Improvements in Pocket Cutters or Scoops for Use in Eating Apples and other Hard Fruit.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1899-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SITUITUATION.
Improvements in Pocket Cutters or Scoops for Use in Eating Apples
and other Hard Fruit.
I, JANE CLEMENTS, of S, Lowther Arcade, Strand, London, W.C., Dealer in
Fancy Articles, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
My invention relates to a pocket scoop or cutting appliance particularly intended
for use in eating apples or other hard fruit or food by persons whose mouths, by
reason of defective incisors or otherwise, are deficient in biting power.
The invention consists of a scoop-like cutter or gouge, resembling a cheese-
taster, and of a hollow or tubular handle in which the scoop-like cutter or gouge
is adapted to be received when the appliance is not in use so that it may be
protected and kept clean when carried in the pocket, for which purpose the
operative part of the instrument may either be fitted to slide telescopically in the
handle and be retained projected therefrom in position for use, by means of a
spring snap or other fastening engaging with the shank of the gouge like cutter,
or the operative part may be reversibly fitted into the handle so as in the one
position to be enclosed therein and in the other to be projected therefrom, or the
operative portion may be mounted on pivots within the handle portion so as to be
capable of being turned in the one or the other direction, the handle portion in
this case being in the form of a frame or made with a longitudinal slot or cut
away part to permit of the operative portion being brought to the position desired.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1898.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
Improvements in Pocket Cutters or Scoops for Use in Eating Apples
and other Hard Fruit.
I, JANE CLEMENTS, of 8, Lowther Arcade, Strand, London, W.C., Dealer in
Fancy Articles, 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 a scoop or cutting appliance adapted to be carried in
the pocket and particularly intended for use in eating apples or other hard fruit
or food by persons whose teeth, by reason of defective incisors or otherwise, are
deficient in biting power. The form in which it is preferred to embody the

page_text: invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specifi-
cation to which reference will be made in the description of the invention, and
wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal view of the preferred form of the device in
extended position for use. Figure 2 shews the same contracted for carrying in
the pocket. Figure 3 shows a cross section on line 3-3 (Figure 2). Figures 4
and 5 are perspective views of modifications.
The invention consists of a scoop-like cutter or gouge a (formed preferably of
ivory, silver or other material not acted on by the juice of the apple) of
approximately semi-circular form in cross section, slightly sharpened at the
extremity and of a hollow or tubular handle 6 in which the scoop-like cutter or
gouge is adapted to be received when the appliance is not in use so that it may
be protected and kept clean when carried in the pocket. For this purpose it is
preferred to fit the operative part of the instrument, that is to say, the gouge or
scoop a to slide telescopically in the handle and to provide means whereby the
scoop when projected from the handle will be thus firmly retained in position
for use against the end pressure for forcing the scoop into the fruit.
The preferred form of fastening consists of a stud e fixed on the body portion
or shanke of the gouge and working in a bayonet slot d in the handle b, so that
when the stud is engaged in the right angle end of said slot, the gouge will
be in the extended position and will not be forced inwards by end pressure, nor
become disengaged from the right angled part of the slot if in using the instru-
ment a slight right handed twist be given to it as would be natural when driving
it into the fruit assuming the instrument to be used by a right-handed person.
To provide for the instrument being used by a right or left-handed person
indifferently, the right angled end of the slot may terminate in a return
notch as indicated in the partial view of the instrument Figure 1. The
shanke of the gouge consists of a cylindrical block making a sliding fit within
the tubular handle band of sufficient length to form therein a steady bearing
for the blade a. When extended, the outer end of the block e is flush with, or
projects slightly beyond the end of the handle as shewn in Figure 1 so as to
prevent any of the fruit or juice entering and fouling the bore of the tubular
handle. The block e also serves (when the gouge a is pushed out) to eject any
duct which may have lodged within the bore of the handle whilst the instrument
was in the pocket. In order to permit of any dust which may accumulate within
the handle behind the block e being periodically cleaned out, the rear end of the
handle may be formed as a movable screw cap 61 as shewn.
Instead of the gouge sliding telescopically in the handle it may be reversibly
fitted into the handle for instance, as shown in Figure 4 in which the shank or
body portion is received in the end of the handle as a socket, the part e or e
being so inserted according as the gouge is to be projected from the handle or
enclosed therein; a pin or stud f fixed in the handle projecting into a groove f¹
in the shank so as to prevent it from turning, and a bead or flange 9 encircling
the shank serving as a stop to prevent the shank being pushed too far into the
socket when inserted in either direction. Or the shank e may be pivoted in the
manner of a penknife (as in Figure 5) to the handle portion 6 so as to be capable
of being turned in the one or the other direction, the handle portion being pro-
vided with a spring back bearing on the shank, and being adapted to receive
the gouge within it when closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A pocket device for facilitating the eating of apples and other hard food con-
sisting of a scoop-like cutter or gouge and a hollow or tubular handle adapted to
receive and protect the cutter or gouge when the instrument is not in use, sub-
stantially as specified.
sating
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L
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1
P

page_text: consisting of a scoop-like cutter or gouge mounted upon a shank formed by a
cylindrical block fitted to slide telescopically, within a tubular handle, and adapted
to be retained therein in the operative position at will, by means of a bayonet
stud and slot connection as specified.
3. In a pocket device for facilitating the eating of apples and other hard food,
and consisting of a scoop-like cutter or gouge adapted to slide telescopically with-
in a tubular handle as described; forming the shank of the cutter as a cylindrical
block making a sliding fit within said handle and of such length that when in the
extended operative position, the outer end of said block shall be practically
flush with the end of the tubular handle, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
72
1
001
1
T
1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.