AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRESSING AND CUTTING TOBACCO OR OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James White, of Hulme, in the City of Manchester,
George White, of the same Place, and John White, also of the same Place,
Millwrights and Engineers, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRESSING AND CUTTING TOBACCO OR OTHER
SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 25th October 1860, and dated the 27th April 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Janies White, George
White, and John White at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 27th April 1860.
We, JAMES WHITE, of Hulme, in the City of Manchester, GEORGE WHITE,
of the same Place, and JOHN WHITE, also of the same Place, Millwrights and
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IM-
PROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRESSING AND CUTTING TOBACCO
OR OTHER SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
Our first improvement consists in the application, adaptation, and arrange-
ment of a moveable table (on which the tobacco or other substance is spread,
of a suitable thickness) in combination with an endless belt, which is placed
over the table in an inclined position, so as to compress sufficiently the tobacco
or other substance as it proceeds to the cutting apparatus. When in operation

page_text: the knife cuts on the moveable table which is gradually moved forward by the
action of an intermittent motion; as tho table moves forward its place is sup-
plied by another, the first table being delivered in course at the front of the
machine.
Our second improvement consists in a novel construction and arrangement
of the cutting apparatus and its combination with the mechanism shewn under
the head of our first improvement. On the first-motion shaft we place one or
two cams. eccentrics, or cranks, which actuate the knife through the inter-
vention of connecting rods, sliding pieces, or levers.
Our third improvement consists in the application and adaptation of a lever
turning on a centre at the back part of the machine, by which the attendant
can force or press forward the tobacco or other substance, as may be
required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James White, George White, and John White in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 27th October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
WHITE, of Hulme, in the City of Manchester, GEORGE WHITE, of the same
Place, and JOHN WHITE, also of the same Place, Millwrights and Engineers,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
James White, George White, and John White, Her special license that we, the
said James White, George White, and John White, our executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others that we, the said James White, George White,
and John White, our executors, administrators, 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 "AN IMPROVE-
MENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRESSING AND CUTTING TOBACCO OR
OTHER SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
James White, George White, and John White, our executors or administra-

page_text: tors, by an instrument in writing under our or their, or one of our or 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James White, George White, and
John White, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and the accompanying
Drawing (that is to say): :-
Our first improvement consists in the application, adaptation, and arrange-
ment of a moveable table (on which the tobacco or other substance is spread,
of a suitable thickness) in combination with an endless belt, which is placed
over the table in an inclined position, so as to compress sufficiently the tobacco
or other substance as it proceeds to the cutting apparatus.
Our second improvement consists in a novel construction of the cutting
apparatus and its combination with the mechanism mentioned under the head
of our first improvement.
Our third improvement consists in the application and adaptation of a lever
turning on a centre at the back part of the machine, by which the attendant
can press or force forward the tobacco or other substance, as may be
required.
In order to make our Invention more clearly understood, we have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of Drawings, to which the following description relates, in
which the same letters of reference or letters and figures conjoined indicate the
same parts of the machinery or apparatus.
Figure 1, a front view of the machine; Figure 2, a view to shew the
internal construction, shewn partly in section lengthways of the machine; and
Figure 8, a view of one side of the machine.
A, A, two standards, which support the moving parts of the machine;
A', A', cross rails, by which the two standards A, A, are combined together;
B, B, first-motion shaft; B', B', fast and loose pulleys, to which motion is com-
municated by a strap in the usual manner; B³, fly wheel; B, B³, two cams or
cccentrics on the shaft B. These cams or eccentrics B³, B³, are set to act
simultaneously, and operate respectively betwixt the plates C², and C³, and C',
and C, which are connected together by means of stud rods or pillars. The
lower plates C and C³ are connected to the sliding frame C, which carries the
knife C', to which a reciprocating motion is thus communicated. B, an eccen-

page_text: tric at the end of shaft B, which actuates the click B, which takes into
the teeth of the ratchet wheel D, to which a slow intermittent motion is thus
communicated. B, another click, by which the ratchet wheel is retained.
This ratchet wheel D turns on a stud on the framework A, and has on its boss
a pinion D', which communicates motion to the spur wheel Ds, by means of
the train of wheels D. This wheel D³ is fixed at one extremity of the axis of
the roller D', and from it motion is communicated by means of the belt D³ to
the pulley D, on the axis of the roller D7. Over these two rollers the broad
endless belt Ds passes in an inclined direction, and the under part kept from
rising by the carriers D°, D'; D, adjustable mouth-piece, and D", screw for
adjusting the same; E', spur wheel on the shaft E, which takes into the spur
wheel D³, from which it receives motion, which is also communicated by the
spur wheel E to the spur wheel E, which runs loose on the shaft E'; this
spur wheel E geers into the spur wheel E, which is fast on the shaft Es; this
spur wheel E again geers into another spur wheel E, which runs loose on the
shaft E' and takes into another spur wheel E, which is fast on the shaft E.
Motion is therefore communicated to the shafts E, E, and E, which all turn
at the same speed and in the same direction, whilst the shafts E and E' run
free, and merely act as supports to the table above. On the shafts E, E³, and Eº,
are the spur pinions E10, E10, E10, which take into the toothed rack E11, E11,
fixed in an inverted position under the moveable table E 12, E 12. The machine
being put in motion, the tobacco or other material to be cut is placed on the
moveable table E 12, E 12, by the motion of which it is carried forward, and its
upper surface coming in contact with the inclined endless belt D 8, which is also
in motion in the same direction, it is gradually compressed betwixt the belt
and the moveable table, so that when it issues at the front of the machine it is
in a sufficiently dense state to admit of its being cut by the knife C', which
being also in motion and its edge cutting on the surface of the table, the
tobacco or other material is cut into shreds, as may be required. When the
table has moved forward a sufficient space, another table is inserted at the back
of the machine, the first table being delivered in course at the front. F, a
bent lever turning on a stud F' at the back of the machine; F³, an arm of the
lever, the extremity of which terminates in a curved surfaco extending cross-
wise of the machine. The use of this lever is to push or press the material
forward when required.
Figs. 4 and 5 shew another mode of applying the knife, which is somewhat
different from that above described. G, G, framework which supports the
moving parts of the machine;. G', G¹, cross rail; H, H, first-motion shaft; H',

page_text: fast and loose pulleys, which receive motion by means of a strap in the usual
manner; H, fly wheel; H³, crank or excentric at the opposite end of the
shaft H, from which proceeds the connecting rod H' to the large lever I,
which turns on the centre l'on the framework Ġ. Attached to the large
lever I is the knife 1, to which a reciprocating motion is thus communicated,
and which by this arrangement and action cuts the tobacco or other material on
the table. H, eccentric on the shaft II, from which proceeds the connecting
rod H, to a short lever J', on the horizontal shaft J, at the other end of which
is another short lever which carries the click J, which takes into the teeth of
the ratchet wheel J³, which corresponds to the ratchet wheel 'D, previously
described. From the ratchet wheel Js the motion is communicated to the other
parts of the mechanism, which are of the same construction and action as
already described, and which will not, therefore, need a further description
here.
We do not, however, confine ourselves to the details of the mechanism here
described, as these may be varied without departing from the principle and
mode of action of our Invention.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we hereby declare that what we claim as
new and of our Invention is as follows:-
First, we claim the mode of actuating the slide C and knife C¹ by means of
the cams B³, B³, and their appurtenances, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and herein
described as applicable to the purpose of cutting tobacco or other substances.
Second, we claim the application and adaptation of the moveable table
E, E, to the purpose of cutting tobacco or other substances, as shewn in
Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and herein described.
Third, we claim the combination of the moveable table E1, E", with the
inclined endless belt D³, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and herein described,
for the purpose of pressing tobacco or other substances, preparatory to cutting
the same.
Fourth, we claim the combination and arrangement of the slide C and
knife C with the moveable table E", E", and endless inclined belt D³, as
shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and herein described, for the purpose of cutting
tobacco or other substances.
Fifth, we claim the combination and arrangement of the lever I and knife 1*
with the moveable table and endless inclined belt, as shewn in Figs. 4 and 5,
and herein described, for the purpose of cutting tobacco or other substances.
Sixth, we claim the application and adaptation of the lever F, as shewn in

page_text: Fig. 2. and herein described, for the purpose of pressing forward the tobacco
or other substance in the machine for cutting the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said John White, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
JOHN POTTER, C.E.,
9, Corporation Street,
Manchester.
JOHN WHITE. (L.S.)