AN IMPROVED COMBINED CARVING FORK AND KNIFE SHARPENER
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Kent, of No. 199, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Machinist, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
COMBINED CARVING FORK AND KNIFE SHARPENER."
Sealed the 10th September 1870, and dated the 19th March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Kent at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th March 1870.
"
I, GEORGE KENT, of No. 199, High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED COMBINED CARVING FORK AND KNIFE SHARPENER," to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to provide a convenient and efficient
sharpening device, which being permanently combined with or forming
part of the carving fork will not be liable to be mislaid or lost, as is so
commonly the case with other knife sharpeners of various kinds, while
at the same time the fork is not rendered unsightly or clumsy, or in any
wise less convenient than an ordinary carving fork.

page_text: My said Invention is chiefly designed for sharpening carving knives,
so that the person using the same will, while in the act of carving, have
at all times a knife sharpener in hand ready for instant use, requiring no
preparation or adjustment either before or after being used.
The nature of the said Invention consists in combining with the carving
fork two or more sharpening wheels, discs, rollers, or plates, which are
journalled in the neck or other convenient portion of the fork. For this
purpose I prefer to form the neck of the carving fork, or that portion
between the handle and the prongs, with a long narrow aperture or slot
in which I place the wheels, discs, rollers, or plates. If rollers are used
they should be grooved on the periphery similar to those employed in
the ordinary varieties of the now well-known "wheel sharpener." The
enclosing sides of the slot or aperture form the frame for supporting the
journals of the said wheels, rollers, or plates, which are placed in such a
position as to bring the peripheries properly together, and are fitted to
turn on their journals, so that they may be adjusted from time to
time to bring fresh portions of the sharpening surfaces to the points of
intersection. The said wheels, rollers, or plates may be of any con-
venient or desired size or diameter and width. I prefer, however, to use
thin or narrow wheels or plates, so that the neck of the fork need not be
made much wider or heavier than that of an ordinary carving fork. I use
a spring guard of the ordinary construction, which when down covers the
periphery of the wheels or plates on the upper side of the fork. I prefer
that the sharpening wheels should be so arranged that they will project
on both sides of the fork sufficiently to allow the sharpening to be
effected at either the upper or under side, in order that the knife may be
sharpened if desired without raising the guard.
Although I much prefer to have the sharpening wheels arranged as
above described in a slot or opening in the neck of the fork, yet I may,
if desired, construct the fork with the said wheels or plates placed
between the prongs. The prongs in this case should be longer than
those of an ordinary fork, and they must be made strong enough to
afford the desired support to the journals of the wheels. Instead of
having the wheels, rollers, or plates journalled in the neck of the fork I
may place them in a light frame, which is rivetted or otherwise securely
attached to the fork in such a position as to allow the sharpening to be
conveniently effected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Kent in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
KENT, of No. 199, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Ma-
chinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Kent, Her special licence that
I, the said George Kent, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Kent, 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 "AN IMPROVED COMBINED CARVING FORK
AND KNIFE SHARPENER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Kent, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Kent, 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 accompanying Drawing
forming a part of this Specification :—
The object of my Invention is to provide a convenient and efficient
sharpening device, which being permanently combined with or forming
part of the carving fork will not be liable to be mislaid or lost as is so
commonly the case with other knife sharpeners of various kinds, while
at the same time the fork is not rendered unsightly or clumsy, or in
anywise less convenient than an ordinary carving fork.

page_text: My said Invention is chiefly designed for sharpening carving knives,
so that the person using the same will, while in the act of carving, have
at all times a knife sharpener in hand ready for instant use, requiring no
preparation or adjustment either before or after being used.
The nature of the said Invention consists in combining with the carving
fork two or more sharpening wheels, discs, rollers, or plates, which are
journalled in the neck or other convenient portion of the fork. For this
purpose I prefer to form the neck of the carving fork, or that portion
between the handle and the prongs, with a long narrow aperture or slot
in which I place the wheels, discs, rollers, or plates. If rollers are used
they should be grooved on the periphery similarly to those employed in
the ordinary varieties of the now well-known "wheel sharpener." The
enclosing sides of the slot or aperture form the frame for supporting the
journals of the said wheels, rollers, or plates, which are placed in such a
position as to bring their peripheries properly together, and are fitted to
turn on their journals, so that they may be adjusted from time to
time to bring fresh portions of the sharpening surfaces to the points of
intersection
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of my improved combined carving fork
and sharpener; Figure 2 is a side view of the same. Like letters indicate
the same parts in both of the Figures.
The handle a may be of any convenient size, form, and material, and
it will be seen that, with the exception of its increased strength in the
neck 6, the fork is precisely the same as an ordinary carving fork.
c, c, are the sharpening wheels or rollers which are inserted in the slot
or aperture d, and are fitted to turn upon the pins e that are rivetted in
the sides of the said slot; fis an ordinary spring guard, which is adjusted
to protect the hand in carving in the usual manner. To sharpen the
knife the edge of the same is brought in contact with the wheels or
rollers c at the point c', and passed to and fro across them till the desired
sharpness has been imparted to the knife. The said rollers are adjusted
to bring fresh portions of their peripheries together at the point.c¹ by
simply turning them upon the pins e.
From the above description it will be seen that my Invention is
entirely distinct from those sharpeners that are attached to an inde-
pendent plate or frame which has to be placed upon some part of the

page_text: fork when it is desired to sharpen a knife, and removed when the fork is
to be used in carving, and also from any contrivance wherein a part of
the fork is roughened or provided with a fixed piece of steel to serve as
a sharpener. The wheels, rollers, or plates may be of any convenient or
desired size or diameter and width. I prefer, however, to have them not
wider than is absolutely necessary to produce the proper sharpening
effect, so that the neck of the fork need not be made much wider or
heavier than that of an ordinary carving fork. The spring guard when
down covers the periphery of the wheels or plates on the upper side of
the fork. I prefer that the sharpening wheels should be arranged as
shown, but they may be so arranged that they will project on both sides
of the fork sufficiently to allow the sharpening to be effected at either
the upper or under side, in order that the knife may be sharpened if
desired without raising the guard.
Although I much prefer to have the sharpening wheels arranged as
above described in a slot or opening in the neck of the fork yet I may,
if desired, construct the fork with the said wheels or plates placed
between the prongs. The prongs in this case should be longer than
those of an ordinary fork, and they must be made strong enough to
allow the pins e on which the wheels turn to be securely rivetted in the
said prongs.
Having thus fully described my said Invention I wish it understood
that I claim, a carving fork having combined with it or forming a part of
it a pair of rollers, wheels, discs, or plates arranged together as described,
and adjustable on centre pins, pivots, or journals, but not removable or
detachable from the fork, which may be used either for sharpening or in
carving without change or adjustment of any kind.
In witness whercof, I, the said George Kent, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
D. L. WAGNER.
GEO. KENT. (L.S.)