A Detachable or Combined Fork and Knife Cleaner.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1899
Completa Conrifention inft
10
2004
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Detachable or Combined Fork and Knife Cleaner.
JOSEPH PERCY WILKS, Draper, Market Place, Uttoxeter, Staffs., do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a reversible strap or belt, plain or split horizontally
or perpendicularly of leather, linoleum, felt or composition fastened at each end to
uprights by rivets or otherwise. The said uprights, or supports will be attached
to strap, or loose, & will be made of either wood, metal, wire, compo, or earthen-
ware, to hold raise above strap in position above knife or other board. The
said strap or belt, will be held in position either by continuation of part or whole
of same, or, by wires, split straps of leather, cords, chains, or springs fastened at
each end, and containing holes to fasten on to studs or screw hooks.
By this invention, I claim a combined, or detachable fork and/or knife cleaner,
knifes being cleaned in the usual manner, whilst the reversible strap or belt
polishes both back, and front, shoulder and sides, between prongs, and also arm
& handle of fork. This strap or belt being detachable, can be sold separately
for attaching to any existing knife or other board.
Dated this 1st day of Decembar 1900
A Detachable or Combined Fork and Knife Cleaner.
I, JOSEPH PERCY WILKs, of Market Place, Uttoxeter, Staffs., Draper, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention consists essentially of a strap or belt held distended between
supports, by preference, detachably affixed to a knife cleaner, or board, and
intended chiefly for use in cleaning and polishing forks or spoons.
On the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 illustrates the preferred application of
the invention to an ordinary knife cleaner, and Fig. 2 illustrates an end view
with the belt removed. Fig. 3 illustrates another application of the invention
and Fig. 4 illustrates a modification.
(A) designates the ordinary knife cleaning board upon which the knives and
the exterior faces of forks may be cleaned in the ordinary manner.
To one end,
or part of such board I secure by nails (B) or other suitable means one extremity
of a flexible strap, belt or band (C) and the other extremity of such band I fasten
in like manner to the face of the board, say about half-way along its length.
CD
877

page_text: Near to each of such secured ends of band (B), and directly between such band
and the board, I arrange strut-like devices (D) axially held to the board by
staples (E). These devices are preferably made of strong wire, bent to the shape
illustrated, and provided with small cranked extremities, which serve as trunnions
on which they turn within the staples (E). The leverages of these struts and the
length of the band (C) are such that when the struts are turned up the band
becomes tightly distended or strung over the supports and when the struts are in
or about the position shewn in Fig. 1 they are held by the tension of the band
Upon the upper face of the band, which is composed say of textile webbing, I
apply a strip or facing of wash-leather or other suitable cleaning medium (C³).
When ready for use the band is distended as illustrated. The knives are
cleaned with the assistance of emery, etc., upon the board (A), and the spoons and
forks upon the band facing (0*). For removing the emery, etc., from the knives
and giving the final polish they also may be rubbed upon the band. In the case
of forks it will be seen that the band being capable of entering the spaces between
the prongs will be useful in cleaning out such spaces. After use, the struts are
folded down against the board as indicated by dotted lines and the band being
then slack lies against the board.
To prevent collapse of the band whilst in use I may provide the trunnions of
the struts with small extensions as shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 1, which bear
against the board when the struts are at their proper working angle relatively to
the band, or I provide a small loop, ridge, pleat or other convenient "stop on
the band.
33
Whilst preferring the band to be centrally disposed over the board (A) so that
the emery or other cleaning powder may fall on to the board I may arrange it at
one side of the board as shewn in Fig. 3, and instead of securing it direct to the
board, secure it thereto by means of two pivoted wire-like supports (F), one of
which adjoins a notched segmental bracket (G) and, by engaging with one of the
notches (H), under its own lateral elasticity, serves to hold the band (C) distended,
or, on being turned down, allows the band to lie against the board. In this
connection it will be seen that the polishing band may be sold separate from the
board for attachment to existing boards. The means of attachment may vary.
Whilst preferring the struts to lie against the board when not in use they may
be rigidly fixed in the elevated position and may be replaced by other forms of
supports adapted to effectually hold the band.
In lieu of the staples (E), or the bracket (G), I may employ small clamps as
shewn in Fig. 4.
As a modification the band may extend the whole length of the board. It may
also be connected to the board, or to the supports (D), or (F), by swivel-like
mounts, and thus allow' of its being reversed, and in such connection (or other-
wise) both its sides may be faced with wash-leather, or cleaning material, or one
side cleaning material and the other polishing material. To facilitate renewal of
the wash-leather it is, by preference, secured in such a way as to permit of its
ready detachment from the band. In lieu of wash-leather any other suitable
material may be employed, and in lieu of the ordinary board (A) any other
suitable form of knife-cleaner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same may be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1 A band composed of, or faced with cleaning or (and) polishing material,
and means for holding such band distended and attaching it to a knife cleaner, a
board, or the like, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2: In devices for cleaning knives, forks and the like, the arrangement and
combination of parts shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing, and
substantially as set forth.

page_text: 3: In devices for cleaning knives, forks and the like, the arrangement and
combination of parts shewn in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawing, and sub-
stantially as set forth.
Dated this 11th day of December 1900
JOSEPH PERCY WILKS.
By John G. Wilson & Co., Fels. Inst.P.A.,
Manchester.