IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEARS FOR SHEAKING SHEEP AND FOR SIMILAR SHEARING PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
We WILLIAM BRADLEY of Grimesthorpe Sheffield in the County of York
Sheep-shear Forger and WILLIAM ROBERT BRADLEY, also of Grimesthorpe
aforesaid, Sheep-shear Forger do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEARS FOR SHEAKING SHEEP AND
FOR SIMILAR SHEARING PURPOSES and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The method or process of manufacture at present in use for making sheep and
similar shears by hand, is to make them from sheet iron seven eighths of an inch
by five sixteenths of an inch in thickness, or in that proportion according to the
sizes of shears required. A great amount of labour is necessary to draw the iron
out to the requisite width and thickness to form the bow and shanks of the shears,
the shanks having to be one and one eighth of an inch broad, and 12 "gauge
thick, and being made of iron they soon lose their spring when in use, or they
spring very unequally, causing them to break in the bow part before the blades are
half worn out.
$3
The shears made of steel throughout, are made from sheet steel of uniform
thickness, the blades when cut out therefrom are in reversed, or opposite positions
to each other, and being broader in the blades, than in the shanks and bow, a great
waste of metal is occasioned in their being cut out; and being made of or from one
bar or sheet of steel, they are consequently only of one quality or temper of steel
throughout; therefore they do not allow of the different parts being made of the
metal best suited for the purposes required, namely a tough springy steel for the
bow and shanks, and a steel of such a body or hardness that it will carry or can
have a good and enduring edge imparted to it, for the blades or cutting parts.
This Invention relates to and consists in an improved method or way of
manfacturing sheep and similar shears, according to which the blades of the shears
are made by hand (as at present) and for seven inch blades from iron seven eighths
of an inch by five sixteenths of an inch in thickness, or in other proportions
according to the sizes of shears required.
The iron is forged out flat and the requisite amount of steel to form the cutting
edge is placed thereon and welded thereto; the blade is then formed or hammered

page_text: into proper shape, care being taken that sufficient iron is left in the blade portion
in order to weld it properly on to the bow and shank.
The blades of the shears are forged and formed in pairs, with a narrow strip of
the metal of about two inches between each blade, the piece of metal forming the
two blades is then cut in two at the middle of the narrow strip, after which each
pair of blades is welded onto a piece of springy steel, which, for seven inch blades,
will be about one and one eighth of an inch by 12 "gauge," in breadth, and about
eleven inches long; varying of course with the sizes of the shears intended to be
made.
The bow and shanks are made of steel, the strip cut in half between each blade
being the right size for each shank of the shears and the portion for the bow will
require very little forging or manipulating to bring it into proper form.
The advantages and beneficial results attained by the adoption of this improved
mode of manufacturing shears, and which have not hitherto been attainable, are,
that there is a great saving of labour in making the bows and shanks of the shears,
to that expended on the present hand-forged bows and shanks; and in contra-
distinction to shears made entirely of steel, there will be a great saving of the steel
used in this improved manufacture; consequently these new shears can be sold
considerably cheaper than the all-steel shears; in addition to which the improved
shears will be found much superior to those now in use, as the kind or description
of steel best suited for the different parts is used in their manufacture; that is,-
for the bows and shanks a good tongh and springy steel, and for the blades a steel
of such a substance, body and strength, that it will carry or bear a good and
enduring edge; all the essential requirements for the work that shears are used are
thus embodied in this improved make of shears.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
The improved, more economical, and better manufacture of shears for shearing
sheep and for similar shearing purposes, in which the shear blades are made in
pairs with a strip of metal between each blade, which is cut in two and the cut
ends welded to the shanks and bow of the shears, and the blades made of iron and
steel combined, a tough and springy steel. being used for the bows and shanks;
and
for the blades a steel bearing a good and lasting cutting edge; substantially as
herein before described.
Dated this twanto fifth dow of 1001
WILLIAM BRADLEY.
WILLIAM ROBERT BRADLEY.