US546376A

US546376A - Table-cutlery

Info

Publication number: US546376A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1912-09-17

Description

(No Model.)

J. BARRY 81; M. L. SHAUGHNESSYI TABLE GUTLERY.

No. 546,376. Patented Sept. 17, 1895.

BJERAHAM ,VHGYO-UTNOMIASHIN mu 1Q UNTTED STATES ATENT @rries.

JOHN BARRY AND MICHEAL L. SI-IAUGHNESSY, OF LENOX, IOWA.-

TABLE-CUTLERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,376, dated September 17, 1895.

Application filed January 29, 1895. Serial No. 536,544- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN BARRY and M'ICHEAL L. SHAUGHNESSY, citizens of the United States, residing at Lenox, in the county of Taylor and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Table-Cutlery; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to table-cutlery; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, which form a combined knife and fork for persons who have the use of only one hand.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the instrument. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 isalongitudinal section through the knife-handle, showing the blade retracted. Fig. a is a detail side view of the lug on the fork next to the knife-handle. Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sections taken, respectively, on the lines ac as and y y in Fig. 3.

A is the handle of the instrument. This handle is formed of two parts a and a, which are trough-shaped in cross-section, and have flat tracks b along their bottoms, as seen in Fig. 3. The lower part a is provided with lugs 11 at its front end and projecting guards 0 upon its sides. The upper part a is curved longitudinally, and its front end is pivoted on the pin 0, which passes through the said lugs b upon the lower part a. The pin 0 is provided with a head 61 at one end, a projecting portion cl, a shoulder e, bearing against one side of the part a, andanut e, screwed on its other end and bearing against the other side of the part a.

F is the knife-blade, and f is its shank, which slides longitudinally in the handle. A flanged roller F is journaled on the pin 0 between the lugs 19 and bears against the back of the shank. The flanges of the roller F also assist in guiding the knife-shank.

G is a forked end formed on or secured to the end of the shank f, and g and g are rollers journaled in the said forked end, one above the other, the upper roller g being preferably a little in advance of the lower roller These rollers run on the tracks I; of the handle. The upper roller is preferably journaled in slots G in the forked end, so that its lower side bears upon the lower roller.

H is a spring having its ends secured to the lower part a and to the knife-shank. This spring preferably encircles the shank and normally holds the knife-blade extended, as shown in Fig. l. A push piece or button 71 projects laterally from the forked end G between the two parts a and a.

I is the fork, provided with a curved stem 2', lugs t", and a rearwardly-projecting end I for operating it. The lugs t" are pivoted on the projecting portion (1 of the pin 0, and the lug which comes next to the handle has an elongated hole j, which permits the fork to be rocked laterally upon its pivot.

K is a spring having its ends attached to the lower part a of the handle and to the end I of the fork. The middle portion of the spring is coiled about the portion (2 of the pin 0, and the spring normally presses the tines ofthe fork downward and away from the knife-blade, holding their points about half an inch below the edge of the extended knifeblade, as shown in Fig. 1.

- The end I of the fork has a curved lip j on its outer side, or a button 7; may project from the stem '6 if preferred.

The instrument, as shown, is intended to be used by the right hand, but it may be used with the left hand, or, if preferred, it may be constructed with the fork upon the other side of the handle to better enable it to be used with the left hand. The person using the instrument will of course operate its various parts as may best suit his individual convenience. The knife-blade is retracted by the grip of the hand bringing together the parts of the handle, as shown in Fig. 3, and the knife can be removed back and forth by alternately tightening and releasing the pressure of the grasp upon the parts of the handle. The tines of the fork can be raised by pressing downward with the forefinger upon the end I. The fork can be held rigid with the handle, whether the knife-blade is extended or retracted, by pressing downward with the forefinger on the stem 41 and upward with the thumb against the lip j. The tine of the fork can be moved laterally towardthe knife-blade by pressing sidewise with the thumb against the lip or button 75. The knife-blade can be held rigidly extended by pressing for wardly with the thumb against the push-piece h, the parts of the handle being grasped 5' lightly.

In cutting food on a plate the general intention is for the tines of the rfork to be firstv pressed into the food, so as to hold it securely. The knife-blade which bears on or is pressed [0 into the food is then retracted, cutting 0d a portion of the food which remains on the fork and can be conveyed thereby to the mouth,

The projecting guards upon the lower part,

a of the handle prevent portions of the hand from being pinched between the parts a and a".

What we claim is 1. The combination, with a fork, of a handle supporting the fork, and a longitudinally retraetible knife blade arranged onone side of the said fork, and in line with and slidable in the said handle, substantially as set forth. 2. The combination, with a handle, ofa longitudinally retractible knife blade sliding therein, and a fork pivoted to the said handle and movable in a plane parallel with the knife blade, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a handle formed of two pivoted parts, the upper part beingourved; of aretraetibie knife blade provided with a shank slidingbetween the parts of the handle and provided with rollers for the said parts to bear against, substantially as set forth. V r

4. The combination, with a handle formed 5. of two pivoted parts, of a retractible knife blade provided with a shank sliding between the said parts, and a spring normally holding: the said knife blade extended, substantiallyas set forth.

4o .5. The combination, with a handle formed of two pivoted parts, ofa retractible knife blade provided with a shank sliding between the said parts and provided with a laterallyprojecting push piece at its rear end, whereby 1 the knife blade may be held extended, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a handle formed of two pivoted parts, of a retractible knife blade provided with a shank having a forked end and sliding between the said parts, and

two rollers journaled in the said forked end and bearing against each other and against the said parts, substantially as set forth.

of two pivoted parts, one of the said parts be ing provided with laterally projecting guards to prevent the hand from being pinched; of a retractible knife blade provided with a shank sliding between the said parts, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with a handle, and a longitudinally retractible knife blade carried thereby; of a fork pivoted to the said handle, and a spring normally holding the tines of the fork pressed downward, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with a handle, and a longitudinally retractible knife blade carried thereby; of a pin projeotinglaterally from the said handle, and a fork pivoted on the said pin with its front end free to move latorally with respect to the knife blade, substantially as set forth.

. 11. The combination, with ahandle, and a longitudinally retractible knife blade carried thereby; of a pin projecting laterally from the said handle, and a fork provided with lugs upon the sides of its stem, said lugs being pivoted on the said pin and the lug next the handle having an elongated hole permitting the tines of the fork to be moved laterally, substantially as set forth.

' 12. The combination, with a handle, and a longitudinally retractible knife blade carried thereby; of a fork pivoted to the said handle 9 and provided with an end portion projecting rearwardly of the pivot and provided with a curved lip on one side, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our si natures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BARRY. MIOHEAL L. SHAUGHNESSY, lVitnesse's:

J OSEP. KAFKA, M. E. ABERNATHEY.

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