AN IMPROVED MODE OF CARVING THE HORNS OF OTHER ANIMALS SO AS TO IMITATE THE HORNS OF THE STAG
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Woodcock, of 220, South Road, Walkley,
in Sheffield, in the County of York, Carver, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED MODE OF CARVING THE HORNS OF OTHER ANIMALS SO AS TO
IMITATE THE HORNS OF THE STAG.”
Scaled the 3rd July 1874, and dated the 30th January 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Woodcock
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th January 1874.
I, THOMAS WOODCOCK, of 220, South Road, Walkley, in Sheffield,
in the County of York, Carver, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF CALVING THE HORNS OF OTHER
ANIMALS SO AS TO IMITATE THE HORNS OF THE STAG," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the carving of the horns of deer and
other animals to imitate the horns of the stag. For this purpose I

page_text: use a series of revolving cutters placed at irregular distances from each
other upon the same spindle. The cutters are of different thicknesses
and diameters to produce the required cuts or indentations according
to the coarseness or fineness of the required work. Two or more of
the spindles are in use by one operator at the same time who passes
the material under them to suit the work he is then imitating. The
cutters are made from half an inch to one inch in diameter, and from
one-sixteenth to three-sixteenths in thickness with teeth set forward
and driven at great speed in wooden bearings in like manner as a
grinder's buff. The lines are sometimes cut parallel to each other
and sometimes run into each other or across each other at the will of the
operator.
After the horns come from the revolving cutters they are finished by
hand. The work is fixed in a vice and worked over with a kind of
chisel, graven, or punch (which I call a wriggler), containing two or
more teeth or rounded points or projections, large or small, to suit the
work in hand. These wrigglers are driven with a mallet from side to
side and finish the work according to the fineness required. The horns
are then taken and brushed on a circular brush with sand and water
which rounds up all the angles or protuberances which the cutters and
wrigglers have left, and they are then ready for staining.
By the means before stated smooth horns are mounted into rough ones
resembling the horns of the stag.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Woodcock in the Great Seal Patent Office 2
on the 25th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WOODCOCK, of 220, South Road, Walkley, Sheffield, in the County of
York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 3
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Woodcock, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Woodcock, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Woodcock, 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 "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF CARVING THE HORNS OF OTHER ANIMALS SO AS TO IMITATE THE HORNS OF
THE STAG," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
Woodcock, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Thomas Woodcock, 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, that is to say:
My Invention has for its object the carving of the horns of deer and
other animals so as to imitate the horns of the stag. For this purpose I
use a series of revolving cutters placed at irregular distances from each
other upon the same spindle. The cutters are of different thicknesses
and diameters so as to produce the required cuts or indentations
according to the coarseness or fineness of the required work. Two or
more spindles are in use by one operator at the same time who passes
the material under them to suit the work he is then imitating. The
cutters are made from ½ an inch to 1 inch in diameter, and
from 1 to 1 in thickness, with teeth set forward and driven at great
speed in wooden bearings in like manner as a grinder's buff. The lines
are sometimes cut parallel to each other and sometimes run into each
other or across each other at the will of the operator.
After the horns come from the revolving cutters they are finished by
hand. The work is finished by being worked over with a kind of chisel,
graver, or punch (which I call a wriggler), containing two or more teeth

page_text: or rounded points or projections, large or small, to suit the work in hand.
These wrigglers may be driven with a mallet from side to side, the
work being held in a vice, or if the work is very fine the wriggler can
be worked by hand. The horns are then taken and brushed on a
circular brush on sand and water, which rounds up all the angles and
protuberances which the cutters and the wrigglers have left and they
are then ready for staining.
My Invention will be clearly understood by reference to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a view of the
revolving cutter as fixed in the lathe; Figs. 2 are sections of the cutters;
and Figs. 3 are specimens of wrigglers. A, A, is the spindle on which
the cutters are geared or fixed so as to revolve with it; B is the ordinary
driving band; C, C, are the cutters.
In the Drawing two sets of cutters are shown attached to the spindle,
it is evident that more can be used if desirable. The spindle being fixed:
in the lathe in the ordinary way is made to revolve with great velocity,
and the horns are passed underneath by the operator, and coming in
contact with the teeth or projections of the revolving cutter cuts and
indentations of an irregular character are made in their surface. The
horns having been thus operated upon are finished by means of
wrigglers shaped as shewn in Fig. 3, so as to imitate the horns of stags.
Such rigglers may be either flat or gouge shaped. The dimensions
and distances of the teeth and cutters and also the projections on
the riggler can be varied so as to make cuts and indentations of any
required size.
I have described the apparatus as applicable to the cutting of horns,
but it will be apparent that bones and other substances having sufficient
hardness can be treated in a similar way, the sharpness and length of
the teeth of the cutters being varied in accordance with the hardness of
the material to be operated upon.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim,-
First. The method of carving horns of animals and other materials
of a similar nature, substantially in the manner herein-before described.

page_text: And, Secondly. The use of revolving cutters for the carving or
ressing of horns and other materials of a similar nature, substantially
n the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Woodcock, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.