IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING STARCH
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Louis Lilley, of Stand Lane, in the County
of Lancaster, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING STARCH."
Scaled the 9th November 1860, and dated the 14th May 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Louis Lilley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th May 1860.
I, HENRY LOUIS LILLEY, of Stand Lane, in the County of Lancaster,
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING STARCH," to be as
follows:-
The blocks of starch, one after the other, are placed in a suitable guide or
frame, and pushed by a pusher against two cutters, one at the top and the
other at the bottom, and then advanced onwards into another guide or frame
at right angles to the first, when another push operates upon the block of
starch, and impels it against four cutters, one upon cach side.
The whole of the aforesaid cutters scrape clean the blocks of starch, and
make them all of an uniform size, the positions of the cutters being adjusted
so as to cut more or less, as may be required.
The blocks of starch are supported on a rest in connection with one or more
springs or balance weights during the operation of scraping, so as to preserve
them from breaking.
The pushers are put in operation by levers acted upon by tappets, cams, or

page_text: cranks, or other suitable mechanism, and the under side of one of the pushers
may, when desired, be made to print the manufacturer's name or device on
the block of starch.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Louis Lilley in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
LOUIS LILLEY, of Staud Lane, in the County of Lancaster, Manager, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto mc, the
said Henry Louis Lilley, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Louis
Lilley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Henry. Louis Lilley, my 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING STARCH," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Louis Lilley, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 per-
formed, 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 I, the said Henry Louis Lilley, do bereby
declare the nature of my 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):—
The pieces of starch, one after the other, are placed on a guide or frame,
and pushed by means of a ram horizontally through an opening or box, having
two knives or cutters, one at the top and the other at the bottom. The
pushing continues until the piece of starch is seated upon a balanced rest or

page_text: support beyond and at the top of a vertical box at right angles to the first,
which box contains four knives or cutters, one at each side. The starch is
then pushed through this vertical box by another ram sliding vertically, the
rest or support descending at the same time.
The whole of the aforesaid cutters scrape or clean the pieces of starch as
they are pushed through the boxes, and make them all of an uniform size, the
positions of the cutters being adjusted to scrape or cut more or less, as may
be required.
The rest or support upon which the piece of starch is seated is balanced by
springs or weights, and descends to an opening below the vertical box, so that
the finished piece may be removed.
The pushers or rams may be mounted with cloth, india-rubber, or other
yielding material, so that they may have a better hold upon the surface of tho
unscraped piece. The pushers are put in operation by levers acted upon by
tappets or cams, or by any other suitable mechanism, and worked either by
hand or power.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be distinctly understood
that I claim as my Invention, and which to the best of my knowledge and
belief has not been hitherto used within the realm, the employment of two
boxes at right angles to each other, having knives or cutters at their sides for
scraping pieces of starch when the pieces are pushed through the boxes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Louis Lilley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Henry Louis Lilley, in the
presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.
H. L. LILLEY. (LB.)