Year: 1888

page_text: I JOHN WILSON of No. 22, Victoria Road Crosshill Glasgow in the county of
Renfrew North Britain Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :--
My invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning steel knives and has for its objects
to make such instruments simpler in construction and the operation of them easier,
quicker and more satisfactory in their results. I attain these objects by the mechanism
which is illustrated in the sheet of drawings herewith.
Fig. 1 is a broadside elevation of my improved knife cleaning apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a section of Figure 1.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a suspended rubber (and cannister) carrier..
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a cleaning powder cannister.
Fig. 5 is a broadside elevation of my improved knife cleaning apparatus with rubber
and cannister carrier suspended from the lever.
Fig. 6 is a broadside elevation of my improved lever knife cleaning apparatus with
the rubber and cannister united rigidly to the lever.
Fig. 7, is a section of figure 6.
Upon the platform A 1 attach the upright support B the bracket C and the pivotted
or fast rubber block D, and to the bracket C I connect the hand lever E by means of
the link F and pivots G and G. From the hand lever E Fig. 5 I suspend (by means
of a pivot G2) a rubber block H. which is faced on its under side with leather, india-
rubber or other suitable soft materials (or any combination thereof) and which block
contains a chamber J in which I insert a canister K containing cleaning powder which
is dredged upon the rubber D through perforations, L, in the canister and a suitable
provision in the rubber face M of the block H. On the knife blade being inserted
between the two surfaces D and M and the lever E pressed downwards, the process of
cleaning consists in rapidly drawing the knife back and forward, the cleaning powder
being slowly dredged from the canister by the tremor necessarily imparted to the
apparatus in the process of cleaning. The pivotting of the block H to the lever E
induces the rubbing surface M to adjust itself to the level of any knife blade whether

page_text: the latter be thick or thin. By making the rubbing surfaces of leather attached to a
backing of india-rubber or other yielding surface a perfect adjustment of the rubbing
surfaces to the knife blade is effected. The apparatus may be a moveable one or
attached immoveably to any structure; simple contrivances being supplied of various
kinds to attach it firmly to a bench or table whilst it is in use.
I find in practice that the result is equally (if not more) satisfactory when the
canister or powder holding member is made rigidly fast to the lever, E, and the
lower rubbing block D is pivotted to the sole plate (or platform) A as shewn in
Figs. 1. 2. 6 and 7. I also find it unnecessary to employ a separate canister, K,
for holding the cleaning powder but construct the upper rubbing block (H) like a
hollow dome (H2) with an aperture N, fig. 2 (stoppered or otherwise) at the upper
part whereat I can insert the cleaning powder. The soft, rubbing material M is
inserted tightly in the lower part of this block and its upper surface presses against a
loose perforated metal roof plate P, which divides the chamber of the dome into two
sections, the upper part containing cleaning powder and the lower one an india
rubber, leather or other suitable rubbing pad. The powder dredges through the
perforations which are within this plate and the rubber M, upon the surface of the
knife blade and the rubber D.
I also find it desirable to attach a rod, lever strap or chain to the handle of the
lever E, and apply pressure to the lever by means of the foot and such connecting
agents and in order to meet certain requirements I sometimes add a small spring to
the apparatus, at any convenient part thereof, in order to lift up, or raise automati-
cally, the lever E and thus keep the rubbing surfaces (M and D) slightly apart
whenever the pressure is removed from the lever E. By means of these latter
provisions (the pedal motion and spring elevator) this apparatus can be used as
effectually with one hand as with two. The lever may be either at the bottom or top
of the apparatus & pressed either upwards or downwards.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :
1st. In a knife cleaning apparatus, the combination therewith of a lever as a means
for applying the required pressure, all substantially as herein described and shewn and
for the purposes specified.
2nd. In a knife cleaning apparatus, the combination therewith of a pivotted rubber
and canister block attached to a lever, all substantially as herein described and shewn
and for the purposes specified.
3rd. In a knife cleaning apparatus, the combination therewith of a pivotted rubber
block attached conveniently beneath, but not to, the lever which communicates the
pressure; all substantially as herein described, and shewn and for purpose specified.
4th. In a lever knife cleaning apparatus the combination therewith of a rubber
block containing a hollow cavity for holding a supply of cleaning powder, all substan-
tially as herein described.
5th. In a lever knife cleaning apparatus the combination therewith of a rubbing
block containing a hollow cavity or hole for holding a (dredging) powder canister, all
substantially as herein described and shewn and for purposes specified.
6th. In a knife cleaning apparatus the combination therewith of hand lever, pedal
motion, adjustable pivotted rubber block, spring elevating and powder dredging
mechanism, all substantially as herein described and for purposes specified.
Dated this 14th day of June 1888.
JOSEPH LOCKWOOD,
Glasgow,
Agent for the Inventor.