IMPROVE-: MENTS IN CUTTING SHEETS OF INDIA-RUBBER AND LIKE MATERIALS INTO STRIPS OR: THREADS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Benoni Collins at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th March
1865.
I, BENONI COLLINS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-:
MENTS IN CUTTING SHEETS OF INDIA-RUBBER AND LIKE MATERIALS INTO STRIPS OR:
THREADS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE," to be as:
follows:-
The common system of cutting sheets of india-rubber, either vulcanized or
unvulcanized is by rolling the sheets tightly upon a drum or roller, using a
suitable cement between each layer, so as to make the material as if solid;
when wound upon the drum or roller. This drum or roller is then rotated,
and a cutter is brought against one or against each of the two edges of the
roll, and each cutter will remove a washer of the material from the ends of.
the roll, which washers of material may then be unwound, as the cement is
only slightly adhesive. By this process only one slice or washer can be cut.
from one edge of the roll at the same operation.
My Invention consists in simultaneously cutting and unwinding the part'
cut from the roll, by which I am enabled to cut several strips or threads, or
to cut the entire width of the roll into strips or threads at one operation. To
accomplish this I use as many cutters as there are strips or threads required
to be cut at the same operation, which cutters are placed at such distance.
apart as is necessary to give the width of the strips or threads required, and.:

page_text: these cutters are simultaneously advanced against the material upon the drum
or roller, so as to cut, say the depth of one or two layers, then the ends of the
cut layers are unwound from the roll and delivered to arrangements which
will draw off or unwind the threads or strips from the roll at the surface speed
at which it is driven, or thereabouts, so that as the cutters advance and cut
each layer, the material will be simultaneously withdrawn from the drum or
roller out of the way of the cutters, by which mode of operation the edges of
the cutters will not require to enter into the material more than the thickness
of one layer or lap. Streams or jets of water are directed against the cutting
edges when in operation as usual.
The machinery by which I now prefer to carry my improved mode of
cutting into effect is somewhat similar to that for the ordinary process. The
roll is prepared in the ordinary manner, and the drum or roller upon which
the material is lapped is placed in bearings or centres so as to be rotated at
the correct cutting speed. The knives, or cutters are made by preference of
thin pieces of metal of equal thickness, and are sharpened entirely on one side..
For thin strips or threads. I prefer to make the knives or cutters of metal
equal in thickness to the strips or threads to be cut, but for broad strips
blanks or washers are introduced between the knives or cutters to keep them
at the correct distance apart. These knives or cutters are secured together
against each other upon a carriage capable of sliding to and from the axis of
the drum or roller carrying the material to be operated upon, and with the
axis of the drum or roller the slide carriage is geered, so as to advance
towards the drum or roller at a speed equal to the thickness of one lap of the
material for each revolution of the drum or roller, and thus the edges of the
knives or cutters carried by the slide carriage are simultaneously advanced
against the roll. On that side of the drum or roller having the material upon
it opposite to that at which the cutters operate I prefer to place two or more
rollers covered with material to give sufficient adhesion to draw or unwind the
strips or threads from the roll as it is cut, the threads or strips passing round
or partly round these rollers, and then into a suitable receptacle, or to a large
drum or reel, or to a sheet, which may be endless if required. The drawing-
off rollers and receiving sheet or drum may be geered with the drum or roller
having the material upon it which is to be cut, so that their speed will
decrease in proportion to the decreasing thickness of the material upon the
drum or roller as it is unwound; this may be accomplished by a belt and cone
drums, or by differential geering, the belt guide being regulated by being:
connected with the slide carriage, so that as this slide advances the belt will
be traversed, and the speed of the drawing-off rollers and connected parts-

page_text: diminished in proportion. Or the speed of the drawing-off rollers may be
uniform, and the roller or drum having the material upon it may be made to
vary in rotating speed according to its diameter. Or if the drum or roller for
carrying the material to be cut be sufficiently large in diameter, both it and
the drawing-off rollers may be driven uniformly, as the material will be
sufficiently elastic to stretch for a moment and compensate for the difference
of speed. Or the drawing-off rollers may be made to have just sufficient
adhesion to draw off the material when cut, but so that the material will slip
over them when the strain exceeds the amount intended. In place of fixed
knives or cutters circular knives or cutters may be used placed upon a shaft
at suitable distances apart, and this shaft may be arranged in bearings or
centres carried by the slide carriage, so that while the shaft is being rotated
it may be made to advance towards the roll of material to be operated upon,
which will be rotated same as for the fixed knives or cutters, the material
being unwound from the roller or drum as it is cut in like manner.