AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR CUTTING BOTTLE WIRE AND STRING AND CIGAR ENDS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, PROSPER AUGUSTE MAIGNEN, of Great Tower Street, in the City of London,
Wine merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "AN
IMPROVED DEVICE FOR CUTTING BOTTLE WIRE AND STRING AND CIGAR ENDS," to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved appliance for the cutting of the wire and
string employed to hold down the corks of bottles containing effervescent liquids,
such as champagne, soda water, and such like liquids, which appliance when
detached by cutting the wire is applicable for the cutting or nipping of the end from
the butt of a cigar and for cutting the string on the bottle.
My device consists of a pair of levers sliding upon one another, and pivotted
together a short distance from one end. These levers are suitably, though not
necessarily, of a flat form throughout, the long ends being bent in contrary
directions to form a stop to entire closure; this, however, when desirable may be
effected in other ways.
Immediately in front of the pivot through the short end of each lever is a hole,
and these holes exactly correspond when the long ends are closed against the stop,
or at any other desired position. When the cork is wired down, the wire is passed
through the corresponding holes, and my device is left suspended thereby, to serve
to cut the wire when it is desired to uncork the bottle. This is effected by opening
the long ends of the levers, when the separation of the holes consequent thereupon
will shear the wire in two with ease, owing to the great purchase. Either or both
of the short ends of the levers being prolonged somewhat, may have one side or
their contrary sides sharp, so as to serve for the severance of the string by direct or
shear cut respectively, and in addition to the before described holes for the severance
of the wire may have a recess or recesses cut to engage with the wire and sever
same by a shear cut. In proximity to the pivot, and on the inner side of the long
ends of the levers, I form a pair of contrary recesses, the edges of one or both of
which are preferably sharpened. These serve to grasp the end of a cigar butt, after
my device is detached from the wire and to cut off the point preparatory to
smoking, by compressing the extremities of the long ends of the lovers. One of

page_text: the levers may be still further prolonged and formed into an attachment ring, or a
hole may be pierced at any part of the device for this purpose, so that after it has
been detached from the bottle it may be fastened to the watch guard or elsewhere..
I have thus specifically described the construction of my device in order that its
nature may be clearly understood; but I would have it understood that I may
vary the position of the shearing holes and recesses in the levers and the additional
cutting edges without departing from the invention, the essential object of which
is the providing of a cheap and effective severing device to be attached to the
bottle, and dependent for its action upon the shearing action of a pair of side
pivotted overlapping levers at great advantage and which after being detached
serves to cut the string or nip a cigar.
Dated this 17th day of January AD 1884
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, PROSPER AUGUSTE MAIGNEN, of Great Tower Street, in the City of London,
Wine Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED DEVICE FOR CUTTING BOTTLE WIRE AND STRING AND CIGAR ENDS,"
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an improved appliance for the cutting of the wire and
string employed to hold down the Corks of Bottles containing effervescent liquids;
such as Champagne Soda Water, and such like liquids, which appliance, when
detached by cutting the Wire, is applicable for the cutting or nipping of the end
from the butt of a Cigar, and for cutting the string of the bottle.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I now proceed to
describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being
had to the letters and figures marked thereon-Like figures refer to like parts
throughout.
Figure 1-represent my device in plan and elevation in its simplest form,
Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 show various modifications of the same.
Figure 6. shows my device attached to a Bottle.
Figure 7. shows my device cutting a Cigar.
My device consists of a pair of levers A, sliding upon one another, and pivotted
together a short distance from one end at B-These levers are suitably, though not
necessarily, of a flat form throughout, the long ends being bent in contrary
directions, as shown in the drawings, in order to form a stop to entire closure-
This however when desirable may be effected in any other convenient manner.
Immediately in front of the pivot B, through the short end of each lever, is a hole C,
and these holes exactly correspond when the long ends are closed against the stop,
or at any other desired position. When the Cork is wired down, the Wire is passed
through the corresponding holes C, and my device is left suspended thereby, as
shown in figure 6, to serve to cut the Wire when it is desired to uncork the bottle.
This is effected by opening the long ends of the levers (see figure 3) when the
separation of the holes C, consequent thereupon, will shear the Wire in two with
ease, owing to the great purchase. The short ends of the levers being prolonged
somewhat, as shown in figures 2, 3, and 4, may have one side or their contrary
sides, sharp, so as to serve for the severance of the string by direct or shear cut
respectively, and in addition to the before described holes for the severance of the
wire I may form a recess or recesses, cut at D, figure 5, to engage with the wire,
and sever same by a shear cut in proximity to the pivot. On the inner sides of
the long ends of the levers A, I form a pair of contrary recesses E, the edges of one
or both of which are preferably sharpened. These serve to grasp the end of a
Cigar butt, Figure 7, after my device is detached from the wire, and to cut off the
point preparatory to smoking, by compressing the extremities of the long ends of
the levers. One of the levers A may be prolonged, and formed into an attachment
ring F, or a hole may be pierced at any part of the device for this purpose, so that
after it has been detached from the bottle it may be fastened to the watch guard,
or elsewhere. I have thus specifically described the construction of my device, in
order that its nature may be clearly understood; but I may vary the position of
the shear holes and recesses in the levers and the additional cutting edges without
departing from my invention, the essential object of which is the providing of a
cheap and effective severing device, to be attached to the bottle and dependent for

page_text: '
its action upon the shearing action of a pair of side pivotted and overlapping levers
at great advantage, and which, after being detached, serves to cut the string or nip
a Cigar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1 The combination of a pair of side pivotted over lapping levers at great
advantage, pierced with corresponding holes at their short ends, through which the
Bottle Wire is passed, and twisted reversely or otherwise provided with a stop,
substantially as specified.
2nd The addition to my first claimed device of a prolongation, overlapping for
a shear cut or formed for a straight cut, to sever the string, substantially as
specified.
3rd The construction of my device with a recess to engage with the wire for
severance of the same after the separation of my device from the bottle, substantially
as specified.
4 The side recessing of the levers in my said device for the purpose of nipping
Cigar butts, substantially as specified.
5th The formation of my device with a ring or perforation, to permit of the
same being attached to the Watch Guard or elsewhere, substantially as specified.
Dated this 16th day of October
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.