Year: 1888

page_text: I, JOHN WILLIAM BANNER, of Banner's Elk, in the County of Watauga, State of
North Carolina, in the United States of America, 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 an improvement in animal-shears and it consists in the
peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth
hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shears embodying my improvements.
Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line x-x Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the cutter plate.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line y-y of Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the ledger plate.
A represents a base plate, which is made of metal of any suitable width, length and
thickness, and the rear end of the said base plate is curved upward, as at B, and is
provided with a rearwardly projecting handle, C, whereby it may be readily grasped
by the left hand of the operator. From one side of the curved portion of the plate
projects a forwardly and upwardly inclined standard D.
I represents an operating cam wheel which is provided on its periphery with
series of oppositely extending right angled cam grooves F and G, the ends of which
open on opposite sides of the wheel. The latter is journaled on the bolt H, which is
screwed to one side of the standard D, near the upper ends thereof.
I represents a vertical shield or guard plate, which is arranged on the plate A at a
slight distance in front of the cam wheel E, and from one side of the said plate I projects
a rearwardly, extending plate K, which extends through the front edge of the
standard D. In the lower side of the plate I is an opening, L, and in the lower edge of
the plate K is an opening M. The front end of the base plate A is provided with a
forwardly extending series of fingers, N. The upper side of the front portion of the
said base plate is recessed, as at O, and on the said recess is placed a ledger plate P
provided with the forwardly extending cutting teeth R, which are arranged directly
over the fingers N. The edges of the said cutting teeth R are beveled downward
in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 1. From the rear side of the ledger plate
projects a tongue, S, which fits snugly in a longitudinal groove T, made on the upper
side of the base plate.
U represents a cutting plate, which is arranged on the upper side of the base plate
and extends forward over the ledger plate. The rear end of the plate U is pivoted to
the upper side of the base plate by a bolt or pin, V, and the front end of the said

page_text: cutting plate is provided with the forwardly projecting pair of cutting teeth W, which
are provided with inclined cutting edges that extend in the opposite directions from
the beveled cutting edges of the teeth R. at a suitable distance from the front end of
the plate U the latter is provided with a transverse slot, X.
Y represents an operating-lever which is arranged on the upper side of the cutting
plate U, and is provided at its front end with a depending stud, Z, which fits in an
open notch or slot, A¹, formed between the inner ends of the cutters W. This
operating lever is fulcrumed on a bolt, B1, that projects downward through the slot X
of the cutting plate, and through openings in the ledger and base plates. The rear
end of the operating lever is widened, and is provided on opposite sides with
upwardly projecting studs or anti-friction rollers and D'. The stud or roller (1
is adapted to engage the open cam grooves F of the wheel successively, and the
stud is adapted to engage the open cam grooves G of the said wheel alternately
with the stud or roller C₁. It will be readily understood that as the wheel E is
turning while one stud or roller is engaging a groove opening on one side of the
cam wheel, the other stud or roller will be projected a considerable distance beyond
the opposite side of the wheel, and thereby a rocking or oscillating motion is imparted
to the lever Y, and through the same to the cutting plate U, which causes the latter
to move its cutting teeth W back and forth over the cutting teeth R of the ledger
plate.
The operation of my invention is as follows:-The operator grasps the handle C
with his left hand and guides the shears over the back of the sheep or other animal to
be sheared, and rotates the wheel E by means of a handle projecting from the right
side thereof. The fingers N at the front end of the plate A prevent the cutters from
working too close to the skin of the animal, and the vibrating motion of the cutter
plate U causes the cutter fingers W to sweep back and forth over the cutters R of
the ledger plate, and thereby shear the animal clean.
The ledger plate is removable from the base plate, so that its teeth may be
sharpened when necessary.
The plate I serves to prevent the wool or hair from moving rearward under the
cam wheel E and clogging the saine.
Having thus described my invention, I claim :-
1. In sheep shears, the combination of the base plate A having the recess O on
its upper side at its front end, and provided with a longitudinal groove T,
communicating with the said recess, and the ledger plate P, arranged in the recess O,
and provided with the rearwardly extending tongue fitting in the groove in the base
plate, substantially as described.
2. The combination of the base plate A, having the recess on its upper side at
its front end, and provided with the longitudinal groove T, communicating with the
said recess, the ledger plate P arranged in the recess O and provided with the rear-
wardly extending tongue fitting in groove T, the upper side of the ledger plate being
flush with the upper side of the base plate, the oscillating cutter plate U; pivoted at
its rear end to the base plate and bearing thereon, said cutter plate having the
transverse slot X, the cam wheel, and the operating lever Y, having the fulcrum bolt
extending through slot X, the front end of the said lever being connected to the
cutter plate and the rear end thereof having the studs engaging the cam wheel,
substantially as described.
1030
JOHN WILLIAM BANNER.
By Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.