IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING KNIVES OR SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES ASBURY MCKEAN of 10 Delahay Street in the City of Westminster,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING KNIVES OR SIMILAR
ARTICLES" to be as follows:-
My Invention relating to Machinery or Apparatus for cleaning and polishing
knives or similar articles has for its chief object the provision of means whereby
a constant and uniform pressure will be exerted upon each side of the blade of the
knife independently of its shape and thickness, and whereby the Machine will be
equally well adapted for thick or thin blades.
In carrying out my said Invention in order to effect this object I construct the
Machine or Apparatus for cleaning and polishing knives in the following manner:-
I provide a box or casing which may consist of two parts secured together by
bolts screws or similar fastenings. Within this casing 1 arrange two wheels or
pulleys which are mounted upon shafts carried in suitable bearings in the sides of
the said casing. On one end of each of these shafts, or on each wheel or pulley
itself is fixed a bevel wheel gearing with another bevel wheel fast on another shaft
placed at right angles to the aforesaid shafts and provided with a crank handle or
other device for rotating the said shaft by hand or other power. Or in lieu of
employing bevel gearing I may impart motion to the said wheels or pulleys by
means of spur gearing or otherwise.
Around each of the wheels or pulleys is passed an endless band or belt of leather
india rubber or other suitable material which band or belt also passes around
a roller (or a fixed stud or rod may be substituted for the roller) above such wheel
or pulley. The rollers are so arranged that the bands or belts will pass down the
centre of the casing in contact or close proximity to each other. The sides of the
said casing are made with a central gap or recess at the lower end of which on each
side of the casing, a ruller is arranged upon a horizontal axis. These rollers are
intended for the knife to rest upon while the same is being cleaned or polished.
Two hoppers are provided upon the casing to receive the emery powder or other
polishing material. These hoppers have apertures to permit the material to descend
upon the bands or belts.

page_text: The
An important feature of my invention is the employment of devices for exerting
a yielding pressure upon the bands or belts at those parts between which the knife-
blade is inserted. For accomplishing this result, I sometimes employ a double
armed lever pivotted to a frame capable of oscillation upon a pin or rod fixed in
one or both sides of the casing. This frame is made with a recess at its rear in or
through which is placed a helical spring which bears against a stop which may be
fixed to the casing or fitted thereto so as to be capable of slight axial motion.
central pin or guide for the said spring is at one end carried on the pivot which
connects the double armed lever to its frame whilst the opposite end of such central
pin or guide enters an aperture or groove in the stop, the central pin or guide thus
forming the support for the double-armed lever. It will be understood that two of
these double armed levers with their appurtenances are employed viz one for euch
band or belt. The compression of the springs can be regulated by placing discs of
greater or less thickness in the recesses in the frames, or adjusting nuts or screws
can be provided for this purpose.
When a knife-blade is inserted, by preference with its edge uppermost between
the said bands or belts it is moved downward thereby and the upper arms of the
levers yield to permit the passage of the thickest part of the blade and as the
blade continues its downward movement the said upper arms are pressed towards
the blade so as to retain the bands or belts in contact therewith whilst the lower
arms of the said levers yield to permit the thickest part of the blade to be passed
between them. Moreover the springs will yield more or less to suit a knife-blade'
of greater or less thickness.
In order that the bands or belts shall press uniformly upon the blade of a knife
notwithstanding_the_taper_thereof in the direction of its length I arrange the
double-armed levers in such a manner that they are free to move in a horizontal
plane as well as in a vertical plane. For this purpose I support each of the said
levers by two pins or rods having heads rounded on their ends but Bat on their
two sides, or the double armed levers themselves may be formed with heads so
shaped, which fit into grooves slots or guides in the casing, the oscillating frames
being in this case by preference dispensed with. One of these pins or rods is
longer than the other and may carry the support for the double armned lever around
which works the helical spring as before mentioned. By means of this arrange-
ment the levers are enabled to yield either vertically or horizontally to adapt.
themselves to the shape of the blade. In lieu of the supports for the double armed
levers being pivotted to such levers they may be formed in one therewith or rigidly
attached thereto in which case the requisite play or adaptation may be obtained
by the employment of a tube or bushing of india rubber inside the helical spring
through which the support for the double armed lever passes.
I also provide for cleaning the shoulders of knife blades and for preventing
lateral movement of the bands or belts when the shoulder of a knife-blade is
pressed against their edges. For this purpose I make each of the wheels and
rollers for carrying the bands or belts and also each of the aforesaid levers of a
stepped shape, and I also make each of the bands or belts with a thickened part
which fits into the recess formed by the step.
In some cases I fit a band or ring of india-rubber tightly upon each wheel or
roller so as to increase the friction between the said wheel or roller and the band
or belt. I may further provide the said bands or belts with eyelets on their inner
sides and form projections upon the peripheries of the wheels or pulleys to enter
the said eyelets and thus impart a positive movement to the said bands or belts.
I also sometimes arrange an india rubber band or a chain composed of small rollers
connected by links between each double armed lever and its main band or belt.
The casing of the machine may be made with a central transverse trough at its
lower end to receive the emery powder or other polishing material as it falls from
the bands or belts.
Although I have described the use of double armed levers in conjunction with
springs as the best means of obtaining the requisite yielding pressure upon the

page_text: bands or belts I may employ in substitution therefor elastic rollers or an elastic
substance in any other convenient form suitably placed beneath the bands or belts.
I may also employ springs of any suitable description in conjunction with the
double armed levers.
It is obvious that the bearings of the wheels pulleys or rollers round which the
bands or belts pass may be made adjustablo so as to compensate for wear or take
up the slack of the bands or belts.
By my improved machine a knife can be frequently cleaned for a long period of
time without any alteration of its shape as caused by machines heretofore employed
for this purpose since in my machine the grinding or polishing is effected evenly or
uniformly on both sides of the blade notwithstanding its usual bevel shape from
the back of the blade to its cutting edge and its usual tapering shape from the
handle forward to the point of the blade.
The Machine is also applicable to the finishing of new cutlery; and two or more
machines may be arranged to be driven from one and the same shaft.
Dated thin thing dow of A 1001

page_text: I JAMES ASBURY MCKEAN of 10 Delahay Street Westminster in the County
of Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND POLISIIING
KNIVES OR SIMILAR ARTICLES and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My Invention relating to Machinery or apparatus for cleaning and polishing
knives or similar articles has for its chicf object the provision of means whereby a
constant and uniform pressure will be exerted on each side of the blade of the knife
independently of its shape and thickness and whereby the machine will be equally
well adapted for thick or thin blades.
In carrying out my said Invention in order-to-effect-the-object-I-construct_the_
machine or apparatus for cleaning and polishing knives in the following manner.
I provide a box or casing which may consist of two parts secured together by
bolts screws or similar fastenings. Within this casing I arrange two wheels or
pulleys which are mounted upon shafts carried in suitable bearings in the sides of
the said casing On one end of each of these shafts or on each wheel or pulley
itself is fixed a bevel wheel gearing with another bevel wheel fast on another
shaft placed at right angles to the aforesaid shafts and provided with a crank
handle or other device for rotating the said shaft by hand or other power, Or in
lieu of employing bevel gearing I may impart motion to the said wheels or pulleys
by means of spur gearing or otherwise.
Around each of the wheels or pulleys is passed an endless band or belt of leather
india rubber or other suitable material which band or belt also passes around a
roller (or a fixed stud or rod may be substituted for the roller) above such wheel or
pulley. The rollers are so arranged that the bands or belts will pass down the
centre of the casing in contact or close proximity to each other The sides of the
said casing are made with a central gap or recess. At the lower end on each side
of the casing, a roller is arranged upon a horizontal axis. These rollers are intended
for the knife to rest upon while the same is being cleaned or polished.
Two hoppers are provided upon the casing to receive the Emery powder or other
polishing material These hoppers have apertures to permit the material to descend
upon the bands or belts.
An important feature of my invention is the employment of devices for exerting
a yielding pressure upon the bands or belts at those parts between which the knife
blade is inserted. For accomplishing this result I sometimes employ a double
armed lever pivotted to a frame capable of oscillation upon a pin or rod fixed in
one or both sides of the casing. This frame is made with a recess at its rear in or
through which is placed a helical spring which bears against a stop which may be.
fixed to the casing or fitted thereto so as to be capable of slight axial motion. The
central pin or guide for the said spring at one end is carried on the pivot which
connects the double armed lever to its frame whilst the opposite end of such central
pin or guide enters an aperture or groove in the stop. The central pin or guide

page_text: thus forming the support for the double armed lever. It will be understood that
two of these double armed levers with their appurtenances are employed viz: one
for each band or belt.
A compression of the springs can be regulated by placing discs of greater or less
thickness in the recesses in the frame or adjusting nuts or screws can be provided
for this purpose.
When a knife blade is inserted (by preference with its edge uppermost) between
the said bands or belts it is moved downward thereby and the upper arms of the
levers yield to permit the passage of the thickest part of the blade and as the blade
continues its downward movement the said upper arms aro pressed towards the
blade so as to retain the bands or belts in contact therewith whilst the lower arms
of the said levers yield to permit the thickest part of the blade to be passed between
them, moreover the aforesaid springs will yield more or less to suit a knife blade of
greater or less thickness.
In order that the bands or belts shall press uniformly upon the blade of a knife
notwithstanding the taper thereof in the direction of its length I arrange the double
armed levers in such a manner that they are free in a horizontal plane as well as
in a vertical plane.
For this purpose I support each of the said levers by two pins or rods having
heads rounded on their ends but flat on their two sides or the double armed levers
themselves may be formed with heads so shaped which fit into grooves slots or
guides in the casing, the oscillating frames being in this case by preference dispensed
with One of these pins or rods is longer than the other and may carry the support
for the double armed lever around which works the helical spring as before
mentioned By means of this arrangement the levers are enabled to yield either
vertically or horizontally to adapt themselves to the shape of the blade-In lieu of
the supports for the double armed levers being pivotted to such levers they may be
formed in one therewith or rigidly attached thereto in which case the requisite play
or adaptation may be obtained by the employment of a tube or bushing of india
rubber inside the helical spring through which the support of the double armed
lever passes.
I also provide for cleaning the shoulders of knife blades and for preventing
latoral movement of the bands or belts when the shoulder of a knife blade is pressed
against their edges-For this purpose I make each of the wheels and rollers for
carrying the said bands or belts and each of the aforesaid levers of a stepped shape
and I also make each of the bands or belts with a thickened part which fits into
the recess formed by the step-In some cases I fit a band or ring of india rubber
tightly upon each wheel or roller so as to increase the friction between the said
wheel or roller and the band or belt.
I may further provide the said bands or belts with eyelets on their inner sides
and form projections upon the peripheries of the wheels or pulleys to enter the said
eyelets and thus impart a positive movement to the said bands or belts.
I also sometimes arrange an india rubber band or a chain composed of small
rollers connected by links between each double armed lever and its main band
or belt.
The casing of the machine may be made with a central transverse trough at its
lower end to receive the emery powder or other polishing material as it falls from
the bands or belts.
Although I have described the use of double armed levers in conjunction with
springs as the best means of obtaining the requisite yielding pressure upon the
bands or belts I may employ in substitution therefor elastic rollers or an elastic
substance in any other convenient forin suitably placed beneath the bands or belts,
I may also employ springs of, any suitable description in conjunction with the
double armed levers.
It is obvious that the bearings of the wheels pulleys or rollers round which the
bands or belts pass may be made adjustable so as to compensate for wear or take
up the slack of the bands or belts.

page_text: By my improved machine a knife can be frequently cleaned for a long period of
time without any alteration of its shape as caused by machines heretofore employed
for this purpose since in my machine the grinding or polishing is effected evenly or
uniformly on both sides of the blade notwithstanding its usual bevel shape from the
back of the blade to its cutting edge and its usual tapering shape from the handlo
forward to the point of the blade.
The machine is also applicable to the finishing of new cutlery and two or more
machines may be arranged to be driven from one and the same shaft.
In order further to explain the nature of my invention I annex the accompanying
sheet of drawings wherein I shew the general arrangement of the apparatus
before described.
Figure 1. represents as far as possible the interior and exterior elevation of the
machine-In figure 1 letter (a) is the exterior casing which may be made of any
malleable metal (b. b.) are the wheels or pulleys and (c, c) are the bevelled wheels
shaft and handle for rotating such wheels or pulleys (d-d) are the bands or belts
passing around the wheels (b, b) and over the rollers (c, c) (f. f) are the small
rollers set outside the central gap or recess on which the knives rest while being
cleaned The hoppers wherein the powder is placed are marked (g, g) and the
aperture through which the polishing material descends upon the bands or belts is
marked () The double armed levers which press the bands or belts together are
marked (k, k) The oscillating frame to which they are attached is marked (l) The
spiral spring in the rear of the double armed lever is marked (m) and the stop which
holds the spring in its place is marked (n)-(p) is the central transverse trough
which receives the polishing powder as it falls from the bands or belts-In order
to maintain the bands or belts in a state of tension I sometimes place a bolt and
nut or a spring in or upon the outside of the casing on both sides in such a
way as to enable me to raise the axle of the rollers (e, e) and thus tighten the
belts or bands which pass over them.
Figure 2-describes the same machine by the same lettering and is intended to
show a plan thereof.
Figure 3 also describes the same machine by the same lettering and is intended
to show a transverse end section thereof.
Having now described the nature of my said invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed I would remark in conclusion that I do not
limit myself to the precise details or configurations which I have expressed and
shewn as it must be obvious that many modifications and variations of apparatus
may be devised on the principle of my invention in order to suit the requirements
of each particular case but what I claim and desire to be secured to me is
The arrangement of the bands or belts over pulleys or wheels and rollers in
connection with the levers and springs or an elastic substance or substances sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described whereby the bands are caused to run partially
in a straight line and to exert a continuous yielding pressure on the knife blade or
other article while the same is being cleaned or polished and the combination
of devices substantially as above described for securing the proper working of
the bands or belts.