Improvements in Instruments for Cutting Finger Nails.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 12th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 15th Nov., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Instruments for Cutting Finger Nails.
I, ALBERT SAMUEL of 18 Cambridge Gardens, Kilburn, in the County of Middlesex,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I form an instrument for cutting nails in such a manner that the nail is cut by a
curved blade made to descend upon it whilst the end of the finger is inserted into
a semi-circular recess to keep it in proper place for the blade to descend onto the nail.
When the finger is inserted into the recess the underside of the finger nail may be
made to rest on the edge of a blade curved to correspond with the curvature of the
upper blade. The blade and recess are on two arms which are jointed together and
acted on by a spring in such manner that the blade is held away a short distance from
the resting block or edge. The blade is made to descend and cut the nail by pressure
on a small button which is provided above the top of the knife just as in instruments
now made for cutting off the ends of cigars and as in these instruments a catch may
also be provided to keep the two arms shut close together when the instrument is out
A hole is provided for the cut off end of the nail to fall away.
of use.
I, ALBERT SAMUEL of 18 Cambridge Gardens, Kilburn, in the County of Middlesex,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I form an instrument for cutting nails in such a manner that the nail is cut by a
curved blade made to descend upon it whilst the end of the finger is inserted into
a semi-circular recess to keep it in proper place for the blade to descend onto the nail.
When the finger is inserted into the recess the underside of the finger nail may be
made to rest on the edge of a blade curved to correspond with the curvature of the
upper blade. The blade and recess are on two arms which are jointed together and
acted on by a spring in such manner that the blade is held away a short distance from
the resting block or edge. The blade is made to descend and cut the nail by pressure
on a small button which is provided above the top of the knife just as in instruments
now made for cutting off the ends of cigars and as in these instruments a catch may
also be provided to keep the two arms shut close together when the instrument is out
of use.
A hole is provided for the cut off end of the nail to fall away.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Instruments for Cutting Finger Nails.
I, ALBERT SAMUEL of 18 Cambridge Gardens, Kilburn, in the County of Middlesex,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
I form an instrument for cutting nails in such a manner that the nail is cut by a
curved blade made to descend upon it whilst the end of the finger is inserted into
a semi-circular recess to keep it in proper place for the blade to descend onto the nail.
When the finger is inserted into the recess the underside of the finger nail may be
made to rest on the edge of a blade curved to correspond with the curvature of the
upper blade. The blade and recess are on two arms which are jointed together and
acted on by a spring in such manner that the blade is held away a short distance from
the resting block or edge. The blade is made to descend and cut the nail by pressure
on a small button which is provided above the top of the knife just as in instruments
now made for cutting off the ends of cigars and as in these instruments a catch may
also be provided to keep the two arms shut close together when the instrument is out
A hole is provided for the cut off end of the nail to fall away.
of use.
The drawings annexed shew various views of a nail cutting instrument formed as
above described.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and
Figure 2 an end view of the instrument when closed.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section and
Figure 4 an end view of the instrument with the eutting blade pressed upwards by
the spring which acts upon it.
Figure 5 is a plan view, and
Figure 6 a side view of the instrument when closed.
A is the curved cutting blade and B the edge on which the finger nail is to be made
to rest whilst the cutting blade is made to descend and cut off so much of the nail as
projects over the edge. Both the blade A and edge B are curved as shewn in the
plan view figure 5 to conform to the curvature of the end of a finger-the edge of
the cutting blade A is also inclined to the edge B so that the cutting of the end of the
nail is effected gradually as it is made to descend past the edge B.
The cutting blade A is at one end of an arm and the edge B at one end of an
arm D-the opposite ends of the arms are jointed together by the pin E. F is a
spring blade fixed at one end to the arm D and at the other end bearing against the
arm to turn it into the position shewn in figure 3. That end of the arm D which
carries the edge B is curved or hollowed out as shewn conforming to the curvature of
the edge B so that when the end of a finger is made to rest against it the finger nail
may be made to overhang the edge. G is a catch jointed to the arm D-when this
catch is turned into the position shewn in figure 3 the spring is free to turn the
arm C into the position shewn in that figure but when it is turned into the position

page_text: shewn in figure 1 it springs under the tail end of the arm C and is retained there by
the action of the spring F-whilst at the same time it prevents the arm C from being
turned outward by the spring.
HH are plates of Mother of Pearl or other ornamental material secured by rivets
to the sides of the arm D. I is a passage formed through the arm D for the pieces
cut from a finger nail to drop through.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. An instrument for cutting finger nails formed with a curved guard for the end
of a finger to rest against whilst the finger nail overlaps and is supported by its edge
and with a correspondingly curved cutting blade which can be made to descend on
to the nail and cut through it whilst it is so supported.
2. An instrument for cutting finger nails formed substantially in the manner herein
described and illustrated in the drawing annexed.
Dated th: 10th J
1007
ALBERT SAMUEL.