PAPER CUTTING

Mr. T. B. Crompton, of Farnworth, Lancashire, who obtained a patent in May, 1821, for proposing to conduct the newly formed web of paper in the Fourdrinier machine over heated cylinders, for the purpose of drying it expeditiously, in imitation of the mode so long practised in drying calicoes, obtained, along with Enoch Miller, another, in May, 1828, for cutting the endle web of paper lengthwise, by revolving circular blades, fixed upon a roller, parallel to a cylinder, round which the paper is lapped, and progre ively unwound. A patent had been obtained two months before, for certain improvements in cutting paper, by Mr. Edward Cowper, consisting of a machine, with a reel on which the web of paper of very considerable length has been previously wound, in the act of being made in a Fourdrinier’s machine; this web of paper being of sufficient width to produce two, three, or more sheets, when cut. The several operative parts of the machine are mounted upon standards, or frame-work, of any convenient form or dimensions, and consist: of travelling endle tapes to conduct the paper over and under a series of guide rollers; of circular rotatory cutters for the purpose of separating the web of paper into strips equal to the widths of the intended sheets; and of a saw-edged knife, which is made to slide horizontally for the purpose of separating the strips into such portions or lengths as shall bring them to the dimensions of a sheet of paper. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo0918.png:Paper cutting machine The end of the web of paper from the reel a , fig. 779. is first conducted up an inclined plane b by hand; it is then taken hold of by endle tapes extended upon rollers, as in Mr. Cowper’s Printing Machine , which see. These endle tapes carry the web of paper to the roller c , which is pre ed against the roller d by weighted levers, acting upon the plummer blocks that its axle is mounted in. The second roller d may be either of wood or metal, having several grooves formed round its periphery for the purpose of receiving the edges of the circular cutters e , (see Card-cutting ) mounted upon an axle turning upon bearings in the standards or frame. In order to allow the web of paper to proceed smoothly between the two rollers c , d , a narrow rib of leather is placed round the edges of one or both of these rollers, for the purpose of leaving a free space between them, through which the paper may pa without wrinkling. From the first roller c , the endle tapes conduct the paper over the second d , and then under a pre ing roller f , in which progre the edges of the circular knives e , revolving in the grooves of the second roller d , cut the web of paper longitudinally into strips of such widths as may be required, according to the number of the circular cutters and distances between them. The strips of paper proceed onward from between the knife roller d and pre ing roller f , conducted by tapes, until they reach a fourth roller g , when they are allowed to descend, and to pa through the apparatus designed to cut them transversely; that is, into sheet lengths. The apparatus for cutting the strips into sheets is a sliding knife, placed horizontally upon a frame at h , which frame, with the knife e , is moved to and fro by a jointed rod i , connected to a crank on the axle of the pulley k . A flat board or plate l is fixed to the standard frame in an upright position, acro the entire width of the machine; and this board or plate has a groove or opening cut along it opposite to the edge of the knife. The paper descending from the fourth roller g pa es against the face of this board, and as the carriage with the knife advances, two small blocks, mounted upon rods with springs m m , come against the paper, and hold it tight to the board or plate l , while the edge of the knife is protruded forward into the groove of that board or plate, and its sharp saw-shaped teeth pa ing through the paper, cut one row of sheets from the descending strips; which, on the withdrawing of the blocks, falls down, and is collected on the heap below. The power for actuating this machine is applied to the reverse end of the axle, on which the pulley k is fixed, and a band n , n , n , n , pa ing from this pulley over tension wheels o , drives the wheel q fixed to the axle of the knife roller d ; hence this roller receives the rotatory motion which causes it to conduct forward the web of paper, but the other rollers c and f , are impelled solely by the friction of contact. The rotation of the crank on the axle of k , through the intervention of the crank-rod i , moves the carriage h , with the knife, to and fro at certain periods, and when the spring blocks m come against the grooved plate l , they slide their guide rods into them, while the knife advances to sever the sheets of paper. But as sheets of different dimensions are occasionally required, the lengths of the slips delivered between each return of the knife are to be regulated by enlarging or diminishing the diameter of the pulley k , which will of course retard or facilitate the rotation of the three conducting rollers, c , d , f , and cause a greater or le length of the paper to descend between each movement of the knife carriage. The groove of this pulley k , which is susceptible of enlargement, is constructed of wedge-formed blocks pa ed through its sides, and meeting each other in opposite directions, so that on drawing out the wedges a short distance, the diameter of the pulley becomes diminished; or by pushing the wedges further in, the diameter is increased; and a tension wheel p being suspended in a weighted frame, keeps the band always tight. As it is nece ary that the paper should not continue descending while it is held by the blocks m , m to be cut, and yet that it should be led on progre ively over the knife roller d , the fourth roller g , which hangs in a lever j , is made to rise at that time, so as to take up the length of paper delivered, and to descend again when the paper is withdrawn. This is effected by a rod r , connected to the crank on the shaft of the aforesaid roller k , and also to the under part of the lever j , which lever hanging loosely upon the axle of the knife roller d , as its fulcrum, vibrates with the under roller g , so as to effect the object in the way described. The patentee states that several individual parts of this machine are not new, and that some of them are to be found included in the specifications of other persons, such as the circular cutters e , which are employed by Mr. Dick in son ( Card-cutting ), and the horizontal cutter h , by Mr. Hansard; he therefore claims only the general arrangement of the parts in the form of a machine for the purpose of cutting paper, as the subject of his invention. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo0919.png:Paper cutting machine The machine for cutting paper contrived by John Dick in son, Esq. of Nash Mill, was patented in January, 1829. The paper is wound upon a cylindrical roller a , fig. 780. , mounted upon an axle, supported in an iron frame or standard. From this roller the paper in its breadth is extended over a conducting drum b , also mounted upon an axle turning in the frame or standard, and after pa ing under a small guide roller, it proceeds through a pair of drawing or feeding rollers c , which carry it into the cutting machine. Upon a table d , d , firmly fixed to the floor of the building, there is a series of chisel-edged knives e , e , e , placed at such distances apart as the dimensions of the cut sheets of paper are intended to be. These knives are made fast to the table, and against them a series of circular cutters f , f , f , mounted in a swinging frame g , g , are intended to act. The length of paper being brought along the table over the edges of the knives, up to a stop h , the cutters are then swung forwards, and by pa ing over the paper against the stationary knives, the length of paper becomes cut into three separate sheets. The frame g , g , which carries the circular cutters f , f , f , hangs upon a very elevated axle, in order that its pendulous swing may move the cutters as nearly in a horizontal line as po ible; and it is made to vibrate to and fro by an eccentric, or crank, fixed upon a horizontal rotatory shaft extending over the drum b , considerably above it, which may be driven by any convenient machinery. The workmen draw the paper from between the rollers c , and bring it up to the stop h , in the intervals between the pa ing to and fro of the swing-cutters. The following very ingenious apparatus for cutting the paper web transversely into any desired lengths, was made the subject of a patent by Mr. E. N. Fourdrinier, in June, 1831, and has since been performing its duty well in many establishments. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo0920a.png:Paper cutting apparatus IMG:4147767755307473660_illo0920b.png:Paper cutting apparatus Fig. 781. is an elevation, taken upon one side of the machine; and fig. 782. is a longitudinal section. a , a , a , a , are four reels, each covered with one continuous sheet of paper; which reels are supported upon bearings in the frame-work b , b , b . c , c , c , is an endle web of felt-cloth pa ed over the rollers d , d , d , d , which is kept in close contact with the under side of the drum e , e , seen best in fig. 782. The several parallel layers of paper to be cut, being pa ed between the drum e , and the endle felt c , will be drawn off their respective reels, and fed into the machine, whenever the driving-band is slid from the loose to the fast pulley upon the end of the main shaft f . But since the progre ive advance of the paper-webs must be arrested during the time of making the cro cut through it, the following apparatus becomes nece ary. A disc g , which carries the pin or stud of a crank i , is made fast to the end of the driving shaft f . This pin is set in an adjustable sliding piece, which may be confined by a screw within the bevelled graduated groove, upon the face of the disc g , at variable distances from the axis, whereby the eccentricity of the stud i , and of course the throw of the crank, may be considerably varied. The crank stud i is connected by its rod j , to the swinging curvilinear rack k , which takes into the toothed wheel l , that turns freely upon the axle of the feed drum e , e . From that wheel the arms m , m , rise, and bear one or more palls n , which work in the teeth of the great ratchet wheel o , o , mounted upon the shaft of the drum e . IMG:4147767755307473660_illo0920c.png:Moveable blade The crank-plate g being driven round in the direction of its arrow, will communicate a see-saw movement to the toothed arc k , next to the toothed wheel l in gearing with it, and an oscillatory motion to the arms m , m , as also to their surmounting pall n . In its swing to the left hand, the catch of the pall will slide over the slope of the teeth of the ratchet wheel o ; but in its return to the right hand, it will lay hold of these teeth, and pull them, with their attached drum, round a part of a revolution. The layers of paper in close contact with the under half of the drum will be thus drawn forward at intervals, from the reels, by the friction between its surface and the endle felt, and in lengths corresponding to the arc of vibration of the pall. The knife for cutting these lengths transversely is brought into action at the time when the swing arc is making its inactive stroke, viz., when it is sliding to the left over the slopes of the ratchet teeth o . The extent of this vibration varies according to the distance of the crank stud i , from the centre f , of the plate g , because that distance regulates the extent of the oscillations of the curvilinear rack, and that of the rotation of the drum e , by which the paper is fed forwards to the knife apparatus. The proper length of its several layers being by the above described mechanism carried forward over the bed r of the cutting knife or shears r , v , whose under blade r is fixed, the wiper s , in its revolution with the shaft f , lifts the tail of the lever t , consequently depre es the transverse movable blade v (as shown in fig. 783. ), and slides the slanting blades acro each other obliquely, like a pair of sci ors, so as to cause a clean cut acro the plies of paper. But just before the shears begin to operate, the transverse board u descends to pre the paper with its edge, and hold it fast upon the bed r . During the action of the upper blade v , against the under r , the fall board u , is suspended by a cord pa ing acro pullies from the arm y of the bell-crank lever t , t . Whenever the lifter cam s , has pa ed away from the tail of the bell-crank t , the weight z , hung upon it, will cause the blade v , and the pinching board u , to be moved up out of the way of the next length of paper, which is regularly brought forward by the rotation of the drum e , as above described. The upper blade of the shears is not set parallel to the shaft of the drum, but obliquely to it, and is, moreover, somewhat curved, so as to close its edge progre ively upon that of the fixed blade. The blade v may also be set between two guide pieces, and have the nece ary motion given to it by levers.