Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1887
Complete Left, 6th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th Apr., 1888
I, HENRY HARINGTON Leigh, Fel. Ins. P.A., practising as Phillips & Leigh, at
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention as
the same has been communicated to me by Pierre Joseph Simoulin Junior, residing
at Paris in the French Republic, Engineer, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved table for guillotine machines, and consists in
replacing the materials of which this part of a guillotine machine has hitherto been
made, viz., paper or wood, by celluloid.
The celluloid is formed into blocks of a suitable size and shape by any convenient
method.
It is a matter of common experience that the wear of a wood or paper table in
consequence of the knife coming in contact with the edges of the slot is considerable.
A table made according to my invention, although as liable as one of wood or paper
to be cut, can be readily renovated by applying a suitable cement. I prefer to use a
cement of a suitable consistence prepared by dissolving pyroxylene either in alcohol,
ether, or other known solvents and adding camphor.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Table for Guillotine Machines.
I, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Fel. Inst. P.A., practising as Phillips & Leigh, at
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer & 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved table for guillotine and other machines, and
apparatus of an analogous type, as far as the applicability of the said present
invention is concerned, and has more particular reference to those cases in which the
tables have hitherto been made of wood or paper; the object of the invention being
to produce a practically indestructible table.
Paper or parchment tables or blocks are quickly destroyed by the constant contact
of the cutting edges therewith, their surface destroyed by being hacked and
indented in various directions, necessitating a considerable outlay for new tables or
blocks.
Moreover, the pulp of which the said tables or blocks are made usually contains
particles of hard foreign matter, such as sand, fragments of stones, or of metal; the
resistance of which to the cutting edge soon spoils them, necessitating constant
repairs, waste of time, stoppages for repairs and frequent renewals.
Wood tables or blocks are open to similar objections, and tend to spoil the cutting
edges of the tools employed by the knots occuring in the wood.
In order that this invention, and the means by which the same is to be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood; I will now proceed to describe the
same in detail, as it has been communicated to me.
According to the said invention, the tables or blocks are made of celluloid, a
substance which is absolutely homogeneous, is free from all impurities, and possesses
the necessary degree of elasticity. The forms of these tables, or blocks, may of course
be greatly varied according to the particular circumstances to be provided for.
It is not pretended that tables or blocks made according to this invention will not
be cut, but, whereas the old fashioned paper and wood tables and blocks could not be
repaired, tables and blocks made according to the present invention can always be
repaired and made as good as new in the manner hereinafter described.
I prepare a composition by dissolving celluloid in a solution of collodion, pyro-
acetic spirit, ordinary alcohol or spirits of wine and camphor. The proportions of
these various substances may be considerably varied according as may be required.
But the best results have been obtained by a solution consisting of 20 grammes of
collodion, 400 grammes of pyro-acetic spirit, 400 grammes of ordinary alcohol or
spirits of wine, and 30 grammes of camphor. The larger the quantity of celluloid
added to the above solvents, the more viscid will be the composition for repairing the
tables or blocks. The composition is intended to fill up the notches produced by the
cutting edges of the tools, and according as those notches are deeper or shallower,
the composition is made more or less liquid.

page_text: A very liquid composition is employed when the notches are very deep, so that
the composition may enter into the notches. But the composition may be made
very viscid when the said tables are cut only on their surfaces. The degree of
consistency of the composition is determined by the use of a larger or smaller
proportion of celluloid.
The composition is then spread upon the surface of the damaged table by means of
a brush or any other suitable tool; care being taken that it fills up all the notches
and depressions. After this treatment, resembling repairing by the use of a cement-
filling, the table is placed between the heated plates of a press and compressed. The
heat renders it in this case soft and pliable, so that the composition for repairing it is
brought into intimate union with the original mass of the said table. Finally it is
subjected to cold pressure in a second press, in which it remains until it has been
completely cooled.
In order to accelerate the intimate union of the composition used for repairing the
table it may be exposed before the commencement of the treatment to the fuines of
ordinary alcohol or spirits of wine. The treatment of the table in a hot press may also
be replaced by plunging it into hot water. Finally, the softened table (instead of
being pressed between the plates of a cold press) may be passed between rollers and
so finished.
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. The employment of tables or blocks made of celluloid in all machines for cutting,
punching and the like.
2. The treatment of the tables mentioned in claim 1, for the purpose of repairing
them, consisting of filling the notches or depressions therein with a liquid composition,
consisting of celluloid dissolved in a solution consisting of pyro-acetic spirit, alcohol,
camphor, and collodion, followed by subjecting them to hot pressure or to a hot bath
and finally to cold pressure.
Dated this 6th day of February 1888.