Improvements in Machines for Cutting Combs

10,470. Stewart, D. B. D., and Stewart, W. D., [Noyes, J.]. May 18. Combs, hair.-Relates to a machine for twin-cutting combs of horn, vulcanite, celluloid, xylonite, &c. with fine or coarse teeth, or both, and with guard teeth at the ends, and also cropping or parting the two combs. The machine may also be arranged to cut more than two combs by duplicating the cutters &c. Fig. 4 shows a plan, and Fig. 6 a section of part of the machine on the line 6. The horn &c. blanks are softened by placing them between the heated boxes E, and are then clamped on a slide which works over the heated bed C and under the cutters 2. Cutters for the fine and coarse teeth and for the guard teeth and for cropping are carried on separate plungers, and the guard and cropping cutters may be combined. All the plungers are carried in a crosshead Y, which is adjustable laterally by a cam X so as to bring the proper cutter into position as the blank is fed forward, and a cam-operated clamping-device is used to hold the crosshead steady. The plungers are worked by a cam K on the main shaft K acting through antifriction rollers on slides z and " hammer knockers " y, which can be pulled back to render the cams inoperative either by hand or by the cam U and arm y . Feeler bars z prevent the descent of the cropping-cutters if the clamping-plates are in the way. The blank is clamped on the bed by a pair of hinged plates which are kept closed or are opened by fingers &c. on a slide v, and this slide is operated from the cam X througn the link u and lever u . It is mounted on a rocking bar v', and can be lifted by certain arrangements worked by the handle w at the other end of the machine. The bed itself slides under the spring-held guides d , d , and is fed by the pawls o', p engaging racks on its sides. These pawls are carried by the pivoted arm n which is reciprocated through arms on a rock shaft k and link h from a cam on the main shaft near the driving-wheel K'. The pawls o', p give the feed for fine and the coarse teeth respectively, and one or other is held out of action by the links and levers w , which are acted upon by cams on the shaft T. The driving-connections between the various cams and other shafts is made partly by the gear-wheels seen on the right of Fig. 4 in connection with a clutch, tripping-gear, and stops d , d' on the slide, the arrangements illustrated by numerous views in the Specification being such as to ensure the proper sequence of the feeding and cutting operat