IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER-CUTTING MACHINES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Bickerton, of the Richmond Hill Iron-
works, Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER-CUTTING MACHINES."-A com-
munication from abroad by Victor E. Mauger, of New York, in
the United States of America.
Sealed the 3rd November 1875, and dated the 29th August 1874.
•
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Bickerton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th August 1874.
I, JOSEPH BICKERTON, of the Richmond Hill Ironworks, Oldham, in
the County of Lancaster, Engincer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER-CUTTING MACHINES,” a
communication to me from abroad by Victor E. Mauger, of New York,
in the United States of America; to be as follows:―
This machine consists of a frame supporting the gearing and a table

page_text: shaft with a guide roller. The knife bar has an inclined rack gearing
into the spur wheel above referred to and an inclined face resting on the
guide roller. By this means the knife bar and knife in rising move
diagonally to cut the paper.
In front of the main table is a second table, which is mado movable
for the purpose of clearing it from the knife and knife bar. This second
table is acted upon by a spring. The paper to be cut is clamped down
by a cross piece and a beam acted upon by a screw.
1
conciata of a note of metal secured to a horizontal
L
SPECIFICATION in pursuance
of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Bickerton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
BICKERTON, of the Richmond Hill Ironworks, Oldham, in the County 1
of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Bickerton, Her special
licence that I, the said Joseph Bickerton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Bickerton, my
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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER-CUTTING MACHINES," being a communication to
me from abroad by Victor E. Mauger, of New York, in the United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Joseph Bickerton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,

page_text: the inclined plane a¹ of the frame a, and by the snug f³, which fits
between the rail a² and the edge of the frame a.
In front of and on the same level as the main table is the second
table h, which is suspended by the links h' to the top of the frame a.
The inner edge of this second table is bevelled as shewn in Fig. 4, and
when the cut is being given the table is moved laterally by the knife.
As soon however as the cut has been given the table regains its position
by its own gravity or by a spring. The paper to be cut is clamped down
on the table 6 by the beam i, which is connected by side rods i¹ to the
The 1
cross piece j. The side rods & pass through eyes in the frame a.
screws pass through nuts let into the cross piece j, and these screws
are supported above and below in the frame a, and to each screw is fixed
a spur wheel k'. These wheels gear into each other, and one of the
wheels is driven by a pinion on the upright shaft 7, which can be
turned by a hand wheel or handle to bring the beam i down. There is a
groove at the under side of the beam i, as shewn in Fig. 4, for the edge
of the knife to enter when it has cut through the paper, and the upward
motion of the knife is arrested by the knifo frame coming against the
set screw j passing through the top of the cross piece j.
At one side of the table is the horizontal rail m, to which the paper
gauge n is fixed. This gauge slides on the top of the rail m, and the
distance from the front edge of the table is indicated by the divisions on
the centre of the table, as shewn in Fig. 3. The gauge when set is
secured by a thumbscrew to the rail m.
The end of the rack e can be raised when required so as to lift the rack
out of gear with the wheel d by means of the spring catch treadle p,
shewn in Fig. 1. The object of this is to enable the lift of the knife to
be increased when cutting through a deep pile of paper so as to give the
cut at twice.
The mode of operation is as follows:-The gauge n is secured in the
proper position, and the paper to be cut is placed on the table b. The
operator by turning the hand wheel on the shaft brings the beam i
down on the paper and clamps it fast. He then moves the lever d
partly round in the direction of the arrow, thereby causing the wheel d
to raise the rack e, and with it the knife bar f. By this means the
knife g is brought diagonally against the under side of the paper. As
the knife rises it moves the front table h a little to one side, but it falls

page_text: back to its original position as soon as the knife is lowered as before
described.
Having thus stated the nature and particulars of the Invention com-
municated to me by the within-named Victor E. Mauger, I declare that
I claim,―
First. The general combination and arrangement of the parts forming
the improved paper-cutting machine, as shewn and described.
Secondly. Actuating the cutting knife from under the paper and
imparting to it a diagonal motion, as shewn and described.
Thirdly. The application of a yielding table to paper-cutting machines,
as shewn and described.
And, lastly. The spring catch treadle p or other equivalent for lifting
the rack e out of gear with the wheel d, for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Bickerton, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of February, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.