IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING ANIMALS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Martin, of Old Charlton, in the County of
Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING
OR SHEARING ANIMALS."
Sealed the 13th June 1876, and dated the 17th December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Martin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th December 1875.
I, ALBERT MARTIN, of Old Charlton, in the County of Kent, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING ANIMALS," to be as follows:
Heretofore when apparatus for clipping or shearing animals has been
formed with two cutter plates, one above the other, and each having
comb-like cutting teeth, the upper plate has ordinarily been moved to
and fro over the lower plate by means of handles connected to the
plates, and it has either required both hands to work the apparatus, or in'
some cases the handles have been formed in such a manner that they'
3

page_text: can be grasped and moved to and fro by one nand.
Endeavours nave
also been made, but hitherto with but little if any success, to give a
continuous reciprocating motion to one of the cutter plates from a shaft
revolving in stationary bearings, and at the same time to leave the
apparatus free to be moved in any direction.
According to my Invention I give motion to the upper cutter plate by
an eccentric on a spindle passed downwards through the cover plate by
which the upper plate is held down to the lower plate. The cover plate
is provided with a tube standing up from it to form a long bearing for
the spindle. The eccentric on the lower end of the spindle is received
into a hole bored in a small rectangular block, which lies in a slot
formed in the upper cutter plate. This slot is at right angles to the line
of cutting teeth, so that when the eccentric is revolved the cutting plate
is moved to and fro parallel with the line of teeth, and is guided in its
movement by guide pins passed through slots formed in it, as is usual.
The lower plate is provided with a handle, by which the apparatus is
held and moved to and fro. The upper end of the spindle has motion
given to it by a flexible driving spindle, to which a continuous revolving
motion is imparted. I employ for this purpose a spindle, the lower end
of which is composed of spirally coiled wire. One end of the spiral coil
is made fast to the spindle before mentioned of the cutting apparatus,
and the other end to the bottom of a rod or tube which hangs vertically.
The upper end of the rod or tube is connected by a short length of a coil
of wire to the lower end of a short spindle, having upon it a grooved
pulley driven by a cord. The spindle of the pulley is carried vertically
at the end of a horizontal arm capable of turning on a horizontal pin at
the top of a standard. This standard supports a grooved wheel, which
is driven by a crank handle, or otherwise. From the wheel passes an
endless cord which is carried over guide pullies to the pulley at the
extremity of the arm. By this means the spindle may be driven con-
tinuously, at the same time that the arm is free to move up or down,
and its weight is counterbalanced by a counterbalance weight, so as by
preference to give the arm with the flexible spindle hanging from it a
slight tendency to rise. The guide pullies over which the cord is passed
must be placed upon the arm between its end and the pin by which the
arm is carried, and with their periphery on the same vertical line as the
centre of this pin, so that the driving cord shall remain equally tight
whether the arm be raised or lowered; or the pin on which the arm turns

page_text: may have a two-grooved wheel upon it, driven from the driving wheel.
by one band working in one groove, and a band in the second groove
giving motion to the pulley at the end of the arm.
In order also that the flexible portion of the spindle at the lower end
of the hanging spindle may be lengthened or shortened I form the
hanging spindle tubular, so that it may receive a length of the flexible
wire coil within it, and at the lower end of the tube is carried a clip to
clip the coil at any part of its length. The coil where it is clipped I
support by a rod carried from the upper end of the tube.
In order also that the clipping apparatus may be worked below the
belly of a horse, the lower end of the tube or rod may have connected
to it by a short coiled spring another short shaft, which may be held
horizontally, and this shaft be in turn connected by a coiled spring to
the spindle of the clipping apparatus.
In order also to improve the construction of the clipping apparatus I
form four slots in the upper cutter, two for the guide pins, and two for
the pressure pins by which the cover plate is drawn down on to the
upper cutter plate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Albert Martin in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALBERT
MARTIN, of Old Charlton, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Albert Martin, Her
special license that I, the said Albert Martin, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such other's as I, the said Albert Martin,
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

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING ANIMALS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Albert. Martin, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 Albert Martin, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
Heretofore when apparatus for clipping or shearing animals has been
formed with two cutter plates, one above the other, and each having
comb-like cutting teeth, the upper plate has ordinarily been moved to
and fro over the lower plate by means of handles connected to the
plates, and it has either required both hands to work the apparatus, or in
some cases the handles have been formed in such a manner that they
can be grasped and moved to and fro by one hand. Endeavours have
also been made, but hitherto with but little if any success, to give a
continuous reciprocating motion to one of the cutter plates from a shaft
revolving in stationary bearings, and at the same time to leave the
apparatus free to be moved in any direction.
According to my Invention I give motion to the upper cutter plate by
an eccentric on a spindle passed downwards through the cover plate by
which the upper plate is held down to the lower plate. The cover plate
is provided with a tube standing up from it to form a long bearing for
the spindle. The eccentric on the lower end of the spindle is received
into a hole bored in a small rectangular block which lies in a slot
formed in the upper cutter plate. This slot is at right angles to the line
of cutting teeth, so that when the eccentric is revolved the cutting plate
is moved to and fro parallel with the line of teeth, and is guided in its
movement by guide pins passed through slots formed in it, as is usual.
The lower plate is provided with a handle, by which the apparatus is
held and moved to and fro. The upper end of the spindle has motion
given to it by a flexible driving spindle, to which a continuous revolving

page_text: motion is imparted. I employ for this purpose a spindle, the lower end
of which is composed of spirally coiled wire. One end of the spiral coil
is made fast to the spindle before mentioned of the cutting apparatus,
and the other end to the bottom of a rod or tube which hangs vertically.
The upper end of the rod or tube is connected by a short length of a coil
of wire or a universal joint to the lower end of a short spindle, having
upon it a grooved pulley driven by a cord. The spindle of the pulley is
carried vertically at the end of a horizontal arm, capable of turning on a
horizontal pin at the top of a standard. This standard supports a
grooved wheel, which is driven by a crank handle or otherwise: From
the wheel passes an endless cord, which is carried over guide pulleys to
the pulley at the extremity of the arm. By this means the spindle may
be driven continuously, at the same time that the arm is free to move up
or down, and its weight is counterbalanced by a counterbalance weight,
so as by preference to give the arm with the flexible spindle hanging
from it a slight tendency to rise. The guide pulleys over which the cord
is passed must be placed upon the arm between its end and the pin by
which the arm is carried, so that the driving cord shall remain equally
tight, whether the arm be raised or lowered; or the pin on which the
arm turns may have a two-grooved wheel upon it, driven from the
driving wheel by one band working in one groove, and a band in the
second groove giving motion to the pulley at the end of the arm.
In order also that the flexible portion of the spindle at the lower end
of the hanging spindle may be lengthened or shortened, I form the
hanging spindle tubular, so [that it may receive a length of the flexible
wire coil within it, and at the lower end of the tube is carried a clip to
clip the coil at any part of its length. The coil where it is clipped I
support by a rod carried from the upper end of the tube..
In order also that the clipping apparatus, may be worked below the
belly of a horse, the lower end of the tube or rod may have connected to
it by a short coiled spring another short shaft, which may be held hori-
zontally, and this shaft be in turn connected by a coiled spring to the
spindle of the clipping apparatus.
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed shows a general view of
an apparatus arranged as above described.
A is the cutting mechanism secured to a handle A'; B, a coiled spring,

page_text: is connected by a universal joint to a spindle D, turning in a tubular
bearing fixed to the end of a counterbalanced arm E. This arm is
jointed to a standard F, upon which is mounted a grooved wheel G,
which can be driven by a crank handle, or by steam, or otherwise. An
endless cord passes over this grooved wheel and over guide pulleys H
mounted upon the arm E to a grooved pulley I fixed upon the top of the
spindle D, so that by turning the crank handle a revolving motion may
be given to this spindle. The guide pulleys H are mounted upon the
arm E in the position shown by the Drawing to allow of the outer
extremity of the arm E being raised or lowered without thereby
tightening or slackening the endless cord.
Various views of the cutting apparatus are shown at Figures 2, 3, 4,
and 5. Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus; Figure 3, an end
view; Figure 4, a transverse section; and Figure 5, a plan view with
the cover plate removed.
a is the lower plate fixed to the handle A¹; 6 is the upper plate, to
which a to-and-fro motion is to be imparted; c is the cover plate, with
a tubular bearing c¹ standing up from it; d is an eccentric on a spindle e
which passes up through the tubular bearing. The eccentric & turns
within a hole in a block f, which lies in a slot in the upper cutter plate.
The slot is at right angle to the line of teeth, so that when the
eccentric revolves the cutter plate moves sidewise to and fro. The upper
end of the spindle is attached to the end of the coiled spring B, and is
revolved by it.
The apparatus herein-before described for transmitting motion to the
spindle e of the clipping or shearing apparatus is also applicable for
giving motion to a revolving brush for brushing horses, as shewn at
Fig. 6, the axis of the brush in this case being received into a socket
at the end of a spindle driven by the coiled spring B. This spindle
turns within a handle to be held in the hand. To steady the opposite
end of the brush a spindle fixed to another handle may be used, as
shewn by the Drawing. This spindle may be withdrawn when brushing
parts of the animal which are difficult to get at if the brush is held by
tire hande

page_text: ALBERT MARTIN. (L.S.)