AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CUTTING VEGETABLES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Humby, of No. 47, Little Britain, in the City
of London, Surgeon Dentist, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE
FOR CUTTING VEGETABLES."
Sealed the 29th February 1856, and dated the 3rd September 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Humby at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd September
1855.
I, JOHN HUMBY, of No. 47, Little Britain, in the City of London, Surgeon
Dentist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR CUTTING VEGETABLES" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a circular cutting machine, for cutting or slicing
cucumbers, onions, french beans, and other vegetables.
The machine is composed of a series of circular cutters, mounted and
working in an iron or wooden frame, and having a plain roller in contact
therewith either underneath or above the same, the cutters, and roller being.
connected together by means of spur gearing, and being caused to revolve by
means of a handle or foot treadle.
The beans or other vegetable matter to be cut or sliced are placed upon a
slide or feeder in front of the cutters, by the revolution of which they are

page_text: passed through the machine and cut as required. The cut vegetable matter is
cleared from the cutters and discharged into a suitable receptacle by means
of a fixed comb or rack, the teeth of which pass between the circular revolving
cutters.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Humby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
March 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HUMBY, of No. 47, Little Britain, in the City of London, Surgeon Dentist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Humby, Her special licence that I, the said John Humby, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Humby, my executors, administrators, 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 "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR
CUTTING VEGETABLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Humby, my executors 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 John Humby, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of a circular cutting machine, for cutting or slicing
cucumbers, onions, french beans, and other vegetables. The machine is com-
posed of a series of circular cutters, mounted and working in an iron or
wooden frame, and having a plain roller in contact therewith either under-

page_text: neath or above the same, the cutters and roller being connected together
by means of spur gearing, and being caused to revolve by means of a handle
or foot treadle. The beans or other vegetable matter to be cut or sliced are
placed upon a slide or feeder in front of the cutters, by the revolution of which
they are passed through the machine and cut as required. The cut vegetable
matter is cleared from the cutters, and discharged into a suitable receptacle by
means of a fixed comb or rack, the teeth of which pass between the circular
revolving cutters.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked
thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine; Figure 2, an end
elevation thereof; Figure 3, detached portions, herein-after referred to. At
each of the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference to denote
corresponding parts, in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each
of the said Figures respectively.
A, A, is a framing of iron, or it may be of wood; B, B, a cylindrical
wooden roller, the axes whereof work in suitable bearings in the frame A;
C, C, are a series of circular knives or cutters, resting upon the roller B, B.
The knives C, C, are mounted upon an axis or rod D, and are maintained
thereon at equal distances asunder, or nearly so, by loose collars b, b, the
whole being securely connected together by a nut E upon the screwed end of
the axis or rod D; G is a cross bar securely fixed to the framing A; and H
is a metal comb or rack, shewn detached at Figure 3, securely fixed to the
cross bar G, said comb being employed to clear the cutters of the cut vege-
table matter which may adhere thereto; I is a table upon which are placed
the vegetable matters to be cut or sliced; K, K, are pressure screws for
keeping the knives C in forced contact with the cylinder B, B, by exerting
pressure upon the ends of the axis or rod upon which such said knives are
placed. There is a winch handle L fixed upon the axis or rod D for imparting
rotatory motion to the knives C, C, so that as the operator feeds the vegetable
matter to the knives, it will be cut or divided into strips or shreds equal in
width to the spaces between the several knives, so that according to the dis-
tance which the knives are set apart, in like manner the vegetable matter
may be cut either into fine or coarse slices or shreds, as desired.

page_text: Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of "An
Improved Machine for Cutting Vegetables," together with the best means I am
acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I would remark, in
conclusion, that I claim as my Invention, the constructing of a circular cutting
machine for the above purpose in the manner described and represented.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Humby, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
ALEX PRINCE, Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square.
JOHN HUMBY. (L.S.)