IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF WAFER BREADS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Joseph Sheehan, of Gray's Inn Road, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF WAFER BREADS." A communication from abroad by
Timothy Feely, of Boston, United States, America.
Sealed the 22nd June 1877, and dated the 31st March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Joseph Sheehan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1877.
JOHN JOSEPH SHEEHAN, of Gray's Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF WAFER BREADS."
A communication from abroad by Timothy Feely, of Boston, United States,
America.
This Invention relates to improved apparatus to be used in the manufacture of
"wafer breads" used for sacramental purposes in the Roman Catholic and other
churches, the object being to facilitate their production and effect economy.
In carrying the Invention into effect, two plates (a top and bottom plate) are
employed capable of being heated, and hinged together so as to open book wise;
the plates are made of cast metal and with a flange or rim raised around the edges
at the back thereof, and with strengthening webs extending across the said plates
between the rim or flange. The faces of the plates have required designs, with
which the wafer is to be stamped, formed upon the front surface or faces thereof,
and are smooth or polished. The said plates are made of sufficient strength and
thickness to withstand a heat of about 200 degrees, and are heated by gas or by a
coke fire.
When gas is employed the bottom plate is made with feet which are screwed to a
table or bench top, and sufficient space is left between the said table and the bottorn
plate to allow of a frame carrying gas jets to pass freely underneath the apparatus,
said frame being constructed with edge runners or slides working on a track or
grooves. A handle and rod is attached to the front of the gas jet frame, by which
it is moved backwards and forwards. The burners or gas jets are constructed with
A

page_text: a metal funnel or inverted cone encircling each jet (somewhat resembling the bowl
of a wine glass), the burner being screwed into the apex of the inverted cone, so
that the gas will burn inside same, and small holes are pierced in said funnel around
the lower end by the jet to supply air to the burner, which will cause the gas to
burn with a blue flame and give grater heat. The large end of the cone or mouth of
each funnel will be covered with a metal plate having spaces or perforations formed
around the edge thereof, through which spaces or perforations the flame and heat,
not radiated by the cover, will escape and form a very effectual heating apparatus
for the top and bottom plates.
When the apparatus is heated by a coke fire the bottom plate is mounded so as to
slide backward and forward on two guide rods, and so that the apparatus can be
pushed back over the fire or be drawn forward.
The top plate, as before described, is hinged to the bottom plate, and on the upper
side thereof are two shoulders or inclines cast of a piece therewith, or otherwise
convenieniently formed, and in the front of the said top plate is a knob or handle
for the purpose of raising the top plate on its hinges.
The bottom plate has jointed thereto two short arms which carry a cross shaft,
upon which cross shaft are two cam pieces at each end placed so as to correspond
with shoulders or inclines on the top plate, and a knob or handle is applied to the
cross shaft at the centre thereof, which arrangement I call the pressure handle.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The top and bottom plates are
heated to the required heat and their adjacent faces are clean polished, the requisite
amount of wafer paste (about a tea spoonful) is then dropped on to the surface of the
bottom plate; the top plate is then taken by its handle and folded, or turned on its
hinges down into the paste and surface of the bottom plate; the pressure handle is
now turned over upon the top plate, and the cams on the cross shaft coming in
contact with the shoulders or inclines on the edges of the top plate will give a
uniform pressure to the two plates and to the paste which will have been spread
out between the plates, and the heat will complete them in about six second, more
or less. The pressure handle is now turned back out of the way, the gas frame is
pushed back on the guides (or for a coke fire the apparatus is drawn forward, the
top plate is turned back over the gas frame or fire, and the completed wafer bread
is removed from the surface of the bottom plate, which is now cleaned off or wiped
with a clean rag, and the operation is repeated.
For cutting out the wafer breads I employ a circular punch, which is operated
in substantially the same manner as an ordinary die, that is, by hand or a press.