IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND FINISHING THE TEETH OF COMBS AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Friedrich Hermann Felix Engel, Civil Engineer and
Patent Agent, in the City of Hamburg, Germany, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND FINISHING THE TEETH
OF COMBS AND OTHER ARTICLES." A communication from the New York
Hamburger Gummiwaaren Compagnie, of Hamburg, in the German Empire.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Friedrich Hermann Felix
Engel at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th March
1881.
FRIEDRICH HERMANN FÉLIX ENGEL, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, in
the City of Hamburg, Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING
AND FINISHING THE TEETH OF COMBS AND OTHER ARTICLES." A communication
from the New York Hamburger Gummiwaaren Compagnie, of Hamburg, in the
German Empire.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in machinery for cutting and
finishing the teeth of combs and other articles.
In the ordinary method of manufacturing combs the teeth are first cut out by
a rotating or up and down working saw or cutter, and afterwards what is known
as "edging-off," which consists in rounding off the edges of the teeth, is done by
hand.
The object of this Invention are improvements to provide machines in which the
three operations of cutting, polishing, and edging off may all be done without
removing the combs from their securing or holding device.
The machines hitherto used for the above named purpose consist of a framework
carrying a support to which the comb or article is clamped by a holder, which
holder is movable sideway towards the left or right upon a bracket support for
shifting the comb in side direction each time after a tooth has been cut out, which
arrangement is similar to the compound rest of a lathe. The cutting or polishing
tool is attached to another bracket, or to brackets fastened or forming part of the
frame of the machine; and these tools may either be of circular shape, in which
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page_text: case a revolving motion is imparted to same, or they may be formed like a flat
saw or band, in which case they must be furnished with an up and down motion.
The feeding motion during the operation of cutting or polishing may be given
either to the standard supporting the tool, or to the support carrying the comb.
That part forming the Invention consists of new arrangements by which a
swinging to and fro motion is imparted either to the comb or to the cutter, which
motion, in combination with the feeding, ensures the cutting and edging off of
the teeth, that is, the polishing of the sides and of the edges of the teeth
simultaneously.
In case the comb shall be furnished with a rocking or swinging to and fro
motion, the support carrying the comb has a prolongation piece formed in shape
of a pivot or axle extending towards the end of the machine, which piece is placed
in a bearing or in bearings of the frame. This pivot or axle is, by crank mechanism
or by an excentric driven from the main shaft, or from an auxiliary shaft, put in
a rocking to and fro motion, which motion transports itself by the support to the
comb or article of manufacture.
In case the tool instead of the comb has to be furnished with the rocking motion,
this Invention can preferably be carried into effect with machines having circular
saws or polishing discs. The saw or disc is put on a mandril or arbor placed in
bearings, or between points of set screws fastened to the arms of a yoke or frame
from which projects a long shank or shaft which is capable of turning in bearings
comprised in or attached to the frame. This shank or shaft is by a lever or other
mechanical arrangement brought in connection with a crank or an excentric, and
receives a rocking or swinging to and fro motion, which motion transports itself
to the arbor, and consequently to the tool. The rotating or revolving motion of
the tool is ensured by gearing, or by a pulley and strap fastened to the mandril
or arbor, and acted upon by the motion of the main shaft, or from an auxiliary
shaft driven by hand or other motive power.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Friedrich Hermann Felix Engel in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th September 1881.
FRIEDRICH HERMANN FELIX ENGEL, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, in
the City of Hamburg, Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING
AND FINISHING THE TEETH OF COMBS AND OTHER ARTICLES," A communication
from the New York Hamburger Gummiwaaren Compagnie, of Hamburg, in the
German Empire.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in machinery for cutting and
finishing the teeth of combs and other articles.
In the ordinary method of manufacturing combs the teeth are first cut out by
a rotating or up and down working saw or cutter, and afterwards by what is
known as edging off," which consists in rounding off the edges of the teeth,
which is done by hand.
The objects of this Invention are improvements to provide machines in which
the three operations of cutting, polishing, and edging off may all be done without
removing the combs from their securing or holding device.
The machines hitherto used for the above named purpose consist of a framework
carrying a support to which the comb or article is clamped by a holder, which
holder is moveable sideway towards the left or right upon a bracket support for
shifting the comb in side direction each time after a tooth has been out out,
which arrangement is similar to the compound rest of a lathe. The cutting or
polishing tool is attached to another bracket or to brackets fastened to or forming
part of the frame of the machine, and these tools may either be of circular shape;
in which case a revolving motion is imparted to same; or they may be formed like
a flat saw or band, in which case they must be furnished with an up and down
motion.
The feeding motion during the operation of cutting or polishing may be given
either to the standard supporting the tool, or to the support carrying the comb.
That part forming the Invention consists of new arrangements by which a
swinging to and fro motion is imparted either to the comb or to the cutter, which
motion, in combination with the feeding, ensures the edging and cutting off of
the teeth, that is, the polishing of the sides and of the edges of the teeth
simultaneously.
In case the comb shall be furnished with a rocking or swinging to and fro
motion the support carrying the comb has a prolongation piece formed in shape
of a pivot or axle extending towards the end of the machine, which piece is placed
in a bearing or in bearings of the frame. This pivot or axle is, by crank mechanism
or by an eccentric driven from the main shaft or from an auxiliary shaft, put in
rocking to and fro motion, which motion is transmitted by the support to the comb
or article under manufacture.
In case the tool instead of the comb has to be furnished with the rocking motion,
this Invention can preferably be carried into effect with machines having circular
saws or polishing discs. The saw or disc is put on a mandrel or arbor placed in
bearings or between points of set screws fastened to the arms of a yoke or frame,
from which projects a long shank or shaft which is capable of turning in bearings
comprised in or attached to the frame. This shank or shaft is, by a lever or other
mechanical arrangement, brought in connection with a crank or an eccentric, and
receives a rocking or swinging to and fro motion, which motion transports itself
to the arbor, and consequently to the tool. The rotating or revolving motion of
the tool is ensured by gearing, or by a pulley and strap fastened to the mandrel
or arbor, and acted upon by the motion of the main shaft, or from an auxiliary
shaft driven by hand or other motive.power.

page_text: .
The construction of a machine of this latter formation with swinging tool is
represented in Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a side
elevation partly in section.
Fig. 2, a front view likewise partly in section, and Fig. 3 a ground plan.
A represents the comb body or article of manufacture that has to be furnished 5
with teeth clamped in the holder B. This holder forms part of a bracket support C,
and is adjustable by guides and slides in side direction, as well as in a forward
and backward direction, towards the tool. This holder and bracket is old, and
forms no part of the improvements, from which reason the detailed arrangement is
not shown in the Drawing.
To the hinder end of frame D is placed the main shaft E with driving pulley F,
which latter runs loosely on shaft E. By means of lever H and clutch box G
pulley F can be coupled to shaft E, and will then impart revolving motion
thereto.
1
By means of conical gearing a, a, the motion of shaft E is transported to a 1
shaft m placed in bearings b, b¹. To the free end of m a cog wheel n is fastened
that gears into a wheel placed loosely on a shaft p supported by bearings d, d².
Another wheel fastened to wheel r turns likewise loosely on shaft p, and drives,
by gearing of wheel n', a shaft e.
The shaft p carries at its front end a yoke R, within which, supported between
points of set screws i, i¹, is arranged the rotary mandrel or arbor v carrying a saw
or polishing disc S. The shaft e is carried in arms f,f', of which arm fis fastened
to shaft p by means of screw x, whilst f¹ is fastened to yoke R, in consequence
of which arrangement both shafts p and e are combined to one mechanical system
that allows of driving saw or disc S by conical gearing z, z¹, and shaft vinde-
pendent of a swinging or rocking motion applied to shaft P in its bearings d, d².
For imparting such rocking motion to shaft p the latter carries an arm L
projecting sideway, and this arm is, by a ball-joint connected to lever K, moved
at its lower free end by a crank J of adjustable radius, and driven off the strap g
from the main shaft. Saw or disc S follows the movements of shaft p, and
consequently receives the swinging to and fro motion required for edging off the
teeth, or for polishing the edges.
An arm l, shown in Fig. 1 of the Drawings supported by a spring w, serves
as a rest for the comb during its forward motion towards the saw or disc, but this
is likewise a well known arrangement with tooth cutting machines.
Sheet II. of the annexed Drawings represents a modified machine of this sort
in which the rocking motion is applied to the bracket carrying the comb instead of
to the rotary tool, as before described.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section, Fig. 2 a ground plan, likewise partly
in section, and Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the rocking bracket.
A shows the rotary tool (saw or disc) driven by a pulley and strap b, and this
tool is supported by a bracket sliding on and guided in a frame for the purpose of
applying a forward and backward motion to the tool towards the comb. This
motion is produced by crank B driven by gearing r, r, from main shaft C furnished
with pulley m. The support S at the other end carrying the comb K is adjustable
in vertical direction by a scrow and hand wheel 8, whilst its shifting side motion
after each completion of a tooth is produced by a rack & fastened to the back of
support S, and acted upon by lever mechanism.
The newly invented parts and the improvements in this machine consist mainly
in forming a strong cylindrical projecting shaft or axle P to the support S carrying
the work piece or article of manufacture K, which shaft or axle P is placed in a
bearing H of the machine frame; and by means of an arm Q fastened to S,
connecting rod v and crank shaft h, i, a rocking motion is applied to the support,
which motion produces the edging off action of the rotating tool simultaneous with
the forward cutting or polishing action of the latter.
The bracket and holder carrying the work piece K is automatically shifted
sideways for the distance between two neighbouring teeth directly after the tool

page_text: has finished its return stroke. This side motion is produced by a mechanism
x, g, ƒ, o, e, and d. At the moment tool A is free from work piece K a cam x
turns shaft g, which latter moves, by means of lever f, a ratchet o swinging on
bolt w, and this ratchet turns a wheel e that gears with rack d of the bracket
carrying the comb or work-piece K. These parts of the machine may be constructed
differently, and do not form part of the Invention.
The third construction or modification according to this Specification is repre-
sented on Sheet III. of the accompanying Drawings. This machine is furnished
with a swinging holder support of exactly the same construction as that shown
on Sheet II., and all similar parts are marked with like letters of reference as in
Sheet II.
The tool consists in this case of a flat cutter or polishing band A fastened to an
arm B that is guided in a frame E, and to which an up and down motion is
imparted by a crank r, and by connecting rods m and n moved by strap z and
axle o. The feeding motion of the tool is produced by crank s¹ and connecting
rod t, but this motion may also be applied to the holder of the comb or work-
piece K. By the double motion (the rocking as well as the up and down motion
applied to the tool) the cutting or polishing as well as the edging off action are
simultaneously ensured.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention in such
wise that the same may be readily carried into practical effect, I clain,-
Firstly. In a machine for cutting and polishing the teeth of combs and other
articles the combination of a rotary arbor or mandrel carrying a saw or polishing
disc, a yoke or frame comprising bearings for said arbor or mandrel, and a shaft
to which said yoke or frame is rigidly attached, and having an oscillating motion
imparted to it, by mechanism constructed and operating substantially as and for
the purpose herein described with reference to and shown by Sheet I. of the
accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. In a machine for cutting and polishing the teeth of combs and other
articles the combination of a rotary saw or polishing disc with a holder or bracket
support for carrying the comb or article of manufacture, which said holder or
bracket support is furnished with a projecting axle or shaft placed and carried
within a bearing of the machine frame, and having an oscillating motion imparted
to it by mechanism constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth and described with reference to and shown by Sheet II. of the
accompanying Drawings; and
Thirdly. The modification of constructing a machine for cutting and polishing
the teeth of combs and other articles of manufacture, and furnished with a swinging
bracket or holder support, as set forth in claim 2, with a vertical up and down
working flat saw or polishing band instead of a rotary tool, substantially for the
purpose and in the manner herein set forth and described in reference to and shown
by Sheet III. of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Friedrich Hermann Felix Engel, havo
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in
the work of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and nightm