AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MACHINE FOR CLEANING KNIVES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Thompson Guthrie, of Kilburn, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR
MACHINE FOR CLEANING KNIVES."
Sealed the 22nd August 1876, and dated the 28th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Thompson Guthrie
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1876.
CHARLES THOMPSON GUTHRIE, of Kilburn, in the County of Middlesex, Gentle-
man. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MACHINE FOR CLEANING KNIVES."
This Invention relates to the construction of an improved apparatus or machine
for cleaning table, domestic, and other knives, and the Invention has for its objects
the self-adjustment of the cleaning surfaces to the sectional form of the blades for the
purpose of avoiding the undue wear of the thick part or the back thereof (which is
effected by existing knife cleaners), and the cleaning of both sides simultaneously.
To attain the desired even pressure of the cleaning surfaces against both sides of
the knife I form them of superposed facings of leather, kamptulicon, felt, or any
suitable equivalent material, and I bed them each upon or against a layer of india-
rubber or other suitable elastic material, which I prefer should be in thin strips
lying side by side a slight distance apart so that they form a very elastic bed.
When arranging an apparatus for cleaning one knife at a time, I arrange the
bottom one of these cleaners so as only to allow of its removal or withdrawal for
renewal, the other or top one I hinge, socket, or otherwise secure or I place it in
suitable guides and directly above the lower one, and in this top one I make a
suitable recess (which I provide with a sliding or other lid or cover) to contain fine
emery or other cleaning or polishing powder, and in the bottom of such recess I
make small apertures or holes so that the cleaning or polishing powder may escape
from such recess to between the cleaning surfaces, which are kept in close contact
by pressure caused to be exerted downwardly by elastic pads attached to a hinged
cross bar, which may be secured in such a manner as to exert this pressure by a
Or I attach
spring catch, or any suitable equivalent allowing of its instant release.
these pads to the bottom of thumb screws working in the said cross bar, so that the
pressure exerted upon the cleaning surfaces may be adjusted as required to
accommodate various thicknesses of knives which may be placed between them.
This apparatus may all be arranged and combined upon a small foot or bed plate
Davis &11

page_text: which may be secured by screws or otherwise to a table or support. The above
described arrangement may be amplified to any extent required, the arrangement of
the cleaning surfaces being merely duplicated and the other parts made to
correspond. In such an arrangement I provide a suitable lever with recesses for
the handles of the knives, which may be arranged therein with their blades all in a
plane or in parallel planes, and secured by a thumb nut or other tightening
appliance, and to which lever a reciprocating motion may be given by hand, so that
all the knives may be cleaned simultaneously, they have inotion given to them in
the direction of their length.
The pairs of cleaning plates may also be arranged one above another, and may be
forced and kept in close contact by wedges (which may be attached to the said
cross bar) entering between the pairs, and by an end thumb screw and elastic pad.
+
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Charles Thompson Guthrie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
August 1876.
CHARLES THOMPSON GUTHRIE, of Kilburn, in the County of Middlesex, Gentle-
man. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MACHINE FOR CLEANING KNIVES."
This Invention relates to the construction of improved apparatus for cleaning
table, domestic, and other knives, and the Invention has for its objects the self-
adjustment of the cleaning surfaces to the sectional form of the blades for the
purpose of avoiding undue wear of the thick part or back thereof (which is effected
by existing knife cleaners), and the cleaning of both sides simultaneously.
To attain the desired even pressure of the cleaning surfaces 1 against both sides
of the knife 2, I form thein as shewn on the accompanying Drawings and of super-
posed facings of leather, kamptulicon, felt, or any other suitable material (the
cleaning surfaces of which may be lined or grooved across or serrated to hold
cleaning powder), and I bed them each upon or against a layer 3 of india-rubber or
other suitable elastic material, which may be in thin strips lying side by side a
slight distance apart so as to form a very elastic bed. When arranging an apparatus
for cleaning one or two knives at a time (see Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4), I arrange the
bottom cleaner 1 so as to allow of removal or withdrawal for renewal, the top one I
hinge or otherwise secure or place in guides 4 and directly above the lower one; and
in this top one I make a suitable recess 5 (which I provide with a sliding or other
lid or cover 6) to contain fine emery or other cleaning or polishing powder, and in
the bottom of such recess 5 I make small apertures or holes 7, so that the cleaning
or polishing powder may get between the cleaning surfaces 1 which are pressed
together by hand through a lever 8 (Figures 1 and 2), or by elastic pads 9 attached
to a hinged cross bar 10 (see also Figures 5 and 6), which may be held down or
secured so as to exert this pressure (see Figures 3 and 4) by a spring catch 11 or
any suitable equivalent allowing of its instant release. Or I may form this top
cleaner without the recess 5, introducing when required a little powder between the
surfaces 1. The pads 9 may be attached to the bottom of thumb screws 12 (see
Figures 3 and 4) working in the cross bar 10, so that the pressure exerted upon the
cleaning surfaces 1 may be adjusted as required to accommodate various thicknesses
of knives which may be placed between them.
This apparatus may all be arranged and combined upon a small foot or bed plate
13, which may be clamped or secured by screws 14 or otherwise to a table or
support 15. The above-described arrangement may be amplified to any extent
required, the arrangement of the cleaning surfaces 1 being merely duplicated and
the other parts made to correspond. In such arrangement I provide a lever or
handle 16 (Figures 5 and 6) working a slide 22 running in guides 23 and having
recesses 17 for the handles of the knives 2, which may be arranged therein with
their blades all in a plane (see Figures 5) or in parallel planes (see Figures 6), and

page_text: secured by a thumb nut 18 and elastic pad 24 or other tightening appliance, and to
which lever or handle 16 and slide 22 a reciprocating motion in the guides 23 may
be given by hand, so that all the knives may be cleaned simultaneously, receiving
motion in the direction of their length.
When the knives are arranged in parallel planes the pairs of cleaning surfaces 1
may be pressed together by wedges 19 attached to a cross bar 20, and which enter
between springs 21 placed between the pairs of cleaning surfaces (see Figure 6),
and when the knives are arranged in one plane the pairs of cleaning surfaces 1
may be pressed together by separate pads 9 carried by the cross bar 20 (see
Figure 5).
Having now described the nature and objects of my said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be carried into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention, the above-
described improved apparatus for cleaning table, domestic, and other knives, and
the various modifications thereof, combining the principle of the self-adjustment of
the cleaning surfaces to the sectional form of the blades for the purpose specified,
substantially as herein described and as illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Thompson Guthrie, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
C. T. GUTHRIE. (L.S.)