IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING SEEDS OR STONES FROM FRUIT
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Algernon Clarke, of Long Sutton, in the
County of Lincoln, Farmer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
EXTRACTING SEEDS OR STONES FROM FRUIT."
Sealed the 1st May 1860, and dated the 7th November 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Algernon Clarke
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th November 1859.
I, JOHN ALGERNON CLARKE, of Long Sutton, in the County of Lincoln,
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN EXTRACTING SEEDS OR STONES FROM FRUIT," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in mechanical arrangements for extracting the seeds
from soft pulpy fruit by first flattening the fruit by pressure so as to cause the
stones or seeds to be plainly seen through the husk or skin, and then taking
out the stones or seeds by a perforating, punching, or pressing instrument, the
pulp being left behind in consequence of its having been removed from the
reach of the perforating instrument by the primary pressure. The pressure
and puncturing may either be effected by one compound instrument, or a
quantity of the fruit may be first flattened and then punctured for the removal
of the seeds.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Algernon Clarke in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th May 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ALGERNON CLARKE, of Long Sutton, in the County of Lincoln, Farmer, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Algernon Clarke, Her special license that I, the said John
Algernon Clarke, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said. John Algernon Clarke, my executors, administrators, or
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING SEEDS OR STONES FROM FRUIT,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Algernon Clarke,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, 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 John Algernon Clarke, do hereby
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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to an improved mode or method of extracting
the seeds from soft pulpy fruit, and consists in the employment for that
purpose of a mechanical contrivance whereby the fruit is first flattened by
pressure so as to cause the stones or seeds to be plainly seen through the
husks or skin, and then perforated or punctured so as to remove or expel
the stones or seeds therefrom, the pulp being left in the skin by reason of its
having been removed from the reach of the punching or perforating instrument
by the primary pressure. The two operations of pressing or flattening and
punching or perforating may either be effected by one combined apparatus or
instrument, or a quantity of the fruit may be first flattened by an instrument
for that purpose, and then punctured for the removal of the seeds or stones by
a separate instrument, the essential feature of the Invention being the removal
of the stones or seeds from pulpy fruit by punching them out of the skin or
husk of the fruit, whether such fruit has been previously subjected to pressure
or not.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall

page_text: now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
I shall refer to the full sized perspective view illustrating one mode of carrying
out my Invention on the annexed Sheet of Drawings.
A, A, are two levers provided with suitable apertures for the insertion of
the finger and thumb, and connected together by a pin joint at B. Each of
these levers has a pressing surface or plate C formed upon it, and they are
provided respectively at the front extremities, the one with a punch D, and the
other with a corresponding hole or aperture E. The fruit to be operated upon
by this instrument is first flattened between the pressing plates C, C, by using
the instrument after the manner of a pair of scissors, after which the seeds or
stones are cut or forced out by placing the fruit under the punch D and over
the hole E, and causing the punch to descend and pass through the fruit, at
the same time expelling the seed or seeds contained therein. I may here
observe that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise construction
and arrangement of apparatus herein-before described and illustrated by my
Sheet of Drawings, as it is obvious that the essential features of my Invention
may be carried out in various ways.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the system or mode of extracting seeds or stones from fruit by the
aid of a perforating or punching instrument in combination or not with
previous pressure, as herein-before described.
Second, the flattening of fruit so as to render the stones or seeds contained
in such fruit visible for the purpose of extraction, as herein-before described.
Third, the peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus for extracting
seeds or stones from fruit, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Algernon Clarke, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of May One thousand eight
hundred and sixty.
TAHUN
TARDVANT
ת ז AT I
זומlממזו זA זו AT
EXTATUTA
O NO
JOH
(1.5.)