IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PUNCHING JACQUARD CARDS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Nuttall, of Ramsbottom, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
PUNCHING JACQUARD CARDS."
Sealed the 17th January 1879, and dated the 20th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Nuttall at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th July 1878.
THOMAS NUTTALL, of Ramsbottom, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PUNCHING JACQUARD CARDS."
This Invention relates to repeating machines for punching or cutting sets of cards
from the original pattern cards cut from the design on the piano card-cutting
machine, or any other similar machine.
In my improved machine I place the pattern cards to be repeated from on an
ordinary jacquard cylinder, worked by a direct lever from a central cam on the
main shaft.
The cutting or punching plates I make thicker at one end than at the other, the
bottom and top plate being placed together, so that the upper and under surfaces
are parallel, but yet, where the cards pass between the plates, it gives one-half of an
inch of bevel to the cutting part, which facilitates the operation.
When parallel plates are used I make the same bevel in the punches, but when
the plates are parallel and the punches all of one length I make the bevel in the
cross head or bars acting on the cutting rods or spindles.
I place the plates on a box or frame which is adjusted in V slides, which is fitted
to each side of the framing of the machine. The frame or box is provided with
studs on each side, for the bowls that work on cams which are keyed on the main
or cam shaft.
The blank cards are first cut with the necessary holes for lacing them together
and holding them while they are laced. I place the blank cards over a roller and

page_text: "
between the cutting plates, and they are placed between a nipping or pinching
apparatus which nips the card and draws it through, and then goes back for the
next. This operation is performed by cams and wheels.
In the punches for cutting cards I countersink the heads of punches; in every
punch I place a parallel steel spindle, turned and centred on each end to fit in the
head of the punch, and in the machine I place horizontal needles, as on ordinary
jacquard machines. The needles are made with an off-crank, to give room for the
vertical rods or spindles, which are stronger than usual. These rods or spindles pass
from the heads of the punches through the eye of the needles, so that when the
machine is at work, where there is a hole in the pattern card, it will let the needle
remain stationary, and when the cams give the upward motion to the cutting plates
it will force the vertical rods against the ribs that fit in the cross head, the ribs
being countersunk sufficient to admit the turned centre ends of the vertical rods or
spindles, and where the card is blank in the pattern cards the vertical rods or
spindles pass between the countersunk ribs or bars.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Nuttall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th January
1879.
THOMAS NUTTALL, of Ramsbottom, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PUNCHING JACQUARD CARDS."
This Invention relates to repeating machines for punching or cutting sets of cards
from the original pattern cards cut from the design on the piano card-cutting
machine, or any other similar machine.
In my improved machine I place the pattern cards to be repeated from on an
ordinary jacquard cylinder, worked by a direct lever from a central cam on the
main shaft.
The cutting or punching plates I make thicker at one end than the other, the
bottom and top plates being placed together, so that the upper and under surfaces
are parallel, but yet, where the cards pass between the plates, it gives half an inch
of bevel to the cutting part, which facilitates the operation of punching.
When parallel plates are used I make the punches of different lengths, so that
their lower ends form an incline, but when the plates are parallel and the punches
all of one length I make the incline in the cross head or bars acting on the cutting
rods or spindles.
I place the punching plates on a box or frame which is adjusted in V slides fitted
to each side of the framing of the machine. The frame or box is provided with
studs on each side for the bowls that work on cams which are keyed on the main or
cam shaft.
The blank cards are first cut with the necessary holes for lacing them together
and holding them while they are laced. The blank cards pass over a roller and

page_text: between the cutting plates, and they are carried forward by a nipping or pinching
apparatus.
I countersink the heads of the punches, and in every punch I place a steel
spindle or cutting rod, turned and centred on each end to fit in the head of the punch
and in the cross bars, which are also countersunk. I use horizontal needles, as in
ordinary jacquard machines. The needles are made with an off-crank, to give room
for the vertical rods or spindles, which are stronger than usual.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a front view of my improved machinery for
cutting jacquard cards.
a, a, are the side frames, and b is the driving shaft, which is turned round by
steam or other power. On the shaft b is the pinion b' gearing into the wheel c¹ on
the cam shaft c. To the shaft c is fixed the cam c2 for working the jacquard
cylinder d to and fro, and the cams ³ for raising and lowering the cutting plate e,
which is fixed to the block el; this block supports the studs of the bowls e³, which
work in the cams c³. The block e¹ is guided in V grooves in the frame sides, so as
to work vertically up and down. The cam c² acts on the bowl c' at the lower end
of the side lever d', which is fixed to the shaft d², to which are fixed the levers d³
supporting the jacquard cylinder d. As the cam c² revolves it causes the side
lever d to move to and fro, and in so moving the end of the cylinder d is brouglit
against the catch f, by which it is turned one-fourth round, as in ordinary jacquard
engines.
The original set of pattern cards marked g is carried around the cylinder & and
over the guide roller g¹, as shewn in Fig. 1, and as the cylinder d is moved to and
fro by the cam c² the jacquard cards g act on the needles h, see Figs. 7 and 8, which
are bent at one end and guided in the needle board, as usual. m are the punches,
see Fig. 6, which are guided in vertical holes in the movable plate e¹ and fixed
plate es. On each punch is a shoulder resting on the top of the plate e, and the
lower ends of the punches pass through the plate e screwed above the punching
plate e. The steel spindles or cutting rods 7 fit below in the countersunk heads of
the punches, and above in countersunk holes in the cross bars r'.
The blank cards n, after they have been laced together in the ordinary manner,
are fed into the machine over the roller o, and they are drawn forward over the
cutting plate e by the nipping apparatus, consisting of the two bars p, p'. The
bar p is raised by the cam p² fixed on the shaft p³, which is turned round from the
cam shaft c by the train of wheels shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
When the card has
been caught hold of by the nipping bars it is drawn forward by the cam q, which
in revolving acts on a bowl connected to the block e'. The nipping apparatus is
drawn back by the spring p
On referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the cutting or punching plates e and
are thicker at one end than the other, the two plates being fixed together, so that
the upper and under surfaces are parallel; but where the cards to be punched pass
between the plates there is half an inch, or more or less, of bevel or incline; the
lower ends of the punches are placed in a horizontal line. By this arrangement
when the punching plate e rises the holes are punched in succession from one end of
the card to the other, whereas in machines of the ordinary construction the
holes are all punched simultaneously; by this means a great saving in power is
effected.
This part of my Inventiom may be modified, as shewn in Fig. 5, in which view
the punching plates e, e', are parallel and the punches are of different lengths, so
that their lower ends are set to the same incline as the slot between the plates,
shewn in Fig. 3.
My Invention may be further modified by setting the cross heads or cutting
bars to an angle, leaving the plates e and et parallel and the punches of the
same length, by which means the cutting rods or spindles are acted upon in
succession.

page_text: Fig. 6 represents one of the punches m, the upper end of which is countersunk,
to receive the lower end of the cutting rod or spindle r.
Figs. 7 and 8 represent two of my improved horizontal jacquard needles h. The
needles are cranked alternately up and down, as shewn in Fig. 7, and each needle
has a cranked eye, as shewn in Fig. 8, to receive the upper end of the cutting rod
or spindle r. By this means when the needles are travelled to and fro by the
jacquard card they can pass each other without coming in contact, and the cutting
rods or spindles can be made stronger than usual..
The mode of operation is as follows:-As soon as the jacquard cylinder & bas
approached the needle board the card presented to the needles pushes back some of
the wires and leaves the others according to the holes in the pattern card. Those
needles that are pushed back move the ends of the cutting rods or spindles into
the spaces between the cutting bars r, so that when the cutting plate rises the
blank card lifts the punches, but all the needles h that are not pushed back leave
the corresponding cutting rods or spindles at rest, and consequently when the
cutting plate rises the punches are held down by the cutting bars and cut the holes
in the cards. The punchings drop through the block e on to the floor, or into a
suitable receptacle.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, I declare that I claim,-
First. The machinery described, or any equivalent arrangement of machinery for
punching the holes in jacquard cards in succession instead of simultaneously, as
heretofore customary.
Secondly. The mechanism shewn and described for drawing the cards through
the machine.
And, Thirdly. Making the jacquard needles with alternate up-and-down off-cranks,
in the manner and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Nuttall, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-nine.