AN IMPROVED MODE OF FASTENING THE HANDLES OF TABLE KNIVES AND FORKS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Marsh, Theophilus Marsh, James Marsh,
and Walter Marsh, trading under the style or firm of Marsh
Brothers and Company," of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manufacturers, for the Invention of AN IMPROVED MODE OF
FASTENING THE HANDLES OF TABLE KNIVES AND FORKS."
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Sealed the 12th December 1853, and dated the 13th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Marsh,
Theophilus Marsh, James Marsh, and Walter Marsh at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
13th June 1853.
We, JOHN MARSH, THEOPHILUS MARSH, JAMES MARSI, and WALTER
MARSH, trading under the style or firm of Marsh Brothers and Com-
pany, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE IN
FASTENING THE HANDLES AND BLADES OF TABLE KNIVES AND FORKS" to
be as follows:-

page_text: In lieu of the ordinary tang or part to be let into and fastened in
the handle a neck-piece or shoulder-ferrule is made or cast in one piece,
the shoulder is prepared for the reception of the blade with a sinking
channel or groove, into which the flat blade is fixed and fastened by
having the cheeks of the shoulder hammered tightly upon it, by solder,
by a rivet or rivets, or by all together; the ferrule part of the neck
piece is made strong and of any required length; it forms a mortice,
into which the handle is tennoued and firmly secured by rivets or pins;
the ferrule may be made sufficiently heavy to balance the knife, or lead
maye poured into it, if required.
This Invention embraces the ferrule or shoulder inade or cast in one
piece, and the mode of connecting the handle, shoulder, and blade; it
precludes the necessity of using resin or cement, or of boring or
drilling the handles. The liability of the handle to split, and the dis-
coloration consequent on drilling or boring, is therefore avoided.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Marsh, Theophilus Marsh, James Marsh,
and Walter Marsh in the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 12th
December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
JOHN MARSH, THEOPHILUS MARSI, JAMES MARSH, and WALTER MARSH,
trading under the style or firm of Marsh Brothers and Company, of
Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said John Marsh, Theophilus Marsh,
James Marsh, and Walter Marsh, Her special licence that we, the
said John Marsh, Theophilus Marsh, James Marsh, and Walter Marsh,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said

page_text: John Marsh, Theophilus Marsh, James Marsh, and Walter Marsh, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "AN IN-
PROVED MODE OF FASTENING THE HANDLES OF TABLE KNIVES AND FORKS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Marsh,
Theophilus Marsh, James Marsh, and Walter Marsh, by an instru-
ment in writing under our hands and seals, should particularly de-
scribe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Marsh, Theophus Marsh,
James Marsh, and Walter Marsh, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment (that is to say):
Our Invention cousists in the use and application of a neck-piece or
shoulder-ferule, to which both the blade of the knife or the prongs of
the fork and the haft or handle are attached; and in order fully to ex-
plain our said Invention we will proceed to set forth, as accurately as
possible, the means whereby our said Invention may be carried into
practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
Figure 1, exhibits a side view, and Figure 2, a longitudinal section
of a table knife constructed according to our said Invention; Figure 8,
shews a section of the handle; Figure 4, a section of the neck-piece or
shoulder-ferule; and Figure 5, a cross section of the same through the
mortice or socket.
The neck-piece or shoulder-ferule (a,) is cast in one piece, with a
channel or groove (6) for the reception of the blade (c) of the knife,

page_text: and a mortice (,) for the reception of the haft or handle (d). The
blade of the knife is fitted for insertion in the channel or groove (b),
the checks (e, e) of which are hammered tightly upon it, and the inter-
stices filled up with solder; when greater firmness is desired, the blade
is further secured by a rivet (f) or rivets driven through the checks
(e, e,) of the neck-piece or shoulder and the blade; the mortice or
socket (.) for the reception of the laft or handle is formed of any
required length and strength, so as not only to secure the handle firmly,
but also to operate as a balancing medium; the haft or handle is ten-
noned firmly into it, and secured by a rivet (h,) or rivets driven through
it and through the sides of the mortice.
The advantages of our improvements are, that by the adoption of the
combination of parts set forth and represented the use of the ordinary
tang or prong to fit into the haft or handle is avoided, and consequently
the necessity of drilling or boring the haft or handle, and thereby weak-
ening it, as at present practised, is removed; the blade of the knife may
also be balanced by regulating the part of the neck-piece or shoulder-
ferule to which the hafts or handle is attached, cither by casting the said
part sufficiently heavy, or by pouring sufficient lead for the purpose into
the mortice or socket. Both the blade and haft or handle are secured
wholly without resin, so that if exposed to it the action of hot or boiling
water will have no effect upon them, nor are they liable to become loose
by ordinary use or wear. This Invention also affords scope in the shape
and ornamentation of the neck-piece or shoulder-ferule for variety of
design, which the knives and forks as at present manufactured do not
admit of.
We would observe that this Specification applies equally to forks as
to knives in all particulars.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be and may be performed, we desire it to be dis-
tinctly understood that, with the exception of the neck-piece or shoulder-
ferule, we do not claim the exclusive use of any of the separate parts
which enter into the combination of the articles made in conformity with
our improvements, but in so far as they may be employed for the pur-

page_text: oses of our said Invention, which we hereby declare to consist in, and
we claim as of our Invention of "An Improved Mode of Fastening the
Tandles of Table Knives and Forks," the manufacturing of knives and
orks in the manner herein-before particularly described, set forth, and
epresented by the illustrative Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Marsh, Theophilus Marsh,
James Marsh, and Walter Marsh, have hereunto set our hands
and seals, this Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
poses of our said Invention, which we hereby declare to consist in, and
ve claim as of our Invention of "An Improved Mode of Fastening the
Handles of Table Knives and Forks," the manufacturing of knives and
orks in the manner herein-before particularly described, set forth, and
epresented by the illustrative Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Marsh, Theophilus Marsh,
James Marsh, and Walter Marsh, have hereunto set our hands
and seals, this Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
(L.S.)
THEOPHILUS MARSH. (L.S.)
JOHN MARSH.
JAMES MARSH.
WALTER MARSH.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)