An Improved Device or Apparatus for Sharpening the Blades of Scissors, Shears, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Nov., 1894
An Improved Device or Apparatus for Sharpening the Blades of
Scissors, Shears, and the like.
I, ARTHUR ROBERT CATLIN, of 1ª Portland Road, Notting Hill, London, W.,
Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates to, and consists of certain modifications of, and improvements
upon the device or apparatus for sharpening the blades of scissors, shears and the
like, forming the subject matter of the Patent No. 4363 and dated March 1st 1894,
granted to Nelson Loomis Willard.
In the Specification of the Patent above referred to, provision is made for the
use and application of a steel bar, rod, wire or needle, (referred to in the drawings
of the said Specification by the letter B) as the medium for sharpening the blades
of scissors, shears and the like, from which it can only be inferred that the said
bar, rod, wire or needle, was intended to be perfectly straight, and circular in
cross section, but I have found in practice during the exploitation of the said
Patent, that certain benefits and advantages are to be derived or gained, by
forming the said steel portion B into various shapes in plan other than straight,
and of a variety of forms in cross section other than circular, and in order to
acquire the right and privilege to manufacture and sell such scissors or the like
sharpeners, in which the steel portion or sharpening medium B, is made to assume
various shapes and forms in plan other than straight, and of various shapes and
forms in cross section other than perfectly circular, and to attain the benefits and
advantages that I have discovered will accrue therefrom, is what I now desire to
secure to myself by the grant of Letters Patent.
Therefore, for the purposes of my invention I purpose constructing the said steel
bar, rod or wire B in such a manner, that this may form in plan a perfect circle or
ring, or be in the shape of an equilateral or other triangle, or rectangular having
four equal or unequal sides, or polygonal, semicircular, or in the form of the
letter Ċ or D, or any combination of these shapes.
I have found in practice that when the steel portion B is perfectly straight as
provided in the said Patent 4363% that the blades of scissors, shears and the like
are more rapidly and perfectly sharpened thereby (in the manner shewn by Figs. 8
and 9 of the drawings) if the edges of the said blades are placed thereon at an
angle approximating to that of the bevel or curve upon the said edges, and as the
operator would be likely to disregard this precaution, I find that by forming the
said bar or rod B other than straight in plan, say circular or semicircular, at
the sharpening portion thereof, that the operator, when placing the scissors or the
like thereon, so that the blades opened in a vertical direction, as he or she would
be likely to do, that the said curve in B would provide the necessary angle, and so
prevent unnecessary burr upon the edges of the blades, hence the attainment of one
of the advantages hereinbefore referred to, but as more or less burr would
inevitably result during the said sharpening, I may find it convenient to provide a flat
portion upon some part of the steel B, in order that the said burr may be removed
by drawing the flat portion of the blades once or twice therealong or thereover, as
described in lines 10 to 14 page 2 of the Specification of the Patent before
mentioned, and in consideration of this I now provide that I may employ any
combination of the shapes herein before cited in the manufacture of B."
I also find in practice, that by constructing the said steel portion B in the form
of a triangle, square or polygon in cross section, the upstanding ridges upon its

page_text: surface provided thereby afford a better sharpening medium than would exist if
this be perfectly circular in cross section. I therefore purpose constructing the
said steel portion B of any of these shapes in cross section, or any desired
combination thereof.
By constructing the said steel portion B in plan and section of any of the shapes
or configurations herein provided, I may in certain cases find that a holder therefor
is unnecessary, but when such is indispensable I may find it convenient or desirable
to construct a holder therefor differing in shape or configuration from that shewn
by A and C or E or F in the drawings of the Patent No. 4363 of 1894 before
mentioned. For instance, if the portion B be circular, semicircular, octagonal or
the like in plan, the folding of the portion A (Fig. 2) as therein provided, would
not be adaptable for holding this, I may therefore arrange that A or its equivalent
may be in two pieces or otherwise shaped so that B may be rivetted, screwed or
otherwise connected thereto, or retained there between or thereupon. For the same
reason I may alter the formation of the frame F (Fig. 5) in order to adapt it for
receiving and holding whatever form of steel portion B I may desire to attach
thereto. I may also find it convenient or desirable to split or otherwise arrange
the plate E (Figs. 6 and 7) in order to be able to rivet, screw or otherwise attach
thereto whatever form of steel portion B I may prefer.
Or, according to the shape or configuration of the steel portion B, I may be able
to dispense entirely with a holder therefor, in which case B may be so shaped in
plan as to be held in one hand of the operator while the scissors, shears or the like
is held in the other. Therefore, I wish it understood that when such holder may
be necessary, or desirable for displaying advertisements or other matter thereon as
provided in the before mentioned Patent, I reserve to myself the right to construct
such holder of any shape, form or configuration most adaptable for holding_the
steel portion B I may desire to attach thereto, or to construct the said portion B in
any shape or form in plan by which it may be held and used without employing a
holder therefor.
Having how particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
In an improved apparatus for sharpening the blades of scissors, shears and the
like, the employment of a steel bar, rod or wire of any desired size, shape or
configuration in plan, straight or otherwise, and of any desired size, shape or con-
figuration in cross section, and with or without being connected to, retained within
or otherwise held by a handle or holder of any size, shape or configuration most
adaptable therefor, substantially as herein set forth, and substantially as and for
the purposes described and shewn in the Specification and drawings of the Patent
No. 4363 of A.D. 1894 herein referred to.
Dated this 17th day of September 1894.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.