IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING METALLIC HANDLES FOR KNIVES AND FORKS, BACKS FOR RAZORS, Bows FOR SCISSORS, AND THE RELATIVE PARTS OF SUCH LIKE INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1853

page_text: TERS PATENT TO
m Smith,
nufacturer, of Shemer
the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MODE OF MANUFACTURING METALLIC HANDLES FOR KNIVES AND FORKS,
BACKS FOR RAZORS, Bows FOR SCISSORS, AND THE RELATIVE PARTS OF
SUCH LIKE INSTRUMENTS."
Scaled the 12th December 1858, and dated the 13th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Smith
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th June 1853.
I, WILLIAM SMITH, Manufacturer, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING METALLIC HANDLES FOR
KNIVES AND FORKS, BACKS FOR RAZORS, Bows FOR SCISSORS, AND THE
RELATIVE PARTS OF ALL SUCH LIKE INSTRUMENTS," to be as follows:-
At present metallic handles are stamped or cast hollow, and connected
with blades or tangs by cement; scissors are made with the bows cut

page_text: or filed out of the solid steel, or for the more common descriptions, with
the blade and bow cast in one piece; razors are made with the backs
solid and ground, or with run steel backs or tubes clasped on to the
blades or fastened by rivets; the same course of proceeding is adopted
with all similar articles. I propose to cast the handles, bows, or backs
of German silver, white metal, or other material on to the tang, blade,
or part of the article to which it is to be attached; the moulds are
prepared for casting handles, bows, or backs of any design, in such
manner that the articles to which they are to be attached can be fixed
with the tang, blade, or other necessary part projecting into the bed sunk
for the reception of the metal; the metal is then poured into the mould,
and embracing the tang, blade, or part indicated above becomes firmly
attached thereto. The respective parts become so thoroughly united by
this process that by no ordinary means is it scarcely possible to separate
them. All general cutlery, combs, and such like articles I propose to
treat in the same manner. The Improvements which I claim as my
Invention are the casting of the parts referred to upon the articles, so
as to save all the labor consequent on fitting and connecting.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 12th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM SMITH, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Ier reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Smith, Her special licence
that I, the said William Smith, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Smith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,

page_text: 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 THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING METALLIC HANDLES FOR
KNIVES AND FORKS, BACKS FOR RAZORS, Bows FOR SCISSORS, AND THE
RELATIVE PARTS OF ALL SUCH LIKE INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Smith, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Smith, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say):
My improvements in the manufacture of metallic handles for knives
and forks, backs for razors, bows for scissors, and the relative parts of
such like instruments, refer to the making, shaping, and applying the
parts referred to in such manner as to admit of great variety of design
in conjunction with effecting a considerable saving in the labour and cost
of production; and in order fully to make known my said Invention I
will proceed to describe as accurately as possible the best means I am
acquainted with whereby my said Invention may be carried into
practical effect.
Adopting the articles specifically named in the title of my said
Invention as the representatives of a class, I would observe that in
the manufacture of metallic handles for the articles comprehended in
the first class, "knives and forks," the practise at present is to make
hollow handles, and then attach them to the knives, forks, or other
articles by solder or other means at a second operation. In the
manufacture of backs for articles comprehended in the second class,
razors," the practise is to make razors with solid steel backs, ground,
66

page_text: ::
or with run steel backs or tubes clasped or hammered on to the blades
and fastened by rivets. In the manufacture of articles comprehended
in the third class, scissors," the bows are cut or filed out of solid
steel, or when made of metal are stamped and attached by solder to
the blades; for inferior and very cheap articles the blades and bows are
cast in one piece.
By the process embraced in my Invention the parts to which it
applies of the articles indicated in the title of my said Invention, and
herein-after specifically enumerated, may be cast of white metal or other
material immediately and by one operation upon the tang, blade, or
proper part of the article to which it is to be attached.
The dies or moulds for casting handles, backs, and bows are formed
of brass or metal, or a combination of metals in sections or thicknesses,
and are prepared, sunk, or cut for handles, backs, or bows of any
required pattern or design, in such manner that part of the bed or space
formed for the reception of the casting is sunk in each section or
thickness; each section or thickness of the lies or moulds is also sunk
for the reception of the knife, fork, razor, scissors, or other article, in
such manner that when the knife, fork, razor, scissors, or other article
is fixed therein the tang, blade, or part of the knife, fork, scissors, or
the article to which the handle, back, or how is to be attached projects
into the space sunk for the reception of the casting: the sections,
thicknesses, or corresponding parts of the dies or moulds are put together
or joined with stubs or projections on the face of the one to fit into holes
or sockets on the face of the other, so that when the die or mould is
once perfected and adjusted for casting, the proper combination of the
sections, thicknesses, or corresponding parts for constant use is secured.
In the operation of casting, the sections, thicknesses, or corresponding
parts of the dies or moulds are pressed closely together with the knife,
fork, razor, scissors, or other article fixed in the groove or sinking
prepared for it, with the tang, blade, or other part projecting into the
bed or space sunk for the handle, back, or bow; the molten metal
is then poured into the die or mould, and forms the handle, back, or
bow it at once surrounds and adheres to the taug, blade, or part

page_text: referred to, so that when the metal becomes cool it is so firmly attached
thereto as for all practical purposes to be indivisible. When the
handle, back, or bow is cast it is taken out by separating the sections
or thicknesses of the die or mould; the mould is again rejoined, and
the operation of casting may be proceeded with continuously and
rapidly.
I would observe that this Specification referring to the handles, backs,
bows, and relative parts of knives, forks, razors, scissors, and all such
like instruments, also comprehends and applies equally in all particulars
to the corresponding parts of the following articles, namely:-
Table and dessert cutlery.
Pallette knives.
Paper knives.
Fish knives.
Butter knives.
Sword guards.
Sword handles.
Dagger handles.
Cheese knives.
Crumb knives.
Bowie knives.
Hunting knives.
Shears.
Snuffers.
Grape scissors and tongs.
Sugar and asparagus tongs.
Small saws.
Combs.
Surgical instruments, and articles used in fitting up dressing cases and
ladies work boxes requiring handles, backs, or bows.
The advantages of my Invention are, that by the adoption of the
operation and mode of casting herein-before set forth and described
ample scope is afforded for producing articles of infinite variety of
design, and as it precludes the necessity of the fitting, filing, stamping,
soldering, boring, rivetting at present practised, much of the labour and
cost of production is saved.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be and may be performed, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I limit ny claim to and I claim as of my
Invention of " Improvements in the Mode of Manufacturing Metallic
Handles for Knives and Forks, Backs for Razors, Bows for Scissors, and
the relative Parts of all such like Instruments," the fitting of such
articles in dies or moulds, and casting thereon the parts comprehended

page_text: In witness whereof, I, the said William Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Signed and sealed by the
said William Smith in
the presence of
T. F. CASHIN, C.E.,
WILLIAM SMITH. (L.S.)
Highway Buildings, Sheffield.