AN IMPROVED PAPER CUTTING MACHINE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED PAPER CUTTING MACHINE." A communication from abroad
by Preston Vanhorn and Charles Cranston, both of Brooklyn, New York,
United States of America.
Scaled the 21st July 1876, and dated the 13th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED PAPER CUTTING MACHINE."
A communication.
This Invention consists in so combining a clamp for holding the paper while
being cut, and a knife or cutter that said clamp will impinge upon and hold the
paper whatever its quantity before the knife can operate upon it, and the pressuro
of the clamp on the paper will always be in a corresponding ratio to the resistance
offered to the knife, and the knife will be out of the way of the paper before the
clamp can rise and permit it to be fed forward.
The said Invention also consists in a novel automatic clutch, and the combination
of the same with the driving shaft of the machine, whereby the driving shaft may
be released from the other mechanism when desirable, and after having been
released will at the proper time automatically re-engage with the said mechanism.
The said clutch comprises a recessed pulley, a pivoted dog, a lever pro-
jecting from the periphery of the said pulley, and a spring for actuating the dog,
the said clutch being adapted for use in connection with a wheel having a notched
or recessed hub.
The said Invention also consists in the combination with the said clutch of a
lover and a cain, whereby after each cutting operation is completed, and the clamp
has released the paper the driving shaft is automatically disengaged from the other
mechanism, and the latter is locked in position until the lever is manipulated by
the operator in charge of the machine, the driving shaft being meanwhile free to
revolvo.

page_text: I combine with the cluich a rod with projections, and a spring for holding the
projection against the said cam. I also combine with the said clutch rod, cam, and
spring a lever for operating the said rod.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
November 1876.
•
A
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED PAPER CUTTING MACHINE"
communication from abroad by Preston Vanhorn and Charles Cranston, both of
Brooklyn, New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to an improved machine for cutting paper, and consists in
the combination of a clamp for holding the paper while being cut, and a knife or
cutter in such a manner that the said clamp will impinge upon and hold the paper
whatever its quantity before the knife can operate upon it, and the pressure of the
clamp on the paper will always be in a corresponding ratio to the resistance offered
to the knife, and the said knife will be more entirely out of the way of the paper
before the clamp can rise and permit it to be fed forward.
The said Invention also consists in a novel automatic clutch, and the combination
of the same with the driving shaft of the machine, whereby the driving shaft may
be released froin the other mechanism when desirable, and after having been released
will at the proper time automatically re-engage with the said mechanism.
The said Invention also consists in the combination with the clutch of a lever
and a can, whereby after each cutting operation is completed, and the clamp has
released the paper the driving shaft is automatically disengaged from the other
mechanism, and the latter is locked in its position until the lever is manipulated
by the operator in charge of the machine, the driving shaft being meanwhile free to
revolve.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn a machine embodying the said
Invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of this machine; Figure 2 is a back view thereof.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the sanie.
Figure 5 is a plan of the clutch lever and cam, by means of which the disengage-
ment and engagement of the driving shaft with the other mechanism is controlled;
Figure 6 is a side view of the same.
Figure 7 is a side view of the clutch pulley and clutch; Figure 8 is a transverse
section; and Figure 9 is a view of that side of the clutch wheel which engages with
the clutch.
Similar letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing
The frame of this machine consists of side pieces A and stretchers or cross pieces B;
C is the table or feed board, over which the paper to be cut is fed; and D is a
gravitating delivery board, which is hung froin standards E extending from the
side pieces A, and automatically adjusts itself to the knife, and receives the cut
paper however narrow it may be.
F is a clamp or clamping bar working in housings or guides provided in the
standards E, so that it may ascend and descend; G is a knife bar working in
housings or guides in the side pieces A, so that it may ascend and descend in the
same way; H is a knife which is carried by the knife bar, and which as it ascends
and descends derives a longitudinal movement from a stationary pin a working in
an oblique slot b, and hence operates on the paper with an upward shearing action.
The manner in which the clamp F and knife bar G are combined for mutual action
is an exemplification of the first part of this Invention.

page_text: I is a rotary shaft supported in bearings at the ends of hangers J, suspended
from bearings which are connected to the ends of the knife bar G. On the ends of
this shaft I are large spur wheels K. Rods L connect the ends of the clamp F with
the spur wheels Kat some distance from their centre, or with cranks or excentrics
provided at the ends of the shaft I. M is a secondary or clutch pulley shaft, which
at the ends is provided with piuions gearing with the spur wheels K. Rods N
connect this shaft with the shaft I, and preclude the latter from swinging to and
fro;
O is the driving shaft. It may be operated by any suitable means, for instance,
by a belt on a pulley R, and it is provided with. a pinion P, which gears with a
clutch spur wheel Q on the clutch pulley shaft M, as will be presently described
more particularly.
In order to describe the operation of this part of the Invention we will suppose
that the clamp F is raised to the fullest extent, and that a pile of paper to be cut is
fed over the feed board C above the knife H. When the clamp is thus raised the
points at which the rods L are connected to the spur wheels K are in the same
vertical plane as the centres of such wheels. The motion of the driving shaft being
communicated to the shaft I its spur wheels K are caused to rotate, and by means
of the rods L the clamp F is brought down on the pile of paper, no matter what
may be its thickness, and holds the same securely in place. As the clamp is kept
by the paper from descending further the continued rotation of the spur wheels K
causes then, their shafts, the knife bar, and knife to ascend, their entire weight
being supported by the clamp, to which also is imparted the strain due to the
resistance offered to the knife by the paper; hence the clamp is held on the paper
with a force due to the weight of the cutting mechanism and the resistance offered
to the knife. After the knifo completes its upward stroke the continued rotation
of the spur wheels K causes the cutting mechanism to descend, and when such
mechanism can descend no further raises the clamp, and permits the paper to bo
fed forward preparatory to being cut again. Thus not only is the clamp always
caused to hold the paper with a force corresponding with the resistance offered to
the knife, but the said clamp must come down in place on the pile of paper, be it
great or small, before the knife can begin to operate, and the knife will inove down
below the feeding board.
It is obvious that other mechanical devices may be adopted for combining the
clamp and knife without departing from the principle of this part of the said
Invention.
On the clutch wheel shaft M is a clutch which secures thereto the wheel that
gears into the pinion of the driving shaft. This clutch consists of a pulley S, whose
inner face is recessed and provided with a pivoted dog T, which is capable of inter-
locking with a notch e in the hub of the spur wheel Q. U is a bell-crank lever, one
end of which engages with the dog T, while its other end extends outward through
the periphery of the pulley S. A spring V impinging against the inner arm of
said ever causes the dog to engage with the notch c within the hub of the wheel.
It is obvious that a spring acting directly on the dog would serve the same
purpose. Any suitable contrivance may be used to operate the projecting end of
the lever U for the purpose of effecting the disengagement of the clutch pulley, and
hence the cutting inechanism from the driving shaft. I have represented a rod,
lever, and cam to be used for this purpose as follows:-W is a rod fitted upon the
shafts I and M, and slotted to provide for its longitudinal movement irrespective of
them. This rod is provided with two projections, one d projecting over the
periphery of the clutch pulley S in the way of the projecting end of the levor, and
another projecting over and bearing against the periphery of a cam Z arranged
on the shaft I. This rod W is operated by means of a lever X. A spring applied
to said lever X holds the projection e against the cam Z. The shape of this cam is
such that after each cutting operation is completed, and the clamp is raised from
the paper, the projection e slips into a recess or notch f. The projection dobtrudes
itself in the way of the projecting end of the clutch lever U, and releases the clutch
pulley shaft and mechanism from the wheel Q, which is operated by the driving

page_text: shaft O, and the latter will rotate freely; thus the machine is automatically stopped
after each cutting operation.
To start the machinery again the attendant in charge of the same operates the
lever X to withdraw the projection e from the recess or notch f, and the projection d
being withdrawn from contact with the clutch lever allows the clutch to reconnect
the machinery with the driving shaft. In this manner ample time is afforded for
feeding the paper between each cutting operation.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The combination of the paper-holding clamp and the knife of a paper
cutting machine, as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Second. The clutch consisting of the recessed pulley, the pivoted dog, the lever
projecting from the periphery of the pulley, and a spring for actuating the dog, the
said clutch being adapted for use in connection with a wheel having a notched or
recessed hub, as above specified.
Third. The combination with the clamping and cutting mechanism of an
automatic clutch, and a contrivance for tripping the same after each operation of
said mechanism, as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The combination of the clutch, the rod with its projections & and e, n
cam, and a spring for holding the projection e against the said cam, as above set
forth and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. The combination with the said clutch of the rod, cam, and spring, and a
lever for operating said rod, as above described and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, tho said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.