AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEEP SHEARS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hopkinson, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, Scythe Maker, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SHEEP SHEARS"
Sealed the 22nd March 1867, and dated the 11th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hopkinson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 11th December 1866.
I, WILLIAM HOPKINSON, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Scythe
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEEP SHEARS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the manufacture of sheep shears from two halves,
each half consisting of one blade, one shank or handle, and half the bow.
My improvement consists in turning in the back end of the bow portion of
each half, and in then connecting the turned in portions together by riveting
or by screwing, welding, or otherwise. The finished shears have thus a bow
with a recess at the middle or back, the bow being, in fact, composed of two
bows, which extend from the centre of the back to the rear ends of the two
shanks or handles respectively. By means of my improvement the shears
have a better spring than shears formed with an ordinary bow.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Hopkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HOPKINSON, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Scythe Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Jer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Hopkinson, Her special licence that I, the said William Hopkinson,
'my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Hopkinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF SHEEP SHEARS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Hopkinson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Hopkinson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
My Invention relates to the manufacture of sheep shears from two halves,
each half consisting of one blade, one shank or handle, and half the bow.
My improvement consists in turning in the back end of the bow portion of
each half, and in then connecting the turned in portions together by rivetting
or by screwing, welding, or otherwise. The finished shears have thus a bow
with a recess at the middle or back, the bow being, in fact, composed of two
bows, which extend from the centre of the back to the rear ends of the two
shanks or handles respectively. By means of my improvement the shears

page_text: have a better spring, and are less liable to be thrown out of cut than shears
formed with an ordinary bow.
The accompanying Drawing represents a pair of shears constructed
according to my Invention. It will be seen that the shears are formed in two
pieces, each piece consisting of one blade a, one shank or handle b, and half
or part c of the bow, and that the back end of the bow part c is turned in, the
turned in portion of the two parts c being connected at d by rivets, as shewn,
or by screwing, welding, or otherwise.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the manufacture
of sheep shears with a bow or bows made substantially as herein-before
described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hopkinson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM HOPKINSON. (L.S.)