IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEEP-SHEARS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SHEEP-SHEARS." A communication from abroad by Cristobal Benavides, and
Joshua P. Arthur, both of Laredo, in the County of Webb, State of Texas,
United States of America.
+
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th February 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEEP-SHEARS." [A communication from
abroad by Cristobal Benavides and Joshua P. Arthur, both of Laredo, in the
County of Webb, State of Texas, United States of America.]
This Invention consists in constructing sheep shears with blades separable from
the handle, whereby the blades can be ground without being injured.
According to the Invention the handle of the shears is made with a central
spring or bow in the usual manner, and upon the outer and inner ends of the inner
sides of the arms of the handle are formed eyes or sockets to receive the shanks
of the blades. The apertures of the eyes are made square and slightly tapering,
and the shanks are also made square and slightly tapering, so that when the shanks
have been drawn snugly into the eyes the blades will be held rigidly. Screw-
threads are cut upon the ends of the shanks to fit into the screwthreads of hand
uuts, so that the shanks can be drawn into the eyes and held securely by screwing
up the nuts. The backs of the blades project a little beyond the shanks to form
shoulders to rest against the ends of the arms of the handle, so that the backs of
the blades and of the arms of the handle will be in line and will form smooth
surfaces. The blades are made of the usual form.
With this construction the blades can be easily detached when they require to
be sharpened, so that they can be sharpened without grinding off or rounding their
points and corners, without any danger of breaking the spring of the handle, as
frequently happens when the shears are made in the usual manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th August 1881.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEEP-SHEARS." A communication from
abroad by Cristobal Benavides and Joshua P. Arthur, both of Laredo, in the
County of Webb, State of Texas, United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to furnish sheep shears so constructed that the
blades shall be separable from the handle.
This Invention consists in constructing sheep shears with separable blades,
whereby the blades can be ground without being injured, as will be hereinafter
fully described.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of the
improvement; Figure is a plan view of one of the blades; Figure 3 is a rear
edge view of one of the blades; Figure 4 is a cross section taken through the lines
xx, Figure 1. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the
several Figures.
A represents the handle of the shears, which is made with a central spring in
the usual manner. Upon the outer and inner ends of the inner sides of the arms
of the handle A are formed eyes or sockets B to receive the shanks C of the
blades D. The apertures of the eyes B are made square and slightly tapering, and
the shanks C are also made square and slightly tapering, so that when the said
shanks have been drawn snugly into the said eyes, the blades D will be held firmly
and rigidly. Upon the ends of the shanks C are cut screwthreads to fit into the
screwthreads of the hand nuts E, so that the shanks C can be drawn snugly into
the eyes B, and held securely by screwing up, the nuts E. The backs of the
blades D project a little beyond the shanks C to form shoulders to rest against the
ends of the arms of the handle A, so that the backs of the blades and of the arms
of the handle will be in line and will form smooth surfaces. The blades D are
made of the usual form. If desired the shanks C of the blades D can be made
round, and also the apertures of the eyes B. In this case the blades D are held
from turning by a V shaped projection upon the bases of the said blades D, which
enter correspondingly shaped notches in the ends of the handle A,
By constructing sheep shears in the manner herein described the blades can be
easily detached when they require to be sharpened, so that they can be sharpened
without grinding off or rounding their points and corners, and without any danger
of breaking the spring of the handle, as frequently happens when the shears are
made in the usual manner.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. As an improved article of manufacture, spring sheep shears made, substan-
tially as herein shown and described, with the cutting blades separable from the
spring handle, as set forth.
2nd. In sheep shears, the combination with the spring handle A of the separable
blades D, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the blades can be
attached and detached, as set forth.
3rd. In sheep shears, the combination with the arms of the handle A and the
separate blades D of the eyes B having square tapering apertures, the square

page_text: tapering shanks C of the blades D having screwthreads and hand nuts E, substan-
tially as herein shown and described, whereby the blades can be readily attached
and detached, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, A.D. 1881.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)