IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING HORSES AND ANIMALS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Plant, of Wolverhampton, in the County
of Stafford, Steel Toy Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING HORSES AND
ANIMALS."
OTHER
Scaled the 27th December 1874, and dated the 29th October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Plant at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th October 1873.
I, WILLIAM PLANT, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Steel Toy Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING HORSES
AND OTHER ANIMALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention refers to improvements in ordinary apparatus for
clipping or shearing horses and other animals, and has for its object an
improved mechanism whereby the working lever and its connections
with the cutting plates are rendered steadier and less liable to shake or
get out of order, such mechanism also forming its own check or stop

page_text: receiving the full force of the blow.
This mechanism consists,-
First. In forming the fulcrum of a pin screwed into the lower cutting
plate, and having a collar fitting close to the said cutting plate for the
purpose of steadying the pin when screwed into the cutting plate, and
also to act as a bearing for the boss of the lever, herein-after described.
Second. In forming an opening (of the shape herein-after described)
through the top cutting plate, such opening being formed in front of the
fulcrum and at or about the middle of the said plate lengthwise. The
said opening is shaped curved at one side, and having teeth on the other
side, the curved part being concave to the side on which the teeth are
formed. The curve is continued round at each end, but to a smaller
radius, and joined to a line forming the root of the teeth. The working
lever has its end shaped to fit easily into the said opening, so that the
teeth in the opening are pressed and worked by the teeth on the lever
until the top cutting plate has travelled to the desired distance either
way, when the curved part of the lever end coming in contact with the
curved part in the said opening produces a dead lock or stop, first at one
end of the stroke and then at the other, thus preventing the blow from
being so severe on the bearings or guide pins, which are thus prevented
from working loose or shaky.
And, Third. In providing the lever with a boss at its under side
where it works on the fulcrum, so that the thrust on the fulcrum may
be in the same plane or largely in the same plane with the teeth and
curved part aforesaid, and thus the lever is not so liable to rock or get
out of order and shaky as when the fulcrum bearing is above the end
bearing or propelling part of the lever.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Plant in the Great Seal Patent Office 30
on the 17th April 1874.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Plant, Her special
licence that I, the said William Plant, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Plant, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed 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 APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Plant, 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
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Plant, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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
(that is to say):-
This Invention refers to improvements in ordinary apparatus for
clipping or shearing horses and other animals, and has for its object an
improved mechanism whereby the working lever and its connections
with the cutting plates are rendered steadier and less liable to shake or
get out of order, such mechanism also forming its own check or stop
instead of the check or stop being caused by the bearings or guides
receiving the full force of the blow.
This mechanism consists,―
First. In forming the fulcrum of a pin screwed into the lower cutting
plate, and having a collar fitting close to the said cutting plate for the
purpose of steadying the pin when screwed into the cutting plate, and
also to act as a bearing for the boss of the lever, herein-after described.

page_text: Or the fulcrum may be formed of a pin shaped and fixed as in the
ordinary way, and is preferable to the former described fulcrum, unless
peculiar care is used in fitting up the apparatus.
Second. In forming an opening (of the shape herein-after described)
through the top cutting plate, such opening being formed in front of the 5
fulcrum, and at or about the middle of the said plate lengthwise. The
said opening is shaped curved at one side, and having teeth on the other
side, the curved part being concave to the side on which the teeth are
formed. The curve is continued round at each end, but to a smaller
radius, and joined to the line forming the root of the teeth. The working 1
lever has its end shaped to fit easily into the said opening, so that the
teeth in the opening are pressed and worked by the teeth on the lever
until the top cutting plate has travelled to the desired distance either
way, when the curved part of the lever end coming in contact with the
curved part in the said opening produces a dead lock or stop, thus 1
preventing the blow from being so severe on the bearings or guide pins,
which are thus prevented from working loose or shaky.
And, Third. In providing the lever with a boss at its under side
where it works on the fulcrum, so that the thrust on the fulcrum may
be in the same plane, or largely in the same plane, with the teeth and
curved part aforesaid, and thus the lever is not so liable to rock or get
out of order and shaky as when the fulcrum bearing is above the end
bearing or propelling part of the lever.

page_text: Figure 2 shews a section through the apparatus, and is taken through
the centre and at right angles to the line forming the points of the
teeth.
Figure 3 is a plan of complete apparatus with working lever.
The same letters indicate the same parts on either view. Very little
explanation will suffice to make the Drawing thoroughly understood.
A is the fulcrum; B, the said opening through the top cutting. plate;
C, the part on the end of the working lever shaped to fit easily in the
opening B; D, the boss on the under side of the working lever. The
lever end operates on the teeth in the said opening exactly as a toothed
segment operates on a rack, and thus the leverage is the same through--
out either stroke.
The method by which the stop at each end of the stroke is effected is
shewn at Figure 3. It will be seen that while one or more of the teeth
on the shaped part C is in gear with one or more of the teeth in the
opening B one of the rounded ends of the part C is pressing downward
on the corresponding end of the opening B in such a manner as to cause
a dead lock, and in such a manner also that on account of the nature of
the leverage the guide pins or bearers do not receive so severe a shock,
and thus the said guide pins will be better prevented from shaking or
working loose than in the ordinary apparatus. The shaped part on the
lever end is sufficiently easy in the said opening B to give the necessary
length of stroke before the dead lock is occasioned.
It will be seen that the boss D underneath the working lever being
arranged to place the fulcrum largely in the same plane as the teeth will
tend greatly to prevent the working lever from rocking or becoming
shaky.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention and in what manner the same may be performed, I
declare that I claim,-
First. The fulcrum described as to be used for extra quality work
only.
Second. The opening described in the top cutting plate and shaped as
stated, the lever end being formed to work therein.
And, Third. The boss on the under side of the working lever.

page_text: And as various modifications follow obviously from the description of
this Invention, I declare that I do not limit myself to the exact
configurations, as shewn, but claim all such configurations and modi-
fications as are in harmony with the general description of this my
Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said
set my hand and seal, this
the year
four.
William Plant, have hereunto
Sixteenth day of April, in
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witness,
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Patent Office,
Wolverhampton.
WILLIAM PLANT. (L.S.)