SAVING TIME AND LABOUR IN CLEANING KNIVES BY WET PROCESS, WITHOUT INJURY TO BLADE OR HANDLE
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 13th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 25th Mar., 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by his brother, the Inventor, ROBERT WALTER JAMIESON,
F Troop, North Western Mounted l'olice, Prince Albert, Canada, N.W.T.]
1, WILLIAM ANDREW JAMIESON, of 156 Randolph Terrace, Glasgow in the County
of Lanark Scotland, do hereby declare the nature of this invention for SAVING TIME
AND LABOUR IN CLEANING KNIVES BY WET PROCESS, WITHOUT INJURY TO BLADE OR
HANDLE to be as follows:-..
This apparatus consists of four pieces of wood each an inch thick & kept together
by side-screws. The two lower blocks are for the wet process (the uppermost, being
perforated with holes & having a rim of an inch high to contain a flat sponge to
supply moisture). The two upper are for the second or polishing process & must be
kept dry. Use bath-brick for the wet process--& knife-powder for the dry one.
The three upper blocks are 7 inches long by 24 broad-the fourth, forming the base is
9 inches by 2. The top & bottom blocks overlap of an inch at the ends, that
cleans the backs of the knives. The inside of the two lower blocks covered with felt
or flannel that of the two upper ones with knife-rubber. The pressure is regulated
by side-screws or lever or both.
When the coverings of the lower pads or blocks wear out remove them & replace
with a piece of almost any woollen material cut to size, which would be either laced
on, or glued with marine (or waterproof) glue, or they might be stretched on the
small spikes at back of wet pads (or blocks). The upper dry pads are reversible, &
when both sides are worn, remove old covering by soaking in hot water, & re-cover
with "Buff-leather" or
፡፡
Knife-board rubber," & Common or Liquid glue.
When about to use for the first time, raise the screw, remove spring & pads (or
blocks) thoroughly dampen the lower woollen pads with water, & rub in as much
powdered bath-brick, as they will hold dampen the sponge or other material, &
replace over holes. Sprinkle "Knife-powder" or "Polish on the upper dry pads
(or blocks) being careful to keep them dry. Replace pads & springs & adjust
screw to required pressure. Put on good pressure for the wet process," but lighter
for polishing.
On future occasions simply raise the screw lay the "Press" on its side, & dust in

page_text: the bath-brick, & Knife-powder: One good supply is sufficient for 3 or 4 dozen knives
at least. It is a great mistake to put in too much. After washing the knives, lay them
in a heap one side, without drying, pass, them two or three times from point to handle
between the lower (wet) pads, & lay them on the other side of the press. When all
have been treated in this manner, repeat the process between the upper (dry) pads
-(but be sure the knives are dry).
In passing them between the pads (both lower & upper) the backs of the knives
must be pressed against the sides of the Press-(which cleans the backs).
The strip of leather on the top is a miniature Knife-board for "finishing-off."
The knives, then, only require to be wiped lightly with a dry cloth, & are ready
for usc.
The advantages of this simple contrivance are
1. Less time & trouble to remove stains than by any other method.
2. It is not liable to get out of order.
3. The back of the knife is cleaned at one operation.
4. The edge of the knife is kept sharp & in good condition..
5. There is no strain whatever on either blade or handle.
6. It takes up little space.

page_text: 1 WILLIAM ANDREW JAMIESON, Drysalter, of Arthur & Hinshaw, Eleven Bothwell
Street, Glasgow, a communication from abroad by my brother Robert Walter Jamieson,
F division North West Mounted Police, at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada, 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 machines adapted for cleaning and polishing the blades of
table-knives and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive & durable device
of this character, by using which the knife-blades may be cleaned thoroughly at both
sides, and at their back edges and without strain on their handle-fastenings, and with
economy of time and labour.
The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of
parts of the knife-cleaner all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the figures.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved knife-cleaner.
Figure 2 is a central vertical transverse sectional elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of the knife-cleaner taken on the line a Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of a modified form of the device and―
Figure 5 is an end elevation thereof.
I will first refer to figures 1. 2. and 3 of the Drawing which represent the preferred
form or construction of my improvement.
The frame A of the Knife-cleaner is preferably cast in one piece of metal and
comprises a base a, and a bridge piece or arch a'. At one side edge of the base a, a
clamp B is provided by which the cleaner may be secured to a table C, in position for
use, and this clamp may either be cast solidly with the base a; or may be hinged to
the base as indicated at in dotted lines in Figure 2. At the side of the base a
opposite the clamp, B, there are cast on or fixed to the base a couple of hooks D. D.
which may be engaged with eyes E. E. fixed to the table C, to make the attachment of
the cleaner to the table more secure, and these hooks and eyes also serve as fulcrums
on which the entire machine may be swung over backward, after the clamp B is
loosened, to allow the cleaning or polishing powders to be more conveniently placed
between the abrading surfaces of the pairs of cleaning and polishing blocks presently
described. In large heavy machines it may be desirable to brace the top of the bridge-
piece a of the Frame A, to the base a by a bent arm a², as indicated in dotted lines in
Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. Instead of the clamp B, perforated lugs may be
provided at the opposite ends of the Frame, as at a³ a³ in dotted lines in Figure 1, and
through which lugs, screws may be passed into the table.
The machine has two pairs of rubbing blocks, a lower pair for use, first, as cleaning

page_text: blocks, and an upper pair for use afterwards as polishing blocks, and these pairs of
blocks are faced with suitable fabric or leather coverings between which the cleaning
and polishing powder is placed as presently explained.
The base of the machine frame forms the lower cleaning block, and is provided
with a facing F which covers the top plate of the base and is passed at its opposite
edges thro' slots ff in the base and said edges of the facing F are caught and held
securely by teeth g, on rods G, journaled at opposite ends of the base, see Figure 2. of
the drawing. The construction of these toothed rods G will be better understood by
comparing them with similar toothed rods H., which are journaled at the opposite
ends of the upper cleaning block I, and within the top recess of said block to hold a
facing fabric to the lower face of said block, said fabric being passed at its opposite
edges, through side-slots jj of the hollow block I, to be caught by the toothed
rols H, one at each side of the recess of the block, and as shown clearly in Figures 2
and 3 of the drawing. The body of the block I at the floor of its recess is provided
with a series of slots or holes k, through which water or moisture held by a sponge or
other suitable absorbent fabric K, placed in the recess i may pass to wet or dampen the
facing fabric J. F, and the knife brick or other cleaning powder placed between these
facings.
The upper polishing blocks I. M. are preferably made solid, and are covered at both
faces by suitable leather, N. O. respectively, which are wrapped around the blocks,
and are fastened thereto by cement or otherwise, thus allowing these blocks to be
reversed in position for using the other sides of the facings, when one side is worn out
by polishing the blades of the knives. The top or bed of the base a whereon the facing
fabric F rests, is sunken somewhat to provide transverse shoulders in or against which
strips of rubbing or cleaning fabric are secured by cement or otherwise, and these
strips P project past the ends of the opposing facing J, of the block I, and thereby
provide fabric facings, against which the back edges of knife-blades may be rubbed for
cleaning them, while the opposite faces of the knife-blades are being cleaned by the
opposite facings F, J. The polishing block L is formed with shoulders at opposite
faces & ends, to which shoulders like transverse strips P, preferably made of leather,
are fastened for polishing the back edges of knife-blades while their opposite faces are
polished between the facings N. O. The strips P at opposite faces of the block Lallow
polishing of the knife-blade backs, whichever sides of the facings may be acting on the
blades.
Instead of using the separate strips P, the ends of the facing fabrics may extend
downward or upward at the end shoulders of one of the cleaning and polishing blocks
in the form of lips p, against which the backs of the knife-blades may be rubbed to
clean and polish them; as in the modified form of the device shown in Figure 4 of the
drawings, these lips'p being the full equivalent of the transverse strips P above described.
The opposite ends of the loose rubbing blocks I. L. M. are notched at opposite ends
to fit vertically ranging ribs a' on the opposite uprights of the frame A, and a
spring R, also notched at the ends to engage these ribs a, is swivelled to the lower
end of a screw S which is threaded into the head of the frame A, and has a handle
bar T, which may be turned to press the ends of the spring R, on to the upper
polishing block M or wear plates fixed thereto, for regulating the pressure of the
opposing pairs of cleaning and polishing blocks on the knife-blades passed between
them.
The ribs a do not extend to the top cross-bar of the frame A, thereby giving room
for lifting the rubbing blocks M. L I from the frame for removal of their facings;
or for reversing the blocks M I, for using either of their facings as above described.
In the modification of the knife-cleaner, shown in Figures 4 and 5, the frame A is
dispensed with, and a base block A' to which the lower cleaning fabric or facing Fis
attached, has perforated lugs at its opposite ends through which screws or nails may be
passed to hold the Cleaner to a table or other support, and the upper movable
blocks I L M which are faced with suitable fabric or leather coverings are held to the
base piece A by bolt ends, U, receiving thumb-nuts V and having springs Won
the bolts U between the nuts V and the top-block M, thus allowing compression of the

page_text: blocks to each other by turning down the nuts, instead of by the screw S and spring R
herein before described; and instead of using the hooks D and eyes E to allow
swinging back of the Cleaner, I may hinge a cleat or strip D' by hinges E to the
base block A, so that when the strip D¹ is screwed to the table, the Cleaner may be
swung back on the binges to allow the cleaning and polishing powder to be placed
between the facings of the rubbing blocks.
To prepare the machine for work, bath-brick will be supplied freely between the
facings F, J. which will be wet and the moisture-giving sponge-pad or fabric K will
be placed in the recess of the block I. Dry polishing powder will be placed on the
opposing faces of the facings N. O, and all the rubbing blocks will be clamped to each
other, the clamp spring of the blocks allowing them to yield to receive the knife-blades,
between their opposing faces.
The wet blades of knives as they have been lifted from washing water will be entered
between the lower facings F, J, with their back edges against the strips P, P, one
knife being held in each hand of the operator, and by drawing the knife-blades in and
out, both faces and the back edges of them will be cleaned of stains of every kind, and
the knives will be laid aside to dry, and when dry, their blades will be passed between
the facings N, O, for dry polishing their opposite sides or faces, while their backs are
polished by the strips PP on the block. The rubbing block clamp springs will
usually be adjusted to give greater pressure on the blocks, when the knife-blades are
being wet-cleaned, than when they are being dry-polished.
The ends of the movable rubbing blocks I L M and of the spring R
may have
tongues or lips, and the frame A may have grooves to receive the tongues to guide the
blocks and spring Rand prevent turning of the spring on the screw S-or dowel-pins
or studs may be used to hold the rubbing blocks to each other, and to the frame, but
the arrangement of grooves in the blocks, and spring and ribs on the frame, as above
described, is preferred.
It is evident that the knives may be cleaned and polished very quickly and without
strain on their handle-fastenings, and the Cleaner may be made in various sizes, and
may have either plain or ornamental finish as the conditions of use and class of tradè
may require.
Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure
by letters-patent is―
1. A Knife-Cleaner made with two pairs of super-posed rubbing blocks having wet-
cleaning, and dry-polishing surfaces, and with spring clamps, pressing the rubbing-
blocks yieldingly together substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination in a knife-cleaner of a base-piece, a facing fabric applied thereto,
and a super-posed rubbing block, provided with an opposing facing-fabric and recessed
at its upper side, and perforations connecting said recess with said facing-fabric, and
devices, substantially as specified for holding the rubbing block to the base-piece,
substantially as shown and described.
3. In a Knife-Cleaner the combination with a base-piece as at a faced as at F, of a
super-posed block I faced as at J, and provided with a recess and perforations, and
a sponge-pad or fabric K, placed in recess i, and means for holding the block I to the
base-piece, substantially as herein set forth.
4. In a Knife-Cleaner the combination with a rubbing block, and a facing applied
thereto, of clamps formed of rods G or H, journaled to the rubbing block, and having
teeth as at gk, engaging the facing substantially as shown and described.
5. In a Knife-cleaner, the combination with a frame or support of an opposing pair
of rubbing blocks, provided with shoulders, against which the backs of the knife-blades
may be cleaned or polished, while the opposite faces of the blades are operated on by
the opposing side faces of the blocks, substantially as herein set forth.
6. In a Knife-Cleaner the combination with an opposing pair of rubbing blocks
provided with fabric or leather facings and end shoulders of fabric or leather strips P,
secured to said end shoulders substantially as shown and described.
7. In a Knife-Cleaner, the combination with a frame or support of a pair of polishing

page_text: blocks, each faced at both sides with leather or equivalent material—and one of said
blocks provided with transverse strips P, for polishing the Knife-blade backs, whichever
side facings of the blocks are in use substantially as herein set forth.
8. In a Knife-cleaner, the combination of a frame A, blocks I. L. M, facings F. J. N. O.
on the frame and blocks, and said block I having a recess i and apertures K, a sponge
or pad K, placed in block I, guides for the blocks a spring R, screw S and handle T,
substantially as herein.set forth.
9. The combination with the frame of a Knife-Cleaner provided with horizontally
disposed rubbing blocks operative by the placing of cleaning or polishing powder
between their opposing faces, of devices hingeing the back of the frame to its support,
substantially as shown and described whereby the cleaner may be swung backward to
more easily charge it with powder, as set forth.
Dated this Twelfth day of January Eighteen hundred and eighty seven.