Improvements in or relating to Carving Fork Guards.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1894-Accepted, 15th Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Carving Fork Guards.
We, JOHN EDWARD BINGHAM, of Howard Street in the City of Sheffield,
Manufacturer, and ARTHUR BENJAMIN BALL, of 314 Bramall Lane, Sheffield
aforesaid, Cutler, 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 relates to an improved construction of guard for carving forks,
the object being to raise the guard automatically and retain it in such raised
position by the action of thrusting the prongs or tines of the fork into the joint of
meat, or the like.
We have illustrated one arrangement of the invention in the annexed sheet of
drawings but as will be afterwards seen we do not confine ourselves to this
particular construction.
Fig. 1, is a plan or top view of a fork with the guard closed, as before use.
Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the same with the guard raised.
In carrying out the invention as shown in Figs. 1, and 2, we make a collar A,
as shown in Fig. 3, with an opening B, for the prongs P, of the fork to pass
through.
We secure this collar to the ends of two bars C, and after passing the collar
over the prongs of the fork, we attach the opposite ends of the bars C, to the
guard G, by means of a pivot or pin D.
It will thus be seen that when the guard is closed as in Fig. 1, and the prongs
of the fork are thrust into a piece of beef (for example) the collar with the
bars C, is pushed back and the guard G, is raised into position as shown in
Fig. 2, and can only close again when the prongs are withdrawn.
The construction of the several parts may be varied without departing from the
spirit of the invention, thus instead of one collar we may use two smaller open
ones as shown in Fig. 4, or a double collar connected by a single arm to the guard
see Fig. 5.
According to another arrangement we may dispense with the encircling collar A,
and use a plate E, or its equivalent, shown in Fig. 6, made to slide upon or between
the prongs of the fork. The connection of the bar C, with the guard G, would
in the case be so constructed, that it could be turned round or partly round, or be
otherwise arranged to enable the plate to be moved away from the prongs or be
completely removed from the fork for cleaning purposes.
Having now particularly described the nature of our invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :
1. A carving fork guard having an attached appliance by which the guard is
raised when the prongs of the fork are pressed into the meat, substantially as
hereinbefore described and shown.
2. A carving fork guard, having a pivotted appliance sliding over or upon the
prongs of the fork, so arranged that when the prongs are pressed into a joint of
meat (for example) the appliance will be pushed back and will elevate the guard as
hereinbefore described.

page_text: 3. An appliance for attachment to carving forks by means of which when the
prongs are forced into a joint of meat for example, the guard will be elevated,
substantially as herein before described.
Dated the 21st day of July 1894.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicants.