in machines for
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 19th July, 1895-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1895
I, JOHN WALKER NEWALL, of Forest Hall, Ongar, in the County of Essex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to various improvements in machines for clipping
hair or wool.
In the Specification of my prior Patent No. 10750 dated 24th. June 1891 I have
described an arrangement in which the lever for actuating the vibrating cutter of
machines for the above purpose is supported on a centre ball as a pivot, such ball
working between two cups or rings of balls inserted in seats in the casing. By
these means the lever was allowed to move freely in any direction for self
adjustment, but the axis of oscillation when at work was always perpendicular to
the plane of oscillation.
According to the present invention I convert the imaginary perpendicular axis
into an actual one, and give power of self adjustment to the lever, by fitting into
a recess in the centre of the lever, a ball, about which the lever cau adjust itself
but upon which it should not turn; this ball has a bearing formed in it which
allows it to turn about a pin fixed to the casing, or the pin can be fixed to the ball
and turn in bearings in the casing. By this means, I secure exactly the same
result as in the arrangement covered in my prior Patent above referred to, but in
a less costly manner.
A second improvement relates to a device for guarding the flexible joint at the
back end of the shear by means of which motion is imparted to the reciprocating
cutter. For this purpose I form an envelope of any suitable flexible material
shaped in such a way as to allow free motion to the joint, but fitting as closely
as possible. I secure the two ends of the envelope to the two ends of the joint
by any suitable means, and to the centre of the envelope attach a ring made
either of rigid or elastic material.
This ring is of such a size that it will pass freely over the centre of the joint and
fit closely to the envelope. By this means the joint is entirely protected, whilst
the envelope cannot come into contact with the gear teeth of such joint.
A further improvement consists in the use of a metal plate or rollers under the
comb, and which can be held in place by the same screws which fix the comb, or
by any other suitable means, such plate having one or more projections formed at
that part of it which comes at the root of the comb teeth. According to the
height of these projections, the shear will leave the hair or wool longer or shorter
as may be required, and they also greatly reduce the risk of cutting the skin of the
animal being operated upon.
I may also use either longitudinal or transverse projections formed in one piece
with the comb and on the under side of it.
When a cutter has more than two teeth, in order to avoid the necessity for
using a balancing arrangement at the end of the vibrating lever to put an equal
pressure on each tooth, 1 form a rib or corrugation immediately at the back of the
teeth and running transversely to the length of the teeth. The two prongs of
the lever rest on this rib, and, owing to the rigidity of the rib, pressure is transmitted
practically equally to each tooth of the cutter.
The cutters used in sheep shearing machines usually bear on the comb by their
teeth in front and by a narrow rib behind, both of these surfaces working upon the

page_text: face of the comb. I now turn up the back part of the cutter away from the comb
surface and allow it to be carried by the vibrating lever so that only the cutting
edges of the cutter teeth bear upon the comb. In order to allow the cutting edges
to seat themselves flat on the comb surface I carry the tail of the cutter either on
a spring attached to the lever, or I forn the tail of the cutter as a spring. The
front part of the cutter is stiffened by means of the rib or corrugation previously
described.
If desired the web between two adjacent teeth of the cutter may be slit back to
the strengthening rib so as to allow each tooth a small independent movement.
Dated this 6th.day of December 1894.
I, JOHN WALKER. NEWALL, of Forest Hall, Ongar, in the County of Essex,
Engineer, 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 :--
The present invention relates to various improvements in machines for clipping
hair or wool.
In the Specification of my prior Patent No. 10750 dated 24th June 1891 I have
described an arrangement in which a centre ball on the lever for actuating the
vibrating cutter of machines for the above purpose serves as a pivot for the lever,
such ball working between two cups or rings of balls inserted in seats in the casing.
By these means the lever was allowed to move freely in any direction for self
adjustment, but the axis of oscillation when at work was always perpendicular to
the plane of oscillation.
According to the present invention I convert the imaginary perpendicular axis
into an actual one, and give power of self adjustment to the lever by fitting into
a recess in the centre of the lever, a ball about which the lever can adjust itself but
upon which it should not turn; this ball has a bearing formed in it which allows it
to turn about a pin fixed to the casing, or the pin can be fixed to the ball and turn
in bearings in the casing. By this means I secure exactly the same result as in
the arrangement covered in my prior Patent above referred to, but in a less costly
manner.
A second improvement relates to a device for guarding the flexible joint at the
back end of the shear. For this purpose I form an envelope of any suitable
flexible material shaped in such a way as to allow free motion to the joint, but
fitting as closely as possible. I secure the two ends of the envelope to the two
ends of the joint by any suitable means, and to the centre of the envelope I attach
a ring made either of rigid or elastic material.
This ring is of such a size that it will pass freely over the centre of the joint and
fit closely to the envelope. By this means the joint is entirely protected, whilst
the envelope cannot come into contact with the gear teeth of such joint.
A further improvement consists in the use of a metal plate or rollers under the
comb, which can be held in place. by the same screws which fix the comb, or by
any other suitable means, such plate having one or more projections formed at that
part of it which comes immediately behind the comb teeth. According to the
height of these projections, the shear will leave the hair or wool longer or shorter
as may be required; they also greatly reduce the risk of cutting the skin of the
animal being operated upon.
I may also use either longitudinal or transverse projections formed in one
piece with the comb and on the underside of it.

page_text: When a cutter has more than two teeth, in order to avoid the necessity for using
a balancing arrangement at the end of the vibrating lever to put an equal pressure
on each tooth; I form one or more ribs or corrugations immediately at the back of
the teeth.and running transversely to the length of the teeth. The two prongs of
the lever rest on one of these ribs and, owing to the rigidity of the rib, pressure
is transmitted practically equally to each tooth of the cutter.
The cutters used in sheep shearing machines usually bear on the comb by..their.
teeth in front and by a narrow rib behind, both of these surfaces working upon the
face of the comb. I now turn up the back part of the cutter away from the comb
surface and allow it to be carried by the vibrating lever so that only the cutting
edges of the cutter teeth.bear upon the comb. In order to allow the cutting edges to
seat themselves flat on the comb surface I carry the. tail of the cutter either on
a spring attached to the lever, or I form the tail of the cutter as a spring. The
front part of the cutter is stiffened by means of the ribs or corrugations previously
described.
If desired, the web between two adjacent teeth of, the cutter may be slit
back to the strengthening rib so as to allow each tooth a small independent
movement.
The first of my improvements is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying
drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the bearing for the lever, which
actuates the vibrating cutter, in which the pin passes right through the ball.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of the complete shear, the arrangement of bearing being
slightly modified.
Fig. 3 is another sectional elevation showing the pin projecting into one side.only
of the ball, and
Fig 4 is a sectional elevation of the bearing in which the pin is made solid with
the ball and turns in the frame of the shear.
A is the ball which fits into a recess in the reciprocating lever B for actuating
the cutter C, and in the arrangements shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pin D.,passes
right through such ball A and is fixed to the casing. The lever B is free to move
on the ball A, so as to adjust itself as required, and the ball A can turn round
pin D.
The action is the same in the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, where pin D only
projects up into ball A instead of passing right through it.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, the pin D is solid with the ball A,.and such
pin is free to turn in the casing of the shear, instead of being secured thereto, so
that the lever B can move on ball A for adjustment, and the latter with pin D can
turn in the bearings in the casing.
Fig.5 is a vertical section of the device I employ for guarding the joint,at the
back end of the shear, and it consists of a flexible envelope E shaped so as to allow
free motion to the joint, its two ends being secured to the two ends F, F, of the
joint as shown at e, el, by a draw string or other suitable means. To the centre
of envelope E I attach a ring G of rigid or elastic material, such ring being of a
size to pass freely over centre of the joint, and fit closely to the envelope. The
joint will thus be entirely protected, while the envelope E cannot come into contact
with the gear teeth of the joint, which latter being of well known construction are
not shown in the drawing.
Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive show two modifications of the plate I attach to the
underside of the comb of the shear so as to regulate the cut of the hair or wool.
Fig. 6 is a vertical.section of one form of plate.
Fig. 7 a plan view of the underside thereof, and
Fig. 8 an end view of same.
The plate His formed with a transverse projection on its underside, so that
when the plate is attached under-the comb, the projection will keep the teeth of
the latter a certain height above the skin, so that a shorter or greater length of
hair or wool will be left on the animal, and further the danger of cutting the skin
will be avoided.

page_text: Figs. 9 to 11 are corresponding views to Figs. 6 to 8 and show plate H with
three longitudinal projections h, h₁, 12, formed on its underside, instead of a single
transverse projection as in the preceding arrangement.
It will be readily understood that the projection or projections might be formed
on the underside of the comb itself, instead of on a plate to be secured thereto, and
further that rollers might be substituted for the projections.
Fig. 12 is a plan view of the top side of the cutter having a transverse rib or
corrugation, and
Fig. 13 a transverse section thereof.
It will be seen that the cutter I is formed with a transverse rib or corrugation I'
immediately in the rear of the teeth i. The two prongs of the vibrating lever rest
on this rib, and owing to the rigidity of the latter pressure is transmitted practically
equally to each tooth of the cutter.
Fig. 14 is a vertical section of the cutter formed so that the cutting edges only
of the teeth bear upon the comb when in use, and Fig. 15 is a plan view of the top
side thereof.
It will be seen that the back part of the cutter is turned up away from the comb
surface in conjunction with which it acts when in use, so that only the cutting
edges of the teeth i will bear upon the comb. The tail 12 of the cutter is carried.
back and either (as shown in Figs. 14 and 15) bears on a spring K attached to a
reciprocating lever B (which may also act as a pressure lever or not) or such tail
may itself form a spring and bear on such lever. This will ensure the cutting.
edges of the teeth i seating themselves flat on the comb surface. It is obvious that
the tail of the cutter or the spring may be prolonged backward to any extent, and
supported at any convenient point.
The cutter 1 is in this case also preferably formed with the transverse rib or
corrugation I immediately behind the teeth, as in the construction previously
described.
The web between two adjacent teeth i may be slit back to the rib or corrugation I'
as shown at ", so as to allow each tooth a small independent motion in relation to
the others.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
In machines for cutting or clipping hair or wool
1. The improved bearing for the lever for actuating the reciprocating cutter,
consisting of a ball seated in a recess in such lever and of a pin or stud either
entering such ball and secured to the casing of the machine, or made solid with the
ball and capable of turning in bearings in such casing, all substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
2. The device for guarding the flexible joint of such machines, consisting in a
flexible envelope the ends of which are secured to the two ends of such joint and
having a ring of rigid or elastic material attached to its centre, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
3. Forming upon or securing to the underside of the comb of such machines, a
projection or projections, or a roller or rollers, for the purpose of adjusting the cut
of the machine, substantially as specified.
4. Forming the cutter of such machines with one or more transverse ribs or
corrugations for the purpose of strengthening such cutter, upon one of which ribs
or corrugations the pressure lever bears either directly or through the medium of
the lever for actuating the cutter, substantially as specified.
5. In combination with the cutter constructed as set forth in the preceding
claim, the slitting of the web between two adjacent teeth back to the strengthening
rib or corrugation, so as to allow each tooth a small independent motion in relation
to the others, substantially as specified.
6. Turning up the back part of a cutter having two or more teeth away from the

page_text: comb in conjunction with which it operates when in use, so that only the cutting
edges of the cutter bear upon such comb, and extending the tail of the cutter back
and causing it to bear upon a spring secured to a reciprocating lever, or to bear
upon such lever itself with a spring action, substantially as and for the purpose
5 specified.
Deted this 18th day of Iul 100%
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.