An Improved Apparatus for Holding the Handles of Knives in Knife-cleaning Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov.; 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICA LION.
An Improved Apparatus for Holding the Handles of Knives in
Knife-cleaning Machines.
I ALBERT HARLEY STOREY of 39 Lavender Gardens Wandsworth in the
County of Surrey Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
In the use of an apparatus for cleaning the blades of two or more knives at the
same time such as that described in my Specification No. 14208 of 1889 it is
obvious that the handles of these knives must be very firmly and rigidly held but I
have found that the blades of knives are not invariably set or secured in their
handles exactly at the same relative angles or in the same relative planes and also
that it is very difficult and troublesome if not well nigh impossible to place the
handles of knives in any tight clamp in such wise that all the blades are in the same
plane and that therefore as it is very obvious that all the blades must be in the same
plane to ensure proper cleaning the apparatus that holds the handles while it must
so hold the same very firmly and rigidly must yet allow these handles so to turn
or move as to bring all the blades into the same plane.
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and cheap and yet extremely
efficient apparatus that will so hold the handles of knives.
To carry out this object I form a box or casing of the desired length having
regard to the number of knives that are to be held therein and of a breadth some-
what less than the lengths of the handles of these knives and this box may
conveniently be mounted on a platform by and through which it may be secured to
a table or other support and the top of this box is open. Along the upper edges
of both of the sides of this box I make a corresponding series of depressions or
recesses each pair of which are designed to receive the handle of one knife and
these pairs of recesses are so arranged that when the handles of the knives are placed
therein the blades of the knives project from the box at right angles thereto or
thereabouts all lying in the same level and these recesses may be made as deep as
may be desired and of a breadth easily to receive the handles and may be formed
of any shape and may be lined with any material as desired but the lower parts
thereof are tapered or lessened in breadth or are rounded off to accommodate
handles of different breadths it being necessary that these handles should be
allowed little or no play in the horizontal line of the box when they are in their
arranged for positions near the bottoms of the recesses. A top is made for this
box on the under or inner side whereof are a series of transverse rollers or saddles
or ridges or other similar and suitable projections so arranged that when this top
is placed in position one of these rollers or other projections enters between each
two adjacent handles of the kuives in the recesses and over all these rollers or other
projections is longitudinally stretched a strip of some flexible but strong material
such for example as webbing or it may be some expansible material and one or
both ends of this strip may be secured to one or both ends of the top or when
desired a spring may be connected preferably to one end of the strip to maintain
its desired tension which spring if any can very conveniently be placed on the upper
or outer side of the top the strip being passed from the under or inner side of
the top thereto.
This top so fitted may form the lid of the box in which case one end thereof.
is connected by a proper hinge or otherwise to one end of the box while the free
end thereof may be secured in the closed position by any suitable catch or other
ordinary appliance and one convenient device consists in so forming this end of the

page_text: box as to constitute a catch which would be caused to engage the free end of
the lid by a spring. The top also may only be connected to and not form the lid
in which case the lid would be fitted to the box as aforesaid and the top would be
adjustably connected thereto by screws or otherwise so, that the distance between
the top and the lid could be altered while maintaining the parallelism thereof and
when the strip is as aforesaid passed over the upper and outer side of the top a
screw or other appliance can be fitted to stop or jam the same and prevent any
action of the spring if any when desired.
In this apparatus therefore when the handles of the knives are placed in the
recesses and the top has been duly pressed down and secured in the closed position
the handles of the knives will be very firmly and rigidly held by the strip that passes
over the rollers or other projections as these latter pass and enter between each
and all of the handles but at the same time this strip either by its inherent
expansibility or by reason of the spring aforesaid will give or yield sufficiently to
allow of such a turning or movement of the handles as will bring all the blades
of the knives into the same plane as is desired.
I can also mount two of these boxes so fitted as aforesaid it may be on the same
platform parallel with each other and at such a distance apart that when the
handles of the knives are duly secured in both boxes their blades in the same level
interlap being arranged it may be alternately whereby all can be cleaned at the
same time.
Dated this 18th day of Novambon 1801
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Holding the Handles of Knives in
Knife-cleaning Machines.
I ALBERT HARLEY STOREY of 39 Lavender Gardens Wandsworth in the
County of Surrey Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In the use of an apparatus for cleaning the blades of two or more knives at one
and the same time such as that described in the Specification of the Patent granted
unto me dated the 9th day of September 1889 and numbered 14208 of 1889 it is
obvious that the handles of these knives must be very firmly held but I have found
that the blades of knives are not invariably set or secured in their handles exactly
at the same relative angles or in the same relative planes and that even when they
are originally so set or secured they do not in long continued use always remain at
or in the same and I have also found that always and on all occasions but especially
under such circumstances and conditions as aforesaid it is very difficult and trouble-
some if not well nigh impossible so to place the handles of two or more knives in
any tight rigid clamp that all the blades thereof are exactly in the same plane and
therefore that when these handles are quite rigidly clamped the blades which most
probably if not certainly are not exactly in the same plane are not all properly
cleaned even if no damage is done as is very likely either to the knives or to the
cleaning apparatus and obviously the greater the number of the knives that are to
be cleaned at one and the same time the more will this evil be experienced 'and this
danger be incurred.
Now the object of this my present invention is to provide for use a simple and
cheap and yet extremely convenient and efficient apparatus that will so hold the
handles of two or more knives as to allow them slightly or in a small degree or to
a small extent to turn or move if necessary to bring all the blades thereof into
exactly the same plane while still holding them quite sufficiently firmly for the
purpose of properly cleaning the blades.
In order the inöre clearly to explain this my 'invention and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed I refer to the accompanying drawing wherein I have shewn
my improved apparatus as constructed to hold the handles of four knives and
Figure 1 is a plan view of this apparatus.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same taken at a in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same taken at c d in Figure 1-and
Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the same.
A box or casing A is made of the desired length having regard to the number
of knives that are to be held therein and of a breadth somewhat less than the
lengths of any of the handles of these knives and of any suitable height and this
box A may most conveniently be transversely mounted near one end of a
platform B by and through which it can be secured by screws or otherwise to
and on a table or other supporting appliance and on this platform B can also be
secured a piece B₁ of leather or other suitable material whereon the backs of the
blades of the knives can be cleaned.
The top of the box A is open and along and down through the upper edges of
both of the sides of this box A are made corresponding series of recesses or
depressions each pair of which is designed to hold the handle of one knife and
these pairs of recesses C are so made and arranged that when the handles of the
knives are properly placed therein the blades of these knives project from the box A
at right angles therewith or thereabouts all lying and being in the same level and
these recesses C can be made of any shape and of any depth and of a breadth
easily to receive the handles and may be lined with any soft or other protective
material and the lower parts thereof are tapered or lessened in breadth or as is
perhaps preferable are rounded off as is shewn in Figures 3 and 4 in order to
accommodate in a proper manner handles of different breadths. These pairs of
recesses C are also preferably arranged in pairs in the length of the box A as is
shewn in Figures 3 and 4 so that each pair of knives may be close together or at
a very short distance apart with a longer interval between the adjacent pairs of
knives and the sides of the box A between the two recesses C of each pair may be
allowed to continue upwards to the upper edges of the box A as is shewn at D in
these figures or may be cut away and removed just above the level where the
tapered or rounded off lower parts of the recesses cease and terminate as also is
shewn in these figures and then sometimes or perhaps even generally it may be
convenient or expedient to mount in this place a roller or block E of india rubber
or any suitable soft or hard material on a spring in such wise that it can be pushed
or forced on one side if necessary to allow the handle of a knife to enter the
recess C below and either or both of these arrangements and methods of construction
can be fitted on and in and can be applied to one or both of the sides of the box A
as may be desired in each particular case.
A top is made for the box A. in the shape of a block F which is so constructed
and formed as in an horizontal position to fit somewhat loosely inside the upper
part thereof and on the under side of this block F is made a series of transverse
ridges G or other similar projections or it may be is mounted or attached a series.
of transverse saddles or rollers or other suitable appliances the depressions or spaces
between which may be formed as desired but in all cases are made so deep and of
such a shape or shapes that the under surface of the block F in these parts can and
will have no effect or action whatsoever in this apparatus and these ridges or other
projections or appliances G are so formed and arranged that when the block F is in
position one of the ridges or other projections or appliances G enters between each
two adjacent handles of the knives in the recesses Chereinbefore described. Over
all these transverse ridges or other projections or appliances G is longitudinally
stretched a strip H of some flexible material it may very conveniently be a strong
and comparatively non-extensible material such for example as webbing or it
may be an expansible material and when the requisite moderate tension has been
given to this strip H the ends as also if and when desired other parts thereof 'may
be secured directly to and on the ends as also if and when desired other parts of
the block F or when it may be necessary or expedient so to do a suitable spring

page_text: or suitable springs may in any convenient and usual or other manner be interposed
or applied at one or at both of the ends of this strip H or in other suitable part or
parts thereof or at other suitable place or places therein.
A lid K is made for the box A. one end of which lid K is connected by an hinge L
to one end of the box A and a longitudinally sliding bolt M is fitted in any con-
venient and usual or other manner on the under side of the lid K and it may
perhaps preferably be is partly let into the same as is shewn in Figures 2 and 3 which
bolt M can be caused to enter a staple N fitted at and on the other end of the box A
to secure the lid K in its closed position and a lever handle P pivoted in the proper
position on the upper side of the lid K can actuate the bolt M in any convenient
and usual or other manner it may very suitably be through and by means of a stud
which passes through and can travel along a curved slot R made therefor in the lid K
and a guide bar W may most conveniently be provided for this bolt M and fitted
to the lid K being passed round and under the forward and locking end of the
bolt M or that is to say that end thereof that enters the staple N by which guide
bar W this end of the bolt M will always be kept and retained in its proper position
close to and under the lid K even when great strain is put thereupon in and by the
staple N. On the under side, of the bolt M is formed or secured a wedge S or
a block or projection with an inclined or angled surface the larger part of which
wedge S is towards the rear end of the bolt M and when this bolt M is in the
retired position as is shewn in the accompanying drawing the wedge S is contained
in a complementary recess T made therefor in the upper side of the block F herein-
before described and this block F is connected to and with the lid K by two or
more screw or other bolts V which are securely fixed and attached in and to the
block F and pass loosely through long longitudinal slots in the bolt M and through
holes in the lid K and to the outer ends of these bolts V are fitted and applied
suitable coiled or other springs in such wise as normally to keep and retain the
block close to and under the lid K.
The action of this apparatus hereinbefore described and the method of using the
same are as follows.
The lid K is lifted up and the handles of the knives are properly placed in the
recesses C and when as is hereinbefore stated is preferable and as is shewn in the
accompanying drawing these recesses C are arranged in pairs in the length of
the box A the knives in each pair of recesses C are also preferably placed back to
back and the effect and consequence of this aforesaid arrangement of each pair of
knives when close together or at a very short distance apart in conjunction with the
longer interval between the adjacent pairs of knives herein before described in which
the knives evidently are edge to edge as is shewn in Figure 1 will be found to be
that the blades of these knives will the more quickly and surely and efficiently be
cleaned. The lid K is then closed and the handle P being moved out of the
position shewn in the accompanying drawing causes the end of the bolt M imme-
diately to enter the staple N and thus at once to lock the lid K and then at or
about or very soon after the same time the wedge $ being moved out of its
recess T causes the block F to move downwards against its spring governed bolts V
until the handles of the knives are duly and properly clasped between the lower
parts of the recesses C and those parts of the strip H that are between the ridges
or other projections or appliances G which as is hereinbefore stated severally enter
and pass between each and all of these handles. The handles of the knives are
thus very firmly held in position being allowed little or no play in an horizontal
direction by reason of the tapered or rounded off lower parts of the recesses but at
the same time the strip of flexible material either because of its inherent flexibility
or expansibility or by reason of the interposed or applied spring or springs and also
it may be to a certain extent the aforesaid tapered or rounded off lower parts of the
recesses will allow such a small turning or movement of the handles of the knives
as will suffice to bring all the blades of the same into exactly the same plane as
and when the cleaning apparatus is pressed or used or moved upon them as is
desired.

page_text: In the same manner this apparatus can be constructed to hold the handles of less
or more than four knives but when the apparatus is constructed to hold the handles
of many knives and the box A therefore is long it may be and perhaps even
generally will be expedient and desirable to form or secure more than one wedge S
on the under side of the bolt M with complementary recesses T in the block F to
ensure the parallelism of the block F with the lid K or that is to say to ensure that
a similar pressure will be put on the handles of all the knives in the recesses C and
it may also tend to the more efficient action of this apparatus so and thus constructed
that the strip H of flexible material should be secured to and on one or more of the
ridges or other projections or appliances G as well as to and on the ends of the
block F.
It may sometimes and especially when this apparatus is constructed to hold the
handles of few knives be convenient and proper to connect the block F rigidly to the
lid K or to form the same therewith or in and of one and the same piece of material
so that the block may constitute a lid in which case it is obvious that the wedge S
with its recess T as also the spring governed bolts V are not needed and can be
dispensed with.
It is also evident that on all occasions and in and with and for each and every
apparatus and more especially when this apparatus is constructed to hold the handles
of few knives it might be desirable to fit and employ any suitable and ordinary
or other catch or similar appliance to lock the lid in which case it is obvious that
the bolt M with its staple N and actuating handle P would not be needed and
could be dispensed with and this catch or appliance might be similarly fitted and
employed at and on each end of the box A in which case it is likewise obvious
that the hinge L also would not be needed and could be dispensed with.
It is generally very advisable with and for this apparatus herein before described
to mount on the further end of the platform B parallel with the box A a guide
piece X which being erected as is shewn in Figures 1 and 2 when short knives are
being cleaned will prevent the cleaning apparatus being by accident or inadvertence
or otherwise drawn or moved off the ends of the blades of the knives to the
probable detriment of the same but this guide piece X would be so mounted and
fitted in any suitable and ordinary or other manner that it could be either removed
or folded down out of the way when and so long as long knives such for example
as carvers are to be or are being cleaned.
It may sometimes also he advantageous to mount two of these boxes so constructed
and fitted as is hereinbefore described parallel with each other it may be on one and
the same platform or otherwise at such a distance apart and so arranged that when
the handles of the knives are duly and properly placed and secured in both boxes
in manner as is hereinbefore described the blades of these knives being all in and
at the same level interlap in such wise that the ends of the blades of the knives in
the one box are nearly in the same line as the shoulders of the blades of the knives
in the other box being it may be arranged alternately and preferably in pairs by which
arrangement all these blades can be cleaned at the same time by one and the same
cleaning apparatus and in this case it is obvious that the guide piece X is not
needed and is dispensed with.
I may state that as a general rule I consider it most conducive to the convenience
and suitability of the apparatus and therefore on the whole preferable to make this
apparatus herein before described or the most parts thereof that is to say the
platform the box the block the lid and the guide piece if any of wood and also it
may be the sliding bolt and its wedge as is shewn in the accompanying drawing but
at the same time I would have it clearly understood that I do in no wise limit myself
to such material for as is indeed sufficiently obvious I can when I may deem it
expedient or desirable so to do make any or all of these aforesaid parts of the
apparatus as well as other parts thereof of metal or of any other suitable material
or materials as may be most convenient or as may be required in each individual
case.

page_text: 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 an apparatus for holding the handles of knives the combination with a box
or casing A having in its sides pairs of recesses C of a block F having on its under
side transverse ridges or other projections or appliances G and provided with a
strip of flexible material longitudinally stretched thereover which block F can
be secured in or on the upper part of the box or casing A substantially as and for
the purpose hereinbefore described and declared.
2. In an apparatus for holding the handles of knives the combination with a box
or casing A having in its sides pairs of recesses C of a block F having on its under
side transverse ridges or other projections or appliances Gand provided with a strip H
of flexible material longitudinally stretched thercover and an hinged lid K for the box
or casing A having on its under side a longitudinally sliding bolt M provided with
a wedge or wedges S and actuated by an handle P to engage a staple N on the
box or casing A the block F and the lid K being connected together by spring
governed bolts V all substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described
and declared.
3. The apparatus for holding the handles of kuives substantially at hereinbefore
described and shown in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 13th day of August 1892.
HART & Co.,
186, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agents.