IMPROVEMENTS IN MA- CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING PAPER
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING PAPER."-A communication
from Monsieur Poirier, of Paris, in the Enipire of France,
Mechanical Engineer.
Sealed the 8th March 1854, and dated the 28th September 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry.
Johnson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 28th September 1853.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING PAPER," being a communication from
Monsieur Poirier, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Mechanical
Engineer, to be as follows:-
This apparatus consists of a stand containing a sliding platform, upon
which the paper to be cut is compressed by a suitable pressing screw.

page_text: The knife or cutter is carried in a moveable franie, and is made to
traverse longitudinally and simultaneously with the platform, but in an
opposite direction; thus the paper is drawn in one direction, and the
knife or cutter in an opposite one, thereby effecting a much greater
accuracy and steadiness in the cut. The platform upon which the
paper rests is moveable also in a direction at right angles with its
traverse; this is accomplished by a fixed screw and nut and a suitable
winch handle. This movement is for the purpose of regulating exactly
the amount to be cut off from the edge of the paper, the adjustment
being regulated by a graduated pulley or disc on the axis of the
actuating screw.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th March 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson,
Her special license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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 MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING
PAPER,"
(a communication from Monsieur Poirier, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, Mechanical Engineer,) upon the condition (amongst

page_text: others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say:
The said Invention relates to an improved arrangement of mecha-
nism or machinery for cutting paper, and consists of a stand containing
a sliding platform upon which the paper to be cut is compressed by a
suitable pressing screw. The knife or cutter is carried in a moveable
frame, and is made to traverse longitudinally and simultaneously with
the platform, but in an opposite direction; thus the paper is drawn in
one direction, and the knife or cutter in an opposite one, thereby effect-
ing a much greater accuracy and steadiness in the cut. The platform
upon which the paper rests is moveable also in a direction at right
angles with its traverse; this is accomplished by a fixed serew and nut
and a suitable winch handle. This movement is for the purpose of
regulating exactly the amount to be cut off from the edge of the paper,
the adjustment being regulated by a graduated pulley or disc on the
axis of the actuating screw.
Figure 1, represents a front elevation of the machine; Figure 2, a
corresponding plan of the same; Figure 3, is a vertical section of the
machine taken through the centre thereof; Figures 4, 5, and 6,
represent details of the working parts of the machine and the dis-
engaging apparatus; Figure 7, is a front view of the piece which serves
to regulate the inclination of the table; and Figures 8, and 9,
represent details of two arrangements for fixing the cutter.
The machine is composed of two cast iron standards A, A', connected
by bolts, and resting upon the cast iron supports B, B. Between these
fixed standards A, A', are fitted two moveable frames C, and D. The

page_text: This paper is
upper one C, carries a cutter c, and the lower one D, supports the
platform E, upon which is laid the paper to be cut.
effectually held in its place by means of the pressing plate F, attached
to the extremity of the double threaded screw G, which is fitted with
a small hand wheel H, for giving the requisite pressure to the
paper.
In order that the paper may be cut square, and to a certain deter-
mined size, a groove e, is formed in the table E, in which projects the
under portion of the guage I, having secured to it the nut I', through
which works the four threaded screw i, actuated by the handle J. By
turning this handle the screw i, will be caused to rotate, and consequently
the guage I, will be caused to advance or recede, as the case may be. It
is against this guage that the sheets of paper to be cut to a certain
length are placed. A pinion j, is fixed to the spindle of the screw i,
and gears into the wheel j, which again gears into the internal teeth of
the disc K. The external circumference of this disc is divided or gra-
duated, so as to indicate by means of the index k, the number of
turns of the screw i, or rather the distance between the guage I, and
cutter c, and consequently the length of the paper.
To obviate the defect of the greater portion of paper cutting machines,
namely, that of not cutting straight or in a perpendicular direction, the
table E, is made adjustable in order that it may be inclined according
to the nature and thickness of the pile to be cut through. To effect this
a small swell e', is cast upon the under side of the table E, which rests
upon a similar swell in the plate d, of the moveable frame D, so that
the table E, rests only upon one point. Behind the plate d, is fixed the
support a, shewn in detail at Figure 7. This support serves to carry the
nut a', through which works the screw of the fork b, jointed to the piece
6', which is screwed to the under side of the table E. Thus, if the
head a, of the screw a', be turned in one direction or the other, the
fork b, will be caused to ascend or descend with the table, which will
consequently assume an inclined position which is regulated by the set
screws f. The machine being ready for work and the paper placed in
its proper position, the pulley L, is caused to rotate by a driving belt or
other arrangement. This pulley is keyed on to the shaft g, which carries
also a clutch box h, which is embraced by the fork-h!, as -shewn--in
Figures 4, 5, and 6.
This fork is attached at its extremity to the

page_text: curved piece l, and is jointed at h², for the facility of actuating the clutch
acted upon by the cams or tappets m, and m', which slide over the piece l,
(Figure 6,) or the clutch may be actuated by the short lever I', attached
to the bottom of a spindle which works through the boss F, cast in one
piece with the standard or frame A'. To the upper end of this spindle
is secured the bent lever n', by which the clutch may be actuated by
hand, although this operation may be effected by the machine itself, as
herein-before described. When the machine is ready for cutting the
clutch having been brought into position by the cam m³, will gear or
engage itself with the collar boss of the pinion M, (Figure 4,) which
gives motion to the wheels M1, M2, carried by the spindle m". The
wheel M², gears with the wheel M³, keyed on to the small shaft
m³, which carries also the small toothed segment m³, gearing with
the rack m. This rack is bolted to the moveable frame D, which
frame is connected to the frame C, by the links D¹, and C³, and
vibrating lever C2, working on a fixed centre at D2, which is cast in one
piece with the frame or standard A, A'. By this arrangement the two
frames C, and D, are firmly connected together, and when one rises
the other descends, the movement of both being oblique, according to
the angle of the slides which guide the two frames by means of the
bolts d. The two frames having arrived at the end of their course, at the
moment that the cutter arrives at the surface of the table E, the cam m,
on the toothed wheel M³, will act upon the curved piece l, and cause
the clutch h, to slide or disengage itself from the collar boss. of the
pinion M, and come into gear with the boss of the wheel N, which
gears directly with the wheel M*; this wheel then commences to
revolve in the contrary direction, thereby causing the table to descend
and the cutter to ascend with a quick motion. These movements will
be readily understood on referring to the arrows in the Drawing; the
black arrows shew the direction of movement which causes the cutter to
descend, and consequently causes the table to ascend. The arrows
shewn in red lines represent the contrary movements, namely, the
ascent of the frame C, which carries the cutter c, and the descent of
the frame D, carrying the platform E. The machine may be stopped
by means...of the bent_ lever n, which is kept in the rest o, by the
counterweight 2, thereby indicating that the clutch is in the position
';

page_text: shewn at Figure 6, or, in other words, entirely out of gear, both with the
pinion M, and wheel N. In order to adjust or regulate the height of
the cutter c, as it wears away, I attach it to the frame C, by means of
conical screws p, over which it slides by the slots p'. The regulating
screws g, are tapped into the cutter c, (Figure 8,) or into the frame
(Figure 9), so as not to weaken the cutter. By turning these screws
the height of the cutter may be adjusted with great accuracy.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not
confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which
I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
of the said Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery for
cutting paper, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of cutting paper by a double sliding
movement of the cutter and table in opposite directions, as herein-
before described.
Third, the arrangement herein-before described for throwing the
machine in or out of gear, and reversing its movements.
Fourth, the system or mode of regulating the incline of the table
according to the nature and thickness of the paper to be cut, as herein-
before described.
Fifth, the system or mode of adjusting and fixing the cutter, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of March,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)