AN INSTRUMENT FOR CUTTING AND CLEANING FINGER NAILS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Schwartz, of Philadelphia, in the United
States of America, for the Invention of "AN INSTRUMENT FOR CUTTING AND
CLEANING FINGER NAILS."
Sealed the 20th March 1866, and dated the 1st January 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Schwartz
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st January 1866.
I, CHARLES SCHWARTZ, of Philadelphia, in the United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN INSTRUMENT FOR
CUTTING AND CLEANING FINGER NAILS," to be as follows:-
Figures 1. and II. of the annexed Sheet of Drawing forming part of this my
Provisional Specification represent the two front views, and Figure III. a sied
view of my improved instrument.
a is a steel plate with the slits b and c, and having on its sides i, i, a file
d is a two-edged and pointed knife, which lies flat on the plate a,, to
which it is fastened by the screw e, the worm of which screw fits exactly the
slit c.
The knife can be moved up and down, which motion is given a
constant bearing by the guide f and the slit c. 9, 9, are two handles fastened
to the plate a. The edges of these handles stand a little over the file

page_text: cut i, i. The piece h is the end part of the plate a, and has a pointed
edge.
The instrument is used in the following manner: -I insert a finger nail
into the slit b, so that the finger lies against the flat side of the plate a.
In now cutting I have a perfect guide and cannot hurt the skin, because the
plate is over it, and I can thus cut the nails of my right band without any
trouble, which is not the case when using a scissors. The knife has a sliding
motion, so that I can use every part of it, and is pointed in order that I may
clean my nails with it. If a nail is cut and yet wants a little filing I put it
against the file cut i, i, and the edges of the handles 9, 9, give it a
constant bearing. The end piece h is used to move the skin back off the
nails.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Schwartz in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
SCHWARTZ, of Philadelphia, in the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Charles Schwartz, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Schwartz, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Charles Schwartz, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter 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
"AN INSTRUMENT FOR CUTTING AND CLEANING FINGER NAILS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Schwartz, my executors or administra-
tors, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature 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 Charles Schwartz, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawing hereunto
annexed and forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures and
letters of reference placed thercon, similar letters denoting similar parts in
each of the Figures respectively:-
Figures I. and II. represent the two front views, and Figure III. a side
view of my improved instrument.
a is a steel plate with the slits b and c, and having on its sides i, i, a file
cut. d is a two edged and pointed knife which lies flat on the plate a, to
which it is fastened by the screw e, the worm of which screw fits exactly in
the slit c. The knife can be moved up and down, which motion is given a
constant bearing by the guide f and the slit c. 9, 9, are two bandles fastened
to the plate a. The edges of these handles stand a little over the file cut i, i.
The piece h is the end part of the plate a and has a pointed edge.
The instrument is used in the following manner:-1 insert a finger nail
into the slit b, so that the finger lies against the flat side of the plate a. In
now cutting I have a perfect guide and cannot hurt the skin because the
plate is over it, and I can thus cut the nails of my right hand without any
trouble, which is not the case when using a scissors. The knife has a sliding.
motion, so that I can use every part of it, and is pointed in order that I may
clean my nails with it. If a nail is cut and yet wants a little filing I put it
against the file cut i, i, and the edges of the handles g, g, give it a constant
bearing. The end piece h is used to move the skin back off the nails.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which it is carried into practical effect, I would have it understood that I
do not confine myself to the precise details herein given, or to any particular
size of instrument, but what I do claim as of my Invention is,―
Firstly, the plate a as a protector for the skin, and the slit as a guide for
the nail.
Secondly, the sliding knife d.
CHARLES SCHWARTZ. (L.S.)