Improvements in and relating to Table Knives.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 17th May, 1830
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Table Knives.
I, FREDERICK WALLACE BRITTIN, residing at Norwich, in the County of New
London and State of Connecticut, one of the United States of America, Cutler, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in knives, and it consists in certain novel
devices of construction which will be hereinafter first fully described and then pointed
out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings
Figure 1, is a side view of my improved knife;
Figure 2. is a similar view of the same showing it inverted;
Figure 3, is a top edge view of the same, and-
Figure 4, is a sectional view taken through the rim or bolster.
Referring to the Drawings by letter, A, indicates the handle, B, the rim or bolster,
and, (, the blade, which are constructed preferably in one single continuous piece, or
may, if so desired, be constructed separately and joined together by any of the
well-known processes.
The blade at the point where it joins the rim or bolster is
curved outwardly on it sides, as shown at, D, thereby overcoming the formation of
angles in which dirt might lodge, and facilitating the cleaning of the knife. The
sides of the rim or bolster are provided with the concave central depressions, E, which
form convenient rests for the thumb and fore-finger when the kuite in in use, and
these corners are cut away as shown at, F, so that when the knife is placed on its
side on a table, the weight, and consequently the wear of the plated parts, will come
upon the narrow edges or projections, G, and the fine appearance of the knife is
thereby preserved.
The back or top-edge of the blade, the bolster or rim, and the handle, are in the
same plane, as shown most clearly in Figure 2, and are flat so that, when so desired,
the knife may be rested on its back edge so as to serve as a support or base upon
which the ordinary table-knives, forks and spoons may be rested or stacked to
ornament a dining table.
The blade is bent away from its back-edge in advance of the rim or holster, thereby
carrying its cutting edge to one side so as to provide room for the fingers of the
operator above the ordinary cut and consequently preventing the fingers being soiled
and preventing the article being cut from slipping from the knife by the fingers
striking against the article when the knife is used by an awkward or unskilled person,
and as the blade is narrow, the friction between the parts is reduced to a minimum.
The entire edge of the blade is so sharpened as to provide the maximum length of
cutting edge, the advantage of which is obvious, and the said cutting edge is curved
throughout its length from end to end so that when the knife is in use, the operator
uses his shoulder as a fulcrum naturally and easily.
In the drawings, I have shown the blade as carried past the point of its bend
towards the handle, thereby forming the point or hook, H, this construction is a very
convenient one when the knife is adapted for use in drawing skewers from meat, in
which case the edge, h, may be serrated, as shown in Figure 1, but the said hook
portion, H, may be dispensed with and the blade may be formed on the curved dotted
line indicated in Figure 1. The hook however, will be found very advantageous as
it provides an increased length of cutting edge and can be employed for the purpose
of removing skewers rapidly and easily, as it forms the notch or recess, I, to
engage the skewer. The edges of this recess may or may not be sharpened as
preferred.

page_text: From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a thoroughly
practical knife which is very simple in its construction an I can be manufactured at a
comparatively small cost and which will be found especially efficient for cutting bread,
cake, meats, and other articles upon a dining table, but is capable of various uses in
the arts, and its advantages are thought to be obvious. It will be observed upon
reference to the drawings when taken in connection with the foregoing description,
that the neat and handsome appearance of the knife is preserved for a long time as
the wear is received almost entirely by the narrow edges or projections of the rim
and consequently thero will be but a trifling portion of the plated surface worn
away and such abrasion or wear can be provided for by re-inforcing such parts with
a sectional plating or an extra degree of plating.
The rim or bolster projects beyond the sides of the handle and the blade so that
when the knife is placed on its side, the weight of the handle holds the blade
out of contact with the cloth and consequently prevents soiling of the same.
The back of the blade and the handle being brought in the same line, the knife
can be securely rested in an inverted position so as to serve as a support for the
ordinary table knives and forks for ornamenting the table, and the concave surfaces
of the rim form convenient rests for the thumb and fore-finger so that the knife can
be easily and conveniently grasped.
The handle may, if so desired, be given the same cross-sectional outline as the rim
or bolster and the bolster may be square, hexagonal or any other shape preferred,
provided always that the projecting edges or rests be preserved..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
"A table-knife, arranged and constructed substantially as herein described and
shown in the drawings.'
Dated this 8th day of April 1890.
ril 1890.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.