mproved Means or Apparatus for Actuating the Cutters of Horse- clippers, Hair-clippers, and Sheep-shearing Machines, and other similar Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
mproved Means or Apparatus for Actuating the Cutters of Horse-
clippers, Hair-clippers, and Sheep-shearing Machines, and other
similar Machines.
We WILLIAM NELSON of Tomoana in the Provincial District of Hawke's Bay
the Colony of New Zealand Sheep Farmer and JAMES JUST NIVEN of
Vaipukurau in the said Provincial District Engineer do hereby declare the nature
f this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
escribed and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention consists of the improved means or apparatus herein-after described
or actuating the cutter-bars or levers of hair-cutting sheep-shearing and other
imilar machines which effect the cutting of human or other hair or the wool
f sheep by means of cutters having a rapid reciprocatory motion over stationary
combs.
In some classes of these machines such as horse-clippers and hair-clippers the
cutter-bars are actuated by hand. In sheep-shearing machines the cutter-bars
are actuated either by means of flexible drivers and cranks as in the Wolseley
machines or by means of compressed air. It has also been proposed to drive
them by means of a column of water to which a reciprocatory or pulsatory
motion is given by suitable mechanism. These arrangements are attended by the
disadvantages of excessive vibration jarring and friction of the most important
working parts.
Now the objects of our invention are to obviate these disadvantages in sheep-
shearing machines and also to actuate by mechanical means the cutter-bars of
horse-clippers and other similar machines which have heretofore been worked by
hand and our said invention consists in imparting the requisite reciprocatory motion
to the cutter-bar of the machine by means of a rotatory motor actuated by a jet of
water or other suitable fluid or air forced or drawn through or admitted into the
said motor.
We will describe our improved apparatus as applied to a sheep-shearing machine.
The said apparatus is constructed and arranged as follows. On the rear end of the
handle or casing which carries the comb over which the cutters work we affix a
cylindrical casing of metal in which is mounted on an axis a metal disc having on
its periphery a series of vanes or cups. On the axis of this disc is formed or
affixed a smaller disc which carries a crank-pin which engages in a slot in the rear
end of the cutter-bar so that the continuous rotatory motion of the said disc shall
impart reciprocatory motion to the said bar. In the periphery of the said casing
are formed induction and eduction ports which respectively communicate with
induction and eduction pipes. The induction pipe leads from a main-pipe through
which the water or other fluid or air is forced by a suitable pump. The eduction-
pipe leads to another main-pipe through which the water or air after having passed
through the motor aforesaid is drawn off by means of an exhaust-pump which
produces a suction in the casing and thus prevents any leakage of water through
the bearings. Thus a series of sheep-shearing machines may be connected by main-
pipes to a force-pump and an exhaust-pump which may be worked by steam or
other power.
The above mentioned apparatus is suitable for use with water or other suitable
fluid but when compressed air is used the exhaust-pump and exhaust main herein-
5 before described may be dispensed with such air passing into the motor through
the induction-pipe and port and out by the eduction-port the eduction-pipe
attached to such port being of a length just sufficient to deliver the blast above
the shearer.
Instead of affixing the motor herein-before described to the handle or casing

page_text: aforesaid the said motor may be applied to the rotatory connecting-shaft used in
the Wolesley machine or other similar machines as herein-after described and
illustrated in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Having thus described the nature of our invention we will proceed to describe
the manner in which the same is to be performed reference being had to the
accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figures 1 and 2 are sections (taken at a right angle to each other) of the motor
herein-before referred to.
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of a part of a wool-shed fitted up with
our apparatus.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of the case or handle of a shearing-
machine with our motor applied thereto.
Figure 5 is a plan of the said case and motor the top plate of the said case-
being removed...
*Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 illustrate the application of our motor to the rotatory
connecting-shaft of a Wolesley or other similar machine as herein-before
described.
Figures 10 and 11 represent details herein-after described.
The same letters and figures of reference indicate the same parts in all the
figures.
A1 A2 is the casing the part A2 of which screws into the part A¹. B is the disc
and are the vanes or cups thereof. The said disc is screwed upon the axis C
on which are turned gudgeons c¹ c¹ which revolve in bearings a¹ a¹. On the said
axis is affixed the smaller disc 2 into which is screwed the crank-pin c³ (indicated
in dotted lines in Figure 1,) which disc revolves in a recess in a boss a² formed on
the casing. The said pin carries a friction-roller e which works in a slot e' in the
cutter-bar E. D' is part of the case or handle of the machine (the parts not
represented being of any ordinary or suitable construction) and D² is part of the
cover thereof which is affixed upon the said case by means of screws at the fore-
end of the machine (not shown) and lugs d' on the said cover which engage with
lugs d² on the said case. 3 is a socket formed on the said case which fits on the
boss a² so as to be capable of turning thereon and thus giving the lateral play
required in the operation of shearing the said boss being secured in the said socket
by means of a set-screw a³ which screws into the latter and engages in an annular
groove at formed around the former. a³ a respectively are the induction and
eduction ports.
F' F' are the induction and eduction-pipes which are of vul-
canised india-rubber. They are fitted over nozzles f¹¹ the ends ff of which
are screwed into the ports aforesaid. fare milled rings which are screwed
upon the nozzles ff and are made conical at f*f* where they bear upon conical
nietal bushes fofs made in three or more segments so that when the said rings are
screwed up the said bushes shall compress the tubes F1 F2 upon the nozzles f'{'
and thus make a tight joint. The tubes are bound together at ffo. The tube F¹
leads from the main-pipe f7 (see Figure 3) and the tube F2 leads to the main-
pipe which is in connection with a suitable exhaust-pump. Both main-pipes are
supported by brackets G fixed to the tie-beams y' of the wool-shed as represented
in Figure 3. The tubes F¹ F' and the machine depending therefrom are counter-
balanced by means of a cord f10 to which they are suspended which cord passes
over a pulley 2 and carries a weight f.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:
The water or other fluid or air is forced through the pipe F into the casing A' A'
and by its successive pressure against the vanes or cups b₁₁ causes the disc B to
rotate and carry round the disc 2 the crauk-pin e on which engaging in the slot e¹
of the cutter-bar E imparts thereto a rapid reciprocatory motion with very little
friction and nearly total freedom from the jarring which tends to throw shearing
machines of the ordinary kinds out of gear. Another advantage of our apparatus
is that it requires less driving power than machines of the ordinary construction.
Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 represent the modification of our invention herein-before

page_text: escribed for adapting it to the Wolesley machine without the necessity
Itering the cutter-bar or any of the parts in immediate connection therewith.
Figure represents the motor applied to the rotatory connecting-shaft of a
and 8
Volseley machine, Figure 6 is a side elevation of our motor and Figures
re sections thereof taken at a right angle to one another. In this arrangement
ve make the said motor of the size represented in order to reduce the speed of the
In this arrangement we
utter-bar to that of the ordinary Wolesley machine.
lispense with the small disc c² and crank-pin c³ herein-before referred to and form
pon the shaft C a male screw e (see Figures 7 and 9) on which screw we affix
he universal joint carried by the connecting-shaft of the Wolesley machine. The
connecting-shaft of any other sheep-shearing machine may however be coupled to
the screwed axis C.
Figures 10 and 11 represent in side elevation and plan respectively a swivelling-
bracket for supporting the pipes F1 F2. This is represented in connection with
the modification herein last described but may be used in substitution for the
arrangement represented in Figure 3. Or that arrangement may be used with our
said modification. The bracket L is jointed at to the bracket G so as to be
capable of turning from side to side as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 11
and thus allowing great freedom of motion to the pipes F¹ F2. We have described
this arrangement as a matter of convenience but make no claim thereto.
From the foregoing description of the application of our invention to a sheep-
shearing machine its application to clippers for cutting human hair or for clipping
the coats of horses will be understood all that is necessary in such cases being to
substitute for the hand-levers ordinarily used in such clippers the slotted-lever and
subsidiary mechanism herein-before described.
Or the said clippers may be constructed like Wolesley or other similar sheep-
shearing machines and be connected to our motors by means of connecting-shafts
and universal joints according to the arrangement herein-before described and
illustrated in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings with reference to
a Wolesley sheep-shearing machine.
Where horse-clippers or hair-clippers are driven by power our motors may be
applied thereto as herein-before described with reference to sheep-shearing
machines.
We wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details
herein-before described as the same may be modified without departing from the
nature of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :
Firstly. The application to horse-clippers hair-clippers and sheep-shearing and
other similar machines of rotatory motors driven by water or other suitable fluid
or compressed air for the purpose of actuating the cutter-bars of the said machines
the said motors and the subsidiary apparatus in connection therewith being con-
structed arranged actuated and applied essentially as herein-before described and
5 illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. The adaptation and application of our rotatory motor to the actuating
of the cutter-bars of Wolesley or other similar sheep-shearing machines through
the connecting-shafts thereof essentially as herein-before described and illustrated
in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying drawings. Also such adaptation and
O application to hair-clippers and horse-clippers.
Thirdly. The combination of a force-pump and an exhaust-pump with ou
rotatory motor essentially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
ր Cantember 1892.
W. NELSON.
JAS. J. NIVEN.