Improvements in Scissors and Shears for Trimming Round Lamp Wicks.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Feb., 1891-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Scissors and Shears for Trimming Round Lamp
Wicks.
HENRY CLAY WEBB, 74, Church Road, Croydon, Surrey, Grocer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is an improvement in scissors or shears for trimming the wicks of
round burners in the tube of the lamp true and even. And, is made in the following
manner. One blade of the scissors or shears, is made circular at the end, a trifle
larger in diameter than the inner tube of the lamp, so that the cutting edge rests on
the tube, but does not over lap sufficient, to prevent the wick from passing the edge.
A recess or rebate is made in the blade at the back of the circular part sufficiently
wide and deep to allow the wick to rise for trimming. A piece of metal about half
an inch thick is fastened to the under side of the blade and is made to fit loosely in
the inner tube and acts as a guide, to keep the blade perfectly horizontal and in the
centre. A small hole is made in the centre of the piece of metal to fit over the
sinall pipe used in some round burner lamps to carry the flame spreader or deflector.
The upper blade is made similar to a sickle or reaping hook at the end, and reaching
about half way round the circular part of the under blade is so shaped that in
closing the scissors or shears it makes a draw cut. The blade is recessed or
rebated at the back of the cutting part to fit over the recess or rebate in the under
blade. The two blades are rivetted or screwed together as in ordinary scissors or
shears. On working the scissors or shears the under blade moves round in the
circle being guided by the piece of metal fitted to the inner tube and the upper
In this
blade does the cutting perfectly true and even with the top of tube.
invention the rivet or screw may be placed either before or behind the cutting part
so that the scissors or shears may be worked either towards or from the person
using them.
ד
soul 1
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Scissors and Shears for Trimming Round Lamp
Wicks.
I, HENRY CLAY WEBB, of 74, Church Road, Croydon, in the County of Surrey,
Grocer, 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 :-
My invention relates to scissors or shears for trimming round lamp-wicks and it
consists essentially in providing one blade of the scissors or shears with a projection
or boss adapted to fit into the inner wick tube of the lamp the said blade (which is
the lower blade) having a circular cutting edge whilst the other blade is made with
The lower
a cutting edge similar in shape to that of a sickle or reaping hook.
blade is so formed that while it will allow the wick to be raised sufficiently to be
trimmed, it will not press thereon.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can
be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which—
Figure 1 is an elevation, and,
Figure 2 is a plan of a pair of scissors or shears for trimming round lamp-wicks,
constructed according to my invention, and shewn in their closed position.
Figure 3 is a plan shewing the scissors or shears partly opened.

page_text: Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line of Figure 2.
Similar letters in all the figures indicate similar parts.
a is the lower blade of the scissors or shears and is the circular cutting edge
with which it is provided the diameter being such that (as illustrated by the
dotted lines in Figure 1) it will just pass down into the circular wick c'and rest
upon the inner wick tube d of the lamp.
e is the boss upon the under side of the circular blade which boss forms a guide
fitting into the inner wick-tube d and serves to keep the circular blade horizontal
and central.
is a recess in the centre of the underside of the guide e and blade adapted to fit
over the small rod or tube used in some round-burner lamps to carry the flame
spreader or deflector.
g
The blade a is made with a rebate Figure 1 (or is cranked) behind the circular
cutting portion of a sufficient depth to allow the wick e to rise above the cutting
edge in order to be trimmed.
is the upper blade of the scissors or shears, and is the cutting edge of the
same of a shape similar to that of a sickle or reaping hook as clearly shewn in
Figures 2 and 3 so that in closing the scissors or shears a shearing or draw-cut is
produced.
jis a projection which is advantageously formed on one side of the upper face of
the circular cutter which together with the cutter i forms a recess when the
scissors or shears are closed, as shewn in Figure 2, serving to confine the cuttings or
irimmings.
The two blades a and are rivetted or screwed together at similarly to
ordinary scissors or shears and are provided with the usual scissor or shear
handles m, m.
In the drawing I have shown the blades of my trimming scissors or shears
crossed and pivotted similarly to ordinary scissors blades but it will be obvious that
the said blades can be pivotted at their extreme ends but I do not advise this
arrangement.
In order to trim a round wick by my improved scissors it is merely necessary to
insert the boss or guide e into the inner wick tube d as shewn in Figure 1, and the
blade i of the scissors being open to its fullest extent (as shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 3) a cut is made thereby cutting off and trimming a portion of the wick;
the blade i is then again opened and the scissors are now turned round horizontally
through a portion of a circle and another cut is made and so on until the wick is
trimmed all round, the guide e ensuring a true horizontal cut being made.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In scissors or shears for trimming round lamp-wicks the combination with the
under blade, of a guide adapted to fit and turn in the inner wick tube of the lampas
and for the purpose described.
2. In scissors or shears for trimming round lamp-wicks a rebate such as y as and
for the purpose described.
3. In scissors or shears for trimming round lamp-wicks the combination with a
circular blade having a guide e and a rebate g of a shearing blade such as i substan-
tially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
4. The improved scissors or shears for trimming round lamp-wicks hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 3rd day of February 1891.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.