IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTLERY
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Meyer, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTLERY." A
communication from abroad by Louis Frobeen, of No. 20, Linden Strasse,
Berlin, Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Meyer at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th September 1881.
LOUIS MEYER, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturer. “IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CUTLERY." A communication from abroad by Louis Frobeen, of No. 20,
Linden Strasse, Berlin, Germany.
My Invention relates to improvements in cutlery, and more particularly to
pocket knives, and other knives that are intended to shut up, or in which the
blades or other similar articles or instruments require to be protected, the object
of my Invention being to dispense with the use of springs which are usually
required to secure the blades or other articles in the open or closed position, and
also to avoid the necessity of using the thumb-nail in opening the blades.
In carrying out my Invention I make the blade, or other article or instrument,
with a double hingo joint at its butt end, the hinge pin passing through in a line
with the breadth of the blade, or in the opposite direction to that in ordinary
knife blades; the handle is formed of two scales, each scale or portion of the
handle being secured to the blade by means of the joint pin passing through it.
A suitable recess is formed in one or both of the scales to ouclose the blade when
the scales are brought together by being turned on the hinge joint, to which they
are attached; on being turned completely back the blade is exposed, and the two
scales form the handle.
Additional blades may be put in the knife in the following manner :-
:-Instead
of each scale being in one piece it may be divided in a similar manner to the
complete handle, both parts being secured by the hinge joint pin; a blade is secured
to the flat inner side of one of the parts, and a recess to receive it is formed in the
other part. The blade is made to turn on a pin or screw passing through it in
the usual manner. When the parts of the handle are divided the blade may be
turned round, and on pressing them close the butt end of the blade fits into the
recess, and the blade is secured. Other known methods of attaching blades may
be used in conjunction with the first described part of my Invention.

page_text: '
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Louis Meyer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th March
1882.
LOUIS MEYER, of Sheffield, in the County of York.
CUTLERY."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
A communication from abroad by Louis Frobeen, of No. 20, Linden
Strasse, Berlin.
My Invention relates to improvements in pocket knives, or other knives that
are intended to be shut up, so as to protect the blades, the object being to dispense
with the use of springs which are usually required to keep the blades of ordinary
knives either open or closed, and so that the use of the thumb nail is not required
to open the blade.
In carrying out my Invention I make the blade with a double joint so arranged
that the pins pass through the 'joint in a lino parallel with the flat. sides of the
blade, or in the opposite direction to the joint pins of ordinary knife blades. The
handle is made in two parts or scales, each part or scale being secured to one of
-the-hingo-pins-passing through the blade; the scales may thus be turned forward
so as to cover and enclose the blade, and when turned back so as to expose the
blado they can be brought together and secured in that position-by-a-suitable-clasp-
or similar device, thus holding the open blade firmly and forming a convenient
handle.
Extra blades may be attached to the knife in the following manner if desirable:-
The scale may be subdivided lengthwise, and a suitable recess formed in one of
the parts for the blade to lay in; the extra blade is secured to the flat side of the
other part of the scale by a pin or screw, on which it can be turned in the usual
manner. When the scales are apart the blade can be turned round, and when at
the open position the portion of the scale with the recess is pressed to and holds
the blade firmly.
And in order that my Invention may be more clearly understood I will
proceed to refer to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same lotters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 is an edge view of a knife opened and made according to my Invention.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 3 represents the knife partly closed.
Fig. 4 represents the knife closed.
Fig. 5 shows back and side views of the blade.
Fig. 6 represents an open knife with two extra (small) blades, one open, the
other closed.
A is the double joint formed on the blade B; the two scales are shown at C, C;
D is the clasp to secure the two parts of the handle when open or closed; E is an
extra blade opened; F is an extra blade closed, but not shut up; G is the
joint pin.
I wish to point out that although I have described the knife with blades only,
other instruments, such as nail files, may be attached in the same way as the blades
before mentioned.
I am also aware that knives have been made in which the blades are closed in
by the scales turning over the backs and edges of the blades; but this is a
more expensive plan and not so substantial as my method, and therefore what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,—
The construction of pocket knives (and other knives that are intended to be

page_text: shut up in order to protect the blades), having two or more folding scales attached
to and folding against the flat sides of the blades, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Meyer, have hereunto set my hand,
this Twenty seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.