Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Cutting Paper or other Substances into Sheets of Uniform Size.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1889
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Cutting Paper or
other Substances into Sheets of Uniform Size.
We ARCHER EDWARDS and RICHARD JOHN EDWARDS, both of Curtain Road, in
the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of our
invention to be as follows:
Our invention relates more especially to machines for cutting into sheets of any
desired size, rolls of Emery or glass cloth or paper, but it is also applicable to
machines of the like kind for similarly cutting up paper or cardboard or other
substances.
We take a frame preferably of cast iron, in the upper part of this frame we arrange
a transverse shaft, which can be set in revolution by any convenient power, preferably
by a belt passing round a driving pulley and kept tight by means of a moveable
pulley which can be pressed against the moving belt or removed from it as desired,
by means of a lever or handle for the purpose of starting or stopping the machine.
Across the upper part of the machine at a sufficient distance above the transverse
shaft, we arrange a transverse lever or frame carrying a cutting knife. This lever
is of considerable weight, and it is pivotted at one end upon a transverse pivot or
centre preferably fixed in its end and turning upon the points of adjustable steel
screws carried by the frame of the machine.
The other end of the heavy knife lever rests upon a cam fixed upon the transverse
revolving shaft already described, with or without the intervention of a friction roller.
The cam is so formed that it raises the heavy knife lever and blade gradually and
then allows them to fall suddenly, the free end of the lever preferably falling upon
a block or buffer of india rubber or other soft or elastic material. Upon the upper
part of the frame of the machine is arranged a horizontal table upon which the
material to be cut is fed forward under the moveable knife blade described, and
immediately under the latter the material passes over a fixed knife blade past the
edge of which the falling blade falls in the manner of shears, so as to instantaneously
cut the material transversely. A vertical guide is fixed to the frame of the machine
and guides the outer end of the knife lever as it falls, preferably with the inter-
vention of a friction roller upon the lever, the guide being preferably slightly
inclined so that the lever falls freely at first but towards the end of its stroke is
brought close against the fixed knife blade so as to make a clean cut.
In order to feed forward the material upon the table it is passed between hori-
zontal rollers revolving in bearings upon the frame of the machine. These rollers are
preferably covered with leather or india rubber and the lower one revolves in
bearings upon a pivotted frame which is pressed up with sufficient force by an
adjustable weighted lever in the lower part of the machine. The upper roller is set
in revolution by means of a toothed wheel upon its axle, gearing with an automatic
toothed wheel which is itself driven by a toothed wheel upon the cam shaft already
described.
This last toothed wheel has the teeth removed from a sufficient part of its circum-
ference in such a position that when the material has been fed forward upon the
table into exactly the proper position to be cut transversely the part of the wheel
which is devoid of teeth comes opposite to the intermediate wheel which accordingly
ceases to revolve and the material remains stationary.
At this moment the moveable knife blade falls and cuts the material, and the knife
blade is then again raised by the cam. As soon as it is high enough the toothed part
of the wheel comes into gear with the intermediate wheel and the rollers are again
set in motion and the material fed forward, and so on continuously. The material is
preferably supplied to the apparatus in the form of a roll of sufficient length upon a
DO17

page_text: moveable axle turning in bearings in the frame of the machine, and the axle is
preferably adjustable so that the exact position of the material can be adjusted as
required. In order to determine the exact length of the pieces to be cut in the
manner described, we prefer to make the axle or stud which carries the intermediate
toothed wheel described adjustable in position, so that the teeth upon the driving
toothed wheel on the cam shaft may come into or out of gear with its teeth some-
what earlier or later as may be desired, the movement of the rollers and the
extent to which the material is fed forward being slightly varied accordingly.
This method of slightly altering the length of the sheets cut may be varied more
or less. For instance, instead of a toothed wheel a crank or excentric may be
fixed upon the transverse shaft, this crank or excentric actuating directly one end
of a bar having a toothed rack upon one of its edges which rack engages with
the teeth of the intermediate wheel, or of the toothed wheel upon the feed roller
axle. The toothed bar is slotted for part of its length and the slot works upon a
pin the position of which can be adjusted as desired. It will be seen that as the
crank or excentric revolves, the teeth upon the rack are brought into and out of
gear alternately with the teeth upon the wheel which it drives, and the exact time
of its so coming into and out of gear can be varied and adjusted by altering the
position of the pin upon which the slot works.
Instead of the rollers extending across the machine, a sufficient number of
shorter ones may be arranged upon the axles, the lower ones protruding through
openings in the table.
Instead of a single cam upon the cam shaft, two or more may be used coming
into operation in succession so that the material is cut transversely a corresponding
number of times at each revolution of the shaft. And sometimes, by forming the
cams so that the upward movement of the knife is very sudden after each cut, the
feed forward of the material may be made continuous instead of intermittent as
above described.
Where the material is to be divided longitudinally, as well as cut transversely in
the manner described, we arrange two steel cutting discs one above and one below
the material.
These discs are arranged upon horizontal transverse axles, their side faces being in
contact with each other in the proper. position in the width of the material so that
when in revolution they act as circular shears or cutters.
The upper disc is driven preferably by toothed wheels, one of which is fixed upon
the cam shaft, and the lower disc is fixed upon a spindle which turns upon conical
steel points, the position of which can be accurately adjusted endways by means of
adjusting screws.
In order that the cutting discs may retain the sharpness of their edges, we make
an annular recess or groove in the face of each which is in contact with the other
one, the recess or groove being at such distance from the edge of the disc that the
edge of the opposite disc somewhat overlaps it. In this way the only parts of the
disc which are in contact are the annular rings outside the grooves or recesses, and
we find that in this way the discs continue sufficiently sharp to cut well for a long
time without sharpening.
Instead of discs having recesses as described, we sometimes use steel tubes of
sufficient length diameter and thickness. We arrange two of such tubes end to
end in such manner that the square end of each overlaps the end of the other
for a short distance in the manner described when the recessed discs are used.
The tubes are fitted upon metal or other revolving mandrels or centres. The
tubes may be fixed by screws or other means, and they may be arranged so that
as their cutting ends wear, they can be brought forward upon their mandrels. In
this way the cutting edges will last for a long time before it is necessary to sub-
stitute fresh tubes.
The cutting devices described may be used for other purposes as well as for
cutting the materials longitudinally in the machine.
=
The intermediate toothed wheel first described is preferably provided with an

page_text: adjustable friction brake, by which its momentum is prevented from carrying the
movement of the feed rollers too far.
The material is preferably fed forward to the transverse cutting knife. under an
adjustable guide board, the lower side of which may be faced with steel and the
material after being cut into sheets of the exact size required is pushed forward
upon a delivering table or shoot from which it is removed at intervals.
In a convenient position in the machine we arrange a counting device of the
ordinary wellknown kind, which is actuated by a crank, excentric, or cam upon
the transverse shaft, or other moving part of the machine, so that the quantity of
sheets cut is indicated, and we prefer to connect a bell with this counter so that
when a certain number of sheets have been delivered, an audible indication is given.
It is evident that by using a sufficient number of cuttting discs, the material may
be divided longitudinally into three or more parts instead of two only.
We arrange a catch which when the transverse knife lever is at its highest point,
can be pushed under it so as to prevent its descent. When desired, this catch can
be withdrawn and the operation of the knife then recommences.
The fixed and moveable cutting knives are preferably made of such section that
when one edge is worn blunt, the blade can be turned partly round and another
blade brought into operation.
:
The blades may be longitudinally channelled at their sides, and each blade may
consist of a central bar of iron or steel, rectangular in cross section, a blade of steel
being arranged upon two of its opposite sides, and attached to it by screws, bolts, or
equivalent means. Each of these blades can be removed, and reversed when desired
so that all its four edges can be used in succession, the two blades providing eight
edges all of which can be used in succession before they are sharpened.
Dated this 7th day of Janr 1880
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Cutting Paper or
other Substances into Sheets of Uniform Size.
We, ARCHER EDWARDS, and RICHARD JOHN EDWARDS, both of Curtain Road, in
the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings, (that
is to say):-
Our invention relates more especially to machines for cutting into sheets of any
desired size, rolls of emery or glass cloth or paper, but it is also applicable to
machines of the like kind for similarly cutting up paper or cardboard or other
substances.
We take a frame preferably of cast iron, and in the upper part of this frame we
arrange a transverse shaft, which can be set in revolution by any convenient power,
preferably by a belt passing round a driving pulley and kept tight by means of a
moveable pulley which can be pressed against the moving belt or removed from it as
desired by means of a lever or handle, for the purpose of starting or stopping the
machine.
Across the upper part of the machine, at a sufficient distance above the transverse
shaft, we arrange a transverse lever or frame carrying a cutting knife. This lever is
of considerable weight, and it is pivotted at one end upon a transverse pivot or centre
preferably fixed in its end and turning upon the points of adjustable steel screws
carried by the frame of the machine. The other end of the heavy knife lever rests
upon a cam fixed upon the transverse revolving shaft already described, with or
without the intervention of a friction roller.
The cain is so formed that it raises the heavy knife lever and blade gradually and

page_text: then allows them to fall suddenly, the free end of the lever preferably falling upon a
block or buffer of india rubber or other soft or elastic material.
Upon the upper part of the frame of the machine is arranged a horizontal table
upon which the material to be cut is fed forward under the moveable knife blade
described, and immediately under the latter the material passes over a fixed knife
blade past the edge of which the falling blade falls in the manner of shears, so as to
instantaneously cut the material transversely. A vertical guide is fixed to the frame
of the machine and guides the outer end of the knife lever as it falls, preferably with
the intervention of a friction roller upon the lever, the guide being preferably slightly
inclined so that the lever falls freely at first but towards the end of its stroke is
brought close against the fixed knife blade so as to make a clean cut.
In order to feed forward the material upon the table it is passed between horizontal
rollers revolving in bearings upon the frame of the machine.
These rollers are preferably covered with leather or india rubber and the lower one
revolves in bearings upon the pivotted frame which is pressed up with sufficient force
by an adjustable weighted lever in the lower part of the machine. The upper roller
is set in revolution by means of toothed wheels, one of these toothed wheels gearing
with an intermediate toothed wheel which is itself driven by a toothed wheel upon the
cam shaft already described.
This last toothed wheel has the teeth removed from a sufficient part of its circum-
ference in such a position that when the material has been fed forward upon the table
into exactly the proper position to be cut transversely the part of the wheel which is
devoid of teeth comes opposite to the intermediate wheel which accordingly ceases to
revolve and the material remains stationary.
At this moment the moveable knife blade falls and cuts the material, and the knife
blade is then again raised by the cam. As soon as it is high enough the toothed part
of the wheel comes into gear with the intermediate wheel and the rollers are again set
in motion and the material fed forward, and so on continuously. The material is
preferably supplied to the apparatus in the form of a roll of sufficient length upon a
moveable axle turning in bearings in the frame of the machine, or in a separate frame
and the axle is preferably adjustable so that the exact position of the material can be
adjusted as required. In order to determine the exact length of the pieces to be cut
in the manner described, we prefer to make the axle or stud which carries the inter-
mediate toothed wheel described adjustable in position, so that the teeth upon the
driving toothed wheel on the cam shaft may come into or out of goar with its teeth
somewhat earlier or later as may be desired; the movement of the rollers and the
extent to which the material is fed forward being slightly varied accordingly.
This method of slightly altering the length of the sheets cut may be varied more or
less. For instance (as illustrated in figure 8), instead of a toothed wheel a crank or
excentric 15 may be fixed upon the transverse shaft, this crank or excentric actuating
directly one end of a bar 16 having a toothed rack upon one of its edges which rack
engages with the teeth of the intermediate wheel w¹, or of the toothed wheel upon the
feed roller axle. The toothed bar 16 is slotted for part of its length and the slot
works upon a pin 17 the position of which can be adjusted as desired. It will be seen
that as the crank or excentric revolves, the teeth upon the rack are brought into and
out of gear alternately with the teeth upon the wheel which it drives, and the exact
time of its so coming into and out of gear can be varied and adjusted by altering the
position of the pin 17 upon which the slot works.
Instead of the rollers extending across the machine, a sufficient number of shorter
ones may be arranged upon the axles, the lower ones protruding through openings in
the table.
Instead of a single cam upon the cam shaft, two or more may be used coming into
operation in succession so that the material is cut transversely a corresponding number
of times at each revolution of the shaft.
And sometimes, by forming the cams so that the upward movement of the knife is
very sudden after each cut, the feed forward of the material may be made continuous,
instead of intermittent as above described.

page_text: Where the material is to be divided longitudinally, as well as cut transversely in
the manner described, we arrange two steel cutting discs one above and one below the
material.
These discs are arranged upon horizontal transverse axles, their side faces being in
contact with each other in the proper position in the width of the material, so that
when in revolution they act as circular shears or cutters.
The upper disc is driven preferably by toothed wheels, one of which is fixed upon
the cam shaft, and the lower disc is fixed upon a spindle which turns upon conical
steel points, the position of which can be accurately adjusted endways by means of
adjusting screws.
In order that the cutting discs may retain the sharpness of their edges, we make
an annular recess or groove in the face of each which is in contact with the other
one, the recess or groove being at such distance from the edge of the disc that the
edge of the opposite disc, as shown in figure 5 somewhat overlaps it.
In this way the only parts of the disc which are in contact are the annular rings
outside the grooves or recesses, and we find that in this way the discs continue
sufficiently sharp to cut well for a long time without sharpening.
Instead of discs having recesses as described, we sometimes use steel tubes of
sufficient length diameter and thickness as illustrated in figure 6. We arrange two
of such tubes 10 and 11 end to end in such manner that the square end of each over-
laps the end of the other for a short distance, in the manner described when the
recessed discs are used. The tubes are fitted upon metal or other revolving mandrels
or centres 12.
The tubes may be fixed by screws or other means, and they may be arranged so
that, as their cutting ends wear, they can be brought forward upon their mandrels.
In this way the cutting edges will last for a long time before it is necessary to sub-
stitute fresh tubes.
The cutting devices described may be used for other purposes as well as for cutting
the materials longitudinally in the machine, as for instance for cutting sheets of paper,
cloth, or other material.
The intermediate toothed wheel first described is preferably provided with an
adjustable friction brake as illustrated in figure 8 by which its momentum is pre-
vented from carrying the movement of the feed rollers too far. In figure 7 w
is the toothed wheel carried upon a stud or centre, but prevented from turning too
freely by a washer or disc of felt or cloth 13 which can be tightened against the
wheel to as desired by the nut 14.
The material is preferably fed forward to the transverse cutting knife under an
adjustable guide board, the lower side of which may be faced with steel, and the
material after being cut into sheets of the exact size required is pushed forward
upon a delivering table or shoot from which it is removed at intervals.
In a convenient position in the machine we arrange a counting device of the
ordinary well known kind, which is actuated by a crank, excentric, or cam upon
the transverse shaft or other moving part of the machine, so that the quantity of
sheets cut is indicated, and we prefer to connect a bell with this counter so that
when a certain number of sheets liave been delivered, an audible indication is given.
It is evident that by using a sufficient number of cutting discs, the material may
be divided longitudinally into three or more parts instead of two only.
We arrange a catch which when the transverse knife lever is at its highest
point, can be pushed under it so as to prevent its descent. When desired, this
catel can be withdrawn and the operation of the knife then recommences.
The fixed and moveable cutting knives are preferably made of such section that
when one edge is worn blunt, the blade can be turned partly round and another edge
brought into operation.
The blades may be longitudinally channelled at their sides, and each blade may
consist of a central bar of iron or steel, rectangular in cross section, a blade of steel
being arranged upon two of its opposite sides, and attached to it by screws, bolts, or
equivalent means as illustrated in figure 4 of the accompanying drawings. Each of

page_text: these blades, 7, 7, can be removed and reversed when desired so that all its four edges
can be used in succession, the two blades providing eight edges all of which can be
used in succession before they are sharpened.
In the accompanying drawings, which are in illustration of our invention,
figure 1 is a view of one side, and figure 2 of the opposite side, of the machine.
a is the frame of the machine, the transverse driving shaft, and a pulley by
which the driving belt d can be tightened or loosened by means of the handle or
lever e.
The heavy transverse knife lever carrying a knife blade g, is pivotted at one end
at h by adjustable screws i, ¹, its other end resting upon the cam k, which is actuated
from the shaft by toothed wheels indicated in dotted lines at 11.
The fixed knife blade m is carried in a strong transverse frame, and n is a vertical
guide against which the roller o, upon the knife lever presses.
The guide is, shewn adjustable by means of a screw so that the blades are
brought exactly into the right position when cutting. r,, are the horizontal feeding
rollers, between which the sheet to be cut is fed from the roller s, the lower roller
being pressed up by the levert and weight u, the pressure being released when
desired by the treadle v. The upper roller is driven by the toothed wheels w,
w', w, (figure 2) and the driving toothed wheel w has a part of its circuniference
devoid of teeth so that when the sheet is being cut transversely the feed forward
ceases.
The position of the intermediate toothed wheel w¹, is made adjustable by being
carried in a slide a turning upon a centre ¹, the position of the wheel being adjusted
by the screws y, y', so that its teeth (which are preferably made pointed as shewn)
come out of gear earlier or later with those upon the wheel w. In figure 1, ¹, are
cutting discs by which the sheet is divided longitudinally when desired.
The upper disc is driven by toothed wheels (indicated by dotted lines 1, 2,) and the
lower one is adjustable transversely (as shewn in figure 3 in plan) its bearings being
carried in a frame 3, which slides in transverse guides 4 carried by the frame, and the
position of which is adjustable by the screws 5, 5.
A piece of india rubber or other elastic material is preferably used, at 6, by which
the cutters are kept pressed together laterally. 8 is a guiding plate or board under
which the sheet to be cut passes.
We preferably make the cutting edge moveable, as illustrated in figure 4, the steel
blades 7, 7, being moveable and changeable so that their different edges may be used
in succession as they become blunted as already described.
In figure 1, a counting device and bell actuated by the moving knife, are shewn
at 9, by which the number of sheets cut is indicated.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise form and arrangements of the several
parts of the machine, which may be varied more or less to suit varying circumstances,
but having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination of the frame a, driving shaft b, cam or cams k, pivotted trans-
verse frame and knife fand fixed knife and feeding rollers , substantially as
described and shewn.
9,
2. In combination with the pivotted knife the adjustable inclined guide n.
3. In combination with the feeding rollers,, the toothed wheels w, w', and w²,
the wheel having part of its circumference devoid of teeth, substantially as and for
the purpose described and shewn.
4. For adjusting the position of the toothed wheel w¹, the adjustable slide and
screws y, y', substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
5. Instead of the arrangement described and claimed in the last claim, the adjust-
able toothed slotted bar and rack actuated by a crank or excentric and driving the
feeding roller, or other equivalent device, substantially as and for the purpose
described.

page_text: 6. The combination with the feeding rollers, r¹, of the weighted levers and treadle,"
as and for the purpose described and shewn.
7. In combination with the feeding rollers 7, 7, the cutting discs 2, ¹, arranged
and operating substantially as described and shewn."
8. The method of adjusting the position of the cutting disc by means of the
sliding frame 3, guides 4, and adjusting screws 5, substantially as described and shewn
in figure 3.
9. In combination with the adjusting screws 5, the elastic piece 6, for the purpose
described.
10. The method of forming the faces of the cutting discs, 2, with annular grooves
near the edge of the adjoining faces, substantially as and for the purpose described.
11. The method of forming cutting discs, or edges of adjustable tubes arranged end
to end, and having their ends overlapping, substantially as described.
12. The combination with the toothed wheel w¹ or w³, of an adjustable friction
brake, substantially as and for the purpose described.
13. In combination with the cutting machine described, the counting device for
indicating the number of sheets cut, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 7th day of October 1889.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Inventors.