An Improved Knife-cleaning Machine.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 5th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Knife-cleaning Machine.
I HENRY WHITE of. Grantham House Putney Heath London S.W. Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
--
My improved machine consists of a suitable casing wherein are mounted two
revolving brushes made of a combination of leather and fibre and so arranged that
they clean the knives by friction thus avoiding injury both to the handles and blades.
The machine is fitted with an adjustable slide so as to allow any sized knife to be
cleaned therein. This slide is so fitted that it firmly grips the shoulder of the blade
thereby dispensing with the grip on the handle and leaving the latter free from
pressure.
The machine is so simple in construction and perfect in its working that any
person can work it with the greatest ease.
Dated this 8th day of Anvil 1980
ELT & Co.,
33, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Knife-cleaning Machine.
I, HENRY WHITE of Grantham House Putney Heath London S.W. Engineer 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:-
This invention has for its object to produce a portable knife cleaning machine
which is simple in construction and effective in action, and which possesses the
advantage of not injuring the handles of the Knifes when cleaned therein.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a front elevation, Fig. 2 a plan, Fig. 3
a section, taken on the line A B Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 an end elevation, of such improved
machine. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the
views.
My improved knife cleaning machine consists of a case a fitted at top with a
fixed or hinged lid a¹ and in front with a fall down flap a² which has a leather
facing a whereon to polish the knife blade after it has been cleaned in the machine.
Mounted in this case between two divisions a are two revolving endless brushes b,
working over rollers c, fitted with suitable tension springs d, which keep the brushes
taut. The brushes are made of strips of leather sewn transversely edgeways on a
suitable foundation. Or they may be made partly of leather and partly of bristles. The
rollers carrying such brushes are actuated by cog and bevel gearing e, e', preferably fitted
in the back of the casing as shewn in the Drawings; and operated by a shifting, crank
handle, which is secured to the spindle of the bevel gearing by a pin f; so that
such handle can be taken off and packed inside the case when required. A hopper g,
furnished with a lid g¹, to prevent the dust escaping therefrom, is fitted at one end
of the case, through which powder is fed into the machine. The bottom of this
hopper is fitted internally with an adjustable flap h, which is regulated by a screw i,
so that the supply of powder to the machine can be increased or diminished as desired.
A sliding tray k, is fitted at the bottom of the machine, to receive the dust and dirt
created thereby. This tray can be removed and .cleaned out from time to time as
occasion requires, thus keeping the machine clean. Such tray is secured with a
button 1, or its equivalent, to prevent its working loose with the vibration of the
machine when at work.

page_text: +
CJ.
An important feature of my invention consists in avoiding injuring the hanilles of
the knives as now so frequently occurs with existing machines.
For this purpose I
fit the front of the machine with a fall down adjustable sliding rack M, wherein the
handles of the knives are placed and firmly held. Such rack consists of a series of
fingers or guards m, mounted on a suitable base plate m³, and carried by bolts m³,
whereon the intermediate fingers or guards work to and fro by means of an adjusting
screw m; or they may be actuated by a spring and sliding action. The outer finger
orguard mis rigid and forms a bearing for the tie bolts. By operating the
adjusting screw m³ the spaces between the grooved fingers or guards are regulat
to suit any sized handles. When the knives are placed in the rack each knife is
tightly gripped by the shoulder of the blade just above the handle, thus avoiding all
strain or pressure on the handle, and so obviating injury thereto, and preventing its
being loosened from the tang. This is a very great advantage as it enables silver
handled and other superior cutlery to be cleaned by the machine as readily as
ordinary knives. Such adjustable sliding rack is fastened by hinges, (not shown in the
Drawings), to the front division of the case so that it shuts down when the machine
is not in use thus allowing the case to be closed. The base plate m' is held in position
by screws which fasten it to the upper hinge. When the rack is in. use it is
supported by a hinged upright n screwed to the bottom of the case which can either
be raised to a vertical, or folded down in a horizontal position as required.
In order to ensure sufficient pressure being brought on the blades of the knives to
clean the same when placed between the brushes, I fit both the upper and lower
brushes with pressure rollers o, the upper series whereof work in a contrary direction
to the lower series.
6.4
The divisions a form bearings wherein the spindles of these pressure rollers are
.carried. The lower rollers are so mounted therein, as to keep the bottom brush close up to,
and in contact with, the lower side of the knife blade; while the upper rollers are so
placed, as to keep the top brush pressed down upon, and in contact with, the upper
surface of such blade. The spindles of the upper rollers project slightly through
both the divisions at and are fitted in tubular frames p, which are fastened to such
divisions, and furnished with spiral springs pl, which allow sufficient play to such
upper rollers, to permit the brushes to work freely over the blades of the knives.
The fall down flap and lid are fitted with hooks and eyes or any other suitable
fastening, so that when the machine is not in use, it can be shut up and put away in.
any convenient place; as it does not require any permanent fixing.
Its construction is so simple that a child can work it, and owing to the continuous
friction over and under the blades of the knives, they are cleaned more quickly and
efficiently than in any other existing machine. If desired it can be made wide enough
to put knives in at both sides, thus cleaning double the number of knives at the same..
time, and in less space than in any machine now in use. The machine is also much
lighter and therefore far more convenient than the ordinary machines."
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
The improved portable knife cleaning machine constructed, arranged, and fitted,
all substantially as herein before described and shewn.
Dated this 25th day of January 1890.