IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR REDUCING TURNIPS OR OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Shaw and William Manwaring, both of the
Britannia Works, Banbury, in the County of Oxford, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR REDUCING
TURNIPS OR OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 22nd May 1857, and dated the 12th March 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Shaw and William
Manwaring at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 12th March 1857.
We, JOHN SHAW and WILLIAM MANWARING, both of the Britannia Works,
Banbury, in the County of Oxford, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR
REDUCING TURNIPS OR OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
Heretofore, when the root-cutters, known as Gardner's and Moody's pattern
were made with knives affixed to the cylinders or sections of cones which
form the bodies of those root-cutters, it was possible to cut with each set of
knives pieces of one thickness only. Now, our improvement consists in
applying concentric plates to the circumferences of such cylinders or sections
of cones, by which means the space between the body of the cutter and the
edge of the knife is diminished, and consequently thinner pieces can be cut
than when such concentric plates are not attached. By removing the surface.
of such plates further from or bringing it near to the centre of the cylinder or
section of cone the cut will be thicker or thinner, and this may be done either

page_text: by elevating or depressing the same plates by screws or other well-known
mechanical means, or else by applying plates of different heights or thicknesses.
By having projections or stucks on the said plates in front of the cutting
knives the width of the pieces cut (as distinguished from their thickness) may
also be changed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Shaw and William Manwaring in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th September 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, JOHN
SHAW and WILLIAM MANWARING, both of the Britannia Works, Banbury, in
the County of Oxford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Shaw and William Manwaring, Her special licence that we, the said
John Shaw and William Manwaring, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Shaw and William Manwaring,
our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR CUTTING OR REDUCING TURNIPS OR OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Shaw and William Man-
waring, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, 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 we, the said John Shaw and William Manwaring,
dó hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
Heretofore, when the root-cutters, known as "Gardner's" and "Moody's"

page_text: patterns were made with knives affixed to the cylinders or sections of cones,
which form the bodies of those root-cutters, it was possible to cut with each
set of knives pieces of one thickness only. Now, our improvement consists in
applying concentric plates to the circumferences of such cylinders or sections
of cones, by which means the space between the body of the cutter and the
edge of the knife is diminished, and consequently thinner pieces can be cut
than when such concentric plates are not attached. By removing the surface
of such plates further from or bringing it nearer to the centre of the cylinder
or section of cone the cut will be thicker or thinner, and this may be done
either by elevating or depressing the same plates screws or other well-
known mechanical means, or else by applying plates of different heights or
thicknesses. By having projections or stucks on the said plates in front of
the cutting knives the width of the pieces cut (as distinguished from their
thickness) may also be changed.
In the accompanying Drawing (Figure 1), A represents a section of a
portion of the body or cylinder of a Gardner's turnip cutter revolving upon its
axis B; Figure 2 is a plan of the same. The lines, across which are the
letters C and C, are the circumferences of the said body or cylinder, with one
of the knives shown by dotted lines at D, the distance from the circumference C
to the edge of the knife at the circumference C, showing the thickness
heretofore cut by the knives. E is a portion of the front plate against which
the roots are held (as they descend in the hopper or receptacle, of which the
plate E forms one side,) for the knives to cut the same; F represents a con-
centric or thickness plate, attached to the circumference of the cylinder by a
screwed bolt and nut G; the parts marked H are projections fixed in the
concentric plate for the purpose of cutting the root in its width. This con-
centric plate is shown separately in plan by Figure 3, and in section by
Figure 4; it may be used without the cutting projections, as shown by plan at
Figure 5, of which Figure 6 is a section. For mincing or pulping roots, we
find it is desirable to give the cylinder a reciprocating or sliding motion in the
direction of its ends as it revolves, which we effect by means of a cam
marked I in Figures 1 and 2 (shown by the dotted circle in Figure 1), fixed
on and revolving with the shaft B, and working near its periphery between
two friction rollers J and J', which being fixed in their position, force the cam,
and consequently the shaft and cylinder, backwards and forwards in their
bearings. The friction rollers are on pins fixed in a bracket K attached to
the side of the frame L. This bracket is not required when the barrel is used
for any other purpose than pulping, and is therefore provided with a slot M
for the purpose of moving it away from the cam, the boss or shoulder of which

page_text: then forms a collar against the bearing for the shaft B. L, L', N, and N',
are parts of the frame or stand in which the cylinder revolves.
The relative positions of the edges of the knives and the cylinder or sections
of cone of the Moody's cutter being similar to those of the Gardner's cutter,
the preceding description, as far as regards the application of the concentric
plates, applies to both descriptions of cutters.
Having now described a mode of executing our said Invention, we would
have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to this particular mode;
the concentric plates may be thicker or thinner, and may be affixed by
pins and cotters, or keys or wedges in various ways. And as regards the
reciprocating or sideway motion of the barrel or cylinder, it may be cou-
municated by means of cranks, screw worm excentric, or a spring or springs.
What we do claim is,-
1st, the application of concentric or thickness plates (whether with or
without cutting projections in the same) to the circumferences of Gardner's or
Moody's turnip cutters in the above or an equivalent manner, for the purposes
above stated.
And, 2ndly, in giving a reciprocating or lateral sliding motion to the
cylinders of such cutters when they are used for mincing or pulping roots.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Shaw and William Manwaring,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Tenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
CHARLES IBBITSON,
Banbury.
WILLIAM MANWARING. (L.S.)