Improvements in Apparatus Employed in Cleaning Knives and similar Articles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus Employed in Cleaning Knives and
similar Articles.
We, MARY ANN BOYDE of No. 3 George Street Cheetham Hill Manchester and
IVIE MACKIE LAMB of No. 12 Peter Street Manchester Estate Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to apparatus employed in cleaning knives and similar
articles.
These Improvements consist in the general construction of the apparatus and in the
construction, combination and arrangement of its constituent parts.
A base or foundation of metal wood or any suitable material and of any convenient
form and dimensions has formed in its upper surface a groove or cavity open at one
end and by preference, at both ends. The flat bottom of this cavity is lined with a
A loose open
strip of felt, leather, linoleum or other suitable yielding material.
topped box preferably constructed of sheet metal is made to fit in the groove or cavity
in the base and its bottom is covered with a strip of felt, leather linoleum or other
material similar to that in the groove. Through the bottom of the box and the
material with which the bottom is externally covered holes are formed. These holes
may advantageously be eyeletted as thereby the box bottom and its covering are more
firmly united and the knife cleaning powder is prevented entering and accumulating
between the box and its covering strip. A casing is constructed to cover the open
topped box when it is in its place in the groove and so that it may be firmly secured
to the base. Springs are inserted in the box before the covering is secured, their
function being to bring the clothed surface of the box into pressing contact with the
clothed bottom of the groove or with a knife or any similar article placed between
them. Holes or openings are formed in the upper surface of the casing and are
closed with removable plugs screws or caps, or the holes or openings may be omitted
and the loose box be arranged to draw out for a short distance.

page_text: Emery powder, powdered Bath brick or other suitable polishing material is poured
into the box through the opening or openings in the casing or into the temporarily
withdrawn end of the drawer. The knife or similar article is then inserted between
the contiguous leather or other surfaces and is reciprocated a few times from heel to
point.
By this motion a small quantity of the polishing powder is caused to escape through
the holes in the bottom of the box upon the surface of the knife and spreads to and is
imbedded in the clothing material. The clothed surfaces thus become in a condition
to impart an uniform polish, and the polishing material upon the surfaces is constantly
renewed.

page_text: filling or re-filling of the box Cor the bag G with emery or other polishing material,
may be effected by arranging the box C to draw out of the outer casing J, or it may
be re-filled through a hole in J which may be closed by a plug slide or cover L or by
removing the cover J. A hole may be formed in the top of the bag G, when this is
used, through which the polishing material may be poured when the cap or plug L or
the cover J is removed.
The knife M or similar article which it is desired to polish is inserted between the
contiguous leather or other polishing surfaces as shown in Fig. 1, and is reciprocated a
few times from heel to point. A small quantity of polishing material is thus caused
to escape from the box C, or bag G, and to fall through the hole or holes H on to the
knife and the polishing surfaces, which are thus kept in a condition to impart a uniform
polish.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what wo
claim is :
(1) A knife cleaner constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(2) In a knife cleanor: the combination and arrangement of the grooved base, a
pad in the bottom of the groove, an open topped box within the groove of the base,
a pad upon the bottom of the box, perforations through the bottom of the box and the
pad thereon, and a casing or cover to the open topped box; substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of August A.D. 1888.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.