Improvements in Rotary Knife Cleaning Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 6th May,
1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Knife Cleaning Machines.
I, WILLIAM JOSHUA FOOT of 114 New North Road, Islington, London N.
Knife Machine 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 :-
The improvements in rotary knife cleaning machines constituting my invention
consists of Firstly-the employment of a plain faced or grooved solid block of
rubber, rubber composition or other equally resilient material, at the mouth of each
knife aperture in the machine, as a rest, guide or stay for the knife when inserted
therein, the elasticity or resiliency of each block being accelerated by the employ-
ment of suitable metallic or other springs if needed. Secondly-the employment
of plates or strips of elastic inetal instead of animal or vegetable substances ab
hitherto used, as backings or supports for the diagonally disposed leather strips
within the machine, which constitute the polishing medium, and Thirdly-the
employment of brass, copper, lead, pewter or other soft netal or metalloids in the
construction or facing of that part of the machine known as the "knife guard,"
the objects of the said improvements being-Firstly-to provide a more elastic
seating for the handle of the knife during the process of cleaning, than that hitherto
employed, as a preventative of rupture of the same and the adjacent parts of the
machine, and a softer substance against which the sharp edge of the knife is liable
to collide upon the insertion or withdrawal of the same to and from the machine.
Secondly that by the employment of the said elastic metal backings, to provide
a more constant and lasting elastic support to the leather strips aforesaid, than was
possible by the means hitherto employed, and also to prevent the hitherto wholesale
destruction of the said leather strips by the knives, should the discs of the machine
be inadvertently rotated in the wrong direction, and, Thirdly-
-to prolong the life
of the knives by the employment of soft metal instead of steel as hitherto in the
construction of the guards with which the shoulders of the knives are constantly
colliding during the process of cleaning.
In order that my said improvements and the application of same may be clearly
understood I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings, in which
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are plan, side elevation, and end elevation respectively of the
Baid rubber block, which although shown grooved may be perfectly level faced if
desired.
Fig. 4 is a perspective elevation of one of the plates usually employed upon the
outer circumference of a rotary knife cleaning machine which serve to form the
entrance apertures for the knives, and according to my invention provided with a
suitable trough or tray for the reception and holding of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a side clevation of Fig. 4 as it would appear when Fig. 1 is placed
therein, which also serves to illustrate the position in which the knife is therein and
thereon seated during the process of cleaning.
Fig. 6 is an inside view of part of one of the two revolving discs which carry the
brushes and strips of leather forming the cleaners, shewing position of the soft
metal knife guard, this being one of the improvements constituting my invention.
Fig. 7 is a cross section of either of the rows of leather strips upon the said discs,
Buch for instance as that upon the line A B Fig. 6.
Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are details of the metallic plates or strips forming
according to my invention elastic backings for the said leather strips, and which
will be hereinafter fully explained.
Similar letters of reference are used in all the views when referring to the same
or like parts

page_text: In carrying my invention into effect, I mould or otherwise form of rubber, rubber
composition or other equally resilient material, a preferably centrally grooved
block A, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which I force into the tray or trough B of the plate C,
Fig. 4, which forms one of the knife entrances to the machine by means of the
aperture D. I prefer that the blocks A whether plain faced or grooved shall be
slightly longer than the trough B, so that when placed, and held by suitable screws
or pins therein, these may belly or swell slightly in an upward direction from B,
which serves to increase the elastic teusion of same without increasing its bulk,
when the knife handle is seated thereon as at Fig. 5, and I may, if needed, further
enhance the tension of A, by placing thereunder, and within the trough B, any
form of metallic or other spring suitable for the purpose.
In all rotary knife cleaning machines, the rotation of the discs Fig. 6, huve a
tendency to force the blades E of the knives in the direction of the arrow Fig. 6,
until arrested by the handle thereof E colliding with the upper part of the
aperture D, which acts as a fulcrum, so that the upward movement of E causes E'
to press in a downward direction, and to prolong the life of the cleaning medium,
and prevent rupture of the knife, I find in practice that some highly elastic seating
for the handle E is indispensable, and this the clastic block A amply provides,
while the groove therein prevents the slightest lateral movement of E¹, hence the
blade E is kept always rigid and in the plane of the rotating discs. In removing
the knife from the machine after cleaning, the sharp cutting edge thereof often
collides with the substance upon which E has been resting, and if this be of hard
material the edge of the knife is thereby injured, but the soft and pliable surface
of A, with which E may collide, entirely prevents such rupture of the edge
occurring.
As is well known the inner surfaces of the rotating discs of the form of machine
in question, consists of a certain portion or portions in brush form, as at F Fig. 6,
while the remainder consists of sections of parallel strips of leather G placed edge-
wise, and disposed at suitable angles, which form the rubbing surfaces for polishing
the blades, of the knives and these during the use of the machine would get
permanently bent down unless some means be provided to maintain their elastic
stability, and hitherto this has been imperfectly attained by backing each of said
strips G, with a blade of horn or whalebone or other like material, seated between
strips of wood H fastened to the rotating disc, but I have found in practice that
the said horn or whaleboue is not suited for this purpose, being too sensitive of
atmospheric changes, and frequently collapse or break, and moreover, should the
discs of the machine be inadvertently rotated in the wrong direction so that the
knives would be likely to enter between the strips G, the force used has often
caused the knives, not only to destroy the leathers G, but actually to cut through
the horn or whalebone backings aforesaid. I entirely overcome these difficulties
by employing steel or other elastic metal in lieu of the said horn or whalebone, and
these I place behind the strips G, and connect both by the means of tacks bor their
equivalents to the wooden strips H, in the manner shewn by Fig. 7, in which the
said inetallic backing blades are indicated by a, which may be either plain as at
Fig. 8, or formed with a curl as at Fig. 9 and shewn in position by a¹ in Fig. 7,
and may be either the same length as the strip G for which it forms a backing, or
any proportion of its length, so that two or any number may be employed us
backing for one strip G. Or I may form either or both of said steel blades Figs. 8
and 9, combwise, as at Figs. 10 and 11, which in company with Fig. 12 also serve
to illustrate the variations that may be made in the widths of same.
By the employment of these metallic strips or blades a or a', or a and a! the life
of the strips G is materially prolonged, and the knives better and more quickly
cleaned than by the means of backing hitherto adopted, for the reason, that the
said metallic blades are more lasting and quicker in their action of returning the
strips G to their normal position after being depressed by the passing blade, and
further, should the discs be inadvertently rotated in the wrong direction, the knife
blades entering between the strips G would come in contact with the steel

page_text: stripa a or a by which the rotation of the discs would be instantly arrested,
thereby saving the wholesale destruction of the strips G, before mentioned.
The third improvement constituting part of my invention consists in the employ-
ment of brass, lead, copper, pewter, or other soft metal or metalloid in the
construction or facing of the knife guard K Fig. 6, instead of wood or steel as
hitherto employed for this purpose, as I find in practice that if wood be used, this
is liable to be cut or jagged by the edges of the knives, or the shoulders of the
knives quickly worn away by being in rubbing contact with the harder metal
during the cleaning process when steel is used for this purpose. With this in view
I may construct the said guard wholly of soft metal, or partly of wood faced with
Boft metal, this or these being fixed upon the rotating disc in the usual position
above the brushes F, by the means of pins or screws in the usual way as shown at
Fig. 6.
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.
1st. In combination, the herein described improvements in rotary knife cleaning
machines for attaining the objects set forth, connected and operating substantially
as herein stated and shewn by the appended drawings.
2nd. In an improved rotary knife cleaning machine the employment of a plain
or grooved block A, composed wholly of solid rubber, rubber composition, or other
equally resilient material, seated, with or without metallic springs, within the trough
or tray B, of a plate C, forming an elastic rest guide or stay for the handles of the
knives while being cleaned, substantially as herein described and shewn by Figs. 1.
2. 3. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In an improved rotary knife cleaning machine, the employment of steel or
other elastic metal in the construction of blades a a', of any desired widths, plain
as at Figs. 8 or 13, or curled as at Fig. 9, with or without being toothed or formed
combwise as at Fig. 10 and 11, and the use of same singly or in multiple as
backings or supports for the leather polishing strips G, connected by pins or the
like b to strips H, fastened upon the rotating discs, substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth and shewn by Fig. 7 of the annexed drawings.
4th. In an improved rotary knife cleaning machine, the employment of Any 'kind
of soft metal or inetalloid in the construction of, or as a covering or facing for, the
kuife guard K, forming part of the rotating discs of same, substantially as and
for the purposes herein described and shewn by Fig. 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
1000
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.