IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FORKS
Year: 1885

page_text: I SAMUEL WILLIAMSON of Stanley Works, Backfields, Sheffield in the County of
York Cutlery Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FORKS to be as follows:-
My invention which relates to the manufacture of Carving Forks and other table
forks, refers more particularly to the construction of the swell on the shank of
eating forks or the guard box of carving forks as the case may be, the object being
to reduce the cost of manufacture; and it consists in casting the swell or guard box.
separately upon the shanks of forks which have previously been made without such
parts by some economical process or method, such as punching them out of sheet
steel. Fork blanks so made are usually of one thickness, and therefore have neither
a swell on the shanks which detracts from their appearance nor is any provision
made in carving forks so punched for holding a guard.-A guard box is sometimes
secured to such forks by rivetting it to the flat shank-but as the cost will not
allow the parts to be well fitted together the appearance is objected to.
In carrying out my invention I construct suitable moulds and I cast the guard
box upon the shank of a carving fork, the metal passing round and firmly adhering
to the shank, so that when it is ground and Glazed in the usual manner it presents
a very good appearance.
In the same manner I cast the swell upon the shank of an eating fork, which
both strengthens the shank, and improves the appearance of the Fork at a very
small additional cost. The cast part may be made of any suitable metal.

page_text: Improvements in the manufacture of
I, SAMUEL WILLIAMSON of Stanley Works, Backfields, Sheffield in the County
of York Cutlery Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF 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 relates to improvements in the manufacture of table forks, and
refers more particularly to a method of constructing the shanks of the said forks,
the invention applying not only to ordinary eating forks but also to guard forks;
its object being to produce a good looking and strong fork in an economical
manner.
It consists in casting upon a plain fork punched out of sheet steel, additional
metal in the shape or configuration of the desired shank and shoulder, so as to
strengthen the fork where it is required, and to considerably improve its appearance.
And in order that my invention may be clearly understood I annex a sheet of
drawings of a fork in two stages of manufacture, the same letters of reference
indicating the same parts in both the figures.
Fig. 1, represents a fork as it is punched out of sheet steel.
Fig. 2, represents the same fork after the metal shank is cast upon it.
In carrying out my invention I take a fork blank, such as shown in Fig. 1-(but
it must be understood that I do not bind myself to any particular pattern of fork)
A being the prongs, B the combined shank and tang.
I place this blank, or partly constructed fork, in a suitable mould, and pour in
molten metal, thus forming the shank C with the shoulder D, seen in Fig. 2.
In a guard fork or carving fork, the same method as that above described is used
the only difference being in the construction of the moulds used in casting.
I prefer to use for casting the shank, a metal of a similar colour to that of the
material of which the prongs or blank is made but I do not confine myself to such
metal.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same may be carried into effect, I declare that
what I claim is
1st The improved method of constructing the shanks of table forks, substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
2nd In the manufacture of table forks, the method of constructing the shanks, by
casting metal to the required shape, upon the sheet steel blank, in the manner
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated.
Dated the 24th day of November 1885.
ROBT F. DRURY,
Agent for the Applicant.