IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KNIVES AND FORKS, AND IN THE ADAPTATION OF Handles THERETO
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bramhall, of New Britain, Connecticut,
United States of America, at present residing at Sheffield, in the
County of York, Outler, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF KNIVES AND FORKS, AND IN THE ADAPTATION OF Handles
THERETO."
Sealed the 27th March 1874, and dated the 30th September 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bramhall at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th September 1873.
I, HENRY BRAMHALL, of New Britain, Connecticut, United States of
America, at present residing at Sheffield, in the County of York, Cutler,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF KNIVES AND FORKS, AND IN THE ADAPTATION OF HANDLES
THERETO," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to that class of blade cutlery having attached
thereto hafts or handles, and is designed for the purpose not only of
expediting and economizing the production of the same, but also of
making the article so manufactured more stable than hitherto,

page_text: The nature of the Invention may be thus described:-The blade of
the knife, fork, or other hafted cutlery requiring the attachment thereto
of the improved handle is provided with a tang or flat projection
extending backwards a short distance beyond the line where the bolster
usually comes, such blade and projecting tang being finished, hardened,
and tempered. A mould for the handle is then formed, into which the
flat projection of the blade, which is first thoroughly cleansed and
polished with a glazer or otherwise, and is then further cleansed with
acid and coated with hard solder and țin, is placed so as to occupy a
central position. When in this position the mould is filled in with
molten iron or other metal, the portion of which coming into contact
and surrounding the previously prepared tang amalgamates therewith
and becomes welded thereto, thereby rendering the junction between the
haft and blade firm, solid, and durable, the bolster being formed at the
same time.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Bramhall in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BRAMHALL, of New Britain, Connecticut, United States of America,
at present residing at Sheffield, in the County of York, Cutler, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in
the thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Bramhall,
Her special licence that I, the said Henry Bramhall, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Bramhall, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might

page_text: 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF KNIVES AND FORKS, AND IN THE
ADAPTATION OF HANDLES THERETO," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Henry Bramhall, my executors or administrators, 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 Henry Bramhall, 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 :—
The Invention relates to that class of blado cutlery having attached.
thereto hafts or handles, and is designed for the purpose not only of
expediting and economizing the production of the same, but also of
making the article so manufactured more stable than hitherto.
The nature of the Invention may be thus described:-The blade of
the knife, fork, or other hafted cutlery requiring the attachment thereto
of the improved handle is provided with a tang or flat projection
extending backwards a short distance beyond the line where the bolster
usually comes, such blade and projecting tang being finished, hardened,
and tempered. A mould for the handle is then formed, into which the
flat projection of the blade, which is first thoroughly cleansed and
polished with a glazer stone file or other suitable instrument or
substance, and then further cleansed with acid and coated with hard
solder and tin, is placed so as to occupy a central position. When in
this position the mould is filled in with molten iron or other metal, the
portion of which coming into contact and surrounding the previously'
prepared tang amalgamates therewith and becomes welded thereto,
thereby rendering the junction between the haft and blade firm, solid,
and durable, the bolster being formed at the same time.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained
in detail, I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings made about full.
size, letters of reference being marked thereupon.

page_text: Fig. 1 represents the steel blade of the knife provided with the tang or
flat projection, by which it is connected with the haft or handle.
Fig. 2 represents the mould for the baft or handle, shewing the
recess or mould in the holster thereof, in which tho tang of the blade is
placed.
Fig. 3 represents the knife and handle complete, the connection of one
with the other being shewn in dots.
And Fig. 4 represents an edge view of the neck of the knife, shewing
the connection between the blade and the handle.
In these Figures a is the blade of the knife, which is provided with
the tang or flat projection a¹, extending backwards a short distance
beyond the line where the holster usually comes, such blade and
projecting tang being finished, hardened, and tempered previous to
its connection with the handle being effected. A mould for the liandle
as seen at Fig. 2 is then formed, into which the flat projection a¹ of the
blade is placed. This portion of the blade previous to its being placed
in the mould is first cleansed and glazed, and then finally cleansed with
acid and coated with hard solder and tin, after which it is placed so as
to occupy the central position as in that portion of the mould forming
the holster, shewn in Fig. 2. When in this position the mould is filled
in with molten iron or other metal, the portion of which coming into
contact with and surrounding the previously prepared tang amalgamates
therewith, and becomes welded thereto, thereby rendering the junction
between the haft and blade firm, solid, and durable.
The corners where the blade forms connection with the haft are
squared by a cutting wheel, giving a finished, square, and solid
appearance to the neck where the blade unites with the molten metal of
the handle after the blade has been ground and glazed.
Any design of haft can by this means be adapted to the blade, which
when cool is coated over with enamel or otherwise treated.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with
the method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
distinctly understood in conclusion that I am aware knives with metal
hafts have heretofore been manufactured, but in consequence of the
tangs of the blade of such knives not being specially prepared previous
to the running of the metal the connection between the blade and the

page_text: haft when the metal has cooled has not been perfect, therefore what I
claim is the preparation of the tang of the blade previous to the
running of the molten metal into the mould of the haft in the manner
described, whereby a fusion or welding of the same with the metal of the
haft takes place in the manner as herein-before described, set forth, and
fully illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bramhall, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
GEO. L. BIRTLES.
HENRY BRAMHALL. (L.S.)