IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PEELING COFfee
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Porter, of the Old Foundry, Carlisle, in the County
E
of Cumberland, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
PEELING COFfee." A communication from abroad by John Porter, of Telli-
cherry, Malabar Coast, in the Empire of India.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Porter at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th April 1879.
程
GEORGE PORTER, of the Old Foundry, Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland.
* IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PEELING COFFEE." [A communication from
abroad by John Porter, of Tellicherry, Malabar Coast, in the Empire of India.]
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for peeling coffee.
The apparatus consists of a serrated, indented, toothed, or notched drum or
cylinder, revolving in a semi-circular iron casing, the concave surface of which is
also serrated, or indented, or toothed, or notched. This casing may be either con-
structed in one piece or may be put together with two or more segments as may
be most convenient, and the serrations, indents, or notches may be inade either in
the segments of the casing or by an internal series of hinged serrated, indented,
toothed, or notched tappets, arranged in rows and resembling the key board of a
piano. These tappets are kept in their proper position by means of springs which
yield a little when any extra pressure is occasioned, whether by an accumulation of
cherries or berries, or otherwise. The casing which is somewhat similar to the
trough of a grindstone is placed in a vertical position, and may be attached to a
frame of wood or iron, or may have feet cast thereon for its support. A small
hopper is fixed over the outlet at the top, with or without a forked plate to regulato
the supply of the cherries or berries. The cherries or berries are carried to the
outlet by the revolving drum, and in passing between the serrated, indented,
toothed, or notched surfaces are thereby striped of their husks, skins, shells, outer
covering, or chaff, and are delivered into the vessel placed for their reception. The
axle of the drum revolves in moveable bearings, so that the drum cau be readily
adjusted to the proper feed.
Sometimes the peeler has combined with it a small fan or exhauster for separating
the husks, skins, shells, outer covering, or chaff from the berries, whereby the time
occupied in separating the same by a detached machine is saved and the work is
done more quickly and efficiently.
The machine may be driven by man, horse, bullock, steam, wind, water, or any
other motive power.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Porter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th October
1879.
GEORGE PORTER, of the Old Foundry, Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PEELING COFFEE" A communication from
abroad by John Porter, of Tellicherry, Malabar Coast, in the Empire of India.
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for peeling coffee.
An apparatus constructed in the manner I prefer for carrying out the Invention
is shewn in the Drawing hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a front elevation and Figure 2 an end elevation of the apparatus;
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are full size details of the tappets forming part of the machine.
The apparatus is applicable for acting upon the coffee cherries when they are in
a dried state, as when they have been left to dry on the tree or when they have
been set in the sun to dry.
The apparatus consists of a serrated, or indented, or notched, or otherwise toothed
metal drum or cylinder marked a, revolving in the semi-circular metal casing b, the
concave surface of which is formed in part with twelve or other number of sets of
metal tappets c, each set containing six tappets or other number, as may be preferred,
serrated, or indented, or notched, or otherwise toothed, and in other part with the
fixed segment d, which may be either plain, or serrated, or indented, or notched, or
otherwise toothed. The serrations of the drum or cylinder a are formed by
preference as fine teeth, shaped like the teeth of ratchet wheels; the form of the
serrations of the tappets c is clearly shown at Figures 4 and 5. The tappets and
the drum or cylinder are also formed by preference of cast iron, and the drum
or cylinder is by preference connected by wrought iron arms to the axis
which carries it, as lightness combined with strength is a desideratum. The
tappets c are arranged in rows upon the steel or iron rods e, which pass through
them, and are attached to the metal casing b, in which the drum or cylinder a
revolves, and work freely on the rods or axles e, like the notes of a piano, in the
direction of the radius of the drum a, both outwardly and back again. These
tappets c are kept from falling out of their positions by pins finserted through the
arms of the tappets c outside the plate g, through which they work, and are kept
from rising except when required from extra pressure, by means of springs h set
under the plates g, and pressing against the tappets c. The casing b is placed in a
vertical position and may be attached to a frame of wood or iron, or may be set on
a floor in the position shown on the Drawing. The hopper i for feeding the machine
is fixed over the inlet at the top, which may be fitted with a forked or other slide &
to regulate the supply of the cherries. The dry cherries are carried from the
hopper to the outlet e by the revolving drum a, and in passing between the outer
and inner serrated, or indented, or notched, or otherwise toothed surfaces are thereby
stripped of their husks or coverings and are delivered into any vessel which may bo
placed for their reception, or may be otherwise taken away as may be convenient;
and in case the machine is combined with a fauner, as shewn on the Drawing, they
are delivered into the fanner m for the purpose of having the husks or coverings
winnowed from the beans. The axle n of the drum or cylinder a revolves in the
moveable bearings o, which are adjusted by means of set screws, so that the drum
can be readily set to the proper feed.
The axle n is also furnished with springs p, as shown, whereby it may be allowed
to yield to extra pressure should it bo required. The peeler is so constructed that
a fan or exhauster m for separating the husks from the beans or coffee may be
easily applied, whereby the time occupied in separating the same by a detached
machine is saved, and the work is done more quickly and efficiently. On the axle n
of the druin or cylinder a is fixed a groove or other pulley q, from which the fan or
exhauster m is driven by means of the cord or belt r of copper, or leather, or other

page_text: suitable material. The drum or cylinder a is worked by means of two handles &
as shewn, upon its axle n by manual labour, or it may have a pulley or wheel fixed
on its axle n and may be driven therefrom by man, horse, cattle, steam, wind,
water, or any other applicable motive power, and conveyed to the pulley through a
suitable belt or shaft from such motive power.
This pulley is not shown on the Drawing.
In Figures 1 and 2 I have shown the machine with twelve sots or series of
tappets, and each set or series composed of six tappets, making seventy two tappets
in all, a number and arrangement which has been found very suitable for the
purpose, but I do not restrict myself to the number of sets or series of tappets, or
to the number or size of them, in each set or series, which may be altered in any
one or more of these particulars. The fanner which is of ordinary construction is
placed, as shewn, immediately behind the outlet h, from which the products are
discharged, so that the blast may come directly in contact with the products of
beans and husks.
Figure 3 is the plan of a set or series of six tappets with the axle removed.
When in position the axlo is placed through the dotted holes and through the cheeks
of the metal casing b, to which it is fixed.
Figure 4 is an elevation of tappet with the arm or pin thereof shewn in its
position and passing through the plate g, and having a spring over same under the
plate g to prevent the tappet rising until some accumulation of the cherries requires
the space for their passage to be enlarged, and on the removal of this accumulation
the pressure of the spring causes the tappet to return to its proper position. There
is likewise shewn a cotteril put through the pin or arm of tappet on the upper side
of plate g to hinder the tappets falling within the circumference or periphery of the
concave surface of the case, or coming in connection with the drum within the
same.
Figure 5 is a plan of the concave surface of the tappet.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the saine, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details herein before given of the construction of the machine, but I
claim,―
First. The combination of apparatus for peeling dry cherry coffee, substantially
as herein before described.
Second. The combination in apparatus for peeling coffee of a revolving, serrated,
indented, or otherwise notched or toothed metal drum or cylinder, with a concave
surface composed of serrated, indented, or otherwise notched or toothed tappets or
plates, which are held towards the drum or cylinder by springs which yield and
allow the tappets or plates to move away from the drum when too great a pressure
comes upon them, substantially as herein before described.
Third. The combination of a fanner with the peeling apparatus, substantially as
herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Porter, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty third day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.