Year: 1885

page_text: We JAMES LAMB HANCOCK, FREDERICK LAMB HANCOCK, and RICHARD LAMB
HANCOCK all of 254 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, Middlesex, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in or additions to machinery for
washing or cleansing potatoes as described in a previous Letters Patent granted to
one of us on the 17th day of December of the year 1870 N° 3306 of that series.
That invention is described as composed of a tub or vessel having an inverted
brush projecting from a removable false bottom which is perforated for dirt and
other refuse to pass through into a well below and with another brush as a
revolving brush fitted above and worked by crank or other handle so that the
potatoes placed between the two brushes were turned over and over and brushed
so that not only the dirt was removed but by a continued operation the outer skin
or peel was removed also.
The inner wall against which the potatoes were rolled was the wall of the tub
and an inside tube as a centre tube preserved the action of the annular brush in a
steady manner while rotating.
Now by our present invention we dispense with the false bottom and the lower
set of brushes and instead of having the tub as before explained we line it with
earthenware, glazed ware, enamelled plate, or tin plate either in sections, bands or
other arrangement but roughened like a grater on the working surface and we
prefer to make the bottom of a similar material or a combination of the materials
as the bottom proper or as a lining to the bottom. The inner walls of the tubs as
linings may be so connected or arranged in a watertight manner and the whole be
bound together by bottom and top rings by which the rotating gear appliances
may be carried the tub being dispensed with if so desired.
If earthenware or other roughened grated like plates are used as linings they
may be perforated or plain they may be fluted, ribbed or provided with projections

page_text: on the inner surface and the bottom may be similarly arranged so that the water
may have free motion all round when agitated and the friction not only remove the
dirt but the skin also from the potatoe.
Instead of the walls of the tub being formed of roughened plates they may be
roughened ribs of any of the above material with the intervening spaces filled in
with wood or other solid material to which roughened bodies may be attached to
effect a skinning or peeling of the potatoe while in motion and the ribs or corru-
gations may be horizontal, vertical or at an angle or crosswise.

page_text: Cleansing Potatoes.
We JAMES LAMB HANCOCK, FREDERICK LAMB HANCOCK, and RICHARD LAMB
HANCOCK, all of 254 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, Middlesex, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to certain improvements in, or additions to machinery for
washing, or cleansing potatoes as described in a previous Letters Patent granted
one of us on the 17th day of December of the year 1870 N° 3306 of that series.
That invention is described as composed of a tub, or vessel having an inverted
brush projecting from a removable false bottom which is perforated for dirt and
other refuse to pass through into a well below and with another brush as a
revolving brush fitted above and worked by crank, or other handle so that the
potatoes placed between the two brushes were turned over and over and brushed so
that not only the dirt was removed but by a continued operation the outer skin, or
peel was removed also.
The inner wall against which the potatoes were rolled was the wall of the tub
and an inside tube as a centre tube preserved the action of the annular brush in a
steady manner while rotating.
Now by our present invention, we dispense with the false bottom and the lower
set of brushes and instead of having the tub as before explained, we line it (as will
be understood by reference to the annexed drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 are
section and plan respectively) with earthenware, glazed ware, enamelled plate, or
tin plate A either in sections, bands, or other arrangement, but roughened like a
grater on the working surface and we prefer to make the bottom B of a similar
material, or a combination of the materials as the bottom proper, or as a lining to
the bottom C of the tub D. The earthenware, or other plates A forming the walls
of the tub D may be so connected, or arranged in a watertight manner and the
whole be bound together by bottom and top rings E, or both by which the rotating
gear appliances may be carried, the tub D being dispensed with if so desired.
If earthenware, or other roughened grated like plates A are used as linings they
may be perforated, or plain, they may be fluted, ribbed, or provided with pro-
jections on the inner surface and the bottom may be similarly arranged so that
the water may have free motion all round when agitated and the friction not
only remove the dirt but the skin also from the potato.
Instead of the walls of the tub being formed of roughened plates they may be
roughened ribs of any of the above materials with the intervening spaces filled in
with wood, or other solid material to which roughened bodies may be attached to
effect a skinning, or peeling of the potatoe while in motion and the ribs, or corru-
gations may be horizontal, vertical, or at an angle, or crosswise.
The spindle G carrying the tufts of bristles, or brushes H in a suitable back I is
rotated by means of a bevil pinion J which is in gear with the bevil wheel K. on

page_text: the winch handle shaft L having a handle M. The rotating gear J, K, above
described is supported in a light metal frame N fixed to the tub D, or to a ring E
round the top of said tub D. The bottom C of the tub D is provided with a per-
forated rib, or bar P as shown at Figure 2 to ensure the potatoes rolling over and
shifting their position as the brush revolves .thus preventing the potatoes being
ground flat.
Figure 3 shows a modification of our invention, in which a handle M is attached
to the spindle G and the bevil gearing is dispensed with. The vessel D is of metal,
and provided with removable lid Q and the roughened material, is arranged in
segments A', A¹, leaving plain surfaces between. The potato washing machine
constructed according to this invention is more simple than those hitherto made,
and leaves more space for the potatoes, which are rapidly cleaned by means of the
roughened surfaces and brushes combined.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In a potato washing, or cleaning machine the arrangement of roughened
surfaces, continuous or otherwise in combination with a brush, or brushes in the
manner herein before described and substantially as shown for the purpose
set forth.
2. A cylindrical vessel lined with gratings, or roughened surfaces on the inner
side and on the inner bottom for abrading the skins of potatoes during the rotation
of a brush which removes the skin.
3. Fitting potato washing machines having roughened inner lining and a
roughened inner bottom with a transverse raised rib P. roughened or not as shown
at Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings for the purpose described.
The 28th day of July 1886.
H. GARDNER,
Agent for the said J. L. Hancock, F. L. Hancock,
and R. L. Hancock.