An Improved Carving Fork.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 4th June, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Carving Fork.
JOSEPH FRANCIS BENSON Artist Photographer 153 Queen's Road Peckham S.E. do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A carving fork, the finger protector of which is a piece of steel (the same as is
used now) but which has at the end towards the handle a smaller piece affixed at
nearly right angles. At the joint formed by these two pieces a hole is made thro'
which a pin or rivit is passed the same as in those in use now. By this means there
is no need for a spring to keep the finger protector up, as by placing the finger on
the small piece of steel the protector (real) is raised, & the said smaller piece fits
down into the stem of the fork. A small ornamental ring is held back to the
handle by a small screw thread so that when the fork is in use it can be unscrewed
& slipped over the small piece of steel thereby holding it firm.
D
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Carving Fork.
1, JOSEPH FRANCIS BENSON, Artist Photographer, 153 Queen's Road, Peckham,
S.E., 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: -
This invention is designed to provide simple and efficient means for maintaing the
guard or finger protector of a carving fork in its elevated or safety position, without
necessitating the employment of a spring or balance weight.
According to my invention, the guard or finger protector is pivotted to the fork
shank in the usual manner and prolonged at an angle a short distance upon the
handle side of the pivot, such prolongation forming a "tail piece," which, when the
guard is elevated, fits into a recess or depression in the fork shank, and lies flush with
the surface of such shank. An adjustable screw collar surrounds the fork shank
just above the handle, the screw thread of which collar engages with a corresponding
screw thread upon the fork shank. When the guard is elevated and its tail piece
lying within the before mentioned recess or depression, a turn of the collar, (the
screw thread of which is preferably of a quick pitch), will cause such collar to move
along the fork shank and embrace the tail piece lying within the recess or depression
therein, and prevent the guard from falling; on turning the collar in the reverse
direction, the tail piece will be released and the guard allowed to fall.
In the accompanying drawings:-
:-
Figure 1 illustrates a carving fork constructed according to my invention shewing
the guard in its normal position when not in use.
Figure 2 shews the guard raised and locked in its safety position by the screw
collar.
a is the fork shank, the prongs, c the handle, d the guard or finger protector
pivotted to the fork shank at e, and prolonged at an angle beyond such pivot so as to
form the tail piece f-y is the screw collar the internal threads of which engage with
the screw threads on the fork shank a. (figure 1) is the recess or depression in
the shank into which the tail piece f fits, lying flush with the surface of the shank a
when the guard d is elevated, as shewn in figure 2.

page_text: 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 :-
In a carving fork, the combination with a pivotted guard or finger protector con-
structed with a tail piece at an angle thereto, of an adjustable screw collar on the
fork shank, substantially as and for the purpose specified and illustrated:
Dated this 4th day of June 1890.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON, Fels. Inst. P.A.,
19, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.