IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING FILES."
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Weed, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, London, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING FILES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Weed at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th November 1873.
I, ALFRED WEED, of 38, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING FILES," to be as follows:-
This Invention is for improvements in machines for cutting files,
and consists in modifications of the machinery described in the two
Patents granted to Alexander Horace Brandon, 28th February 1872,
under the No. 628, and to William Morgan-Brown, under the No. 1218,
2nd April 1873.

page_text: In the former Patent the cutter pressing against the spur raised by
the preceding cut drives the file blank forward with a progressive
motion. In the second Patent this progressive motion of the feed of the
file blank is caused by an independent feed bar.
In this present Invention provision is made for allowing the file blank
to be stationary during several succeeding cuts, and then if the file is of
greater length than can be covered by the cuts, provision is made for
feeding the file blank forward by independent mechanism.
In the first machine described the cutter holder and cutter is carried
forward upon the file and carries the file forward by the action of a
spring, and the cutter holder and cutter is brought backwards upon the
file by the agency of a cam acting contrary to the spring.
In the second Patent herein named the cutter holder and cutter
swings with a pendulous motion, the cutter holder, cutter, and file,
being carried forward by the action of a cam upon a roller fixed to the
pendulous part of the cutter arm, the cutter holder and cutter being
brought back upon the file by the action of a cam acting upon a spring;
but in this case the cutter was brought up to the same arbitary place in
space for each blow, the file being necessarily with each blow propelled
the exact measure of the spur raised.
In the present Invention the file is not moved forward with each blow,
but a certain spring tension instead of an arbitary movement being given
to the force of the cutter pressing on the file blank, the cutter is brought
up to the preceding spur and the blow given, the cam in this case not
making actual contact with the roller fixed to the pendulous part of the
cutter arm, but the forward motion of the cutter being caused by a
spring of india-rubber or other suitable spring attached to the heel of
the cutter holder and to the hammer arm; or the latter arrangement
may be changed to a vertical spring upon the heel of the cutter arm
acted upon by a cam, enabling the cutter to be brought up with
sufficient force to reach the spur, but sufficiently free to allow the cutter
as it were to progress backwards.
In cases where the length of the file is too great to allow the whole
length to be cut I increase the length of the face of the hammer, or I

page_text: which latter I prefer though I do not confine myself to it to accomplisù
in this way. To the presser foot as described in the second Patent
herein referred to, I attach a spring, causing it to rise with each blow,
and to the side of the file blank holder I attach a rack or ratchet, the
presser foot acting as the nall.
which latter I prefer though I do not confine myself to it to accomplish
in this way. To the presser foot as described in the second Patent
herein referred to, I attach a spring, causing it to rise with each blow,
and to the side of the file blank holder I attach a rack or ratchet, the
presser foot acting as the pall.
It will be obvious that the ratchet can be made to work continuously
which fatter I prefer though I do not conшne myself to it to accomplisu
in this way. To the presser foot as described in the second Patent
herein referred to, I attach a spring, causing it to rise with each blow,
and to the side of the file blank holder I attach a rack or ratchet, the
presser foot acting as the pall.
It will be obvious that the ratchet can be made to work continuously
or intermittently, so that due relation may be made between the space
covered by the backward motion of the cutter and the forward motion of
the file blank.
It will be obvious that the ratchet can be made to work continuously
or intermittently, so that due relation may be made between the space
covered by the backward motion of the cutter and the forward motion of
the file blank.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Weed in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
WEED, of 38, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Weed, Her special
license that I, the said Alfred Weed, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Weed, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 MACHINES
FOR CUTTING FILES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Alfred Weed, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Weed, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention is for improvements in machines for cutting files and 5
consists in modifications of the machinery described in the two Patents
granted to Alexander Horace Brandon, 28th February 1872, under
the No. 628, and to William Morgan-Brown, under the No. 1218,
2nd April 1873.
In the former Patent the cutter pressing against the spur raised by 10
the preceding cut drives the file blank forward with a progressive
motion; in the second Patent this progressivo motion of the feed of the
file blank is caused by an independent feed bar.
In this present Invention provision is made for allowing the file blank
to be stationary during several succeeding cuts, and then if the file is of 15
greater length than can be covered by the cuts provision is made for
feeding the file blank forward by independent mechanism.
In the first machine described the cutter holder and cutter is carried
forward upon the file and carries the file forward by the action of a
spring, and the cutter holder and cutter is brought backwards upon the 20
file by the agency of a cam acting contrary to the spring.
In the second Patent herein named the cutter holder and cutter
swings with a pendulous motion, the cutter holder, cutter, and file,
being carried forward by the action of a cam upon a roller fixed to the
pendulous part of the cutter arm, the cutter holder and cutter being 25
brought back upon the file by the action of a cam acting upon a spring,
but in this case the cutter was brought up to the same arbitrary place in
space for each blow, the file being necessarily with each blow propelled
the exact measure of the spur raised.
In the present Invention the file is not moved forward with each blow 30
but a certain spring tension instead of an arbitrary movement being given
to the force of the cutter pressing on the file blank the cutter is brought
up to the preceding spur and the blow given; the cam in this case not
making actual contact with the roller fixed to the pendulous part of the

page_text: cutter arm, but the forward motion of the cutter being caused by a
spring of india-rubber or other suitable spring attached to the heel of
the cutter holder and to the hammer arm; or the latter arrangement
may be changed to a vertical spring upon the heel of the cutter arm
acted upon by a cam, enabling the cutter to be brought up with
sufficient force to reach the spur, but sufficiently free to allow the cutter
as it were to progress
backwards.
In the machines as now constructed and shewn in Patent No. 1218,
of 1873, and slightly modified as shewn in the Drawings, Figures 1
and 2, attached hereto, the pendulous bar a carries a roller 6 against
which the cam c acts as it rotates by the action of the cam upon the
roller, the bar receives its pendulous motion and the lower part to which
is attached the cutter holder d communicates the progressive motion to
the file blank through the cutter to the spur raised by the cut.
It is obvious that if the roller is removed and the cutter is raised
and brought up to the spur, that, no longer receiving the action of the
cam c, the spur will arrest the cutter, and the progression of the cutter
will be backwards each blow.
When several blows have been made it will be convenient to progress
the file blank forward. In cases where the length of the file is too great
to allow the whole length to be cut this progression may be done by
hand, or I can increase the.length of the face of the hammer, or I make
provision for an intermittent or continuous feed of the file blank, which
latter I prefer though I do not confine myself to it to accomplish in this
way. To the presser foot as described in the second Patent herein
referred to I attach a spring, causing it to rise with each blow, and to the
side of the file blank holder I attach a rack or ratchet, the pressure foot
acting as the pall.
It will be obvious that the ratchet can be made to work continuously
or intermittently, so that due relation may be made between the space
covered by the backward motion of the cutter and the forward motion of
the file blank.
Having now described and particularly set forth the the nature of my
said Invention and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would
have it understood that what I claim is, the means herein set forth of

page_text: allowing the file blank to be stationary and the cutter to recede
backwards upon the file blank after each blow.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Weed, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witnesses to the signature of
ALFRED WEED,
W. MORGAN-BROWN,
38, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
GERALD C. HOPPER,
38, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
ALFRED WEED. (L.S.)