CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAFTS OR HANDLES FOR RAZORS
Year: 1809

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WASS, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Cutler, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-first day of
November, in the fiftieth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Wass, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole priviledge and authority, that I, the said Robert Wass, my exors,
adñiors, and assigns, during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAFTS OR HANDLES FOR RAZORS;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Robert Wass,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within two calendar months after the date of the said recited
Letters Patent, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Wass, do declare that the nature of my Invention, and the manner in

page_text: which the same is to be performed are particularly described and ascertained
in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and as follows (that is to say) :-
First, the handle of haft of razors, which have been made having no joints
to fold or shut up in any less compass after it is first put together, I do
substitute a handle or haft made with a joint or joints (but one joint I prefer);
this joint I do make of various distances from each end of the handle or haft,
but about one-third of the length from the small end I prefer. I do make
this joint with (or without) a spring, or slide, or worm, or screw, or of other
fit or well-known joints of the like description; but the spring joint I prefer.
To this spring, I do add the square, center, or sneek'd joint, or of other well-
known joints of the like description. By means of this joint or joints the haft
or handle is taken in two, or three, or more pieces, by springs, at the slightest
touch; but of these I prefer of shutting up the handle by means of a spring
joint. I do make this haft or handle of various sizes, but I prefer five inches
and a half long when open, or thereabouts; I do make this handle of pearl, or
ivory, or shell, or horn, or steel, or iron, or metal, or other fit and well-known
materials of the like description, and I do make use of the said materials for
the slide, or worm, or screw, or other joints (if used). By means of this
improvement the razor handle may be shut up into the length of the cutting
part of the razor blade, or less, if required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Wass, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and ton
GREAVES, Extra.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifteenth day of January, in
the year of our Lord 1810, the aforesaid Robert Wass came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.