IN SHEARS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR SHEARING SHEEP."
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Hodder Heard at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd July 1878.
THOMAS HODDER HEARD, of Sheffield, in the County of York.
IN SHEARS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR SHEARING SHEEP."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention relates to improvements in shears of that class in which the
blades or cutting portions are not pivotted upon a centre, as is the case with
scissors and shears similar thereto, but in which the two blades are connected by
means of a piece of metal curved at the part furthest from the blades, so as to
form a spring, and having two arms or legs extending from opposite sides of this
curved part to the blades or jaws, this spring always operating to keep the blades
or cutting jaws of the shears open, excepting at such times as they are pressed
together in the operation of cutting.
Shears of this character are so constructed that they may be operated entirely
by one hand of the person using them, the spring serving to open them, and the
closing or cutting operation being effected by the pressure of the hand.
Shears as hitherto usually constructed upon this principle have this defect, namely,
that the blades having no special device or arrangement for keeping them pressed
tightly together when closing, are liable to separate to such an extent, that the
cutting effect is often seriously hindered, and the wool or other substance to be
cut gets flattened between the blades instead of being cut off quickly, as is done
when the blades keep tightly together as they are closed for cutting.
The person using the shears frequently finds it necessary to strain his hand in
the endeavour to keep the blades together, which is exceedingly inconvenient, and
a portion at least of the useful effect of the shears is lost.
My said Invention is designed to provide simple and effectual means, whereby
this defect in such shears may be entirely avoided, and I carry the same into
practice as follows, that is to say :-I prolong the strip of steel which forms the
cutting edge of one of the blades beyond the lower part of the blade, and then I
turn or fold up this prolonged piece of steel over the blade in such a manner that
it forms a lip or guide for the other blade to slide in when the two blades are
closed in the cutting operation.

page_text: On pressing the two blades together for cutting, the lower part of the one not
provided with this lip or guide enters the said guide, and as they close, the two
blades are firmly held together against any tendency.to separate.
The full effect of the blades is therefore utilized, a good cut is ensured at each
operation, and the wool or other material cannot get flattened between the blades
instead of being cut.
The lip or guide may if desired extend across the whole width of the bottom of
the blade, or only partly across the same.
And the said Invention is applicable whether the whole of the blades or only the
cutting edges thereof are made of steel.
In some cases instead of prolonging a part of the blade itself to form the guide,
I may attach a separate piece to one of the blades by screwing or otherwise, and
this piece may act as a "spring clip" to press the two blades firmly together as
they close.
Shears constructed as above described are chiefly used for shearing sheep, but
they are also applied to other purposes, and it will be understood that my
Invention is applicable whatever may be the uses to which such shears are adapted,
and I desire it to be understood that although I have herein described shears, the
blades of which are connected by a curved piece having arms and forming a spring,
the said Invention may be applied to any kind of shears in which the blades are
not pivotted to each other, and in which there is no special provision for keeping
them pressed well together as they are closed.