IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING KNIVES AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND IN THE MATERIAL TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Howard Busby Fox and James Gamlin, both of Birken-
head, in the County of Chester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPERTAINING TO MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING KNIVES AND
OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND IN THE MATERIAL TO BE USED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 1st April 1879, and dated the 8th October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Howard Busby Fox and
James Gamlin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th
October 1878.
HOWARD BUSBY Fox and JAMES GAMLIN, both of Birkenhead, in the County of
Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO MACHINES OR APPARATUS
FOR CLEANING KNIVES AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND IN THE MATERIAL TO
BE USED THEREWITH."
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This Invention relates to a novel method of cleaning knives and similar articles,
and in apparatus therefor, also in a powder for use with the same.
It consists in,—
board.
1st. A flat board, the size of which is regulated by the number of knives to be
cleaned. On three sides of the board near the edge we form a broad groove or
trough to prevent the composition for cleaning flying off the
2nd. At one side of the board we place a double rack. The bed of the rack is
slightly elevated above the cleaning board. Between the double row of teeth or
projections on this rack the knives are placed, and as the bed of the rack is slightly
inclined or higher than the bed of the board the knives lie with their points flush
with the board. A groove extends along the board, abutting against the rack for
the shoulders of the knives to enter. To aid this a bar is hinged to one end of the
rack, and is furnished with a row of teeth or projections, along which a strip of
rubber or other pliant material is secured. This is shut down over the
handles of the knives in the rack, the teeth on the bar entering the spaces
between the double row of teeth on the rack, and the rubber strip coming down
631

page_text: over each knife handle holds them firmly. It is then secured by a pin or catch.
To clean the knives we employ a piece of wood or other substance, and covered
with leather or other suitable material; this leather is sewn so-as to leave a stiff
ridge along one side.
To work the apparatus, some composition, cleaning powder, or bath-brick is
sprinkled over the knives and rubbed on the leather of the "cleaner." This is then
rubbed by hand over the knives lying on the board till one side is cleaned, the
ridge on the "cleaner" being used to rub the shoulders of the knives. The securing
bar is then released and thrown back, and the knives turned over and their other
sides cleaned in the same manner. In some cases we work the cleaner by machinery
instead of by hand.
We may make the rack for holding the knives reversible, so as when one side of
the knives is cleaned the rack is turned over.
Also in some cases, instead of making the knives to lie flat on the board, we fix
them at a slight distance above it, and construct the cleaner so as to rub both sides
of the knives at once.
We can also vary the apparatus by making the cleaning board and rack circular,
placing the knives radially from the centre, and make the "cleaner" a circular
board revolving on a pivot in the centre of the knifeboard, and actuated by a
handle or otherwise. The cleaner can be covered with leather or other suitable
material; or it may be a brush, or furnished with clumps of bristles at intervals.
The composition we prefer to use for cleaning knives and similar articles consists
of a mixture of emery powder, finely comminuted corundum, or similar material,
with steatite or soapstone or equivalent substance of a slightly soapy or greasy
nature, so as to cause the material to adhere to the leather.
This Invention also applies to the cleaning of forks, the details being modified
accordingly.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Howard Busby Fox and James Gailin in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th April 1879.
HOWARD BUSBY Fox and JAMES Gamlin, both of Birkenhead, in the County of
Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO MACHINES OR APPARATUS
FOR CLEANING KNIVES AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND IN THE MATERIAL TO BE
USED THEREWITH.”
Figure 1 is a plan of the apparatus in use; Figure 2, a side elevation of same;
Figure 3, end view; and Figure 4, section of cleaner.
This Invention relates to a novel method of cleaning knives and similar articles,
and in apparatus therefor, also in a powder for use with the same.
It consists in,-First. A flat board or surface A of wood, metal, or other substance,
but preferably wood, the size of which is regulated by the number of knives to be
cleaned. On one or more sides of the board near the edge we form a broad groove or
trough B to prevent the composition for cleaning flying off the board. Second. At
one side of the board we place a double rack C, usually made of metal. The bed of
the rack is slightly elevated above the cleaning board. Between the double row of
teeth or projections on this rack the knives D are placed, and as the bed of the rack
is slightly inclined or higher than the bed of the board the knives lie with their
points flush with the board. A groove E extends along the board, placed close to
or abutting against the rack for the shoulders of the knives to enter; to aid this a
bar F is hinged to one end of the rack, and is furnished with a row of teeth or
projections, along which a strip of rubber G or other pliant material is secured.
This is shut down over the handles of the knives in the rack on the bar entering
the spaces between the double row of teeth on the rack, and the rubber strip coming
down over each knife handle holds them firmly. It is then secured by a pin or
catch. We prefer the arrangement shown, in which H is a flat steel spring secured
to the end of the board A, and provided with a catch or inclined projection I, as
shown. Another piece of spring J presses against H.
When the bar F is raised,
and the knives placed in position, it is shut down, and the curved end of the bar
rides over the inclined tooth or catch I, forcing it back till the bar is pushed down
in position, when it springs back and over the end of the bar, as shown in Figure 3.
To release the bar the tooth or catch is simply pulled back far enough to allow the
bar to be raised. To clean the knives we employ a piece of wood K. or other
substance, and covered with leather or other suitable material; this leather is sewn
so as to leave a stiff ridge along one side for rubbing the shoulders of the knives.
We usually cover it with two thicknesses of material, the inner a preferably a soft
felted material, and the outer b stout buff or wash leather, a stiff piece of leather c
being sewn in to make the ridge as shown.
To work the apparatus, some composition, cleaning powder, or bath-brick is
sprinkled over the knives and rubbed on the leather of the "cleaner."
This is then rubbed by hand over the knives lying on the board till one side is
cleaned, the ridge on the "cleaner" being used to rub the shoulders of the knives.
The securing bar is then released and thrown back, and the knives turned over and
their other sides cleaned in the same manner. In some cases we may work the
"cleaner" by machinery instead of by hand, giving it a reciprocating or rolling.
movement.
We may make the rack for holding the knives reversible, so as when one side of
the knives is cleaned the rack is turned over instead of turning the knives over.
Also in some cases, instead of making the knives to lie flat on the board we might
fix them at a slight distance above it, and construct the " cleaner so as to rub both
sides of the knives at once, but this plan we do not recommend.
"
We can also vary the apparatus by making the cleaning board and rack circular,
placing the knives radially from the centre, and make the cleaner a circular board,

page_text: revolving or partially revolving on a pivot in the centre of the knifeboard, and
actuated by a handle or otherwise.
The composition we prefer to use for cleaning knives and similar articles consists
of a mixture of emery powder, finely comminuted corundum, or similar material,
with steatite or soapstone (a silicate of magnesia), and with silicate of sodium, and
a little olive oil, say, 70 parts emery or corundum, 20 silicate of magnesium (steatite),
6 silicate of sodium, and 4 of olive oil. This gives the emery a slightly soapy or
greasy nature, and causes the material to adhere to the leather.
This Invention also applies to the cleaning of forks, the details being modified
accordingly.
Having now described our Invention and the best mode known to us of carrying
it into effect, wo wish it to be understood that what we believe to be new and desire
to claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The manufacture and use of apparatus for cleaning knives and other like
articles, so constructed that the articles to be cleaned are held immovably or firmly
by their handles or other part, while their blades or parts to be cleaned lie upon a
plane surface, and are cleaned by an independent emery roller or other polishing
implement such as that heroin described being passed over them.
2. The apparatus for cleaning knives or similar articles, consisting of board A,
rack or holder C or its mechanical equivalent, and the independent rubber or
cleaner K, or its mechanical equivalent, a rotating or semi-rotating cleaner, for
the purposes described.
3. The cleaning implement K, as and for the purposes described.
4. The composition for cleaning knives and similar articles, consisting of an
abrasive and a saponaceous matter, substantially as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Gamlin, on behalf of myself and the
said Howard Busby Fox, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth
day of April, in the year of our Lord 1879.
Witness,
JOHN O. O'BRIEN,
Clerk to W. P. Thompson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool,
&
323, High Holborn,
London.
JAMES GAMLIN. (L.S.)