Improvements in Knife Cleaning and Sharpening Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 1st Feb., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knife Cleaning and Sharpening Machines.
I, THOMAS EDWARD PECKETT, of 38, Victoria Street, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Cutlery Manufacturer and Silversmith, do hereby declare the
nature of my said invention to be as follows :-
My invention so far as the cleaning process is concerned, relates to machines
wherein the blade of the knife is cleaned by passing it between two revolving rolls
working either in the same or in opposite directions, such rolls being made for the
most part of india rubber or like elastic substance, the bottom roll revolving in a
trough containing finely powdered emery. It has been found in practice that the
most convenient arrangement, is to drive both rolls in the same direction, as by
doing so the forces which operate on each side of the blade are brought to play in
opposite directions so that the tendency to draw the blade forward in one direction
is balanced by the tendency to force it back in the opposite direction, in consequence
of which it is easier to enter and withdraw the blade between the rolls during the
operation of cleaning than would be the case if the rolls were made to revolve in
opposite directions.
There is however a liability when the rolls both revolve in the same direction
for the shoulder or bolster of the blade to be brought into too close contact with
one of the rolls, namely, that one which has the tendency to draw the blade
forward and inwards, in consequence of which tendency the roll becomes abraded
and unduly worn.
One object of my invention is to obviate this defect by placing a guard in front
of the rolls in such a position as will prevent the bolster or shoulder of the knife
being brought into actual contact with the rolls.
I effect this by providing a suitably proportioned metallic guard or shield in
front and in line with the rolls, this guard being formed of approximately the
same radius as the rolls themselves and extending from a point near where the
rolls meet for a sufficient distance along their circumferences forms an effective
shield to the rolls.
In this guard I provide a gap or slot through which the knife blade is passed
and entered between the rolls and as the material of which the guard is made is
comparatively thin, especially at the point where the slot is made, the blade of the
knife can be passed forward between the two rolls until the shoulder or bolster of
the blade is in close contact with the guard or very nearly as close to the roll as
would be the case were the guard not employed, but by the presence of the guard
all contact with the rolls and the bolster or shoulder is prevented.
In machines where emery powder is employed I utilize the upper portion of the
herein last described guard to form a receptacle or hopper into which the loose
emery may be placed and directed for feeding the rolls, thus obviating the
necessity of the bottom roll revolving in the powder and enabling me to place the
trough under the bottom roll, much further below it, so that the bottom roll
bearings are kept clear of the powder lying in the trough and thereby the wear of
the same being much reduced.
As a modification of the guard herein last described, I sometimes employ one or
more small round bars or pieces of stiff wire stretched tightly across the front and

page_text: in line with the rolls, sufficiently near to act as guards or fences to stop the shoulder
or bolster of the blade from coming too near the face of the rolls.
In my improved machine I provide for an extension of the botton roll spindle
beyond the frame of the machine on which I provide, as is customary in machines
of this class, a much smaller india rubber roll on which the curved portions of the
shoulder or bolster of the blade can be cleaned. The end of the spindle of the
other roll 1 bore out and tap and into the hole so formed I fit a loose spindle to
which I can attach a suitable brush for cleaning the tines or prongs of a fork.
I also provide a small wheel of stone, emery, or suitable composition which can be
interchanged with the last named brush and used for sharpening knife blades, or
the cutting edges of tools or other domestic implements. By making this auxiliary
spindle separately the machine can be supplied either with or without it, or the
brush, or the stone, or both as required.
In machines such as I have described it is necessary that the rolls used for
cleaning the knife blades shall be capable of very close adjustment, but without
coming into actual contact with each other, this is sometimes effected by employing
metallic springs between the bearings of the top and bottom rolls, the re-action of
which springs keep the rollers apart, the compression being effected by the cap
bolts in the top bearings or by independent screws employed for the purpose.
Instead of the metallic springs commonly employed I substitute india-rubber
pads or distance blocks between the bearings of the top and bottom rolls, such
india-rubber pads being simpler in application and quite as effective as metallic
springe.
Another improvement which I introduce is to provide the rolls with roller or
ball bearings, such bearings being so constructed that they can be placed upon
the spindles of the rolls and then placed in position into the frame of the spindle
without the bearings being opened out.
I effect this by constructing the bearings in the form of flanged discs with
flanged covers, the flanges being a sufficient distance apart to admit of their being
pased one on each side of the recess formed in the frame of the machine to carry
the bearings, the covers being placed on the outer side of the framing.
In this way the bearings can be examined and cleaned whilst in position in the
machine or both bearings can be withdrawn from the machine when the rolls are
lifted out of the slides of the frame.
A further improvement I effect by preparing the india-rubber rolls of such
machines with a succession of coats of fine emery powder which I secure to the
face of the rolls by means of glue or other suitable cement. By coating the rolls
in this manner I make them more effective than the plain india-rubber rolls and
more elastic than the rolls prepared with emery as one of the constituents
introduced in the process of manufacture, or by making a compound roll with a
very soft and elastic core and securing round it an envelope or sleeve of specially
prepared granulated emery and rubber or other suitable composition, I obtain a
ioll with an elastic body and with a hard grinding surface.
In combination with the other improvements berein described I attach to the
frame of my improved machine one of Skinner's well known knife sharpening
appliances which consists of two or more hardened steel discs fixed in a suitable
frame and provided with a guide.
On passing the blade of the knife between the gap of the guide with the edge
downwards it is brought in contact with the peripheries of both discs slightly
above their axes, the peripheries of which slightly overlap each other and are
provided with very fine circumferential grooves, the sharpening of the blade on
both sides being effected simultaneously by drawing the edge between the two discs
parallel with their axes.
Dated this 30th day of Anvil 1904
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant,

page_text: Improvements in Knife Cleaning and Sharpening Machines.
I, THOMAS EDWARD PECKETT, of 38, Victoria Street, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Cutlery Manufacturer and Silversmith, 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 :-
My invention so far as the cleaning process is concerned, relates to machines
wherein the blade of the knife is cleaned by passing it between two revolving rolls
working either in the same or in opposite directions, such rolls being made for the
most part of india rubber or like elastic substance, the bottom roll revolving in a
trough containing finely powdered emery. It has been found in practice that the
most convenient arrangement, is to drive both rolls in the same direction, as by
doing so the forces which operate on each side of the blade are brought to play in
opposite directions so that the tendency to draw the blade forward in one direction
is balanced by the tendency to force it back in the opposite direction, in consequence
of which it is easier to enter and withdraw the blade between the rolls during the
operation of cleaning than would be the case if the rolls were made to revolve in
opposite directions.
There is however, a liability when the rolls both revolve in the same direction
for the shoulder or bolster of the blade to be brought into too close contact with one
of the rolls, namely, that one which has the tendency to draw the blade forward
and inwards, in consequence of which tendency the roll becomes abraded and
unduly worn.
One object of my invention is to obviate this defect by placing a guard in front
of the rolls in such a position as will prevent the bolster or shoulder of the knife
being brought into actual contact with the rolls.
The nature of my invention will be better understood on reference to the
accompanying two sheets of drawings in which:
Fig. 1. Sheet 1. is a front elevation of my improved knife cleaner with the guard
shewn in front of the rolls.
Fig. 2. being a vertical section of the same taken on the line A. B.
Fig. 3. Sheet 2. is a section through the roll spindle (on the line C. D. Fig. 1.)
looking on to the ball bearings as fixed in the frame of the machine with the
india-rubber pad or distance block between the two, one bearing is shewn with the
cover on and the other with the cover removed.
Fig. 4. is a sectional plan taken through one of the bearings on the line E. F.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 5. being a front view of one side of the frame of the machine, the upper
part being shewn partly in section.
Fig. 6. is one of the rolls shewn partly in section, and
Fig. 7. is an end view of the same also partly in section.
Fig. 8. is a perspective view of the complete machine with one set of fittings in
place.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
I carry out my invention by providing a suitably proportioned metallic guard
or shield, E, in front and in line with the rolls H, H, this guard being formed of
approximately the same radius as the rolls themselves and extending from a point
near where the rolls meet for a sufficient distance along their circumferences,
forms an effective shield to the rolls.
In this guard I provide a gap or slot, E¹, through which the knife blade, M,
is passed and entered between the rolls and as the material of which the guard is
made is comparatively thin, especially at the point where the slot is made, the

page_text: blade of the knife can be passed forward between the two rolls until the shoulder
or bolster, N, of the blade, is in close contact with the guard, E, or very nearly
as close to the rolls, H, H, as would be the case were the guard not employed,
but by the presence of the guard all contact with the rolls and the bolster or shoulder
is prevented.
In machines where emery powder is employed, I utilize the upper portion of
the herein last described guard to form a receptacle or hopper, F, into which the
loose emery may be placed and directed for feeding the rolls, so that the emery
may be delivered on to the face of the rolls more towards their centres than their
ends thus obviating the necessity of the bottom roll revolving in the powder and
enabling me to place the trough, T, under the bottom roll, much further below it
so that the bottom roll bearings are kept clear of the powder lying in the trough
and thereby the wear of the same being much reduced.
As a modification of the guard, E, herein last described I sometimes employ
one or more small round bars or pieces of stiff wire or other suitable material
stretched tightly across the front and in line with the rolls sufficiently near to act
as guards or fences to stop the shoulder or bolster of the blade from coming too
near the face of the rolls.
In my improved machine I provide for an extension of the bottom roll spindle
beyond the frame of the machine on which I provide, as is customary in machines
of this class, a much smaller india-rubber roll, G, Fig. 1 and Fig. 8, on which the
curved portions of the shoulder or bolster of the blade can be cleaned. The end
of the spindle of the other roll I bore out and tap and into the hole so formed
I fit a loose spindle, Y, or in some cases I provide a sleeve, J, Fig. 6, to either of
which I can attach a suitable brush, B, for cleaning the tines or prongs of a fork.
I also provide a small wheel, C, of stone, emery, or suitable composition which can
he interchanged with the last named brush or used on the spindle or sleeve at the
same time for sharpening knife blades, or the cutting edges of tools or other
domestic implements. By making this auxiliary spindle or sleeve, J, separately,
the machine can be supplied either with or without it, or the brush, or the stone,
or both as required.
In machines such as I have described, it is necessary that the rolls used for
cleaning the knife blades shall be capable of very close adjustment, but without
coming into actual contact with each other, this is sometimes effected by employing
metallic springs between the bearings of the top and bottom rolls, the reaction of
which springs keep the rollers apart, the compression being effected by the cap
bolts, R, R, in the top bearings or by independent screw or screws, I, I, employed
for the purpose.
Instead of the metallic springs commonly employed, I substitute india-rubber
pads or distance blocks, L, between the bearings of the top and bottom rolls,
such india-rubber pads being simpler in application and quite as effective as
metallic springs.
Another improvement which I introduce is to provide the rolls with roller or
ball bearings, A, A, A, A, such bearings being so constructed that they can be
placed upon the spindles of the rolls as shewn in Fig. 6, and then placed in position
into the frame S of the machine carrying the spindle without the bearings being
opened out.
I effect this by constructing the bearings in the form of flauged discs or semi
discs, A', Figs. 3, 4, & 5, with flanged covers, A', the flanges being a sufficient
distance apart to admit of their being passed one on each side of the recess formed
in the frame S of the machine to carry the bearings, the covers being placed on
the outer side of the framing.
In this way the bearings can be examined and cleaned whilst in position in the
machine or both bearings can be withdrawn from the machine when the rolls are
lifted out of the slides of the frame, the bearings remaining on the spindle as shewn
on Fig. 6.
A further improvement I effect, by preparing the india-rubber rolls of such

page_text: machines with a succession of coats of fine emery powder which I secure to the
face of the rolls by means of glue or other suitable cement. By coating the
rolls in this manner I make them more effective than the plain india-rubber rolls
and more elastic than the rolls prepared with emery as one of the constituents
introduced in the process of manufacture, or by making a compound roll with
a very soft and elastic core, V, as shewn in Figs. 6 & 7, and securing round it
an envelope or sleeve, W, of specially prepared granulated emery and rubber or
other suitable composition, I obtain a roll with an elastic body and with a hard,
griuding surface.
In combination with the other improvements herein described, I attach to the
frame of my improved machine one of Skinner's well known koife sharpening
appliances, as shewn at D, Fig. 8, which consists of two or more hardened steel
discs fixed in a suitable frame and provided with a guide. On passing the blade
of the knife between the gap of the guide with the edge downwards, it is brought
in contact with the peripheries of both discs slightly above their axes, the
peripheries of which slightly overlap each other and are provided with very fine
circumferential grooves, the sharpening of the blade on both sides being effected
simultaneously by drawing the edge between the two discs parallel with their axes,
but I make no claim in respect to this knife sharpening appliance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is,
1. In knife cleaning and sharpening machines, providing a metallic guard or
shield in front and in line with the rolls, such guard being so formed that a knife
blade can be passed between the two rolls and cleaned until the shoulder or bolster
of the blade is brought close to the rolls without coming in contact therewith, in
the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein described and illustrated.
2. In knife cleaning and sharpening machines, providing a metallic guard or
shield in front and in line with the rolls, the upper portion of such guard being
utilized to form a receptacle or hopper into which the loose emery may be placed
and directed for feeding the rolls, in the manner and for the purposes substantially
as herein described and illustrated.
3. In knife cleaning and sharpening machines constructing a compound roll with
a very soft and elastic core through which its spindle or axis is passed, and securing
round this elastic core an envelope or sleeve of specially prepared granulated
emery and rubber or other suitable composition in the manner and for the purposes
substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 30th day of January 1897.
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.