IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEARS, SCISSORS, AND OTHER CUTTING INSTRUMENTS OF A SIMILAR CHARACTER THERETO
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Carter, of Mottingham Lodge, near Eltham,
in the County of Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
Sealed the 20th December 1864, and dated the 22nd June 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Carter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
June 1864.
I, GEORGE CARTER, of Mottingham Lodge, near Eltham, in the County of
Kent, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEARS, SCISSORS, AND OTHER CUTTING INSTRUMENTS OF A
SIMILAR CHARACTER THERETO," to be as follows:-
The mode heretofore practised in the construction of shears, scissors, and
other cutting instruments of similar character thereto has been to connect
the two cutting edges together by a screw or pivot only, the effect of which is
that in cutting a thick or soft substance the cutting edges, instead of keeping
close together, become separated or forced asunder, and thus the substance is
wedged between the cutting edges, so that instead of the edges making a clean
cut, they either tear and maul the substance or fail to divide it; in any case
great exertion is required to cause the edges to cut.
Now this Invention consists in obviating the above objections by forming
the cutting edges in the following manner :-For example, I form one cutting

page_text: edge of a thin piece of tempered steel plate, one edge whereof is ground to a
knife edge, and the other may either be left plain or have saw teeth formed
thereon; this piece fits into a long recess formed in one of the jaws of the
shears, and may be securely held therein by screws; the other jaw of the
instrument is formed in two parts, that is to say, the whole length of the jaw
is formed with a cutting edge bevilled inwards, and there is a long plate of
tempered steel also formed with a cutting edge bevilled inwards; this plate is
securely connected to the aforesaid jaw by a screw at the extremity thereof,
and by the screw or pivot on which the jaws move as a fulcrum. The upper
single edge aforesaid fits between the two lower cutting edges, and is thus
always kept in close contact with the lower or compound cutting edges
throughout their entire length, the effect of which is to enable the cutting
instrument to make a clean cut and divide a thick or soft substance with very
little exertion. The cutting edges may either be straight or curved, or a com-
bination of both, as may be found desirable; and the single cutting blade
aforesaid may be used as a saw by reversing its position in the jaw that holds
it, and also by disconnecting the two jaws; or the saw may be made wide
enough to pass through the jaw, and thus disconnection of the jaws may be
dispensed with.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Carter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GRORGE
CARTER, of Mottingham Lodge, near Eltham, in the County of Kent, Gentle-
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign; did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Carter, Her special licence that I, the said George Carter,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Carter, 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 and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: SHEARS, SCISSORS, AND OTHER CUTTING INSTRUMENTS OF A SIMILAR CHARACTER
THERETO," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Carter,
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 George Carter, 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 fol-
lowing statement, that is to say:-
The mode heretofore practised in the construction of shears, scissors, and
other cutting instruments of a similar character thereto has been to connect the
two cutting edges together by a screw or pivot only, the effect of which is that
in cutting a thick or soft substance the cutting edges, instead of keeping close
together, become separated or forced asunder, and thus the substance is wedged
between the cutting edges, so that instead of the edges making a clean cut,
they either tear and maul the substance or fail to divide it; in any case great
exertion is required to cause the edges to cut.
Now this Invention consists in obviating the above objections by forming the
cutting edges in the following manner :-For example, I form one cutting edge.
of a thin piece of tempered steel plate, one edge whereof is ground to a knife edge,
and the other may either be left plain or have saw teeth formed thereon; this
piece fits into a long recess formed in one of the jaws of the shears, and may
be securely held therein by screws or rivets; the other jaw of the instrument
is formed in two parts, that is to say, the whole length of the jaws is formed
with a cutting edge bevilled inwards, and there is a long plate of tempered
steel or wrought iron, also formed with a cutting edge bevilled inwards; this
plate is securely connected to the aforesaid jaw by a screw at the extremity
thereof, and by the screw or pivot on which the jaws move as a fulcrum. The
upper single cutting edge aforesaid fits between the two lower cutting edges or
guide plates, and is thus always kept in close contact with the lower or com-
pound cutting edges or guide plates throughout their entire length, the effect
of which is to enable the cutting instrument to make a clean cut and divide
a thick or soft substance with very little exertion. The cutting edges may
either be straight or curved, or a combination of both, as may be found
desirable; and the single cutting blade aforesaid may be used as a saw by
reversing its position in the jaw that holds it, and also by disconnecting the

page_text: two jaws; or the saw may be made wide enough to pass through the jaw,
and thus disconnection of the jaws may be dispensed with.
:
In order to explain this Invention more fully, I now proceed to describe the
means by which the same may be effected, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked
thereon respectively as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of shears constructed according to this
Invention adapted for agricultural purposes, shewn partly open; Figure 2 an
edge view thereof at A, Figure 1; Figure 8 a section through the line A, B,
at Figure 1; Figures 4 and 5, the cutting parts of the shears detached from
each other; Figures 6 and 7, modified forms of construction of cutting
instruments. At each of the foregoing Figures similar letters of reference are
employed to denote corresponding parts, in so far as such parts appear or can
be seen at each of such said Figures respectively.
A, B, are pieces of metal carrying the cutting edges a, a, and b, b. C is a
screw bolt and nut for connecting the parts A and B together, and serving
as the fulcrum of the shears; D, D, wooden handles. The pieces A and B
are each formed of one entire piece of metal, and have other pieces of metal E
and G connected thereto by screws and rivets c, d, and I, as at Figures 1, 2,
and 3. The piece A carries a blade of tempered steel H, which may be
securely held between the parts A and E by the screws c; the edge a of the
piece His ground to a knife edge, and the opposite edge may have saw teeth
formed thereon, as shewn; or the frame A of the shears may be formed close
on its top edge, and the blade of steel H be formed simply as a cutting blade
and without saw teeth.
I would remark that, whereas in practice I have found the frame liable to
break at the part X, and the pieces B, E, to bend, it is very desirable to use
a good quality of metal in their construction. I have found wrought iron
answer very well. It is also desirable to adjust and hold the upper edges
of the pieces B, G, as near as may be close together, and to slightly round off
the edges to prevent the cutting blade H catching against same in its passage
between said pieces. The parts B and G have their upper edges bevilled to a
knife edge, as at Figure 8, and are in contact, the lower edges being held apart
to allow the cutting edges to clear themselves of fragments of material when cut.
The operations of these improved shears are as follows:-Suppose the
shears to be open, as at Figure 1, and the material which it is desired to divide
placed between the cutting edges a and b, in the act of cutting the edge a will

page_text: pass between the pieces B and G, and thus be supported and prevented from
moving sideways throughout its entire length, thereby ensuring a clean cut
with very little effort. Instead of forming the piece E as at Figure 1, it may
be formed as at Figure 5, the outer edges of the pieces A, E, being closed
instead of open, and said pieces may be rivetted together as at x. Scissors
and other similar cutting instruments may be made on this plan, and may
have springs adapted thereto for opening them.
The feature of novelty in this Invention consisting in making the edge of
one of the cutting instruments pass between two other cutting edges, so as to
prevent side movement of the single cutting edge or blade H. I also
propose in some cases to serrate, scollop, or roughen the top edges of the
pieces B and G to prevent the material which is to be cut from slipping.
In constructing sheep shears, scissors, and such like instruments intended
to cut soft or thin substances, I propose to form them as at Figure 6. In this
case the parts K¹ and L act as ordinary scissors, with this advantage, that as
the upper cutting blade L passes between the parts K¹ and K, the part K,
which is not formed with a knife edge, serves to press and keep the blade L
in close contact with the other cutting blade throughout its entire length.
And as regards surgeon's scissors and other kinds of scissors, I propose to
construct same either with one, two, or three cutting edges. For example,
according to the purpose for which they are required, I either make them
similar to the horticultural shears represented at Figures 1 and 2, forming
the parts G and B either obtuse or rounded off on their top edges to
receive the steel cutting edge between same, or one of the lower blades
may be sharp and the other obtuse, and the obtuse blade may be tempered as
a spring to ensure forced contact of the cutting edges.
In constructing cutting instruments according to this Invention adapted for
cutting leather, canvass, and similar materials or substances, I propose to use
a cutting table, under which I fix the shears or cutting instrument in such
manner that the blades of the jaws thereof come through the table on a
level with the surface thereof, and the substance to be divided may be moved
up to the cutting instrument by hand, as in sewing machines.
Shears or scissors constructed as lastly above described may be actuated
either by hand or by a treddle worked by the foot or with a spring; and the
fulcrum or pivot which connects the blades together may be placed, as at
Figure 7, similar to pincers or nutcrackers.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention for "Improvements in Shears, Scissors, and other Cutting Instru-
ments of a similar Character thereto," together with the best means I am

page_text: acquainted with for carrying same into practical effect, I would remark in
conclusion that I hereby declare my Invention to consist in, and I claim the
mode set forth and described with reference to the accompanying Drawing, of
constructing shears and other cutting instruments of a similar character
thereto, whereby the cutting blade is prevented from moving sideways, by
reason of said blade being supported and guided throughout its entire length
between the lower plates or blades B and G.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Carter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of December, in the
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
GEO. CARTER. (L.S.)