IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEP SHEARS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Longden, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, Sheep Shear Maker, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEP SHEARS."
Sealed the 29th June 1875, and dated the 21st April 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Longden at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st April 1875.
I, DAVID LONGDEN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Sheep Sheer
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE❤
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEP SHEARS," to be as follows :-
-
This I vention relates to improvements in the construction of sheep
shears, and consists in so shaping the bows or half bows that the ends
meet " butt on,” and in rivetting an outer or an inner, or both an inner
and an outer plate, or it may be a slip piece or cap of iron, steel, or other
metal, on or over the meeting ends of the bows or half bows with rivet
cans or without.

page_text: The advantages of this construction are,—
1. The springy action of each bow or half bow is preserved after
tempering and the cap or plate is rivetted on.
2. Less metal is required than in any other form of jointed bow.
3. The shears are neater in appearance than usual, and the curved 5
part of the bow is rendered more active in opening the blades after the
pressure is removed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lettors Patent,
filed by the said David Longden in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 21st October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
LONGDEN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Sheep Shear Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in tho
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five,
in the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said David Longden, Her
special license that I, the said David Longden, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David Longden, a
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thercafter
during the term therein oxpressed, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEP SHEARS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said David Longden, my executors or
administrators, 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 a
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.
•

page_text: "
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Longden, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of sheep
shears, and consists in so shaping the bows or half bows that the ends
mect "butt on," and in rivetting an outer or an inner, or both an inner
and an outer plate, or it may be a slip piece or cup of iron, steel, or other
metal on or over the meeting ends of the bows or half bows, with rivet
caps or without.
Figure 1 shows a part perspective view of a pair of shoep shears
according to my Invention, in which the two half bows a, b, have a
strap c on the outer face, and with the ends d, e, of the plate overlapping
the edges of the bows at equal distance from each end, where they meet
"butt end" on, the ends of the half bow and the strap being secured
firmly together by rivets f.f. The handles g, g, and also the blades h, h,
are of the usual construction and shape.
Figure 2 represents the meeting ends of two half bows fastened by two
plates i, j, one on the outside and one on the inside, by rivets f,f, which
pass through both plates and the bow ends; one only of these platos
may be employed.
Figure 3 shows a turned-over edge plate and an inner piece & as being
the means, with the aid of the rivets f,f, of securing the half bows in
close contact to make one solid bow.
Figure 4 represents an inner plate c with the edges turned over on to
the outside of the two half bows.
Figure 5 shows the mecting ends or edges of two half bows with a
sliding cap or plate, a detached view of which is represented in Figure 6
in perspective. This plate is slid into position from one side, and
rivetted into close contact with the bow ends; or the bow ends may have
ribs on them, as in Figure 7, to take into a groove m, Figure 6, in the
inner face of the sliding plate, the rivets then binding the pieces closely
together.
The advantages of this construction are,―

page_text: 2. Less metal is required than in any other form of jointed bow.
3. The shears are neater in appearance than usual, and the curved
parts of the bow are rendered more active in opening the blades after the
pressure is removed.
I am aware that the half bows of sheep shears have been turned 5
inwardly, and also turned outwardly, and the turned ends rivetted
together before the date of my said Patent; that plan or method of
jointing the two half bows thereto does not form part of my Invention,
such ends not abutting at the edges, which is a speciality in mine when
used in connection with a plate or cap.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, I declaro
that I claim as my improvements in the construction of sheep shears,-
The attachment of one or more plates or caps on or over the meeting
ends of two half bows, as set forth and shown.
1
. Secondly. Making sheep shears in halves, that is, with a blado, a 1
handle, and a half bow in one piece, and then uniting the ends of the
two half bows, which meet "butt end on" by a plate and rivets, as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Longden, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, One thousand 2