An Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Knives.
Year: 1889

page_text: Pate of Application, 9th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th June, 1890-Accepted, 12th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Knives.
I ALBERT HARLEY STOREY of 38 Lindore Road Wandsworth in the county of
Surrey Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a simple cheap and very efficient
apparatus in and by which knives can be cleaned with a minimum of labour.
To carry out this object I take two strips of leather or other suitable material of
the desired length and breadth and I may mount these strips of leather on two
similar strips of wood or other rigid material in such wise that when the two strips
of wood are secured in position one or more knives can be inserted between the two
opposing faces of the leather and the longitudinal reciprocating movement either of
this apparatus or of the knives transversely to the line of the blades thereof shall
clean the same.
It is obviously desirable if not necessary that the strips of leather shall be so
mounted on the strips of wood as to be capable of adapting themselves to the varying
thicknesses of the knives.
According to one method I introduce between the leather and the wood springs
or some compressible material such for example as india rubber tubing arranged
transversely to the length of the strip of leather and as close together as may be desired.
According to another method I introduce between the leather and the wood small
transverse strips of wood or other rigid material which can very conveniently be
secured on a piece of calico or other textile material as close together as may seem
expedient and between these transverse strips and the wood I introduce springs or
some compressible material such for example as india rubber tubing arranged
longitudinally and centrally along the length of the wood.
When this apparatus is so made the one strip of wood can form one side of the
casing of the same whereto and whereon two end pieces are attached and to one of
these end pieces is hinged another corresponding strip of wood or other rigid material
which forms the other side of the casing of the apparatus and its free end can be
secured by clasps or otherwise to the other end piece. Inside this hinged side of
the casing is placed the other strip of wood or material whereon the leather is
mounted as aforesaid and it is so attached thereto by screws or otherwise as to be
adjustable whereby the two opposing faces of the leather may be so pressed together
as may be desired.
Suitable clamps are formed to hold the handles of the knives in the desired positions
so that the blades thereof are in the same plane and the hinged side of the casing
being opened the apparatus is passed over these blades when this hinged side is closed
and secured and the blades are between the two opposing faces of the strips of leather
and such pressure is put thereon as may be desirable. Longitudinal reciprocating
movement is then given either to the apparatus it may be by an handle like that
of a plane on the casing thereof or otherwise or to the clamp that holds the
handles of the knives in a similar manner and the knives are duly cleaned as is
desired.
When it is desired to clean a very large number of knives at the same time instead
of using two strips of leather or material with ends as aforesaid, I may make these
strips endless and having fitted them preferably with the aforesaid transverse rigid
strips I mount them on two adjustable wheels on the centres of the peripheries
whereof may be rings of india rubber tuhing or other compressible material and these
wheels are mounted the desired distance apart and any suitable rollers preferably
compressible may be fitted between the same to press the two opposing faces of

page_text: these endless strips of leather together. The handles of the knives being held
as aforesaid in clamps the blades thereof are inserted between the endless strips
and when revolution is given to the wheels the knives are duly cleaned as 1S
desired.
Dated this 9th day of September 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Knives.
I ALBERT HARLEY STOREY of 38 Lindore Road Wandsworth in the county of
Surrey Gentleman 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:-
The object of this my invention is to provide for domestic and other use a very
simple and cheap and yet extremely efficient and serviceable apparatus in and
by which knives of all styles and sizes can be cleaned with a minimum of
labour.
In order the more clearly to explain this my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed 1 refer to the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is
a side elevation of one extremely convenient form and style of construction of a
complete apparatus for cleaning knives and Figure 2 is a transverse section of the
same taken at A A in Figure 1.
I take two corresponding and similar pieces A and A¹ of any convenient and
suitable material that will clean and polish the blades of knives and in and for the
purposes of this specification I will presume that I use leather which indeed is very
proper for use and these pieces A and A' are of any desired length having regard to
the number of the knives that it may be desired to clean in and by the apparatus at
one and the same time and of any desired breadth having regard to the lengths of the
blades of these knives preferably somewhat less than the shortest of the said blades.
I also take two corresponding and similar pieces B and B¹ of any convenient and
suitable rigid material and in and for the purposes of this specification I will presume
that I use wood which indeed also is very proper for use and these pieces B and B₁
are of such corresponding and similar length and breadth that the pieces A and A¹
can be and are mounted separately thereon in such wise that when the two pieces B
and B¹ are secured in position the blade or blades of one two or more knife or knives
can be inserted between the opposing faces of the pieces A and A' and the longitudinal
reciprocating movement either of this apparatus or of the knife or knives transversely
to the line of the blade or blades thereof shall duly and properly clean and polish the
same as is desired.
To enable this apparatus the more efficiently and certainly to clean the knives it is
obviously desirable even if it is not absolutely necessary that the leather A shall be so
mounted on the wood B as to be capable of accommodating and adapting itself to the
varying and different shapes and thicknesses of the blades of the knives.
In Figures 1 and 2 I shew one method and style of fitment according unto which
I introduce between the leather A and the wood B a number of small transverse
strips C of wood or other rigid material which may be of any shape in cross section
either flat and rectilinear or semicircular or otherwise and can very conveniently be
secured on and to a piece D of calico flannel or other textile or other material as close
together as may be considered expedient and between these transverse strips and
the wood BI further introduce coiled or other springs or separate blocks E of india
rubber or other suitable compressible material or it may be a continuous longitudinal
piece of the same in the form of tubing or otherwise in all cases these springs being
arranged longitudinally and preferably centrally along the length of the wood B and
this arrangement herein before described is preferably so applied between each of the
pieces A of leather and its own piece B of wood as is shewn in these Figures and the

page_text: ends of the leather A and the piece D if any are secured to the wood B or to blocks
thereon in any convenient and suitable manner.
When this apparatus is so made it is obviously necessary that the two opposing faces
of the leathers A shall be kept duly pressed together when and while the blades of
the knives remain or are between them so that these blades shall be properly cleaned
on both sides. This can be effected by enclosing the apparatus in a suitable box or
casing with open sides which may have an hinged lid and by screws or other ordinary
appliances which may pass through the lid or through both the lid and the vase of
the casing to act on the wood B or otherwise interpose between the same to act thereon
the leathers A are pressed together as may be desired but I preferably proceed as is
shewn in Figure 1.
On the piece of wood B which forms the base or bottom of the apparatus I erect
an end piece F of wood or other suitable material whereto I hinge preferably as is
shewn by the loose hinge G the other piece of wood B' which forms the top of the
apparatus and the bottom B is so prolonged beyond the end piece F that a suitable
handle H it may be like that of a plane can be mounted thereon being pivoted thereto
by the pivot H¹ in such wise that it is capable of turning on this vertical pivot.
The handle H has an horizontally projecting arm J which can extend over the end
piece F and the top B¹ to a position at or about the middle of the length of the
apparatus where it is provided with a thumb or other screw K by which the aforesaid
desired pressure can be put on the opposing leathers A and thus this arm acts in the
same manner as and corresponds with the lid or upper part of the box or casing
herein before described. When the apparatus so made and fitted as herein before
described and shewn in the drawing it is most convenient to mount discs Land L'
of leather or other suitable material on the free ends of the pieces of wood B and B¹
on bosh sides thereof in such wise as to guide the blades of the knives in between
the opposing faces of the leathers A and prevent the same being cut thereby.
When for any purpose it may be desired so to do the screw K can be relaxed and
the handle H be turned on its pivot H¹ until the arm J is no longer over the top B¹
which with its attached leather A' and piece D strips and springs E¹ if any can
then be lifted up as is shewn by dotted lines in Figure 1.
In Figure 3 I shew an alternative method and style of fitment according unto which
instead of the rigid transverse strips and the longitudinally arranged springs herein-
before described I introduce between the leather A and the wood B a number of
transversely arranged coiled or other springs or transverse pieces M of india rubber or
other compressible material it may be in the form of tubing or otherwise which also
may be secured on and to the piece D of calico flannel or other material aforesaid as
close together as may be considered expedient and this arrangement also herein before
described is preferably so applied between each of the pieces A of leather and its own
piece B of wood as is shewn in this Figure.
In both these methods and styles of fitment herein before described the transverse
pieces or appliances that are outside of or at the back of and support the leathers
whether they be of the aforesaid rigid material or of the aforesaid spring or
compressible material may be arranged exactly opposite each other as is shewn in
Figure 1 or may be arranged alternately as is shewn in Figure 3 or otherwise as may
be desired.
It is obviously desirable that when as will generally be the case two or more
knives are to be cleaned in and by this apparatus at one and the same time these
knives shall be very firmly and rigidly held in position therefor and I shew in the
drawing a very convenient and suitable clamp for this purpose whereof Figure 4 is
the longitudinal section taken at CC in Figure 5 and Figure 5 is the transverse
section taken at B B in Figure 4.
Longitudinally in the upper part of a suitable block or case N of wood or metal or
other material arrange and place an horizontal bolt O one end the rear end whereof
s attached to the vertical separate end piece P and at the other end the front end is a
crew thread on which the wheel Q can be screwed. The block N is supported on and
ecured to a platform or table R on the projecting sides whereof can conveniently.be

page_text: pieces R¹ of leather or other suitable material on which the back edges of the knives
can be cleaned. On and along the top of the block N are fitted a number of separate
transverse strips S of wood or other suitable material the lower parts whereof can
slide in a longitudinal recess S₁ formed in or by the block N immediately or closely
above the bolt O of the usual and ordinary V shape and these strips S and especially 5
the upper parts thereof are so constructed and made and fitted that the handles of
the knives can be separately placed between these upper parts with the blades thereof
projecting from the block N and at right angles thereto or thereabouts and all lying
in the same level or thereabouts and then by the proper turning of the wheel Q these
strips S are by the end piece P drawn together until the handles of the knives are
very tightly clamped between the same as is desired.
This clamp herein before described may be secured and fixed on the table or other
position where it is required in any ordinary or other manner it may be through its
platform R or otherwise. In the drawing I shew one very convenient manner wherein
a downwardly projecting end piece T is secured on the front end of the block N on
the lower part whereof is fitted an inclined guide W and a wedge V can slide therein
being prevented from being drawn thereout by a stud X which travels in a slot made
therefor in this wedge V as the same is moved in the one direction to secure the
clamp to and on the edge of the table or other article or elsewhere or in the other
direction to release the same therefrom.
When therefore in manner as is hereinbefore described the clamp is duly secured in
its desired position and the handles of the knives are properly placed between the
strips and therein and thereby are tightly clamped the cleaning apparatus being
carried by its handle is so moved that the blades of the knives successively and
consecutively enter between the opposing faces of the leathers and the desired
pressure having been put thereon longitudinal reciprocating movement is given to
the cleaning apparatus and the desired effect of cleaning the knives is very speedily
produced with a minimum of labour.
I would however have it clearly understood that although as a general rule I
consider it preferable to move the cleaning apparatus keeping the clamping apparatus
stationary as is herein before described and as is shewn in the drawing yet as is
indeed sufficiently obvious I may transpose the handle and the other necessary
parts and make in a similar manner the clamping apparatus the moving part and
the cleaning apparatus the stationary part whereby the same effect would be
produced.
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
1. In a knife cleaning apparatus the combination in and between and with a
piece A of leather or other material and a piece B of wood or other material of
the rigid transverse strips () and the longitudinally arranged springs E substantially
as hereinbefore described and set forth.
2. In a knife. cleaning apparatus the combination in and between and with a
piece A of leather or other material and a piece B of wood or other material o
the transversely arranged springs M substantially as hereinbefore described and set
forth.
3. In a knife cleaning apparatus the combination with the two pieces B and B
of wood or other material each carrying a piece A of leather or other materia
supported by transverse strips C and longitudinally arranged springs E or by
transversely arranged springs M of an end piece F erected on the piece B and
whereto the piece B' is hinged and the discs L of leather or other material substan
tially as bereinbefore described.
4. In a knife cleaning apparatus the combination with the two pieces B and B
of wood or other material each carrying a piece A of leather or other materia
supported by transverse strips C and longitudinally arranged springs E or b
transversely arranged springs M and an end piece F erected on the piece B an

page_text: whereto the piece B¹ is hinged of the handle H pivoted on a prolongation of the
piece B and having an horizontal arm J provided with a screw K whereby pressure
can be put on the piece B¹ substantially as herein before described.
5. The apparatus for cleaning knives substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn in the accompanying drawing.