AN IMPROVED APPARATHS FOR CLEANING KNIVES AND FORKS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Speight, of Spencer Street, Goswell Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED APPARATHS FOR CLEANING KNIVES AND FORKS "
Sealed the 13th October 1871, and dated the 17th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Speight at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th April 1871.
I, GEORGE SPEIGHT, of Spencer Street, Goswell Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANING KNIVES AND FORKS,"
to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to provide improved means of cleaning
knives and forks so as to economisc time and obtain better results.
The present means of cleaning are either by rubbing the undermost
surface of the blade on a board supplied with brickdust or by com-
paratively expensive machinery, whereas according to my Invention
apparatus is used consisting of two parts, a bed and a rubber. The bed

page_text: consists of a stock, frame, or piece so shaped as to receive the knife or
fork. It consists of two portions, one of which is a bed proper or rest
on which the blade is (or prongs are) placed, and which is covered with a
comparatively soft or yielding material, such as felt; the other portion
is a recess which is of proper form to receive the handle. The rubber has
a stock or handle, and the rubbing or working part is made somewhat
after the fashion of a 'strop," having on one side a layer of emery
paper or other cleaning or frictional material, and on the other side a
polishing material. The cleaning operation is performed on the surface.
of the blade (or prongs) presented uppermost by applying friction
thereto with the rubber, the action being therefore in effect the reverse
of that of the ordinary knifeboard, and all its evils are avoided.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Speight in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SPEIGHT, of Spencer Street, Goswell Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Speight, Her special licence
that I, the said George Speight, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Speight, 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, usc, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING KNIVES AND FORKS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Speight, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the

page_text: 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 Speight, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:―
The object of this Invention is to provide improved means of cleaning
knives and forks so as to economise time and obtain satisfactory results.
The present means of cleaning knives and (steel) forks are either by
rubbing the under surface of the blade of the knife (or prongs of the
fork) on a board supplied with brickdust, or by comparatively expensive
machinery, whereas, according to my Invention, apparatus is used
consisting of two parts, a bed (or rest) and a rubber. The bed or rest
consists of a support or piece conveniently shaped to receive the knife
or fork. It consists of two portions, one of which is a bed or rest on
which the blade is (or the prongs are) placed, and which is covered with a
suitable soft or yielding material. The other portion is a recess which
is of convenient form to receive the handle. The rubber has a stock or
handle, and the rubbing or working part is made somewhat after the
fashion of a strop," having on one side or surface a strip or layer of
emery or other suitable ordinary cleaning or frictional material, and on
the other side or surface there may be a strip of ordinary and suitable an
polishing material. The cleaning operation is performed on the surface
of the blade or prongs, presented uppermost, by applying friction thereto
by the rubber, the action being therefore in effect the reverse of that
of the ordinary knifeboard, and all the evils of the old method are
avoided.
I now proceed, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, to
explain in what manner the Invention may be carried into practical
effect.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bed or lower portion of the
apparatus adapted for cleaning knives; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section
thereof; Figure 3 a plan, Figure an end view, Figure 5 transverse

page_text: section on the line x, y, of Figure 2. In Figures 2, 3, and 5 a knife W
is shewn in place for being cleaned. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of
the rubbing instrument.
A, A, is what I call the bed or rest. It consists of a bar or long
block of wood or other equivalent rigid material. The back or shorter
portion A of the bar A, A*, is for the reception of the handle of the
knife. The longer or front portion A* is the support on which the blade
rests while being cleaned. The part A* is covered on the upper surface
with a stripe of kamptulicon, or other soft or yielding material, cemented
to the wood. c is a recess cut in the bar between the parts A, A*,
thereof to receive the shoulder of the knife. There may also be kamp-
tulicon or the like on the upper surface of the part A. A³, A', are flaps
forming the sides of the part A. These flaps are adjustable in order to
accommodate the part A for the reception and retention of handles of
various breadths. For this purpose the sides or flaps A³ are connected
with the bottom piece A by india-rubber or other springs d, d.
The rubbing instrument, Figure 6, consists of a bar G having a
handle g, and covered on one or both sides with a strip g of kamp-
tulicon or other convenient and suitable ordinary frictional material.
This bar may have a strip of ordinary cutlery cleaning material on one
side or surface, and a strip of ordinary cutlery polishing material on
the other side or surface. When the knife to be cleaned is placed on the
bed A, A, it is held there by pressing the sides or flaps A* towards
cach other, and friction is applied to the upper surface of the blade by
the surface g of the rubber G. Brickdust or other ordinary material
for cleaning cutlery is applied to the surface g* of the rubber G.
It must be observed that in ordinary knife-board cleaners that surface
of the knife which is placed undermost is cleaned, and the knife has to
be moved all the time, whereas in my apparatus the surface of the blade
placed uppermost is the surface operated on in order to be cleaned, and
the knife is held steady while the rubber only is moved.
The apparatus may be readily shaped for cleaning forks instead of
knives, but when forks are cleaned the attendant should complete the
operation by rubbing between the prongs with a leather.
I wish it to be understood that I do not claim the rubbing instru-
ment G, g, considered separately and apart from its employment in
combination with the bed or rest A, A*.

page_text: Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim, con-
structing, arranging, and combining apparatus for cleaning knives and
forks substantially in the manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Speight, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
E. EDMONDS,
GS, Fleet Street,
London.
GEORGE SPEIGHT. (L.S.)