Improvements in the Method of and Means for Shaping Pearl Scales and Handles for Cutlery and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Shaping Pearl
Scales and Handles for Cutlery and the like.
I, CHARLES HANSON of 19 Carver Lane, in the City of Sheffield, Pearl
Cutter, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to obtain greater accuracy and regularity in size
and form of the scale or other pearl article, also to facilitate the operation and
reduce the cost of labour.
Hitherto the method of producing pearl scales from the shell has been to saw the
shell into suitable slabs which are again sawn down to the size required or
thereabouts; these rough sawn pieces are then passed to a grinder who grinds them
upon the face of a broad stone until they are smooth and as near flat as he can tell
by the eye.
Pearl is however very brittle, and if the scale is not true it is liable to crack or
fracture when being rivetted to the metal scale of a knife.
I propose to reduce such already sawn out slabs to size, and to finish them by
mechanical means or appliances, and I thus produce every scale perfect in form and
size, and absolutely flat, and also with great rapidity.
I prefer to use for this purpose an emery. wheel or similar class of grinder of
smaller diameter than the stones used for this purpose hitherto.
I support the axle of the grinder in bearings connected with a metal, or metal
faced table arranged after the manner of a circular saw, and upon the surface of
the table I fix on one side of the circular grinder, a flat metal gauge with means for
adjustment to and from the side of the grinder. This gauge acts as a guide for a
travelling scale holder or carrier.
The carrier is a flat plate having a vertical side and end, the other side and end
being open.
It is provided with a loose side which is supported by one or more screws
attached to its back and which pass through the fixed side, and they are provided
with locknuts by which the loose side can be moved towards and from the edge of
the carrier, so as to regulate the thickness of the scale. The loose side may also
be adjusted for tapering scales or handles.
The method of using the apparatus is as follows: The gauge and carrier being
adjusted, a piece of sawn pearl is placed flat against the loose side of the carrier,
its edge resting upon the bottom plate and the excess of thickness projecting
beyond it.
The carrier is then placed upon the table against the gauge, the pearl scale
being held in position by the workman; it is then pushed forward to the
grinder and forced along its side until it is reduced to the desired thickness.
The gauge may then be removed to a position in front of the periphery of the
grinder, or a special gauge may be kept fixed in that position, and the scale be
laid flat on the table against the gauge and passed against the periphery of the
grinder, so as to shape the edges to the required width.
A separate grinder may be used for each process if desired.
Dated the 12th day of February 1896.

page_text: Improvements in the Method of and Means for Shaping Pearl
Scales and Handles for Cutlery and the like.
I, CHARLES HANSON of 19 Carver Lane, in the City of Sheffield Pearl
Cutter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same has to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention has for its object to obtain greater accuracy of form and regularity
in the size of scales or other articles of pearl, and to greatly facilitate such shaping
and grinding operations.
Hitherto the method of producing scales from the pearl shell, has been to saw the
shell into suitable slabs which are again sawn into the approximate sizes of the
required scales; these rough pieces are then given to a grinder to be ground to
the finished size upon the face of a broad stone until they are smooth and as nearly
flat as he can judge by the eye. Pearl is very brittle, and if the scale is not flat
and true, it is very liable to fracture when being rivetted to the metal scale of a
knife, hence the importance of accuracy with speed.
I reduce the already sawn out scales to the form, size, and finish by the aid of
mechanical appliances which are illustrated in the sheet of drawings annexed, and
I am thereby enabled to obtain every scale of perfect form and size and absolutely
flat, and with much greater rapidity than heretofore.
Fig. 1, is a plan of a grinding bench, carrying a
scale carrier and adjustable gauge.
Fig. 2, plan of carrier.
Fig. 3, side elevation of same.
Fig. 4, front elevation of same.
Fig. 5, plan of edge grinding apparatus.
spindle with grinder, and the
Fig. 6, illustrates the method and appliances for tapering the edges.
I prefer to use an emery wheel or similar type of circular grinder A, of much
smaller diameter than the stones usually employed for this purpose.
I support the axle B, of the grinder A, in bearings C, upon or connected with a
metal faced or metal table D, arranged after the manner of a circular saw table,
and upon the face of the table 1 fix a flat metal gauge E, with means by which it
can be adjusted nearer to or further from the side of the grinder A, such as the
bolts F.
This gauge acts as a guide for a scale holder or carrier G, to slide against.
The scale holder G, shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, is a flat plate having a vertical side
and end, the other side and end being open.
It is provided with a loose side plate H, which is supported by one or more
screws 1, fixed to its back and passing through the fixed side.
They are provided with locknuts J, and thus the loose plate H, can be moved to
and from the edge of the holder so as to regulate the thickness of the scale. The
loose side may also be adjusted for tapering scales or handles.
The method of using the apparatus described is as follows; the gauge E, and
the loose plate H, being adjusted, a rough piece of sawn pearl or roughed out
scale is placed with its flat side against the loose side H, of the carrier so that
its lower edge rests upon the bottom plate, and the excess of thickness projecting
beyond it.
The carrier with the rough scale is then placed upon the table and against
the edge of the gauge, with the scale next the grinder A, and is pushed forward
by the workman between the gauge and the grinder which reduces it to the
required size.

page_text: Instead of the workman having to force forward the carrier and the scale, I
may cause this to be done automatically by means of a number of carriers attached
to an endless chain, driven by the grinder axle, or from other source, which would
carry
the scales forward past the grinder and drop them into a receiver when the
carrier turned over in returning.
To grind or reduce the edges of the scales the gauge may then be removed to
the front of the grinder and the scale be passed between it and the periphery of
the grinder, upon the face of the table, but I prefer to use a smaller grinder for
this purpose as shown in Fig. 5, and to use a second gauge or guide K, to receive
the scale as it leaves the grinder.
To grind or reduce the scales to a taper form I use a scale holder L, of flat
steel, turned up at M, or otherwise provided with a hand hold for the workman to
push it forward by. The front part is tapered and has a shoulder against which
the scale S, rests and by which it is forced forward past the grinder A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The improved method of grinding or shaping pearl scales and handles for
cutlery and the like, by means of a carrier or holder constructed as hereinbefore
described, in combination with an adjustable gauge and a circular grinder, as set
forth.
2. The improved method of tapering pearl scales and handles by means of a
scale-holder L, constructed as hereinbefore described, in combination with an
adjustable gauge E, and a circular grinder A, as set forth.
3. In grinding pearl scales and handles, a scale-holder G, having an adjustable
side H, against which the scale or handle is placed and by which it is supported as
herein before described and shown.
4. In grinding pearl scales and handles to a taper form, the use of a holder L,
having a tapered recess in one side, a shoulder to carry the scale or handle forward,
and a handhold M, to push it by, in combination with a gauge, as hereinbefore
described and shown.
Dated the 3rd dor of November 1896
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.