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 endless 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.
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 endless tapes extended upon rollers, as in Mr. Cowper’s [Printing Machine], which see. These endless tapes carry the web of paper to the roller c, which is pressed 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 pass without wrinkling.
From the first roller c, the endless tapes conduct the paper over the second d, and then under a pressing roller f, in which progress 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 pressing roller f, conducted by tapes, until they reach a fourth roller g, when they are allowed to descend, and to pass 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, across 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 passes 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 passing 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, passing 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.