IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH MACHINES FOR CUTTING PAPER, CARD BOARD, AND OTHER LIKE MATERIALS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Phineas Lawrence, of the Firm of Lawrence Brothers, of
Viaduct Works, Farringdon Road, in the County of Middlesex, Merchants, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH MACHINES FOR
CUTTING PAPER, CARD BOARD, AND OTHER LIKE MATERIALS." Partly a commu-
nication from abroad by Charles Cranston, of Brooklyn, in the State of New
York in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Phineas Lawrence at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th April 1879.
PHINEAS LAWRENCE, of the Firm of Lawrence Brothers, of Viaduct Works,
Farringdon Road, in the County of Middlesex, Merchants. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
CONNECTED WITH MACHINES FOR CUTTING PAPER, CARD BOARD, AND OTHER LIKE
MATERIALS." Partly a communication from abroad by Charles Cranston, of
Brooklyn, in the State of New York, in the United States of America.
In certain machines for cutting paper and other materials the gauge employed
for regulating the size of paper or material to be cut is operated by wire or other
ropes or cords attached thereto, but after a time it is found that such ropes or cords
become unduly stretched or worn, and the gauge ceases to perform its function
accurately. Now in order to remedy this evil metallic bands or belts (preferably of
fine steel) are employed in place of the wire ropes or cords, as such bands or belts
are not liable to stretch or give. For the purpose of preventing the said metallic
bands or belts becoming shifted or otherwise disarranged during the working of the
machine they lie in a groove or recess contrived in the periphery of the pulleys
over which they pass.
These metallic bands or belts are drawn tightly over the pulleys, and two of their
ends are connected to the gauge by suitable means, while their other two ends are
secured to a pulley keyed on the shaft of the hand wheel by projecting pieces on
their ends entering orifices contrived in the recessed portion of such pulley.
The next improvement relates to a means or contrivance for determining the
quantity of paper or other meterial to be cut off, and for ascertaining more readily
than heretofore whether the gauge is accurately set, thus rendering recourse to the
graduations on the table or platform in order to ascertain whether such gauge is set
at the required degree thereon less necessary than heretofore. For this purpose I

page_text: fix on the hand-wheel which operates the gauge a ring concentric which such wheel,
and on the periphery of this ring I mark a suitably graduated scale corresponding
with the graduations on the table or platform.
The shaft of this hand-wheel passes through two branches of an arm embracing
the hand-wheel; one of these branches is fixed to the frame of the machine, and
the other terminates in an index or pointer, which lies over and in front of the gra-
duated ring.
Now on the hand wheel being revolved it will cause the pulley (to which two of
the ends of the metallic bands or belts are attached) to revolve and to impart move-
ment to the gauge, and so set it to the required degree on the platform or table
corresponding with that on the index ring. By these means a great saving of time
is effected.
The next improvement relates to a clamping device or contrivance for preventing
the back of the paper or material rising up on being cut. For this purpose I pass
an adjustable sliding bar or bars, or a tempered flat spring or springs, through a
projection contrived on the clamping-beam of the machine, or through the clamping
beam itself, such bar or bars or spring or springs terminating at one end in a cross
bar, which has at its extremities eyes through which adjustable rods are passed. To
the lower ends of these adjustable rods is fixed a pressing bar of wood or other
material, acting in harmony with the clamping beam; it extends across the machine,
and has its under surface flat, slightly concave, or roughened, so as to better main-
tain the paper during the cutting operation; or its under surface may be faced with
india-rubber. The adjustable rods have holes in them, and they are surrounded by
spiral or coiled springs, the pressure of which is regulated by means of discs sup-
ported by pins passing through any of the holes, or by any other suitable contrivances.
To set this clamping device or contrivance to suit any size of paper or material to
be cut, the adjustable sliding bar or bars, or spring or springs, is or are advanced or
retired, as the case may be, and then set at the required distance by means of nuts
or other suitable contrivances.
Or this device or contrivance may be connected to a clamp which may be fixed to
the clamping beam of the machine, or it may be fixed to any other suitable part of
the machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Phineas Lawrence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
October 1879.
"
PHINEAS LAWRENCE, of the Firm of Lawrence Brothers, of Viaduct Works,
Farringdon Road, in the County of Middlesex, Merchants. IMPROVEMENTS IN
OR CONNECTED WITH MACHINES FOR CUTTING PAPER, CARDBOARD, AND OTHER
LIKE MATERIALS." Partly a communication from abroad by Charles Cranston, of
Brooklyn, in the State of New York, in the United States of America.
This Invention relates to various improvements in or connected with machines for
cutting paper, card-board, and other like materials, and has reference,―
1st. To the employment of metallic bands or strips in sections in place of wire
ropes or other ropes or cords for operating the gauge.
2ndly. To a means or contrivance for readily setting the gauge in order to deter-
mine the quantity of paper or other material to be cut off without having recourse
to the graduations on the table or platform of the machine, and without having to
use a measuring rule, the said gauge being operated by the steel strips in sections,
which are used in combination with this adjusting contrivance.
3rdly. To means or contrivances for preventing the back of the pile of paper or
other material from rising up while being cut.
I now proceed, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, to describe more
particularly my Invention.
I. In certain machines for cutting paper and like materials, and especially in those
described in the Specification of the British Letters Patent, No. 2020/76, granted to
William Robert Lake as a communication from Preston Vanhorn and the aforesaid
Charles Cranston, the gauge employed for regulating the size of paper or other
material to be cut is operated by wire ropes or other ropes or cords which are
attached thereto, but after a time these ropes or cords become unduly stretched or
worn, and the consequence is that the gauge ceases to perform its function
accurately.
Now in order to remedy this evil I dispense with the wire ropes or cords, and in
place thereof I employ in combination with the contrivance for setting the gauge
metallic bands or strips in sections, made preferably of fine steel, as such bands or
strips are not liable to stretch or give, and therefore the accurate working of the
gauge is ensured.
In the Drawings Figures 1 and 2 show only so much of a paper cutting machine
as is necessary to explain my Invention; Fig. 1 being a side elevation, and Fig. 2
a plan thereof.
In these Figures a, a³, represent the metallic bands or strips hereinafter called
bands only to avoid repetition, they lie in the groove b in the periphery of
the pulley A. The band a lies under the flange c, and the band a¹ above the
flange c¹.
-Two
These bands are secured to the pulley A in the following manner:-
orifices d, d, are contrived in the groove b of this pulley, the orifice d being located
at the upper portion thereof, while the orifice d¹ is at the lower portion thereof, but
not opposite to each other. The end of the band a passes through the orifice d, and
that of the band a' through the orifice d¹; these ends are bent inwardly, as shewn
in Fig. 2, and are fastened to the inside of the pulley by screws a*, ax, or by
other suitable means; or these bands may be secured in any other convenient
manner.
From the pulley A these bands a, a', pass over other pulleys B and C, which
are mounted beneath the platform, and over these pulleys they are drawn tightly,
the band a passing over the pulley B, and the band a¹ over the pulley C. By
means of this arrangement the bands do not interfere with each other during the

page_text: working of the machine, as they do not lie over each other, and they are likewise
prevented from becoming shifted or otherwise disarranged. The other ends of these
bands are secured in any convenient manner to the gauge D, as for example, to a
block, as shewn in the Drawings.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the pulley A partly in section; and Fig. 4 an elevation of
same.
Fig. 5 (Sheet 2) is a diagram illustrating the position the metallic bands would
assume around the pulley A when this latter has been revolved, and the gauge D
has been advanced, as shewn in dotted lines, to a corresponding amount on the
platform Z.
II. My next improvement relates to a means or contrivance for determining the
quantity of paper or other material to be cut off, and for ascertaining the accurate
setting of the gauge.
This contrivance is shewn in elevation at Fig. 1, and in plan Fig.‍ 2; Figs. 6,
7, and 8, are details thereof.
E is a vertical shaft passing through the frame X of the machine, or stepped in a
bracket secured thereto. On this shaft E are mounted the pulley A and the hand
wheel G, which operates the gauge D through the pulleys A, B, C, hereinbefore
mentioned. On the arms of this hand-wheel G is cast a ring H which is concentric
with the wheel, and on the periphery of this ring I mark a suitably graduated
scale, such graduations corresponding with those on the table or platform. The
shaft E of the hand-wheel G passes through an arm which is constructed in two
portions J and J₁, and which are secured together by a screw or bolt j. This arm
embraces the hand-wheel, its lower portion J¹ being secured to one of the lateral
uprights of the machine, and its upper portion J terminating in an index or
pointer which lies over the graduated ring. The hand-wheel is keyed on the
shaft E by means of the nut ja pressing against the boss of such wheel. The shaft
is slightly tapered at that portion thereof which passes through the eye of the boss,
in order to key the wheel more tightly thereon.
To hold the gauge in position when set at the desired place by the hand-wheel
I place within the graduated ring H a stiff band of flexible steel / (see Figs. 6, 7,
and 8), the ends of which are cut bevil, and are provided with small metal blocks,
also cut on an incline or bevil, and between these bevil ends I introduce a wedge
nut *, which is so arranged that when it is drawn upwards by the screw F by
means of the nut F* its widest part comes between the ends of the band h, and
expands it so forcibly within the ring as to cause it to hold the ring rigidly, the
scrow F which draws up the wedge nut h*, being for this purpose attached to the
arm J which holds the index or pointer.
The working of this indicating contrivance is as follows:-
Ou the hand wheel G being revolved it causes the pulley A to which the ends of
the metallic bands a, a', are secured to revolve, and to impart movement to the
gauge, and thus to set it to the required degree on the platform or table corresponding
with the extent of revolution performed by the index ring. By these means the
gauge can be readily set without having recourse to the graduations on the platform,
and thus a great saving of time is effected.
In fitting or adapting this contrivance to machines the pointer on the ring must
correspond with the same figure on the platform.
III. My next improvement relates to a clamping device or contrivance for
preventing the back of the paper or other material while being cut from rising up,
and for preventing back of folded material level with the front, thus preventing
the slipping of the material, and thereby ensuring greater accuracy of cut than
ordinarily.
Fig. 9 is a side view of this contrivance; Fig. 10, a front view thereof; and
Fig. 11, a plan.
K is an adjustable sliding horizontal bar which passes through a clamp L, which
said clamp is clamped on the clamping beam M of the machine. This sliding bar K
terminates at one of its ends in a cross bar K*, which is furnished with eyes or

page_text: sockets k, k, at its extremities, and through which pass adjustable vertical screw
threaded. rods m, m. Between the sockets and the nuts p are placed coiled
springs n which surround the rods m, these springs are regulated in length and
pressure by the nuts p. To prevent the sliding bar K from becoming shifted or
turning around a groove is contrived therein, and into this groove a feather is
fitted.
To the lower ends of the adjustable rods m is fixed a presser bar N of wood or
other suitable material. This presser bar acts in harmony with the clamping beam
of the machine by means of thumb nuts k*, which keep the vertical rods in place,
and force them with their presser bar N to rise and to descend whenever the
clamping beam effects the same movement. This presser bar extends across the
machine, and presses on the material to be cut. Its under surface may in accordance
with the materials to be cut be flat, as shewn in Figs. 9 and 10; or it may be
slightly concave, as shewn in Fig. 12; or it may be roughened or slightly serrated,
as seen in Fig. 13; or it may have a facing of india-rubber or other suitable
material t, as seen in Fig. 14.
In order to set this clamping device or contrivance to suit any size of paper or
material to be cut the adjustable sliding horizontal bar K is advanced or retired, as
the case may be, till the required distance be attained; it is then secured in place
by a set screw w or by other convenient means. The adjustable vertical rods are
then raised or lowered by regulating the thumb nuts k*, k*, to suit the height of
paper or other material which is to be held down. By means of this contrivance
the material being cut will always settle back against the gauge, and so come out
evenly cut.
Or the rods m may be plain, and instead of the nuts collars på may be used,
which can be secured in place by split pins passing through any of the holes 8 in
the rods. To retain the rods m in place when adjusted a thumb screw v may be
used. This arrangement is shewn in Fig. 15.
Instead of using one continuous presser bar secured to the two adjustable rods m,
each of these rods may be provided with its own independent presser bar; this will
be found useful where the gauge is composed of 3, or more or less portions, and
instead of the horizontal sliding bar K being fitted to a clamp, which is secured to
the clamping beam of the machine, a projection may be formed on the clamping
beam, and the sliding bar passed through; or further still the sliding bar can
be passed through an orifice contrived in the beam itself, and be held fast therein
by means of a set screw or other suitable contrivance.
Fig. 16 shows another arrangement, in which a tempered curved flat spring O
is used instead of the horizontal sliding bar K and vertical sliding rods m. This
spring O may pass directly through the clamping beam of the machine, as shewn,
and can be set at any distance required by the set screw o; or it may be attached,
as in the arrangement shewn in Figs. 9 and 10, or in any other manner that may
be found more convenient. Its lower end is furnished with a presser block N,
which may be like any of those herein before described.
Instead of using one flat spring two or more of these flat springs may be used if
desired.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner it
may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The employment of metallic bands or strips in sections, in place of
wire ropes or cords, or other ropes or cords, as specified for the purposes set
forth.
Second. The means or contrivance described, and substantially as shown in the
Drawings, whereby the gauge can be readily set without having recourse to the
graduations on the table or platform, or to a measuring rule, the said gauge being
operated by the metallic strips or bands used in combination with such adjusting
contrivance, as set forth.
Third. The employment of a spring or band of flexible steel, in combination with

page_text: a nut for expanding same, and arranged and acting as and for the purpose
described.
Fourth. The clamping contrivance, having its parts arranged, combined, and
operated substantially as herein described and shewn in Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,
14, 15, of the annexed Drawings, whereby the back of the material pressed down is
prevented from rising up or slipping forward while being cut, and thus ensuring
evenness of cut.
Fifth. The clamping contrivance composed of a curved spring or springs, with a
presser bar or bars, as set forth, and shewn by way of example with one spring and
bar in Fig. 16:
In witness whereof, I, the said Phineas Lawrence, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year 1879.