IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SPOONS, LADLES, FORKS, AND SIMILAR UTENSILS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SPOONS, LADLES, FORKS, AND
SIMILAR UTENSILS." A communication from abroad by Wilhelm Conraetz
and August Wolff, both of the Firm of Conraetz and Wolff, of Vienna,
Austria.
Sealed the 12th August 1879, and dated the 22nd February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd February 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SPOONS, LADLES, FORKS, AND SIMILAR UTENSILS." [A communication from abroad
by Wilhelm Conraetz and August Wolff, both of the Firm of Conraetz and Wolff,
of Vienna, Austria.]
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of spoons, ladles,
forks, and similar utensils, and has for its object a cheap yet strong formation of the
handles of such articles, and a stronger and more convenient formation of the bowls
of spoons and ladles and of the prongs of forks than is effected by the ordinary
methods of manufacture.
In former constructions the handles of spoons, ladles, and forks, especially of the
cheaper kinds, were very weak and easily bent out of shape, the edges of the bowls
were more or less sharp and unpleasant in use, and the prongs were weak and
rough.
According to the present Invention the handles are formed of a separate piece of
wire of any suitable section, the bowls of the spoons and ladles are made by
preference with the edges bent over and rounded off, and the prongs of the forks are
formed of a curved section.
The wire used for the handles is bent to a form corresponding with a line running
round the edge of an ordinary handle, and so that the two ends of the wire project
sidewise. The bowl of the spoon or the blank for the prongs of the fork is formed

page_text: with two projecting lappets or ears, and the wire handle is fastened by bending
these lappets over the aforesaid projecting ends of the wire. The connection
between the wire handle and the bowl or prongs is finally completed by soldering,
or by tinning the entire utensil in the case of the cheaper kind of utensils made of
iron. In the case of large ladless where greater strength is required the connection
between the wire handle and the bowl may be effected by rivetting.
The turned-over edge of the bowl of the spoon or ladle is produced by stamping
the blank of the bowl with a projecting flange, and by afterwards subjecting the
bowl to the successive action of dies by which the projecting flange is caused to be
bent over around the convex part or outer side of the bowl so as to form a ring
encircling the edge of the same.
The prongs are preferably stamped with a depression along the inner side of each
prong so as to be curved in section.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
August 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SPOONS, LADLES, FORKS, AND SIMILAR UTENSILS." A communication from abroad
by Wilhelm Conraetz and August Wolff, both of the Firm of Conraetz and Wolff,
of Vienna, Austria.
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of spoons, ladles,
forks, and similar utensils, and has for its object a cheap yet strong formation of
the handles of such articles and a stronger and more convenient formation of
the bowls of spoons and ladles and of the prongs of forks than is effected by the
ordinary methods of manufacture.
In former constructions the handles of spoons, ladles, and forks, especially of the
cheaper kinds, were very weak and casily bent out of shape, the edges of the bowls
were more or less sharp and unpleasant in use, and the prongs were weak and
rough.
According to the present Invention the handles are formed of a separate piece of
wire of any suitable section, the bowls of the spoons and ladles are made by preference
with the edges bent over and rounded off, and the prongs of the forks are formed of
a curved section.
The wire used for the handles is bent to a form corresponding with a line running
round the edge of an ordinary handle, so that the two ends of the said wire project
laterally. The bowl of the spoon or the blank for the prongs of the fork is formed
with two projecting lappets or ears, and the wire handle is fastened by bending
these lappets over the aforesaid projecting ends of the wire. The connection
between the wire handle and the bowl or prongs is finally completed by soldering,
or by tinning the entire utensil in the case of the cheaper kinds made of
iron.
In the case of large ladles where great strength is required the connection between
the wire handle and the bowl may be effected by rivetting.
The turned-over edge of the bowl of the spoon or ladle is produced by stamping
the blank of the bowl with a projecting flange, and by afterwards subjecting the
bowl to the successive action of dies by which the projecting flange is caused to be
bent over around the convex part or outer side of the bowl so as to form a ring
encircling the edge of the same.
The prongs are preferably stamped with a depression along the inner side of each
prong so as to be curved in section.
In the accompanying Drawings,
•
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 15, 16, and 17 shew the simplest forms of the different
parts.
Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 show a mode of manufacturing the handle from wire of
semi-circular section.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 show the different stages of manufacturing a spoon bowl
with a turned-over edge.
Figures 18, 19, and 20 illustrate the process of manufacturing the prongs of a fork
according to the present Invention.
Figures 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 show different views of spoons, ladles,
and forks constructed according to the said Invention.
The connection of the bowl a of the spoon or of the prongs c of the fork with the
wire-handle b is effected by means of the two projecting lappets or ears a' of the
bowl a as indicated in Figures 2 and 4 or of the similar lappets c¹ of the prongs c,
as indicated in Figures 16 and 17, by bending these lappets over the two bent
projecting ends b¹, b¹, of the wire. The connection between the wire handle b and

page_text: the lappets of the bowl a or prongs is finally completed by soldering or
tinning.
The bowl of the ladle shown in Figures 23, 24, and 25 is formed with a turned-
over edge, and may be connected to the handle 6 like the spoons by means of bent
lappets, or the lappets may be omitted and the connection between the ends & of
the wire handle and the bowl effected by rivetting.
The wire handle b may be made of different sections, but a semi-circular section
of wire with the ends obliquely cut off, as shown in Figure 5, is preferred. This
wire is bent at the points 63 at right angles to its axis, as shown in Figure 6,
and then to the shape shown in Figure 7. For increasing the strength and
improving the appearance of the wire handle the recesses 68, as shown in Figure 8,
may be finally stamped or impressed thereon.
For forming the turned-over edge the bowl a is stamped with the projecting
edge a³, as illustrated in Figure 9, which afterwards receives the form shewn in
Figure 10, and is finally bent over as shewn in Figure 11.
Figures 12, 13, and 14 represent a spoon and Figures 21 and 22 a fork com-
prising all of the present improvements; Figures 23 and 24 show a ladle with a
turned-over edge and with a wire-handle, and Figure 25 one with a sharp edge
and wire-handle.
The form of the wire-handle may be varied without departing from the substance
of the present Invention, and the open spaces left in the wire-handle may if desired
be filled up in any suitable manner.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I am aware that it has been proposed to strengthen the handles of
spoons by inserting a piece of metal into the stem between the handle and the
Lowl, and I do not intend to claim such a construction, but I claim,-
First. The manufacture of a spoon, fork, ladle, or similar utensil substantially as
above set forth in either of the forms or modifications shewn in the accompanying
Drawing.
Second. A spoon, fork, ladle, or similar utensil, the handle of which is formed
entirely of a separate piece of bent wire of any suitable section, substantially as
described.
Third. A spoon, ladle, or similar utensil, the bowl of which is provided with a
turned-over edge, substantially as described.
Fourth. The construction of handles for spoons, forks, ladles, and similar utensils
of semi-circular wire, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.