IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND PULPING TURNIPS AND OTHER ROOTS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Newzam Nicholson and William Mather, both
of Newark upon Trent, in the County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineers,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND
PULPING TURNIPS AND OTHER ROOTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Newzam Nicholson
and William Mather at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
19th November 1881.
WILLIAM NEWZAM NICHOLSON and WILLIAM MATHER, both of Nowark upon
Trent, in the County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND PULPING TURNIPS AND OTHER ROOTS.
"
The first part of our Invention applies to that class of machines known as disc
turnip cutters or pulpers. Instead of the usual flat-disc we use a hollow or convex
conical disc, the knives being so arranged as to cut on the hollow side of the cone.
For pulping we arrange the cutters so that each knife cuts in a different track
froin the preceding one, and for the purpose of clearing between the knives and for
preventing the escape of the last piece without being cut we employ a cleaning bar
with teeth upon it moved by a cam arrangement on the axis, so that the teeth
follow the lines of the cutters and pass between them.
The second part of our Invention relates to arrangements for cutting the last
piece in turnip cutters, which applies more especially to that class of machine
known as the Gardners' turnip cutter. On one plan wo mount on an axle below
the cutting barrel a set of small cutters into which any uncut pieces that do not
pass through the knives into the inside of the barrel are delivered by a suitable
shoot. The axlo on which this set of cutters is fixed is driven by gearing or by a
pitch chain from the main axle of the machine. On another plan we fix to the
cutting barrel a series of slitting knives projecting beyond the ordinary cutting
knives of the machine; we form these slitting knives by preference as a part of the

page_text: ordinary angular knife of the Gardners' turnip cutter. The end plate that holds
the turnips is made with grooves through which these slitting knives pass.
In the third part of our Invention for pulping or shredding roots or other
vegetable substances we arrange the cutters on a barrel or disc, so that each
alternate row of cutters is longer than the others. We arrange cleaners either on
a bar or a roller in such a way that the short cutters miss these cleaners, whilst the
longer ones pass through grooves or recesses in the roller or cleaning bar. Where
a barrel is used we fasten the cutters on separate convex plates, such plates forming
the outside of the barrel. The fourth part of our Invention relates to safety
appliances for preventing breakage in turnip cutters or pulpers. For this purpose
we hinge the lower part of the hopper which holds the roots during the process of
cutting to the upper part, holding this lower part in position by a lever with a
weight or spring so adjusted that it will allow a stone or other hard substance to
pass without injury to the knives or the hopper.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Newzam Nicholson and Willian Mather in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 19th May 1882.
WILLIAM NEWZAM NICHOLSON and WILLIAM MATHER, both of Newark-upon-
5 Trent, in the County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineers.
86 IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND PULPING TURNIPS AND OTHER ROOTS."
}
The first part of our Invention applies to that class of machines known as disc
turnip cutters or pulpers, and is illustrated by Figures 1 and 2. Instead of the
usual flat disc we use a hollow or convex conical disc A, the knives being so
0 arranged as to cut on the hollow side of the cone. B shew the straight knives
used for slicing, and C are diamond pointed knives for pulping; each of these cut.
in a different track from the one preceding, and for the purpose of cleaning
between the knives, and for preventing the escape of the last piece of root without
being cut we employ a cleaning bar D formed with teeth upon it and moved by
5 the cam arrangement E on the axis so that the teeth follow the lines of the cutters
and pass between them.
The second part of our Invention relates.to arrangements for cutting the the last
pieco in turnip cutters, and applies more especially to that class of machine known
as the Gardners' turnip cutter.
Figure 3 shews the first of these arrangements. Below the ordinary cutting
barrel A we mount on an axle a set of small cutters B into which any uncut
pieces that do not pass through the knives into the inside of the barrel A are
delivered by the shoot C. The axle on which the small set of cutters is fixed is
driven by gearing, shewn in dotted lines at G, from the main axle of the machine,
or a pitch chain may be used for the same purpose. The uncut pieces of root that
fall into the shoot Care cut by the small cutters B against the cutting plate E.
Figure 4 shews another plan for effecting the same object, we fix to the cutting
barrel A a series of slitting knives B projecting beyond the ordinary cutting
knives C of the machine.
We form these slitting knives by preference as a part of the ordinary angular
knife of Gardners' turnip cutter, and Figures 5 and 6 shew respectively two
methods of so forming them in one piece, C being the ordinary angular knife
and B the projecting slitting knife. The end plate D that holds the turnips or
other roots is made as a flat plate or knife, and is secured to the frame of the
machine by screws d; slots are made in the plate D for the screws d, so that it
may be adjusted closer to the barrel as worn. When the slitting knives B are
used, as in Figure 4, notches are made in the edge of the plate D for them to pass
between; but when the ordinary pattern knives are used, as in Figure 3, the edge
of the plate D is made straight.
The third part of our Invention for pulping or shredding roots or other vegetable
substances is shown in Figure 7; we arrange the cutters B and B' on a barrel A,
or a disc may be used for the same purpose, each alternate row of cutters B being
longer than the other row B'. We fasten these cutters on separate convex plates C,
which are shewn detached in Fig. 8, and bolt them on the periphery of the barrel A.
On the frame of the machine is mounted a cleaner D consisting of a roller formed
with grooves through which the longer cutters B pass, whilst the shorter cutters B'
miss its outer periphery; or a bar with notches in it may be used for the same
purpose.
The fourth part of our Invention relates to safety appliances for preventing
breakage in turnip cutters or pulpers, and is shewn in Figure 9, as applied to our
improved disc turnip cutter described in the first part of our Invention, but the

page_text: same arrangement may be used to any other description of machine. For this
purposo we hinge the lower part G' of the hopper which holds the roots during
the process of cutting to the upper part G by a joint H, and retain the lower
part G¹ in position by a lever K and a weight L; or a spring may be used for the
same purpose. The lever L is so adjusted that it will allow a stone or other hard
substance to pass through without injury to the knives or to the hopper.
Having now described our Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
carried into effect, what we claim is,―
First. The construction of disc turnip cutters with a hollow or convex conical
disc, substantially as described in the first part of our Invention, and illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2.
"
Second. The arrangement and application of small cutters for cutting the last
piece of root to ordinary "Gardners' turnip cutters," substantially as described in
the second part of our Invention, and illustrated in Figure 3.
Third. The application and construction of the slitting knives for cutting the
last piece of root, substantially as described in the second part of our Invention,
and illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6.
Fourth. The use and application of the end plate D, substantially as described
in the second part of our Invention, and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
Fifth. The method of constructing pulpers or shredders, substantially as
described in the third part of our Invention, and illustrated in Figures 7 and 8.
Sixth. The use and application of the safety appliance to the hoppers of turnip
cutters, substantially as described in the fourth part of our Invention, and illus-
trated in Figure 9.
In witness whereof, I, .the said William Newzam Nicholson, on behalf of
myself and the said William Mather, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.