Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1887
Complete Left, 16th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 20th Apr., 1888
We, ROBERT SIMPSON, HENRY SIMPSON and BENJAMIN GREAVES SIMPSON, all of
Heeley Old Mill, Sheffield in the County of York, Manufacturers do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention of improvements in sheep shears and similar shears refers more
particularly to shears that are cut or punched out of sheet steel, and in which the
blades are connected by means of a pin-joint or like joint instead of the usual spring
bow; the object being economy in manufacture.
In carrying out our improvements we make the shear in two parts, each part
consisting of a blade, a shank, and a joint plate; one part being a facsimile of the
other.
The blade is of the usual shape, the shank is made sufficiently wide to permit of a
portion being turned over so as to form a roll, or an enlarged and rounded part to
fit comfortably in the hand, or the said enlarged part inay be made separately and
attached to the shank.
The joint plate may be left flat with a centre-hole for the joint pin to pass through,
or it may have circular grooves or corrugations formed upon it concentric with
the centre hole to fit into corresponding configurations on the other joint plate for
the purpose of making a strong and reliable joint, and so as not to depend upon the
joint pin.
Instead of using a joint pin to secure the two parts together, we may dispense
with it by making the joint as follows; by the use of suitable tools we sink a circular
recess in one of the joint plates forming a circular projection on the other side, and
we punch or otherwise forin on the edge of such projection, two lugs standing parallel
with the ioint-plate.

page_text: In the joint-plate of the other half shear we make a circular hole to fit over and
upon the circular projection upon the first named part, and two side slots are also
made, to permit the beforementioned lugs to pass through when the parts are put
together.
The said lugs, and the corresponding slots are so placed, that the blades must be
turned considerably further back than the length of their working movement before
the parts can be disengaged.
When the shears are made with a pin-joint the faces of the blades work together
on the opposite sides to the faces of the joint, so that the blades have to be sprung
past each other to put them on the cut; but with the joint as before described which
dispenses with a pin, it is not necessary to spring the blades past each other.
The spring action of the shears may be obtained by placing a suitable spring
between the shanks, such for example as a piece of wire coiled round once or twice
at its centre, and the ends fastened to the shanks of the shear, or in the shears, the
joint of which is not fastened by a pin, a coiled spring may be concealed in the
circular recess in the joint plate and be made to act upon the two parts of the shear
so as to force them apart.

page_text: We, ROBERT SIMPSON, HENRY SIMPSON, and BENJAMIN GREAVES SIMPSON, all of
Heeley Old Mill, Sheffield in the County of York, Manufacturers, 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 :-
Our invention of improvements in Sheep Shears and similar shears refers more
particularly to shears that are cut or punched out of sheet steel, and in which the
blades are connected by means of a joint instead of the usual spring bow; the object
being economy in manufacture.
To render our Specification clear we annex a Sheet of Drawings illustrating same,
similar letters of reference, indicate similar parts in any of the figures in which
they occur.
Fig. 1, represents a complete shear.
Figs. 2 & 3, side and face views of joint end of Blade A.
Figs. 4 & 5, side and face views of joint end of Blade B.
In carrying out our improvements we make the shear in two chief parts, each part
consisting of a blade A or B, a shank C, and a joint plate D; one part being a facsimile
or thereabouts of the other."
The blade is of the usual shape and may be made with a corrugation or longi-
tudinal rib or groove E to stiffen the blade either carried down both the blade and
shank or on the blade alone, the shank C is made sufficiently wide to permit of a
portion being turned over so as to form a roll F, forming an enlarged and rounded
part to fit comfortably in the hand, or the said enlarged part may be made
separately of any suitable material such as wood or vulcanite and be attached to the
sbank.
The joint plate D, may be left flat with a centro holo for the joint pin to pass
through, or it may have circular grooves, or corrugations formed upon it concentric
with the centrehole to fit into corresponding configurations on the other joint plate
for the purpose of making a strong and reliable joint, and so as not to depend upon
the joint pin.
Instead of using a joint pin to secure the two parts together, we may dispense
with it by making the joint as follows; and as shown in the drawings by the use of
suitable tools we sink in the joint plate A a circular recess forming a circular pro-
jection G on the other side, and we punch or otherwise form on the edge of such
projection, two lugs H H standing parallel with the joint-plate.
In the joint-plate of the other half shear B, we make a circular hole I to fit over
and upon the circular projection G upon the first named part, and two slide slots J, J,
are also made, to permit the before-mentioned lugs H to pass through when the parts
are put together.

page_text: The said lugs H, and the corresponding slots J are so placed, that when the shears
are in position or put together the blades must be turned, considerably further back
than the length of their working movement before the parts can be disengaged.
When the two parts of shears are put together, the faces of the blade A and B
work on the opposite sides to the faces of the joint, so that it is impossible for the
blades to be sprung apart, or to allow the wool to pass through them without being
cut, a defect in shears of ordinary construction known as "gapping." A catch K
may be also used to prevent the blades opening too far and passing each other
technically known as "bridging."
The spring action of the shears is obtained by placing a suitable spring L between
the shanks, such for example as a piece of wire coiled round once or twice at its
centre, and the ends fastened either permantly to the shanks of the shear or made
adjustable by bending the ends so as to fit into a series of holes in the shanks, by
which means the power of the spring upon the blades may be regulated as desired, or
in shears, the joint of which is made as shown, a coiled spring may be concealed in
the circular recess in the joint plate, and be made to act upon the two parts of the
shear so as to force them apart.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
The improvements in the construction of Shears, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated.