IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF SECURING THE HANDLES OF TABLE KNIVES AND FORKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas McGrab, of 45, William Street, Sheffield,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF SECURING THE
HANDLES OF TABLE KNIVES AND FORKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Sealed the 2nd January 1866, and dated the 16th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas McGrah at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
October 1865.
I, THOMAS M GRAH, of 45, William Street, Sheffield, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF SECURING
THE HANDLES OF TABLE KNIVES AND FORKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," to be.
as follows:-
My improvements consist in more effectually securing the handles of table
knives and forks to the tangs of the blades and forks, so as to prevent the
possibility of their becoming loose when placed in boiling water, or otherwise.
Hitherto resin mixed with various other ingredients to stiffen or increase its
density have been employed, but the readiness with which resin dissolve in
hot water renders it unfit and useless as a permanent fastening; hot water
when employed for the purpose of cleaning causes the resin to melt, swell,
and force out the tang of the blade or fork, the resin also forcing its way out

page_text: of the handle, leaving a cavity, so that although the tang and handle may be
pinned or rivetted together, and the blade and handle not detached, yet they
are loose, and consequently useless. Various expedients have been resorted
to to remedy this defect, (such as rivets through the tang and handle, or
extending the tang through the whole length of the handle, all of which have
increased the price of the articles, and only partially obviated the difficulty.
My Invention is to substitute sulphur or brimstone in lieu of resin, pitch, or
other means, boiling water having no effect upon it when properly set.
The following process I prefer :-I take a handle and bore it in the usual
way, and by means of a graver or other tool I make a cavity on each side
midway in the bore, I then pour in liquid sulphur, the same having been
fused in a ladle or pan of considerable thickness, so as to retain the heat as
long as possible, I then insert the tang of the blade or fork previously
prepared with indentations upon them, or jagged upon the edges, the sulphur
immediately becomes set, and the handle immovable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas M'Grah in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MCGRAH, of 45, William Street, Sheffield, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas McGrah, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas M°Grab,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas McGrah, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MEANS OF SECURING THE HANDLES OF TABLE KNIVES AND FORKS,
AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas McGrah, 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

page_text: in what manner.theisame was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next.and im-
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE; that I,. the said Thomas McGrah, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention; and in what manner the same is to be
performed,, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
:statement:
i
:
My improvements consist in securing the handles of table knives and forks
and other similar articles, as putty, palette, dagger, bowie, spear point, butchers'
knives, and others by 'such means as will prevent the possibility of their
, becoming loose when placed in hot or boiling water, or when subjected to
the pressure or strain such articles usually undergo when in ordinary use, and
to dispense with the necessity for the use of pins or rivets, and other similar
appliances, which add to the cost of manufacture, and generally considered in
ivory and other first-class cutlery to be very unsightly and objectionable.
Hitherto rosin or pitch (with or without pins and other similar means) have
been used for this purpose, either of which melts at a very low temperature,
miuch below that of boiling water,. hence when hot water is applied to remove
the dirt or grease consequent upon the use of such articles, the rosin or pitch
. dissolves, swells, and where pins or other similar means have not been used,
forces: out of the handle the tang of the blade or fork or other article; where
pins or such other similar means have been used, the resin or pitch forces
itself out of the handle, thereby leaving a cavity, so that although the blade
and handle may not be entirely detached, yet they are loose, and consequently
useless. It is evident that such means (resin or pitch) cannot have been
found sufficiently firm, otherwise these expensive appliances (pins, &c.) would
not have been resorted to, which only partially remedies the defect, and
renders the handle much more liable to split or crack when in use. . My
Invention is to substitute sulphur or brimstone. for this purpose in lieu of
resin, pitch, or other similar means at present in use.
The fact that sulphur requires upwards of 20 degrees greater heat than
that required to boil water, is a sufficient guarantee, together with the simple
means hereafter described, that the handles so secured or fastened cannot
become loose when placed in hot or boiling water.
In order that this my said Invention may be more fully and clearly
understood, I will now describe the method of operating or carrying the same
into practical effect.
:
:
The handles may be bored and prepared in the usual or any other
way, the tangs of the blades or forks or other articles made rough, uneven,

page_text: or indented in any way most convenient, so as not to be left quite smooth
and round. I melt or prepare the sulphur in the following manner, and for
this
purpose I employ a pan of sufficient thickness to retain the heat, or keep
the sulphur when melted in a liquid state as long as possible, and to obtain
as near as can an uniformity of temperature; this is very important, for if the
pan be very thin, and placed over a fire it readily becomes overheated, the
sulphur consequently becomes thick, and none practical for this purpose;
where convenient I prefer the sulphur being melted by the heat of gas, or
'similar means, so as to be better able to regulate and keep up an equal
temperature; before or after the sulphur is melted I add or mix therewith
(if the handles be of ivory or bone) brushed or powdered whiting, gypsum,
lime, or other light coloured or similar ingredient, so as to resemble the
colour of the handles as much as possible, and prevent the tangs shading (so
common where resin or pitch is used). If, however, the handle be black or
of a dark colour, any other similar ingredient which has a tendency to thicken
the sulphur will answer. The object being to increase its density, retard its
rapid setting or transformation from the liquid to the solid state, so as to
allow the operator time to properly fix the article, and to prevent its flowing
too freely out of the bore of the handle. When the tang of the blade or
fork or other article is being inserted, it depends upon the size of the bore as
to what quantity of any other ingredient will be required to thicken the
sulphur, if the bore be small very little will be required, if large a pro-
portionate quantity will be required. I. now pour into or fill the bore of
the handle with the prepared or melted sulphur, and insert the tang of the
blade or fork or other article into the bore of the handle in a hot state, the
sulphur immediately surrounds the tang, the sulphur becomes set, the blade,
fork, or other article fixed and immovable. I would here observe that pins
For rivets or other similar appliances may be used where desired, but such
means in connection with this Invention I consider superfluous; where greater
security is required the bore of the handle may be made uneven by means of
a graver or other tool.
Having now described the nature and object of this my said Invention,
together with the means of operating or carrying the same into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion, that I do not limit or confine myself to
the precise details berein described, as variation may be made from time to
time without in any way deviating or departing from the true nature of the
Invention; but what I claim and desire to be secured by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is, the improvements in the means of securing
the handles of table knives. and forks, and other similar articles by the use of

page_text: sulphur or brimstone, substantially as herein-before described, or any mere
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas McGrah, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
THOMAS MºGRAH. (LS.)
Witness,
GEORGE S. WATSON.