Right and Lefthand Scissors Combined.
Year: 1896

page_text: Right and Lefthand Scissors Combined.
HARRY WILLIAM HAROLD of Stoke Ferry in the County of Norfolk Photographer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
It consists of Scissors having double cutting edges so that they can be used in
either hand and are in reality as suggested by the Title a pair of Righthand and
Lefthand Scissors in one pair. An attempt to use the Ordinary righthand Scissors
with the left hand or vice versa will at once shew the difficulty in so doing and the
advantage of the present Invention. The Bows are mounted on the handles by
a swivel arrangement and are reversible for right or lefthand use as desired and
are kept in position on either side by such Bows or Rings pressing against a pro-
jection at the lower part of said handles. One end of the Bow or Ring consists
of a Shank through which the lower end of the handle passes the other end of the
Bow is enlarged and of such a Shape that the said Bow has no side movement
where the split in it occurs but is kept in position and the said enlargement forms
a stop on either side which prevents the Blades passing or crossing when the cut
through the work on which the Scissors are being used is completed. The Stop
being on either side acts equally whether as right or lefthand is used.
In using the Scissors if required for the righthand the top ring must be turned
to the right and the under ring to the left if required for the left then the top ring
to the left and under to the right. The scissors must be closed whilst being turned.
The Inventor intends to apply the principle to all kinds of Scissors where
practicable.
Dated this Twenty-first day of December 1896.
HARRY WILLIAM HAROLD.
Right and Lefthand Scissors Combined.
I, HARRY WILLIAM HAROLD, of Stoke Ferry in the County of Norfolk,
Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
It is customary at the present time to construct and grind scissors right-handed,
although they may be used with more or less skill in the left-hand also; and
scissors are also specially made and ground for left-hand use.
This invention has reference to right and left hand scissors combined, the object

page_text: being to construct all kinds of scissors where practicable in such manner that they
may be used with equal efficiency in either hand.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 shews in plan a pair of scissors constructed substantially according
to my invention, in their closed position.
Figure 2 shews in plan a pair of scissors constructed substantially according to
my invention, in their open position.
Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 2, when in closed position.
Figure 4 shews a modification in the method of attaching the bows to the
handles.
Figure 5 is a section of Figure 4 shewing the tongue and groove for locking the
bows in position.
Figure 6 shews a section on the line 6--6 of Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a view of the lower part of one of the handles, shewing the tongue i
and split k.
Figure 8 is a side elevation of the bow with groove j in lug j¹.
Similar reference letters denote different views of the same parts.
In carrying out my invention, I form the blades with double cutting edges,
that is to say, both the inner and the outer edge of each blade are ground and
whetted, so that by merely changing the relative position of the bows the scissors
can be used in either hand with equal efficiency.
In order to enable either of the two pairs of cutting edges thus provided, to be
used when required, I have found it necessary to modify the construction of the
handles and bows also. Accordingly, instead of making the bows, or ring-like
portions for the fingers, integral with the handles, they are made separate and
split or divided transversely on the side which adjoins the handles substantially
as shewn at a Figures 1 and 2. The portion of the bow e on one side of the said
split or division is enlarged or expanded into the form of a tubular sleeve or
socket b, whilst the part of the how e on the other side of the split is forked or
slotted out and embraces the bottom of the tubular sleeve above it as shewn.
I make the lower part of the handles round or cylindrical and form a
square head, or fix a square nut, on the end.
The sleeve or socket of the bows e is placed on the cylindrical portion f of the
handles, and the head or nut g formed or screwed on after; thus forming a kind
of swivel attachment for the bows enabling them to be turned or rotated about
the handles from one side to the other, making the scissors reversible for either
riglit or left hand use as desired and when so turned are locked in their position
by virtue of the spring of the metal causing the forked end of the bow to press
against the square head or nut on the bottom of the handles.
When the blades are closed, and the hows in a plane parallel with the blades,
the forked ends of the bows abut against each other forming a stop on each side
which prevents the blades crossing over when in use as shewn in Figure 3.
the scissors are closed and locked the bows are in a plane at right angles to the
When
blades. Now, assuming they are required to be prepared for right-hand use:-
the bows being held in a plane at right angles to the face of the operator, the top
ring must be turned to the right and bottom ring to the left, the rings or bows
will then be substantially in the same plane as the blades. If required for
left hand use, the above actions must. be: reversed..>
I sometimes modify the above-described construction, by loosely pivoting the
bows to the bottom of the blades, preferably by forming a lug or tongue on each
bow or ring and fitting the said tongue into a corresponding slit or groove in the
bottom of the handles and securing the said tongue loosely in the groove by means
of a rivet, pin, or screw: in which case it is only necessary to cross over the bows
from one side to the other to effect the necessary change of cutting edges, and a
tongue and groove j as shewn in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 serve to lock them in
position when so changed, the lower portion of the handle being split as at k, for
the purpose of obtaining greater flexibility.

page_text: 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. Scissors blade having a cutting edge on each side thereof, as described.
2. A pair of scissors constructed of blades having a cutting edge on each side
thereof, as described.
3. Scissors bows split transversely and provided with tubular sleeve and forked
or notched ends substantially as described.
4. A pair of scissors constructed of blades having a cutting edge on each side
thereof, handles having the lower part cylindrical and split bows.with a sleeve and
a fork end, adapted to be secured to the handles, substantially as described and
shown.
5. A pair of scissors constructed of blades having a cutting edge on each side
thereof, and handles pivoted at the bottom to the bows, substantially as described,
and shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.
6. A pair of scissors having bows separate from, and adapted to rotate or swivel
on, the handles.
100%
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.