IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEEP-SHEARS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEEP-SHEARS." A communication from abroad by
John Corey, of Paula Ventura County, California, United States, Farmer, and
Nathan Weston Spaulding, of San Francisco, California, United States,
Manufacturer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th July 1880.
"
'WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEEP-SHEARS.”
A communication from abroad by John Corey, of Paula Ventura County, California,
United States, Farmer, and Nathan Weston Spaulding, of San Francisco, California,
United States, Manufacturer.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in sheep shears, and it consists
in a novel means for adjusting the tension of the spring, so that any pair of shears
may be adjusted from the lightest to the heaviest tension to suit the hand of
the operator, and to regulate them so as to be used in light, heavy, or dirty
wool.
Great difficulty is experienced by operators in selecting a pair of shears in
which the tension of the spring is such as to exactly suit the hand, and they will
often try all the stock of the dealer without finding a pair to suit.
It is also necessary to employ shears having a spring of greater or less tension,
as the wool may be heavy, dirty, or light, and finally the hand of the operator,
which is strong in the morning, will become weak after a day's work is nearly
finished, and he must use a lighter pair of shears.
This Invention is designed to so adjust the tension of the spring that a single
pair of shears will meet all the requirements of the shearer, and it consists in the
employment of a movable fulcrum, which may be fixed at any point between the
sides of a "U or other spring having parallel sides, so that by moving this
fulcrum from one end to the other of the spring the tension may be changed from
the lightest to the heaviest that may be desired.
"

page_text: This Invention may be applied to bow spring shears, and in connection with
other forms and with the same results.
In a bow spring shears the rear ends of the shanks are united by a curved or
bow spring. The strength of this spring determines the tension or stiffness of the
shears, and this is always unalterable except by grinding the spring down.
In this Invention a curved or U-shaped spring is secured between the shanks.
The ends of this spring are bent outward, so that they may be riveted or
otherwise secured to the inside of the shanks.
A bight or rear curve of the spring, which unites the parallel sides, is carried
back into the bow.
Between the parallel sides of the spring is placed a fulcrum, which may be
moved from the aforesaid curve to the opposite end, and fixed at any desired
point.
-When-the-blades.of the shears are closed the sides of the spring will be moved
towards each other, and when the fülerum is not between-them the rear curve is
the point about which they move.
As the fulcrum is advanced from this curve towards the front its tendency is to
prevent the sides of the spring from approaching, except in front of the fulcrum,
and the more it is advanced the stiffer the spring becomes.
This fulcrum may be formed in different ways, but the simplest and most
efficient is to make a short coil of spring wire of a diameter just sufficient to fill the
space between the sides of the spring.
The ends of this wire are bent so as to clasp one of the sides of the spring, and
the elasticity of the coil will cause the fulcrum to cling to or clasp the spring, so
that it will remain at any point where it may be set, and it can be easily moved
by the-thumb-and-finger to any desired_point.
By moving it entirely out of the space between the sides of-the-spring-and up on
the outwardly curving portion of the spring it will cease to act as a fulcrum, and
the tension of the shears will then be just what is due to the curves of the two
springs. The tension should be the weakest which will be needed, and it can bo
increased to any desired stiffness. The grip of the hand and the friction of the
fulcrum upon the two parts of the spring will prevent any tendency which the
shear-blades have to slip by each other in heavy or dirty wool, technically called
"buckling."
This device may be equally well applied to shears the blades of which are united
by a rivet through the ends of the shanks, it being only necessary to introduce the
'U shaped spring and the movable fulcrum as before described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st
December 1880.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEEP-SHEARS."
A communication from abroad by John Corey, of Paula Ventura County, California,
United States, Farmer, and Nathan Weston Spaulding, of San Francisco, California,
United States, Manufacturer.
This Invention relatos to certain improvements in sheep-shears, and it consists in
a novel means for adjusting the tension of the spring, so that any pair of shears
may be adjusted from the lightest to the heaviest tension to suit the hand of the
operator, and, to regulate them so as to be used in light, heavy, or dirty wool,
as will be more fully described by reference to the accompanying Drawings, in
which Figure 1 is a view of one form of sheep-shears having this improvement
attached.
Great difficulty is experienced by operators in selecting a pair of shears in which
the tension of the spring is such as to exactly suit the hand, and they will often
try all the stock of the dealer without finding a pair to suit.
It is also necessary to employ shears having a spring of greater or less tension,
as. the wool may be heavy, dirty, or light, and finally the hand of the operator,
which is strong in the morning, will become weak after a day's work is nearly
finished, and he must use a lighter pair of shears.
Figure 1 is a view of a pair of sheep-shears made according to this Invention,
and Figure 2 a view of the moveablo fulcrum.
This Invention is designed to so adjust the tension of the spring that a single
pair of shears will meet all the requirements of the shearer, and it consists in the
employment of a moveable fulcrum, which may be fixed at any point between the
sides of a "U" or other spring having parallel sides, so that by moving this
fulcrum from one end to the other of the spring the tension may be changed from
the lightest to the heaviest that may be desired.
In the present case this Invention is shown applied to the bow spring shears,
but it will be seen that it may be equally well employed in connection with other
forms and with the same results.
A, A, are the blades of a pair of shears, and B is the connecting curved or bow
spring, which unites the rear ends of the shanks C. The strength of this spring
determines the tension or stiffness of the shears, and this is always unalterable,
except by grinding the spring down.
In this Invention a curved or U-shaped spring D is secured between the
shanks.
The ends of this spring are bent outward, so that they may be riveted or
otherwise secured to the inside of the shanks. The bight or curve E of the spring,
which unites the parallel sides D, is carried back into the bow B, as shown.
Between the parallel sides D of the spring is placed a fulcrum F, which may be
moved from the curve E to the opposite end, and fixed at any desired point.
When the blades of the shears are closed the sides of the spring D will be
moved towards each other, and when the fulcrum is not between them the rear
curve E is the point about which they move.
It will be seen that as the fulcrum is advanced from this curve towards clie
front its tendency is to prevent the sides of the spring from approaching, except
in front of the fulcrum, and the more it is advanced the stiffer the spring
becomes.
This fulcrum may be formed in different ways, but the simplest and most

page_text: efficient is to make a short coil of spring wire of a diameter just sufficient to fill
the space between the sides D of the spring.
The ends of this wire are bent at G, so as to clasp one of the sides D, and the
elasticity of the coil will cause the fulcrum to cling to or clasp the spring, so that
it will remain at any point where it may be set, and it can be easily moved by the
thumb and finger to any desired point.
By moving it entirely out of the space between the sides D and up on the
outwardly curving portion of the spring it will cease to act as a fulcrum, and the
tension of the shears will then be just what is due to the curves B and E of
the two springs. The tension should be the weakest which will be needed, and
it can be increased to any desired stiffness. The grip of the hand and the friction
of the fulcrum upon the two parts of the spring will prevent any tendency which
the shear blades' weight have to slip by each other in heavy or dirty wool,
technically called "buckling."
This device may be equally well applied to shears the blades of which are
united by a rivet through the ends of the shanks, it being only necessary to
-introduce-tho-spring D.and the moveable fulcrum as before described.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention, communi-
cated to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or may be performed,
I claim as secured to me by the hercinbefore in part recited Letters Patent,―
Firstly. The improvement in sheep shears, consisting in the employment of a
moveable fulcrum F between the sides of the spring D, whereby the tension of the
spring and the stiffness of the shears may be regulated, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described.
Secondly. The blades A with their shanks C united at the rear end as a fulcrum
in combination with the spring D having its ends secured to the shanks C, and
having a fulcrum F fitted to move between its parallel sides, whereby the tension
of the shears is adjusted, substantially as herein described.
Thirdly.-The-shear-blades A_with_their_shanks united at the rear end, and the
spring D having its ends secured to the shanks, as shown, in combination-with-the-
coiled elastic spring F with its clasping ends G, said spring forming an adjustable
fulcrum, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty first day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.