A New or Improved Tool or Device for Cutting the Seam Stitching of Dresses or other like Articles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Tool or Device for Cutting the Seam Stitching
of Dresses or other like Articles.
We CHARLES ALVEY of 32 Parade, Fitter, WALTER GRAINGER of 69 Aberdeen
Street Machinist, and THOMAS JERSTON of 58 Parade, Tobacconist, all in the City of
Birmingham in the County of Warwick do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
-
This Invention has for its object the saving of time and trouble involved in
unpicking the stitching of Ladies' dresses Tailor made goods, carpets, or other
sewn Articles as now ordinarily done when the same are required to be taken to
pieces and consists of the construction of a tool or device for the purpose the
nature of which will now be described.
The body of the Tool or device constructed in accordance with this invention
consists of a plate of steel about an inch or so long and three quarters wide, the
front end of which is cut away on one side to about half its length and breadth
the remaining part forming a flat finger like projection being tapered and shaped
so as to force its way easily between the seams to be opened.
The shoulder formed at the root of the projecting part may be set back at an angle
towards the centre of the plate and at this point a semicircular notch is made one side
of which runs out in a line with the inner side of the projecting part. This notch is
brought up to a fine cutting edge by bevelling both sides of the plate and this edge is
continued along the immor edge of the finger like projection.
The back end of the plate is made with a tang on which is fixed in the usual way a
straight handle of wood or other material.
The cutting edges of the tool or device are hardened tempered and ground up as
usual.
In use the work is properly pinned down or otherwise held and the tool which is
held edgways gently pushed forward the lower part opening the seam and passing.
under the stitching, the stitches coming in contact with the sharp cutting edge of the
tool are easily and rapidly cut through.
Instead of the cutting part being formed out of the solid plate as above described a
little circular knife edged cutter may be mounted on a stud and fitted in a recess in
the plate in the position of the semicircular notch above mentioned and when the tool
is pushed forward in use the stitches slip into the angle formed by the inside of the
projecting finger and the rim of the circular cutter. This will tend to revolve the
cutter slightly and assist the cutting action.
Instead of a separate handle being affixed to the tool or device the steel plate may
be made of sufficient length and so shaped by forging or stamping as to form a bundle
in itself.
Dated this 7th day of Kohrua 1889
T. ROBERTS THOMAS,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Tool or Device for Cutting the Seam Stitching
of Dresses or other like Articles.
We CHARLES ALVEY of No. 324 Parade, Fitter, WALTER GRAINGER of No. 69
Aberdeen Street, Machinist and THOMAS JERSTON of No. 58 Parade Tobacconist, all
in the City of Birmingham do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This Invention has for its object the saving of the time and trouble involved in
unpicking the stitches of ladies and other dresses or garments, carpets and other sewn
articles as now ordinarily done when the same are required to be taken to pieces and
consists of the construction of a Tool or device for the purpose the nature of which
will now be described.
The body of a tool or device constructed in accordance with this Invention consists
of a plate of steel of about a fingers breadth and an inch or so long the front of which
is cut away on one side to about half its length and breadth, the remaining part
forming a flat finger like projection, being tapered and shaped so as to force its way
easily between the seams to be opened.
The shoulder formed at the root of the projecting part is set back at an angle
towards the centre of the plate and at this point a semi circular notch is made, one
side of which runs out in a line with the inner side of the projecting part. This
notch is brought up to a fine cutting edge by bevilling both sides of the plate, and
this edge is continued more or less along the funer edge of the finger like projection.
The back end of the plate is made with a tang on which is fixed in the usual way a
straight handle of wood or other material. The cutting parts of the tool or device are
hardened, tempered and ground up as usual In use this tool is held edgeways and
gently pushed forward, the prong opening the seam and passing under the stitching
which on coming in contact with the cutting edge of the notch is easily and rapidly
cut through.
Instead of the cutting part being formed out of the solid plate as above described, a
little circular knife edged cutter may be mounted on a stud and fitted in a recess in
the plate in the position of the semi-circular notch above mentioned, and when the
tool is pushed forward in use the stitches slip into the angle formed by the inner side
of the projecting finger, and the rim of the circular cutter. This will tend to revolve
the cutter slightly and assist the cutting action. Instead of a separate handle being
affixed to the tool, the steel plate may be made of sufficient longth and so shaped by
forging or stamping as to form a handle in itself.
And in order that this Invention may be fully understood we will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the sheet of Drawings hereto annexed, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is a side view of a Tool or device constructed in accordance with this
Invention shown somewhat larger than full size.
Fig. 2 is a side view, showing several modifications of the same.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of the blade as shown in Fig. 1.
Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sections of parts of the modified Tool or device shown
in Fig. 2.
In the simplest form of this Invention shown in Fig. 1 A is the steel blade,
a the projecting finger and a² the semi circular notch. The edges a' and aª_are
proporly tempered and ground to a fine cutting edge. B is the handle of wood or
other suitable material secured on tang b with ferrule in the usual way. Fig. 3
shows the projecting finger a and the cutting edges a and as in section. In fig. 2
the handle B is shewn formed out of the same picce of metal as the blade either by
forging, stamping or otherwise, and may be shaped or hollowed as shown at 68 for a
more secure holding by the thumb and fingers, or otherwise shaped for this purpose.

page_text: This arrangement is applicable as well to the design shewn in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 is
also shewn the application of a small knife edged circular cutter to the root of the
projecting finger, to act instead of the cutting edge on the inside of the notch a².
This cutter runs upon a rivet stud, or pin (, for the purposes before described.
Fig. shews a section of one form of this arrangement in which the circular cutter C
runs in a slot formed in the upper part of the shoulder a². In Fig. 5 is shewn
another arrangement which may be adopted in which the circular cutter C is ground
to a cutting edge on the one side only and the projecting finger a bevilled and
ground on the opposite side the cutting edges coming together as shown.
In this fig. is also shewn an end view of the solid handle as shaped or hollowed
at 1³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :--
First. The construction of a Tool or device for cutting seam stitches, the blade of
which has finger like projections a. Shoulder a curved or otherwise, and cutting
edges a, a, operated by handle B, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and set forth."
Secondly. The combination of the projecting part a with the small circular cutter C
at shoulder a mounted to revolve, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and set forth.
Dated thin 4th J
L 100A
CHARLES ALVEY.
WALTER GRAINGER.
THOMAS JERSTON.