Improvements in Machines for Cutting Cloth and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1392-Accepted, 2nd July, 1392
j
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Cutting Cloth and the like.
1, HENRY ARTHUR CALDWELL of Room 24 Rialto Building, Chicago Illinois,
United States of America Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to improvements in that class of machines known as
"over-board" cloth cutting machines, in which a reciprocating cutting knife is
employed, and which heretofore has always been reciprocated in a straight line,
without any adjustability of the line of cut or action of the knife, that is to say,
without any capability of adjusting the plane of its cutting edge so as to vary its
stroke or cutting effect upon different fabrics.
The prime object of this invention is to impart to the cutting knife a curvilinear
path of travel and action, and simultaneously therewith a rocking or oscillation
upon a shifting axis between the ends thereof, whereby the action of the knife will
simulate that of a chopper knife, and give the fabrics what is technically known as
a "draw-cut," well known to be the most effective cut in working upon fabrics,
because of their yielding nature.
;
Another object is to have the motion of such a character that the curvilinear
reciprocation or line of action of the knife may be varied at the will of the operator,
according to the class of goods upon which the machine is working and that the
plane of its cutting edge will change throughout its stroke thereby enabling a
deeper cut into the soft fabrics at each stroke than in the harder or more compact
fabrics, and also a change in the angle or position in which the knife enters the
fabric, whereby the machine is adapted for cutting all kinds of fabrics, and the
action of the knife upon each kind of fabric is rendered effective in the maximum
degree.
With these ends in view, my invention consists in certain features of novelty in
the construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described, with
reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the
claims.
In the said drawings,
Fig. 1, represents a side elevation of a cloth cutting machine, embodying my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof.
Fig. 3, a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 4, a view similar to Figure 3, but showing a different kind of power for
operating the machine.
Fig. 5, a horizontal section on the line 5-5 Figure 1.
Fig. 6, a vertical section on the line 6-6, Figure 2.
Figures 7 and 8, detail vertical sections on the lines 7-7 and 8-8 respectively,
Figure 5.
Fig. 9, is a diagrammatic view illustrating the movement of the knife.
Fig. 10, is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified form of shifting pivot or
fulcrum for the knife.
Figures 11 to 17 inclusive represent modifications of my invention embodying the
preferred form of mechanism.
Figures 11, 12 and 13 being diagrammatic illustrations of the movement of the
knife and its operating parts in the three principal adjustments thereof.
And Figures 14, 15, 16 and 17 being horizontal or cross sections through the
cutting knife and standard, showing the relative arrangement thereof and various
modes of connection there-between.

page_text: Similar signs of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.
My invention is applicable to cutting machines of any character, but is inore
especially adapted for, and is herein illustrated in connection with a type of machine
known as "over-board cloth cutting machines" so styled because of such machines
being moved sound by hand over the work table when in operation, the power for
operating the mashine being derived from some suitable source, such as an electric
motor mounted upon and carried by the machine or flexible shafting or some similar
device.
Referring now more particularly to Figures 7 to 8 inclusive of the drawing,
A, indicates a base having a flat, elliptical shape, by preference, because of the ease
with which it may be inserted beneath the pile of goods, and if desired, mounted
upon anti-friction rollers, not shown; and B, a slotted standard secured to the base
near the centre thereof and supporting upon its upper end a bed or table C, carrying
the working parts of the machine, it being preferable in practice to have the
standard and bed or table cast integrally in two parts for convenience in putting
together.
When the machine is electrically operated, an electric motor D is mounted upon
the table, the armature shaft E of which bears at one end a bearing F, projecting
out from the top of the table and being cranked at G, immediately over the
standard, to receive one end of a link H, the opposite end of which link is pivotally
connected with one arm I of a bell-crank lever pivoted in an adjustable bearing J,
and the other arm K of which link has a pivot connection with the knife L working
in the slot in the standard.
This knife is provided on its extreme lower end as well as throughout its length
with a cutting edge, so that this end in descending a second time will cut any
threads that may have been left uncut by the said other cutting edge at the
previous downstroke, the cutting edge on the end of course extending transversely
of the knife.
The knife is restrained and guided in its reciprocations by a travelling pivot M,
between the ends thereof, conveniently furnished by a link N, which has a pivot
connection with an adjustable bearing 0. As shown in the drawings, this pivot M
shifts or travels with the knife so as to form a fulcrum for the knife, upon which it
oscillates throughout its movement, and the link N being shorter than the lever K,
it will thus be seen that the points of pivotal connection between the knife and the
lever K and the link N, are caused to travel through arcs of unequal radii and
which radii are unchanging, that is, their respective lengths do not vary through-
out the travel of said pivots.
- The purpose of these link and lever connections between the motor shaft, table
and knife, is to not only convert the rotary motion of the crank shaft into a recipro-
cating action of the knife, but to also cause the knife to reciprocate in a curved
line; or in other words, to impart to the knife a curvilinear action; beside which
by changing the relative length of the arms I and K of the bell-crank lever, the
length of stroke of the knife as well as the leverage, may be changed according to
the circumstances involved in the use of the machine.
It will also be seen by inspection of Figure 9, that the knife has a compound
action, for besides having the curvilinear travel or action above referred to, induced
by its travelling or shifting pivot or fulcrum, it has at the same time a rocking or
oscillating motion upon this pivot under the influence of the lever which causes its
reciprocation; thus the position of the knife, or rather the plane of its cutting
edge is constantly changing throughout the stroke, both up and down, imparting to
the knife a "draw-cut," which cannot be produced by a knife reciprocating in a
straight line.
By having the pivot of the bell crank lever adjustable vertically, and the
travelling pivot of the knife adjustable horizontally, or either one or both of
these pivots adjustable in any manner, according to the construction of the
machine, an infinite variety of changes in the curvilinear reciprocation or line of
action of the cutting knife, as well as the plane of the cutting edge during its

page_text: operation, may be effected; for every change in the position of either one of these
pivots will effect a corresponding change in the line of action of the knife and also
in the plane of its cutting edge at different parts of the stroke.
I may here state that my invention broadly consists in means for imparting to
the knife two simultaneous movements, to wit: a curvilinear reciprocation and a
rocking or oscillation upon a shifting axis between the ends of the knife; thus
causing a constant change in the plane of the cutting edge of the knife during its
reciprocation; and any means for accomplishing this result is within the scope
of my invention. Many such means will readily suggest themselves to one skilled
in the art to which my invention appertains, such for instance as dispensing, with
the bell-crank lever and link and connecting the crank itself directly to the knife,
or changing the form of lever connecting the crank link with the knife, into a
straight lever, as illustrated in diagram in Figure 10. So also may the link N be
substituted by the cam N, as in Figure 10, with the pivot M rigidly secured to the
knife and working in the groove in the cam; and likewise the lever K might be
substituted by a cam similar to the cam N, either alone or in addition to the cam N,
substituted for the lower link; and these changes are so obvious as not to require
further illustration.
For adjusting the pivot bearing the bell-crank lever, any suitable means may be
employed, a simple form of which is shown in the drawings, consisting of a screw P
having a swivel connection with the bearing J, and working through a screw-
threaded cap Q connecting the two sections of the table, which screw is provided
with a head or thumb piece R for convenience of manipulation and with a lock-
nut S for securing the screw in any adjusted position. So also with the adjustment
of the bearing O of the link N, which may be readily accomplished by providing
the latter with a screw threaded socket T in which works a screw bolt U, bearing
in, but having no endwise movement in the bed or table C, and being provided with
a. head or thumb piece V for convenience of manipulation; or any other means may
be employed for effecting the same end.
The bed or table may be also provided at the front and rear ends thereof with
irregular shaped sockets W to receive a correspondingly shaped foot X of a
handle Y, for detachably securing the handle to either end of the bed, in order that
the machine may be either pushed or pulled in operation.
A vertically adjustable presser foot a is also provided and is carried at the lower
end of a slotted bar working in an opening in or between the sections of the bed
or table through the slot in which projects a set screw e, having a head at one end
and a thumb nut d at the opposite end, by means of which the presser foot may be
secured in any adjusted position. This bar, which extends parallel with the knife
opposing the cutting edge thereof, is also provided with obliquely arranged wings e
lying at each side of the knife and encompassing the cutting edge thereof and
extending up between and overlapping the sections of the bed or table as shown in
Figure 2; so that the operator is relieved of the danger of being cut by the knife,
the wings being of such length as to always oppose the cutting edge of the knife,
notwithstanding the adjustment of the presser foot.
I also propose to have the lower end of the knife provided with a cutting edge
to render the operation of the knife more effective, to which end also is provided
opposing cutting blades formed by plates (see Figures 5, 7 and 8), countersunk
in the foot of the standard B, which latter is countersunk in the base A, these
plates being separated in the line of action of the knife so as to permit the passage
of the knife between them and thus sever any shreds which may be carried down
by the knife, and also prevent the accumulation of lint, which might otherwise
affect the operation of the knife, the plates f for this purpose being reversely
beveled on the underside of the opposing edges, as shown in Figure 8, forward of
the standard, to form the cutting edges.
In most of the work done by cutting machines, however, the top of the pile of
cloth operated upon is much above the range of action of the lower edge of the
knife, and I have found by actual practice that in cutting such piles, the lower edge

page_text: of the knife may be blunt or unsharpened, for the pile is almost invariably first
engaged by the side cutting edge of the knife, near the upper end thereof and
while the knife is in the oblique position illustrated in Figure 9; and hence in all
such work the lower edge of the knife would have no function whatever to perform,
except to sever the shreds which may not be cleanly cut at the bottom of the pile
by the cutting edge proper of the knife. It is therefore advantageous to have the
lower edge of the knife sharpened, not alone for the purpose just mentioned, but
also to extend the range of usefulness of the knife to the lowest piles which it may
be found desirable to cut, which piles are sometimes so low that the lower edge of
the knife will rise above the top of the pile at each stroke, and in such cases
only is it necessary that the lower edge of the knife should be sharpened; for,
obviously, so long as the lower edge of the knife does not impinge directly upon
the top of the goods, it cannot take part in or perform any of the cutting
operation, and therefore need not be sharpened or formed into a cutting edge
except to give a better.finish to the cut. I therefore do not. desire to limit my
invention to sharpening the lower end of the cutting knife.
While I have shown and described my invention in connection with an
electrically operated machine, it is obvious that the knife may as well be driven
by a flexible shaft such as that illustrated in Figure 4, or by any other
suitable or desirable power; for the means for driving the knife form no part of the
present invention; and while I have described my invention as especially adapted
for cutting cloth, it should be remembered that I do not limit it to this use as it
may be employed for cutting other substances, for which it is adapted.
Among the advantages of reciprocating the knife in a curved line as described,
is that of securing a "draw-cut," which is the most efficient cut in operating upon
fabrics, whether hard or soft, it being in close simulation of the action of the
hand drawing-knife," operated upon this principle; and an equally, if not more
important, advantage is, that the power required for operating such a knife, has
been practically demonstrated by me to be far less than that required for operating
cutting knives, reciprocating in a straight line, in fact, not one-fourth of the
power heretofore required, while the machine effectually accomplishes the desired
result with all kinds of fabrics.
Having thus fully described the principle of the operation of my invention, I will
now, describe the preferred form of knife, and mechanism for operating the same,
more particularly with reference to Figures 11 to 17, inclusive.
In this form of the invention, the rear edge of the cutting knife is curved longi-
tudinally, as clearly shown in Figures 11, 12 and 13, and is preferably the
same in thickness or width as the front edge of the standard B, against which it
bears and with which it is held in close relation by means of a coil or other suitable
spring N2, one end of which is secured to the knife block below the pivot connection
thereof with the lever K, while the other end is adjustably secured to the frame of
the machine in any suitable manner, such as by the sliding block O, which is the
equivalent of the bearing O before described, and which may be locked in any
desired adjustment by means of a screw bolt V2 working through a slot V3 in
the table and having a lock-nut on its end, as shown, for locking the block O² in
any desired adjustment.
It will be understood that the longitudinal curvature of the rear edge of the
cutting knife is considerably exaggerated in the drawing for the purpose of
clearer illustration and that consequently the movements of the knife indicated,
are much greater than they would be in practice, the purpose of such curvature
being to provide the knife with a shifting fulcrum throughout its stroke, so that
the plane of action of the cutting edge is varied throughout its stroke for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
The adjustment of the bearing K² of the lever K, to which the lever is pivotally
secured, may be effected in various ways, but I prefer to employ the form shown
in Figures 11, 12 and 13, which consists of a vertical slotted post or standard R²
in the slot of which works a flattened portion S of the bearing K³, and from which

page_text: flattened portion rearwardly and horizontally extends a threaded stem or stud bolt T.”,
working in a threaded socket formed within a nut in the upper end of the handle or
grip Y, a portion of which only is shown in Figures 11, 12 and 13. The front end
of this grip or handle bears against a filling block Y, which block is interposed
between the handle or grip and the standard or post S2 and partially encompasses
the latter so as to prevent the rotation of said block. Hence, when the handle
is turned so as to lessen the grip of the parts upon the post, the rear end of the
lever K may be adjusted vertically to any desired position.
From the foregoing, it will be readily understood that the bearing of the curved
back edge of the knife against the forward edge of the standard affords a shifting
or travelling fulcrum for the knife during its reciprocation, since in its reciprocation
the upper end thereof must swing upon the arc of a circle struck from the pivot
bearing K at the rear end of the lever K, and which arc will vary with every
change in the position of said bearing. Hence, with every change of the pivot
bearing K, the range of action, as well as the character of the action of the
cutting edge of the knife is correspondingly altered.
In Figures 11, 12 and 13, are illustrated diagrammatically the three main adjust-
ments of the bearing K2 and the effect thereof on the cutting knife. For instance,
in Figure 11, the pivot bearing of the lever K is shown at the lowest extreme of
its adjustment, and in such position the lower end of the knife is thrown the farthest
possible distance from the standard B when the knife is in its highest position, and
is brought nearest to the standard when the knife is in its lowest position, as
illustrated by the dotted lines. In Figure 13, on the contrary, where the pivot
bearing of the lever is at the highest extreme of its adjustment, the conditions are
exactly the reverse; the lower end of the knife being nearest to the standard when
the knife is in its highest position and farthest away from the standard when the
knife is in its lowest position. In Figure 12, where the pivot bearing of the lever
is in its mid-position, the effect is to bring the lower edge of the knife about the
same distance from the standard B in both the lowest and highest positions thereof,
the lower end of the knife in this adjustment first moving in toward the standard
and then outward.
It will be understood that the sole function of the spring N2 is to maintain the
rear edge of the knife in close contact with the front edge of the standard and it is
made adjustable like the link N before described, in order that the tension thereof
may be varied as desired.
The bearing of the rear edge of the knife against the front edge of the standard
is advantageous for various reasons, chief among which is that it enables me to
dispense, with the link N in the form before described and also enables me to
employ a solid standard of substantially the same width or thickness as the rear
edge of the knife. The advantage of this latter feature is that the shifting of the
layers of cloth, which is liable to occur in the use of a slotted standard having
the knife working in it (because of the necessarily sudden increase in diameter of the
standard beyond the thickness of the knife) is avoided; and beside which is also
avoided the danger of shreds of the cloth becoming lodged between the knife and
the standard. It is desirable, however, that with the knife operating upon the
front edge of the standard, as herein described, the knife should be guided and
supported in its movements, in order that the thinnest possible blade may be
employed, so that the lower end of the knife which does the most of the cutting
when operating upon very low piles of goods, may be sharpened sufficiently to
enable it to keenly chop its way through the pile. A guide and suppert for the
knife from the standard may be provided in numerous ways, such for instances, as
illustrated in Figures 11 to 13, which consists of a vertically adjustable presser
foots, which may be secured to the standard B with capability of adjustment,
in any convenient manner, which, in this instance, unlike the form first described,
is so constructed as to hug the sides of the knife and subserve the further purpose
of a guide for sustaining the knife during its cutting action. This form of guide,
however, does not sustain the knife at its extreme lower end, the point where a

page_text: support is most needed, but this objection may be overcome by outwardly curving
or beading the forward edge of the standard 13 and providing the rear edge of the
knife with a groove or rabbet, in which the curved edge of the standard fits, as
shown in Figure 15, thus constituting a guide for the point of the knife throughout.
its stroke and rendering the presser foot unnecessary so far as the requirements of
a guide are concerned. Other forms of accomplishing the same thing are shown in
Figures 16 and 17 in the first of these, the standard is provided in its forward
edge with an angular rabbetted portion or groove and the rear edge of the knife is
simply fitted into this groove; while in Figure 17, substantially the same thing
is shown with the exception that the rear edge of the knife is thickened beyond the
edges of the groove or rabbet in the standard, sufficiently to bring the edges
of the knife flush with and in continuation of the edges of the standard.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1: A cloth cutting machine, comprising a movable frame or support, a recipro-
cating knife mounted therein, means for reciprocating the same in a curved line
and a shifting pivot or fulcrum for said knife between the ends thereof, sub-
stantially as described.
2: A cloth cutting machine comprising a movable base or support, a slotted
standard mounted thereon, a frame or table supported on said standard, a recipro-
cating knife working said standard, means for reciprocating the same in a curved
line, and a shifting pivot or fulcrum for said knife between the ends thereof,
substantially as described.
3: In a cloth cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, a cutting
knife, and a connection between said shaft and knife whereby the latter will be
reciprocated in a curved line by the rotation of the former; of a shifting pivot
or fulcrum for said knife between the ends thereof, substantially as set forth.
4: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, the knife, and
a connection between the said shaft and the knife, whereby the latter will be
reciprocated in a curved line by the rotation of the former; of an adjustable
shifting pivot or fulcrum for said knife between the ends thereof, substantially
as set forth.
5: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, the knife,
and the connection between said shaft and knife, whereby the latter will be
reciprocated in a curved line by the rotation of the former; of a link pivotally
secured at its ends, respectively to the machine frame and to the knife between
the ends thereof, substantially as set forth.
6: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, the knife, and
a connection between said shaft and knife whereby the latter will be recipro-
cated by the rotation of the former; of a link, pivots connecting the ends of said
links respectively, with the knife, between the ends thereof, and with an adjustable
bearing, substantially as set forth.
7: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, the knife, and
a lever connection between said shaft and knife, whereby the latter will be recipro-
cated by the rotation of the former; of a shifting pivot or fulcrum for said knife
between the ends thereof, substantially as set forth.
8 In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, a cutting knife
having a cutting edge on its extreme end, extending transversely of or at an angle
to the knife, and a connection between said shaft and knife whereby the latter will
be reciprocated in a curved line by the rotation of the former; of a shifting pivot
or fulcrum for said knife between the ends thereof, substantially as set forth.
9: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, the knife
having a cutting edge on its extreme edge, extending transversely of or at an
angle to the knife, and a connection between said shaft and knife, whereby the
latter will be reciprocated in a curved line by the rotation of the former; of an

page_text: adjustable shifting pivot or fulcrum for said knife between the ends thereof, sub-
stantially as set forth.
10: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, the knife,
having a cutting edge on its extreme end, extending transversely of or at an angle
to the knife, and the connection between said shaft and knife, whereby the latter
will be reciprocated in a curved line by the rotation of the former; of a link
pivotally secured at its ends, respectively to the machine frame and to the knife
between the ends thereof, substantially as set forth.
11: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, the knife
having a cutting edge on its extreme end extending transversely of the knife, and
a connection between said shaft and knife, whereby the latter will be reciprocated.
by the rotation of the former; of a link, pivots connecting the ends of said link
respectively with the knife between the ends thereof and with an adjustable bearing,.
substantially as set forth.
12: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, the knife having
a cutting edge on its end extending transversely of the said knife, and a lever
connection between said shaft and knife, whereby the latter will be reciprocated
by the rotation of the former of a shifting pivot or fulcrum for said knife
between the ends thereof, substantially as set forth.
13: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft provided
with a crank portion, the knife, a lever, a link connection between said lever
and the crank of the shaft, and a pivot connection between said lever and the
knife of a shifting pivot or fulcrum for said knife between the ends thereof,
substantially as set forth.
14: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft provided with.
a crank portion, the knife, a lever, an adjustable pivot for said lever, a link
connection between said lever and the crank of the shaft, and a pivot connection
between said lever and the knife; of a shifting pivot or fulcrum for said knife
between the ends thereof, substantially as set forth.
15 In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft, the knife
having a cutting edge on its extreme end extending transversely of or at an
angle to the knife, and a connection between said knife and shaft, whereby the
knife will be reciprocated in a curved line by the rotation of the shaft; of a
link pivotally secured at it ends, respectively to the machine and to the knife
between the said cutting edge on the extreme end thereof and the said connection
between the shaft and knife, substantially as set forth.
16: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft provided with
a crank portion, the knife, a lever, a link connection between said lever and the
crank of the shaft, and a pivot connection between said lever and the knife; of
a link pivotally connected at its ends respectively with the frame of the machine
and to the knife between the ends thereof, substantially as set forth.
17: In a cutting machine, the combination with the sections of the bed or
table, the slotted standard and the base supporting the same; of a reciprocating
knife and a vertically adjustable presser-foot provided with wings embracing
the cutting edge of said knife, between said presser-foot and the upper end of
the knife, and said wings extending between and overlapping the sections of the
bed or table, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
18: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft provided with a
crank portion, the knife, a lever, an adjustable pivot or fulcrum for said lever, a
link connection between said lever and the crank of the shaft and a pivot con-
nection between said lever and the knife; of a link pivotally connected at its
ends respectively to the frame of the machine and to the knife between the ends
thereof, substantially as set forth.
19: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft provided with a
crank portion, the knife, a lever, a link connection between said lever and the crank
of the shaft, and a pivot connection between said lever and the knife; of a link, and
pivot connections respectively between one end of said link and an adjustable

page_text: bearing and the other end of said link and the knife between the ends of the latter'
substantially as described.
20: In a cutting machine, the combination with the power shaft provided with a
crank portion, the knife, a lever, an adjustable pivot or fulcrum for said lever, a
link connection between said lever and the crank of the shaft and a pivot connection
between said lever and the knife; of a link and a pivot connection between one end
of said link and an adjustable bearing and between the other end of said link and
the knife between the ends thereof, substantially as set forth.
21: In a cutting machine, the combination with a knife having a shifting fulcrum
between its ends, and means for reciprocating said knife in a curved line; of a
yielding connection for holding the knife up to its fulcrum, substantially as set
forth.
22: In a cutting machine, the combination with a knife having a curved back
and means for reciprocating said knife; of a fulcrum for the back of said knife and
a yielding connection for holding the knife up to its fulcrum, substantially as set
forth.
23 In a cutting machine, the combination with the standard, an adjustable arm
or lever and means for oscillating said lever of a knife flexibly attached to said
lever and having a shiftable fulcrum between its ends, and a yielding medium or
connection adjustably anchored at one end, and acting upon said knife for holding
it up to its fulcrum, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of March 1892.
HENRY ARTHUR CALDWELL.
Witnesses :-
R. C. OuсOHUNDES.
G. A. HOPKINS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.