A New Bread Toasting Fork.
Year: 1895

page_text: A New Bread Toasting Fork.
I JAMES MARCROFT, of 126 Platting Lane Rochdale in the County of
Lancaster Commission Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to forks used for toasting bread or for other like purposes.
The object of my invention being to provide or ad apt an arrangement by which
means either side of a slice of bread to be toasted may be turned to or from the
fire or the said slice may be simultaneously moved to or therefrom, the whole of
which operations may be performed whilst the fork or my apparatus remains in
position or is situate on the top bar which operations-whilst the fork remains
stationary are the essential features of my said invention.
According to my construction my invention consists of a tubular piece which is
from one end thereof for a suitable distance of its length split or divided, which
split or divided part is suitably bent or turned so as to partake of the nature of a
clip or to form claws or jaws for the purpose of attaching or placing the same on the
ordinary affixed top bar or top bar of the grate thus forming a holding device or
the one end of the tube may be provided with a separate holding device.
I place within the hollow tubular metal portion, a rod which is capable of sliding
within the tube, or when in use, to be moved to or from the fire, which rod is
provided with a separate piece having prongs, or being a fork piece, which fork is
hung or depended from and connected with a peculiar hook shaped piece.
The said rod is also capable of being turned round in the tube so that when
such turning operation is performed, the movement of the peculiar hook shaped
piece causes the fork to actuate so that either side of the slice to be toasted may be
turned to also the slice to be moved to or from the fire at the will of the operator.
Dated this 29th day of June 1895.
J. H. BUTTERWORTH,
Rochdale,
For the Applicant.
I JAMES MARCROFT of 126 Platting Lane Rochdale in the County of
Lancaster Commission Agent 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 relates to forks used for toasting bread or for other like purposes.
The object of my invention being to provide or adapt an arrangement by which
means either side of a slice of bread to be toasted may be turned to or from the
fire or the said slice may be simultaneously moved to or from the fire which
operations may be performed whilst the fork or apparatus remains. in position on
the bar of the firegrate in a stationary or fixed position, which operations of turning
the slice and passing the slice to or withdrawing the same from the fire are the
essential features of this my invention.

page_text: According to my construction my invention consists of a tubular piece which is
from one end thereof for a suitable distance of its length split or divided which
split or divided part is suitably bent, turned, or formed so as to form a clip or
clawlike extremity or jaws for the purpose of attaching or fixing the same on the
ordinary top bar of the fire grate thus forming a holding device or the one end
of the tube may in lieu of the split portion be provided with a separate holding
device.
I place within the hollow tubular metal portion a rod which is capable of sliding
within the tube or when in use to be moved to or from the fire which rod is
provided with a separate piece being of peculiar or curved form and from which
is hung or depended or to which is loosely attached a fork shaped piece or fork.
The said rod is also capable of being turned round within the tube so that when
such turning operation is performed the movement of the peculiar shaped extremity
of the rod canses the fork to actuate so that the slice of bread thereon may be
turned from side to side by the operator at will, that is, either side of the slice to
be toasted may be turned at pleasure to the fire.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I have reference to the
accompanying sheet of drawings in which like letters of reference throughout the
figures therein shewn indicate like parts.
Fig. 1. is an elevation of my invention.
Fig. 2. is a plan shewing the sliding rod detached from the fork holder.
Fig. 3. is a view shewing a modified form of the holder to affix to a fire bar.
Fig. 4. is an end view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5. is a modified form of holder for carrying the sliding rod.
Fig. 6. is an enlarged view shewing the connection of the fork with the rod.
Fig. 7. is a plan of Figure 6.
or a
a. is the tube or holder having at one end claw or holding pieces a¹ a² a³
book shaped form a see Fig. 3. The parts just described are adapted to fit on to an
ordinary top bar or appliance of a domestic fire grate which parts may be of any
suitable form but the drawings herewith illustrate two examples which is sufficient
to explain my meaning as it is obvious that many forms may be adapted for this
purpose.
I may form the part a. of a tubular shape the whole of which, that is, the stem a.
and the holding parts may be formed from one piece of sheet metal by means of
suitable tools or appliances but the part a. made in the form of a tube or I may
if desired form the said part as at a shewn in Fig. 5. by which means the
sliding rod b. may if desired be readily removed from the stem when it is desired
to adjust a slice of bread on the fork c. supported at the end of the rod b. as
the case may be as by this means the rod and fork may be removed from the stem
or holder whilst the same is or remaius in a permanent position on the bar of the
fire grate.
The fork is connected with the rod by passing the same thro' the eye of
the piece thus forming at the part c³ a loop see Figs. 3 and 4 but connected so
as to hang loosely therefrom so that when the rod is turned about its axis a side b
of the piece may bear against the part et see Figs. 6. and 7. shewing the fork
in the act of turning round. When the fork is completely turned round as shewn
in Fig. 2 the part by the shape of piece b' and its action when turned is thus
twisted or worked into position within the eye thus by turning or operating the
rod the prongs or points e' of the fork e may be turned to or from the position
as shewn in Fig. 2.
The said rod b. is adapted to slide within its support a. that is, when in
position, the fork may be moved towards or from the fire bars or fire, but an
important element of this invention is that the said rod is also capable of being
turned about its axis and within its support by which operation the extremities or
sides c¹³ of the fork may be respectively turned towards the fire, this is effected
by the peculiar form of the rod b. at its extremity b' see Fig. 2 and by means of
which form together with the form of the fork at c see Fig. 4. the said fork with

page_text: the slice of bread thereon may have each side presented to the fire at the will of
the operator; my invention thus forms a fork for bread toasting purposes which is
capable of remaining in a permanent position at the same time the bread to be
toasted may be simultaneously moved to or from the fire and have each side thereof
presented thereto obviating the necessity of a person holding the fork or the
removing of the slice of bread therefrom until both sides are toasted.
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 a bread toasting fork a sliding rod b. mounted in a bracket or holder a
capable of self adjustment on the bar of a fire grate in a rigid or stable position
whilst the said rod is capable of being moved in any convenient horizontal position
also capable of turning therein substantially as and for the purposes herein fully
set forth.
2. In combination the form of bracket or carrier a. as shewn in Figure 5. and
the rod b. whereby the rod may be removed from the bracket whilst the latter is
in position on the bar of the fire grate as and for the purposes herein fully set
forth.
3. In combination the rod b. formed at its extremity as at b' and the fork c as
and for the purposes herein fully set forth.
4. The rod b. formed at its extremity 61 as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 30th day of March 1896.
J. H. BUTTERWORTH,
Rochdale,
For the Applicant.