Improvements in the Prongs or Points of Table Forks.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Prongs or Points of Table Forks.
I, JOHN EDWARD BINGHAM, of West Lea, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of the prongs or points
of table forks and provides a means whereby the said prongs or points may be
protected against the cutting edges of steel or other table knives when in use.
means adopted under this invention whereby this end is attained consists in placing
a tip or casing of silver upon the rounded end of each prong or point after the said
prong or point has been prepared and electro plated in the ordinary manner.
The tips or shoes are first formed by means of a punch, die, or other suitable means
and after the point to be protected has been rounded and prepared, the shoe or tip is
placed thereon and fixed by means of a powerful electric current. Forks having
points cased in accordance with this Invention will be found to be much more
durable, as the damage done by the cutting edge of steel or other knives is materially
reduced, the points will not be liable to break off, while it will be found that this process
is much more economical than the present system of soldering silver points upon
forks by means of blow pipes and like means.
Dated this 13th day of November 1896.
J. E. EVANS-JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Prongs or Points of Table Forks.
I, JOHN EDWARD BINGHAM of West Lea, Sheffield in the County of York,
Manufacturer 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 relates to improvements in the prongs or points of Table and other
forks, and it has for its object to provide a means whereby the said prongs or points
may be protected against injury from the cutting edges of knives or other sharp
instruments when in use.
This object is attained by placing a tip or shoe of silver upon the said prong or
point.
The tips or shoes may be formed by punching or any other suitable method and after
the point to be protected has been rounded and prepared the shoe or tip is placed
thereon and may be fixed by means of a powerful electric current or some

page_text: similar means of securing them may be employed aided by electricity and electro-
deposition, or by means of silver solder in the usual manner.
In order that this invention may be more clearly and readily understood drawings
are appended in which
Figure 1 is a view showing the appearance of a fork which has been treated as
described above.
Figure 2 is an enlarged section shewing the protective tips and means for securing
the same.
bbbb are the prongs to which are attached the protective shoes or tips a a a a.
These tips which may be stampings or may be forined in any suitable manner are
placed upon the prongs which are prepared to receive them, and may be formed with
a pin or projection as indicated in Fig. 2. to engage with a recess, a formed upon
the tip, or instead of the tip shewn a shoe proper may be formed and encase the
point to which it may be secured by any of the methods indicated in the fore part
of the present specification.
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 :-
The improved protective point or tip for the prongs of forks substantially as herein
set forth and shown by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of August 1897.
J. E. EVANS-JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.