IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SOAP
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Davis, of 11, George Street, Chicks
Buildings, St. Phillips, Bristol, and Thomas Harper, of Brewery House,
Broadplaines, St. Phillips, Bristol, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SOAP."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Davis and
Thomas Harper at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 29th March 1858.
We, WILLIAM DAVIS, of 11, George Street, Chicks Buildings, St. Phillips,
Bristol, and THOMAS HARPER, of Brewery House, Broadplaines, St. Phillips,
Bristol, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SOAP," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for cutting
soap. For these purposes a combined apparatus is arranged in such manner
that the whole of a frame of soap is at one operation cut into slabs, and at
another divided into bars. A main frame is formed composed of two vertical
sides and one end in such manner as to admit of the two sides of such frame
passing on either side of a frame of soap. This main frame is mounted on
wheels to facilitate its being moved to and from a frame of soap. In order
to cut the soap contained in a frame into slabs, two uprights are used, which
are parallel to each other and suitably formed to receive between them a

page_text: rectangular frame having parallel wires stretched across it. The uprights
are guided at their upper and lower ends by V guides, and they are moved
from end to end of the main frame by means of screws turning in suitable
bearings near their ends, and working through female screws in the two
uprights. At the inner end of the main frame is what is called a head board,
with grooves across it corresponding with the distances apart of the wires
above mentioned. This head board is retained in a vertical position, and
when the apparatus is in a position to cut a frame of soap, such board is in
contact with the soap frame, so that when the wires have passed through the
soap in the frame, and have divided it into numerous slabs, the wires will be
received into the grooves above mentioned. The head board is so arranged
as to admit of its being moved back a distance in order that the vertical
frame of wires may be raised or slid up above the soap in order to allow
another frame of wires to divide the slabs of soap into bars. This second or
horizontal frame of wires is carried by a frame in which it is capable of being
slid, which frame is caused to descend and ascend by screws which turn in
bearings in the main framing. These screws pass through female screws
formed or applied at the angles of the frame which carries the horizontal
frame of wires. The screws which move the vertical frame of wires are
simultaneously moved by suitable gearing, and the screws which move the
horizontal frame of wires are also simultaneously moved by suitable gearing.
A frame of soap having been cut into slabs and divided into bars, the cutting
apparatus is moved to another frame of soap, the frames of wires having first
been moved back into their proper positions, and the process of cutting is
repeated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Davis and Thomas Harper in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th September 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
DAVIS, of 11, George Street, Chicks Buildings, St. Phillips, Bristol, and 3
THOMAS HARPER, of Brewery House, Broadplaines, St. Phillips, Bristol, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of March, in the. year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first
year of Her reign,, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and

page_text: grant unto us, the said William Davis and Thomas Harper, Her special
licence that we, the said William Davis and Thomas Harper, our exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Davis and
Thomas Harper, our executors, administrators, and 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, uso, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
CUTTING SOAP," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William
Davis and Thomas Harper, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of
one of us or them, 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
imonths next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Harper, on behalf of myself
and the said William Davis, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is
to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for cutting
soap. For these purposes a combined apparatus is arranged in such manner
that the whole of a frame of soap is at one operation cut into slabs, and at
another divided into bars. A main frame is formed composed of two vertical
sides and one end in such manner as to admit of the two sides of such frame
passing on either side of a frame of soap. This main frame is mounted on
wheels to facilitate its being moved to and from a frame of soap. In order
to cut the soap contained in a frame into slabs, two uprights are used, which
are parallel to each other and suitably formed to receive between them a
rectangular frame having parallel wires stretched across it. The uprights are
guided at their upper and lower ends by V guides, and they are moved from
end to end of the main frame by means of screws turning in suitable bearings
near their ends, and working through female screws in the two uprights. At
the inner end of the main frame is what is called a head board, with grooves
across it corresponding with the distances apart of the wires above mentioned.
This head board is retained in a vertical position, and when the apparatus is
in a position to cut a frame of soap, such board is in contact with the soap
frame, so that when the wires have passed through the soap in the frame, and
have divided it into numerous slubs, the wires will be received into the

page_text: grooves above mentioned.
The head board is so arranged as to admit of its
being moved back a distance in order that the vertical frame of wires may be
raised or slided up above the soap in order to allow another frame of wires to
divide the slabs of soap into bars. This second or horizontal frame of wires
is carried by a frame in which it is capable of being slid, which frame is
caused to descend and ascend by screws which turn in bearings in the main
framing; these screws pass through female screws formed or applied at the
angles of the frame which carries the horizontal frame of wires. The screws
which move the vertical frame of wires are simultaneously moved by suitable
gearing, and the screws which move the horizontal frame of wires are also
simultaneously moved by suitable gearing. A frame of soap having been cut
into slabs and divided into bars, the cutting apparatus is moved to another
frame of soap, the frames of wires having first been moved back into their
proper positions, and the process of cutting is repeated.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, we will proceed
more fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine arranged or combined according
to our Invention; Figure 2 is an end elevation; Figure 3 shews a separate
section of the grooved head piece and apparatus for moving it.. A is a frame
having transverse cutting wires B, kept stretched apart by springs C. By this
frame and wires a block of soap is cut into slabs, the wires being fixed to the
desired distance apart. The frame A is moved from end to end of the machine
in a vertical position by means of two screws H, H. The frame A, which
carries the wires, slides or fits between the uprights A, one on each side of the
machine, which at their upper and lower ends fit and slide on V-guides on the
upper and lower rails at the sides of the machine. Through these uprights A
there are female screws, in which the screws H work. When the frame A
arrives at the end of the machine, the wires in passing out of the block of
soap enter grooves F, F, in the head piece D, which is pressed up to and
back from the soap by means of the lever and parallel movements E,
shewn at Figure 3. The soap is cut into bars by means of another frame of
wires similar to that above described, and such frame of wires is slided and
fixed between two bars I, which are simultaneously moved by means of four
upright screws J, which work in female screws at the ends of the bars I.
Motion is communicated to the four screws by the endless chain K, which
gives motion to the two shafts L, which by bevil toothed wheels drive the four
screws J.
Motion is communicated to the two screws H, H, by means of a

page_text: cog wheel P, which is driven by the crank handle Q. The endless chain
receives motion by the chain wheel R, which is formed with internal cogs, and
receives motion by the pinion S, put in motion by a crank handle or key
placed on its axis.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we make no claim to
any of the parts separately; but what we claim is the combination herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Harper, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
The mark of THOMAS HAKPEK. (L.S.)
Witness to the mark of Thomas Harper,
JOHN ROBERT BOON, Engineer,
Avon Cottage, Saint Phillips Marsh,
Bristol.