IMPROVEMENTS IN GUARD FORKS
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALFRED COPLEY 186 Rockingham Street Sheffield in the County of York
Fork Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN GUARD FORKS, to be as follows:-
My invention of improvements in Guard Forks refers more particularly to the
construction and arrangement of the retaining spring of the Guard, for the purpose
of holding the guard in either the closed or open position.
In carrying my invention into practice, in place of the recess usually made in
the shank, and in which the guard and the V spring are secured; I cut a hole of
a suitable size and shape completely through the shank in a vertical position, in
which I secure the butt of the guard, by passing a pin through it, on which it turns.
An angular portion of the butt of the guard projects through the hole on the
underside of the shank; its greatest projection being when the guard is half way
between up and down-On the underside of the shank of the fork I secure a flat
spring covering the hole, and extending along the shank; I prefer to shape it to
the general configuration of the shank, but it may be made ornamental if desired,
and I secure it by rivets pins or screws.
When the guard is closed the spring presses on one side of the angular part of
the butt and when it is elevated it presses upon the opposite side of the angle and
thus retains it in either position.
The spring may also be formed with extensions curved downwards so as to form.
legs, upon which the fork may rest with the prongs raised from the table.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I ALFRED COPLEY 186 Rockingham Street Sheffiold in the County of York
Fork Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GUARD FORKS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that
is to say:-
My invention of improvements in Guard Forks, or Carving Forks, refers more
particularly to the construction and arrangement of the retaining spring of the
guard, for the purpose of holding the guard in either its closed or open position.
And that my invention may be clearly understood I annex a sheet of drawings
representing a fork, and the manner in which my arrangement of spring, is applied.
Fig. 1. is a side view of Carving Fork fitted with my retaining spring.
Fig. 2, is the underside of same.
Fig. 3, is a modification of same, in which the spring is let into the shank.
Fig 4, shows the spring shaped so as to form a rest.
Fig 5. shows the guard.
In carrying out my invention, instead of forming the usual recess to contain the
retaining spring as well as the butt end of the guard, in the top side of the
shank B, I make a hole or aperture completely through the shank suitable for
receiving the butt end of the guard A, and I fix upon or let into the underside of
the shank a suitable retaining spring C, which closes the bottom end of the
beforementioned aperture.
The retaining spring may be shaped to suit the configuration of the shank as
shown in Fig 2, or parallel to fit into a corresponding recess as in Fig. 3. or it may
be so shaped as to form a rost for the fork as in Fig 4.
The guard Fig. 5, has on its butt end. two finta "b" and "c," and a central
point "a." In either the closed or open position the flat rests against the surface
of the spring C, which thus retains the guard firmly in its place as will be readily
understood.
The guard is fixed and turns upon a pin or axis in the usual way.
My invention allows the use of a long flat spring, which is much more elastic
and durable than the V springs commonly used, being less liable to fracture.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what
I claim is
In the construction of Guard Forks the arrangement and use of a retaining
spring for the guard fixed upon, or let into the underside of the shank, in such
a manner as act upon the butt end of the guard substantially in the manner as
hereinbefore described and illustrated.