IMPROVE- MENTS IN CHURNS
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Gilbert Avery at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd August
1866. A communication from abroad by Leander Langdon, of North-
ampton, Massachusetts, United States of America.
I, JOHN GILBERT AVERY, of No. 4, Cheapside, in the City of London,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CHURNS," a communication, to be as follows:-
The said improvements consist chiefly in the peculiar arrangement of a
series of beaters or dashers upon a central shaft or axis enclosed in a box or
case which is provided with a removable cover formed partly of glass through
which the contents of the said box can be observed during the process of
churning, the said cover having apertures formed therein for the admission of
air into the box. The beaters are by preference formed of wood extending
nearly to the sides of the box or case, and are secured in the central shaft or
axis in an inclined position, so that they act somewhat after the manner of the
blades of a screw propeller, those on one half length of the shaft or axis being
arranged at an opposite angle to those on the other half length of the said
shaft; thus by turning the central axis in one direction the contents of the
box will be forced towards the centre thereof, while by turning it in the other
direction the contents will be forced. towards the extremities of the said box.
The beaters do not extend to the middle of the shaft, a vacant space being left
thereon to allow the butter when formed to accumulate and lie clear of the

page_text: said beaters. The lower corners of the box or case are filled up with a series
of projecting ledges or breakers extending from end to end of the said box.
These breakers form additional means for causing the required agitation of
the contents of the churn, and therefore accelerate the production of the
butter. The box is provided with a movable lid or cover whose centre is
formed of glass through which the contents of the said box can at all times
be observed. This lid or cover is by preference constructed to lift up from
the box or case, and is provided with suitable handles for that purpose; this
allows the box to be easily emptied when required. Air is admitted into the
box or case during the process of churning through apertures formed in the
cover of the said box, the escape of the milk or cream through these apertures
being prevented by tubes or funnels of tin or other suitable material which
extend upward therefrom. One of these apertures is formed at each end of
the cover, and others in the centre thereof, in order that in whichever way
the beaters are turned a free current of air will pass through the churn. The
central shaft or axis carrying the beaters is supported at one end in a metal
bearing which projects through the end of the box and is secured therein by
lock nuts or other suitable means. The other end of the said shaft is formed
with a coupling by which it is connected (so as to be easily removable) to a
rotating driver. This driver is supported in a bracket secured on the outside
of the end of the box, through which it projects. The said driver carries a
toothed pinion which gears into another pinion supported to turn upon a
stud or pin, and carrying a crank or handle by which the beaters are set in
motion.