IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANDLES OF POCKET CUTLERY
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hemsworth Smith, of Sheffield, in the
County of York, Manufacturer of Cutlery, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANDLES OF POCKET CUTLERY."
Sealed the 7th October 1871, and dated the 11th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hemsworth
Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 11th April 1871.
I, WILLIAM HEMSWORTH SMITH, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manufacturer of Cutlery, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANDLES OF POCKET CUTLERY," to be as
follows:-
The object of my said Invention is the cheap and expeditious manu-
facture of the external covering or casing of that description of cutlery
called "pocket knives" without the use of pins or rivets therein, and
free from the cost of the usual filing and fitting or “finish” thereof.
The means by which I propose to carry out my said Invention are
as follows:-I first make a rough skeleton haft, with one or more

page_text: finished blades; these blades with the requisite springs at the back
of the knife are firmly rivetted to the side pieces or scales of the handle
or haft of the knife, and also to the partitions or inside scales thereof
when these are used, which side pieces may be of tinned brass or any
other suitable metal. Theso springs are formed with a small outward
flange at the end whore the blades act on the said springs in opening
or or shutting. To this flange I give an amount of projection when
fixed so as to be flush with my improved external case when the knifo
is closed, sufficient to allow the spring room to act while opening
and closing the blade without pressing against the back part of the
said casc.
This flange also acts as a catch and thereby aids in firmly
securing the improved casing.
In forming my improved external casing I take a piece of slicet
brass, or other suitable metal, of the requisite thickness and size, and
stamp it in dies by pressure, so that the two scales or sides of the haft
and the back are in one piece; the portion intended for the back of
the case is made or stamped so much longer than that for the scales
as is requisite to close the end of the case and to make a good finish
thereto. These casings can be ornamented with any pattern, device,
ooat of arms, name, letter, number, and the like, and he rapidly and
economically produced. This piece of metal thus stamped is then
bent upwards on cach side at the edges of the back and forms a kind
of shell or case, the two external scales being united by the back. The
roughly made knife previously described is then placed in the said
shell or case, and by soldering them together a complete and firmly
made knife is formed, neither pins nor rivets passing through the
external covoring; and the whole of the back of the springs, except
the flange or catch previously described, being concealed from view
and protected from dirt or injury.
In certain cases to guard against bruises or indentations I propose
to stiffen my said improved covering or casing with stamped sheet iron
or tin of the requisite size, form, and pattern.
I also propose to vary the mode of forming and ornamenting the said
scales of my said improved casing by inserting therein picces or shields
of tortoiseshell, ivory, pearl, bone, horn, composition, or any other of
the coverings generally used in the manufacture of the handles or hafts
of pocket knives.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Hemsworth Smith in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 11th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HEMSWORTH SMITH, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturer
of Cutlery, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Hemsworth Smith,
Her special licence that I, the said William Hemsworth Smith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Hemsworth Smith, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANDLES OF POCKET CUTLERY," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Hemsworth Smith,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Hemsworth 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 ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
The object of my said Invention is the cheap and expiditious manu.
facture of the external covering or casing of the handles or hafts of
that description of cutlery called "pocket knives" without the use of
pins or rivets therein, and free from the cost of the usual filing and
fitting or "finish” thereof.
The means by which I propose to carry out in practise my said
Invention are as follows:-I first make a rough skeleton haft with

page_text: one or more finished blades; these blades with the requisite springs
at the back of the knife are firmly rivetted to the side pieces of the
haft, and also to the partition or partitions therein when there is a
plurality of blades, which side picces may be of tinned brass or any
other suitable metal. The said springs are formed with a small outward
flange at the end where the blades act on the said springs in opening
and shutting. To this flange I give an amount of projection that when
fixed its outer end may be flush with my improved external case when
the knife is closed, and at the same time allow the springs room to
act whilst opening and closing the blades without pressing against the
back part of the said case. This flange also acts as a catch or stop to
the case, which it thereby aids in securing in place.
In forming my said improved casing I take a piece of ordinary sheet
brass, or other suitable metal of the requisite thickness and size, cut it
to the required shape, and stamp it in dies by pressure, so that the
two scales or sides of the haft and the back thereof are in one piece, tho
part or portion intended for the back of the case is made and stamped
so much longer than that for the scales as is requisite for closing one
end of the case and for making a good finish thereto. These cases
or coverings can be ornamented with any pattern or device, coat of arms,
name, letter, number, and the like, and can be rapidly and economically
produced. This piece of metal is then bent upwards on cach side at
the edges of the back, and thus forms a kind of shell or case, the two
scales being united by the back. The roughly made knife previously
described is then placed in the said shell or case, the projecting end
of the back turned up, and the case and rough knife united by solder,
'thus a complete and firmly made knife is formed, neither pins nor rivets
passing through the external covering or case, and the whole of the
back of the springs, except the flange or catch previously described,
is concealed from view and protected from dirt and injury.
In certain cases to guard against bruises and indentations I proposo
to stiffen my said improved covering or casing by inserting or soldering
inside the scales thereof a lining of sheet iron or tin, stamped to the
same pattern as the said scales and of the requisite size and form.
I also propose to vary the mode of forming and ornamenting the
scales of my said improved cases by inserting therein picces or shields
of silver, ivory, pearl, bone, horn, composition, or any other of the
coverings or insertions therein generally used in the manufacture.

page_text: of the handles or hafts of pocket knives, and these insertions may
be inlaid with other metals or suitable materials.
•
In order that my Invention may be more clearly and fully understood,
and be more readily carried out in practice, I now proceed to describe
the same more in detail with the aid of the accompanying Drawing;
reference being made thereto by the figures and letters marked thereon,
the same letters indicating the same parts in each Figure. The whole of
the Figures are for a two bladed knife.
Fig. 1 shews a piece of ordinary sheet metal cut in the shape required
for the case and stamped. Fig. 2 shows the said metal as stamped
and turned up at the sides so as to form a kind of trough or caso in
which the rough knife is placed. Fig. 3 represents the finished haft
and knife. Fig. 4 is a back view of the same shewing the ends of
the flanges of the springs. Fig. 5 shews the improved haft with an
engraved strip of silver or other material inlaid in ebony, which is
inserted or confined in my improved case or haft.
a is the part or parts of the sheet metal which forms the sides or
scales of the haft; b shews the part forming the back of the haft;
6', that portion of the back to be turned up to close the end of the haft;
c are the blades of the knife; d is the strip of silver inserted in the
case or haft; and e, the ends of the flanges of the springs.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I desire it
to be understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the afore-
said in part recited Letters Patent is, the formation of an outer covering
or case for pocket knives, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hemsworth Smith, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-