AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SHEARING OR CLIPPING ANIMALS AND SKINS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8,. Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SHEARING
OR CLIPPING ANIMALS AND SKINS."-A communication from abroad. by
Edwards Henry Rawlings, of Paris, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 2nd November 1869, and dated the 27th July 1869.
COMPLETE. SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 27th July 1869, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office, No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR SHEARING OR CLIPPING. ANIMALS AND SKINS," and have petitioned

page_text: to change the knife. The pinion F is geared into the segment G which
is attached to the plate A by the screw H, whereon it is fitted to
work freely. To the segment G is connected one end of the rod I
whose other end is attached to the elbow lever D' on which is fixed
the handle D. The bridle or bridge E is secured at each end to the
plate A by screws E', between whose heads and the bridle are spring
washers, and the pressure of the said bridle upon the knife may be
regulated by adjusting these screws. The stroke of the knife is limited.
in each direction by the stops J fixed in the plate A. By means of the
comb or toothed plate A the hair or wool of the animal to be sheared
is raised and the toothed part 6 of the said plate is so formed and
arranged that the knife at the commencement and end of its course
in each direction lies entirely beyond such toothed portion, as shewn,
so that the hair or wool may be taken up without obstruction between
all the teeth from one end to the other thereof, and so that no
hair will remain caught between the teeth and the knife when in
the operation of shearing the apparatus is raised or moved backward or
forward. The handle C serves as the means for holding and guiding
the apparatus with the left hand, while motion is imparted to the
knife through the connecting rod I by the lever D' and handle D.
Pressure of the knife upon the comb is produced by means of a
spring washer placed at the axis or centre thereof, which pressure is
augmented and equalized by means of the bridle E, as herein-before
described.
In the modification of this Invention illustrated in Figure 2 the
toothed segments F and G are dispensed with, and replaced by a
parallel motion, the connecting rod I being attached to the arm B' of
the knife by the link K and guided in a slot L in the plate A, in which
slot it is retained by means of a pin having a head or button at the
back or under side of the plate A.
It will be seen, by reference to the Drawing, that the toothed and plain
portions 6 and a of the comb A are such that the knife B not only passes
completely over the teeth before being arrested by the stops J, but
travels a certain distance beyond the teeth; this arrangement, as herein-
before stated allows the animal's hair to be properly taken up by the
and also Allows the knife hufam manting the bain to manizes a

page_text: certain impetus which prevents the stoppage of the knife or difficulty in
moving the same at the commencement of each stroke.
Another great advantage obtained by constructing the comb as herein
described, and which I have already mentioned, is that the apparatus
may be withdrawn from the skin or coat of the animal or moved in
any direction therein without any danger of injuring and irritating the
animal by the pulling of uncut hair caught and held between the comb
and knife, which in an apparatus when the comb is not provided with
plain or untoothed portions for the knife to pass over is liable to occur
every time the same is raised or adjusted. By the use of the bridle E
provided with the means of adjustment herein described the knife is
caused to work in close contact with the teeth of the comb with a
uniform pressure which may be increased or diminished at pleasure.
The employment of the connecting rod in combination with the
hand lever to communicate motion to the knife will be found to render
the operation of the same very convenient and agreeable, and will
allow such operation to be continued for a long time without causing
fatigue.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and shewn how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
First. The comb or plate A constructed with a plain or untoothed
portion a at each end of the toothed portion b, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
Second. The bridle E employed in combination with the comb A and
knife B, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The connecting rod I, in combination with the hand lever and
toothed segment G, substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 1
and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The rod I in combination with the slot L, link K, and arm B',
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 2 and for the purpose
set forth.
Fifth. The comb or plate A (with the toothed and plain portions b, a,)
the adjustable bridle E and knife B (connected to the hand lever by

page_text: the rod I) combined and operating together in a shearing apparatus,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)