A New or Improved Machine for Cutting or Slicing Vegetable and other similar Substances.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 8th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Machine for Cutting or Slicing Vegetable and
other similar Substances.
We, WILLIAM SMITH and JAMES CLAYDON, both of 160 High Street, Boro',
London, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to a new or improved apparatus for cutting or slicing
vegetables and other similar substances, and consists of an easel like vertical frame
formed of two uprights, and two inclined bars joined together at the top and
connected at the bottom by longitudinal and cross bars, the said uprights and
inclined bars being furnished with suitable feet upon which the machine rests. The
inclined bars are provided near the top with notches formed at equal intervals and
opposite one another. These notches serve to carry the two ends of an axis
supporting a feeding trough or shoot, the inclined forward end of which rests upon
another axis secured to the two uprights aforesaid. On one side of the machine is
mounted in perforated lugs secured to one of the uprights and to the corresponding
inclined bar, a shaft upon which is mounted a disc revolving in front of the machine
close to the inclined end of the shoot aforesaid. This disc which is excentric to
the machine is furnished with a rectangular slot extending diametrically across the
disc with the exception of a hub through which the shaft passes; it may be made
of wood or other material, the thickness of which is increased and reduced on
diametrically opposite sides, being respectively greatest and smallest along the
edges of the radial slots aforesaid. The reduced parts lead the substance to be cut
or sliced against the radial cutting edges of a rectangular blade or knife resting on
a rabbet formed in each of the thickest edge of the slot. Each cutting edge
extends from the centre to the circumference on alternate sides of the rectangular
blade or knife above and parallel to the edges of each reduced part, thus leaving
a space between these corresponding edges for the cut slices to pass through and
fall into any suitable receptacle below. The cutting disc is rotated by hand by
means of a suitable crank handle.
1
When cutting up salad by means of my improved machine, I fix thereto an
appliance whereby the salad dressing may be prepared or whisked at the same
time. I arrange for this purpose a frame consisting of two uprights furnished with
feet one of which carries at the top a horizontal axis supporting at one end a
frictional roller bearing against the periphery of the rotary cutting disc of the
machine, and receiving a motion therefrom. A vertical axis is arranged centrally
between the two uprights aforesaid and is held at the top by the forked end of the
horizontal arm of the other upright; this axis carries at its upper end a bevil
wheel gearing with another bevil wheel, keyed upon the other or inner end of the
horizontal axis before mentioned, and at its lower end a whisking tool operating in
a suitable receptacle in which are placed the ingredients destined to form the salad
dressing.
Dated this 1st day of May 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Machine for Cutting or Slicing Vegetable and
other similar Substances.
We, WILLIAM SMITH and JAMES CLAYDON, both of 160 High Street, Boro',
London, Manufacturers, 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 new or improved apparatus for cutting or slicing
vegetables and other similar substances, and consists of an casel like vertical frame
formed of two uprights, and two inclined bars joined together at the top and
connected at the bottom by longitudinal and cross bars, the said uprights and
inclined bars being furnished with suitable feet upon which the machine rests.
The inclined bars are provided near the top with notches formed at equal intervals
and opposite one another. These notches serve to carry the two ends of an axis
supporting a feeding trough or chute, the inclined forward end of which rests upon
another axis secured to the two uprights aforesaid. On one side of the machine is
mounted in perforated lugs, secured to one of the uprights and to the corresponding
inclined bar, a shaft upon which is mounted a disc revolving in front of the machine
close to the inclined end of the chute aforesaid. This disc, which is excentric to the
machine, is furnished with a rectangular slot extending diametrically across the
disc with the exception of a hub through which the shaft passes; it may be made
of a rod or other material, the thickness of which is increased and reduced on
diametrically opposite sides being respectively greatest and smallest along the
edges of the radial slots aforesaid. The reduced parts lead the substance to be cut
or sliced against the radial cutting edges of a rectangular blade or knife, resting on
a rabbet, formed in each of the thickest edges of the slot. Each cutting edge
extends from the centre to the circumference on alternate sides of the rectangular
slot above and parallel to the edges of each reduced part, thus leaving a space
between these corresponding edges for the cut slices to pass through and fall into
any suitable receptacle below. The thickness of the slices can be regulated by
means of a thin plate on the reduced part of the disc, capable of being moved
forward by means of a screw and reducing the distance between the two edges above
mentioned to any desired amount. The cutting disc is rotated by hand by means
of a suitable crank handle.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings,
b
f
Figure 1 is a side elevation with the disc in section on the line a, 6 Figure 2;
Figure 2 a rear elevation and Figure 3 a section of the disc on the line d.
1 is the frame of the apparatus, having two centrally perforated lugs 2 on one
side, supporting the shaft 3. On the front end of this shaft is mounted the disc 4
having the slot 5 extending diametrically across it, interrupted by the hub 6. Each
division of the plate formed by the slot 5 is of gradually increasing thickness from
the edge of the slot 5* to the edge 5b, the part at 5b being flush with the top of the
rim 4, and the edge 5 dipping below it to a suitable distance. The two knives 7
are fixed to the thick parts of the disc and extend one over each half of the slot on
either side of the centre, the cutting edges being in opposite directions, and
preferably extending over the opposite edges of the slot. The rear face of the
knife is flush with the back of the plate at 5b, the other face being inclined as
shown.
The vegetable to be cut is placed in the inclined chute 8, which rests on two
pins 9 and 10 extending from one side of the frame to the other, the pin 9 passing
through lugs 8 on the chute. The pin 10 is not attached to the chute, which
merely rests upon it, and can be placed in any one of the slots 11, of which three
are shown, thus altering the angle of the chute to the degree required to cause the
vegetable to slide easily down.
The vegetables, by means of the sloping chute are always kept against the face

page_text: of the disc, and slices are cut by the knife 7 of a thickness corresponding to the
distance between the edge of the slot 5ª and the edge of the knife. In order that
the thickness of the slices can be regulated to any required degree, the disc is split
at its thinner part into two plates, one of which, the plate 12, can be adjusted by
the thumb-screw 13, the plate springing back when the screw is withdrawn.
On rotating the disc, a knife at each half revolution cuts a slice of definite
thickness from the vegetable, the vegetable sliding down the chute along the
inclined faces of the disc after each cut, into position for the next, until the whole
vegetable or vegetables is or are completely sliced, the slices falling through the
slot into any convenient receptacle.
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 slicing vegetables or other substances, a disc 4 adapted to
be continuously rotated, having a slot 5 extending diametrically across it, provided
with knives 7, the rear faces of the two segments into which the disc is divided
being inclined from the edge of the slot 5b to the edge 5ª substantially as and for
the purpose described.
(2) In a machine for slicing vegetables or other substances, the combination with
the parts mentioned in Claim 1, of an inclined chute, down which the substances to
be sliced slide, pivotted to the frame and having an adjustable support whereby
the angle at which the chute slopes may be changed as required, substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 8th day of January 1892.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.