A MACHINE FOR CLEANING KNIVES
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 12th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 18th Mar., 1887.
I THOMAS JENKS of 7 Darlington Street Bath in the County of Somerset Gentleman
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for A MACHINE FOR CLEANING KNIVES
to be as follows:-
At one end of the machine fixed on a shaft running in the frame of the machine
(which frame may be of Wood or Iron) is a Drum A on Plate I of accompanying
Drawings having in its outward surface a serpentine groove extending the whole of
its circumference.
At each side of the Drum is a sliding propeller B B resting in slots in the said frame
of the machine and having on its inside a lateral pin or peg projecting into the groove
of the Drum.
These propellers (each being jointed to facilitate removal are attached by screws to
two horizontal Iron carriers C1 C1 the undermost of which rests on the bottom or
bed of the frame.
Attached to these carriers on their inner surfaces (if necessary fitted into a rim or
tray marked by a serpentine line in the separate figure C1 in plate I of drawings) are
two polishers marked C2 C2. These are composed of Wool or Cotton waste and other
vegetable fibre and the hair of animals, compressed into sheets of the required size
and thickness and combined with the kind of loam of which is made the substance
known as Bathbrick together with emery powder or other polishing substances and
the required quantity of adhesive matter.
The blades of the knives are placed between the two polishers which are then
pressed together by movable rollers D D operating on the upper surface of the
topmost carrier.
A revolution of the Drum A (which is turned by an ordinary handle) produces six
rapid short backward and forward strokes of each carrier with its attached polisher of
an alternate character, that is to say, that while the bottom carrier is being propelled
forward the topmost one is being withdrawn, the effect of which movement is to keep
the blade of the knife in a stationary position without any strain upon the tine or
prong of the knife.

page_text: I can also effect this alternate backward and forward motion by the means shown in
plate 2 of the drawings namely by a shaft F having certain projecting cams acting
upon two forked propellers G G each having two arms one of which runs above and
the other below the said shaft (as shown in fig. 2 Plate 2 the dotted lines showing the
position of shaft) each arm of the propeller having a slot or mortice corresponding to
the cams on shaft and each propeller being jointed and attached to the carriers in like
manner as the propellers B B in Plate I.
In front of and extending nearly the length of the carriers C. C. is a novel
contrivance or action marked E for holding or gripping the whole handle of the knife
by a firm but harmless pressure and capable of being adjusted to handles of any size.
This is effected by slides, having affixed to them crosswise, blocks of wood or India
Rubber of the required length and shape alternated by rows of metal pins or pegs
covered with india rubber tubes. The slides are moved and fixed by thumb screws
running through an Iron fixture X attached to the bottom or frame of the machine.
The figure in Plate I of the drawings shows the whole working parts of the
machine in position the dotted lines marking the position of the frame except the front
which is not shown but which is identical with the back as drawn.
The figures A, B, C1, C2, E and X showing the separate parts enlarged and in a
reversed position so as to show more fully their form.
The figure E is drawn in the position as used, but here is shown as only capable of
holding eight knives whereas it may be and is intended to be made to hold more.

page_text: I THOMAS JENKS of No. 7 Darlington Street Bath in the County of Somerset
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for A MACHINE FOR
CLEANING KNIVES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
At one end of the machine fixed on a shaft running in the frame of the machine
(which frame may be of Wood or Iron) is a Drum A having in its outward surface a
serpentine groove extending the whole of its circumference.
At each side of the drum is a sliding propeller B B resting in slots in the said frame
of the machine and having on its inside a lateral pin or peg projecting and fitting into
the groove of the drum.
These two propellers (one being jointed to facilitate removal) are attached to two
horizontal Iron or Steel carriers CC partially perforated in as many places as may be
required (according to the number of knives intended to be placed in the machine) in
such form as to constitute springs acting upon the polishers. The undermost of these
carriers rests on the bottom or bed of the machine and both carriers may if required
be strengthened by wood affixed to them. Attached to these carriers on their inner
surfaces are two polishers marked D D which are formed of leather or cork carpet and
a substance composed of wool or cotton waste and other vegetable fibre and the hair
of animals compressed into sheets of the required size and thickness and combined
with the kind of loam of which is made the substance known as Bathbrick together
with emery powder or other polishing material and the required quantity of adhesive
matter.
The blades of the knives are placed between the two polishers which are then
pressed together by moveable rollers E E operating on the upper surface of the
topmost carrier.
A revolution of the Drum A produces six rapid short backward and forward strokes
of each carrier, with its attached polisher, of an alternate character, that is to say, that
while the bottom carrier is being propelled forward the topmost one is being with-
drawn the effect of which movement is to keep the blade of the knife in a stationary
position without any strain upon the tine or prong of the knife.
In front of and extending nearly the length of the carriers D D is a novel
contrivance or action for holding or gripping the whole handle of the knife by a firm
but harmless pressure and capable of being adjusted to handles of any size. This is
effected by slides a a having affixed to them rows of metal pins or pegs alternated by
fixed cross pieces b b formed of wood Iron or India rubber. The slides are moved or
adjusted by a thumb screw e running through an iron fixture & attached to the frame
of the machine.

page_text: The accompanying drawing shows the whole working parts of the machine in
position as used and which are substantially similar to those described in my
provisional specification No. 6436 dated the 13th May 1886 with slight modifications.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
1. The use of the grooved drum for the purpose of imparting motion to a knife
cleaning machine.
2. The use of the perforated steel carriers as described.
3. The use of the substance known as cork carpet and the substance formed as
described of wool or hair fibre and polishing material for the purpose of a knife
cleaning apparatus.
4. The whole of the action as described for the holding of the knife handles by
means of slides and cross pieces.