IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEARS USED WHEN CUTTING THE EDGES OF LAWNS AND GRASS BORDERS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, SYLVAN DE WILDE of "Hallville" Dorville Road Hammersmith in the
County of Middlesex Architect and Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEARS USED WHEN CUTTING THE
EDGES OF LAWNS AND GRASS BORDERS to be as follows:-
Firstly A pair of Shears is formed shaped as shewn in the accompanying
drawing Fig. 2, and having the point or toe of the lower blade prolonged beyond
the point of the upper blade and curved downwards and notched on its upper
edge The heel of the lower blade is fixed rigidly to a rod or bar b, rising upwards
at an angle of about 60° and terminating in a handle c, to be grasped by the left
hand see Fig. 1 Pivotted to this rod is the lever d, terminating in the crutch
handle e, to be grasped with the right hand, its motion upwards being limited by a
stop d Pendant from this lever is a connecting rod f, (it may be of wood or
metal tube) pivotted at its lower extremity to the upper blade g, of the shears.
Thus by working the crutch handle up and down, the upper blade g is also worked
up and down. At each up-stroke the shears are advanced a few inches and the
cutting of the grass then performed by the down stroke. A small wheel / running
on the turf is partly to take the weight of the implement and partly to act as a
fulcrum when the shears are being manipulated. The lever d, is pivotted to the
rod b, in such a manner as to allow it to rotate slightly about an axis in the
direction of its length, this motion being imparted by twisting the crutch handle.
The effect is to cause the rod f, to press sideways against the upper blade of the
shears which thus has its cutting edge pressed against that of the lower blade,
whereby a clean cut is effected though the pivot joining the blades may have
become worn. The point of the bottom blade is prolonged and curvod so as to
insert itself under and lift up the grass into position to be cut. It also carries &
stud k.
Secondly: A box or pan (to catch the cut grass) marked i, on the drawing, it
may be of sheet iron or zinc, is cut out in one piece after the pattern shewn in
Fig. 7. This being folded up and rivetted becomes of the form shewn in the other
Figures, and is applied to the side of the shears remote from the grass One end
rests on a small bar m, fixed projecting from the rod b: the other rests on the
•
.

page_text: stud k, by means of a slot in a piece of iron which is rivetted at the corner of the
box, and at this point the lip or front edge of the box, sails over. and lies in
the notch made on the projecting toe of the bottom blade & thus prevents the
grass from catehing in between it and the box. The box can be readily taken off
or put on and locked in position by the pivotted handle 7, which engages with a
hook m¹ forged on the small bar m. Fig. 3 is a plan: Fig 4 a vertical section on
lines shewing the manner in which the implement is applied to the edge of
the grass: n, grass: o, path or bed. Fig. 6 part back elevation: Fig 5, longitudinal
section on line p―q.
The improvements as described above are to the intent 1. That the person
using the shears shall be enabled to stand upright and in a good muscular attitude
for working with ease and rapidity. 2. To save the labour of clearing the paths
and beds, by providing a box or pan to catch the cut grass & which can be
emptied at intervals as found convenient-3. To cause the shears to cut though
their pivot may have worn somewhat loose.

page_text: I, SYLVAN DE WILDE of "Hallville” Dorville Road Hammersmith in the
County of Middlesex Architect & Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEARS USED WHEN CUTTING THE EDGES OF
LAWNS & GRASS BORDERS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The apparatus consists firstly of a pair of shears of the form shewn in the
drawing & having the point of the lower blade prolonged beyond that of the
upper. The lower blade a is bolted fast to the main stem or backbone b at a
slight angle as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. This stem extends upwards to such a height
that its terminating handle c can be easily grasped by the person using the shears
when standing upright, the shears being in cutting position at the edge of the
grass. The upper blade has a hole at g. It is here jointed to the lower end of the
upright rod f (Fig: 1) the upper end of which is jointed to the horizontal lever d
which is double jointed to the stem or backbone at dat one end and terminates in
a handle e at the other end. This may be a crutch handle like c if preferred.
When worked up & down it imparts similar motion to the upper blade of the
shears. Two stops fl and f" on the rod f limit the motion by striking the main
stem b. The double joint at d allows the lever d to be revolved slightly about its
longitudinal axis; the lower end of the rod ƒ is carried round by this motion &
presses the upper blade g of the shears sideways against the lower blade a, thus
making a clean cut. The double joint also allows for the sidelong motion of the
upper blade g consequent upon the shears being fixed at an angle to the plane of
the machine A curved piece of hoop iron h is fixed to the stem b. This rests
upon the grass and forms a point of resistance during the down stroke of the
lever d. It also serves as a fulcrum about which the whole machine can be rolled
by moving the handle through an are c-c¹¹. By this means the points of the
shears can be raised or lowered to suit the varying depths of the verges or grass
edges. The curved piece / pivots on its rivet at h¹ & is clamped by a screw which
passes through a slotted hole at h¹¹ Thus an adjustment for depth relative to the
edge of the lower blade is obtained.
Two studs a¹, all, with crutch heads are screwed into the lower blade. A shoe
or pani (for catching the grass as it is cut) of the form shewn, particularly in
fitting up to the point of the lower blade, takes on to the two studs by means of
two slots. It is further retained in position by a small stay hooking on to a stud
fixed in the main stem b. The pan can thus be quickly taken on & off. Or it may
be simply fixed on by two small bolts tapt into the holes in the bottom blade so as
to be removable when the shears require grinding. The pan is seen in cross section
in Fig. 3. In longitudinal section in Fig. 4. In plan at Fig 5. Figures 6 and 7
shew a modification in the form of the shears & the method of fixing the main
stem to the lower blade: also in the fixing of the curved piece h. A wheel with a
ratchet at its side may be substituted for the curved piece h & may be worked
along by the up & down motion of the rod f fitted with pawls Fig 1ª shews a
modification in the form of the blades of the shears.

page_text: The whole machine except the handles may be of iron or steel The form of
shears shewn and described is I believe the form best suited to my invention. I do
not however confine myself to this special form but what I claim is
In upright shears as shewn and described.
1. The lower blade extending beyond the upper,
2. Working the upper blade by means of an upright rod as shewn and
described.
3. The double joint to allow of pressing the shear blades together during the
act of cutting.
4. Fitting such shears with a pan.