A MACHINE FOR PEELING POTATOES OR OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn of 169 Fleet Street in the City
"3
of London Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer for an Invention of
"A MACHINE FOR PEELING POTATOES OR OTHER ARTICLES communicated to
him from abroad by Jacques Marie Burnichon of Paris France
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clayton Mewburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th April 1883.
"
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 169 Fleet Street in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer, A MACHINE FOR PEELING POTATOES OR OTHER
ARTICLES [communicated to him from abroad by Jacques Marie Burnichon of
Paris France]
"
This invention consists of a machine by which a number of potatoes or other
articles can be mechanically peeled at the same time, nothing but the skin being
removed.
The machine is composed of a cylindrical metal vessel with asperities or a rasp-
like surface on the inside formed by punching perforations therein from the outside.
It is mounted on a stand and has a cover which is formed with holes and is fitted
with a flap to allow the potatoes (or other articles) to be introduced into the vessel.
Within the vessel is a plate or disc forming a movable bottom; this plate, like the
vessel itself, has perforations punched from the outer side. It is mounted on a
vertical shaft to which rotary motion can be imparted by gearing worked by a
hand wheel. The edges of the cylindrical vessel at top and bottom enter grooves
in rings and it is held by screws. The shaft which carries the movable bottom
rests in a screw or collar by which the wear of the gearing can be compensated for.
Below the movable bottom is a trough or basin fitted with a pipe by which the
pieces of peel or skin and water escape. The vessel is surrounded by a cloth to
prevent the pieces of peel which pass laterally through the vessel being thrown to a
distance. Lastly the vessel has a door by which to remove the peeled potatoes.
The potatoes having been placed in the vessel rapid rotary motion is imparted
to the movable bottom. This produces a movement or agitation among the potatoes
so that all the parts of the surface of each potato are in course of time brought
into contact with the rasp like surface of the vessel and movable bottom, and the
whole of the peel or skin is thus removed therefrom. To facilitate the operation
water is poured upon the potatoes and this also assists the pieces of peel in escaping
through the perforations.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd October 1883.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 169 Fleet Street in the City of London Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer "A MACHINE FOR PEELING POTATOES OR OTHER
ARTICLES (A communication to me from abroad by Jacques Marie Burnichon of
Paris, France)
"
This invention consists of a machine by which a number of potatoes or other
articles can be mechanically peeled at the same time, nothing but the skin being
removed.
The machine is shown in the annexed drawings. Figure 1 is a vertical section
on line 1, 2 of Figure 2, Figure 2 is a plan or top view with the cover removed,
Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 3, 4 of Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a plan or top
view of the cover. The machine is composed of a cylindrical metal vessel a with
asperities or a rasp-like surface on the inside which may be formed by punching
perforations therein from the outside. It is mounted on a stand or legs 66 and has
a cover c which is formed with holes and is fitted with a flap q. to allow the potatoes
(or other articles) to be introduced into the vessel. Within the vessel is a plate.or
disc h forming a movable bottom; this plate, like the vessel itself, has perforations
punched from the outer side. It is mounted on a vertical shaft i to which rotary
motion can be imparted by gearing f g worked by a hand wheel e on a shaft d.
The edges of the cylindrical vessel at top and bottom enter grooves in rings k k and
it is held by screws v.
The shaft which carries the movable bottom rests in a
screw or collar by which the wear of the gearing f g can be compensated for.
Below the movable bottom is a trough or basin m fitted with a pipe n by which
the pieces of peel or skin and the water escape. The vessel is surrounded by a
cloth o to prevent the pieces of peel which pass laterally through the vessel being
thrown to a distance. Lastly the vessel has a door p by which to remove the peeled
potatoes.
The potatoes having been placed in the vessel a rapid rotary motion is imparted
to the movable bottom h. This produces a movement or agitation among the
potatoes so that all the parts of the surface of each potato are in course of time
brought into contact with the rasp like surface of the vessel and movable bottom,
and the whole of the peel or skin is thus removed therefrom. To facilitate the
operation water is poured upon the potatoes and this also assists the pieces of peel
in escaping through the perforations. The peeled potatoes are removed by the
door p.
[
Having now described the nature of the said invention as communicated to me
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim :-
:-
The machine for peeling potatoes or other articles constructed and acting sub-
stantially as herein before described and represented in the annexed drawings, the
said machine consisting essentially of a vessel having asperities or a rasp like
surface on the inside, and of a rotating bottom with a similar surface, and being
completed by a cover formed with holes and with a flap, by a trough or basin with
outlet pipe, and by an emptying door, all substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said John Clayton Mewburn have hereunto set my hand
and Seal this twentieth day of October One thousand eight hundred and eighty
throo