IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF KNIFE HANDLES
Year: 1857

page_text: Sealed the 12th June 1857, and dated the 19th January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nicolas Fortune at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
January 1857.
I, NICOLAS FORTUNE, of Paris, in the, Empire of France, Cutler, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF KNIFE HANDLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in the manufacture of knife handles relates
to that manufacture, by means of a series of machines or tools adapted for
performing progressively the several stages of the manufacture.
The first consists of a set of circular saws so arranged as to cut the wood,
ivory, or other material of which the handles are to be made, and forming
them roughly of a trapezoidal form, of the dimensions of the handles required.
The second tool or machine consists of a rectangular planing frame, on
which a plane is mounted, and so arranged as to remove the angles and also
to smooth the surface of the handles at same time. The handles are placed
together in pairs in this frame, with the position of each one in the pair
reversed, so that the extremes or outsides are parallel with each other and

page_text: with the sides of the frame. In this position they are held in the planing
frame by suitable binding screws and springs; several pairs are arranged
in this way throughout the length of the frame. The plane which travels
on the upper part of the frame is furnished with a plane iron or irons
in advance, which cuts and removes the angles, and with another tool or
plane iron in the rear. of the first, which smooths the surface of the handles.
Having planed one side of the handles, their position in the frame is reversed,
and again operated on, until the whole four sides are so far finished.
The third tool or machine refers to a rotatory cutting tool, by which the
large end of the handle is cut in proper form, the end of the handle being pre-
sented to and held in contact with such cutting tool till suitably reduced to the
required form.
The fourth tool or machine consists of a series of drills or boring bits for
drilling the holes for the reception of the tangs. For this purpose a number
of drills or boring bits are mounted parallel to each other in the same plane,
with all their spindles geared together by means of pinions, and driven by one
main rigger or pulley; a number of handles are fixed in a frame and disposed
in position opposite to the drills against which they are advanced, thus boring
all the holes simultaneously.
The fifth instrument or machine consists of a rotating cutter or tool, similar
to a dowel engine, for cutting the end of the handle to receive the ferrule.
The handle is placed on a box or table and advanced within the circumference
of the tool's motion; the handle is kept in position by a small.central pin, which
is received within the tang hole. This pin being much less than the hole, the
handle is free to oscillate sideways on its supporting box or table to a limited
extent. This oscillation is caused by the cutting tool, the handle having
a tendency to recede from the cutting edge, but which is limited by the
central pin. This from-side-to-side motion causes the cutter to cut the end of
the handle of an oval form.
The sixth machine or tool consists of a frame similar to that herein-before
described in the second part, in which the handles are fixed in a frame in pairs,
as herein-before described with reference to the second machine. In this
frame they are passed under a rotating cutter, which grooves or otherwise
ornaments the handle in lines parallel with its sides. This cutter may be
employed to remove the angles from the knife handles instead of the operation
of planing, before described.
The seventh machine or tool consists of a polishing surface, mounted and
having rotary motion like the lap of the lapidary, to which the handles are
applied by hand, for the purpose of polishing.

page_text: The eighth machine consists of a polishing machine, in which the handles
are fixed in pairs, as described with reference to the second and sixth parts,
and in which they are subjected to the action of a brush having rapid rotary
motion by passing in contact therewith.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Nicolas Fortune in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NICOLAS
FORTUNE, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Cutler, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Nicolas Fortune, Her special licence that I, the said Nicolas Fortune,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Nicolas Fortune, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
THE MANUFACTURE OF KNIFE HANDLES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Nicolas Fortune, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe 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.
IN
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Nicolas Fortune, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention relates to the complete manufacture, by mechanical means, of
knife handles of wood or other material. The several operations are effected
separately, by separate tools or apparatus represented in the different Figures
of the annexed Drawing. These tools consist of,-

page_text: Firstly, a circular saw apparatus for cutting the blocks or pieces of material
according to the trapezoidal solid form generally used for knife handles.
Secondly, a level smooth planing apparatus, which forms the longitudinal
flat surfaces, which is also adapted for chamfering the edges.
Thirdly, a rotatory planing apparatus, which by the aid of a rotary cutter
gives the proper shape to the extremity of the handle, and also serves as a
smoothing tool.
Fourthly, a boring apparatus, which bores several handles at a time to
receive the blades.
Fifthly, a rotatory apparatus or instrument, which by the aid of a rotatory
cutter forms that part next the ferrule of an oval shape.
Sixthly, a tool for forming moulded surfaces on the handles..
Seventhly, a polishing apparatus, consisting of a rotating disc of wood,
furnished with buff leather, by which the handles are polished separately.
Eighthly, a polishing apparatus, having a cylindrical brush which polishes
several handles at a time.
Ninthly, a machine for giving the proper form to the ends of a number of
handles at the same time.
Tenthly, a machine for chamfering a number of handles at the same
time.
Firstly, the Circular Saw Apparatus.lt is represented in Fig. 1, and con-
sists of a number of circular saw blades a, a, a, a, mounted on the same axis
b, b; these saws first cut a parallelopipedic solid out of the block c of material
of which the handles are to be made, this solid having the thickness of a knife
handle, and its width of surface being suflicient to form two handles. This
saw, by cutting in an oblique direction to the parallelopiped, divides the
latter into two trapezoidal solids, and roughly forms it into ordinary knife
handles. The saw is fixed on a suitable bench, which it is unnecessary to repre-
sent or herein describe.
Secondly, the Apparatus for Planing the Flat Surfaces.-Fig. 2 represents a
side elevation, Fig. 3 a plan, and Fig. 4 an end view, of this apparatus, which
consists of a hollow rail or frame d of iron, having its depth equal to the thick-
ness of an ordinary knife handle, and its width equal to several handles, in
juxtaposition, in even numbers, such as twos, fours, or sixes, so as to form
a rectangle, and having any desired length. This frame or rail has at the
length of each handle a spring e, which presses the two, four, or six pieces
disposed in juxtaposition against the opposite side of the hollow frame, and
a screw f, which, pressing on the spring, fixes each of the two, four, or six
handles in an immoveable position.

page_text: The plane traverses the hollow rail d longitudinally in guides y, g, see
Fig. 11, having slide bars i, i, at its lower part in connection with guides g, g;
it is furnished in front with an advance blade, having two projections j¹, ¡",
distant from each other the width of two handles. This first cutting blade is
held by screws h, k, engaging in corresponding mortices. I, screw, having a
thumb head, which serves to raise the blade i, more or less; m, nut, for
tightening the screw l. This first bladeserves, by the projecting parts j¹, i",
to remove the longitudinal arris, that is to say, to chamfer them. Behind
the first planing instrument a flat iron plane is fixed for planing the flat
and level surface of the handles. o, mortise, in which the blade is held;
p-screw; serving to raise or lower the blade; q,, moving and adjusting pinion
of screw, carried by the bearing r; s, the hand-hold of the plane. It
will be understood that by moving the plane along longitudinally on the
frame d, d, the upper surfaces of the handles will be planed and made smooth.
When one side of the handles is so prepared, they are turned over and the
other sides planed in succession, care being taken to place them side by side
in twos, fours, or sixes, as represented.
Thirdly the Rotary Planing Apparatus. It is represented in the annexed
Drawing in elevation at Fig. 5, and in plan at Fig. 6; Fig. 7 shews part of
the detail. It is for the purpose of forming the rounded extremity of knife
handles (such as seen in Fig. 13), which is effected on each separately. It
consists of a frame s supporting an open frame t, t, in which the handle fits, as
seen.at Fig. 7; it is held by means of screw and pressing spring e (as above
described with reference to Figs. 2, 3, and 4); u, rotary cutter, having the
proper form of cutting edge at its extremity; v, axis on which the cutter
is mounted; y, driving pulley. By rocking the moveable frame t, t, the
handle is presented vertically to the cutter (as in Fig. 7), and by giving
motion to pulley y the cutter rounds and forms the extremity of the handle c,
as required.
Fourthly, the Boring Apparatus.-Fig. 9 represents a plan of the boring
apparatus intended for boring several handles at a time; it consists of, D,
moveable socket or cradle, on which the handles are placed; E, pressing bar,
for fixing the handles in position; F, F, pressing serews of bar E; (there is a
screw for each handle.) G, drills or bits for boring the holes; II, fixed bench
or frame on which the drills or boring bits are mounted; I, pinions mounted
on each of the boring bits or drills G, all geared together; J, driving wheel of
the pinions to the right and left; K, driving pulley, or it may be a crank handle
or other suitable gear.
It will be understood that by giving motion to wheel J by means of pulley.

page_text: or crank K, all the handles will be bored at once by giving an advance and
retrograde motion to the socket or cradle D with the handles during the boring
operation.
Fifthly, the Rotary Cutting Tool for Rounding or Forming the Ends of the
Handles. This tool is represented in perspective at Fig. 8; it is intended
for forming the rounded extremity of knife handles at that part to which the
ferrule is fitted. It consists of, A, rotatory cutter, mounted on a lathe or other
mandril, and having the form of the mouldings required to be given to the
handle; B, conical chuck or support of the cutter; C, bearing of the lathe or
mandril. The handle is pinched in a box exactly as represented in Fig. 7, or
else held down firmly by hand on the table t; D, small horizontal pin entering
into the perforated tang holes.
By putting the lathe in motion the rotatory cutter reduces and forms the
oval extremity for the ferrule, by reason of the shaking or side-to-side motion
which results from the axis D being smaller than the hole of the handle into
which it enters.
It
Sixthly, the Guillocher or Tool for Forming the Moulded Surfaces.-Fig. 10
represents a plan, and Fig. 11 an end view, of the moulding apparatus.
consists of a hollow frame rail (rendered moveable on castors or rollers and
rails to carry it, not represented in the Drawing); it is furnished with springs e
and pressing screws f, f, as described above with reference to the other tools.
Above this rail the moulding tool revolves.
L, upper axis. to which the cutting and moulding tool is fixed; M, cutting
tool, having the guilloching or moulding form of cutting edge; N, moveable
frame, carrying bearings of the axis L; O, driving pullies. After the handles
have been cut of a trapezoidal form they are fixed in twos, fours, or sixes, &c.
in the hollow frame, as already explained. Rapid rotary motion is then given
to the moulding tool, and at the same time a longitudinal traversing motion is
given to the handles on the rail in their frame, when the guilloched or grooved
moulding is produced on the handles. This cutting tool with a straight cutting
edge may serve also for planing by substituting it for the smoothing plane,
described in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.
Seventhly, the Polisher. It consists of a wooden disc or circular surface,
covered with buff leather or other suitable material, and is represented in
elevation at Fig. 12, and in plan at Fig. 13. P, rotating disc or lap,
mounted on axis Q: R, pinion, mounted on axis Q; S, driving pinion,
mounted on the shaft T, and gearing with pinion R; U, driving pulley;
V, frame.
The handle being placed and held by hand or otherwise on the lap or disc,

page_text: and a rotary motion given to this latter by the gearing and pullies R, S, U,
ail the surfaces of the knife handles may be mechanically polished.
Eighthly, the Brush Polisher.-It is represented in plan at Fig. 14, and in
side elevation at Fig. 15. This also embodies the hollow frame or rail with
guides d, d, springs e, e, and pressure screws f, as before described. X, bear-
ings or support to carry the cylindrical brush; Y, cylindrical rotatory brush,
mounted on an axis pivoted in supports or bearings X; Z, driving pulley of the
brush; rotary motion being given to the brush, and a longitudinal traversing
motion to the cradle or frame d, in which the handles are fixed on a system of
rails. For this purpose it is furnished with little rollers or wheels at the lower
part, as above mentioned. These rollers are not represented or further
described herein.
Ninthly, Machine for Shaping the Ends of the Knife Handles.-This machine
is represented in elevation at Fig. 16, and in plan at Fig. 17.
A, base of the apparatus. This base is furnished with small iron blades or
projections a, a, a, the height of which equals the thickness of a knife handle;
B, horizontal screw, worked by hand and engaging in nut b; G, shoulder bar,
acted on by the screw B. This bar is furnished with two slide bars c, working
in guides c', c', on the socket or base A of the apparatus. These slide bars are
held at the desired place by the adjusting screw c", ". D, three adjusting
screws, the centre one of which is fitted to its nut at d on an upright d fixed
to the frame; the others are screwed into the base A. E, moveable board of the
width of the base A; it has two holes to permit the screws D, D, to pass
through. F, knife handles, arranged on the base A in the spaces between the
pieces a, a their ends are supported by the bar G, which is fixed rigidly by
the aid of the screw B and guides c', c', acted on by screws c", c. The move-
able board E is placed above and forced down by the aid of screws D, D, D.
The ends of the knife handles which project over the apparatus are shaped and
rounded by a moulding plane or blade of the required form, which traverses
throughout the whole length of the combined handles. The angles of these
ends are afterwards rounded one at a time.
Tenthly, the Chamfering Machine.-Fig. 18 represents an elevation, and
Fig. 19 an end view of this machine, which consists of a metal tube G, of a
lozenge or diamond shape in its cross section, the parts g, g, of which are
chamfered; F, knife handles, the arrises of which project over the slides g, g.
It will be understood that it is only necessary to cause a plane to traverse
backwards and forwards in order to chamfer and remove the projecting arris.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the method of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention, to be secured under

page_text: the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the complete manufacture
of knife handles by the tools or apparatus above described, which consist of,
first, an arrangement of circular saws; secondly, a flat or smooth planing appa-
ratus; thirdly, a rotatory cutting or planing apparatus; fourthly, a boring
apparatus; fifthly, rotary cutter to form the part to receive the ferrule; sixthly,
a guillocher or rotary cutter for moulding the edges of the handles; seventhly, a
lap or disc polisher; eighthly, a brush polisher; ninthly, a machine for facilitating
the shaping the ends of the knife handles; and, tenthly, a chamfering machine,
all as herein-before described.
I also claim the arrangement and construction of all these tools and appa-
rata separately considered.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nicolas Fortune, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
N. FURTUNE. (L.S.)