Improvements in Nutmeg Grating Devices.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 27th Apr., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Nutmeg Grating Devices.
I, CHARLES A. PREST, of Northboro, in the County of Worcester, State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists of a shaft having a suitable nutmeg grating or powdering
surface adapted to vertically move, to rotate, and to be spring pressed in a certain
vertical direction, of a suitable framework having a suitable manipulating handle,
and a bearing for the vertical shaft to move in as just described, and being
provided with a nutmeg receptical and a surface adapted as with above mentioned
surface to powder the nutmeg by arranging such surfaces so as to be each side of
the nutmeg, and of suitable wheels being retained by the framework and on the
vertical shaft, adapted, to rotate the vertical shaft, of which the object is to produce
a new article of manufacture capable of dispensing with having to retain a nutmeg
by the hand and to rub same over the surface of the ordinary nutmeg-grater to
powder the nutmeg, and to obviate the waste of the remaining portion of the
uutmeg that cannot be conveniently retained by the hand to rub over the surface
of the ordinary nutmeg grater, which I attain in the manner as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings, and as described in this descriptive matter.
In the drawings
Figure 1, is a view illustrating the nature of my invention, and
Figure 2, is a sectional view of Figure 1, in detail, taken as represented by the
line., ., illustrating in plan view, the vertical grating shaft and its bearings on the
framework.
Figure 3., is a sectional view of Figure 1., also Figure 4., respectively taken on
the lines y., y, and z., 2., and respectively illustrating the engagement of the vertical
grating shaft driving gear, with the vertical shaft; and the nutmeg powdering
surfaces and the receptical retained by the framework.
The vertical grating shaft (B) in design, is a square shaft, of which the reason
is to dispense with having to create a keyway in the shaft, which would be necessary
if it were round, as will be presently seen.
This shaft is provided with a manipulating knob as represented by (b) at its
upper end, and at its lower end it is provided with the flare portion (61). Either
or both of these portions can be suffixes on the shaft in order to permit the placing
of the gear wheel (D) and spring (C) thereon. (G¹) represents a grating or
shaving or powdering plate, which is secured to the flare portion (61), which is
similar in design for powdering the nutmeg as the bottom powdering plate (G)
retained by the receptical (F).
Both these plates I prefer to design as clearly illustrated by plan view
Figure 4., which shows three knives struck up from the surface of the plate
as represented by (g) and also openings (g') through which the gratings pass.
These surfaces or grating plates can be designed in various ways to attain the
same end, that is, to powder the nutmeg, and thus the plates illustrated in the
drawings are one of many capable to powder the nutmeg. (A) represents
the framework which is designed as to be conveniently held by the hand by having
the handle (a), and which is provided with the vertical shaft bearing (a¹) that
has the round core (a³) in diameter sufficient to permit the rotary moving grating

page_text: shaft to efficiently rotate as clearly illustrated by the view Figure 2., and this
framework is provided with the trunnion or the hand driving wheel bearing (a³).
Both these aforementioned powdering plates and their respective engaging parts
can be designed as to make the said plates detachably retained to permit sub-
stitution of new plates for the old ones when wore.
I intend to manufacture them
(my grater mechanism) both the above way and otherwise.
The receptical (F) is secured to the framework as shown and may be perferated
to permit egress of the powdered nutmeg. The gear wheel (E) is axially retained
on the framework by the stud or pin (e) passing through its center in a loose
manner and having its end fixedly engaged with the trunnion (a) of the frame-
work. This is the driving wheel, and can be in diameter sufficient to impart an
efficient grinding rotary movement to the gear wheel (D) which is the driven
wheel; and this driving gear is provided with the manipulating handle (e¹) to
permit the manipulator to conveniently operate my nutmeg grinder or grater. The
gear wheel (D) is designed to engage the grinding shaft so as to drive the shaft
and to permit the shaft having a vertical movement through such wheel; and is in
mesh with said driving gear. The grinding shaft being square, the central opening
in the driven gear is made square sufficient to efficiently engage the said shaft as
clearly illustrated by the view Figure 3., so as to drive the grinding shaft, while
at the same time permit the shaft to have a vertical movement as before mentioned.
These gear wheels can be both designed in diameter to produce the requisite rotary
movement to the grinding shaft to effect a practicable grinding or powering of the
nutmeg which is illustrated to be between the upper and lower surfaces of the
powdering plates, by the view Figure 1. The spring (C) I place on the vertical
grinding shaft as shown as to spring press the upper grinding plate against the
nutmeg, and consequently the nutmeg against the bottom powdering plate, so as to
efficiently powder the nutmeg.
I design my nutmeg grater so as to prevent the two grinding plates contacting
each other and to allow such plates to approach each other sufficient to entirely
grind the whole nutmeg. I attain this in the following simple and cheap manner.
The knob (), that is, the under face is designed to contact the top surface of the
trunnion (a2) and at all times the space between these two surfaces indicated by the
numeral (1) is a minimum less than the space between the respective upper and
lower faces of the grinding plates as represented by the numeral (11). This
knob (b) is also designed for the manipulator to take hold of to raise the vertical
grinding shaft so as to insert a nutmeg in the receptical (F).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. As a new article of manufacture, a hand manipulating nutmeg grater
consisting of the frame (A) provided with a handle portion, a vertical shaft
bearing, and bottom grinding plate portion and receptical secured thereto, a
vertical shaft loosely fitted in said frame bearing, designed to engage the wheel (D)
so as to be driven by said wheel and receive a vertical movement through said
wheel, and provided with the upper grinding portion, and the handle portion (6),
the spring (C) designed to spring press the shaft grinding plate against the nutmeg,
the wheel (D) engaging said vertical shaft so as to drive said shaft and permit it
to be vertically moved, the wheel E engaging the wheel (D) and loosely retained
on the frame and provided with the manipulating handle (e¹), substantially as
described.
2nd. In the herein described hand manipulating nutmeg grating machine, the
combination with the vertical grinding shaft and the nutmeg receptical and frame-
work, of two grinding or powdering or shaving plates, respectively secured to the
said vertical or grinding shaft and the receptical and framework, substantially as
and for the purpose described.

page_text: 3rd. In the herein described hand manipulating nutmeg grating machine, the
combination with the grinding shaft and the nutmeg receptical, of two nutmeg
grinding plates being designed with knives and respectively retained by the
receptical and grinding shaft in a detachable manner, substantially as described.
Dated the 26th day of February 1895.
CHARLES A. PREST.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.