Improvements in Machines for Shearing and Clipping Animals.
Year: 1894

page_text: 20°
Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 18th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 24th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Shearing and Clipping Animals.
We, CHARLES BURGON and HARRY BURGON both of Malin Bridge near
Sheffield in the County of York England, Sheep Shear Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for shearing and clipping
animals and has for its object to relieve the part of the mechanism by which
reciprocating motion is imparted to the cutters of the duty of transmitting to the
cutters the pressure necessary to ensure the cutting action.
Heretofore the pressure has usually been transmitted through the oscillating
cutter driving lever with the result that the pivotal axis and bearing surfaces of
said lever have been exposed to considerable friction and wear in consequence of
the high speed at which such machines are run, and the rough usage to which they
are subjected. By the present improvement the durability of the mechanism and
the ease of running of the machine are greatly increased and the power necessary
to drive it proportionally diminished.
The desired results are accomplished by the construction of the machine here-
after described with reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification and wherein
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the machine the casing being in section.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same with the casing removed.
Figure 3 is a cross section through the pivotal axis of the cutter driving and
pressure levers.
Figure 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 showing the roller bearing and path of
the pressure lever.
Figure 5 is a plan of the pressure lever separately.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
A is the frame, B the comb or bed cutter plate, C the top cutters D the cutter-
driving lever, E the crank pin upon the driving shaft engaging the forked rear end
of the lever D, all as usual. The oscillating cutter-driving lever D works upon a
pivot fixed directly to the frame A of the machine and it takes no part whatever in
applying pressure to the cutters C but merely causes them to reciprocate to and fro
over the comb plate B, this lever D being forked at its front end and engaged with
the reciprocating cutters C, by means of lugs, received in holes in the cutter plate C
in the usual manner. The pivot of the lever D is formed of a threaded stud F and
a cylindrical steel nut or sleeve f screwed thereon, the stud F being screwed
through a tapped hole in the base plate of the frame A and the cylindrical steel
nut or sleeve, being received in the boss of the lever D and forming the wearing
surface of the pivot. This nut or sleeve screws upon the pin F until its lower end
jams hard down upon the base plate A, and it has a flat head countersunk in the
boss of the lever D, whereby the lever is retained on its pivot. The lever D is
0 free to oscillate with very slight friction since there is no upward thrust of the
lever against the head of the sleeve or nut.
The pressure necessary to maintain the reciprocating cutters C in operative
contact with the comb or bed cutters B is transmitted by a separate lever G
pivotted about the same vertical axis as the cutter-driving lever D, the two levers
5 being loosely connected by the boss of lever G being received in the upwardly
extended boss of lever D, said boss being notched to receive the arins of lever G
and leave studs d which embrace said arms and cause the pressure lever G to
oscillate with the cutter driving lever D. The pressure lever G has an upward

page_text: bearing against a fulcrum or abutment H, and to enable the pressure to be
regulated the abutment H is formed of a nut or sleeve screwing on a threaded
prolongation F of the stud F. The bearing surfaces of the abutment H and
lever G are hemi-spherical so as to form a sort of ball and socket joint, as shewn,
and the lever G is sufficiently loose on the pin F1 to admit of said lever oscillating
in a transverse plane upon this ball and socket bearing to the minute extent
necessary to allow it to accommodate itself to the slightly hollowed face of the
comb-plate B and maintain an even pressure upou the top cutters C at all points
of their stroke. The head H¹ of the nut or sleeve is notched and retained in
position, after being adjusted, by a detent spring / fixed to the casing J.
The front end of this pressure lever G is forked and bears upon the cutters by
two rigid prongs 9, 9, one near each end of the cutter plate C, and by a middle
prong which is a stiff spring rivetted or screwed to the lever G and capable of
transinitting its proper share of the pressure, but of yielding sufficiently to ensure
an equal distribution of the pressure between the three prongs g, g', g. The rear
end of the pressure lever G is furnished with an anti-friction roller i which bears
on a steel race-plate I fixed to the frame A and bridging over the tail end of the
lever D which plays beneath.
Dated this 5th day of March 1901
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Shearing and Clipping Animals.
We CHARLES BURGON and HARRY BURGON, both of Malin Bridge near
Sheffield in the County of York, Sheep. Shear Manufacturers 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for shearing and clipping
animals and has for its object to relieve the part of the mechanism by which
reciprocating motion is imparted to the cutters of the duty of transmitting to the
cutters the pressure necessary to ensure the cutting action.
Heretofore the pressure has usually been transmitted through the oscillating
cutter driving lever with the result that the pivotal axis and bearing surfaces of
'said lever have been exposed to considerable friction and wear in consequence of
the high speed at which such machines are run, and the rough usage to which they
are subjected. By the present improvement the durability of the mechanism and
the ease of running of the machine are greatly increased and the power necessary
to drive it proportionally diminished.
The desired results are accomplished by the construction of the machine here-
after described with reference to the accompanying drawings; forming part of this
Specification and wherein
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the machine the casing being in section.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same with the casing removed.
Figure 3 is a cross section (drawn to a larger scale) through the pivotal axis of
the cutter driving and pressure levers.
Figure 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing the roller bearing
and path of the pressure lever.
Figure 5 is a plan of the pressure lever separately.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
A is the frame, B the comb or bed cutter plate, C the top cutters D the cutter-
driving lever, E the crank pin upon the driving shaft engaging the forked rear end

page_text: of the lever D, all as usual. The oscillating cutter-driving lever D works upon a
pivot fixed directly to the frame A of the machine and it takes no part whatever
in applying pressure to the cutters C but merely causes them to reciprocate to and
fro over the comb plate B, this lever D being forked at its front end an engaged
with the reciprocating cutters C, by means of lugs, received in holes in the cutter
plate C in the usual manner. The pivot of the lever D is formed of a threaded
stud F and a cylindrical steel nut or sleeve screwed thereon, the stud F being
screwed through a tapped hole in the base plate of the frame A and the
cylindrical steel nut or sleeve f, being received in the boss of the lever D and
forming the wearing surface of the pivot. This nut or sleeve screws upon the
pin F until its lower end jams hard down upon the base plate A, and it has a flat
head countersunk in the boss of the lever D, whereby the lever is retained on its
pivot. The lever D is free to oscillate with very slight friction since there is no
upward thrust of the lever against the head of the sleeve or nut.
The pressure necessary to maintain the reciprocating cutters C in operative
contact with the comb or bed cutters B is transmitted by a separate lever G
oscillating about a vertical axis coincident with that of the cutter-driving lever D,
the two, levers D and G being loosely connected by the boss of lever G being
received in the upwardly extended boss of lever D the latter being notched to
receive the arms of lever G between the parts d which embrace said arms and cause
the pressure lever G to oscillate with the cutter driving lever D. The pressure
lever G has an upward bearing against a fulcrum or abutment h, and to enable the
pressure to be regulated the abutment is formed on the end of a screw stem H
The bearing
screwing through a threaded bush or socket fixed on the cover J.
surface of the lever G may be a hard steel disc let into the boss of the said lever,
and the fulcrum h is preferably formed of a hardened steel ball (such as is used
for bicycle ball bearings) let into a cavity in the end of the screw H. The point
or fulcrum against which the lever G bears is thus situated in the axial line of the
pivot F, so that the friction due to the angular motion of the lever is reduced to a
minimum, and the lever G is free to oscillate in a transverse plane upon this ball
fulcrum to the minute extent necessary to allow it to accommodate itself to the
slightly hollowed face of the comb plate B and maintain an even pressure upon the
top, cutters, C at all points of their stroke. The head H' of the screw stud H is
notched and retained in position after being adjusted by a detent spring / fixed to
the casing J.
The front end of this pressure lever G is forked and bears upon the cutters by
two rigid prongs g g, one near each end of the cutter plate C, and by a middle
prong which is a stiff spring rivetted or screwed to the lever G and capable of
transmitting its proper share of the pressure, but of yielding sufficiently to ensure
The rear
an equal distribution of the pressure between the three prongs g g' g.
end of the pressure lever G is furnished with an anti-friction roller which bears
ou a steel race plate I fixed to the frame A and bridging over the tail end of the
lever D which plays beneath.
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 :-
1. In a shearing or clipping machine, the combination with the oscillating cutter-
driving lever whereby motion only is transmitted to the cutters, of a pressure lever
whereby pressure only is transmitted to the cutters, said pressure lever being loosely
connected to the cutter-driving lever so as to be caused to oscillate with it, and
having an upward bearing against an abutment or fulcrum co-axial with the centre
of oscillation, the front end of the pressure lever bearing upon the cutter and the
rear end having a laterally moving downward bearing upon the machine frame, as
specified.
2. In a shearing or clipping machine, the combination with the oscillating cutter-
driving lever whereby motion only is transmitted to the cutters of a pressure lever

page_text: loosely connected to the cutter-driving lever so as to be caused to oscillate with
it about the same vertical axis, said pressure lever having an upward bearing
against an abutment co-axial with the centre of oscillation, the front end of said
lever bearing upon the cutter and the rear end having a downward laterally rolling
bearing upon a race plate bridging over the tail end of the cutter-driving lever, as
specified.
3. In a shearing or clipping machine, the combination with the oscillating cutter-
driving lever whereby motion only is transmitted to the cutters, of a pressure lever
loosely connected to the cutter-driving lever so as to be caused to oscillate with it
about the same vertical axis, said pressure lever having an upward bearing against
a spherical fulcrum or abutment co-axial with the driving lever axis and formed on
the end of a pressure screw screwing through a socket in the casing, the pressure
lever bearing upon the cutter at its front end and having a rolling bearing at its
rear end upon the machine fraine, as specified.
4. In a shearing or clipping machine, the combination with the oscillating cutter-
driving lever whereby motion only is transmitted to the cutters, of a pressure lever
loosely connected with the cutter-driving lever so as to be caused to oscillate with
it about the same vertical axis, said pressure lever having an upward bearing
against a spherical screw adjusted fulcrum or abutment co-axial with the driving-
lever axis and having a roller bearing at its rear end upon the machine frame and
at its front end a central spring prong between two rigid prongs, all three prongs
taking a downward bearing on the cutter as specified.
5. In a shearing or clipping machine wherein the reciprocating motion and the
downward pressure are imparted to the cutters by two independent levers as
described, the loose connection of the two levers by the arms of the pressure lever
fitting in the notched upward extension of the boss of the cutter-driving lever, so
that the two levers shall oscillate together about a common axis, whilst leaving the
pressure lever free to accommodate itself to the position of its adjustable fulcrum
or abutment, as specified.
Dated this 18th day of October 1894.
A. M.. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.