IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF THE GRIPS OF SWORDS AND SWORD BAYONETS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Allan Cooper, of Birmingham, in the County of War-
wick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF THE GRIPS OF SWORDS AND SWORD BAYONETS."
Sealed the 29th September 1859, and dated the 13th July 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Allan Cooper at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th July 1859.
1, ALLAN COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF THE GRIPS OF SWORDS AND SWORD BAYONETS," to be as
follows:-
The grips of swords and sword bayonets consist of pieces of leather fixed
on each side of the tang of the sword or bayonet, the said grips being of such
a figure that when fixed upon the tang they form a convenient handle by
which to hold the bayonet. The said grips are usually made of layers of
leather secured together by sewing. It frequently happens that in trimming
or shaping the grip for the purpose of making it accurately fit the tang, or for
other purposes, that the stitches are cut through or injured, and there is
danger of the layers of leather separating, and the grip becoming thereby
injured.
In making the said grips according to my Invention, I either make them
of solid leather or hide, or of layers of leather or hide attached together by a
waterproof adhesive composition; gutta percha, either melted or in solution,

page_text: answers this purpose very well; but I do not limit myself to the use of any
particular cement. In forming the grip I soften the pieces of solid leather or
hide, or of cemented layers of leather or hide after the same have been properly
shaped, and subject them to the action of a pair of properly shaped dies worked
by a press. By the pressure of the said dies, the said grips are perfected in
form, and may be afterwards finished by varnishing or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Allan Cooper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th January 1860.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALLAN
COOPER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Allan Cooper, Her special licence that I, the said Allan
Cooper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Allan Cooper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE GRIPS OF SWORDS AND SWORD BAYONETS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Allan Cooper, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the naturo
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Allan Cooper, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
In order that my Invention may be the better understood, I remark that the

page_text: grips of swords and sword bayonets consist of pieces of leather fixed on the
sides of the tang of the sword or bayonet. The said grips are of such a figuro
that when fixed upon the tang they form a convenient handle by which to
hold the sword or sword bayonet. Each of the said grips consists of two parts,
the said two parts being called a pair, and constituting one grip. The said
grips are usually made of layers of leather placed upon one another, and
secured together by sewing. It frequently happens that in trimming or
shaping the grip for the purpose of making it accurately fit the tang, or for
shaping it, that the stitches by which the several pieces of leather are sewn
together are cut through and injured, and there is danger of the layers sepa-
rating, and the grip becoming thereby useless or injured.
In
My Invention consists in making the said grips of solid leather, or skin, or
hide, or of layers of leather, or skin, or hide secured together by a waterproof
adhesive composition, gutta percha, either melted or in solution, answers this
purpose very well; but I do not limit myself to any particular cement.
making grips according to my Invention, I first cup strips from leather, or
skin, or hide, or from the cemented layers of leather, or skin, or hide, the said
strips being of a breadth suitable to form the grips from, and of a length as
great as the leather, or skin, or hide will admit of. I soften the strips of solid
leather, or skin, or hide, or of cemented layers of leather, or skin, or hide, by
soaking them in water. They are then fleshed or cut on the flesh side of the
leather, or skin, or hide, so as to equalize the thickness of the strips, and
bring them to the required thickness in their several parts. While the strips
are still in a "samed" or damp condition, the edges and face are rounded and
bevilled, so as to give them very nearly the required shape, the said rounding
and bevilling being effected on the flesh side of the leather, or skin, or hide.
The strips are now cut transversely into suitable lengths for forming the grips.
The pieces are next passed between a pair of rolls, whereby their figure is
changed, in the following manner, that is to say, the fleshed side which was
convex is pressed flat or slightly concave, and the grained side which was flat
is made convex. The rolls I employ for this purpose consist of a pair, one of
which has a concave groove, and the other is plain or has a slightly convex
groove. The grained side of the leather is presented to the roll with a concave
groove, and the flesh side to the roll which is plain or has a slightly convex
groove. The partially formed grips are next dried and passed through a
waterproofing solution, which may consist of any resinous varnish, but I do
not limit myself to any particular waterproofing solution. The grips are then
pressed in a pair of plain dies, so as to perfect their general figure. They are
finally subjected to the action of a powerful press, by which they are pressed

page_text: forcibly in a pair of heated finishing dies, the surface of one of which is
chequered or provided with the ornament or ornaments which it is wished to
impress upon the grips. The grips may now be varnished or finished in any
other desired manner, and they are attached to the sword or sword bayonet in
the same manner as grips of the ordinary manufacture. The operations of cut-
ting the hide, or skin, or leather into strips, as well as the rounding or bevilling
of the sides and edges of the said strips, and the dividing of the said strips
transversely into suitable lengths, may be effected with the knives or cutting
instruments ordinarily employed by workers in leather. Or the said cutting,
bevilling, and dividing may be effected with circular knives or cutters mounted
upon axes, and worked either by hand, steam, or other power. Or the said
processes of cutting, bevilling, and dividing may be performed by any suitable
implements or machines. The dies and presses by which the grips are finished
do not differ from the dies and presses ordinarily employed for pressing or
shaping other substances.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I claim as my
Invention the improvements in the manufacture of the grips of swords and
sword bayonets herein-before described, that is to say, making the said grips of
solid leather, or skin, or hide, or of layers of leather, or skin, or hide, secured
together by a waterproof adhesive composition.
In witness whereof, I, the said Allan Cooper, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
ALLAN COOPER. (L.S.)