Spork
Asporkis a form ofcutleryandcombination utensiltaking the form of aspoon-like scoop with two to fourfork-liketines.[1]Spork-like utensils, such as the terrapin fork or ice cream fork,[2]have been manufactured since the late 19th century;[3]patents for spork-like designs date back to at least 1874. Sporks are commonly used by fast food restaurants, schools, prisons, militaries, backpackers, andairlines.[3]
The wordsporkis a portmanteau ofspoonandfork.It appeared in the 1909 supplement to theCentury Dictionary,where it was described as atrade nameand "a 'portmanteau-word' applied to a long, slender spoon having, at the end of the bowl, projections resembling the tines of a fork ".[4]The word "spork" was later registered as a trademark in the US and the UK.
A utensil with a fork on one side and a spoon on one side is also known as aspork.
History
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In the U.S., patents for sporks and proto-sporks have been issued. A combined spoon, fork, and knife closely resembling the modern spork was invented by Samuel W. Francis and issuedUS patent 147,119on February 3, 1874.[5]Other early patents predating the modern spork includeUS patent 904,553,[6]for a "cutting spoon", granted on November 24, 1908, to Harry L. McCoy andUS patent 1,044,869,[7]for a spoon with a tined edge, granted to Frank Emmenegger in November 1912. Many of these inventions predated the use of the term "spork". Given this significantprior art,the basic concept of combining aspects of a spoon and fork is well established; more modern patents have limited themselves to the specific implementation and appearance of the spork. Thesedesign patentsdo not prevent anyone from designing and manufacturing a different version of a spork. Examples of modern US design patents for sporks include patent number D247,153 issued in February 1978[8]and patent D388,664 issued in January 1998.[9]
Etymology
[edit]Theword"spork"originatedin the early 20th century to describe such devices. In 1951, Hyde W. Ballard ofWesttown, Pennsylvaniafiled an application with theUnited States Patent Office(USPO; now the United States Patent and Trademark Office) to register "Spork" as atrademarkfor a combination spoon and fork made of stainless steel.[10][11]The Van Brode Milling Company subsequently registered SPORK for a combination plastic spoon, fork and knife at the USPO on October 27, 1970, but the registration expired 20 years later.[12]The word Spork accompanied by a stylised design is registered in the US in relation to hand tools, in the name of a UK-based individual.[13]
In the UK,Plastico Limitedregistered "Spork" as a trademark in relation to cutlery with effect from September 18, 1975 (reg. no. 1052291, now expired).[14]The trademark is also registered in the UK in relation to gardening tools in the name of the same UK based individual who owns US trademark registration no. 2514381. Another British company,Lifeventure,sellstitaniumand plastic versions using the name "Forkspoon".
In an unsuccessful lawsuit in 1999 where the companyRegalzonesought to invalidate Plastico Limited's UK registration for Spork, Justice Neuberger wrote:[citation needed]
I accept that the wordSporkinvolves a clever idea of making a single word byelidingthe beginning of the word spoon and the end of the word fork. The fact that it is clever and the fact that the meaning ofSporkcould be said to be obvious once it is explained does not mean that it is obvious what it is. Indeed, I would have thought that if one asked a person in 1975 what a Spork was, he or she would not know. If one then explained what it was and how the word came about, one might then be told that it was obvious or that it was clever.
Materials and uses
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Materials such asstainless steel,silver,aluminum,titanium,copperandpolycarbonate plastichave been used in spork manufacturing. Plastic sporks are common in prisons in theUnited Statesbecause they are difficult to form intoshiv-typeweaponsto attack other inmates. Prepackaged meals may come with a disposable plastic spork. Sporks are also frequently used bybackpackers,Boy Scoutsand other outdoorspeople as they are a lightweight and space-saving alternative to carrying both a fork and spoon.
See also
[edit]- Grapefruit spoon– Kind of spoon intended for use with citrus fruit
- Combination eating utensils– Utensils with hybrid traits, such as sporks and knorks
- Lusikkahaarukka– spoon-fork combination(spoon-forkinFinnish)
- Pastry fork– Eating utensil
- Runcible spoon– Nonsense word created by Edward Lear
- Splayd– Combination spoon, knife and fork utensil
References
[edit]- ^Shepard, Helen-Marie (27 May 2002)."The splendid spork a marvel to behold".The Register Guard. Archived fromthe originalon 12 May 2012.Retrieved1 February2009.
- ^Petroski, Henry (1992).The Evolution of Useful Things.Knopf. p. 135.ISBN0-679-41226-3.
- ^ab"Terrapin Forks (1890 - 1900)".Prices 4 Antiques.
- ^"The Century dictionary and cyclopedia; a work of universal reference in all departments of knowledge with a new atlas of the world".archive.org.Retrieved2017-05-19.
- ^US patent 147,119
- ^US patent 904,553
- ^US patent 1,044,869
- ^US patent D247,153
- ^US patent D388,664
- ^US trademark application, serial no. 609,277, filed January 26, 1951.Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office,vol. 665,no. 3, p. 673, December 16, 1952. Accessed April 2, 2014.
- ^Jones, Stacy V. (December 20, 1952). "Small Fry Attempting to Get Peek At Yule Gifts May Be Caught in Act: Device Resembling Mouse Trap Registers Every Time Door Is Opened -- Another Patent Covers Rubber Beanie -- List of Inventions Patented In Week".New York Times.pp. 23, 27.
Hyde W. Ballard of Westtown, Pa., has applied for trademark registration of "SPORK" for a combination spoon and fork made of stainless steel.
- ^US trademark registration no.901,492,filed October 24, 1969, registered October 27, 1970. Accessed April 2, 2014.
- ^US trademark registration no.2,514,381,filed March 23, 2000, registered December 4, 2001. Accessed April 2, 2014.
- ^"Search for a trade mark - Intellectual Property Office".trademarks.ipo.gov.uk.
- D. Green & Co. (Stoke Newington) Ltd. and Plastico Ltd. v Regalzone Ltd.[2002] ETMR 241 (CA)
External links
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- "Why is it so hard to get a good spork?"—The Straight Dope(Archived2008-08-29 at theWayback Machine)
- "The Spork's Weird History",Bee Wilson,Salon