IMPROVE- MENTS IN SCISSORS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Berresford and James Memmott, both of Sheffield,
in the West Riding of the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SCISSORS."
Sealed the 9th April 1878, and dated the 12th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Berresford and James
Memmott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th October
1877.
EDWIN BERRESFORD and JAMES MEMMOTT, both of Sheffield, in the West
Riding of the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCISSORS."
This Invention relates to scissors, especially to those designed to be carried in the
pocket, the sharp points and the cutting edges of the blades being protected by
turning them back against the sides of the bows.
In carrying into effect this Invention the insides of the shanks will be made flat
or without projections, to enable the blades to turn back, and suitable shoulders will
be formed on the bows to prevent the blades being turned too far back, and the
bows will be so formed out of a straight line with the blades as to cause the bow of
one "side" to spring against the blade of the other "side of the pair of scissors,
and so hold the blades in the places where the sharp points and cutting edges of
the blades will be protected.
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edwin Berresford and James Meminott in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th April 1878.
EDWIN BERRESFORD and JAMES MEMMOTT, both of Sheffield, in the West
Riding of the County of York, Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN SCISSORS."
"
This Invention consists in so forming the inside of the shanks of a pair of scissors
as that the blades thereof can be turned back, and their cutting edges and points
protected by the shanks and bows, and consists further in so forming the said bows
or shanks as to prevent the blades of the scissors being turned too far back. These
scissors are designed especially for the purpose of being carried in the pocket.with
safety.
The mode of carying into effect the principle of this Invention is shown in the
accompanying Drawings, in which Figs. No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, show a pair of
scissors with a.shoulder or stop marked A; Fig. No. 1 showing the scissors ready for
use, and Fig. No. 3 showing the same folded," that is to say, with the blades
turned back, and the cutting edges and points protected; Figs. No. 4, No. 5, and
No. 6, show a similar pair of scissors with a shoulder or stop marked B.
"
The bow or shank, or the bow and shank of one side are so formed out of a
straight line with the blade as to spring against the blade of the other side of a pair
of scissors when the scissors are folded, by which means the blades are held in their
proper positions against the shoulders or stops, and the cutting edges and points are
protected.
Having now clearly described and particularly ascertained in what manner our
said Invention is or may be carried into effect, we wish it to be understood that
what we claim as novel and original, and secured to us by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, "Improvements in "folding" or "pocket" scissors, substan-
tially as herein specified and described, and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings."
In witness whereof, I, the said James Memmott, on behalf of myself and the
said Edwin Berresford, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day
April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
eight.
JAMES MEMMOTT. (L.S.)