IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY KNIFE CLEANING MACHINES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Simpson, of Leather Lane, London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY KNIFE CLEANING MACHINES."
Sealed the 7th November 1856, and dated the 9th May 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Simpson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th May 1856.
I, GEORGE SIMPSON, of Leather Lane, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY KNIPE CLEANING
MACHINES, to be as follows:-
Various means have been employed for exerting pressure on the interior
drum of rotary knife cleaning machines, so as to cause the "brushes" which
are placed on either side of the drum to press against and thus polish the
knives when set in motion, and most of these means have been objectionable.
The set screws generally used for the purpose are frequently put out of order
by the servants who use the machines, and instead of producing friction where
it is wanted on the surface of the knife, they produce it on the sides of the
machine. Now this Invention consists of the use of a spiral or other spring,
for the purpose of connecting the two surfaces of the brushes, and for main-
taining pressure on the knives while they are being cleaned; this spring may
be in the centre of the brush rum, or two or more may be used in any other

page_text: convenient part. When the knife is inserted the spring expands, and then,
by its contraction, the brushes are pressed against the surface of the knife, the
friction from which, on motion being given, polishes the knives.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Simpson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th November 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SIMPSON, of Leather Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Simpson, Her special licence that I, the said George Simpson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Simpson, 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 IN ROTARY KNIFE
CLEANING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Simpson, 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 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 George Simpson, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention of improvements in rotary knife cleaning machines consists
in the application of a spring placed within the axle, and so arranged as to
produce an uniform pressure of the brushes upon the surface of the knife
blades. Various means have been employed for exerting pressure on the
interior drums of rotary knife cleaning machines, so as to cause the "brushes"

page_text: to press against the knives and thus polish them when the brushes are set in
rapid motion, and this pressure of the brushes against each other has been
generally regulated by a set screw. But this means has been found very
objectionable on account of the facility it affords for improper adjustment by
servants who use the machines, and thus, instead of producing friction where
it is wanted upon the surface of the knives, the pressure is thrown upon the
sides of the machine. On the other hand, if the screw were set loosely, the
pressure of the polishing surfaces was insufficient, and the knives could not
be cleaned. The object then of this Invention is to avoid these objec-
tions, and to so adjust the brushes upon the axle that the pressure shall be
unvarying.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and carried
into practical effect, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, referring
to the Drawing accompanying and forming a part of this Specification, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon.
the axle
Fig. 1 represents an external view of the axle of a rotary knife cleaning
machine with my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of
the same. The axle is made in two parts, A and B, the central portions,
C, D, are made square and hollow. Figs. 3 and 4 represent front views
of the two parts A and B, showing the square portions C, D; in the part B
made hollow throughout, and the square part D made so that it
will fit within the part C. E, F, are plates or bosses to which the brushes for
cleaning the knives are fixed by screws; the brushes are of the description
ordinarily made for rotary knife machines, that is to say, dises of wood partly
filled in with bristles, and partly covered with pieces of buff leather placed
edgewise. Beyond the plates E and F, are fitted two bosses, which press
against and serve to partly support the sides of the machine; these bosses are
retained in their places on the one side by a screw cap, and on the other by a
collar or milled head. The handle by which the axle and brushes are put in
motion is fitted on the square end G, and secured by a nut. Within the
hollow of the part C is fitted a spiral spring H, held at one end by a pin I,
which passes through the metal of the axle; the other end of the spring is
secured to a pin K, which passes through the hollow part of the axle B. Upon
the outer end of the pin K, which projects beyond the axle B, is cut a male
screw, to which is fitted a nut L. When the two parts of the axle are put
together, the square part D slides within the recess of the part C, the nut L
is then screwed up; the pressure of the nut against the spindle B causes the
spring to expand, the reaction of which presses the plates E, F, nearer
together. This brings the brushes in closer proximity, and the pressure, when

page_text: once properly adjusted, is not liable to be relaxed or removed, because the
spring is entirely protected from external injury by the parts C, D, sliding one
within the other, and the adjusting screw is concealed by the screw cap, which
secures the boss to the side of the machine. But if at any time the brushes
require bringing closer together, it may be done by removing the screw cap
and screwing the nut L a few turns tighter.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise arrangement of the different parts herein-before described
and shown, as the same may be varied without departing from the Invention;
but what I claim and desire to secure by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, constructing rotary knife cleaning machines with a spring
or springs fitted and applied thereto, in the manner and for the purpose
herein-before described and shown, or any mere modification thereof..
In witness whereof, I, the said George Simpson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
CHARLES BARLOW,
Office for Patents,
89, Chancery Lane.
GEO SIMPSON. (L.S.)