IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR PARING, SLICING, AND STONING OR CORING PEACHES, APPLES, AND OTHER FRUIT
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINES FOR PARING, SLICING, AND STONING OR CORING PEACHES,
APPLES, AND OTHER FRUIT" A communication from abroad by George
Borgner, of Washington, in the County of Franklin, State of Missouri, United
States of America.
Sealed the 6th July 1877, and dated the 6th February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th February 1877
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR PARING, SLICING, AND STONING
OR CORING PEACHES, APPLES, AND OTHER FRUIT" A communication from abroad
by George Bergner, of Washington, in the County of Franklin, State of Missouri,
United States of America
The object of this Invention is to provide a simple, effective, and quickly
operated machine for paring, alicing, and stoning or coring peaches, apples, and
other fruit, which may also be used for paring purposes merely as desired, accom-
plishing the different operations in a perfect and economical manner so as to be
useful for fruit canning and drying establishments as well as for general hotel and
family use.
The Invention consists of a revolving fork shaft which operates by a sliding
rack rod and gear a swinging and spring acted paring knife, and throws the same
into or out of motion by a swinging fork shaft holder gearing with or being thrown
out of a worm thread of the fork shaft The fork rod holder is acted upon respec-
tively by a fixed lug of the revolving fork shaft, or by the hook shaped end of the
rack rod to be thrown out of or into gear with the worm, being retained in either
position by a suitable locking device A longitudinally sliding or fixed slicing knife
works in connection with the sliding and guided fork shaft so as to slice, stone, or
core the fruit A recessed spring fork or common fork screwed to the end of fork
shaft exposes the fruit to the slicing knife A swinging and sping acted arm is
attached to a post of the rack 1od, and engaged by a fixed lug or pin of the base

page_text: frame of the machine, to throw the fruit off the fork when it is not desired to slice
and stone or core the same
The machine of this Invention consists of a cast-11 on bed or base frame clamped
in the usual manner to the table or other support, and supporting in hollow
bearings or upright standards a longitudinal forked rod or shaft which carries at
the front end a detachable sping fork made of convex semi-sections or blades with
outer cutting edges and recessed sides This spring fork is screwed by a threaded
socket to the screw end of the shaft, and may be readily taken off therefrom and
replaced by the common fork used in apple paiers, and having a coresponding
socket whenever it is desued to employ the device for paring apples or other fiuit
The spring fork is especially designed for peaches, the same being placed thereon
in such a manner that the flat side of the stone agrees with the flat side of the fork
knife which can be readily seen by the outside groove of the peach, or in other
words, that the shit between the forked sections uns along the groove of the peach
The opposite end of the fork shaft is provided with a convex knob and a crank for push-
ing and turning the shaft in its bearings The fork shaft is connected by a spring catch
with the bearing of an upright standard of a longitudinally sliding rack rod which
1s guided along the base part of the frame The toothed fiont portion of the rack
10d gears with a mutilated pinion which caries the knife stock with a swinging
and spring acted paring knife that is adjusted thereon by set screws in the
customary manner, and provided with a backwardly curved edge for facilitating
the beginning of the paring operation
The paring knife is arranged on a horizontally swinging and braced arm that is
securely retamed and turned on the knife stock by a spial sping that is so attached
to an eye of the stock and recess of the knife aim that performs the functions of
the knife actuating spring jointly with the function of connecting knife stock and
al in The fork shaft has near its crank end a worm thread which is engaged by
a lug of a spring acted aim or holder that swings by pivots in suitable bearings of
an upught standard, and passes by its lug through a recess of the bearing of the
standard into the worm A curved top extension of the fork 1od holder oi arm is
thrown into contact with a fixed projection of the fork shaft when the same bas
been turned back to the entire length of the worm, said projection seiving also to
lock jointly with the spring catch the fork shaft to the standard of the lack rod
The fixed projection throws the lug of the rod holder out of the woim and carries
a locking lug or aim at its lower pait by a spual spring into a recess of the
standard near the pivots of the swinging holder, so as to secure the same when in
outward position clear of the worm, the pivots being for this purpose arranged to
slide in then bearings.
The turning of the fork shaft up to its being thrown out of gear with holder
cairies the paring knife by the simultaneous action of the rack rod and gear around
the peach or apple, and peals by the spring action of the knife the same in a perfect
and reliable manne
For the purpose of swinging the knife back to its starting position the fork shaft
is pushed forward by a blow of the hand on the convex knob while the crank is in
downward position until the hook shaped end of the rack rod engages the lower
part of the holder and carries the same forward, taking the locking lug out of its
iecess and producing the instant forward swinging of the fork shaft holder by the
action of the spring, and thereby the re-engaging of the holder with the worm
ready for the next paring operation
For the purpose of slicing the fruit a forked slicing knife with two, four, or more
arms, having interior cutting edges, is secured by a flange or base plate screw and
convex clamping handle to a slotted standard This standard is attached by clamp
nuts to a longitudinal guide rod that slides parallel to the axis of the fork shaft in
bearings on supports at the base of the frame of the machine, the extent of sliding
motion being controlled by adjustable screw nuts The standard is further guided
by its flanged and recessed base along a guide rail of the frame to impart a steady
motion to the slicing knife, when the same is pushed forward against the fruit by

page_text: a blow of the hand on the convex knob The knife is adjusted higher or lower on
the slotted standard so that the cutting edges are equidistant from the spring fork,
and pass over the same for slicing the fiuit without coming in contact therewith
After the slicing is completed by the forward pushing of the knife the spring
fork is turned once round by a revolution of the ciank handle inside of the knife,
and thereby the stone twisted out, the peach bemg divided in two halves or as
many sections as there are blades of the slicing knife The slicing knife is then
diawn back with the left hand and the stone is dropped through the slide opening
of the spring fork, the machine being then ready for the next peach
When the standard of the slicing knife is diawn back fu enough, so that its base
clears the frame, it may be swung down on the table either by the hand on by tho
operation of the paung knife being swung up again and pushed forward for slicing,
as described
When it is desired to use the machine for apples the sping fork is taken off and
the common fork screwed on the fork shaft, the slicing knife being also taken off
and the customary slicing and coring knife attached in its stead so that thereby the
same device may be used as an apple parci, slicer, and corer
The slicing and cong knife may also be attached igidly by a clamping sciew
to a seat of the base frame of the apparatus, the clanping uut being screwed tight
o loosened by a recessed thumb piece of the bottom clamp scrow of the frame
When a fixed slicing and coing knife 16 used it is necessary to incicase tho
length of the fork shaft beyond the woim, and anange the spring catch and lug m
one piece that may be released by the forward pushing of the fork shaft and the
contact with the standard from the standard of the rack 1od and thereby cary the
fork through the centre of the knife for simultaneously slicing and cong the fruit
By pulling the fork shaft back the sping catch passes by the inclined end of the
lug readily through the beaning of the standard, but locks by a recess between
catch and lug the fork shaft automatically to the bearing of the standard of tho
1ack 10d
In case the fruit is not intended to be sliced and stoned or cored the slicing knifo
1s detached or thrown sideways and an attachment or am screwed by a thumb nut
to a short post of the rack rod near the fork, the attachment being fulciumed to a
pivot of said post and acted upon in either direction by a duplex spring At the
upper end of the attachment or arm is a check that is arranged at about the height
of the fork while its pointed lower end passes over a stationary pin of the base
frame when the rack iod is moved back, throwing the pealed fruit off the fork by
the sudden forward motion of the aim imparted by the contact with the stationary
pin when the forked 10d is pushed forward The machine operates thus with the
clearing arm or attachment in the nature of a common paier
For slicing and stoning or coning the fiuit the attachment is removed by un-
screwing the thumb nut, the double spring being seated around the bearing or
sleeve and attached to the sides of the arm remaining securely thereon without
getting lost
In this manner the pealed fruit is not thrown off before it reaches
the slicing knife as the attachinent is only used for paring The machine may thus
be employed for paring merely, or for paring, slicing, and stoning or coung peaches
and apples, as desired, it forming a quickly operative and effective device for pre-
paring peaches for canning, for cutting up apples for drying, and also for other fruits
of round shape.

page_text: OR CORING PEACHES, APPLES, AND OTHER FRUIT" A communication from abroad
by George Bergne, of Washington, in the County of Franklin, State of Missouri,
United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to provide a simple, effective, and quickly operated
machine for paring, slicing, and stoning or coring peaches, apples, and other fruit,
which may also be used for paring purposes merely as desired, accomplishing the
different operations in a perfect and economical manner so as to be useful for fruit
canning and drying establishments, as well as for general hotel and family use
The Invention consists of a revolving fork shaft which operates by a sliding rack
rod and gear a swinging and spring acted paring knife, and throws the same into or
out of motion by a swinging fork shaft holder gearing with or being thrown out of
a worm thread of the fork shaft The fork 10d holder is acted on respectively by a
fixed lug of the revolving fork shaft, or by the hooked-shaped end of the rack rod,
to be thrown out of or into gear with the worm, being retained in either position
by a suitable locking device A longitudinally sliding or fixed slicing knife works
in connection with the sliding and guided fork shaft so as to slice, stone, or core
the fruit. A recessed spring fork or common fork screwed to the end of fork shaft
exposes the fruit to the slicing knife. A swinging and spring-acted arm is attached
to a post of the rack rod, and engaged by a fixed lug or pin of the base fiame of
the machine to throw the fruit off the fork when it is not desired to slice and stone
or core the same
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the
improved peach parei, slicer, and stoner, Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, partly
in honzontal section, Figure 3, a vertical transverse section on line x, x, Figure 2,
showing slicer in downwardly swung position, Figure 4 is a detail horizontal
section on line y, y, Figure 1, of the mechanism for locking the fork rod holder,
Figure 5 is a detail side view of the locking mechanism of the fork shaft holder,
Figure 6 is a modified side view of the machine with fixed knife adapted for paring,
slicing, and coung apples, and Figure 7 is an end view of the slicing and coring
knife
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different Figures
A in the Drawing represents the cast-iron bed oi base frame that is clamped in
the usual manner to the table or other support Frame A supports in hollow
bearings on upright standards A', A, the longitudinal forked rod or shaft B, which
carries at the front end a detachable sping fork B¹ made of convex semi-sections 01
blades a with outer cutting edges and recessed sides The spring fork B¹ is screwed
by a threaded socket to the screw end of fork shaft B, and may be readily taken
off therefrom and replaced by the common fork used in apple paiers, and having a
corresponding socket whenever it is desued to employ the device for paring apples
or other fruit.
The spring fork B₁ is specially designed for peaches, the same being placed
thereon in such a manner that the flat side of the stone agrees with the flat side of
the fork knife which can be readily seen by the outside groove of the peach, or in
other words that the shit between the forked sections runs along the groove of the
peach The opposite end of the forked shaft B is provided with a convex knob and
a crank C for pushing and turning the shaft in its bearings The fork shaft is
connected by a spring catch 6 with the bearing 6' of an upright standard D' of
a longitudinally sliding rack rod D, which is guided along the base part of
fiame A The toothed front portion of the lack rod gears with a mutilated
pinion D2, which carries the knife stock E with its swinging and spring-acted
paring knife E¹ that is adjusted thereon by set sciews in the customary manner, and
provided with a backwardly curved edge for facilitating the beginning of the paring
operation
The paring knife E' is a ranged on a horizontally swinging and braced arm E³,
that is securely retained and tuined on the knife stock by a spiral spring E³, that
18 so attached to an eye of the stock and recess of the knife arm that it performs
the functions of the knife actuating spring jointly with the function of connecting

page_text: knife stock and arm, as shown clearly in Figures 1, 2, and 3 The fork shaft B
has near its crank end a worm thread B2, which is engaged by a lug d of a spring-
acted arm or holder F that swings by pivots d' in suitable bearings of standard A³,
and passes by its lug & through a recess of the bearing of standard A¹ into the
worm B² A curved top extension d of the fork rod holder or arm F 18 thrown
into contact with a fixed projection e of fork shaft B when the same has been
turned back to the entue length of the worm, said projection sei ving also to lock
Jointly with the spring catch b the fork shaft to the standard 11 of the rack 1od
The fixed projection e throws the lug d of the rod holder F out of the worm, and
carries a locking lug on arm ƒ (see Figures 4 and 5) at its lower part by a spial
spring into a recess f of standard A³ near the pivots of the swinging holdet, so
as to secure the same when in outward position clear of the worm, as shown in
Figure 5, the pivots d¹ being for this purpose arranged to slide in their bearings
The turning of the fork shaft up to its being thrown out of gear with holder F
carries the paring knife by the simultaneous action of the rack rod and gear around
the peach or apple, and peels the same by the spring action of the knife in a perfect
and reliable manner
For the purpose of swinging the knife back to its starting position the fork
shaft B 18 pushed forward by a blow of the hand on the convex knob while the
crank is in downward position until the hooked-shaped end g of the rack 1od D
engages the lower part of the holder F and carries the same forward, taking the
locking lug out of its recess f' and producing the instant for ward swinging of
the fork shalt holder F by the action of spring 71, and thereby the 10-engaging of
the holder with the worm B² ready for the next paing operation.
For the purpose of slicing the fruit a forked slicing knife G with two, four, or
more arms, having interior cutting edges, is secured by a flange or base plate h,
screw, and convex clamping handle G¹ to a slotted standard G2, as shown in
Figures 1, 2, and 3 The standard G2 is attached by clamp nuts to a longitudinal
guide 1od H that slides parallel to the axis of the fork shaft in bearings or supports i¹
at the base of frame A, the extent of sliding motion being controlled by adjustable
screw nuts 22 The standard G² is further guided by its flanged and recessed base G³
along a guide rail Z of frame A to impart a steady motion to the slicing knife when
the same is pushed forward against the fiuit by a blow of the hand on the convex
knob G The knife is adjusted higher or lower on the slotted standard G², so that
the cutting edges are equidistant from the sping fork and pass over the same for
slicing the fiuit without coming in contact therewith.
After the slicing is completed by the forward pushing of the knife the spring
fork is turned once around by a revolution of the ciank handle inside of the knife,
and thereby the stone twisted out, the peach being divided in two halves or as many
sections as there are blades of the slicing knife The slicing knife is then drawn
back with the left hand and the stone is dropped through the side opening of the
spring fork, the machine being then ready for the next peach
When the standard of the slicing knife is drawn back far enough, so that its base
clears fiame A, it may be swung down on the table as shown in Figure 3 either by
the hand or by the operation of the paring knife being swung up again and pushed
forward for slicing as described.
When it is desired to use the machine for apples, the spring fork 18 taken off and
the common fork screwed on the fork shaft, the slicing knife being also taken off
and the customary slicing and coring knife attached in its stead, so that thereby
the same device may be used as an apple parer, slicer, and corer
The slicing and cong knife G is shown in detail in Figure 7, and may also be
attached gidly by a clamping screw to a seat of the base frame A, the clamping
nut being screwed tight or loosened by the recessed thumb piece of the bottom
clamp screw of frame A, as shown in Figure 6
When a fixed slicing and coring knife G is used it is necessary to increase the
length of the fork shaft beyond the worm, and arrange the spring catch 6 and lug e
an one piece that may be released by the forward pushing of the fork shaft, and the

page_text: contact with standard A from the standard of the rack rod, and thereby carry
the fork through the centre of the knife for simultaneously slicing and coring the
fruit
By pulling the fork shaft back the spring catch b, c, passes by the inclined end of
lug e readily through the bearing of standard A², but locks by the recess between
catch band lug e the fork shaft automatically to the bearing of the standard D¹ of
the rack rod, as shown in Figure 6
In case the fruit is not intended to be sliced and stoned or cored, the slicing knife
is detached or thrown sideways, and an attachment I screwed by a thumb nut m
to a short post of the rack 1od D near the fork, the attachment being fulcrumed to
a pivot of said post, and acted on in either direction by a duplex spring m¹ At
the upper end of the attachment I is a check n, which is arranged at about the
height of the fork, while the pointed lower end n¹ passes over a stationary pin n
of base frame A, when the rack rod is moved back throwing the peeled fruit off the
fork by the sudden forward motion of the arm I imparted by the contact with the
stationary pin n when the fork rod is pushed forward The machine operates
thus with the clearing aim or attachment in the nature of a common parer
For slicing and stoning or coring the fruit the attachment is removed by
unscrewing the thumb nut, the double spring being seated around the bearing or
sleeve, and attached to the sides of the aim, remaining securely thereon without
getting lost
In this manner the peeled fruit is not thrown off before it reaches the
slicing knife, as the attachment is only used for paing The machine may thus be
employed for paling merely or for paring, slicing, and stoning or coring peaches and
apples as desired, it forming a quickly operated and effective device for preparing
peaches for canning, for cutting apples for drying, and also other fruits of round
shape
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same,
I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent 18,-
1st A combined peach or apple paret, slicer, and stoner or core composed of a
revolving and longitudinally sliding fork shaft and fork, a simultaneously tuining
and spring acted paring knife, and a movable or stationary slicing knife, sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth
2nd The combination of the revolving and longitudinally movable fork shaft with
a longitudinal rack rod connected thereto, and a mutilated base pinion of the turning
knife stock, substantially as described
3rd The combination of the fork shaf B having locking spring catch device with
the connecting standard D' of rack rod D, substantially as specified
4th. In peach and apple pearers the combination of the fork shaft having end
screw with a detachable and interchangeable fork having a cential sciew socket, sub-
stantially as set forth
5th In peach paiers, slicers, and stoners, a sping fork provided with convex and
recessed seini-sections having front cutting edges, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth
6th. The combination of the revolving fork shaft having projecting lug e
with the curved top extension d of the swinging and spring acted fork shaft
holder F to throw the same out of gear with worm of fork shaft, substantially as
described
7th The combination of the guided and movable fork shaft having worm
thread at one end with a swinging and sping acted fork shaft holder entering the
worm to produce the backward motion of the fork shaft in the guide standard as
described.
Sth. The combination of the swinging and spring-acted shaft holder F having
lug or amf and sliding pivots & with recess f of standard A¹ to retain
the holder securely when in or out of gear with worm, substantially as set forth
9th The combination of the sliding rack 1od D having hook shaped end g with
the swinging and sping-acted shaft holder having sliding pivots to throw the

page_text: holder into gear with worm by the forward motion of fork shaft, substantially as
specified
10th The combination of a peach or apple fork with a longitudinally sliding and
guided slicing knife, substantially as set forth
11th The combination of base frame A having guide supports
with slide
10d H, having adjustable screw nuts and knite standard G, substantially as
described
12th The combination of base frame A having supports 2 and guide rail
with slide rod H and flanged base flame of knife standard G, substantially as
described
.
13th The combination of the slicing knife G having base flange h and screw h¹
with the slotted standard G³, and convex clamping knob G¹, substantially as
described
14th The combination of the detachably pivoted and spring-acted clearing arm I
of the 1ack 1od D, with a stationary pin n of frame A, to produce the throwing
off of the fruit from the fork by the foi waid motion of clearing arm, fork shaft, and
1ack 10d, substantially as specified
15th The fork shaft B having spring catch band lug e with tapering ends in
combination with standard A3 and standard D¹ of rack rod D, to automatically
release or lock fork shaft to standard D¹ for the slicing and coring motion, sub-
stantially as set forth
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundied and seventy-seven