IMPROVEMENTS IN SCISSORS, SHEARS, AND FORCEPS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Mayer, of the Firm of Mayer and
Meltzer, of No. 59, Great Portland Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Surgical Instrument Maker, for the Invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN SCISSORS, SHEARS, AND FORCEPS."
Sealed the 15th November 1872, and dated the 23rd May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Mayer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd May 1872.
I, JOSEPH MAYER, of the Firm of Mayer and Meltzer, of No. 59,
Great Portland Street, in the County of Middlesex, Surgical Instrument
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “Improve-
MENTS IN SCISSORS, SHEARS, AND FORCEPS," to be as follows:-
-
For this purpose
The object of the Invention is simplicity of action.
the arms which at one side of the axis of motion form the blades or
holding parts are at the opposite sides of that axis formed partly rigid

page_text: and partly elastic by variations in the thickness or substance of the
metal, and are then connected at their outer ends by pin or hinge joint.
The rigid portions of these arms are in order that the desired cutting or
holding may be readily effected by these instruments, whilst the elastic
portions are to give to the cutting or holding ends a tendency to open,
which tendency is readily overcome by the action of the fingers in use.
I form these arms, which are partly rigid and partly elastic, broad
towards the middle of their length as compared with their ends to
increase the steadiness and efficiency of their action. The parts acted
upon in use are serrated or formed with holes or hollows for the better
holding of the fingers. By these means the parts are held more steadily
and correctly together at the joints for action, which is of great import-
ance, especially in performing surgical operations, whilst either hand may
be readily employed in using these instruments.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 1
filed by the said Joseph Mayer in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 23rd November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
MAYER, of the Firm of Mayer and Meltzer, of No. 59, Great Portland
Street, in the County of Middlesex, Surgical Instrument Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and 2
grant unto me, the said Joseph Mayer, Her special license that I,
the said Joseph Mayer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Joseph Mayer, 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 3
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 SCISSORS,

page_text: SHEARS, AND FORCEPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Joseph Mayer, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 Joseph Mayer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The object of the Invention is simplicity of action. For this purpose
the arms which at one side of the axis of motion form the blades or
holding parts are at the opposite sides of that axis formed partly rigid
and partly elastic by variations in the thickness or substance of the
metal, and they are then connected together or bear one against the
other at their outer ends. The rigid portions of these arms are retained
in order that the desired cutting or holding may be readily effected by
these instruments, whilst the elastic portions are intended to give to the
cutting or holding ends a tendency to open, which tendency is readily
overcome by the action of the fingers in use. I form these arms, which
are partly rigid and partly elastic, broad towards the middle of their
length as compared with their ends to increase the steadiness and
efficiency of their action. The parts acted upon in use are serrated or
formed with holes or hollows for the better holding of the fingers. By
these means the parts are held more steadily and correctly together at
the joints for action, which is of great importance, especially in per-
forming surgical operations, as either hand may be readily employed in
using these instruments.
But that the Invention may be fully understood, I will by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me
in carrying the same into effect.

page_text: a, a, are the two arms or parts which, as in ordinary scissors or shears,
turn upon the axis of motion a¹, and at a³, a², are formed with the
ordinary cutting surfaces adapted to effect cutting in the usual way by
the action of one of such surfaces against the other, but which parts
may be either straight, as shown, or curved, as may be desired, and these
arms are still formed rigid at a³ to about the points a*, but according to
my Invention both of these arms a from about the point a* are formed
thinner, so as to be elastic and readily yielding to pressure.
They are
also curved towards each other at their outer ends a³, and are connected
at the point b by a hinge or elastic joint, or the outer elastic end of one
arm may simply bear against the outer elastic end of the other arm.
The amount of spring or elasticity required to the arms from a* to b
is just sufficient to effect the instant separation or opening of the cutting
parts a², and yet to admit of easy yielding to the pressure of a thumb
and finger applied on the parts a³, a'. The parts a' are those serrated or
roughened or hollow or otherwise formed, so as to facilitate the better
holding, and avoid slipping of the finger and thumb at those parts in
use.
Figures 3 and 4 shew similar side and edge views of a modification
of the Invention with the parts formed to fold one within the other for 1
the greater convenience of pocket use. In this case the parts of the two
arms from a, a, to 6 are simply formed of one piece of thin elastic
metal, bent round at 6 to form both of those parts a³ of the arms a, and
the ends are then connected by pin joint to the more rigid portions a³ at a*.
The elasticity of these parts a³ acts in the same way as in the illustra-
tion, Figures 1 and 2, to separate or open the cutting surfaces a³ when
such scissors are open or ready for use, and they are closed to effect
cutting in like manner by pressure applied to the parts a, a, to cause
those parts to approach each other.
Figures 5 and 6 shew this arrangement as they would appear when a
folded.
In like manner may the parts of shears and forceps be formed to be
acted upon by the finger and thumb or the hand.
Having thus described my Invention and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do a
not confine myself to the precise arrangement of parts shewn and

page_text: described; but what I do claim is, the forming of scissors, shears, and
forceps with elastic outer ends to the arms thereof to act in manner
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Mayer, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty-second day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.