AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CUTTING hair or PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Edward Bennett of Condover in the county of
Salop for an Invention of AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CUTTING hair or
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Edward Bennett at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th September 1883.
WALTER EDWARD BENNETT of Condover in the county of Salop AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR CUTTING HAIR OR WOOL OR OTHER SIMILAR INTEGUMENTS.
The object of my invention is to produce a simple small portable apparatus for
cutting hair or wool or other similar integuments which can be operated by one
hand as the cutting part of the apparatus is combined in one instrument with the
comb.
With this object I make a metal comb of a suitable size and on one side of this comb
I mount a row of metal teeth corresponding in number with the teeth of the comb
but shorter than the same. All these teeth can be made of any suitable shape but
I prefer to make them broader at their bases than at their extreinities and the
edges of the teeth of the row of teeth and the corresponding mecting edges of the
teeth of the comb are sharpened. The row of teeth is so mounted on the comb as
to be capable of sliding backwards and forwards thereon. This can conveniently
be effected by forming two or more slots longitudinally in the row in which studs
fixed on the comb can engage and travel. When therefore the sliding row of teeth
travels backwards and forwards on the comb the sharpened meeting edges of the
two series of teeth act as a series of scissors and the hair or wool is cut.
Instead of sharpening the meeting edges of the teeth of the comb which con-
sequently must be of metal can make the comb of any material I pleaso and place
two rows of metal teeth on the side thereof and the edges of the teeth in each of
these rows are sharpened to form the scissors. One of these rows may be fixed to the
comb while the other row would slide backwards and forwards as before described
Price Kd 1

page_text: or both rows may be so mounted as to be capable of sliding and would be fitted so as
to slide alternately backwards and forwards and thus the cutting edges would meet
each other.
A handle is fitted to the comb in which is the arrangement for giving the
required motion to the sliding row or rows of teeth and this handle may be
This
attached to the comb either at one of the ends or in the middle of the same.
arrangement consists of a coiled spring which is placed in a bollow drum and one
end of which is secured to the internal periphery thereof while the other end is
secured to the spindle. The drum gears into a series of toothed wheels on the last
of which are fitted the radius rod or rods which actuate the sliding row or rows of
teeth. A spring stop lever is fitted outside the handle for checking or arresting
the revolving of the wheels so as to stop the action of the scissors or rows of teeth.
Thus when this spring is wound up the apparatus can be held in one hand in
the required position in regard to the hair and a pressure on the stop lever allows
the coiled spring to act and set in motion the sliding row or rows of teeth by which
the hair is cut.
This apparatus can obviously be used not only for cutting human hair but also
for clipping horses or for shearing sheep or for many other similar purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Walter Edward Bennett in the Patent Office on the 26th March
1884.
WALTER EDWARD BENNETT of Condover in the county of Salop-AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR CUTTING HAIR OR WOOL OR OTHER SIMILAR INTEGUMENTS
The object of my invention is to produce a simple small and portable apparatus
for cutting hair or wool or other similar integuments which can be operated by
one hand as the cutting part of the apparatus is combined in one instrument with
the comb and the said cutting part is actuated by a coiled spring as is hereinafter
described.
In order to explain my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed I refer to the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a plan of an apparatus for cutting hair with part of the casing of the
handle removed. Figure 2 is an elevation of the back of the same also with part
of the casing of the handle removed.
In Figure 1A is a metal comb made of any suitable size and shape and on one
side of this comb A is mounted a row of metal teeth B which teeth correspond in
number with the teeth of the comb A but preferably are shorter than the same as
shewn. All these teeth may be made of any shape but I prefer to make them of
a tapered form as shewn and the corresponding meeting edges of the teeth are
sharpened. The row B is so mounted on the comb A as to be capable of sliding
backwards and forwards thereon. A convenient method is shown. Two or more
studs Care secured on the comb A and pass through corresponding slots D made
therefor in the row B and nuts or other fastenings on the ends of the studs C keep
the row B tightly against the side of the comb A. A handle E is fitted to one end
of the comb A in which is a drum F containing a suitable coiled spring. This
said spring operating through any required series of toothed wheels actuates the
sliding row of teeth B by the radius or eccentric rod G connecting the said row B
to the last wheel of the said series T. A spring stop lever H is fitted on the
outside of the handle E in a convenient position and when the coiled spring inside
the drum F is wound up by the handle K the apparatus can be held in one hand
in the necessary position and a pressure on the lever H allows the said coiled
spring to act and the row of teeth B slides backwards and forwards on the comb A
and the hair is cut by the two series of sharpened meeting edges of the teeth of the
said comb A and the said row B.
Instead of sharpening the meeting edges of the teeth of the comb A. which said
comb A consequently must be of metal I can make the comb of any material
I may desire and place two rows of metal teeth on the side thereof to cut the
hair.
In Figure 2 there are two rows of teeth so placed as aforesaid. Figure 3 is a cross
section on an enlarged scale of a comb and Figure 4 is a plan on the same scale of
part of a comb so fitted with two rows of metal teeth.
In these Figures a row of metal teeth L is fixed on the side of the comb A and
the sliding row of teeth B is mounted on the said row L in manner as hereinbefore
described. The meeting edges of these two rows L'and B are sharpened and when
the said row B slides backwards and forwards on the said row Las herein before
described the hair is cut between the said meeting edges. I can also mount the
said row L so as to be capable of sliding on the comb A if I should so prefer and
I should then use two eccentric rods and actuate the two rows L and B thereby in
such a manner that the said rows L and B would slide backwards and forwards

page_text: alternately and thus the cutting edges of the teeth of the said rows would meet each
other. The teeth of these two rows L and B may be of the same length or of
different lengths as I may desire.
Figure 5 is a plan and Figure 6. is a side elevation partly in section of an
apparatus suitable for cutting wool in both of which Figures parts of the casings of
the handles are removed.
In this apparatus the handle E is fitted to the middle of the comb A' on the side
of which are the two rows of metal teeth L and B fitted and mounted as herein-
before described and the cutting teeth thereof are preferably of a triangular shape
as shewn. I shew in these Figures another method of keeping the two rows
L and B close together. A strip of metal M semicircular in sectional shape extends
the whole length of the sliding row B or thereabouts and the studs C are prolonged
to pass through this strip M and the screw nut N thereon presses the said strip M
down on the said sliding row B thereby keeping the said row B closely against the
other row of teeth L. This strip M also covers the slots D herein before described
The sliding row B
in the row B and prevents the same being fouled by the wool.
is actuated by a coiled spring in the drum F as herein before described but instead
of a radius or eccentric rod I use a lever P which is pivotted on the back of the
handle at R and is operated by an eccentric stud S on the last wheel of the series
of toothed wheels T the other end of the said lever Poperating the said sliding row
B by the stud V fixed on the said sliding row B. Thus as this wheel T revolves
under the action of the coiled spring in the drum F the lever P is given
reciprocating motion and the row of teeth B slides as is required. I can if I should
so prefer make the teeth of the comb A¹ adjustable so that they can project as far
beyond the metal teeth L and B as may be desirable.
Figure 7 is a plan of part of a similar apparatus but the teeth thereof are more
adapted for horse clipping. In this apparatus the comb A is of metal and the row
of teeth B is mounted thereon as hereinbefore described and the meeting edges of
the teeth of the comb A2 and the row B being sharpened when the said row B is
made to slide backwards and forwards on the comb A3 by the lever P as herein-
before described the hair is clipped between the said meeting edges.
In the drawing I have shewn my apparatus with the handles thereof attached to
the combs. I can also when I deem it expedient so to do attach the handles to one
of the rows of cutting teeth instead of the comb. When the handle is so attached
to one of the rows of cutting teeth I mount on one side thereof the other sliding
row of cutting teeth in the manner herein before described and on the other side
thereof I place the comb which can be so mounted and fitted as to be capable of
being elevated or fixed at such a distance from the cutting rows of teeth or
otherwise adjusted as may be convenient or desirable in each case.
Having thus particularly described and clearly ascertained my invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed I would state in conclusion that I have
shewn in the drawing what I consider to be very suitable apparatus for cutting
different kinds of hair or wool or other similar integuments but at the same time I
would have it clearly understood that I do in no wise limit myself to the shapes or
styles of the teeth whether of the combs or of the cutting rows or to the shapes or
details of construction or attachment of the handles or to the exact methods of
actuating the sliding rows of teeth as shewn in the drawing for in every apparatus
the number and proportions of the toothed wheels and the connecting and actuating
rods or levers can be arranged and the handles can be constructed and attached to
the combs or to the rows of teeth and the teeth can be made of such a shape and
style and in such numbers as may be most convenient and suitable for the
particular apparatus required but what I do claim as my invention which is
protected by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is
1. The apparatus for cutting hair or wool or other similar integuments
substantially as herein before described and set forth.
2. The method of actuating the said apparatus as hereinbefore described and
claimed the said method consisting of actuating the sliding row or rows of teeth

page_text: by the which the cutting is effected by the action of a coiled spring carried in the
handle of the apparatus and operating through toothed wheels a radius rod or rods
or a lever or levers attached to the said sliding row or rows of teeth substantially
as hereinbefore described and declared.
3. The combination of the comb the sliding row or rows of teeth the radius rod
or rods or the lever or levers and the series of toothed wheels the coiled spring
and the stop lever contained in and mounted on the handle of the apparatus
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and declared.
4. The combination of the comb the fixed row of teeth the sliding row of teeth
the radius rod or the lever and the series of toothed wheels the coiled spring and
the stop lever contained in and mounted on the handle of the apparatus
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and declared.
In witness whereof I the said Walter Edward Bennett have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty fourth day of March in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
VALTER EDWARD BENNETT
(L.S.)