IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING, DRESSING AND DRYING CURRANTS AND OTHER DRIED FRUITS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Fox and Alexander Wheeler both of Darlington
in the County of Durham for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR CLEANING, DRESSING AND DRYING CURRANTS AND OTHER DRIED FRUITS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Fox and Alexander
Wheeler at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st October
1882.
DAVID Fox and ALEXANDER WHEELER both of Darlington in the County of
Durham "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING, DRESSING AND DRYING
CURRANTS AND OTHER DRIED FRUITS
22
The Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for cleaning
dressing and drying currants and other dried fruits.
For this purpose we employ a wirework cylinder provided with an opening
which is capable of being closed and opened when required by a suitable door or
slide. The fruit to be cleaned and dressed is placed in this cylinder and the
latter is then closed.
The said cylinder is fixed to a frame mounted upon axes of motion to enable the
said cylinder to be placed over and partly within a tank containing water for the
first washing process and then to be placed over a centrifugal apparatus into which
the contents are discharged. A supply of water is laid on to the tunk and also to
the centrifugal apparatus.
Through the centre of the wirework cylinder is passed an axis which carries
arms provided preferably with four brushes, although other numbers may be used.
To clean and dress fruit it is placed in the cylinder and the latter is closed; the
cylinder is first placed over the tank in which a portion of it and the fruit therein
are immersed, the brushes are then revolved whereby the fruit is agitated in the
water and rubbed against the wirework of the cylinder thereby separating the
dirt and stalks from the fruit. After this primary washing the wirework cylinder
is placed over, and the contents thereof emptied into, the centrifugal apparatus in
which the fruit is first acted upon by a stream of clean water caused to pass there-
through by centrifugal action after which the water is shut off and the fruit dried
by the continued rotation of the said centrifugal apparatus.
Rotary motion is given to the various parts in any convenient manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said David Fox and Alexander Wheeler in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th April 1883.
DAVID Fox and ALEXANDER WHEELER both of Darlington in the County of
Durham. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING DRESSING AND DRYING
CURRANTS AND OTHER DRIED FRUITS
"
The Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for cleaning
dressing and drying currants and other dried fruits.
For this purpose we employ a wire work cylinder provided with an opening
which is capable of being closed and opened when required by a suitable door or
slide. The fruit to be cleaned and dressed is placed in this cylinder and the latter
is then closed. The said cylinder is fixed to a frame mounted upon axes of motion
to enable the said cylinder to be placed over and partly within a tank containing
water for the first washing process and then to be placed over a centrifugal
apparatus into which the contents are discharged. A supply of water is laid on to
the tank and also to the centrifugal apparatus.
Through the centre of the wire work cylinder is passed an axis which carries
arms provided preferably with four brushes, although other numbers may be used.
Rotary motion is given to the various parts in any convenient manner.
-
And in order that our said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect we will proceed aided by the accompanying Drawings
more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
-Figure-1 is-a side-elevation Figure 2 is a_plan_Figure_3_is_a_vertical_cross
section drawn on the line 1, 1 of Figure I and Figure 4 is a vertical cross section
drawn on the line 22 of Figure 1 representing our improved machinery for
cleaning dressing and drying currants and other dried fruits. a represents the
main framing ba wire work cylinder provided with an opening which is capable
of being closed and opened when required by a suitable door or slide 6¹.. The
fruit to be cleaned and dressed is first placed in this cylinder b and the door or
alide is then closed. The cylinder bis fixed to a frame b* mounted upon an axis
of motion at b² to enable the said cylinder b. to be placed as required first over a
tank c. containing water for the first washing process and then when such first
washing process is finished to be placed over a centrifugal apparatus consisting of
a cylinder d. of wire gauze into which the contents of the cylinder b are discharged.
A supply of water is laid on to the tank c, by a tap and to the centrifugal
apparatus by a tap y.
Through the centre of the wire work cylinder 6 is passed a shaft or axis b³
which carries four arms 6 provided with brushes 65 although other numbers of
arms and brushes may be used. Rotary motion is given to the shaft or axis bª and
consequently to the arms b' and brushes 65 by means of a crank handle e. applied
to the shaft or axis 6%, and motion is given to the centrifugal cylinder d, by the
following means. The crank handle e is dismounted from the shaft or axis b³ and
applied to one end of the shaft or axis on the other end of which is fixed a drum
or pulley, which by a strap or band gives rotary motion to a drum or pulley g'.
fixed on one end of the shaft or axis g to the other end of which is fixed a
bevelled pinion g² which takes into and gives rotary motion to the bevelled
pinion d fixed on the axis d' of the centrifugal cylinder d. The centrifugal
cylinder d is mounted within a chamber h which catches the water issuing
from the cylinder d. and discharges the same through pipes h¹ connected with a

page_text: pipe i, which latter also conducts away the water from the tank c to prevent the
overflow of the said tank. A bolt is employed to lock the frame b❤ in position
over the tank c, when the first washing operation is being effected, then when it
is required to empty the contents of the cylinder b into the centrifugal cylinder d
the said bolt is withdrawn thereby releasing the frame b which can then be
turned with the cylinder b. over the centrifugal cylinder d. An opening is made
in the bottom of the chamber h. for the accommodation of the driving gear and
the bottom of such chamber h. is carried upwards and flashed over the sides of
Buch opening to prevent water passing down therethrough. If desired motion may
be given to the centrifugal apparatus by power by means of a strap or band passing
around the pulleys k. k³.
Rotary motion may however be given to the various parts by any other
convenient means. A shoot or conductor c' is connected to the upper edge of the
tank c, to conduct into the chamber h. any water which may drop thereon from
the cylinder b. when changing the position of the latter from over the tank c to
over the chamber h.
To clean and dress fruit it is placed in the cylinder b and the latter is closed,
the cylinder b, is first placed over the tank c in which a portion of it and the fruit
therein are immersed, the brushes bare then revolved whereby the fruit is agitated
in the water and rubbed against the wirework of the cylinder b. thereby separating
the dirt and stalks from the fruit. After this primary washing the wirework
cylinder b is placed over, and the contents thereof emptied into, the centrifugal
apparatus d in which the fruit is first acted upon by a stream of clean water
caused to pass therethrough by centrifugal action after which the water is shut off
and the fruit dried by the continued rotation of the said centrifugal apparatus d.
If desired the first washing operation may be conducted in the cylinder b whilst
the finishing operations are being conducted in the centrifugal apparatus.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and the mode in which
we carry the same into effect we would have it understood that what we claim is
the novel combination and arrangement of machinery for cleaning, dressing and
drying currants and other dried fruits substantially as herein shown and described.
In Witness whereof we the said David Fox and Alexander Wheeler have
hereunto set our hands and seals this Twenty Eighth day of April in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.