driving mechanism by which motion is transmitted to
the rotary cutter consists of two bevelled wheels f, of which one is keyed to
the lower end of the armature-shaft B', while the other wheel is placed loosely
on a fixed shaft that is attached by set-screws f³ to bearings of the casing A,
as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The bevel wheel is provided at its inner face with
a pinion, which is made of a sufficient width so as to intermesh with two thin
gear-wheels that are keyed to a short transverse shaft which is supported in
the upper bearings of the standard D. The thin gear-wheels f mesh with the
gear-wheels f', which are of the smaller size, but of the same thickness, and which
are keyed to the opposite sides of a collar f on the axle f of the rotary cutting-
knife F. The axle of the cutting-knife is supported in disc-shaped bushings or
bearing-pieces f10 which form the bearings for the axle and which are screwed near
their circumference to the semi-sections D' of the standard, as shown clearly in
Figs. 2 and 4. The rotary cutting-knife is keyed to the collar f of the axle and
can be readily removed from between the semi-sections of the standard by unscrewing
the bearing-pieces f10 and loosening the key by which the knife is attached to the
collar of the axle, so that the axle can be removed in lateral direction through the
openings in the standards, while the cutting-knife is removed through the throat
formed by the semi-sections at the rear-part of the standard D. The base E is
bevelled at the circumference so as to enter readily under the layers of cloth and
present the same to the action of the rotary cutting-knife F. The driving-
mechanism described produces the uniform rotation of the cutting-knife in one and
the same vertical plane, as the power is imparted to its axle at both sides of the
knife whereby a steady vertical motion is obtained and the wobbling and uneven
cutting of the knife prevented. Another advantage of the driving-mechanism
described consists in the fact that the semi-sections of the supporting standard are
close together, so that the layers of cloth as they are cut by the knife are readily
parted and moved past the standard. This arrangement also permits the cutting
of a greater number of layers or of layers of greater thickness as compared to
the rotary cloth-cutters heretofore in use, for the reason that the cutting-knife can
readily cut through a large number of layers of cloth, even if the thickness of the
same is greater than the radius of the cutting-knife, as indicated in Fig. 1.
The underside of the base E is provided with sector-shaped recesses e* which
extend at the rear-part of the base from both sides of the gradually widening
centre-slot e, into which the lower part of the cutting-knife extends. The edges
of the recesses e converge from the circumference of the rear-part of the base
towards the centre-line of the same, as shown clearly in Fig. 5, said recesses serving
for the purpose of producing the clearance of any threads, fibres and other matters
that accumulate during the working of the cloth-cutter. The base is from time to
time cleaned from the accumulations of fibres, etc., which to some extent are passed
off along the converging-edges of the recesses and removed by a brush..
To the front part of the casing is applied an incandescent electric lamp L, the
upper part of which is coated with a suitable reflecting material, so that the light
of the lamp is thrown in downward direction on the pattern-lines of the cloth to be
cut, whereby the cutter can be more conveniently operated in badly-lighted shops
or in the evening hours.. Said electric lamp receives its current from the main-
conductors,

page_text: My improved electric cloth-cutter is handled with great facility, the cloth being
evenly cut and passed smoothly along both sides of the narrow supporting-standard,
the driving-gear producing the uniform motion of the knife, so that a reliable and
even cut through the layers of cloth is obtained.
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 an electric cutter the combination of an electro-motor and a rotary cutting
device, the armature shaft of said electro-motor being at substantially a right angle
to the axis of rotation of said cutting device, and connecting mechanism joining said
armature shaft and cutting device and a movable frame carrying said electro-motor,
cutting device and connecting mechanism, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of an electric motor, a casing of said motor, a standard,
supporting said casing and motor and formed of two semi-sections, each section
being provided with a base-portion extending at right angles therefrom, a cutter-
disc supported in bearings of the standard and driving-mechanism interposed
between the armature-shaft of the motor and the axle of the cutter-disk, substantially
as set forth.
3. The combination, with the armature-shaft of the electric motor, of bevel-
gears, one of which is attached to the armature-shaft and the other to a transverse
shaft below the same, a pinion attached to the face of the second bevel-wheel, an
intermediate shaft provided with thin gear-wheels both meshing with said pinion,
and a cutter-disc, the shaft of which is provided at both sides of the disc with
gear-wheels meshing with the gear-wheels of the intermediate shaft, substantially
as set forth.
4. The combination, with the casing and electric motor supported thereon, of a
standard attached to the bottom of said casing, said standard being composed of
two semi-sections, each of which is provided with bearings for the shafts of the
driving-gears and with a base portion extending at right angles to said section,
substantially as set forth.
5. An electric cloth-cutter, supported on a standard formed of two semi-sections,
each being provided with a base-portion extending at right angles thereto, and
means for connecting said base-portions, substantially as set forth.
6. An electric cloth-cutter, supported on a standard formed of two semi-sections
provided with base-portions, each semi-section and its base-portion being made in
one integral piece, substantially as set forth.
7. An electric cloth-cutter, supported by a standard formed of two semi-sections,
each provided with a semi-circular base-portion, a rotary cutting-disc located at
the lower part of the standard and bearing-pieces attached to said standards and
serving as bearings for the axle of the rotary cutting-disc, substantially as
set forth.
8. An electric cloth-cutter, supported by a standard formed of two sections,
each provided with a base-portion, means for connecting said base-portion and
recesses at the rear-part of the base, said recesses being arranged so as to converge
from the rear-part towards the longitudinal centre-slot for the cutter-disc,
substantially as set forth.
9. An electric cloth-cutter, the base of which is provided with a sector-shaped
recess extending at both sides of the longitudinal centre-slit of the cutting-knife
from a point in front of the centre of the base towards the rear part of the same,
substantially as set forth.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
32, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.