AN IMPROVED ' PORTABLE AND DETACHABLE KNIFE AND FORK
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wiley, of Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Heavy Steel Toy Maker, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED
' PORTABLE AND DETACHABLE KNIFE AND FORK."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wiley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th June 1881.
WILLIAM WILEY, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Heavy Steel
Toy Maker.
"AN IMPROVED PORTABLE AND DETACHABLE KNIFE AND FORK."
My Invention relates to the construction of knives and forks made to open out
of and to close into their hafts or handles, and it is designed to give greater com-
pactness in form, with increased ease of portability, and at the same time to allow
of the separate use of the knife and the fork when required.
My improved knife and fork is constructed as follows:-
The haft, into which the knife and fork are made to close when desired for
carriage in the pocket or when not in use, resembles an ordinary pocket knife haft.
Its construction however differs from that of the ordinary pocket knife in that the
haft is made in two parts detachable one from the other.
Each half when detached forms in itself a complete haft, one to the knife and one
to the fork.
The attachment of the. two halves is effected by T headed studs, which pass
through corresponding holes and slide along slots, thus making a firm and secure
attachment in a simple and effective manner. Disconnection is easily effected by
sliding one half on the other until the T heads of the studs are free to pass through
the holes at the end of the slots.
It is evident however that the attachment of the knife and fork together may
be effected by equivalent mechanical means without departing from the spirit of
my Invention.
The knife and fork are made to open out of and close into their said respective
hafts or handles in manner similar to an ordinary pocket knife, and are retained
firmly open or closed by a similar spring on the back to that employed in a pocket
knife.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Wiley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd November
1881.
WILLIAM WILEY, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Heavy Steel
Toy Maker. AN IMPROVED PORTABLE AND DETACHABLE KNIFE AND FORK."
"6
My Invention relates to the construction of knifes and forks made to open out
of and to close into their hafts or handles, and it is designed to give greater com-
pactness in form with increased case of portability, and at the same time to allow
of the separate use of the knife and the fork when required.
My improved knife and fork is constructed as follows:-
The haft, into which the knife and fork are made to close when dosired for
carriage in the pocket or when not in uso, resembles an ordinary pocket knife haft.
Its construction however differs from that of the ordinary pocket knife in that the
haft is made in two parts detachable one from the other.
Each half when detached forms in itself a complete haft, one to the knife and ono 1
to the fork.
The attachment of the two halves is effected by T headed studs, which pass
through corresponding holes and slide along slots, thus making a firm and secure
attachment in a simple and effective manner. Disconnection is easily effected by
sliding one half on the other until the T heads of the studs are free to pass through 2
the holes at the end of the slots.
It is evident however that the attachment of the knife and fork may be
effected by equivalent mechanical means without departing from the spirit of my
Invention.
The knife and the fork are made to open out of and close into their said respective 2
hafts or handles in manner similar to an ordinary pocket knife, and aro retained
firmly open or closed by a similar spring in the back to that employed in a pocket
knife.
And in order that my Invention may be the better understood I now proceed to
describe the Drawings hereunto annexed, reference being had to the letters and 3
figures marked thereon.
Like letters refer to like parts in each of the Figures.
Figure 1. is a perspective view of the knife and fork closed and compact for
carriage.
Figures II. and III. shew the fork and knife respectively open, and with their
bafts detached.
Figure IV. is a plan of tho knife and fork closed and compact.
Figure V. is a section through X-X,
In the various Figures A is the knife; B is the fork; C, C, are the T headed
studs, and D, D, are the corresponding holes and slots; E, E, are the springs at the 4
back for retaining the knife or the fork open or closed.
And having now fully described and ascertained the nature and object of my .
Invention, and the manner in which the same is performed, bo it known that
what I consider novel and useful, and desiro to protect by my Letters Patent
aforesaid is,-
An improved portable and detachable knife and fork, in which a knife and a fork
class int

page_text: other equivalent mechanical means, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wiley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said William Wiley, in
the presence of
SAM WELLS PAGE,
Solr.,
Wolverhampton.
WILLIAM WILEY. (L.S.)