NEW METHOD OR MACHINE FOR CUTTING, CROP- PING, OR SHEARING WOOLLEN AND OTHER CLOTHS, AND THE FUR FROM PELTRY
Year: 1812

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY HART, of New York, one of the United States of America, now residing
in London, Gentleman, do send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, in and by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-fourth day of
March now last past, for Himself, His heirs and successors, did give and
grant unto me, the said William Henry Hart, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
I, the said William Henry Hart, my executors, administrators, and assigns, by
myself and themselves, or by my or their deputy or deputies, servants or
agents, or such others as I, the said William Henry Hart, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Invention, communicated to me by a
Foreigner residing abroad, of a "NEW METHOD OR MACHINE FOR CUTTING, CROP-
PING, OR SHEARING WOOLLEN AND OTHER CLOTHS, AND THE FUR FROM PELTRY;" in

page_text: which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said
William Henry Hart, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within four calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, relation being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, my said
Invention consists in making the cloth to be shorn pass regularly between
some smooth surface and a fixed cutting plate or blade, so that the nap can be
cut off by means of a number of light blades moving upwards and downwards
alternately, and pressing against the edge of the fixed cutter by gentle but
active springs, producing the effect of hand shears. The annexed Drawings
and references fully describe the machine:-
Fig. 1 represents a plan of the head, containing the light blades, the jack,
pushing wires, double crank, and springs upon the blades.
Fig. 2 is a section and inside view of the right-hand end view of the
machine, with the head thrown up (to which are attached the light blades) in
order to introduce the cloth and for other purposes.
Fig. 3 is a section and inside view of the left-hand end of the machine, with
the head and blades in their proper place and ready for operation.
Fig. 4, a view of the head, shewing the manner the light blades are fixed
and the springs. Fig. 5, a plan of the same. Fig. 6, a section of the same.
Fig. 7, a section of the cutting plate or blade.
Fig. 8, a section of the guage blade, cutter, and shearing cylinder, and feeding
roller. The red line represents the cloth as passing through to be shorn.
A frame A, B, C, D (Fig. 2 and 3), is constructed, about three feet high,
three feet wide from front to rear, and in length adapted to the width of the
cloth to be shorn. On the top pieces A, A, near the front of the machine,
are placed the feet of two other pieces E, E, each of which is about two inches
thick, three inches broad, and twenty-eight inches long, declining backwards
at any angle which may be found the most convenient from experience, and
supported firmly by braces F, F, inserted near their tops and resting on the
pieces A, A, near the back part of the frame; these pieces make the plane of
movement for that portion of the machinery which may be considered the
principle of the improvement which is claimed as a new Invention, and which
is constructed as follows (videlicet)-On the pieces E, E, at the top of each,

page_text: is fastened by a bolt or otherwise a piece of wood G (Fig. 1, 2, and 3),
about two inches thick, three inches wide, and seven inches long. In the
lower end of each is a mortice five eighths of an inch wide, extending
three inches from the end, each of which mortices receives a tenon of another
piece II, about eighteen inches long, and of the same scantling as the
piece G, which mortices and tenons have a hole through the centre of each,
about three quarters of an inch in diameter, to receive a rod of iron which
is formed into a double crank a, a (Fig. 1), and by means of the arms b, b,
thereto connected moves the jack c alternately up and down about one inch.
At the lower end of the pieces II, II, is made fast a piece of timber I, about
three inches square, with a rebate about half an inch deep and two inches
wide, as seen more distinctly in Fig. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This piece projects
over the right hand of the machine about six inches, and being thus connected
with II, II, is raised up or let down at pleasure, turning on the double crank
which acts as a spindle to the hinge made by the before-mentioned mortices
and tenons. In each piece II, H, on the sides facing each other, is a slit or
groove to receive the two ends of the board, and which is called the jack; the
upper side or part which is most elevated is made thickest, as seen in the
section (Fig. 2 and 3). This board, which is connected to the double crank
by means of the two arms b, b (Fig. 1, 2, and 3), is made to slide up and
down, or back and forth, about one inch in the aforesaid grooves by cach
revolution of the double crank on that side of the head I which faces the jack,
and in the rebate are fastened a number of light blades e, e, e, from twelve to
twenty in the length of three feet, as may be found best; these blades are
made of thin steel, plates, of good temper, about three quarters of an inch wide
and ten inches long, screwed or rivetted to the head I at one end, see Fig. 4
and 5; and near the other end of each a rod or wire d, Nig. 1, is to be attached
by being inserted through a hole or eye resembling the shank of a button,
see Fig. 4, so that the wire plays loosely. This wire being about five inches
long, and bent at the other end at right angles, is inserted through a hole in
the jack, so that when the jack is in motion the blades are moved up and down,
and pressing upon the cutting plate g, Fig. 2 and 3, by means of the springs h,
Fig. 4 and 5. These blades, instead of being made fast at one end to the
head I, they may be of some convenient form and attached conveniently to the
jack, so as to move with it unconnected with any other part, and governed by
springs fixed also to the jack. On the upper side of the pieces A, A, Fig. 2
and 3, about midway, is a post to support a wooden cylinder J, about two
inches diameter, in which is fixed a number of short sharp points; this is

page_text: called the prickly roller, and serves to keep the cloth even. Horizontally with
this prickly roller, and immediately under the light blades e, Fig. 3, is a
cylinder of iron K, about one inch in diameter, called the shearing cylinder,
on which rests the cutting plate or blade g, which should be a thin plate of
tempered steel, two or three inches wide, and fixed upon a bar of wood to
keep it stiff, see Fig. 7. This cutting plate is declined from the plane of
movement at an angle of about ten degrees, and the light blades are kept close
to the edge of this plate by means of the gentle but active springs before
mentioned, and which may be made of common iron wire, of the same length
as the blades, one end turned down at right angles and driven into the head,
and the other forked and bent a little, so as to rest upon the back of the
blade near the eye or shank, Fig. 4 and 5; each of these springs is
governed by the screw 7, which passes through the projecting part of the head
and causes the spring to act more or less upon the light blades. The shearing
cylinder K, Fig. 3, may be made of iron, accurately turned, or an iron or wooden
roller covered with leather, put on with glue or cement and turned round and
smooth. The two quadrants m, m, Fig. 2 and 3, are intended to support the
head, &c., when raised to the position Fig. 2. The red line denotes the position
of the cloth when in the machine; and n, n, n, Fig. 2 and 3, are sliding pullies to
tighten the lines. O, a turnbuckle for keeping down the head on the pieces E, E.
The proper movements of the machine are effected by a bar or shaft of iron or
wood p, Fig. 2 and 3, passing through the center of the frame, and made to
turn on the under side of the pieces A, A; on the right-hand end of this
shaft is a wheel or pulley 7, Fig. 2, three feet diameter, and on the same end
of the double crank is placed a corresponding pulley r, of four inches diameter;
these being connected by a strap or band, one revolution of the large pulley
gives the double crank nine, and consequently the light blades are moved up
and down over the edge of the cutting blade nine times. The diameter of
these pullies may be varied at the discretion of the mechanic. On the outside
of the shaft is fixed a pulleys, Fig. 3, four inches diameter, and on the
end of the shearing cylinder K another pulley, twelve inches diameter, and
also a smaller pulley, three inches diameter; and on the left-hand end of the
prickly roller J, a corresponding pulley k, thirteen and a half inches diameter,
connected by straps or bands, as represented by the dotted lines Fig. 3. Thus
three revolutions of the main shaft p will move the surface of the prickly
roller and occasion the cloth to advance one inch, and during the same space
of time cause the light blades to move up and down over the edge of the
cutting plate twenty-seven times, and as cach blade laps halfway on the

page_text: movement of the one before it on the cutting plate, there will be fifty-four
clips on every inch of cloth passing under the cutters. The cloth is kept from
slipping on the prickly roller by means of a small bar or roller u, which is
placed directly underneath it, and the nap of the cloth is raised by the
brush W made to operate on its surface whilst passing from the prickly roller
to the shearing cylinder, which turns with the same velocity as the main shaft
by means of the corresponding pullies y, z, Fig. 3, as likewise does the feeding
roller & by the corresponding pullies L, M, Fig. 2; the black lines represent
the straps or bands to connect the pullies, but these several movements may bo
effected by wheels and pinions, or instead of the shearing cylinder a guage
blade may be used, consisting of a plate of iron or wood (see a, Fig. 8), the
side or part of which next to the edge of the cutting plate g, and on which
the said edge rests, being straight and somewhat rounded or bent for the cloth
to pass over. And for the purpose of securing the lists of broad cloths from
being shorn, the guage blade, for the distance of perhaps eight inches on each
side of the machine where the lists must pass, may be made to consist of
narrow pieces or slips (see a, a, Fig. 10) screwed or rivetted fast at their
hinder part to the bar of wood on which the guage blade is fastened, and their
forward ends coming in contact with the edge of the cutter, and corresponding
in a streight line and rounded surface with the guage blade in general. The
object of which is, that as the cloth passes over the guage blade and under the
cutter's edge, these slips, being of a spring temper, may yield to the thickness of
the lists, and a thin plate (see Fig. 9) being attached to the under side of the
cutting blade, one at each end, so as to slide easily sideways, and being
governed by little stems extending a few inches forward of the said edge, they
may be kept constantly over the lists in such manner as to cover them and
prevent their being shorn while the cloth adjoining the lists will be forced by
said spring slips into close contact with the cutter and be duly shorn. The
cloth then being folded regularly may be laid within the body of the frame on
the floor, or on a grate or basket, near the back part of the machine. One
end may be carried over the prickly roller J, and forward over the shearing
cylinder or guage blade, and then under the shearing cylinder and over the
feeding roller x, which is caused to revolve much faster than the prickly roller,
and tends to draw forward the cloth more readily than the prickly roller will
suffer it to advance; but when every part of the cloth is thus drawn straight
under the cutter, it will slip on the feeding roller, and not be injured by
violence. N, N, Fig. 1, 2, and 3, are fly wheels attached to each end of the
double crank to regulate its motion, and under the cutting blade is a drawer

page_text: 9
or box to catch the flocks as they fall. The edge of the cutting blade,
may be moved farther or nearer the shearing cylinder by the screws P, or by
wedges which are to be fixed to the sides facing each other of the pieces E, E
and thereby the nap is left longer or shorter, as occasion may require. The
general form and proportions of the above described machinery may however
be varied according to circumstances. The cutting blade above described
must have a keen edge, formed by its being beviled much like the under blade
of a pair of croppers or common clothier's shears, and the edge of the light
blades which press on it must be rounded or blunted, resembling the upper
edge of such common shears. The plane of movement on the pieces E, E,
may be of any degree of declination from perpendicular to a horizontal level.
And this machine may be operated by a crank or pulley on the main shaft,
turned by any power, of man, horse, wind, water, or steam. The main wheel
or pulley q may also perhaps to better advantage be of two feet eight inches
diameter, and the pulley r corresponding on the double crank three inches and
a half, and the main pulley put on the left-hand end of the main shaft, and
the blades on the head, and the other pulleys consequently reversed. The
main shaft may then be made to turn in grooves or boxes sunk one or two
inches on the upper side of the pieces A, directly over where it is now sup-
ported. The movements of the machine will then be as described above,
provided the band or strap connecting the main shaft and shearing cylinder be
crossed. Instead of the joint formed by the mortices and tenons turning on
the rod forming the double crank, G and H may be one piece, turning upon
a butt hinge, as seen in Fig. 11 at the upper end of the piece E; and directly
over the joint may be a hole to receive the rod forming the double crank,
which hole may be extended one inch or more to admit a moveable brass box
or bush, which may be driven or forced down upon the double crank by a
It is contemplated also that in a machine of this kind of sufficient
width for shearing broad cloths, two pieces of narrow cloth may be shorn at
the same time, passing through the machine side by side.
screw.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Hart, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, in the fifty-second
year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the
grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
King, Defender of the Faith, and in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and twelve.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirteenth day of July, in the
fifty-second year of the reign of His Majesty King George the Third, the said
William Henry Hart came before our said. Lord the King in His Chancery,
and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the
forty-eighth year of His said Majesty's reign.
Inrolled the Thirteenth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and
twelve.