Improvements in or relating to Files for Trimming Finger-nails.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th July, 1892-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Files for Trimming Finger-nails.
I THOMAS CHODWICK BROWN of No. 69 Upper Street, Islington in the County
of Middlesex, Surgeon Dentist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
The object of my invention is to provide a file for trimming the nails of the hand
bent to a suitable curvature and mounted in a handle in such a manner that it may
be used most conveniently for reducing the nails of each finger to a uniform
curvature.
I make the handle with a semi circular opening and embed therein the file bent
to a semi circular form, so that the cutting face of the file is level with the material
of the handle in the semi circular opening. Handles for this purpose may be most
conveniently made in materials such as vulcanite, the vulcanization being performed
after embedding the file in the handle in the form of rubber dough; but the recess
to receive the curved file may be produced in any well known way in various
materials and the curved files may be fixed therein in any way best suited to the
material adopted for the handle. The handles may, moreover, be made in a variety
of designs several of the semi circular openings with files therein being provided in
the same handle in order to give a large opening for the thumb and largest finger-
nails and a smaller opening for the smaller fingers; or files of various degrees of
fineness may thus be mounted in one handle for commencing and finishing the
trimming operation.
In use, the instrument requires to be moved upon the finger-nail in the direct
line of the nail to produce the desired even finish and this movement may be best
obtained by resting the finger upon some plane surface. upon which the filing
instrument may be placed and moved in contact with the finger-nail in the best
way to produce uniformity in finish with all the nails of the fingers.
The nails should first be cut approximately to the curvature of the file to be
employed but subsequently the use of the file once or twice in a week will reduce
the finger-nails to the proper length and to an even curvature removing any uneven
growth of the nail as it occurs.
Dated this 15th day of October 1891.
AYRTON & THUMAD,
Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Files for Trimming Finger-nails.
I, THOMAS CHODWICK BROWN, of 69 Upper Street, Islington, in the County
of Middlesex, Surgeon Dentist, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a file for trimming the nails of the hand,
which file is made to a suitable curvature and mounted in a handle in such a
manner that it may be used most conveniently for reducing the nails of each finger
to a uniform curvature.
I make the handle with an approximately semi-circular opening, and embed
therein the file bent to a like curvature, preferably so that the cutting face of the

page_text: file is level with the material of the handle in the curved opening. Handles for
this purpose may be most conveniently made in materials such as vulcanite, the
vulcanization being performed after embedding the file in the handle, when the
latter is in the form of rubber dough, but the recess to receive the curved file may
be produced in any well known way in various materials, and the curved files may
be fixed therein in any way best suited to the material adopted for the handle.
The handles may moreover be made in a variety of designs, several of the curved
openings with files therein being provided in the same handle in order to give a
large opening for the thumb and largest finger nails and a smaller opening for the
smaller fingers, or files of various degrees of fineness may thus be mounted in one
handle for commencing and finishing the trimming operation.
And in order that my said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully
to describe the same..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure is a side elevation, Figure 2 an edge view, and Figure 3 a plan or top
view of Figure 1, representing one form in which I carry my invention into effect.
Figures 4 and 5 are longitudinal sections of the same, and Figures 6 and 7 are
respectively edge and side views of one of the files apart from its handle.
In the drawings I have represented an instrument the handle a of which is
formed with two curved openings a¹ a² provided with two files b b of like curves to
suit the thumb and fingers, but the instrument may have only one curved opening
and file or it may be formed with more than two such openings and files.
In the instrument represented in the drawings the files are provided with
shanks, which, when the handle is formed of vulcanite or like material, are
embedded in such handle when the latter is in the form of rubber dough or is in a
plastic condition, after which the same is submitted to the usual vulcanizing
process.
The handle may however be first formed in solid material with suitable recess or
recesses to receive the file or files, and the latter in such case may be sprung into
position in the recess or recesses, where they may be held by the elasticity of the
file being exerted against the ends of the recess; or the files may be fitted to such
recesses and the shanks passed into holes formed in the handle and there secured
by suitable cement.
The smaller opening a¹ and file are for use with the smaller fingers, and the
larger opening a' and file are for use with the largest finger and thumb.
I would however have it understood that I do not confine my invention to the
use of handles made of any particular material, nor to the form of handle, nor to
the curvature of the file openings, nor to the method of fixing the files in such
handles, as such may be variously modified without departing from the peculiar
character of my invention.
In use the instrument requires to be moved upon the finger nail in the direct line
of the nail to produce the desired even finish, and this movement may be best
obtained by resting the finger upon some plain surface upon which the filing
instrument may be placed and moved in contact with the finger nail in the best way
to produce uniformity in finish with all the nails of the fingers.
The nails should first be cut approximately to the curvature of the file to be
employed, but subsequently the use of the file once or twice in a week will reduce
the finger nails to the proper length and to an even curvature, removing any
uneven growth of the nail as occurs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what
I claim is :-
"
An instrument for trimming finger nails consisting of a handle formed with one

page_text: or more curved openings fitted with correspondingly curved files, substantially as.
herein shown and described.
1
T
1002
T. CHODWICK BROWN,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents..
T. CHODWICK BROWN,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.