AN IMPROVEMENT IN SCISSORS AND SHEARS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Andrew, of Sheffield, in the County
of York, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
SCISSORS AND SHEARS."
Sealed the 12th May 1863, and dated the 14th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Andrew at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th November 1862.
I, WILLIAM HENRY ANDREW, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN SCISSORS AND SHEARS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in fitting to the "nail" or back end of the blade of
scissors and shears a spring in the form of a U or the half of a U, the fore
ends or end of which are or is secured by the screw or pin whereby the blades
are united, or otherwise. The object of the spring is to ensure contact of
the cutting edges from heel to point when the scissors or shears are being
used.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Henry Andrew, Her special licence, that I, the said William Henry
Andrew, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Henry Andrew, 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 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
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN SCISSORS AND SHEARS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Henry Andrew, my executors or admini-.
strators, by an instrument 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 William Henry Andrew, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :--
My Invention consists in fitting to the "nail" or back end of the blades
of scissors and shears a clip spring in the form of a U or part of a U, the fore
ends or end of which are or is attached to or secured by the screw or pin
whereby the blades are united, or otherwise. The object of the spring is to
ensure contact of the cutting edges from heel to point when the scissors or
shears are being used.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings are views of the two sides
of a pair of scissors with a clip spring in the form of a U, as shewn detached
in Figure 3, applied thereto in the manner before described.
a is the spring, the fore ends of which are attached to or secured by the
screw or pin 6 which unites the blades of the scissors. Instead of the form of
spring shewn in Figure 3, a spring of the form shown applied to a pair of
scissors in Figures 4 and 5, and detached in Figure 6, may be employed; the
long arm of the spring is attached to or secured by the screw or pin b, as in
the spring represented in Figures 1 and 2; the short arm requires no other

page_text: attachment than that due to the spring itself, though a pin c may be fitted to
the under side, as shewn in Figure 6, to enter a hole in the "nail" of one
blade to prevent the spring becoming displaced; or the attachment may be
effected by the pin c alone.
Figure 7 is a detached view of a spring in the shape of the half of a U, and
Figure 8 is a view of one side of a pair of scissors shewing it applied thereto.
The fore end is secured by or attached to the pin or screw b, while the back
end is formed with a pin c, which enters a lump or projection d at the rear of
the "nail," as shewn. The dotted lines indicate the position of the spring at
the opposite side of the scissors.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim fitting a clip
spring to the "nail" or back end of the blades of scissors and shears, in
manner and for the purpose herein-before described, and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Andrew, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
WILLIAM HENRY ANDREW. (L.S.)
WILLIAM HENRY ANDREW. (L.S.)