IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANING KNIVES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jane Julia Thomas, of Woking, in the County
of Surrey, Widow and Sole Executrix of Griffiths Thomas, late of
Woking, in the said County of Surrey, deceased, for the Invention
of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANING KNIVES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Griffiths Thomas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd August 1871.
I, GRIFFITHS THOMAS, of Woking, in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
CLEANING KNIVES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improved arrangements by means
of which the operation of cleaning table knives can be conveniently and
effectually performed.
The main portion or body of the apparatus consists of a rectangular
board, in connection with which is arranged the apparatus for holding
and reversing the position of the knives as herein-after mentioned.

page_text: Parallel and near to one edge of the rectangular board is placed a
vertical rack or projection containing a number of slots or apertures
therein corresponding with the number of knives upon which it is
intended the machine shall operate. In each of the before-mentioned
slots or apertures is placed a moveable collar or socket of such a form
as to be capable of holding the handles of the knives intended to be
cleaned, the same being partly of a circular section corresponding with
the form of the slots or apertures in the before-mentioned rack. Each
of these collars or sockets is connected by means of a pin with a bar
which is placed in a groove formed in the under portion of the rack,
and in which it is free to move backwards and forwards, the slots or
apertures in the rack being so slotted as to allow the before-mentioned
pins to work therein, and upon being actuated of bringing the slotted
collars or sockets from a vertical to a horizontal position. A portion of
the exterior surface of each of the collars or sockets has a band or
projection placed thereon, which fits into a corresponding groove in the
interior surface of the apertures, thus holding the collars or sockets
in position. Parallel to the before-mentioned rack, and at a convenient
distance therefrom is placed a horizontal bar capable of sliding in the
rectangular board by means of dovetailed grooves or other analogous
contrivances, and of being moved to a small extent therein by a lever.
The upper surface of the last-mentioned bar is provided with a series
of oblique or inclined teeth, and by the side thereof and parallel there-
with is placed a fixed bar secured to the upper surface of the rectangular
board, and to or on the upper surface of which bar are attached or
formed oblique or inclined teeth. The inclination of the teeth on the
respective bars is reversed so that when the teeth are respectively
opposite to each other the handles of the knives can be readily placed
between the same in a vertical position, whilst by actuating the collars
or sockets and sliding bar the handles are turned to one side or the
other and the desired surface of the blades laid in a flat position on
the rectangular board. The handles are held firmly in the collars or
sockets and between the respective rows of teeth before mentioned,
by fixing the sliding bar in a rigid position, the same being effected by
a thumbscrew, an eccentric lever, and stop, or by any other of the
well-known mechanical contrivances adapted for the purpose. It will
be seen from the foregoing description that the blades of the knives are
placed and held in a horizontal position for cleaning. This operation
is effected by means of a brush which forms a part of the apparatus

page_text: embraced by this Invention. This brush consists of a flat back of
wood or other suitable material, upon one surface of which are placed
vertical strips of chamois or other leather adapted for the purpose, but
placed obliquely. The exterior edges of the vertical strips of leather
are supplied with the requisite cleansing or polishing material, and
the brush passed over the surfaces of the knives, which are thereby
rapidly and effectually cleaned and polished..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jane Julia Thomas in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd February 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JANE
JULIA THOMAS, of Woking, in the County of Surrey, Widow and Sole
Executrix of the late Griffiths Thomas, of Woking, in the County of
Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Jane Julia Thomas, Her special
licence that I, the said Jane Julia Thomas, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jane Julia Thomas,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANING KNIVES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Jane Julia Thomas, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jane Julia Thomas, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say :-
The said Invention relates to certain improved arrangements of
mechanism by means of which the operation of cleaning table knives
can be conveniently and effectually performed.
The main portion or body of the apparatus consists of a rectangular
board, in connection with which is arranged the apparatus for holding
and reversing the position of the knives as herein-after mentioned.
Parallel and near to one edge of the rectangular board is placed a
vertical rack or projection containing a number of slots or apertures
therein corresponding with the number of knives upon which it is
intended the machine shall operate. In each of the before-mentioned
slots or apertures is placed a moveable collar or socket of such a form
as to be capable of holding the handles of the knives intended to be
cleaned, the same being partly of a circular section corresponding with
the form of the slots or apertures in the before-mentioned rack. Each
of these collars or sockets is connected by means of a pin with a bar
which is placed in a groove formed in the under portion of the rack,
and in which it is free to move backwards and forwards, the slots or
apertures in the rack being so slotted as to allow the before-mentioned
pins to work therein, and upon being actuated of bringing the slotted
collars or sockets from a vertical to a horizontal position. A portion
of the exterior surface of each of the collars or sockets has a band
or projection placed thereon which fits into a corresponding groove in
the interior surface of the apertures, thus holding the collars or sockets
in position. Parallel to the before-mentioned rack and at a convenient
distance therefrom is placed a horizontal bar capable of sliding in the
rectangular board by means of dovetailed grooves or other analogous
contrivances, and of being moved to a small extent therein by a lever.
The upper surface of the last-mentioned bar is provided with a series of
oblique or inclined teeth, and by the side thereof and parallel therewith
is placed a fixed bar secured to the upper surface of the rectangular
board, and to or on the surface of which bar are attached or formed
oblique or inclined teeth. The inclination of the teeth on the respective
bars is reversed, so that when the teeth are respectively opposite each
other the handles of the knives can be readily placed between the

page_text: same in a vertical position, whilst by actuating the collars or sockets
and sliding bar the handles of the knives are turned to one side or the
other, and the desired surface of the blades laid in a flat position on
the rectangular board. The handles are held firmly in the collars or
sockets, and between the respective rows of teeth before mentioned,
by fixing the sliding bar in a rigid position, the same being effected by
a thumbscrew, an eccentric lever, and stop, or by any other of the
well-known mechanical contrivances adapted for the purpose. Instead
of the collars or sockets for the reception of the knife handles being
constructed and actuated by means of pins, as herein-before mentioned,
circular collars provided with teeth or cogs which gear into a horizontal
toothed rack may be employed, and instead of one sliding horizontal
toothed bar being used, as herein-before described, two or more such
bars provided with teeth at such distances as to be capable of receiving
knives of different sizes may be employed. These modifications, which
do not in any way depart from the principles of this Invention as
herein-before described, are by preference adopted in manufacturing
the apparatus and are represented in the annexed Drawings.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that the blades of the
knives are placed and held in a horizontal position for cleaning, which
may be conveniently and advantageously performed by means of a brush
consisting of a flat back of wood or other suitable material upon one
surface of which are placed vertical strips of leather, the same being
arranged obliquely. The exterior edges of the vertical strips of leather
are supplied with the requisite cleansing or polishing material and the
brush passed over the surfaces of the knives, which are thereby rapidly
and effectually cleaned and polished.
It must be distinctly understood, however, that the brushes lastly
described are not claimed as being part of the present Invention.
The nature of this Invention will be more clearly understood by
reference to the annexed Drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a front view
shewing the collars or sockets for the reception of the knife handles;
Figure 3 is a transverse section; Figure 4 represents the fixed toothed
bar; and Figure 5 shews one of the moveable bars.
A is the rectangular board; B, are the toothed collars or sockets for
the reception of the knife handles; C, being the toothed rack into
which the same gear, and which is actuated by means of the lever D.

page_text: The moveable sliding toothed bars are shewn at E, and the fixed toothed
bar at F; G and H are levers by means of which the sliding toothed
bars are held firmly in position.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion
that what I claim as being the Invention secured by the said herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and arrange-
ment of parts and mechanism as and for the purposes herein-before set
forth and described, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jane Julia Thomas, have hereunto
set
my hand and seal, this Second day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
JANE JULIA THOMAS. (L.S.)