AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SHEARING SHEEP AND OTHER ANIMALS OR FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SHEARING SHEEP AND OTHER ANIMALS OR
FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES communicated to him from abroad by Charles
"
Carpentier of Paris, France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th February 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SHEARING SHEEP
AND OTHER ANIMALS OR FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES [A communication to him from
abroad by Charles Carpentier of Paris, France]
"
This Invention relates to an improved machine for shearing sheep and other
animals and for similar purposes, which machine is chiefly characterized by the
combination of ordinary shears with a special arrangement of mechanism for
imparting movement thereto without the necessity for employing both hands as is
the case with the shears ordinarily used. The work executed without the two
hands being required, done under better conditions and much more rapidly than
with ordinary shears, so that a great advantage is obtained if the shears are to be
applied for cutting hair, and an economy is effected in shearing sheep and other
animals, by avoiding the cuts which deteriorate the skin and injure the wool, since
one hand is free to hold the animal.
In order that the said Invention may be better understood I have illustrated it
in the accompanying Drawing by way of example.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the shears, drawn to an enlarged scale, shewing
the arrangement for driving or operating the upper or movable blade.
Figure 3 represents a fragment of the driving cord.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the lower or fixed blade.
Figure 5 represents in vertical, longitudinal, and transverse sections, the upper
or movable blade, and

page_text: Figure 6 shews, in detail, the excentric for actuating the upper blade of the
shears.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
a represents a support or standard, which is hollow and in which a vertical
rod b is arranged to slide; this rod carries the driving mechanism and its height
can be adjusted at will, it being fixed by means of a set-screw c. The movement
of the crank or handle d is transmitted to the blades by the gear-wheel e and
pinion and the transmission cord g.
This cord is enclosed in a casing h (Figure 3) which consists of a coiled wire,
and which is fixed to the piece i. As shewn in Figure 3, the said cord is formed of
wires wound one upon another, the direction of winding of each of the said wires
being the reverse of that of the adjacent wires so that the cord g can be turned
constantly and in any direction, whatever be the position of the shears. kis the
handle of the shears; it is hollow and encloses the attachment of the cord g to the
rod which terminates in an excentric m (Figures 2 and 6) working in a bearing in
the upper movable blade (Figure 5) and imparting to and fro movement thereto.
The handle k is screwed into the lower blade (Figure 2).
It is evident that I can, without departing from the nature of the Invention,
replace the gear-wheels by any other mode of transmission. I can, moreover,
apply the said Invention to all kinds of shears,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings. London. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SHEARING SHEEP
AND OTHER ANIMALS, OR FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES A communication to me from
abroad by Charles Carpentier, of Paris, France
"
This invention relates to an improved machine for shearing sheep and other
animals and for similar purposes, which machine is chiefly characterized by the
combination of ordinary shears with a special arrangement of mechanism for
imparting movement thereto without the necessity for employing both hands, as is
the case with the shears ordinarily used. The work executed without the two
hands being required, is done under better conditions and much more rapidly than
with ordinary shears, so that a great advantage is obtained if the shears are to be
applied for cutting hair, and an economy is effected in shearing sheep and other
materials, by avoiding the cuts which deteriorate the skin and injure the wool
since one hand is free to hold the animal
In order that the said invention may be better understood I have illustrated in
the accompanying drawing by way of example, one form of mechanical shears
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine.
Figure 2, is a vertical section of the shears, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing.
the arrangement for driving or operating the upper or movable blade
Figure 3 represents a fragment of the driving or transmission cord and a portion
of the casing therefor.
Figure 4, is a vertical section of the lower or fixed blade
Figure 5 represents, in vertical longitudinal and transverse sections, the upper
or movable blade, and
Figure 6 shows in detail the excentric for actuating the upper blade of the
shears.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing
a represents a support or standard, which is hollow and in which a vertical rod b
is arranged to slide; this rod carries the driving mechanism and it can be adjusted
vertically at will, being fixed by means of a set-scrow c. The movement of the
crank or handle d is transmitted to the blades by means of the gear-wheel 6; the
pinion f, and the transmission cord g.
This cord is enclosed in a casing h (Figure 3) which consists of a coiled wire,
and which is fixed.to the piece i. As shown in Figure 3, the said cord is formed
of wires wound one upon another, the direction of winding of each of the said
wires being the reverse of that of the adjacent wires so that the cord g can be
turned constantly, and in any direction, whatever be the position of the shears;
k is the handle of the shears; this handle is hollow and encloses the attachment of
the cord g to the rod which terminates in an excentric m (Figures 2 and 6)
working in a bearing in the upper movable blade (Figure 5) and imparting to and
fro movement thereto. The bandle k is screwed into the lower blade as shown in
Figure 2.
It is evident that I can, without departing from the nature of the said invention,
replace the gear-wheels by any other mode of transmission. I can, moreover,
apply the said invention to all kinds of shears.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it
understood that I claim :-

page_text: First. In combination with the shears, the hollow handle k, the transmission
cord g, and the genring e, f carried by the vertical, sliding, and adjustable shaft b,
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
Second. The arrangement of the transmission cord formed of concentric coiled
wires enclosed in a casing of coiled wire, for giving alternative movement to the
blade of the shears, substantially as set forth.
...Third. The rod l attached to the cord g and enclosed in the handle k of the
shears, in combination with the excentric m for imparting the torsional movement
of the cord g to the blade of the shears, substantially as, and for the purpose, set
forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Ninth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three
W ROBT LAKE (L.S.)