Iм- PROVEMENTS IN GUARDS FOR CARVING FORKS, AND IN MEANS OR APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR RETAINING SUCH GUARDS IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WITHOUT SPRINGS.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Russell and George Dominy, junior, both
of Weymouth, in the County of Dorset, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN GUARDS FOR CARVING FORKS, AND IN MEANS OR APPLIANCES
CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR RETAINING SUCH GUARDS IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION
WITHOUT SPRINGS.'
"'
Sealed the 30th July 1875, and dated the 3rd February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Russell and
George Dominy at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 3rd February 1875.
"
We, JAMES RUSSELL and GEORGE DOMINY, junior, both of Weymouth,
in the County of Dorset, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GUARDS FOR CARVING FORKS, AND IN MEANS
OR APPLIANCES CONNECTED THERE WITH FOR RETAINING SUCH GUARDS IN AN UPRIGHT
POSITION WITHOUT SPRINGS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in guards for carving forks,
and in means or appliances connected therewith, for retaining such

page_text: guards in an upright position without springs, and consists in forming
the tail ends of guards of flat form or of rounded form to take into or
through correspondingly shaped apertures in the fork stems, the flattened
or rounded portions having cach a long slotted hole for the transverse
pin to be pressed through.
The flat or rounded portion of each guard is of such a depth that the
guard can when in a vertical position, or at right angles or nearly so to
the fork. stem have a fall-down motion upon the pin, which motion
permits of the tail piece of the guard becoming locked and retained
without a spring in that position until by a jerk upward and a draw-back
action upon the handle the guard and its tail piece rises, when the over-
hanging weight or leverage of the guard itself produces a fall-over
motion of its free end upon the shoulder of the prongs.
..
We prefer to make the vertical aperture in the fork stem of a round
shape, which may slightly taper for a correspondingly shaped guard tail
piece to take into when the guard is raised to prevent rattling, and to
ensure a grip or bite of the surfaces when the guard is in its vertical
position. The tail of the guard in this, as in the previously described
guard, being slotted for riding upon the transverse pin.
.
Modifications of this slotted hole are by fixing the pivot in the guard,
and the slot formed in the fork stem, or again in a compound form,
by slotting a tube or other shape piece to suit the same, and also the
guard.
The guards may have balanced weights attached, but in this case also
we form a slotted hole in the guard tail to permit of a falling action of
the guard when thrown up, whereby it becomes temporarily locked, the
guard having a lift upon the tranverse pin when the weighted end
touchés a table, so that the guard can fall down upon the prongs.
Appliances, such as rings or sliding ferrules, can be used in connection
with fork guards, a draw-back motion of which would cause the guards.
to rise, the drop retaining them in vertical position while the forks are
in use.
The guard can also be lifted by a weight through an inter-
mediate lever or connection, or a tooth arrangement can be employed. .
'
Another part of our Invention consists in fitting a permanent magnet
upon a fork stem, so that when the guard is lifted by hand or by a

page_text: balancing action the attractive power of the magnet shall retain tlie
guard in a raised position. In this case the slotted hole in the guard;
can be dispensed with if desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Russell and George Dominy in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 3rd August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
RUSSELL and GEORGE DOMINY, junior, both of Weymouth, in the County.
of Dorset, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said James Russell and George.
Dominy, junior, Her special licence that we, the said James Russell and
George Dominy, junior, our exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said James Russell and George Dominy, junior,
our executors, 'administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree witli,
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 GUARDS FOR CARVING FORKS, AND IN MEANS OR APPLIANCES
CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR RETAINING SUCH GUARDS IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION
WITHOUT SPRINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said James Russell and George Dominy, junior, or one of us, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
one of our or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 tho said Letters Patent.
:
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Russell and George
Dominy, junior, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention, and in.
;

page_text: 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]
This Invention relates to improvements in guards for carving forks,
and in means or appliances connected therewith, for retaining such
guards in an upright position without springs, and consists in forming
the tail ends of guards of flat form or of rounded form to take into or
through correspondingly shaped apertures in the fork stems, the flattened
or rounded portions having each a long slotted hole for the transverse pin
to be passed through.
The flat or rounded portion of each guard is of such a depth that the
guard can when in a vertical position or at right angles, or nearly so, to
the fork stem have a fall-down motion upon the pin, which motion
permits of the tail piece of the guard becoming locked and retained
without a spring in that position until by a jerk upward and a draw-back
action upon the handle the guard and its tail piece rises, when the over-
hanging weight or leverage of the guard itself produces a fall-over
motion of its free end upon the shoulder of the prongs.
We prefer to make the vertical aperture in the fork stem of a round
shape, which may slightly taper for a correspondingly shaped guard tail
piece to take into when the guard is raised to prevent rattling, and to
ensure a grip or bite of the surfaces when the guard is in its vertical
position. The tail of the guard in this, as in the previously described
guard, being slotted for riding upon the transverse-pin.
Modifications of this slotted hole are by fixing the pivot in the guard,
and the slot formed in the fork stem, or again in a compound form,
by slotting a tube or other shaped piece to suit the same, and also the
guard.
The guards in some cases have balanced weights attached, but in this.
case we prefer to form a slotted hole in the guard tail to permit of a
falling action of the guard when thrown up, whereby it becomes tem-
porarily locked, the guard having a lift upon the transverse pin, when
the weighted end touches a table, so that the guard can fall down upon
the prongs.
Appliances, such as rings or sliding ferrules, are used in some cases in
11
In haak motion of which would cause
:

page_text: of a sliding and rotative movement. C is a pivot fixed in the fork stem
and passing through the slot of B which retains the same in place. It
will be seen by the Drawing that the line of slot. B and the back side of
the same is tapering and corresponding with the back of the aperture in
the stem, by which it will be seen the guard B is held firm and in
position for its object. By a slight jerk of the fork or by lifting the
guard B it will turn down, as shown by the dotted lines. D is a finger
picce which might be used, shown dotted forming part of B, also a dotted
rest at E may be used to 'keep the prongs from touching the table or
cloth.
Figure 2 is a slight modification of Figure 1, showing a side and back
views of the guard B; the pivot or stud C is fixed in B and a slot is
formed in each side of the recess or aperture of A, as shown dotted; the
slot can be formed on one side only. And again we propose forming
the slot or slots in a casing to be fitted in the aperture of A, also the
aperture can be round and slightly taper, and the stem-of B to suit the
pivot and slot can be fixed in A. or in B, as just described.
Figure 3 is another modification of Figure 1, having part of the slot of B
cut away and the aperture in A smaller; C is the pivot; Figure 4 is the
same, but with the guard turned down, or nearly so, showing the action
of the hooked end of B, and how it is kept from being pulled out or
disarranged, the tapering part of B and A allowing a more ready fit.
Figure 5 is of a similar sort, but slightly different in its action, it-
being fixed by a horizontal movement. B is the guard. The part that
slides under the pivot C is slightly tapering, and the turned-up. piece
keeps it from being pulled out. To turn the guard down pull it back,
then the taper or tail piece will drop down the aperture.
Figure 6 is a sectional end view of the stem A through the line of the
pivot and aperture of Figure 5; C is the pivot.
Figure 7 is, a balanced weight modification of Figure 1, and the
principal improvement is in the application of the slot to keep it from
oscillation and tumbling about when in use. It will be seen when
the fork is laid down the balanced end comes in contact with the table
or cloth and tilts the guard, or the stem A with the pivot C drops
through the slot of B, allowing it to turn down, and in raising the fork
the weight drops and turns B up, it then falls in position, as in the
Fig ure, keepingit in place.

page_text: Figure 8 is a modification of the guard B, Figure 7, with its ends
broken off, showing another mode of retaining it in place, as in the last-
mentioned Figure.
Figure 9 shows different views of the pivot C that is fixed in the stem
of the fork A, the flattened part of the pivot is where the guard works.
on, and when in the proper position the slot part of the guard hole drops
on it; C is a pivot with a reduced end to keep the same from turning.
Figure 10 is a jointed balance weight guard; A is the stem of fork;
B, the guard; C, the pivot; D is the weight. When the fork is laid
down it pushes up D which, tilts down B; the weight forms a rest to
keep the prongs off the cloth. Owing to this being jointed the guard is
prevented from dropping down when held in certain positions.
Figure 11 is a guard simply pivoted in the stem A, and so formed as
to allow of a loose set piece D, seen separately at Figure 13.
Figure 12 is a side and back view of the guard, the action is when the
guard is turned up D drops down on the stem A, and by giving it a
slight turn its slanting surfaces (not shown) fix the guard in position..
Figure 14 is a view of a magnetic arrangement. A is the stem;"
B, the guard having an arm extending back with a suitably formed' end
to fit over a magnetic band D on the handle of the fork; the magnetic
attraction of this band keeps the guard in position; d is a non-conductor
washer between the stem A and the magnet.
Figure 15 is a differently designed magnet, in which D is the magnet
or band in contact with a similar face formed on the end of an arm of
the guard B; C is the pivot hole of the same. We propose magnetising
the guard or attaching a magnet thereto which could come in contact
with the stem A to retain the guard in position.
Figure 16 is a guard with a tumbling retaining piece. A is the stem;
B, the guard forked or split open for the reception of the retaining
piece D, which is pivotted on the guard at d. The action of this
arrangement is to lower the guard; lift up the knob of D which draws
back its point e, it will then turn down, and to raise the same it can be
lifted or jerked up, the retainer d will then owing to its weighted end
fall or turn in position, as shown in the Figure, and the eccentric curve
of the retainer will wedge or jam itself on the stem A which keeps up
the guard,

page_text: Figure 17 is a back view of the guard with the retainer removed,
showing its forked end. This retainer might be put on at the side of
the guard or at right angles to its present position.
And having now described and illustrated the nature of our said In-
vention and the several modifications thereof, we declare that we
claim,―
"
Firstly. The construction and employment of suitably formed guards
so as to simplify and retain themselves in position without the assistance
of springs, as herein-before described and shown.
Secondly. We claim the arrangement and application of retaining the
guard in position by frictional resistance, and in so forming the guard
to suit the application of the same, such as we have described and shown
when arranged for the purpose set forth.
And, thirdly. We claim the magnetic arrangement and other modi-
fication herein-before referred to when used for the object here set 1
forth.
!
In witness whereof, we, the said James Russell and George Dominy,
jun", have hereunto set our hands and scals, this Thirtieth day
of Tulu One thousand eight hundred and seventy-fiv
when arranged for the purpose set forth.
And, thirdly. We claim the magnetic arrangement and other modi-
fication herein-before referred to when used for the object here set 1
forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Russell and George Dominy,
jun", have hereunto set our hands and scals, this Thirtieth day
of July, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-fivé.