IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING TABLE KNIVES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Newman Fourdrinier, of 22, Percy Circus,
Pentonville, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING
TABLE KNIVES."
Sealed the 26th February 1856, and dated the 28th August 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Newman
Fourdrinier at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 28th August 1855.
I, EDWARD NEWMAN FOURDRINIER, of 22, Percy Circus, Pentonville, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES
FOR CLEANING TABLE KNIVES" to be as follows:-
Heretofore, in the construction of knife-cleaning machines where several
knives are cleaned by one rubber, it has been usual for the rubbing to take
place across the blades of the knives; now, my Invention consists of arranging
the parts of a machine so that several knives may be properly held, and so that
the rubbing shall be in the direction of the length of the blades; for which pur-
pose either the rubbers or the knives may be fixed, and the other moveable; it
is, however, preferred that the knives should be moved to and fro between
stationary or fixed cleaning or rubbing surfaces. The handle of each knife is

page_text: held in a moving holder, the handles by preference having each a spring holder.
The knife holder is moved to and fro a distance in the direction of the length
of the blades.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Newman Fourdrinier in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th February 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
NEWMAN FOURDRINIER, of 22, Percy Circus, Pentonville, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edward Newman Fourdrinier, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Newman Fourdrinier, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edward Newman Fourdrinier, my executors, adminis
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might 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 MACHINES FOR CLEANING TABLE KNIVES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Newman Fourdrinier,
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 Edward Newman Fourdrinier, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
Heretofore, in the construction of knife-cleaning machines where several
knives are cleaned by one rubber, it has been usual for the rubbing to take
place across the blades of the knives; now, my Invention consists of arranging
the parts of a machine so that several knives may be properly held, and so
that the rubbing shall be in the direction of the length of the blades; for

page_text: which purpose either the rubbers or the knives may be fixed, and the other
moveable; it is, however, preferred that the knives should be moved to and fro
between stationary or fixed cleaning or rubbing surfaces. The handle of each
knife is held in a moving holder, the handles by preference having each a
spring holder. The knife holder is moved to and fro a distance in the direction
of the length of the blades.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a plan of a machine arranged according to my Invention;
Figure 2 is a section; and Figure 3 is a front view thereof.
The machine is arranged for cleaning six knives, but other machines may be
similarly arranged for receiving a greater or less number of knives at the same
time. In the arrangement shewn the rubbers are fixed, and the knives have
motion given to them, but this arrangement might, if desired, be reversed.
a, a, are the lower rubbers, one to each knife; b, b, are the upper rubbers.
Each rubber is formed with a hollow tray on the upper surface to contain
brickdust, and they are perforated at intervals to allow of the brickdust to
descend through the upper rubbers on to the lower rubbers, when there are no
knives between them. The upper rubbers are kept down by the bars c, c,
there being a coiled or other spring between each of these bars, and the rubber
below it, in order that each upper rubber may be pressed towards the lower
rubber with an elastic pressure. The surfaces of the rubbers in contact with
the knives are coated with proper leather or other suitable material, as is well
understood in making other rubbers for cleaning knives. The handles d, d, of
the knives are each held between two surfaces of vulcanized india-rubber e, e,
fixed to the clamping surfaces f, g. The clamping surfaces f, g, are held
together by means of the two upright pins h, h, in each of which is cut a
notch, into which the spring catches i, i, are pressed by their springs when
the upper clamp is pressed down on to the knife handles. The other ends
of the pins h are fixed to the lower clamp by screws or otherwise. The
lower clamp is supported and guided by the horizontal pins j,j, fixed in front.
The clamps f, g, receive a to and fro motion by means of a crank axis k, by
connecting rods 1, 1, and motion is communicated to the crank axis k by the
handle m, which gives motion to the wheel n, which takes into and drives the
wheel o fixed on the axle k.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of

page_text: performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any
of the parts separately; but what I claim is, the combination herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Newman Fourdrinier, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
FREDK HARRIS.
E. N. FOURDRINIER. (L.S.)