Improvements in Ripping Scissors.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ripping Scissors.
1. CHARLES EDWIN BUTLER, of 31 Union Square, New York, in the County
of New York, and State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to
letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification:-
My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in ripping scissors, and
has for its object to provide a device of this description, by means of which a
seam may be ripped without care upon the part of the operator to spread the
edges of the goods in exposing the stitching, and which will greatly facilitate the
heretofore tedious operation of separating seams by ripping, and
With these ends in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and
combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by
the claims.
In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may
understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction and
operation in detail, referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this
specification, in which―
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improvement;
Fig. 2, a plan view, and
Fig. 2, a section removing one of the spring plates, the handle being partly
broken away.
In carrying out my invention I provide two plates A and B, which are similar
in all respects and are preferably composed of spring material, such as steel or
brass, and these plates are secured within the handle C, in any ordinary manner.
Formed upon the outer ends of the plates are guide strips D and guard pro-
jections E, the former projecting from the lower edges of the plates, and the latter
from the upper edges thereof, and in practice I prefer to so bend the guards as to
cause them to present a slightly rounded cross section at the point of union with
the plates A and B.
Secured within the handle between the plates is a stationary scissors blade F, by
its shank G being driven or set within said handle, and pivoted to this stationary
blade at H is a swinging blade 1, the latter terminating in a handle J having a
thumb button K upon its inner end; the spring L serving to hold the swinging
blade normally in its open position relative to the stationary blade.
The distance between the two plates A and B is regulated by a screw M which
is threaded into the latter and provided with a knurled head N, adapted to bear
against the plate A, and permit the screw to be revolved. This screw also passes
through the shank of the stationary blade, which arrangement facilitates the
holding of said plates in proper alignment with said blade.
From this description the operation of my improvement will be obviously as
follows:
A small hole is first made if a seam is to be started other than at the end of the
fabric, the point of one of the blades inserted within said opening. and the ends of
the plates A and B also inserted within said opening so that the strips D will lie
below the fabric, and the guards E above the same, when, by a forward movement

page_text: of the device with the right hand while the ends of the fabric are held by the left
hand, the edges of the seam will be pressed sidewise so as to clearly expose to view
the threads which form the stitching, so that it is only necessary to manipulate the
blade I by alternately pressing upon the button K and permitting the spring to
move said blade in the position to sever the threads and thus ripping the seam.
The guards E at all times turn the edges of the fabric outward, and thus
prevent the obscuring of the threads during the operations of the device.
The extent to which the edges of the seam are flared or pressed open is
determined by the adjustment of the plates A and B, which is regulated by the
proper manipulation of the screw N, as before described.
From this it will be seen that my improvement greatly facilitates the tedious
work of ripping, since instead of having to force the goods apart by the first finger
and thumb of the left hand in the effort to expose the threads, the ripping scissors
does this by forcing the fabric open by the mere pushing of the handle, thereby
exposing said threads without any effort on the part of the operator.
One of the advantages of the construction here shown is that the leverage is
greatly in favor of the operations of the scissors, in that the distance from the
point of said scissors to the pivot point H is very small relative to the distance
from said point to the button K, where the power of applied.
Should at any time the person become wearied in operating the lever J by the
thumb, the device may be turned upside down and said lever be operated by the
first finger, and this is of considerable importance with dress makers and others
where a large number of seams have to be ripped, and the hand of necessity
becomes wearied with any one motion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inveu-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A ripping device consisting of two plates, guide and guard strips projecting
therefrom, and a pair of scissors located between said plates, substantially as shown
and described.
2. A pair of ripping scissors, consisting of two plates, a screw for regulating the
distance between said plates, a pair of scissors located between said plates, and a
handle to which said plates and scissors are secured, substantially as shown and
described.
3. The combination of the plates A and B, secured within a suitable handle,
a stationary blade also secured within said handle, a swinging blade pivoted to the
first named blade, a spring for holding said swinging blade open, guide strips
projecting from said plates, and guards also projecting from said plates, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The herein described combination of the handle C, a stationary blade F
secured within said handle, spring plates A also secured within said handle,
a screw M passing through one of said plates and the blade and threaded into the
opposite plate, a swinging blade pivoted to the first named blade, a spring L
adapted to hold the last named blade in its open position, a button K for closing
said blade, guide strips D projecting from the outer ends of the plates, and the
guards E also projecting from said plates, all arranged substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
J. P. BAYLY,
18 Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for Applicant.