IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRUMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING ANIMALS, PAR-
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Courtois, of 2, Rue Sainte Appoline,
Paris, France, Mechanician, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
INSTRUMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING ANIMALS, PAR-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Courtois at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th May 1874.
.
I, CHARLES COURTOIS, of 2, Rue Sainte Appoline, Paris, France,
Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRUMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING
ANIMALS, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE SHEARING OF SHEEP," to be as
follows:-
Almost all the new instruments or apparatus for shearing animals.
have been made with combs with partially cutting parts, which require
the use of special tools in order to sharpen them. It is sometimes

page_text: difficult to find these tools in the country where these instruments are
generally used, consequently when they require to be sharpened it is
necessary to send them to towns or to the manufacturers to set and adjust
them again for work, thus entailing considerable expense and loss of
time. One object of this Invention is to remedy this inconvenience.
This improved instrument is made with blades of the scissor class, and
combined in such manner that several blades cut at one and the same
time and by the same movement. The blades of these new instruments
can be easily sharpened by ordinary cutler workmen like the blades of
ordinary scissors, and if need be without undoing all. One or more of
the blades may be sharpened by means of a stone, such as is now used
for sharpening sythes.
Instruments made according to my Invention are susceptible of
modifications, but one convenient way of carrying the Invention into
effect is as follows:-
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a front view, and Figure 2
is a side view of an instrument made according to my Invention, com-
posed of a narrow central piece or bar a, and enlarged at its upper part
to receive on two centres or studs i the two movable blades b; the
middle blade ¹ is fixed to the part a, it has a bevil cutting to the right
and left as well as the two blades c, the two other blades 6 only cut on
the inside. The two blades c are placed above the blades band b¹, which
are jointed on a common centre, in which is the thread of the screw d
which holds and fixes the plate covering the lower part of all the blades.
This plate d is formed in two parts forming a spring in order to give to
the movable blades the required pressure for advantageous cutting. The
blades c are each provided with a small hook c², in which the pin g
takes. These pins projecting from each of the blades enter the slots d²
made in the upper part of the steel plate d. The blades 6 are united by
the screws to the two branches or levers f, the lower ends of which
are united by the spring e, which is connected at or about midway
between the two branches f to the rod a by a button a¹ rivetted thereto.
To use the instrument place the ends of the blades b and c at the base
of the wool on a sheep or other animal; by squeezing with one hand
the two branches f one against the other the wool or other material is a
cut at one and the same time on four lines, and as the action of the
spring e is to cause the two branches f to open and consequently the

page_text: blades b and c, the instrument is immediately ready to recommence to
shear afresh.
After the instrument has been used for a certain time the blades
require to be sharpened with a stone. For this purpose the upper end
of the plate d is raised with the finger; then by the action of the spring e.
the blades assume the position shown in Figure 3, the two movable
blades c are held on one side by their projection c¹, and the other by two
small projecting pins o and rivetted on the base of one side of the
blades b. By these means all the blades are fixed, and it is then an easy
matter to sharpen each edge with a suitable stone.
To put the instrument back ready for work the two branches fare
brought towards one another, then the pins g cause the upper part of the
plate d to rise, the pins g enter the slots, and the instrument is ready to
recommence work.
Figures 4 and 5 shew a face and side view of an instrument or
apparatus of a similar class, but where the five blades are mounted on
one centre or bolt placed at the end opposite to the cutting parts of the
said blades; Figure 6 shews the instrument open, ready to be sharpened
by the stone. These three blades a cut two sides, a and a² only cut the
inside edge. Outside these two blades there are guards h made of
strips of metal slightly rounded, and connected to the said blades by.
means of small eylets and screws i.
The pin 6 goes through the base of all the blades. It is round in that
part occupied by the first four blades, but it is square at that part
occupied by the fifth a', and a nut keeps all the blades together. The
head b¹ of the nut 6 is square to receive and hold the spiral spring x, the
other end of which abuts against the pin d¹ fixed on the first blade a² in
such manner that the action of this spring has the tendency of con-
stantly opening the blades first into the position shewn in Figure 4, and
then into the position shewn at Figure 6. But in order to obtain this last
result it is necessary to raise the upper end of each blade one after the
other in order to disengage the pins d rivetted to cach blade, each of which
enters an elongated aperture in each blade, then the spring x keeps the
blades apart from one another in the position shown at Figure 6,
whereby the cutting edges of the blades can be easily sharpened..
In order to limit the distance at which the blades are apart there is a
round groove in the thickness of the lower part of the blade a², and

page_text: there is a projecting pin rivetted in the base of the blade which touches.
it in such manner that this pin entering the aperture in the blade a²
limits the opening of all the blades like a fan, the effect produced by the
action of the spiral spring x.
To put the instrument into the position shewn at Figure 4 the blades
are brought one by one over the others, so that the pins d take casily
into their respective slots and the instrument is ready to recommence
work.
The blades a' and a² are provided with guards bent over at their
ends to form a kind of stop; they are united to the said blades by links 1
and screws i, whereby they can be disconnected when it is desired to
permanently set the blades, an operation which is done by a cutler as the
blades of ordinary scissors.
Any other suitable appliances may be used in place of the guards h.
A nut j with finger piece is-screwed on to the pin 6 which serves to 1
keep all the blades together; instead of this nut any other suitable
appliance may be used which is easily removed, such for example as a
nut and key, which would possess the advantage of taking up less
room.
The spiral spring x may be covered by a small box, like the barrel of 2
a watch for example, allowing of course sufficient space for the proper
action of the spring.
The blades may be made with the cutting parts brought together by
means of a screw to a short band of metal, but I prefer to make cach
blade of a single band of steel.
2

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Courtois, Her special licence,
that I, the said Charles Courtois, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Courtois, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN'
INSTRUMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING OR SHEARING ANIMALS, PARTICULARLY
APPLICABLE TO THE SHEARING OF SHEEP," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Courtois, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Charles Courtois, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
:-
Almost all the new instruments or apparatus for shearing animals
have been made with combs with partially cutting parts, which require
the use of special tools in order to sharpen them. It is sometimes
difficult to find these tools in the country where these instruments are
generally used, consequently when they require to be sharpened it is
necessary to send them to towns or to the manufacturers to set and
adjust them again for work, thus entailing considerable expense and
loss of time. One object of this Invention is to remedy this incon-
venience.
This improved instrument is made with blades of the scissor class, and
combined in such manner that several blades cut at one and the same
time and by the same movement. The blades of these new instruments

page_text: can be easily sharpened by ordinary cutler workmen like the blades of
ordinary scissors, and if need be without undoing all. One or more of
the blades may be sharpened by means of a stone, such as is now used
for sharpening sythes.

page_text: pieces, all substantially in manner herein-before described and illus-
trated in the accompanying Drawings, together with any mere modi-
fications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Courtois, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four..
CHARLES COURTOIS. (L.S.)