IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PEN AND POCKET KNIVES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Unwin and John Unwin, of the firm of
Unwin and Rodgers, of 124, Rockingham Street, Sheffield, in the County
of York, Cutlery Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF PEN AND POCKET KNIVES.
Sealed the 12th December 1856, and dated the 12th June 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Unwin and John
⚫ Unwin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 12th June 1856.
We, PHILIP UNWIN and JOHN UNWIN, of the firm of Unwin & Rodgers,
of 124, Rockingham Street, Sheffield, in the County of York, Cutlery Manu-
facturers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PEN AND POCKET KNIVES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved mode of manufacturing certain parts
of pen and pocket knives known in the trade as the "bolster" and "scales"
thereof, and constituting the handle of the knife, to which the blades aro
connected by rivets. The mode heretofore practised of producing such said
part has been by forming the bolster and scales of distinct and separate pieces,
and covering the same with another piece, the objection to which is that they
frequently become loose, are liable to be broken, and are otherwise objection-
able; and the object and intention of this Invention is to remedy such said

page_text: objections, and to render pen and pocket knives more durable than heretofore,
which we propose to effect by forming the "bolster" and "scales" of one entire
piece of material, without covering, produced by casting or other convenient
and suitable means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Philip Unwin and John Unwin in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th December 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, PHILIP
UNWIN and JOHN UNWIN, of the firm of Unwin and Rodgers, of 124, Rocking-
ham Street, Sheffield, in the County of York, Cutlery Manufacturers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her. most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Philip Unwin and John Unwin, Her special license that we, the said Philip
Unwin and John Unwin, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Philip Unwin and John Unwin, our executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PEN AND
POCKET KNIVES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Philip
Unwin and John Unwin, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one
of us or them, 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 we, the said Philip Unwin and John Unwin, 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 (that is to say):-
Our Invention relates to an improved mode of manufacturing certain parts

page_text: of pen and pocket knives known in the trade as the "bolster" and scales
thereof, and constituting the handle of the knife, to which the blades are
connected by rivets. The mode heretofore practised of producing such said
part has been by forming the bolster and scales of distinct and separate pieces,
and covering the same with another piece, the objection to which is that they
frequently become loose, are liable to be broken, and are otherwise objection-
able; and the object and intention of our Invention is to remedy such said
objections, and to render pen-knives and pocket-knives more durable than
heretofore, which we propose to effect by forming the "bolster" and "scales "
of one entire piece of material without covering the same with horn, ivory, or
other substance, as commonly practised, said bolster and scales being pro-
duced by casting and other convenient and suitable means.
In order to explain our said Invention as completely as possible, we now
proceed to describe the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked
thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 exhibits a side elevation and edge view of a "bolster" and
"scale" in one entire piece without covering; Figure 2, similar views of two
"bolsters" and "scale" in one entire piece without covering; Figure 3
exhibits side elevation and edge view of "cap," "bolster," and "scale" in one.
entire piece without covering. At each of the foregoing Figures we employ
similar letters of reference to denote correspending parts in so far as such
parts appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures respectively. At
Figure 1, A is the bolster; B, the scale formed of one and the same entire piece
of metal without covering, produced either by casting in a suitable mould if
made of brass, copper, zinc, or white metal, or alloys of metal, or by forging,
if of steel or wrought iron, or, in cases where the metal is very soft, they may
be produced by punching or stamping out of sheet metal. At Figure 2, A, A,
are the "bolsters," and B, the scale, also formed by casting or stamping, as
above stated. At Figure 3, A is the "bolster;" B, the "scale;" C, the "cap,"
also formed of one and the same entire piece of metal by casting or stamping,
as above stated. In manufacturing "bolsters" and "scales" of one entire
piece of metal according to our improved method, we finish the exposed
surfaces of the same by filing, grinding, glazing, polishing, and burnishing, so
as to leave them plain, or we ornament such said surfaces by electro-plating,
gilding, engraving, chasing, etching, or otherwise. The blades and their

page_text: respective springs are connected to the "bolsters" and "scales"
or to the
"bolsters," "scales," and "cap," as the case may be, by rivets, as commonly
practised in the manufacture of pen and pocket knives of the ordinary kind.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention of
"Improvements in the Manufacture of Pen and Pocket Knives," together
with the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the same into
practical effect, we would remark, in conclusion, that what we claim as our
Invention intended to be secured to us by the above in part recited Letters
Patent is the forming of the "bolster" and "scales" of pen and pocket knives
of one and the same entire piece of metal, without covering the same with
buck's horn, ivory, bone, mother'o'pearl, or other substance as heretofore
commonly practised.
In witness whereof, we, the said Philip Unwin and John Unwin, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Tenth day of December, in the
year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six."
Witness,
SAMUEL BRAMHALL,
Priory Cottage,
Sharrow Lane, Sheffield.
PHILIP UNWIN. (L.S.)
(L.S.)
JOHN UNWIN.