US933626A - Flaying-knife and the like. - Google Patents

Description

'J. GOOMBER.

PLAYING KNIFE AND THE LIKE.

APPLIGATlON FILED AUG. 29,1907.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEREMIAH COOMBER, OF NEWPORT, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ROBERT JAMES COOMBER AND ONE-THIRD T0 ELIZABETH AGNES COOMBER, GE NORTI-ICOTE, AUSTRALIA.

FLAYING-KNIFE AND 'lI-IE LIKE.

Patented Sept. '7, 1909.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 29, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH CooMBER, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, &c., residing at Newport, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flaying-Knives and the Like; and I 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.

Cattle flaying, sheep skinning, and cognate operations are generally performed with the aid of a knife the speciality of which is the convexity of its keen edge. In the aggregate there is much losscommercially owing to the number of hides and skins which are imperfect, having been damaged in removal by the knife. Some operators are inexperienced, unskilled, or careless; but even those who are not will produce an appreciable percentage of clamaged hides or skins. The convexity of the blade goes far to facilitate proper fiaying; but by this invention the operator is further assisted, less time is required, and so much skill and experience are not essential.

The improvement is located at the knife end leaving the rest of the blade thin and unencumbered, easy to keep in good condition and to work with for various purposes.

The improvement comprises a knob, cap or sheath integral with the blade; or permanently affixed; or removable.

In the accompanying drawings embodiments of the invention are illustrated, but modifications thereof may be made to include essential matter within the scope of the claims.

Figure 1 is a side view of a fiaying knife, provided with, one form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a back edge View of the flaying knife shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 show a flaying knife blade end, on a much enlarged scale in (respectively) front edge, and back edge views. Fig. 5, is a side view of a modification of the form shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 shows a fiaying knife blade end in back edge view, the form shown being a further modification of that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 shows a further modification wherein a cap is fixed on or attached by a rivet screw, or pin,and Fig. 8, still Serial No. 390,667.

another modification wherein a sheath is connected by means of a tooth therein entering a notch in the knife back edge. Fig. 9 is a section through line 11 in Figs. 8 and 4. Fig. 10 is a vertical section through line 12 in Fig. 6.

In these illustrations the knife handle is marked A, the blade B, and the enlargement or protective device at its end 0 in Figs. 1 to 5 and in Fig. 9; C in Figs. 6 and 10; C in Fig. 7 and C in Fig. 8. The contour and form of this knob may vary. In Fig. 5, the enlargement C appears with its fore edge or line of greatest thickness or width extending along the dotted line G Part C, G 0 or C is steel, or other metal, alloy, or material, its front and back being brought to a suitable location relatively to the keen edge D and back E of the rest of blade B; for example as in Figs. 1 to 5 by continuing the curves thereof, or extending them so as to cross edges D and E as in Figs. 7 and 8.

At F is a permanent rivet, or a removable screw, or an inwardly projecting stud or pin on part O to spring into or be pressed to enter a corresponding hole in blade B. The cap edges project slightly at F such being ample for the purpose in view; in other cases it is sufficient to continue along blade line D and E so as to make a thick non-cutting nose; in Figs. 1 to 5 the nose C is thus blunt. The blunt extremity F of the cap is integral in Fig. 7.

At G Fig. 8 is a tooth inside the recess of the sheath C to enter a recess or notch G in the blade edge; at G is a slot, the cap material being springy enough to allow of the cap being forced open and then sprung closed or clamped. The knob need not project on both sides of the blade end, or project equally when on both sides; but when it is as in Figs. 6 and 10 on one side only the leaving of a sharp point or edge at the blade tip is avoided. The contour is readily finished off or regulated by grinding.

This improved knife is very useful for slitting a carcass skin, while avoiding cutting the flesh; as when slitting down an animals leg. An incision is first made in any suitable manner. Then the knobbed end of the blade is inserted and the keen edge makes the slit while the knob prevents the knife from cutting into the flesh, the latter yielding somewhat under the knob pressure.

By holding the knife handle deftly to one side the knob may be so pressed outward as to further facilitate the parting of the skin from the flesh when slitting. The blade can be sharpened readily even with a high knob on one or both sides. This is so because of the convexity of the blade; and as an aid the knob is made to cover or broaden less length of the keen edge D than of the back E, hen the cap is removable, sharpening may be efiected with it on or off as preferred.

What I do claim as my invention and def sire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A knife having a blade end provided with means incapable of eutting, integral with said end, extending longitudinally of 2. A skinning knife comprising a blade having at its end a blunt portion forming a knob extending laterally outside the plane of said blade, and tapering to the plane of said blade, whereby the point of the blade is rendered incapable of cutting and the knob is adapted to wedge the skin from the flesh in the skinning operation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JEREMIAH COOMBER.

\Vitnesses:

GEORGE G. TURRI, BEATRICE M. Lown.

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