IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCISSORS AND SHEARS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Mitchell, of Greenwich, in the County of
Kent, Tailor, and William Brunton, of Penge, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SCISSORS AND SHEARS."
Sealed the 8th April 1862, and dated the 1st November 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Mitchell and
William Brunton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 1st November 1861.
We, BENJAMIN MITCHELL, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Tailor,
and WILLIAM BRUNTON, of Penge, in the County of Surrey, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCISSORS AND SHEARS," to be as follows:-
That the improvement in respect to scissors and shears consists in a different
action of the cutting edges, whereby they, instead of being simply pressed
together, as in the old plan, are made in a measure to slide so as nearly to
resemble the action of cutting with a knife, which is accomplished in the
following manner :-Instead of making the fulcrum in the centre of the blade,
and nearly in a line with the cutting edges, as in the ordinary scissors and
shears, it is placed entirely on one side, as will be seen on reference to Figure
the 2nd of the accompanying Drawing, marked O; Figure the 1st represents
the usual style of scissors and shears, having the pin in the centre of the
blades, and the dotted lines A and B shew the direction in which they approach

page_text: each other in cutting; Figure the 2nd represents the improvement. The pin
or fulcrum is removed to some distance on one side of the blades marked O,
and the dotted lines C and D indicate the motion of the cutting edges whilst
in operation. It will be necessary to insert a small pin, as at E, working in a
curved slot, so as to keep the cutting edges in close contact, and prevent their 5
springing away from each other while cutting.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said Benjamin Mitchell and William Brunton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, BENJAMIN
MITCHELL, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Tailor, and WILLIAM
BRUNTON, of Penge, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her, heirs and successors, give and grant unto them,
the said Benjamin Mitchell and William Brunton, Her special licence that
they, the said Benjamin Mitchell and William
their executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as they, the said Benjamin
Mitchell and William Brunton, their 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCIZZORS AND SHEARS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that they, the said Benjamin Mitchell and William
Brunton, their executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
bis, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Benjamin Mitchell, for myself and
the said William Brunton, do hereby declare the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-

page_text: Our Invention consists of the improvements herein-after explained and
illustrated in Figure 2 and 3 of the accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 represents the usual style or shape of scizzors and shears without
our improvements, having the pin or fulcrum in or about the centre of the
blades. The dotted lines A and B shew the direction in which they approach
each other in the act of cutting.
Figure 2 represents a pair of tailors' shears or scizzors constructed according
to our Invention. We make the fulcrum by means of a rivet or pin, which
passes through a drilled hole in both blades on one side of that part of the
shoulder of the said blades, as indicated by the letter O, in Figure 2 of the
accompanying Drawing. We also insert and fasten a rivet or pin, as at E, in
the shoulder of one blade of the shears or scizzors, which works in a curved
slot in the shoulder of the corresponding blade, and by means of a head or cap
to the said rivet or pin on the side of the last-mentioned blade, we keep the
cutting edges in close contact, and prevent them from springing away from
each other. The lines C and D indicate the motion of the cutting edges
whilst the shears or scizzors are in operation.
Figure 3 represents a pair of metal-cutting shears constructed according to
our Invention, and only varies from Figure 2 in the shape of the arms or
handles and blades.
Having described the nature of our Invention, we wish it to be understood
that we do not limit ourselves in the manufacture of scizzors and shears to the
precise shape of the handles and blades as represented in the accompanying
Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of
our Invention, when required for the purpose of giving the utmost power and
control over the article or material to be cut, clipped, or otherwise.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Mitchell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-two.
BENJN. (L.S.) MITCHELL.
Witness to the signature of Benjamin Mitchell,
CHA. KING,
3, Oakfield Terrace, Penge,
Surrey.