CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KNIVES AND FORKS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ADAPTATION OF HANDLES THERETO.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wheatcroft Harrison, of Montgomery
·
Works, Fargate, Sheffield, Electro-plate and Cutlery Manufacturer,
for the Invention of " CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
KNIVES AND FORKS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ADAPTATION OF HANDLES
THERETO.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wheatcroft
Harrison at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th February 1873.
.I, WILLIAM WHEATOROFT HARRISON, of Montgomery Works, Fargate,
Sheffield, Electro-plate and Cutlery Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention for " CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF KNIVES AND FORKS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ADAPTATION OF
HANDLES THERETO," to be as follows:-
The Invention is designed for the purpose of supplying and attaching
handles to knives, forks, and other similar cutlery which are composed ·
of metal as a framework, and ivory, pearl, or other substances, as facings

page_text: or surfaces for the same, the arrangement and adaptation of which will
facilitate, economize, and expedite the process of manufacture.
The improvements consist in first bending a strip of metal equal in
width to the edge of the handle in a form that will be suitable as a shell
or framework for the knife or fork it is designed to fit. Around the
inner edges of this metal shell an upper and lower groove is formed, in
which I insert previously prepared thin pieces of ivory, pearl, or other
substances or composition. These scales of ivory or other material are
bevilled or grooved at their edges, so that when inserted in the grooves
of the metal frame at the smallest or open-end thereof, and secured by a 1
ferrule or by means of internal projecting loops of metal so arranged
that when forced together (so as firmly to embrace and retain the ivory
scale), they admit of a bar or rod projecting from the holster of the
blade to pass through them and form a key for binding the whole of the
handle together, or in cases where the ivory scale is grooved a permanent 1
open stretcher is employed, through which the tang of the knife is passed
in lieu of the binding loop. A screw thread formed on this projecting
bar or rod screws into a nut formed in the inner portion of the metal
frame, or through a traverse internal binding piece that stretchcs
between the sides of the framework near the upper portion thercof. 2
The framework and ivory scale may also be effectually secured by dove-
tailing or fitting the ends of the same into the holster or tang of the
knife. At the time of securing the whole together, and the necessary
quantity of cement or other material has been filled in, the blade is by
means of the rod or bar provided with a screw thread screwed into the 2
internal nut or stretcher bar, which has the effect of tightening up the
handle to the holster, thus contracting the framework, and binding the
whole firmly together.
I am aware that ivory and other form and construction of handles
have heretofore been secured by means of screws forming an attachment 3
between the blade and the handle in contradistinction to and what con-
stitutes the novelty of my Invention is that I construct the handles of
kuives and forks with metal as a framework, which is so arranged that
scales or strips of ivory or other material can be inserted from the
smallest or open end, and secured thereto by the closing or drawing 3
together of the sides, and screwing the blade into the handle, so as to
bind the whole firmly together in the manner described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Wheatcroft Harrison in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 15th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WHEATCROFT HARRISON, of Montgomery Works, Fargate, Sheffield,
Electro-plate and Cutlery Manufacturer, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Wheatcroft Harrison, Her special
licence that I, the said William Wheatcroft Harrison, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Wheatcroft
Harrison, 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,
cxercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KNIVES AND FORKS, AND IN
THE CONSTRUCTION AND ADAPTATION OF HANDLES THERETO," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Wheatcroft Harrison, 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 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 the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wheatcroft Harrison, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is
to say:
==
The Invention is designed for the purpose of supplying and attaching
handles to knives, forks, and other similar cutlery which are composed
of metal as a framework, and ivory, pearl, or other substances as facings

page_text: or surfaces for the same, the arrangement and adaptation of which will
facilitate, economize, and expedite the process of manufacture.
The improvements consist in the novel methods of constructing knives,
forks, and their handles herein-after described :-I bend a strip of metal
equal in width to the edge of the handle of the knife or fork intended to
be made in a form that will be suitable as a shell or framework for the
knife or fork it is designed to fit. Around the inner edges of this metal
shell an upper and lower groove is formed, in which I insert previously
prepared thin pieces of ivory, pearl, or other substances or composition.
These scales of ivory or other material are bevilled or grooved at their
edges, so that when inserted in the grooves of the metal frame at the
smallest or open end thereof, and secured by a ferrule or by means of
internal projecting loops of metal so arranged that when forced together
(so as firmly to embrace and retain the ivory scale) they admit of a bar
or rod projecting from the holster of the blade to pass through them and
form a key for binding the whole of the handle together. It is obvious
that other well known methods which are used for fastening plates or
articles of like form in frames intended to hold them may be employed
for fixing the ivory scales or other scales in the frame used by me as
herein described for forming my improved handle. In some cases the
edges of the side pieces and ends which form as it were the walls of the
frames may be turned over so as to cover the edges of the ivory or other
scales or plates. The turning over of the said edges may be effected in
any of the well known ways in which pressure is applied to metallic
plates or sheets in analogous cases, as by stamping or by pressing with a
roller or burnishing tool. In those cases it will not be necessary to form
grooves, as above described, in the side or end pieces of the frame. In
cases where the ivory scale is grooved a permanent open stretcher is
employed, through which the tang of the knife is passed in lieu of the
binding loop. A screw thread formed on this projecting bar or rod
screws into a nut formed in the inner portion of the metal frame, or
through a transverse internal binding piece that stretches between the
sides of the framework near the upper portion thereof. The framework
and ivory scale may also be effectually secured by dovetailing or fitting
the ends of the same into the holster or tang of the knife. At the time
of securing the whole together, and the necessary quantity of cement
or other material has been filled in, the blade is (by means of the rod or
bar provided with a screw thread) screwed into the internal nut or

page_text: stretcher bar, which has the effect of tightening up the handle to the
holster, thus contracting the framework and binding the whole firmly
together.
I am aware that ivory and other form and construction of handles
have heretofore been secured by means of screws forming an attachment
between the blade and the handle, and in some cases ivory or other scales
or plates have been fixed in a kind of metallic case, part of which is cut
away or removed so as to expose as much of the surface of the scale as
may be desired. To such modes of fastening scales I make no claim,
but by my improved method of construction I make the handles of
knives and forks with metal as a framework, which is so arranged that
scales or strips of ivory or other material can be inserted from the
smallest or open end, and secured thereto by the closing or drawing
together of the sides, and screwing the blades into the handle, so as to
bind the whole firmly together; or I fix the scales in their frames by
turning over the edges or tips of the sides of the frames, so as to hold the
scales firmly in their respective places according to the method and in
the manner herein respectively described. By these means thin plates
or scales of ivory may be made to constitute a strong, rigid, and efficient
handle, and a great saving of ivory or other expensive material may be
effected without sacrificing strength of work or appearance or finish.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained
in detail I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made about full
size, similar letters of reference being marked on corresponding parts on
all the Figures alike.
Fig. 1 represents a flat view of the blade of a knife with its projecting
tang; Fig. 2 represents a similar view in connection with the metal
frame of the handle, having one of the scales of ivory removed.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent similar views to the last, shewing various
modifications of the manner in which the tang of the blade is secured to
the metal frame.
Fig. 5 represents an edge view of the blade, together with the section
of the scales and metal frame of the knife.
Fig. 6 represents a transverse section of the metal frame through the
5 line x, x, of Fig. 2, showing one of the scales in its position, and the
mode in which it is held in the groove of the same; and Fig. 7 represonts

page_text: '
a similar transverse section of the handle through the line y, y', of Fig. 3.
It will be seen that the edge is turned over and pressed upon tho edge or
rim of the scale, as at m¹, but the edge stands up at m, and is not shewn
to be turned over, the operation being only half completed.
In these Figures a, a, is the blade of the knife, of which the tang b
forms a portion; c is the metal frame of the handle, which is provided
with grooves or recesses designed for receiving the scales of ivory or
other material d, as seen at Figs. 5, 6, and 7. A very simple mode of
securing the handle to the knife blade a is shown at Fig. 2, in which the
tang is screwed into the stretcher e until the holster f comes into 1
contact with the ends of the ivory scales and metal frame, the said scales
having previously been passed into the grooves of the frame, and the
recess or hollow between the scales enclosed by the metal frame filled in
with cement.
In Figure 3 another modification for securing the blade to the handle 1
is shewn. In this arrangement the metal frame is provided with a screw
recess h, or outside screw washer ³, as seen in diagram H, stretcher i,
and binding links k, k. The tip of the taper tang 6 is provided with a
screw thread, so that when the handle with the scales in their respectivo
grooves is being secured to the blade the tang is passed first through the 2
links k, k, then through the stretcher i, and finally screwed or rivetted
into the inside fixed screw recess h, or outside screw washer ³, until the
holster is firmly bedded against the ends of the metal frame and scales.
As the tang is thus being inserted the taper formation of tho samo
gradually contracts, through the medium of the links k, k, the ends of 2
the metal frame into close contact with the scales, thereby binding the
whole firmly together.
In the transverse section Fig. 7 of this construction of handle I shew
a method of fastening the scale by turning over its "champored" edges
the lips of the frame, which operation is effected by pressing it in any 3
convenient way by means of a stamp or roller or burnishing tool. The
projecting edge of the metal is shewn at m in the shape it assumes before
being turned over for the purpose of fixing the scale, and m¹ shews the
edge after it has been turned over, the scale being made to rest on a
suitable ledge or bed.
In Fig. 4 the taper tang 6 is shewn as passed between links k, k, which
gradually contract the metal frame on to the scales as the holster fis
31

page_text: forced up to its scating. The hollow of the handle is filled with coment
or other suitable material, which fixes the whole firmly together.
By the various modifications and arrangements shewn and described
as examples of the construction and putting together of the parts com-
posing the handlo, and connecting the same with the blade, a firm and
secure hold is obtained between the two that makes the fork or knife
with its handle firm and rigid and compact.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with
the method of carrying, the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
distinctly understood, in conclusion, that I claim, the use for knives and
forks and other similar tablo cutlery of a haft or handle of the novel
construction herein described, that is to say, being composed of a metal
frame, having fixed in it scales or plates of ivory or other material, tho
whole being sccured in the manner and for the purpose as horcin-before
substantially described, set forth, and respectively illustrated in the
Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wheatcroft Harrison, have
hercunto set my hand and scal, this Seventh day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
thrco.
Witness,
WILLIAM WHEATCROFT HARRISON. (L.S.)
JOHN RICH³. PARKER,
23, Oxford Street,
Sheffield.