IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING FORKS AND SPOONS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Osborn Spong, of 104, Fulham Road, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING FORKS AND SPOONS."
Sealed the 23rd May 1871, and dated the 26th November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Osborn Spong at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th November 1870.
I, JAMES OSBORN SPONG, of 104, Fulham Road, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING AND POLISHING FORKS AND
SPOONS," to be as follows:-
In carrying out my improvements for the cleansing and polishing of
forks, I employ cylindrical surfaces or travelling bands, by preference
working together in pairs, geared to move together and operated by
winch handle or otherwise. The surfaces have applied to part of them
bristles, and to other parts strips of leather standing out from such
surfaces edgewise, and with the outer edges of one or more of such
strips plain, whilst others thereof are formed zig-zag or serrated, or of

page_text: other forms adapted to facilitate cleansing and polishing between the
prongs, and by preference so that the serrations or other forms of one
strip interpose or break with others. These operating surfaces are
supplied with suitable powder to aid their action by dipping in a trough
or otherwise. Strips of the leather may also be applied in a transverse t
direction. The leather may be applied in a bent or looped form and on
india-rubber or other spring to give elasticity to the rubbing. The forks
to be cleansed or polished are held by their handles for the cleansing of
the prongs in adjustablo holders between the two travelling surfaces,
when two are used, and the handles thereof are cleansed or polished by 1
turning them the reverse way.
The cleansing of the handles of spoons may be effected by the above
apparatus. For the cleansing of the bowls of them I form the brushes
and the strips of leather into a curved or bushy form for acting on the
interior of the bowls, and into hollow form for the exterior thereof, in 1
sizes if need be adapted to different sizes of spoons, and I apply these to
revolving spindles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Osborn Spong in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
OSBORN SPONG, of 104, Fulham Road, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent, Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Osborn Spong, Her special
Licence, that I, the said James Osborn Spong, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Osborn Spong,
my executors, administrators, 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
"

page_text: In Means or AppARATUS FOR CLEANSING AND POLISHING FORKS AND SPOONS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Osborn Spong,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tho.
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately.
after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Osborn Spong, 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 :-
"
In carrying out my improvements for the cleansing and polishing of
forks I employ. cylindrical surfaces or travelling bands, by preference
working together in pairs, geared to move together and operated by
winch handle or otherwise. These surfaces have applied to part of them.
bristles and to other parts strips of leather standing out from such
surfaces edgewise and with the outer edges of one or more of such
strips plain, whilst others thereof are formed zig-zag, or serrated, or of
other forms adapted to facilitate cleansing and polishing between the.
prongs, and by preference so that the serrations or other forms of one.
strip interpose or break with others. These operating surfaces are.
supplied with suitable powder to aid their action by dipping in a trough.
or otherwise. Strips of the leather may also be applied in a transverse;
direction. The leather may be applied in a bent or looped form and on
india-rubber or other spring to give elasticity to the rubbing. The forks.
to be cleansed or polished are held by their handles for the cleansing of
the prongs in adjustable holders or by hand between the two travelling
surfaces, when two are used, and the handles thereof are cleansed or
polished by turning them the reverse way.. The cleansing of the handles
of spoons may be effected by the above apparatus. For the cleansing of
the bowls of them I form the strips of leather or operating surfaces into
a curved or bushey form for acting on the interior of the bowls, and into
hollow form for the exterior thereof in sizes if need be adapted to
different sizes of spoons, and I apply these to revolving spindles.
But that the Invention may be better understood, I will by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me.
in carrying the same into effect.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows an external side view, and Figure 2 an external end
view of apparatus arranged to carry out my improvements; Figures 3
and 4 show corresponding sectional side views of the same, and
Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 parts separately.
In each of the Figures the same letters are employed to indicate
corresponding parts. The apparatus as shown by Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4
is adapted for the cleansing and polishing of forks, which for this
purpose are placed in the holder a, separate views of which are given in
Figure 5. The red lines in these Figures indicate a fork so held. In
order that the fork may be held correctly and without injury thereto,
during the cleansing or polishing operation the holder is formed with
recesses a², of which although only two are shown other number may
be employed, depending on the width of the apparatus. Each of these
recesses is formed with a neck or is contracted at a³ so as to hold to the :
narrow part of either end of the stem of the fork depending upon the
end thereof which for the time it may be desired to cleanse. When so.
held the broader part next either end of the stem will lie in the recess a³,
and to prevent injury to the parts of the fork whilst so held the recesses
are lined with soft leather or other suitable material a³. When the 1
forks have been correctly placed in the holder a that holder is slided
inwards so as to bring the parts of the forks projecting inwards there-
from in position to be operated upon by surfaces b³, b³, b³, carried by the
cylinders b, b. The surfaces 6' are formed by tufts of hair or other bristles.
The surfaces and are formed by preference of buff leather, and 2
they are in part sustained and have elastic pressure applied to them by
the application behind cach of a strip of india-rubber c, or it may be
other clastic material. The strips are zig-zag or serrated at their
outer edges to facilitate their passage between the prongs or other parts
of the forks, whilst the strips & are plain at their edges. The strips of a
india-rubber c are also zig-zag or serrated at their outer edge, so that
their pressure may be more yielding at the outer edge, and in each
case the serrations of one row by preference break with those of the
next row so as to insure more complete action on every surface. The
cylinders b, b, are affixed to axes d, d, which are supported in bearings
carried by the main framing e, e, and the upper of these bearings
are adjustable by india-rubber springs for other suitable springs and
set screws g, whilst both axes d, d, have simultaneous and corresponding

page_text: motion given to them by there being applied to each of them a small
pinion h, the teeth of each of which are taken into by the teeth of one
of the two wheels i. The teeth of these wheels i take one into those of
the other. Each turns upon a separate stud carried by the main
5 framing & whilst the upper of these wheels has also affixed to it the
fly wheel and winch handle k by which motion is given to theso
wheels and thence to the cylinders b, b. is a trough for containing
polishing or cleansing powder, and m is a case by which the cylinders
and parts may be enclosed if desired to prevent dust flying about during
o use.` m³ is a door through which the polishing or cleansing powder may
be supplied to the trough . During the rotation of the cylinder 6 the
operator will move the forks under operation to and fro by moving to
and fro the holder a; m³ are stops to prevent the holder from being
moved too far inwards, and m³ are turn buttons by which the distance
5 outwards of the holder a may be controlled. n is a row of bristles or
_brushes, and o, p, two strips of leather or other material to prevent the
escape of dust from the interior of the case during use at the part where'
the holder a is introduced and operated. The ends d' of the axes d
project from the side framing to receive other cleansers if desired.
0 Cleansing and polishing surfaces such as b,,&, and parts c. may be
applied to bands operated by cylinders 6 aided by other guide rollers if
desired.
:
Fig. 6 shows a side and end view of a slight modification of the
arrangement of the cleansing surfaces such as may be applied to one or
5 both of the axes d by means of set screws 2 or otherwise. In this.
case the cylinder 6 is provided with strips of leather and band of
india-rubber c and may be used to polish any parts omitted by the
operation of the other cylinders, the fork or spoon being held in the
hand during operation by this cylinder, Figure 6.
Figures 7 and 8 show other cylinders & formed as those already
described and capable of being applied by set screws q to the ends ď³ of
the axes & to be used for operating on the handle or other part of a fork
or handle of a spoon held in the hand. The outer end r of Figure 7
is also formed of coils of buff or other suitable leather or material on a
5 wood or other base and adapted for cleansing or polishing. This leather
or material is cut so as to form a series of surfaces and is recessed or
hollow towards the centre thereof to receive and facilitate action on the
outer surface of the bowl of a spoon. The outer part 8 of Figure 8 is

page_text: similarly formed but projecting so as to facilitate action on the inner or
hollow surfaces of the bowls of spoons. The polishing surfaces. for
polishing the outside of the bowls of spoons. may also be formed in a
hollow or neck between parts 6 and 8 or otherwise. When a case m is
not used I prefer to apply a rest to aid the operator in guiding, the. 5
articles to be cleansed to between the cleansing and polishing surfaces.
Figures 9 and 10 show by sectional and end views. a. form of guide.
adapted to the purpose, but such may be varied.
Having thus described my Invention, and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not 1
confine myself to the precise arrangements. of parts shown, and described
as these may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of
the Invention; but what I do claim is,―
First: The adaptation of means, whereby the cleansing and polishing"
of parts of forks and spoons may be effected' by the use of travelling 1
surfaces of the combined character substantially as described.
Secondly. I claim the adaptation or combination of means for
cleansing and polishing the bowls. of spoons substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James. Osborn Spong, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of May, 2
in the year of our Lord Ono thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.