IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUction of RUTTER WORKERS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bradford of Manchester in the County of
Lancaster for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUction of
RUTTER WORKERS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bradford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th February 1883.
THOMAS BRADFORD of Manchester in the County of Lancaster "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUTTER WORKERS"
This invention relates to the construction of an apparatus known as a "Butter
Worker" and employed in dairies for working or cleansing and also for salting
butter after it is removed from the churn.
My improved butter worker consists of a wooden table inclined towards one side
and having a fence or raised edge carried all round to prevent the water from
flowing off the table excepting by the properly appointed channel.
Upon this table and inserted in the raised edges or sides which are suitably
prepared is a framework or carriage provided with wheels and containing a fluted
roller arranged so that it can be actuated either by a handle fixed upon the top of
the frame or by a winch handle at the end of the roller similar to that of an
ordinary butter worker.
The special features of my improvements consist in the following peculiar con-
struction and arrangement of the roller carriage whereby it can readily (almost
instantaneously) be inserted and fixed in working order to the table, and also in the
mode of exercising pressure, by means of a suitable spring hereinafter described
upon the roller for the more efficient working and salting of the butter. The novel
method of construction is as follows
The roller carriage is fitted with runner wheels on the bottom and sides the
former being vertical and the latter horizontal. The vertical runner wheels work
in grooves so that when the fluted roller is travelling over the butter the wheels
work upon the upper side of the grooves owing to the tendency of the carriage to
be lifted from the table, and when there is no butter in the machine the wheels

page_text: run on the under side of the grooves. These grooves in which the wheels run are
open at one end, so that the wheels of the carriage will run straight out of the
grooves, and the carriage with its fluted roller can be thus readily disengaged from
the table and fixed to the framework underneath, when the top of the table (which
is perfectly smooth on the underside) can be turned over or upside down and upon
falling into its place the apparatus becomes a convenient table for ordinary use.
A further modification more especially adapted to smaller sizes consists in dis-
pensing with the under framework and supporting the apparatus when used either
as a butter worker or as a table upon folding legs.
The spring above mentioned is formed of lancewood or other suitable material in
one straight piece and bears directly upon wooden rods which form the bearings of
the fluted roller There is a hole in this spring with a screw passing through it,
and fastening it to the carriage and the top of this screw forms the handle to push
the carriage backwards or forwards.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Bradford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th August
1883.
:
THOMAS BRADFORD of Manchester in the County of Lancaster IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUTTER WORKERS
This invention relates to the construction of an apparatus known as a butter
worker and employed in dairies for removing the buttermilk from butter and also
for salting the same, after the butter has been removed from the churn.
Such being the nature and object of my said. invention I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same inay be clearly understood
I havo annexed hereunto a sheet of drawings illustrative thereof and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in tho
following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 in the annexed drawing is a vertical transverse section and Fig. 2. a side
elevation of a "butter worker" constructed according to my invention.
My improved butter worker consists of a table or tray a, a made by preferenco
of wood and inclined towards one side and end.
It has a fence or raised edge b, b carried all round to prevent the buttermilk or
water from flowing off the table except by the appointed aperture c, the above
inclination enabling all channels or grooves to be dispensed with and giving an
unbroken surface to the table.
Upon this table is a carriage or framework d, d provided with runner wheels e, el
which travel in grooves in the raised edge or fence b, b and in the carriage d d is
mounted a fluted roller f, f which can be revolved by a winch handle g, g at the
same time that the carriage d, d by means of a handle h, h fixed at the top over
the roller ff is being propelled forwards or backwards, the two motions being
however quite distinct.
The special feature of my improvements consists in the following peculiar con-
struction and arrangement of the roller carriage d, d whereby it can be readily
(almost instantaneously) inserted and fixed in working order on the table (as
shown in full lines on the drawing) or detached therefrom and fixed in or on the
frame i, i underneath the table (as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1) and in
the arrangement by which the table a, a can be turned upside down, and although
it slopes to one corner on the upper side, the bottom side is perfectly level when
reversed and suitable for all the purposes of an ordinary table (as also indicated by
dotted lines in Fig. 1.)
The invention further consists in the mode of exercising pressure by means of a
suitable spring j, j hereinafter described, upon the roller f, f for the more efficient
working and salting of the butter.
The novel method of construction is as follows.
The roller carriage d, d is fitted with runner wheels e, e¹ on the bottom and
sides, the former e being vertical and the latter e¹ horizontal. The vertical runner
wheels e work in the grooves so that when the fluted roller f, f is travelling over
the butter the wheels a work against the upper side of the grooves owing to the
tendency of the carriage d, d to be lifted from the table, and when there is no
butter in the machine the wheels e work on the underside of the grooves. These
grooves in which the wheels e run are open at one end so that the wheels of the
carriage d, d will run straight out of the grooves and the carriage with its fluted
roller ff can be thus readily disengaged from the table a, a and fixed to the

page_text: frame-work underneath as shown in dotted lines (or in any other convenient
manner) when the table a, a which is perfectly smooth on the underside can be
turned upside down. The cross bars ix, of the frame i, i are rebated at one end
according to the slope of the table a, a and the fence b on one side of the table
rests on the rebates, while the table itself, on the other side rests on the top of the
cross bars ix and thus as the fences b, b of the table fit over both ends of the cross.
bars ix, the table is rendered perfectly level and kept in proper position as shown
in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The spring j, j above mentioned is formed of lance-
wood or other suitable material in one straight piece and bears directly upon
wooden rods k, k which form the bearings of the roller f, f. There is a hole in
this spring with a screw passing through it and fastening it to the top of the
carriage. The upper part of the screw forms the handle h, h to push the
carriage d, d backwards or forwards. The screw serves for the purpose of
adjusting the pressure of the spring as may be required, this object may however
be attained in other simple ways such as by the use of an excentric or cam which
can be turned to different positions; or by the use of a clip embracing both the
spring and the part d; and of a wedge which can be readily more or less inserted
or withdrawn from between the parts.
A further modification more especially adapted to small sizes consists in dis-
pensing with the under framework 2, and for medium sizes in supporting the
apparatus when used either as a butter worker or as a table upon folding legs.
Having now described the nature and object of my said invention together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
-effect I wish it to be understood that I claim as my invention the novel and
peculiar construction of butter-worker substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings annexed or any mere modification or imitation thereof
constructed and operating in substantially the same or a similar manner.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Bradford have hereunto set my band
and seal this eleventh day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three