IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEEP AND OTHER SHEARS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR MANUFACTURE THEREOF
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Wilkinson, of Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, in tho
County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEEP AND OTHER
SHEARS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR MANUFACTURE THEREOF."
Sealed the 18th April 1879, and dated the 8th February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Wilkinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th February 1879.
EDWARD WILKINSON, of Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, in the County of York.
PROVEMENTS IN SHEEP AND OTHER SHEARS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR MANU-
FACTURE THEREOF."
"IM-
This Invention relates to hand shears for shearing sheep, and to hand shears of
similar construction for other useful purposes.
The object of this Invention is to produce a pair of shears which for lightness,
strength, quality, and cost of production shall be superior to those of ordinary con-
struction; and, further, the object of this Invention is to produce the improved
form of shears by a novel method at a cheaper rate than shears of ordinary con-
struction have as yet been manufactured.
Tho improved pair of shears is of the following construction, that is to say :-
The blades, shanks, and bow are composed wholly of flat steel, not turned over at
the edges or twisted, the whole being (so to say) in one plane, but the bow will be
curved sideways, either in one regular curve from the shanks or otherwise, to give
it elasticity, the said bow being so curved, and formed, and completed in the ordinary
manner as to give it the required elasticity or power of springing.
As a modification of the above described pair of shears the part of the shanks
gripped by the hand will be fitted with metallic or non-metallic substances, so as
to form handles, the substances preferred being horn or wood, which can be attached
to the shanks or main body of the shears by rivets or otherwise; or in the event of
metallic handles being employed, they can be cast on to the shanks or main body
of the shears, instead of being fitted or rivetted thereto.
As a further modification of the above firstly described pair of shears the handles
can be composed of the same metallic substance as the shank or inain body of the
shears, the said handles being formed by a prolongation of one or both sides (edges)
of each shank of the pair of shears, the shear blank (that is to say, the slears in
the rough state) being produced with the said prolongations on the shanks, which
7

page_text: said prolongations are bent over or around the flat main body or flat shanks of the
pair of shears.
Instead of depending on the bow, as above described, for the whole of the
springing power required in working the pair of shears, an auxilliary spring or
auxilliary springs can be formed with or fixed or fitted to the said bow, and in the
event of an auxilliary spring or auxilliary springs being employed the bow may be
left fiat (as first produced in the blank), instead of being curved, for the purpose of
imparting to the pair of shears the necessary springing power or elasticity, as firstly
described.
As a further modification of the improved pair of shears the principles of the
Invention can be carried into effect by the blade, shank, and half of the bow
(forming one side or one half of the said pair of shears) being formed separately
from the blade shank, and half the bow forming the other side of the said pair of
shears, the two halves being rivitted or otherwise secured together, and forming
together one complete pair of shears.
The improved form of shears above specified admits of a simple, cheap, and novel
method of producing the blanks (or shears in the rough state) that is to say, the
said blank can be flyed out or punched out of a sheet or strip of steel (or other-
suitable material) of equal or unequal thickness, or out of flat or curved sheets or
strips, the said blank being produced in the exact outline or form of a pair of
shears, with the two blades extended clear of each other, but otherwise occupying.
the proper working position with regard to each other, and in which forin the after
manipulation is reduced to a minimum.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Wilkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th August
1879.
"IM-
EDWARD WILKINSON, of Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, in the County of York.
PROVEMENTS IN SHEEP AND OTHER SHEARS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR MANU-
FACTURE THEREOF."
This Invention relates to hand shears for shearing sheep, and to hand shears of
similar construction for other useful purposes.
The object of this Invention is to produce a novel form of shears which for
lightness, strength, quality, and cost of production shall be superior to those of
ordinary construction, the said shears being produced for the most part by the
ordinary process of punching or flying-out in an ordinary punching machine.or
fly-press.
This Invention consists essentially of an improved form of shears, the blades,
shanks, and bows of which are composed of flat steel, the whole being (so to say)
in one plane with the exception of the bow, which is curved sideways (not edge-
ways), either in one regular or an irregular curve, for the purpose of giving elasticity
to the said bow. As a modification of the above described pair of shears, the parts
of the shanks gripped by the hand have handles of wood, horn, or other suitable
substance; and as a further modification, my improved form of shears may have an
extra spring (or extra springs) fitted thereto or formed therewith.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 is a front view and Figure 2 is
an edge view of a pair of shears with handles constructed according to my Invention,
and Figures 3 and 4 are front and edge views of a simpler form of bow than that
shown in Figures 1 and 2, the same being equally effective. It will be seen that the
blades A, A, shanks B, B, and bow C are constructed of flat steel (or other suitable
substance). The bow C is curved, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 4, for the
purpose of imparting elasticity thereto.
Figure 5 of the accompanying Drawings shows a shear blank (or pair of shears
in the rough state) as flyed-out or punched-out in one piece from a sheet of steel,
and on reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 it will be seen that there remains only
to curve the bow and set up the points D, D, in order to complete the formation of a
pair of my improved shears.
I wish it to be clearly understood that although I describe as above the method
I adopt in producing my improved form of shears, I do not claim as a part of my
Invention the flying-out, punching-out, or cutting-out of shear blanks from sheets
of steel of uniform thickness, the same having been specified in Letters Patent
granted to James Ball, numbered Two hundred and ninety four, and dated the
Second day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty five.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention, and specified in what manner the same is to be or may be performed and
carried into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, "Improvements in Sheep and other Shears," as
herein-before specified and described, and illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Wilkinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of August, One thousand eight hundred and
EDWARD WILKINSON. (L.S.)