IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING AND SHEARING THE COATS OF HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS.
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Sharpen Offord, of Norwich, in the
County of Norfolk, Dentist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING AND SHEARING THE COATS OF HORSES AND OTHER
ANIMALS.'
Sealed the 3rd of August 1869, and dated the 6th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Sharpen Offord
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th February 1869.
I, JAMES SHARPEN OFFORD, of Norwich, in the County of Norfolk,
Dentist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING AND SHEARING THE COATS OF HORSES AND
OTHER ANIMALS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the use of a fixed comb with an upright rib
or flange on each tooth having a receptacle thereon for the teeth of a

page_text: moveable plain comb-shaped holder, by the movement of which the hair,
wool, or other material is held between each tooth of the said holder and
the outer side of each rib or flange of the fixed comb, against which it is
brought in contact and firmly held there roady to be cut off by the
action of a cutting blade moving over the comb and holder in a direction
from the bases to the tops of the said ribs or flanges. The moveable
comb-shaped holder is kept against the inside of the ribs or flanges by
means of a spring pressing against one side below the teeth, and is
forced against the outer edge of the ribs or flanges as required by means
of a lever working against the opposite side of the holder, which lever at
the same time by means of an upright pin thereon forces in an oblique
direction a outting blade over the closed teeth of the comb and holder,
thereby cutting or shaving off any hair or other material held between
them. The cutting blade is directed in its movement and kept to its
work by a covering plate and two tightening screws.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Sharpen Offord in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
SHARPEN OFFORD, of Norwich, in the County of Norfolk, Dentist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Sharpen Offord, Her special licence
that I, the said James Sharpen Offord, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Sharpen Offord, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: par-
APPARATUS FOR CLIPPING AND SHEARING THE COATS OF HORSES AND OTHER
ANIMALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Sharpen, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
ticularly 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 James Sharpen Offord, 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, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
My Invention of "Improvements in Apparatus for Clipping and
Shearing the Coats of Horses and other Animals" consists in the use of
a fixed comb with an upright rib or flange on each tooth, leaving a
receptacle thereon for the teeth of a moveable plain comb-shaped holder,
by the movement of which the hair, wool, or other material is held
between each tooth of the said holder and the outer side of each rib or
brought in contact and
flange of the fixed comb, against which it is
firmly held ready to be cut off by the action of a cutting blade moving
over the comb and holder in a direction from the bases to the tops of the
said ribs or flanges. The moveable comb-shaped holder is kept against
the inside of the ribs or flanges by means of a spring pressing against one
side below the teeth, and is forced against the outer edge of the ribs or
flanges as required by means of a lever working against the opposite side
of the holder, which lever at the same time by means of an upright pin
thereon forces in an oblique direction a cutting blade over the closed
teeth of the comb and holder, thereby cutting or shaving off any hair or
other material held between them. The cutting blade is directed in its
movement and kept to its work by a covering plate and two tightening
screws.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed
to describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be per-
formed by reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which is
represented the apparatus above referred to.

page_text: manner described for the purpose of cutting off the hair or other
material so held.
In witness whereof I, the said James Sharpen Offord, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Third day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
JOHN FAULKNER YOUNG,
JAMES SHARPEN OFFORD. (L.S.)
St. Nicholas Road,
Gt. Yarmouth,
Gentleman.