Im- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND PEELING OR REMOVING THE SKIN FROM POTATOES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Topham, of Coleman Street, St. Luke's,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND PEELING OR REMOVING THE
SKIN FROM POTATOES."
Sealed the 22nd December 1870, and dated the 30th June 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Topham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th June 1870.
I, CHARLES TOPHAM, of Coleman Street, St. Luke's, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND PEELING OR REMOVING
THE SKIN FROM POTATOES," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to apparatus for peeling or removing the
skin from potatoes by means of a cylindrical vessel, whose sides and
bottom are punched or perforated with holes in such manner that each
hole has within the cylinder cutting or rasping edges. This cylindrical
vessel is fixed, but the cylinder bottom is free to rotate, and is for that

page_text: purpose mounted upon a spindle. The potatoes to be peeled are placed
within the cylindrical vessel. Motion being now imparted to the
spindle, the cylinder bottom is caused to rotate and the potatoes are
moved about in such manner that their outer surfaces are forced against
the cutting edges before spoken of, and the peel thereby abraded.
Water is admitted to the cylindrical vessel during the operation.
My Invention consists, firstly, in forcing the water upwards from
beneath the punctured or perforated cylinder into the same. This I
effect in the following manner:-The cylindrical vessel stands within
an outer cylindrical vessel not perforated but capable of and containing
water. The central spindle passes through and beneath the perforated
cylinder and immediately beneath it is provided with a drum containing
any convenient number of spirally shaped conduits or passages for the
water. The bottom end of the spindle may rest in bearings in the
outer or lower cylinder. It will be obvious that upon the rotation of
the central spindle the water will be forced upwards into the perforated
cylinder and amongst the potatoes by means of the spirally formed
conduits or passages.
My improvements consist, secondly, in the provision and peculiar
construction of a cover for the apparatus. Upon the top or rim of
the outer cylinder is supported the cover, which is so constructed that
it contains or carries the parts for moving or operating the centre
spindle, such parts being a pinion fitting upon the said centre spindle,
a toothed wheel gearing into the pinion and a handle fixed upon the
same arbor or spindle as the larger toothed wheel last mentioned. All
such parts are so contained within the cover that when its cover is taken
off they are removed therewith.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Topham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
TOPHAM, of Coleman Street, St. Luke's, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of June, in the year of

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her. heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Topham, Her special licence that I,
the said Charles Topham, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Charles. Topham, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention. for. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR WASHING AND PEELING OR REMOVING THE SKIN FROM POTATOES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Topham, my execu-
tors or administrators, by an instrument in writing. under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office, within six calendar. months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Topham, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Iuvention, and in what manuer the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My improvements relate to apparatus for peeling or removing the skin
from potatoes by means of a cylindrical vessel, whose sides and bottom
are punched or perforated with holes, in such manner that each hole
has within the cylinder cutting or rasping edges. These holes with
their cutting edges I prefer to make with a square headed punch, as the
cutting edges thus produced are particularly suitable for the purpose for
which they are intended. The cylindrical vessel I also by preference
make of a conical or tapered form at its lower end, so that it is at that
part somewhat of a funnel shape, and thus the diameter of the cylinder
is at its bottom end reduced until it is of the same diameter as the
cylinder bottom. The drum with tapered end thus formed is stationary
within a jacket or casing, but its bottom which is not secured to the
drum but independent thereof is free to rotate, and is for that purpose
mounted upon a vertical spindle. The potatoes to be peeled are placed
within the cylindrical vessel. Motion being now imparted to the spindle,.
the cylinder bottom is caused to rotate and the potatoes are thereby

page_text: moved about in such manner that their surfaces are forced against the
cutting edges before spoken of, and the skin or peel thereby abraded;
water is caused to circulate amongst or through the mass of the potatoes
during the operation.
My Invention consists, firstly, in forcing the water from beneath the
This I
punctured or perforated cylinder upwards and into the same.
effect in the following manner:-The cylindrical perforated vessel
stands within an outer cylindrical vessel not perforated but capable of
and containing water. The central vertical spindle passes through and
beneath the perforated cylinder and immediately beneath the revolving
bottom of the said cylinder, the spindle carries a cone or a drum or
chamber containing two, three, or any suitable number of spirally shaped
conduits or passages for the water.
The bottom end of the spindle may rest in bearings in the outer or
lower cylinder or may be formed in such manner that it will find its
own bearing on a pivot there placed. It will bo obvious that upon the
rotation of the central spindle the water will by means of the cone or
the spirally formed conduits or passages be forced upwards into the
perforated cylinder and amongst the potatoes therein contained.
My Invention consists, secondly, in the provision and peculiar con-
struction of a cover for the apparatus. Upon the top or rim of the
outer cylinder is supported the cover, which is so constructed that it
contains within it or carries upon it the parts for moving or operating
the centre spindle, such parts being, firstly, a pinion fitting upon the
said centre spindle; secondly, a toothed wheel gearing into or with the
pinion; and thirdly, a handle fixed upon the same arbor or spindle, as
the larger toothed wheel last mentioned. All such parts are so con-
tained within or carried upon the cover that when the cover is taken off
for emptying or replenishing the cylindrical perforated vessel they are
removed therewith.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said Invention
and the means by which the same is effected, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that what I claim is,—
Firstly. The cone drum or chamber with its spirally formed passages
or conducts for the purpose of forcing the water upwards into and
amongst the potatoes.
Secondly. The detachable cover constructed as herein described.

page_text: And lastly. (Although I do not claim separately other than those
parts mentioned above in this claim) yet I claim the arrangement of
the whole of the parts in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
in this Specification set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Topham, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy.