An Improved Safety Knife for Cutting the Pile of Weft Pile Fabrics.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1892-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Safety Knife for Cutting the Pile of Weft Pile
Fabrics.
We, WILLIAM GADD, of 64 Barton Arcade, Manchester, Civil and Consulting
Engineer, and WILLIAM FREDERICK MASON, of 11 Birch Lane, Longsight,
Manchester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
The improvements relate to knives for cutting the pile of weft pile fabrics, and
have for object a means of safety or prevention of such a knife cutting the fabric
itself when the point punctures the cloth by accident or otherwise.
To accomplish this and to effect the improvements, we provide the cutting knife
with a guard of such a nature as will only admit of the point of the knife or guide"
penetrating the cloth to a short distance."
This guard may be constructed in varying forms, but by preference is in the form
of a cross bar provided with fine needle points.
This cross bar guard may be attached to or fitted on to the guide, or knife, or
may be attached to a rod projecting from the knife handle, or back portion of the
knife blade, as may be convenient for adjustment when requisite. The guard may
be set so that the points or spikes are either behind or in front of the operative
cutting portion of the knife; but in such position that while the guide is in the
race, or the knife is properly operating, such guard is perfectly inoperative; but
when the guide or knife point pierces the cloth from any cause, the needle points
or spikes of the cross bar enter the cloth also, and so prevent the knife from doing
further damage.
66
"
The instrument may be employed for cutting the pile of pile fabrics either by
machinery or by hand, and in lieu of a cross bar to carry the spikes, a radial bar
may be used, or radial or other spikes bent to form stops may be employed to the
same end, and other variations in detail may be made without departing from the
peculiar character of the invention.
Dated this 16th day of October 1891.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Safety Knife for Cutting the Pile of Weft Pile
Fabrics.
We, WILLIAM GADD, of 64 Barton Arcade, Manchester, Civil and Consulting
Engineer, and WILLIAM FREDERICK MASON of 11 Birch Lane Longsight,
Manchester, 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 :—
The improvements relate to knives for cutting the pile of weft pile fabrics, and
have for object a means of safety or prevention of such a knife cutting the fabric
itself when the point punctures the cloth by accident or otherwise.
To accomplish this and to effect the improvements, we provide the cutting knife
with a guard of such a nature as will only admit of the point of the knife or guide
penetrating the cloth to a short distance.
This guard may be constructed in varying forms, but by preference is in the
form of a cross bar provided with fine needle points.

page_text: This cross bar guard may be attached to or fitted on to the guide or knife,
or may be attached to a rod projecting from the knife handle, or back portion of
the knife blade, as may be convenient for adjustment when requisite. The guard
may be set so that the points or spikes are either behind or in front of the
operative cutting portion of the knife; but in such position that while the guide is
in the "race," or the knife is properly operating, such guard is perfectly inoperative;
but when the guide or knife point pierces the cloth, from any cause, the needle
points or spikes of the cross bar enter the cloth also and so prevent the knife from
doing further damage.
The instrument may be employed for cutting the pile of pile fabrics, either by
machinery or by hand, and, in lieu of a cross bar to carry the spikes, a radial bar
may be used, or radial or other spikes bent to form stops may be employed to the
same end.
But that the improvements. may be better understood, we will, with the aid
of the accompanying drawings, proceed more fully to describe means employed by us.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. shows a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan view of one form of guard
applied to an ordinary fustian cutting knife, and
Fig. 3 shows an end view of such guard.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show like views of another form, while the remaining figs. show
other forms thereof.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
In Figs. 1. 2. & 3 the guard frame a. a. is attached to the shaft of the knife by
means of small screws, which in most cases we find a convenient mode of attach-
ment. b. b. are the spikes projecting from the cross-bar or carrier c. c. and which,
while the guide keeps within the " race," run clear of the fabric being operated
upon but when the point of the knife guide punctures the cloth for a short
distance, these spikes take a lower level and so catch in the cloth, and prevent
further damage to the fabric. In Figs. 4. 5 and 6. the guard has the projecting
arm removed and is attached directly on to the guide of the knife. In Figs. 7
and 8, the safety spike bar or carrier is pivoted so as to turn on a centre, so that
the spikes may have greater clearance, if desired, during cutting, and may be
provided with a supplementary spike such as b', or a projection, or feeler, or more
than one, for drawing or pushing the guard spikes into operation.
Figs. 9 and 10, show, in lieu of a few strong spikes, a large number of fine ones,
much in the nature of what is known as "card," which fine spikes may be fixed
into the cross plate or carrier, as shown, or may be formed of veritable "card-cloth"
attached thereto.
All the cases shown have the spike carriers placed in rear of the knife point, but
it is obvious these may be arranged to project in advance thereof, if desired. Also
they may be carried further back than is shown on the drawings, and further
variation of detail may be made, as, for instance, the spikes may be provided with
sheaths, cover-plates or other protections which may be pushed back or aside by
the resistance of the fabric when the knife point punctures the same.
the spike carrier may be of any other suitable form than the one shown, a curved
carrier sometimes being suitable, and the spikes may be put at any desired angle,
and the mode of attachment of the guard may be varied-without departing from the
peculiar character of the invention.
And also
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is :-
In connection with knives for cutting the pile of weft pile fabrics, the application
of a safety guard formed with one or more spikes, which are caused to enter the
cloth or fabric being operated upon whenever the point of the knife punctures,

page_text: to a certain extent, such fabric, and thus preventing further puncture or damage;
so as to render the knife a safety knife in manner substantially as herein shown and
described.
Dated this 15th day of July 1892.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent for Applicants.