John Martin wrote:

Someone else has already posted a link to Benjamin Forstner's patent -
# 115148, dated August 15, 1874. Rather than make you search for it,
though, here is a quote from it:

The link is to an Feb 26 1886 patent which Benjamin Forstner clearly
felt was an improvement and DOES include a cutting-point. A quote is
under. So you are both right

In the manufacture of in improved auger the slots b are formed by
milling, thus facilitating the manufacture and lessening the expense
which necessarily attended the manufacture of the bit made under my
formerpatent. 1. In an auger, a circular peripheral cutting-edge formed
of two parts, a a', each provided with a cutting-edge, e, inclined slots
d, formed in opposite sides of the cutter, cutting-lips b,formed along
the inclined slots, and a central cutting-point, e, joining the
cutting-lips b, substantially as herein specified
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