Improved Appliances for Meat Carving and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improved Appliances for Meat Carving and the like.
1, RICHARD WILLIAM WOODCOCK of Aldeburgh, Suffolk Architect, Surveyor
and Estate Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
An appliance for conveniently holding a leg of mutton, hara, or other joint during
the process of carving, dissection or other manipulation. It consists of a hollow
or tubular handle of wood, bone or other suitable material, in two corresponding
longitudinal sections or halves, hinged one to another in such wise as either to fold
together or to lie open, the lower, or hinged part of the aforesaid tubular handlo
being extended beyond the shoulder of the handle, & supported at the further end
by a pair of extending legs of metal, hard wood or other suitable material, cach leg
being surmounted by a plain or a serrated claw or gripper, forming together a pair
of combined legs & claws or grippers, working on a common centre or hinge with
the aforesaid tubular handle, in such wise that when the handle is opened the claws
are also opened, the legs being by the same action drawn closer together, the
apparatus being then in position for receiving the shank or knuckle bone of a leg
of mutton or other joint, which, when placed between the open claws would, by its
own weight, tend to open or extend the legs & either automatically close or assist
in closing the claws or grippers upon the shank bone which is further held in
position by the shoulder of the handle; thus affording both a chair or rest for the
said joint or bone, & a good handle for the carver or operator to firmly hold the
joint without soiling his hands, the hand which grasps "the leg of mutton
holder" being also protected from injury from a slip of the knife, by two guards
of metal or other material suitably fixed on the shoulder of the handle. Provision
is contemplated for a further pair of claws at the shoulder of handle or for elastic
packing or other device, if found necessary to prevent any possible rattling or
play of shank bone within the tubular handle.
The special features I claim are
1st. The tubular folding handle.
2nd. The legs which support the tubular handle, or, by their peculiar con-
struction cause the two halves of the said tubular bandle to close when weighted
with the joint.
3rd. The chair afforded for shank bone of joint.
4th. The partly or wholly automatically closing claws or grippers, whether as
forming extensions or terminations of the legs, or of the extended portions of the
tubular handle.
Dated this 25th day of February 1896

page_text: I, RICHARD WILLIAM WOODCOCK of Aldeburgh, Suffolk, Architect, Surveyor
and Estate Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improved appliances for conveniently holding a leg of
mutton, ham, or other joint during the process of carving dissection or other
manipulation and will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is an isometrical view of the apparatus grasping the shank bone of a leg
of mutton.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus at AA without the bone.
Fig. 3 is n sectional view also at AA but showing the apparatus open instead of
closed.
Fig. 4 is an isometrical view of the apparatus lying open.
The apparatus consists of a hollow or tubular handle a b c of wood, bone or other
suitable material in two corresponding longitudinal sections or halves, hinged one
to another on a pin g in such wise as either to fold together or to lie open, the
lower or hinged part of the aforesaid tubular handle being extended as at be
beyond the shoulder ( Fig. 1) of the handle & supported at the further end c by
a pair of extending legs 11 of metal, hard wood or other suitable material, ench
leg being surmounted by a plain or a serrated claw or gripper forming together a
pair of combined legs & claws or grippers working on a common centre or hinge
(g Fig. 2) with the aforesaid tubular handle in such wise that when the handle is
opened the claws ee are also opened, the legs 7 being by the same action drawn
closer together the apparatus being then in position (Fig. 3) for receiving the
shank or knuckle bone of a leg of mutton or other joint, which when placed
between the open claws would, by its own weight tend to extend the legs and
either automatically close or assist in closing the claws or grippers upon the shank
bone (Fig. 1) which is further held in position by the shoulder (s) of the handle
thus affording both a chair, crutch or rest for the said joint or bone, & a good
handle for the carver or operator to firmly hold the joint without soiling his
hands, the hand which grasps the leg of mutton holder being also protected from
injury from a slip of the knife by two guards ff of metal or other material
suitably fixed on the shoulder of the handle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion, and in what manner the sanie is to be performed,' I 'declare that, what I
claim is
L iti
.
1st. In appliance for meat carving and the like the construction of a folding
tubular handle for holding a leg of mutton or ham substantially as described &
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
-
2nd In similar appliances the combination with the aforesaid handle of a pair
of legs aud claws so constructed as that when the apparatus is loaded with the
knuckle bone of a leg of mutton as shewn in Fig. 1, the claws will automatically
close or tend to close upon and grip the knuckle bone, substantially as described &
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In similar appliances the combination with the aforesaid handle of a pair

page_text: of legs & claws or other extensions of the legs in such wise as to form a crutch or
rest for the knuckle bone of a leg of mutton or the like-substantially as described
& illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated thin 95th day of November 1906
R. W. WOODCOCK.