Patent No. 8660 Improvements In Machinery...Part 2

c, c, is then lowered, as before described, and the material passed under the rotatory cutter, as shewn at 2, 2, fig. 6, and secured to the clamp p, p, when the bed, being again raised, and motion communicated to the drum o, through the train of gear, it will be drawn onwards, and this part of the material shaved or cut throughout its whole length; the bed and wheels which drive the drum, are then thrown out of gear, and the bed is again lowered, when the skin or hide is pulled sideways, (the holding chaps p, being opened,) bringing another width, or part of the same, under the action of the rotatory cutter; and so on, until the whole width of the material has been operated upon. 3, 3, is a board, extending along the back of the machine, for the purpose of supporting the material previously to its arriving on to the drum. In this arrangement and con- struction of machine, there will be no occasion for reversing the skin or hide, or material, end for end, and passing it again through the machine, as the chaps or clamp p, p, may be brought sufficiently close to the cutter to effect the shaving throughout its length.

Another arrangement and construction of machine, for effecting this purpose, is shewn at figs. 8 and 9; the differ- ence consisting in using the same length of machine, but dispensing with the necessity of folding the skin or hide, or material. Fig. 8, is an end view, and fig. 9, a longi- tudinal vertical section; in which figures, the same letters of reference refer to similar parts in this and the two former machines. 4, 4, are wooden troughs, supported at their ends by arms 5, 5, having rollers running upon a rail, affixed to the floor. These troughs also carry rails 6, 6, affixed to the longitudinal beam 7. These rails bear upon rollers 8, 8, supported by the frame-work of the machine. 9, 9, are racks, attached to the under sides of the beams 7,7; which racks are operated upon by pinions 10, 10, affixed to a cross shaft, turning in bearings, attached to the sliding piece d, d, of the bed c, and receive rotatory motion by the following means:-

On the axis of the rotatory cutter A, is a pulley 11, driv- ing another pulley 12, on the cross shaft 13; and this shaft, by means of a pair of bevil pinions 14, actuates the worm 15, taking into the worm-wheel 16, upon the axis of the pinion 10; by these means they are caused to revolve, and move the racks 9, 9, and, consequently, the troughs 4, 4, with a slow progressive motion.

The bed, in this instance, is not constructed as a roller, but as a hooked or crutch piece; and the arrangement for raising and falling it, are nearly the same as in the former machine; the only difference being, that the pieces d, d, which carry it, are guided by pins, which run in slots formed therein.

The bed being lowered, the hide or skin, or material to be operated upon, is placed in one of the troughs 4, and passed under the rotary cutter; the end is then secured by the chaps or clamps p, p; when the bed being raised, and with it the pinions 10, 10, motion will be communicated to the troughs, as before described; and the material being shaved or pared in its progress to the required thickness, the bed is then again lowered, which will bring the pinions 10, 10, from their connection with the racks 9, 9, and arrest the progress of the troughs 4, 4*; when they, with the material, are moved back again, and the material under operation drawn transversely as before, so as to present a fresh width or portion for the action of the cutter; the part just finished, hanging in the trough 4*, as shewn in fig. 8, the bed being raised, and with it the pinions 10, into the racks 9, 9, the same operation will take place, and so on, until the whole width of the material is operated upon. The other applications of this part of the invention, relate to the cutting of tobacco, sugar canes, dye woods, and cork; but, as the construction of machines for these pur- poses, to which the novel or particularly formed tool or cutter may be applied, form no part of the invention, and as the arrangement and construction may be varied to a great extent, the patentees have not thought it necessary to shew drawings of such machinery.

The second part of this invention, refers to the appli- cation, use, or adaptation of the novel or improved rotary tool or cutter, where the cutting edges or blades are sup- ported throughout their whole length, to machines or en- gines, for cutting hay, straw, and other such matters, into chaff.

At fig. 10, is shewn this application of the improved tool to one construction of chaff-cutting machine; to the ac- tuating parts of which, however, no claim is made, as they may be the same as shewn in the drawings, or those used in ordinary chaff-cutting machines.

The third head of the invention, viz., the improved arrangement and construction of coiled or spirally-formed cutter or tool, for cutting turnips or other roots, is shewn at figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.

Fig. 11, is a plan view of the improved cutter, as applied to cutting turnips or other roots into slices; fig. 12, is a horizontal section of the same; and fig. 13, is an end view. The cylinder a, a, (as it may be termed,) on which the knives b, b, are supported, has coiled or spiral channels c, c, formed through its surface or periphery, opening into the interior of the cylinder; through which channels, the slices of turnips or other roots pass, as they are cut or shaved off by the rotation of the cutter.

The cylinder shewn in the drawing, is supposed to be about 15 inches long; and there are two spiral blades applied thereto, each one coiling but one-half of the distance round the cylinder; by which arrangement, a sufficient space is obtained between the two knives, to permit the roots to come into contact with their edges, so as to be cut. It will be perceived, that the section of the cylinder consists of two frustrums of cones; the two ends of which are formed in the direction of the spiral channels c, c,-the larger diameter of the frustrum being that on which the knives are placed, and which forms one side of the spiral channel; and the smaller diameter being that which forms the other side of the spiral channels; the knives will, there- fore, at all parts of their spiral curve, present a projecting edge; which projecting edge, acting against the turnips or other roots, will cut off or remove slices therefrom, the thickness of which will be determined by the difference in diameter between the two spiral ends of the frustrums of the cones.

The spiral channels c, c, do not extend throughout the whole length of the cylinder, but terminate at the point d, d, there being a short piece left, at cach end, in order to keep the parts of the cylinder united. The cutter, formed as above described, is mounted upon an axis, pass- ing through bosses, which carry arms e, e, attached to the cylinder, as shewn in the drawing.

Fig. 14, is a section, shewing the improved turnip-cutter, mounted in its frame-work; f,f, is the hopper, into which the turnips or other roots, intended to be sliced, are placed. The pieces, as they are separated, falling through the channels c, c, into the interior of the cylinder, from whence thy fall into the receptacle placed to receive them. 

Figs. 15 and 16, shew the improved turnip-cutter, arranged so as to cut the turnips or other roots into square or oblong pieces. The construction of the cylinder a, a, and knives b, b, are essentially the same as that already described; but in this case, are applied a series of knives g, g, at right angles, or nearly so, to the axis of the cylinder. The mode by which these knives are attached, will be seen by reference to fig. 15; it will there be perceived, that the lower portions of the cylinder, which form one side of the spiral channels, are carried underneath the knives b, b, as at h, h. In these parts h, h, are formed mortices, through which the knives g, g, pass; and when they are brought flush with the spiral blades b, b, they are kept in their position by means of keys, or in any other convenient man- ner, so as to be readily removed, if required.

The fourth head of the invention is shewn at fig. 17. Upon the axis a, a, of the rotary cutter, are mounted the two worms b, b*; which worms are formed upon the collar c, c, running loosely upon the axle a, a; d, is a worm- wheel, mounted upon a short shaft e; which shaft, at its other end, carries the bevil pinion ƒ, taking into another bevil pinion g, mounted upon the axle h, of the under feeding roller. The worm b, is shewn in the drawing, in gear with the worm-wheel d; and motion being given to the rotary cutter A, by the winch handle i, or in any other manner, the feed-rollers will be caused to revolve, and deliver a given quantity of vegetable matter to the action of the rotary cutter; but should it be desired to obtain a faster feed, in order to cut the chaff of greater lengths, the screw k, is loosened, and the collar, on which the worms are formed, is slidden towards the framing of the machine, until it arrives in contact with the stop l, when the double- threaded screw b*, will be in gear with the worm-wheel d. The screw k, being again tightened, and motion commu- nicated to the machine, the feed-rollers will revolve with twice the speed, and consequently chaff will be produced of a different length.

The fifth and last head of the invention, viz.—that of giving to spiral blades, used for cutting vegetable and other matters, a saw edge, is shewn at figs. 18 and 19. Fig. 18, is a plan view of the under side of a portion of a spiral cutter, with the improvements; fig. 19, is an edge view of the same. It will be perceived, by referring to these figures, that the under surface is cut or indented, in one direction, after the manner of what are generally known as "float-cut" files; and that, consequently, the edges thereof, as they are ground, will be serrated, or resemble a finely-cut saw or sickle edge.

The patentees, in conclusion, state that what they claim, as their invention is, "First,-the application and use of the peculiarly formed knife or edged tool, herein before described, to the purposes of cutting or operating upon leather, turnips, mangel wurzel, and other roots, as well as sugar cane, tanners' bark, dye woods, tobacco, and cork; such knife or edge tool, consisting of a spiral blade or blades, or a portion or portions of the same, set at an angle, in a transverse direction to the axis upon which it or they revolve. "Secondly,-The application and use of such blades, knives, or cutting edges, as are supported throughout their whole length, when applied only to machines for cutting hay or straw, &c., into chaff.

"Thirdly, The employment of a spiral blade or cutter, for the purpose of cutting turnips, mangel wurzel, or other roots, as food for cattle, as hereinbefore stated and described. 'Fourthly,-The mode herein before described, of chang- ing the speed of feed-rollers in chaff-cutting machines. "And lastly,-In giving to spiral or coiled blades or cut- ters, used for cutting vegetable or other matters, a saw, sickle-like, or serrated edge, as above described." - [Inrolled in the Petty Bag Office, April, 1841.]

Specification drawn by Messrs. Newton and Berry.