IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANDLES OF KNIVES AND FORKS AND IN THE MEANS OF SECURING THE BLADES OF KNIVES AND FORKS TO THEIR HANDLES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Walker of Sheffield in the County of York Plate
Worker for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANDLES OF KNIVES
AND FORKS AND IN THE MEANS OF SECURING THE BLADES OF KNIVES AND
FORKS TO THEIR HANDLES.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Walker at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th March 1883.
HENRY WALKER of Sheffield in the County of York Plate Worker
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE HANDLES OF KNIVES AND FORKS AND IN THE MEANS OF SECURING
THE BLADES OF KNIVES AND FORKS TO THEIR HANDLES."
This Invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the
manufacture of knives and forks, whereby the handles thereof will be more
securely and more durably fastened to the blades than has hitherto been
accomplished:
The Invention consists in entirely dispensing with the tangs of knives or forks,
and consequently with the cement or other fixing composition used to secure the
tang in the handle of the knife or fork; and dispensing also with the present
necessity for boring or recessing the handles to receive the tangs, which tends so
much to weaken the handle, when the handles are made of mother of pearl, ivory
or other brittle substance; the improved knife or fork is therefore made without
any tang; instead thereof the top portion of a metal ferrule is firmly secured by
solder or otherwise, fast on the base or bolster or the extremity of the blade
nearest to the handle of the knife or fork, and the lower part of the ferrule is so
shaped as to surround or fit onto,-and be countersunk in, the outsides of the
handle to which it is firmly secured by one or more pins or rivets being passed
through the ferrule and the handle and firmly fixed therein.
The ferrule will be made in any shape or pattern to suit the design of the other
parts of the knife or fork.
A further part of this Invention consists in making and applying a metallic cap
or end ferrule to the end of the handle and securing it onto the handle of the knife
or fork in the same way as the above described ferrule is done.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th September 1883.
HENRY WALKER of Sheffield in the County of York Plate Worker " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE HANDLES OF KNIVES AND FORKS, AND IN THE MEANS OF SECURING
THE BLADES OF KNIVES AND FORKS TO THEIR HANDLES."
This Invention, relates to certain new and useful improvements in the
manufacture of Knives and Forks whereby the handles thereof are more
securely and more durably fastened to the blades than has hitherto been
accomplished.
'
The improved knife or fork is made,-according to my invention, without any
tang, instead thereof the top or upper part or portion of a metallic ferrule is firmly
secured by solder (hard solder being preferred) or in any other suitable and secure
manner, fast on to the base,-or, what is known in the trade as, the "bolster,"
'or extreme end of the blade nearest to the handle of the knife or fork, and the
lower part of the ferrule is specially made and shaped or cut so as to surround
and accurately fit onto and be countersunk in the exterior or outside (or outsides)
of the handle to which it is firmly secured, by one or more pins or rivets being
passed through both the ferrule and the handle of the knife or fork and firmly
fixed therein.
In addition to the tangs being dispensed with, in the manufacture of knives and
forks, according to the present improvements, all cement or other fixing composition
generally required where tangs are used is dispensed with and the necessity for
boring or recessing the interior part of the handle is entirely done away with,
which boring or recessing, as is well known, so much weakens and injures the
handles when made of such substances as Mother of Pearl Ivory or other brittle
substance or material.
+
A further part of my Invention relates to and consists in making and in
applying and securing a metallic cap or end ferrule on to the end of the handle
of the knife or fork (in order to protect the substance or material of which the
handle may be composed from wear or rough usage and also to serve as an
ornament) in a similar way to that adopted in applying and securing the herein-
before described ferrule; but this cap or end ferrule can be added or not as may
be preferred.
In order that my Invention may be the more fully and completely understood
and also the manner in which I carry my improvements into practical effect, I have
illustrated the same on the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings on which
are shown several examples or specimens of knives and forks made in accordance
with the principles of my Invention.
Figure 1, represents a front elevation of a Carving-knife and fork with my
invention applied thereto, but without a cap or end ferrule on the ends of the
handles.
Figure 2, shows a Table-knife made with both top ferrule and end cap or ferrule
attached thereto.
Figure 3, represents a similar knife, in detached pieces or parts showing the
blade with the top ferrule attached, the Ivory or Mother of Pearl bandle and the
cap or end ferrule in separate views.
Figure 4, is an edge or sectional view of the knife.shown in Figure 3.
...
Figure 5, represents, in front elevation and edge views, a Dessert knife made
according to my invention.-Figure 6, shows a Dessert fork, and Figure 7, a
Butter-knife.

page_text: Figure 8, shows the blade of a Fish-eater knife with the top ferrule attached ;
Figure 9, the handle of same, but in this example the handle is shown without the
cap or end ferrule.-And Figures 10, and 11, show views of the top ferrule and the
end ferrule or cap drawn full size.
In all the Figures, a, is the blade of the knife or prong portion of the fork,
b, the bolster onto the base of which is firmly secured by hard solder, or in other
secure manner, the top or upper part of the metallic ferrule c; d, is the hole (or
holes) in the ferrule through which the pin or rivet is passed to fasten the ferrule
onto the handle.-e, is the handle.-f, f, are the parts of the handle cut away or
shaped for the ferrules or caps to be countersunk therein,-shown in Figures 3,
and 9; and g, g, are the pins or rivets, shown in Figures 4, and 10, to secure and
fix or fasten the ferrules to the handles.
The top ferrule and the end ferrule or cap c¹ (Figures 10, and 11,) can be
made in any desired metal, and in any desired ornamental or useful shape or
pattern to suit or correspond with the design of the other parts of the knife
or fork.
It will be obvious that these improvements can also be usefully applied in the
manufacture of other analogous articles of table cutlery or requisites, such as:-
in connection with the handles of Cheese and Crumb Scoops, Tart and Sandwich
Servers, Asparagus Tongs, Jam or Jelly Spoons or Servers, and also for Trowels;
in fact for all Table or such like articles in which the handles are made of a
different substance or material to the rest of the article.
Having thus described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, my
improvements in or connected with the manufacture of knives and forks, I have
to state that in my Provisional Specification, as lodged on the 17th day of March
last I described my Invention as consisting (in the first place) in entirely dispensing
with the tangs of knives or forks and with the cement or other fixing composition
used to secure the tang in the handle and dispensing also with the necessity for
boring or recessing the interior of the handle to receive the tang; but since then,
I have been informed and advised that it is no novelty in the manufacture of
knives and forks to dispense with tangs or with fixing composition or to dispense
with boring the handles, and therefore I make no claim thereto, as any special
feature of my Invention; but what I believe is new and original, and therefore
claim as constituting my Invention, is :-
"
Firstly, The production or manufacture of improved knives and forks, the
handles of which are more securely and more durably fastened to the blades than
heretofore, by means of the application and use of a metallic ferrule the top of
which is firmly secured to the "bolster " or base of the blade of the knife, or to the
bolster" or base of the prong portion of the fork, the lower part of the ferrule
fitting onto, and being countersunk in, the exterior (or outsides) of the handle and
firmly secured thereto,-substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated
on the accompanying sheet of drawings.—And,
"
Secondly, The making and applying a metallic cap or ferrule to the end of
the handle of a knife or fork,-to protect the material of the handle from wear
or rough usage or to serve as an ornament, and securing the cap or ferrule onto
the handle, as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated on the drawings.
In Witness whereof I the said Henry Walker have hereunto set my hand and
seal the thirteenth day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundréd and eighty three.