Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 25th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 17th July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We JOHN ASHWORTH of 42 Shawclough Road, Brass Finisher and HERBERT DEAN
BOWER of 22 Sheriff Street Pattern Maker, both in Rochdale and County of Lancaster
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to a machine for cutting or slicing potatoes or other like
vegetables.
The object of our invention is to provide a machine which may be cheaply
constructed and easily manipulated and for performing its operations for the purpose
above described and this with facility and which apparatus is capable of slicing the
potatoes or other vegetables in slices of any desired thickness.
According to our present construction we provide a frame in the form of a Quadrant
of a circle on which we mount at a convenient part a lever free to move about a stud
or spindle. At or near the opposite end i.e. opposite the end on the stud, we provide
a cup-shaped piece also provided with spikes or sharpened prongs which is designed
to rest on the top of the potatoe to be operated upon which lever is pressed thereon
by the aid of a suitably arranged spring piece, by these means the potatoe is firmly
held between the lever and the frame but on a corrugated or perforated part or
surface at the qnadrant portion of the latter and so as to allow of the free movement
of the potato along its surface, that is, when the lever is moved by the hand of
the operator to and fro, or inakes angular movements with relation to the pin or
stud.
At a convenient part of the quadrant portion of the frame we arrange and place in
a fixed position a rectangular steel plate having four cutting edges or sides, when the
potatoe is moved in any direction along the quadrant, and in proximity to the knife
or knives the cutting instruments are so arranged that during the act of moving the
potatoe to or from the operator a cutting or slicing operation is performed.
The knife or knives is or are so arranged with relation to the frame as to be capable of
adjustment more or less according to the desired thickness of slice required also
capable of being reversed for the purpose of using any two of the four cutting edges
and as the slices are formed they are allowed to pass down through suitable apertures
or openings into a receptacle or vessel provided below for their reception. The said
spring lever is adapted to rest or press upon the vegetable to be cut continually during
the cutting or slicing thereof until the whole is cut up or sliced, maintaining a
pressure thereon sufficient to maintain the vegetable in a fixed position between the
lever and the frame during the horizontal movements along the surface of the
quadrant.
We also provide in connection with the cup, a spring actuated push or ejection
piece for the purpose of pushing out or rejecting any projecting part or piece of the

page_text: potatoe which may be pressed therein due to the pressure exerted on the potato by
the Spring Lever when held in position between the lever on the frame or cutting
surface in manner before described.
Dated this 19th day of November 1806
J. H. BUTTERWORTH & Co.,
Rochdale, For the Applicants.
A New Machine for Cutting or Slicing Potatoes or other like
Vegetables.
We JOHN ASHWORTH of 42 Shawclough Road Brass Finisher and HERBERT DEAN
BOWER of 22 Sheriff Street Pattern Maker both in Rochdale and County of Lancaster
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
Our invention relates to a machine for cutting or slicing potatoes or other like 1
vegetables.
Tho object of our invention is to provide a machine which may be cheaply
constructed and easily manipulated and for performing its operations for the purposes
above described and these with facility and which apparatus is capable of slicing the
potatoes or other vegetables in slices of any desired thickness.
According to our present construction we provide a frame in the form of the
quadrant of a circle on which we mount at a convenient part a lever free to move
about a stud or spindle. At or near the opposite ond i.e. opposite the end on the stud,
we provide a cup shaped piece also provided with teeth or sharpened projections which
is designed to rest on the top of the potatoe to be opemted upon, which piece is 2
pressed thereon by the aid af a suitably arranged spring piece, by these means the
potatoe is firmly held between the piece and the frame but on a corrugated grooved
or perforated surface, at the quadrant part of the frame so as to allow of the free
movements of the potatoe along its surface, that is when the lever is moved by the
hand of the operator to and fro, or makes angular movements with relation to the pin 3
or stud.
At a convenient part of the quadrant we arrange and place in a fixed position a
rectangular or other conveniently shaped steel plate having four cutting edges or
sides, when the potatoe is moved in any direction along the quadrant, and in
proximity to the knife or knives, the cutting instruments or edges are so arranged a
that during the act of moving the potatoe to and from the operator, a cutting or
slicing operation is performed.
The knife or knives is or are so arranged with relation to the frame as to be capable
of adjustinent more or less according to the desired thickness of slice required, also
capable of being reversed for the purpose of using any two of the four cutting edges.
As the slices are formed, they are allowed to pass down through suitable apertures or
openings into a receptacle or vessel provided below for their reception.
The spring lever is arranged to press upon the vegetable during the slicing or
cutting operation until the whole is cut up or sliced, maintaining a pressure thereon
sufficient to maintain the vegetable in a fixed position between the cup piece and the
corrugated or grooved surface during the horizontal or to and fro movements along the
surface before named.
We also provide in connection with the cup a spring push or ejector piece for the
purpose of ejecting any piece of vegetable which may be retained in the cup.
In order to clearly comprehend our invention, we have reference to the accompanying

page_text: sheet of drawings, in which like letters of reference throughout the various figures
therein shewn indicate like or similar parts.
Figure 1 is an elevation of our invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section through A B shewing the relative positions of the cutting
instrument to the corrugated or grooved plates, which plates are provided with a
series of cutting edges or knives, which extend across their widths.
Fig. 4 is a view of the cutting instrument provided with a series of cutting or
sharpened parts or pieces around its cutting or sharpened sides.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a view of the cutting instrument of a corrugated form.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of Figure 6.
a is the frame in the form of a quadrant. b is the lever free to move about the
stud c. d is the cup piece provided with a push piece e. f is a spring piece interposed
between the knob and the cup d, the said piece d is provided with teeth d', the said
cup piece forming part of the handle g is attached to the spring or lever by means of
screws g g h h are grooved or corrugated plates. i is the cutting instrument or
knife baving four cutting edges or sides which knife is secured by means of
a set screw to a bearer j slotted at each end and held in position by nuts v v
and studs and thus capable of being raised or lowered in corresponding slotted
lugs kk' cast at the underside of the frame, and by operating the set screw the four
sides of which knife may be adjusted i.e. the sides i and adjusted to the positions
of it and i, consequently the cutting edges may be varied and the knife adjusted to cut
vegetables into slices of desired thicknesses.
If desired we may provide any of the sides of the knife i with cutting points or
parts m or may be provided on the edges h³ of the plates h h¹ by which means the
potatoe may be cut into lengths or strips or the knife may be of a radially fluted or a
corrugated form as shewn in Fig. 6.
The operation of our invention is as follows. The vegetable to be cut, sec
Figs. 1 and 2, as shewn in dotted lines n, is placed under the cup and rests upon the
plate or the lever assumes the position as shewn in dotted lines, see Fig. 1.
When the lever is moved with the potatoe, held between the cup and the plate
towards the cutting edge and over the knife, see Fig. 2. A slice is cut from the
potatoe and falls or passes down or through the opening o between the knife edge and
the plate and when inoved in the opposite direction as shewn in dotted lines a slice is
again cut from the potatoe and such slice passes through the slit or opening o¹ forined
between the cutting edge and the plate such cutting operations or slicing
continue so long as the vegetable is moved in proximity to the cutting edges until the
whole is cut away. The lever when in its normal position rests upon the slides or
parts a', engaging therewith by means of contact points or adjustable screw
threaded pieces or studs u u', which studs form the hearing surfaces of the lever and
provided to obviate the wearing of the lever on the slides. The extent of its angular
inovements is controlled by stop pieces as a cast on the frame a.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. In a machine for outting or slicing vegetables in combination the horizontally
moving spring lever b, the adjustable knife i, the quadrant pieces or plates h h₁,
substantially as and for the purposes herein fully set forth.
2. The cutting instrument having four cutting edges of suitable form having
smooth-plane or corrugated surface capable of adjustment whereby vegetables may be
cut into strips or slices and adapted to be fixed in position by any suitable means as
and for the purposes herein set forth.
3. A spring lever b, with the cup d capable of pressing upon and carrying or
moving the vegetable to be cut or sliced towards the cutting edges of a stationary
knife or cutting instrument as and for the purpose herein set forth.

page_text: 4. In combination plates h h and knife i as set forth.
5. The strips or cutting points m attached to plates hh as herein set forth.
6. The corrugated plates h h' as herein set forth.
Dated thie 23wl day of March 1907
J. H. BUTTERWORTH & Co.,
Rochdale, For the Applicants.