IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING CLOTH, LEATHER, PAPER, AND OTHER LIKE MATERIALS, AND IN FASTENING DEVICES TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Southampton Buildings, London, Patent Agents, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING CLOTH,
LEATHER, PAPER, AND OTHER LIKE MATERIALS, AND IN FASTENING DEVICES
TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH."-A communication from
abroad by Albin Warth, of Stapleton, and William Frederick
Jobbins, of New York City, both in the State of New York, United
States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 2nd February 1871, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 2nd February 1871, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Southampton
Buildings, London, Patent Agents, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CUTTING CLOTH, LEATHER, PAPER, AND OTHER LIKE MATERIALS,
AND IN FASTENING DEVICES TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH,"
" and
have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have
made solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me from
abroad by Albin Warth, of Stapleton, and William Frederick Jobbins,
of New York City, both in the State of New York, United States of
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
scal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing forming a
part of this 'Specification.
This Invention relates to a machine for cutting cloth, muslin, paper,
leather, or other materials in the manufacture of garments or shoes.
The said machine is constructed principally of a reciprocating knife and
an automatic feed mechanism, secured to a rotating platform in such a
"manner that the material to be cut is gradually fed under the knife, and
by turning the platform together with the knife and feed mechanism
any desired pattern can be cut out from a large piece of cloth or other
material, or from a number of large pieces laid one on the top of the
other, with great rapidity.
The feed mechanism consists by preference of a wheel feed, the wheel
being furnished with annular grooves into which projects a scraper for
keeping the working surface of the said wheel clear from hair, fibres, or
other impurities. With the said wheel feed is combined a presser foot
carrying a roller which acts on the upper surface of the material to be
cut, and which connects by a belt or otherwise with the feed wheel
so that the same is compelled to revolve with the feed wheel and thereby
the upper layer of the material to be cut is kept smooth.
The knife is stamped out of sheet steel with a double cutting edge and
with a locking spring formed at its rear edge so that when the said knife
is passed through the mortice in the rod intended to receive the same,
the locking spring catches over the rear edge of the said rod and retains.
'the knife.
The material after having been cut is prevented from
crowding the knife rod by means of spreading flanges rising from the
platform on either side of the said rod. The said knife on descending

page_text: cnters a socket with a double cutting, edge and provided with a clearer
to prevent its getting choked up by fibres or other small particles. liable
to become disengaged from the material exposed to the action of the
knife. When a number of pieces are being cut at the same time they.
are placed one on the top of the other to form a pile which is fastened
by curved needles secured to guide plates, the said needles being passed
through the body of the pile while its edges are secured by spring
clamps catching over them, thereby effectually preventing the pile from
getting, disarranged during the operation of cutting..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING..
Figure I is a longitudinal vertical section of the cutting mechanism,
the feed mechanism having been cut of; Figure 2 is a similar section
of the apparatus showing the feed mechanism; Figure 3 is a transverse
section showing the cutting mechanism; Figure 4-is a similar section
showing the feed mechanism; Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the
said apparatus; Figure 6 is a plan or top view of the material to be cut,
showing the devices for fastening the pile; Figure 7 is a longitudinal
vertical section of the same; Figure 8 is a side view of the spring clamp
showing the key used for opening the same; Figure 9 is a detached
view of the knife. Similar letters indicate corresponding parts through-
out the Drawing.
.
A designates a table made of wood or any other suitable material,
and of any desirable form or size. On this table is placed a circular
platform B, from the bottom surface of which extends a hanger C,
carrying a vertical rod D, the bottom end of which rests in a step a
secured to a. rod b which is fastened between the legs of the table A..
The rod D is firmly secured in the hanger C and on its lower part is
mounted a footpiece c, so that the operator can turn the hanger and
the platform in either direction by the action of his foot, the platform
B being fitted into a recess in the table A, so that it can be readily
swivelled around its own centre. The rod D forms the guide for a
sleeve E from the top part of which extends a flat [bar F intended to
carry the knife G, while on the bottom part of the said sleeve are secured
two flanges c, e, which enclose the end of a lever f. to. which an
oscillating motion is imparted by an excentric. g or other suitable
mechanism. As the lever foscillates it imparts to the sleeve E and.
bar Fa reciprocating, rising, and falling motion. The excentric G
→
"

page_text: revolves on the rod b, motion being imparted to it by hand, foot, or
other power. If foot power is used a treadle his applied which is hung
at or near the centre of its length, so that motion can be imparted to
it in one direction by depressing the toes of the foot, and in the other
direction by depressing the heel. The knife G is stamped out of sheet
steel in the form shown in Figure 9. It is provided with double cutting
edges; either of which can be brought in action, and on its back edge
is formed a spring catch i, so that when the shank of the knife is
pushed through a mortice formed in the bar F to receive it the said
spring will catch over the rear edge of the bar and retain the knife firmly
in position. As the knife descends it enters a socket H which is firmly
secured to the hanger C, and the top of which presents double cutting
edges (see Figure 3) either of which is brought into action according to
the position of the knife. The material to be cut on being fed under the
knife rests upon the top of the socket, and as the knife descends the
material is cut by the action of the cutting edge of the knife against the
cutting edge of the socket. In the socket works a clearer I which is
firmly secured to the bar F and passes into the socket from below (see
Figure 1). The front edge of this clearer is serrated and by its action all
fibres and small particles liable to become disengaged from the material
during the operation of cutting are pushed out of the socket, and the
socket is thereby prevented from being choked. The upper end of the
cutter bar F is guided in a slot in the top of the standard K which rises
from the platform B. To this standard is secured a loop j which forms
the guide for the presser bar J, and from which projects a handle L
that serves to turn the platform B, together with the cutting and feed
mechanism during the operation of cutting. The presser bar J is
depressed by the action of a spring k, one end of which is secured to
the standard K, and its other end to the presser bar as shown in Figures
2 and 4, and a lever which acts against a tappet m secured to the
presser bar serves to raise said presser bar against the action of its
spring. This lever has its fulcrum on a pivot n secured in the rear side
of the standard K, and it projects over the handle L so that it can be
operated with the hand which grasps the said handle.
side of the standard K is secured a stop o, and the tappet m extends over
the front of the presser bar, so that when the presser bar sinks down the
said tappet strikes the stop o. The front edge of this stop is inclined,
and the stop itself is secured to the standard K. so that it can be adjusted
in or out, and thereby the distance to which the presser bar is allowed
To the front

page_text: to sink down can be regulated. To the bottom end of the presser bar
is secured a serrated roller p, which in conjunction with the feed wheel
M serves to feed the material to be cut towards the knife. This feed
wheel has its bearing on a pivot q secured in a bracket N (see Figure 4),
which is firmly attached to the bottom surface of the platform B, and
the required intermittent rotary motion is imparted to the said feed wheel
by a dog which is actuated by à bell-crank lever 8. The construction
of the dog and of the feed wheel is the same as that used in many
sewing machines, and requires no further explanation with the exception
however that the feed wheel is provided with annular grooves to admit
a scraper (see Figure 2) which serves to keep the working faco
of the feed wheel clear of fibres or other impurities. The bell-crank
levers has its fulcrum on a pivot u secured in the bracket N, and it is
actuated by pins v projecting from the cutter bar F, so that each time
the knife is raised the feed wheel moves and the required feed takes
place. In the hanger C is secured a swivel finger w (Figure 2) which
can be turned so as to hear against the bell-crank lever s and to raise
the same more or less. By the action of this finger therefore the
feed can be regulated or stopped entirely as may be desirable. On the
side of the feed wheel is formed a belt pulley x corresponding to a
similar pulley y, formed on the side of the presser roller p, and a belt
is stretched over these two pulleys and over suitable guide rollers a¹, b¹,
as shown in Figure 2. By these means the presser roller P is compelled
to revolve each time the feed wheel revolves and the upper layer of a
pile of material fed towards the knife is kept smooth and from getting
wrinkled, which would not be the case if the motion of the presser
roller were made dependant solely upon the friction of the material
passing through under it. To the standard K is hinged an arm c¹ which
is curved down and forms a guide bearing upon the surface of the
material to be cut, so that the operator can readily adjust the material
on the platform B to cause the knife to cut at the proper spot. The
material to be cut rests on the table A, in the surface of which is secured
a series of rollers d¹ to facilitate the motion of the material towards the
knife. On the platform B is secured an adjustable gauge e¹ to bear
against the edge of the material to be cut and to guide the same properly
towards the knife

page_text: cloth or other textile fabric and through several thicknesses of leather.
The material to be eut is arranged in a pile.as indicated in Figure 7, and
this pile is secured by means of curved needles O and spring clamps P.
The needles Ọ are secured to guide plates f¹ which assist in applying
the needle, and which when the needle has been passed through the pile
lic flat on the top surface thereof as shown in Figures 6 and 7.. The
spring clamps P are intended to catch over the edges of the pile and
are made by preference of sheet steel, and of sufficient strength to hold
the pile firmly together. For opening these clamps a key Q may be
used as shown in Figure 8. This key is provided with a bit g pro-
jecting in a slot in the lower part of the clamp and with a shoulder h¹,
which as the key is turned to an upright position bears. under the upper
leaf of the clamp, and holds the same up so that the clamp can be
readily passed over the edge of the pile without disturbing, any part
thereof. In cutting small pieces of cloth or other material the plat-
form B may be left stationary, and the material turned as the pattern
to be cut out requires. The shape of the knife may be changed for
different kinds of work, and if desired it may be made in the form of a
punch, or of a button-hole cutter or in any other desirable forn or shape
as the nature of the work may require.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I claim,-
First. The combination of cutting mechanism with feed mechanism
capable of feeding automatically the material to be cut in the required
direction to the cutting edge of the knife, substantially in the manner
hercin described.
Second. The stationary double mould board shaped flanges embracing
the sides of the cutter bar for throwing off the material after the same
has been cut, substantially as set forth.
Third. The standard K, rising from the platform B and carrying the
handle. L and lever l, serving to operate the platform and to raise the
presser foot as described.
· Fourth. The knife G provided with a spring catch formed at its rear
edge, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The rotating platform B carrying the feeding and cutting
mechanism and their operating parts, substantially as described. .

page_text: Sixth. The arrangement of a socket with a double cutting edge
to act in combination with a reciprocating knife, substantially as set
forth.
Seventh. The arrangement of a clearing blade attached to the cutter
bar and serving to clear the socket H, substantially as described.
Eighth. The scraper acting in combination with annular grooves in the
feed wheel, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. The arrangement of a belt connecting the feed wheel with the
presser roller, substantially as described.
"Tenth. The curved needle fastener O constructed as shown and
described.
Eleventh. The spring clamp P constructed substantially as herein.
set forth.
Twelfth. The key Q for the purpose of opening the spring clamp as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Second day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
0
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)