Year: 1896

page_text: I, JAMES ROBERTS of Shelley near Huddersfield, Yorkshire, Assistant Overseer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to an improved cutter for use in cutting up twist or cake
tobacco, the object of my improvements being to provide a small handy instrument
or device, suitable for carrying in the pocket or for shop use, wherewith tobacco can
be cut up easily and expeditiously, and the disadvantages appertaining to the
employment of a knife avoided. In carrying out my invention I employ two blades
or levers which are hinged or pivotted together at one end the opposite ends having
handles formed or secured thereon, or, preferably, having openings to admit the
finger and thumb, as in the case of scissors. The blades or levers are adapted to
work one against the other and are provided with cutting edges or knives. On the
side of one of the blades or levers is secured a tray or box, and a guide and stop piece
or adjustable gauge may be attached thereto the former to act as a guide to the
other blade and the latter for determining the thickness of tobacco to be sliced off at
each cut.
The cutter can be carried in the pocket and in using, is worked by one hand
somewhat in a similar manner to a pair of shears or scissors, the tobacco being fed by
the other hand between the blades when they are opened out. Each time the blades
are brought together a thin or thick slice of tobacco is cut off, each cut portion falling
into the tray or box which collects the whole quantity cut up and prevents waste.
The cutter described above is much handier than a knife and cuts the tobacco
quicker, more evenly and with any degree of fineness required. It can be used on a
stand or counter if greater pressure is necessary than the fingers can give. I may
make the cutter adaptable for cutting up nail rod or thick twist, or cake tobacco, and
pigtail or thin twist, or it may be made in different sizes for different thicknesses of
cake or twist tobacco.
Dated this 26th day of November 1806

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention refers to an improved cutter for use in cutting up twist or cake
tobacco, the object of my improvements being to provide a small handy instrument
or device, suitable for carrying in the pocket, or for shop use, wherewith tobacco can a
be cut up easily and expeditiously, and the disadvantages appertaining to the
employment of a knife avoided.
In carrying out my invention I employ two blades or levers which are hinged or
pivoted together at one end, the opposite ends having handles formed or secured
thereon, or, preferably, having openings to admit the finger and thumb, as in the 1
case of scissors. The blades or levers are adapted to work one against the other and
are provided with cutting edges or knives. On the side of one of the blades or
levers is secured a tray or box into which all the tobacco when cut falls. The cutter
can be carried in the pocket, and, in using, is worked by one hand somewhat in a
similar manner to a pair of shears or scissors, the tobacco being fed by the other
hand between the blades when they are opened out. Each time the blades are
brought together a thin or thick slice of tobacco is cut off, each cut portion falling
into the tray or box which collects the whole quantity cut up and prevents
waste.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood, reference is hereinafter
had to the annexed sheet of drawings forming a part of this specification, in
.which :-
Fig. 1 is a geometrical view of my improved cutter, and
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the cutter.
The improved cutter comprises two blades A and B of which the former may be :
called the movable or cutting blade and the latter the stationary blade, said blades
being hinged or pivoted together at C and having at their opposite ends
openings A, B, to receive the thumb and forefinger respectively by which the cutter
is actuated. Handles may be formed on or attached to the blades in lieu of the
openings, if preferred. The blade A is provided with a bevilled cutting edge a
which is adapted to act against a corresponding straight edge b on the blade B and
to sever or cut slices off cake or twist tobacco placed on the edge of blade B.
On blade B and immediately under the cutting edge of blade A, is formed or
secured a box or tray D, preferably of sufficient capacity to hold as much cut
tobacco as will fill the bowl of a pipe.
When using the cutter, the blade A is elevated to any extent up to the limit
shewn in full line in Fig. 1 and the piece of tobacco E placed on blade B so as to
project more or less over the inner edge b according to the thickness to be cut off.
On bringing down blade A to the position shewn in dotted line in Fig. 1, the
projecting end of the cake or twist tobacco placed on blade B is cut off and
falls into the box or tray D which collects the whole quantity cut up and prevents
waste.
The outward movement of blade A is limited by a stop piece c secured to the
blade B under the fulcrum C, or the part d of the box or tray D may be arranged to
act as a stop piece in lieu of stud c.
The cutter above described is much handier than a knife and cuts the tobacco
quicker, more evenly, and with any degree of fineness required. It can be used
on a stand or counter if greater pressure is necessary than the fingers can give.
I may make the cutter adaptable for cutting up nail rod or thick twist, or cake
tobacco, and pigtail or thin twist, or it may be made in different sizes for different
thicknesses and widths of cake or twist tobacco.
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 :-
The improved cutter for cutting up cake or twist tobacco, Consisting of two

page_text: pivotally connected blades such as A and B, on the lower one of which is a box or
tray such as D, the whole being constructed, arranged and operating in the manner
and for the purposes substantially as herein shewn and described.
Dated this 24th day of August 1897.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Patent Agents.