IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING THE PILE OF FUSTIANS, CORDS, VELVETS, VELVETEENS AND OTHER PILE FABRICS AND IN MECHANISM THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOHN PLATT, of The Mount, Walton near Warrington in the County of
Chester, Master Fustian Cutter, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING THE PILE OF FUSTIANS, CORDS, VELVETS, VELVETEENS
AND OTHER PILE FABRICS AND IN MECHANISM THEREFOR to be as follows:
-
The object of my Invention is to facilitate the process of cutting pile fabrics'
by the application of adjustable machinery which can be operated by steam or
other motive power.
The present method of cutting the pile of the above mentioned class of fabrics
is as follows: The cloth to be cut is placed upon a frame of wood and a portion
of it stretched lengthwise by means of rollers. The operator then takes a knife of
steel inserted in a guide of steel, and inserts the knife and guide into that part of
the cloth which is to be cut. He then carries the knife along the cloth from one
end to the other of,the frame, and returns with the knife and guide and repeats the
operation.
My invention consists in suitable arrangements whereby the knife and guide is
pushed along the cloth thereby cutting the pile by motive power, and brought back
by power to the operator. A portion of the cloth to be cut is stretched lengthwise
in a frame and made tight. The knife and guide (inserted in a suitable haft), being
inserted by the operator in the cloth, is made to cut the pile by being pushed along
the cloth by a movable apparatus fixed to a cross-bar of wood or iron or other
suitable material. Each end of this cross bar is fastened to an endless band, rope,
or belt of leather, wire or other suitable material. These two endless bands or
belts pass over two rollers which are fixed over and across the surface of the cloth,
one at each end of the frame. The rollers are flanged to keep the bands or belts
parallel and in their places. The roller at one end of the frame is turned by
motive power by means of wheels, pulleys, friction gear or other arrangements,
thus giving motion to the endless bands or belts. The knife and guide is inserted
by the operator into the cloth and then pushed or carried along or down the cloth
by the "carrier" apparatus, cutting the pile as it moves along. The "carrier" on
arriving at the end of the frame moves with the endless band up over the roller
at the tail-end of the frame, and lets fall a "picker-up" which catches a suitable
D021

page_text: crook attached to the haft of the knife and lifts the knife and guide from the cloth
and over the roller. The picker-up then moving with the endless band, carries the
knife and guide back to the head end of the frame from whence it started. The
cross-bar on its arrival at the head-end of the frame catches a lever and stops the
machine. The operator then takes the knife and guide and inserts it in the cloth
again.
Attached to the top of the knife haft is a crook of metal or other suitable
material. This crook has a flat (or partially flat) base in contact with a spring, so
placed as to allow the crook to shut up and the knife to be released from contact
with the pusher or carrier if the knife makes a hole in the cloth or meets with any
obstruction or leaves the "race" and catches any other part of the cloth. Thus
damage to the cloth or to the knife or guide is prevented. (A spring may also be
attached to the pusher or carrier, instead of, or in addition to the spring attached
to the crook and for the same purpose.)
When inserting the knife and guide in the cloth, this crook is closed or shut up
by the operator.
He then pushes the knife and guide a little way along the cloth
until it comes in contact with the picker-up, which catches the crook and raises it
to an erect position at the same time bringing the crook into contact with the
pusher. The machine is then started again and the knife and guide taken by it
down the "race as before.
"
The operation is continued until the pile of the whole width of the stretched
portion of the cloth is cut, when a fresh portion of the cloth is stretched and cut in
the same way as before.
The carrier and picking-up apparatus can be moved along the cross-bar from time
to time, so as always to traverse immediately over the portion of the pile required
to be cut.
The carrier and picking-up apparatus instead of being moved by the cross-bar and
two endless bands, may also be moved by being suspended from one endless band
running over two movable horizontal wheels or pulleys. One pulley or wheel
would be placed over the head-end of the frame and the other pulley over the other
end. They would be capable of adjustment so as to be brought over the portion of
cloth to be cut. The knife and guide would be brought back to the operator resting
on the cloth or otherwise.
The carrier and picking-up apparatus or any similar arrangement, can also be
actuated by a reciprocating motion,-moving-from the head end of the frame to the
other end and back again-capable of adjustment as before mentioned and bringing
the knife and guide back resting on the cloth or otherwise.
More than one knife may be used if desired.

page_text: I JOHN PLATT, of The Mount, Walton, near Warrington, in the County of
Chester, Master Fustian Cutter, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING THE PILE OF FUSTIANS, CORDS, VELVETS, VELVETEENS,
AND OTHER PILE FABRICS AND IN MECHANISM THEREFOR, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The object of my Invention is to facilitate the process of cutting pile fabrics by
the application of adjustable machinery which can be operated by steam or other
motive power.
The present method of cutting the pile of the above mentioned class of fabrics is
'as follows-The cloth to be cut is placed upon a frame of wood and a portion of it
stretched lengthwise by means of rollers. The operator then takes a knife of steel
and inserts the knife and guide into that part of the cloth which is to be cut. He
then carries the knife along the cloth from one end to the other of the frame and
returns with the knife and guide and repeats the operation.
My invention consists in suitable arrangements whereby the knife and guide is
pushed along the cloth by motive power thereby cutting the pile, and brought back
by power to the operator.
A portion of the cloth to be cut is stretched lengthwise in a frame and made
tight. The knife and guide (inserted in a suitable haft) being inserted by the
operator in the cloth, is made to cut the pile by being pushed along the cloth by a
movable apparatus fixed to a crossbar of wood or iron or other suitable material.
Each end of this crossbar is fastened to an endless band, rope, or belt of leather,
wire or other suitable material. These two endless bands or belts pass over two
rollers which are fixed over and across the surface of the cloth, one at each end of
the frame. The rollers are flanged to keep the bands or belts parallel and in their
places. The roller at one end of the frame is turned by motive power, by means
of wheels, pulleys, friction gear or other arrangements, thus giving motion to the
endless bands or belts. The knife and guide is inserted by the operator into the
cloth and then pushed or carried along or down the cloth by the "carrier"
apparatus cutting the pile as it moves along. The "carrier" on arriving at the
end of the frame noves with the endless band up over the roller at the tail-end of
the frame, and lets fall a "picker-up" which catches a suitable crook attached to
the haft of the knife and lifts the knife and guide from the cloth and over the
roller. The "picker-up" then moving with the endless band, carries the knife
and guide back to the head end of the frame from whence it started. The crossbar
on its arrival at the head end of the frame catches a lever and stops the machine.
The operator then takes the knife and guide, inserts it in the cloth again and then
re-starts the machine.
Attached to the top of the knife haft is a crook of metal or other suitable
material. This crook has a flat (or partially flat) base in contact with a spring, so
placed as to allow the crook to shut up and the knife to be released from contact.
with the pusher or carrier if the knife makes a hole in the cloth or meets with any

page_text: .
"
obstruction or leaves the race and catches any other part of the cloth. Thus
damage to the cloth or to the knife or guide is prevented. (A spring may also be
attached to the pusher or carrier, instead of, or in addition to the spring attached
to the crook and for the same purpose). The operator then "sets in or inserts
the knife and guide into the cloth and pushes the knife and guide a little way
along the cloth until the crook passes the pusher which then falls down behind it.
The machine is then started again and the knife and guide taken by it down the
"race" as before. The operation is continued until the pile of the whole width of
the stretched portion of the cloth is cut, when a fresh portion of the cloth is stretched
and cut in the same may as before.
The carrier and picking up apparatus can be moved along the crossbar from
time to time so as always to traverse immediately over the portion of the pile
required to be cut.
The carrier and picking up apparatus instead of being moved by the crossbar and
two endless bands may also be moved by being suspended from one endless band 1
running over two movable horizontal wheels or pulleys. One pulley or wheel
would be placed over the head end of the frame and the other pulley over the other
end. They would be capable of adjustment so as to be brought over the portion
of cloth to be cut. The knife and guide would be brought back to the operator
resting on the cloth or otherwise.
The carrier and picking up apparatus or any similar arrangement can also be
actuated by a reciprocating motion, moving from the head end of the frame to the
other end and back again--capable of adjustment as before mentioned, and bringing
the knife and guide back resting on the cloth or otherwise.
Two or more knives, each with its carrier, pusher, and "picker up" may be used.
if desired.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings,
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figs. 1 and 2 are end elevations. Fig. 3 a side elevation. Fig. 4 an elevation of
the driving end and Fig. 5 a plan of a machine for cutting pile fabrics to which my.
Improvements are applied Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detailed views on an enlarged
scale of the knife and guide with the haft and the pusher or carrier and Figs. 10
and 11 are views of modifications of the same.
Similar letters.refer to-similar-parts throughout the several views.
In Figs. 1 to 5.-a is the frame at the head or driving end and b the frame at
the back or tail end of the machine: the driving shaft c' is mounted in suitable
bearings on the frame a and on this shaft are mounted the fast and loose pulleys
cc respectively and also two flanged pulleys d, one at each side of the machine;
at the opposite end of the machine on the frame is mounted in adjustable
bearings e the shaft e on which are two flanged pulleys f corresponding to the
pulleys d: two endless bands or belts g (or chains may be employed) pass from one
end of the machine to the other over the pulleys d and f: to these belts are secured
the ends of a crossbar h on which is fitted a, pusher or carrier l, the position of
which can be adjusted by moving it along the bar as required; to the carrier
is hinged at a pusher plate 1 which bears against the upper part of the plate j
to push the knife, shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, through the race; this plate j is
hinged to the back end of the haft j¹ which securely holds the sharply pointed
knife to which is attached the guide j; a crook or angle piece j' is secured to the,
hinged plate j the base of which is made flat or nearly so and rests on a plate
spring o (secured to the haft j¹ and capable of adjustment by the spiral spring o¹)
which keeps the plate j in a vertical position until the knife makes a hole in the
cloth or leaves the race or meets with any obstruction, when the increased pressure
causes the pusher plate 12 to overcome the resistance of the spring o and the plate j
to close on its hinges, thereby allowing the carrier to-pass over and leave the
.knife and guide 2 stationary in the fabric: a bar or cross piece p is secured to
the haft and rests upon the fabric to support the haft: to the carrier
is
1
2

page_text: h
hinged at a picker up m at the front end of which is secured a bar n which rests
on the haft j' while the knife is cutting the cloth; when the knife reaches the end
of the race and is in the position shown in full lines on Fig. 6 the cross bar h and
carrier begin to pass upward over the pulleys of thus moving the pusher plate l out
of contact with the hinged plate j and drawing the bar n under the crook j' into
the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6 as the crossbar / passes upward
round the pulleys f, the bar n moving with it catches up the crook as shown in
Fig. 8, raises the knife so that its point is lifted clear of the cloth and carries the
knife and guide back to the front end of the machine; the crossbar has it
approaches the pulleys & strikes against a lever q connected to the strap fork
lever which moves the driving belt from the fast pulley c¹ to the loose pulley c²
and so stops the machine. The operator then removes the knife from the picker
up, starts the machine slowly to carry the crossbar round the pulleys d and inserts
the knife into another race and pushes it forward under the carrier which swings
to allow the plate j to pass under it; the machine is then started and the knife and
guide propelled by it to cut the race as before, these operations are repeated until
the whole width of the stretched portion of fabric has been cut when a fresh
length of fabric may be stretched and cut.
Figs. 10 and 11 show two slightly modified constructions of the knife haft j¹
with its hinged plate j and of the carrier.
I would have it clearly understood that although I have shown and described a
machine for cutting pile fabrics in which the knife or knives with the carrier and
picking up apparatus are moved by a crossbar connected to two endless bands
traversed round pulleys on horizontal shafts yet thes details may be varied or
modified without departing from the nature of my said Invention which consists
mainly in cutting pile fabrics with a knife or knives traversed by power, for
instance, it is obvious that one endless band traversed over pulleys on vertical
shafts might be employed or a reciprocating in place of a continuous motion might
be imparted to the knife or in place of the mechanism hereinbefore described any
suitable mechanism may be used so long as it enables a motion such as is provided
for in my arrangement to be given to the knife so as to enable it to cut the fabric
in the manner I describe or in an equivalent manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1.-Cutting pile fabrics by means of a knife or knives traversed by power.
2. The construction, combination and arrangement of parts forming the machine
for cutting pile fabrics, substantially as herein shown and described for the purposes
specified.
3. The use and application of a knife with its appurtenances constructed sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purposes herein described and as illustrated
by the Drawings annexed.