An Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Knives
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Knives,
GEORGE CLARK of 191 Railton Road Herne Hill S.E. in the County of Surrey
Carpenter do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
My invention consists of a vertical box made of either wood or metal and of any
desired size but the most suitable size is nine inches high by 24 inches by 24 inches
inside measure and if made of wood inch thick would be most suitable. This box
must have a piece of wood or metal fixed at the bottom end projecting about
2 inches on two sides to form a foot to screw it firmly to a table or shelf. Two
pieces of wood or metal are made half the height of the box and two and half
inches wide and must be covered with stout cloth leather or felt but leather is most
preferable. These blocks are bolted together with a spiral or india rubber spring
fixed under the nut and head of each bolt, so that when the knife passes between,
the blocks open allowing the knife polish to drop in. A hole is made in the centre
of the box to allow the knife to pass through. A crank is fixed to the top of the
box with a loose plate, which is attached to the top bolt in the sliding blocks and
by turning the handle the blocks work up and down in the box thus cleaning the
knives. A small lid is formed in the top of the box for putting in the knife polish
and a small drawer at the bottom for receiving the powder that passes through the
machine which can be used over again.
100
An Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Knives.
GEORGE CLARK of 191 Railton Road Herne Hill S.E. in the County of Surrey,
Carpenter, 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 :-
My invention consists of a vertical box made either of wood or metal, metal
most preferable and can be made any desired shape or size. The most suitable
size is nine inches high by two and a half inches wide, three and a half inches back
to front all inside measure. This box must have a foot four and a half inches wide
by seven inches back to front with a hole at each corner to enable it to be screwed
to a table or shelf. Two pieces of wood five to six inches long by two and a half
wide and half inch thick covered one side and one edge with some soft leather buff
leather most preferable and under the leather must be placed a piece of cloth or
soft felt to enable the leather to give, to follow the different thicknesses of the knives
as they pass between the leathers for cleaning. These blocks are bolted together
with a spiral or india rubber spring, under the head and nut of each bolt to enable
them to open and close. The top bolt is half an inch louger than the bottom one,
and projects through a slot at the side of the box so that it can be unscrewed to
enable the blocks to open at the top for receiving the knife polish and is screwed

page_text: up tight while cleaning the knives. A crank is fixed at the top of the box with a
loose iron plate which is attached to the top bolt that passes through the sliding
blocks. By turning the crank the blocks work up and down thus cleaning the
knives. For the better illustration of this, my invention, I have hereunto annexed
a sheet of drawings.
Fig. 1. is a plan of the apparatus a. showing the foot or sole piece which
projects about one inch or one inch and a half all round to keep the apparatus
steady. b. b. b. b. screws for screwing it down to a table or shelf, the section lines
show a convenient shape of the vertical box the sides are hollowed out to allow
space for the springs to work. c. c. are two pieces of wood which are made the
height of the box for the edges of the sliding blocks to work against, and they
have slots in them to allow the knife to pass through d. d. are the sliding blocks.
E. E. two pieces of cloth or soft felt or anything that is pliable to allow the leather
to bend to follow the different thicknesses of the knives as they pass through
F. F. two pieces of soft leather buff leather most preferable. These leathers are
strained tight over the felt or cloth and are tacked at each end and front edge with
small tacks to the sliding blocks G. G. are spiral springs or india rubber rings
fitting loosely on to the bolt H. by this arrangement the blocks open and close to
suit the different thicknesses of the knives H. is the bolt that passes through the
bottom end of the sliding blocks shown by the dotted lines.
Fig. 2. showing the front view of the apparatus complete ready for cleaning the
knives. a. is the foot or sole piece O is a space for a drawer to receive the powder
as it passes through which can be used over again. N is a slot for the regulator to
work up and down in to keep the knives tight up to the wood block marked I.
P is a slot for the knife to pass through between the leathers for cleaning. H is the
bolt that passes through the top end of the sliding blocks this bolt is half an inch
longer than the bottom one so that the nut projects through the slot at the
side to unscrew or screw up to regulate the pressure upon the knife. K. is the
crank.
Fig. 3. a is foot or sole piece. d. d. sliding blocks E. E. two pieces of cloth or
soft felt F. F. soft leather G. G. spiral springs or india rubber rings. H. H. bolts
passing through sliding blocks, top one projecting through slot at side I wood block
for the edge of the knife to work against J. loose iron plate. K. crank. O. space
for drawer to receive the powder as it passes through.
Fig. 4. represents side view of apparatus with knife in position for cleaning.
a. foot or sole piece. N. is the regulator I a piece of hard wood for the edge of the
knife to work against H. is the top bolt projecting through the slot L. K. crank.
M. slot in the cap to receive the knife powder.
Fig. 5. showing the regulator, which is made of metal, the lower part marked N
is made to project through the slot marked N. Fig. 2. which have to be moved up
or down to suit the different sized knives.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare what
I claim is
The construction and use of the entire apparatus for the purpose herein set forth
described and illustrated.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1895.
GEORGE CLARK.