IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SHEARING OR CUTTING THE HAIR OF HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Griffiths, of 49, Arthur Road, Holloway,
County of Middlesex, Ironmonger, and Frederick Augustus
Wishart, of Ivy Cottage, Upper Lewisham Road, in the County of
Kent, Dentist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR SHEARING OR CUTTING THE HAIR OF HORSES AND OTHER
ANIMALS."
Sealed the 24th November 1868, and dated the 29th May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Griffiths and
Frederick Augustus Wishart at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 29th May 1868.
We, HENRY GRIFFITHS, of 49, Arthur Road, Holloway, County of
Middlesex, Ironmonger, and FREDERICK AUGUSTUS WISHART, of Ivy
Cottage, Upper Lewisham Road, in the County of Kent, Dentist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SHEARING OR CUTTING THE HAIR OF HORSES AND
OTHER ANIMALS," to be as follows:-
For this purpose we make use of three different arrangements, which
for convenience we call No. 1, 2, and 3 machines, and as one part or

page_text: portion of our Invention applies equally to the three arrangements or
machines, we describe that part as A. This part which we call A consists
of a bar or blade of steel; this bar or blade has a sharp cutting edge and
can be made of any convenient width, and of a thickness according to
the length of the hair required on the animal. The under surface of
this cutting bar is provided with a comb similar to an ordinary clipping
comb, which may be fixed to the bar by any convenient arrangement, so
that a thick or thin comb will also regulate the length of the hair. In
some cases it may be preferable to make the cutting bar or blade and
comb of one piece of solid steel or other metal. This comb is placed for
the purpose of lifting the hair and also for forming a guage, but we
must observe that in no instance do we employ the teeth of the comb
to or for cutting purposes. In some cases when the cutting edge of the
bar A is required to be very thin we thicken the said bar towards the
back part. In some cases we use the above-described cutting bar and
comb of a curved shape, and both we make either fixed to the machine
or adjustable with screws or other appliances.
Machine No. 1. consists of the cutting bar and comb A placed at the end
of and between two wrought or cast metal side frames, at the other end
of these side frames is a handle for the purpose of pushing the machine
forward as it cuts. Over the bar A and in close contact with the same
is a revolving steel or iron cylinder with a series of spiral grooves cut
out therefrom, leaving a series of any required number of cutting edges;
this cylinder is made to revolve in close contact and parellel with the
cutting bar and comb A, thus making a constant series of cuts. In some
cases it will be necessary to make the cutting edges of this cylinder of
a curved form to fit the curve or curves in cutting bar A. This cutting
cylinder may be made to revolve in plummer block bearings or in
centres, by means of cranks and handle with or without cogged wheels,
or by a pulley or pulleys and connecting band or bands, or by a lever or
levers and double or single ratchet movement, or by a double crank
and connecting rods. The cylinder is prefered to be made of cast steel,
but we also make it in cast malleable iron, brass, or other metals, and
the cutting edges faced with steel. We also make it by attaching a
series of steel strips to a series of metal discs on a spindle. We do not
confine ourselves to any particular pitch of spiral, or. to any diameter of
the cylinder, but prefer one inch to three inches in diameter, and five
inches to ten inches pitch. In front of and over the cutting cylinder a
protecting guard is fixed.

page_text: Machine No. 2 consists of the part A, as before described, with similar
side frames as in No. 1, but with a moveable knife working over cutting
bar A. This knife is arranged as a spiral working with an upward and
downward motion on to the cutting bar A by a partially circular motion,
it being attached to a lever which works on a fixed fulcrum by moving
the lever with the handle provided for that purpose.
Machino No. 3' consists of A, as before, and. somewhat similar side
frames; on one side of the frames by the cutting bar A is a double joint,
on which is pivotted a knife of any convenient length with a handle for
the operator. This knife works in a partially circular guide with a
friction wheel. The oporator works the handle backwards and forwards
in manner similar to a draw knife. The operation of these machines
is-similar to the cut of a pair of scissors.. In some instances we use
steam, wind, or other power. in addition to the hand power herein
described..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Griffiths and Frederick Augustus Wishart
in tlie Great Soal Patent Office on the 28th November. 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,. HENRY
GRIFFITHS, .of 49, Arthur Road, Holloway, in the County of: Middlesex,
Ironmonger, and FREDERICK AUGUSTUS WISHART, of Ivy Cottage, Upper
Lewisham Road, in the County of Kent, Dentist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign,. did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,.
give and grant unto us, the said Henry Griffiths and Frederick Augustus
Wishart, Her special licence that we, the said Henry Griffiths and.
Frederick Augustus Wishart, our executors, administrators, and assigns;.
or such others as we, the said Henry Griffiths and Frederick Augustus.
Wishart, our 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:

page_text: "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SHEARING OR CUTTING THE HAIR
OF HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Henry Griffiths and Frederick Augustus Wishart, our exe-
cutors, or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and t
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 we, the said Henry Griffiths and Frederick
Augustus Wishart, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
For this purpose we make use of three several arrangements, the same
in nature and principle, but with various modifications, which for con-
venience of description we call No. 1, No. 2, & No. 3 machines, which are
illustrated about the full size, with reference numbers and letters to the
several important parts.
One portion of our Invention, which we call part A, applies equally to
the three arrangements, we first preceed to describe it. A consists of a
flat plate, blade, knife, or bar of steel, with one edge sharpened to an
angle which may be varied, but generally to represent the cutting edge
of a scissors blade. In some cases we shape the cutting edge like a
carpenter's plane iron, or like a razor edge, and sometimes a hollowed
square edge like a skate iron. This cutting blade is made of various
widths or lengths, according to the breadth of hair the machine is
designed to cut, and its thickness is in accordance with the length that
the animal's hair is required to be clipped. The length of the hair left
is also regulated by the thickness of a metal comb provided on the under
side of this cutting blade A. The teeth of the comb projects in front
of the cutting edge of the blade A for a distance varying from a six-
teenth to a quarter of an inch. This comb is fastened to the blade with
screws or rivets, or it may be formed together with the cutting blade in
one piece. This comb is placed for the purpose of lifting the hair,
steadying the machine, and to form a guage for a uniform cut, but we
do not employ the teeth of the comb in any case for cutting purposes.
In some cases where the machine is required to clip the hair very
closely, the cutting blade is made of the requisite thinness, but is

page_text: strengthened or stiffened by riveting, or otherwise fastening on a piece
of metal on the upper side, or the blade itself may be stiffened by one or
more corrugations. In some cases we use a thin cutting blade with a
thick comb. In some cases we curve the cutting blade & comb A to
meet the various inequalities of shape in the animal.
Machine No. 1 consists of the cutting blade & comb A, which is
fixed underneath two cast or wrought metal side frames E, in which are
provided two openings to receive brass or other metal bearings or plummer
blocks in a perpendicular line with the cutting edge A. These bearings
are flanged & work upwards, downwards, or laterally by means of sct
screws S through the edges of the side frames which are made thicker
for the purpose. In these bearings or plummer blocks revolves a steel
or iron cylindrical cutter C of a diameter varying from one to three
inches, having a series of spiral groves cut therein, leaving a series of
thin spiral cutting edges. In a cylinder of 1 inches diameter we
prefer five cutting edges, but we do not confine ourselves to any specified
number. In a cylinder of three inches diameter we use from six to twelve
spirals. We do not confine ourselves to the length of the cylindrical
spiral cutter C, but prefer it from 2 to 4 inches. These spiral edges
revolving in close contact with the cutting edge of A produces a constant
series of keen cuts. In some cases we make this spiral cutter of a curved
or partially circular form to correspond with curve in cutting blade A,
as before described. We also make this spiral cutter by first casting the
spiral cylinder in any approved metal, and then face the spirals with thin
5 plates of steel fixed on by screws or other approved means.
We also
make it by casting or forging a metal spindle with groves cut spirally
to receive strips of steel twisted to the proper curve or spiral. We do
not confine ourselves to any particular pitch of spiral or to the diameter,
but we prefer to use a spiral of five to 12 inches pitch, and a diameter
0 of 1 to 4 inches. The spiral cutter C we cover over with a guard G,
which has a curved projection in front to protect the fingers and a
curved projection F on the top. part to afford a grasp with the fingers
of the operator. This spiral cutter C is made to revolve by means of a
crank handle with or without cogged wheels by pulley wheels con-
5 necting endless bands & crank handle, or by a double or single rachet
movement worked by levers, or by double cranks worked at right angles
with each other & a crank handle as before. In some cases we work
this machine with the aid of springs or clockwork so as to make it work

page_text: self-acting; also we make this machine self-acting by means of frictional
driving wheels or rollers, which coming in contact with the animal's
body puts the machine into motion. We also use this machine with
independant hand, horse, wind, water, or steam power, the motion being
transmitted to the machine by means of an endless driving band, pulleys,
& bevel gear. In between the side frames. a cross handle H of wood or
metal is provided to afford a firm grasp of the machine; and connected
with the bottom of the machine at the back part of the cutting blade-A
is connected a flat piece of metal R partially covered with leather, on
which the wrist of the operator rests. In some cases we put a guard
over the cogged wheels or moving parts of the machine, as shown by
dotted red line in side view of No. 1.
Machine No. 2 consists of the part A, as before described, fixed to
metal side frames, & working over the same is a moveable cutting
blade arranged as a spiral, which works with a partially circular motion
upwards & downwards, the cutting edge being thus: brought into close
contact with the cutting edge of A. This spiral blade is fixed on a
spindle working in plummer blocks, as in machine No. 1. Motion is
given to this spiral blade by means of a hand lever for the operator to
push backwards and forwards or upwards & downwards as the machine
is arranged for. On the side frames stops are provided to prevent the
lever being moved too far. This machine is also provided with handles
& protecting guards similar to machine No. I.
Machine No. 3 consists of the part A, as before, attached to side
frames with the necessary grasping handles somewhat similar to Nos..1
& 2 machines. At one side of the side frame & immediately over the
cutting edge of part A is a double pivot joint, to which is attached a
steel cutting blade flat at the pivotted end, and with a slight increasing
spiral curve. The opposite end of this blade to that which is attached
to the pivot works in a partially circular slot or guide; on this end
of the moveable cutting blade is a handle for the operator to work
backwards & forwards, something like a mast maker's draw knife; or
motion may be communicated by means of a lever with its fulcrum at
the centre of the radius of the slot or guide in nearly the same manner
as No. 2 machine.
We have now described the nature of our Invention & the means for
carrying out the same but do not

page_text: shewn & described, which may be varied without in any way altering the
principle.
We do not claim priority of Invention for the principle of revolving
spiral knives, but we claim its application in conjunction with a flat
fixed cutting blade with comb underneath for the purpose of clipping the
hair of horses.
We claim the application of springs & clockwork gearing to give
motion to the cutting parts, also the use of frictional rollers or wheels,
which pressing on the animal's body gives a self-acting motion to the
machine.
We claim the application of independant power to communicate the
necessary motion.
We claim the use of one or any number of spiral cutters, & either
the entire or partial rotation of the same in cutting the hair of horses or
other animals.
In witness wherof, we, the said Henry Griffiths & Frederick
Augustus Wishart, have hereunto set our hands & seals, this
Twenty-eighth day of November, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-eight..
HENRY GRIFFITHS.
(L.S.)
FRED. A. WISHART. (L.S.)