Improvements in Apparatus for Mashing and Straining Potatoes and other Edibles.
Year: 1887

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Mashing and Straining Potatoes
and other Edibles.
I ALEXANDER LAWRIE of the firm of Lawrie & Bishop of Bradford Street,
Birmingham, Wire-workers, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:
This invention consists of a pair of wire or cast metal frames by preference
rectangular in form and provided with projecting handles at one end and suitably
jointed or hinged together at the opposite end. Inside and affixed to each of these
frames so as to fit one inside the other is a gauze or woven wire surface approximating
in form to that of a basin or portion of a sphere and so that the potatoes or other
edibles can be placed in one side of the gauze frame and then by closing the other side
and squeezing the two together by means of the handles, the potatoes or other edibles
are forced between the interstices of the wire mesh and through both gauze frames
and thus become more easily and thoroughly mashed and strained than has hitherto
been practicable.
Dated this 10th day of February 1887
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Mashing and Straining Potatoes
and other Edibles.
I ALEXANDER LAWRIE of the firm of Lawrie & Bishop of Bradford Street
Birmingham, Wire-workers, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawing
which represents in Fig. 1. a side view and in Fig. 2. a plan view of my improved
mashing and straining apparatus
This invention consists of a pair of wire or cast metal frames a. and a¹ by preference
rectangular in form and provided with projecting handles b. and 6' at one end and
suitably jointed or hinged together at the opposite end c.
Inside and affixed to each of these frames so as to fit one inside the other is a gauze
or woven wire surface d. and approximating by preference in form, as illustrated,
to that of a basin or portion of a sphere and so that the potatoes or other edibles can
be placed in the concave side of the gauze frame a¹ and then, by closing the other
frame a. as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. and squeezing the two together by
means of the handles b. and the potatoes or other edibles are forced between the
interstices of the wire mesh and through both gauze frames and thus become more
easily and thoroughly mashed and strained than has hitherto been practicable.
It will thus be apparent that the novelty of this invention consists in this improved
machine cutting both ways, the potatoes or other edibles being forced through both
top and bottom surfaces d. and d as shewn in Fig. 1.
Although I have illustrated the woven wire surfaces d. and d¹ of a basin or partially
spherical shape it will be readily seen that such surfaces may partake of any desired
configuration from a flat surface to that of a cone with more or less useful effect and
therefore I do not confine myself to the form shewn in the drawings.
These frames so lined with woven wire gauze are preferred to be made out of a flat
sheet of iron wire gauze stamped to the desired form and then turned over and secured
at the upper edge around the wire frames or fastened by metal clips. The entire
article is then cleaned and tinned altogether in a piece which has the effect of
consolidating and soldering the wires to each other and to the hinged frames.
In conclusion I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to gauze or
woven wire in constructing the squeezing surfaces d. and d' as it will be obvious that
perforated metal might be substituted therefor.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
In the construction of apparatus for mashing and straining potatoes and other
edibles, the employment of a pair of frames provided with wire gauze mashing and
straining surfaces and hinged together substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 08th day of Wahu 1007
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.