Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1888
Specification Accepted, 26th Oct.. 1888
I, WALTER THORNTON LINTON, of Nos. 18 and 19, Red Lion Square, London, W.C.,
Merchant, 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 :-
This invention relates to improved machinery for slicing cocoa-nuts; and consists
in an improved arrangement of knives for slicing the nuts into wide or narrow
ribbons, as well as an improved construction of machine in respect of the arrange-
ments for receiving and holding the nuts, holding and rotating the knives, and
supporting the various operative parts of the machine.
In order that my invention, and the means by which the same is to be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe them in detail,
referring in so doing to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as part
of this specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation.
Fig. 2 is a part plan.
Fig. is a plan illustrating a modified form of slicer.
Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the construction of the nut-drun.
C is the machine-table; and D, the first motion shaft adapted to be rotated in
suitable bearings, by power or by hand, whichever method may be most convenient.
E is a vertical shaft driven from the first motion shaft through a pair of mitre-
wheels, F, and having its bearings on the table, C, and in a stay, G, on the upper
table, H.
The table, H, is bolted to the table, C. Its top, I, and a square plate, J, are
adapted to receive and to provide bearing surfaces for the shoot, K. This shoot is
circular is cross section, and has two bearing rings, k, k, formed upon it. L, M, are
spur wheels fast upon the mouth of the shoot, and the vertical shaft, E, respectively.
If preferred, the shaft, E, spur wheels, I and M, and mitre gears, F, may be
dispensed with, the driving pulley carried on pillow blocks on the table, C, and
adapted to drive a pulley, K', on the shoot, by a twisted belt.
N is a disc detachably fixed in any convenient way to the top of the shoot, K;
so that it will move with it, but may also be easily lifted off it. A cross opening, O,
is formed in it through which projects slicers, P, the cutting edges of which are

page_text: adjusted to project above the surface of the disc, N, for a distance equal to the
thickness of the slices to be taken off the nut.
Qis the nut-drum, and has spring holders, q, projecting inwardly and adapted
thereby to steady the nut. It is supported centrally over the discs, N, by struts, q',
resting upon the table-top.
R is a dished-plate, or nut-holder. It is fitted with a handle, r, and is hinged to
the table-top, I, by two links,, ². Prongs, S, project from its under side, and are
adapted to hold the cocoa-nut, s, centrally within the drum.
The operation of the machine constructed as above described is as follows.
A nut having been fixed to the nut-holder, R, by being pushed on the prongs, S,
the machine is then set in motion, and the nut pressed down upon the disc, N, with
the result that four strips of equal thickness are sliced off the nut, and drop down
through the shoot, K, into a basket or other suitable receptacle under the table, C.
The shoot is illustrated in Fig. 1 as tapering downwards towards a parallel
mouth,, but I do not confine myself to this shape inasmuch as the shoot may
be trumpet-shaped in cross-section, in order to prevent the falling slices jamming
therein.
The nut-holder, R, will bear upon the top of the nut-drum, Q, by the time that
about half of the nut has been sliced away. The holder is then raised, the unsliced
half-nut remaining centrally upon the disc, N; and a fresh nut is pushed onto the
prongs, S. The position of the nut-holder whilst a fresh nut is being pushed onto the
prongs is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The nut-holder is then pulled
down, and the slicing is resumed until the lower half of the fresh nut has been in its
turn sliced away.
According to the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, each slicer, P, is preceeded by a
set of strippers, p, fixed to the disc, N. These strippers may be coarse or fine as
desired. When the strippers are used the face of the nut is scored into narrow bands;
and the slicers following produce narrow strips or ribbons of nut, instead of slices as
wide as the thickness of the nut.
I do not confine myself to the number of either slicers or the gauge of the strippers,
but I find that for ordinary purposes, four is a convenient number.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
;
1. The combination of revolving disc; slicers; revolving.shoot and gearing for
driving the same; the whole adapted for slicing cocoa-nuts into multiple slices
simultaneously, as set forth.
2. The combination of revolving disc; slicers projecting therefrom; a shoot to
which the said disc is fixed; and a nut-holder adapted to rise and fall; as and for the
purpose set forth.
3. The combination of table; shoot adapted to be revolved about a vertical axis
therein; gearing upon said shoot and table; slicers projecting above a disc fixed
upon the top of the said shoot; and a nut-drum adapted to hold the nut to be sliced ;
substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of disc; slicers; and strippers as and for the purpose set
forth.
Dated this 21st day of September 1888