Improvements in Endless Band Knife Machines for Cutting. Layers of Woven Fabric and other Substances.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 6th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Endless Band Knife Machines for Cutting. Layers
of Woven Fabric and other Substances.
We, HOPE STREET FACTORY, LIMITED, of Hope Street, Belfast, in the
County of Antrim and JOHN LAIRD, of 4 Hibernia Place, Lisburn Road,
Belfast, aforesaid, Engineer in the employ of the said firm, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
We construct endless band knife machines with instantaneous stopping and
starting gear and for this purpose combine strap shifting gear with a band brake
and counterweight or spring in such manner that the machine is normally at a
standstill with the strap running on the loose pulley and is set in motion and kept
running by the foot of the operator depressing a treadle or by the hand acting on
a lever. We also provide means for protecting the operator's hands against
accidental cutting by the endless band, and means for sharpening the band knife.
The band knife passes round three flanged pulleys on the framing viz.: an upper
one, a lower one and a driving one in the rear the centres forming a triangle.
The knife is guided by adjustable rollers and slides attached to guide brackets on
the upper arm of the framing. On the driving pulley shaft is fixed a brake pulley
with brake band having one end connected to a bell crank which is worked by a
lever on a shaft placed at right angles to the driving shaft and in the direction of
the operator and the other end attached to the framing. On this shaft. is a lever
to which is connected a rod that works in guides on the lower part of the framing
and operates the strap shifting fork. On the same shaft is also fixed a lever which
by a rod is connected to a treadle having by preference a central fulcrum; it is
normally kept in the raised position by a balance weight or spring. On the same
shaft is also fixed a hand lever. When the pressure of the operator's foot is
applied to the treadle or of his hand to the hand lever the brake strap is released
and the belt shifting fork at the same time carries the belt from the loose to the
fast pulley thus putting the machine in motion. On the other hand when the foot
pressure or hand pressure is taken off, the machine is instantaneously stopped,
because the strap is by the balance weight or spring shifted to the loose pulley
and the brake put on. On the underside of the guide bracket is fixed an
adjustable guard or sheathing round the endless band for protecting the bands of
the operator. On the aforesaid guide bracket for the endless knife is fixed a
knife sharpener consisting of adjustable emnery wheel and steel roller.
Machines constructed as described possess the following advantages.
1. Instantaneous stoppage or control of motion thus ensuring safety, while the
machine is not in motion except when in actual work.
2. Safety against accident to the operator's fingers by reason of the adjustable
guard, because the actual length of blade exposed need not be more than the
thickness of material or layers of same being cut.
3. Facility for sharpening the knife.
Dated this 6th day of December 1894.

page_text: Improvements in Endless Band Knife Machines for Cutting Layers
of Woven Fabric and other Substances.
We, Hope Street FACTORY LIMITED of Hope Street Belfast in the County
of Antrim and JOHN LAIRD of 4 Hibernia Place Lisburn Road Belfast aforesaid
Engineer in the employ of the said firm do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
We construct endless band knife machines with instantaneous stopping and
starting gear and for this purpose combine strap shifting gear with a band brake
and counterweight or spring in such manner that the machine is normally at a
standstill with the strap running on the loose pulley and is set in motion and kept
running by the foot of the operator depressing a treadle or by the hand acting on
a lever. We also provide means for protecting the operator's hands against
accidental cutting by the endless band.
Fig. 1 is a perspective side view of such a machine, and Fig. 2 a similar view of
part of same, enlarged.
The band knife M passes round three flanged pulleys on the framing viz. an
upper one N a lower one O and a driving one P in the rear, the centres formning a
triangle. The knife is guided by adjustable rollers Y attached to guide bracket K'
which is adjustable on the upper arm of the framing. On the driving pulley
shaft Q is fixed a brake pulley E with brake baud E having one end connected
by means of the pin D2 of a universal joint D' to a bell crank lever C which is
mounted on a stud on the frame and worked by means of a universal joint C²
from a lever A2 on a shaft A placed at right angles to the driving shaft and in the
direction of the operator and the other end of the brake band E is attached to
the framing. One pin of the universal joint C is fitted adjustably in a slot of
the hell crank lever C and the other pin fitted adjustably in a slot in the
lever A².
On this shaft A is a lever A³ to which is connected by a connecting rod Ga
bar E3 that works on a guide on the lower part of the framing and operates the
strap shifting fork F. On the same shaft A is also fixed a lever A' which by a
rod B is connected to a treadle B' having by preference as shewn a central
fulcrum ;
it is normally kept in the raised position by a balance weight J or a
spring. On the same shaft A is also fixed a hand lever H. When the pressure of
the operator's foot is applied to the treadle B or of his hand to the handlever H
the shaft A is turned so that the brake strap E is released and the belt shifting
fork Fat the same time carries the belt from the loose pulley H2 to the fast
palley thus putting the machine in motion. On the other hand when the foot
pressure or hand pressure is taken off, the machine is instantaneously stopped,
because the strap is by the balance weight or spring shifted to the loose
pulley H2 and the brake E put on. On the underside of the vertically adjustable
knife guide bracket K' is fixed a guard or sheathing K round the endless band for
protecting the hands of the operator. L is a clamping screw and nut for adjusting
the bracket K' with guard K to suit the thickness of material which is being cut
by the hand knife.
The knife sharpening arrangement Fig. 3 is attached to back of knife-guide
bracket K by two screws U. The large screw T with helical spring is for the
purpose of regulating the pressure of the emery wheel R on the knife blade.
The screw S is to regulate the position of wheel bracket so that the wheel may
be brought to bear on the edge of a broader or narrower knife as required.
The emery wheel works between two centres, one of which acts by a presser
spring V, the other centre is an adjusting screw W with locknut W' formed with

page_text: handle W2; this arrangement is to regulate the tension of wheel. The band knife
sharpening is most conveniently done when the machine is not cutting.
Machines constructed as described possess the following advantages.
1. Instantaneous stoppage or control of motion thus ensuring safety, while the
machine is not in motion except when in actual work.
2. Safety against accident to the operator's fingers by reason of the adjustable
guard, because the actual length of the blade exposed need not be more than the
thickness of material or layers of same being cut.
3. In the machine shown the operator can sit while working thus affording great
comfort.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a band knife machine adapted to be worked by power the application and
use of a brake and of a belt fork which are so arranged or combined with a shaft
operated by the hand or by the foot and by a balance weight or spring that by
turning the shaft in one direction the brake is released and simultaneously the belt
shifted on to the fast pulley and by turning the shaft in the other direction the
brake is put on and simultaneously the belt shifted on to the loose pulley,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a band knife machine the application and use of a vertically adjustable
knife guard, substantially as set forth.
3. The construction described and shewn of mechanism for simultaneously
working the brake and shifting the belt fork in a band knife machine.
4. The construction of knife sharpening device on knife guide bracket.
Dated this 6th day of September 1895.
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.