Improvements in Cigar Cutters.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cigar Cutters.
I, OTTO KAUFMAN, of 8 Hart Street, in the City of London, General Merchant,
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 drawings and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in cigar-cutters, and is designed to
provide means whereby a greater force can be applied to the cutting instrument
than has been possible in cigar cutters as heretofore constructed.
For this purpose, my improved cigar cutter is formed of a bent spring, one limb
of which carries the cutter proper, and the other the slotted cup, in which the cutter
works, and into which the tip of the cigar is introduced, and I operate the cutter
proper by means of a thumb lever having its pivot or fulcrum in lugs or bearings
formed in, or attached to, the lower limb of the spring, said lever bearing very near
the fulcrum upon the limb which carries the cutter proper.
The arrangement is such that when the thumb is pressed upon the free end of the
lever, a considerable leverage or purchase is obtained for operating the cutter
proper.
And in order that my invention may be readily understood, I will describe
the same fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :
Fig. 1 is a side elevation shewing the instrument closed, that is to say after the
cutter proper has been pressed home.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section shewing the instrument open and the parts in the
position ready for cutting a cigar, and
Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 1.
a is the bent spring which forms the body of the cigar cutter, and the upper limb
of which carries the cutter proper b, while the lower limb carries the cup c, which
is of the usual and well known construction. d is the thumb lever, which is
pivotted or has its fulcrum in the lugs e, and bears at a point near its fulcrum
upon the upper limb of the spring a, thereby serving to press the cutter proper
downward with very great force. The point where the lever d bears on the spring,
is so chosen as to give a purchase or leverage that will increase the force about ten
times greater than that exerted by the thumb. The tendency of the spring is to
withdraw the cutter b from the cup, and to keep the parts in the open position
shewn in Fig. 2. In order therefore to keep the cutter closed, when not in use, a
link or ring is provided, and can be slipped over the upwardly bent free end of
the thumb lever d.
When it is desired to use the cutter, the link fis slipped off the thumb lever d
which, under the action of the spring a, then assumes its raised position and the
cutter proper, at the same time, is withdrawn from the cup. The end of the cigar
is then inserted into the cup, and the lever is depressed by the thumb, thereby
compressing the spring and pressing the cutter through the end or point of the
cigar; the force exerted on the said cutter being as before stated, greatly increased
over and above what would be obtained if the thumb were applied directly to the
head of the cutter, as is now the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim:
1. A cigar cutter having its body formed of a bent spring carrying the cutter
proper, and the cup, and provided with a thumb lever adapted to operate said
cutter proper, substantially as and for the purpose described.

page_text: 2. The combination with a cigar cutter, as above claimed, of a thumb lever,
whereby force is applied to the cutter proper in excess of what could be
obtained by the direct application of the thumb thereto, substantially as
described.
3. My improvements in cigar cutters substantially as 'described and shewn in the
cod drowings
19th day of October 1893.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.