Year: 1888

page_text: I HERBERT CHARLES MORTON of Little Pond Street Sheffield in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention is for improvements in Fork guards and refers particularly to the
method of raising and lowering the guard to the open and closed position.
In carrying the invention into practice, 1 make round the body or shank of the
fork, an annular groove, formed by any means, and arranged in a diagonal or slanting
position, that is to say, its highest point on the top of the shank is nearest to the
bolster, and its lowest point, on the underside of the shank, is nearest to the prongs.
The groove may be formed so as to leave the central solid part of the shank, of an
oval form, or it may be made circular and have its two sides flattened, or it may be of
other shape that will answer the required purpose.
I prefer to make the guard out of flat steel punched out to shape, which is divided
longitudinally from the bottom upwards. It consists of the upper part or guard
proper, a central bowed part which fits over and grips the shank at the bottom of
the groove beforementioned, and a lower part consisting of two extensions or legs
diverging from each other so as to form a rest to support the prongs in a raised
position, but these legs may be dispensed with if desired.
When the guard is forced into position in the annular groove, its elasticity
causes it to grip the shank, and by reason of the oval shape or the flats, or like
configuration, the guard is held in a raised position ready for use; when it is
pressed sideways and caused to turn in and follow the diagonal groove, the upper
part turns under the prongs and is retained in that position by the elastic grip of
the legs.
ROBT. F. DRURY, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: 1, HERBERT CHARLES MORTON of Little Pond Street, Sheffield in the County of York,
Engineer, 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 :-
.
This invention is for improvements in Fork guards, and refers particularly to the
method of raising and lowering the guard to the open and closed positions.
To clearly define my invention it will be necessary to refer to the annexed sheet
of drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in any of the
figures.
Fig. 1, represents the guard in its open position.
Fig. 2, represents the guard in its closed position.
Fig. 3, shows the fork with guard removed.
Fig. 4, gives two views of the guard when removed from the fork.
In carrying the invention into practice, I make round the body or shank A, of the
fork, an annular groove B, formed by any means or process, and arranged in a
diagonal or slanting position with respect to the axial line of the said body or shank,
its highest point being nearest the bolster C, and its lowest point nearest the
prongs D.
The groove may be made so as to leave its central solid part of the shank oval,
or it may be made round, and have its sides flattened, or of any other configuration
that will answer the purpose of retaining the guard in either its open or closed
position.
I prefer to make the guard E, by cutting it out of sheet steel, and dividing it
longitudinally from the bottom up to a certain distance from the top. The divided
members at their lower ends are bowed, or suitably shaped to fit upon and clasp with
elastic pressure the portion of the shank at the bottom of the diagonal groove B, and
they may be continued so as to form extensions or legs F, diverging from each other
to form a rest or support, to raise the prongs from the table, but these extensions may
be dispensed with if desired.
When the guard is forced into position in the annular groove B, its elasticity causes
it to grip the shank, and by reason of the oval shape, or the side flats, as before
described, or other suitable configuration of the shank at the bottom of groove B, the
guard is retained in a raised position ready for use; when it is pressed sideways and
caused to turn in and to follow the course of the diagonal groove, the upper part or
guard proper turns underneath the prongs D, and it is retained in that position by the
elastic grip of the bowed parts as before described.
I may vary the construction of the guard by forming it from wire, and if desirable
the longitudinal division may be made from the top of the guard instead of the
bottom.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1—The guard E, constructed substantially as hereinbefore described, and working
in a diagonal annular groove formed round the shank of a Fork, for the purpose
specified.
2-The combination of an annular groove formed diagonally upon the shank of
a fork, with a guard clasping the same with elastic action, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated.