IM- PROVEMENTS IN CUTTERS OR SHEARS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Crompton Fletcher, of the Rectory, Tarleton, in
the County of Lancaster, Clerk in Holy Orders, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CUTTERS OR SHEARS."
Sealed the 5th September 1879, and dated the 9th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Crompton Fletcher
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1879.
ROBERT CROMPTON FLETCHER, of the Rectory, Tarleton, in the County of
Lancaster, Clerk in Holy Orders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTERS OR SHEARS."
The improvements consist of a stationary blade or cutter combined and worked
with or by a revolvable blade or cutter, arranged to be actuated by being pushed
or drawn by hand or otherwise over and under the material or matters to be cut,
said revolvable cutter being also combined, when desired, with a convenient
measuring device, such as a train of wheels geared to the revolvable cutter and a
face or dial plate to show desired distances travelled. The improvements are
performed by making the stationary blade curved and to project partly below and
pass under the matters to be cut, and be close alongside the revolvable cutter, which
passes over said matters, and is mounted on a carrying roller or rollers having
smooth or roughened surfaces, which may be of wood, rubber, metal or other con-
venient substances. The handle may be of any suitable form, and together with
the fixed blade be keyed on to or form part of the axle on which the carrying
roller rotates; a spring with nut and screw attachment or other equivalent device
can be used for keeping the fixed and movable blade in their contiguous positions.
The depth of the movable cutter below the carrying roller is arranged before hand,
according to the matters to be cut; for instance, for cutting grass borders the
movable cutter should project about one inch beyond the periphery of the roller,
for cloth about one sixteenth of an inch. The improvements are intended as a
substitute for shears in large work.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Crompton Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th November 1879.
ROBERT CROMPTON FLETCHER, of the Rectory, Tarleton, in the County of
Lancaster, Clerk in Holy Orders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTERS OR SHEARS."
The improvements relate to cutters or shears intended for cutting grass borders
and edges, and also materials of a flat nature, such as cloth, paper, canvas, leather,
or any other substances which the improved shears can travel on and cut. The
Invention consists in the construction and arrangement of one or more fixed cutters,
detachable or otherwise, to be worked in combination with a revolvable circular
cutter attached to a carrying and travelling drum or similar contrivance, having a
rigid or flexible periphery, smooth, checkered, corrugated, dentated, or otherwise
formed, said fixed and revolvable cutters being actuated by being pushed or drawn
by hand or otherwise over and under the matters to be cut.
Also in combining
with said revolvable cutter, when desired, a convenient measuring device, such as a
train of wheels geared therewith, and a dial to show distances travelled or lengths
cut. The Invention is performed by making the stationary or fixed cutters of steel
or metal, curved, and to project partly below and pass under the matters to be cut,
also to lie close alongside the revolvable steel or metal cutter, in which position it
may be kept by a metal spring or other device; the revolvable cutter intended to
travel on or over the matters to be cut is mounted on a drum, roller, or similar con-
trivance made of any convenient material, and having a smooth, roughened, or
otherwise formed periphery, which may in some cases be made flexible by the use
of rubber, cloth, or leather tyres. A convenient arm and handle is added, made in
one or more pieces and of any suitable form and material, and it may conveniently
have keyed, or rivetted, or otherwise attached to it the fixed cutter or cutters, and
receive and hold the pin or axle on which the carrying drum of the revolvable
cutter rotates. The depth of the movable cutter below its carrying drum is
arranged according to the matters to be cut; for cutting grass borders it should
project about an inch beyond the periphery of the drum; for cloth, about one sixteenth
of an inch; and for some thin materials be almost the same depth as the drum,
which is in such case to be furnished with a compressible or yielding periphery.
The operation of the improved shears is somewhat similar to that of shears or
scissors generally; in the case of cutting borders, the machinery should be pushed
before one, and in cutting cloth, &c., the hand must press down on the machinery
while pushing.
The accompanying Drawings will illustrate practical and convenient modes of
performing the Invention, but I do not confine myself to the exact modes and to
the details as shown, as they can be varied without departing from the nature of
my Invention.
In the accompanying Drawings, like letters represent like or corresponding parts.
A is revolvable cutter; B, fixed cutters; C, drum; D, arm; E, handle; F, pin or
axle; G, castor; L, fixed cutter holder; K, spandril attached to arm D; M, fixed
cutter holder journal; O, oil holes; R, flexible tyre.
Fig. 1 is an outside view of machine for cutting borders; Fig. 2, front view;
Fig. 3, section of drum C and revolvable cutter A; Fig. 4, inside side view of drum
and cutter. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are enlarged views, showing a mode of attaching
revolvable and fixed cutter; Fig. 8, section, showing pin F, arm D, drum C, contact
spring and revolvable cutter A; Fig. 9, detail of pin F and spring for keeping the
drum C in contact with arm D, and its cutter B..
Fig. 10 is a side elevation, Fig. 11, front view, and Fig. 12, plan of machine
adapted for cutting cloth and similar matters; it will be observed that a flexible

page_text: tyre R is applied to the drum C, and that the revolvable cutter A does not extend
so far as the periphery of the rubber tyre; also that the handle E is modified, and
an additional arm D* added, furnished with a castor G. Figs. 13, 14, and 15 are
enlarged details of this last machine.
Fig. 16 is a side elevation, Figs. 16' and 17, partial front views, and Figs. 18, 18¹,
details of a modification of my improvements, in which I use two fixed cutters B
and mount them in hinged holders L, as shown, with a journal arrangement M
having a tongue or lever impinging on a fixed spring N, the object of such arrange-
ment being to keep the cutters B close against the revolvable cutter A. The rest
of the arrangements will speak for themselves. This modification is intended for a
border cutting machine that may be worked in either direction.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Crompton Fletcher, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of November, A.D. 1879.
ROBERT C FLETCHER