Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting Biscuits and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9.h Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting Biscuits and the like.
I, ELLIS CARR, of Drummond Road, Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey,
Biscuit Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
It bas hitherto been customary to cut biscuits from a sheet of dough with cutters
fixed, at certain distances apart, to a block or carrier, such distances being regulated
to a great extent by the distance at which the biscuits must be laid apart on the
pans on which they are baked. This method of cutting leaves behind more or less
of the sheet of dough in the form of scrap, in proportion to the distance between
the cutters, the scrap having to be returned to be worked up again into a fresh
sheet. This returning of the scrap for re-working is often objectionable, as it
tends to deteriorate the quality of the material, and consequently of the biscuit
when baked.
According to this invention the cutters are arranged in such a manner that they.
shall be in close juxtaposition when cutting out the biscuits from the sheet of
dough, but separated from each other to any desired degree before the biscuits are
deposited upon the baking pan and before they are ejected from the cutters.
For this purpose the cutters are fixed to blocks free to slide on a bar and the two.
end blocks have handles fixed to them which slide with them. The cutters are
provided with internal plungers or ejectors suspended on springs which are actuated
by thumb keys attached to the handles through a second bar parallel to the first
which rests on the heads of the pins attached to the plungers and whose ends slide
into the handles when the cutters are pressed together.
The entire operation of the cutters as above described may be actuated by steam
or other power as well as by hand.
"Dated this 9th dow of W
1907
C
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting Biscuits and the like.
I, ELLIS CARR of Drummond Road, Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey,
Biscuit Manufacturer 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 :-
It has hitherto been customary to cut biscuits from a sheet of dough with cutters
fixed, at certain distances apart, to a block or carrier such distances being regulated
to a great extent by the distance at which the biscuits must be laid apart on the
pans on which they are baked. This method of cutting leaves more or less of the
sheet of dough behind in the shape of scrap, in proportion to the distance between
the cutters, the scrap baving to be returned to be worked up again into a fresh
sheet. This returning of the scrap for re-working is often objectionable, as it
tends to deteriorate the quality of the material, and consequently of the biscuit
when baked.

page_text: According to this invention, which is designed with a view to obviating this
waste, and at the same time allowing for the usual spacing apart of the biscuits on
the baking tray, the cutters are arranged in such a manner that they shall be in
close juxtaposition, when cutting out the biscuits from the sheet of dough, but
separated from each other to any desired degree before the biscuits are deposited
upon the baking pan and before they are ejected from the cutters.
For this purpose the cutters are fixed to blocks or saddles free to slide upon
parallel bars, with the exception of the centre cutter, the block or saddle to which
this cutter is attached being fixed to the bars. The remaining blocks or saddles
all slide towards this fixed centre block or saddle, and the two end blocks are
provided with handles which slide with them. The cutters are provided with
internal plungers or ejectors suspended on springs which are actuated by thumb
keys attached to the handles through a third bar parallel to and above the first
two, which rests on the heads of the pins attached to the plungers and whose ends
slide into the handles when the cutters are pressed together.
Moreover to ensure the correct spacing of the biscuits upon the baking pan, the
two handles into which this third bar slides are so slotted, leaving a projecting
shoulder, that, until the desired distance apart of the cutters has been reached the
bar and plungers cannot be depressed nor the biscuits ejected.
The entire operation of the cutters as above described may be actuated by steam
or other power as well as by hand.
I will now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 of which is an elevation, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 a section, taken
on A. B. Figure 1.
c is the
a a Figures 1, 2, 3 are the bars upon which slide the blocks or saddles b.
centre, fixed block or saddle which passes over the bar g. d are the cutters fixed
to the blocks or saddles b which are connected together on either side by flexible
straps e e fastened to the blocks or saddles b and c by pins or screws and which
straps e e limit the extension of their travel upon bars à a. f, f are the handles
fitted to the two end blocks or saddles and which slide with them. g, is the upper
bar before mentioned parallel to the bars a, a and is free to rise and fall vertically
when actuated by the thumb keys i, i. jare the plungers or ejectors for depositing
the biscuits upon the baking pan or tray. h are the pins connected to the plungers
the heads of which rest against, or are pressed to, the underside of the bar g, by
means of the springs k.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The arrangement of sliding blocks or saddles to which are fixed the cutters,
upon parallel bars in such manner that they may be slid together or apart, so that
when cutting the biscuits from the sheet of dough they may be in close juxta-
position and when ejecting the biscuits they may be deposited so far apart upon
the baking pan or tray as is desirable, all as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
2. The arrangement in connection with the above described arrangement, of an
upper bar and sliding handles carrying thumb keys so slotted that the plungers
cannot be depressed until the determined distance apart, of the biscuits on the
baking pan has been reached by the cutters sliding outwards upon the lower and
parallel bars, all as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 6th day of May 1907
T. B. BROWNE, LIMITED,
Agents for the Applicant.