A Machine for Slicing Fruit.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Machine for Slicing Fruit.
1, THOMAS MYERS, Manufacturer, residing at 178 Front Street East, in the
City of Toronto, County of York, Province of Ontario, Canada, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a machine for slicing fruits and adapted more particularly
for slicing oranges for the purpose of making marmalade; and the object of the
invention is to so construct the machine that the fruit can be evenly fed to the
cutter knives, and to so arrange the cutter knives that the slices cut from the fruit
will be of uniform thickness and the invention consists essentially of the device
hereinafter more fully set forth and more particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same looking at it from the rear side.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the machine.
Like numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout the Specification and
drawings.
The machine consists of a frame work 1, comprised of two standards or uprights 1*
and 1b. At the upper end of the standard 1 is an enlarged collar 2 adapted to
receive the fruit to be fed to the cutter knives. As the machine is adapted more
particularly for the purpose of slicing oranges for the manufacture of marmalade
the collar or feeder 2 is preferably of a sufficient size only to receive a full sized
marmalade orange.
At the top of the standard 1° is fitted a screw threaded
collar 3 through which passes a screw 4 having an enlarged head 5. The standard
of the collar 3 is horizontally opposite the standard of the collar 2, and the enlarged
head 5 of the screw 4 passes horizontally through the middle part of the feeder 2 to
bear the fruit within the feeder against the cutter knives. The end of the screw 4
opposite to that carrying the enlarged head 5 is provided with a hand grip 6 in
order that the said screw can be rotated by the person operating the machine.
It might here be stated that the feeder 2 is located between the standards 1ª
and 1. On the outer side of the standard 1 is a disk 7, carrying the cutter
knives 8. The disk 7 is mounted on a spindle 9 journaled in the standard 1. On
the inner side face of the disk 7 or that side adjacent the outer side of the
standard 1 are secured the cutter knives 8 arranged diametrically opposite to each
other and radiating from the center of the disk. The cutter knives 8 may be of
any suitable predetermined number and of any style suitable for the purpose, as I
do not make any claim to the number of cutter knives employed or to the style of
the same as any cutter knife suitable for the purpose may be employed. Fitted to
the outer side of the disk 7 and eccentric to its center is a crank 9* for the purpose
of revolving the disk to cause the cutter knives to cut the fruit in the feeder 2 into
slices. By means of a device of this description the fruit can be rapidly cut into
slices and the slices will be of uniform thickness. The standards 1 and 1° are
connected together by a plate 1° which completes the frame work and gives to the
machine the required rigidity. Connected to the plate 1° is a clamp 10 for the
purpose of securing the machine to a stationary object.
To secure the juice extracted from the fruit by the cutter knives, I provide the
feeder 2 with a longitudinal slot extending from end to end at the lowermost point
of the inner face, and terminate this slot in an enlarged opening surrounded with a
collar 2, to which is connected a tube or pipe 2b, shown in dotted lines in the
drawings, as the longitudinal slot can be readily conceived I do not deem it
necessary to illustrate it in the drawings.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The machine for slicing fruit hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a machine for slicing fruit the combination of a frame work, a feeder con-
nected to the frame work, a series of revolving cutter knives, means for revolving
the cutter knives and means for feeding the fruit to the cutter knives, substantially
as set forth.
3. In a machine for slicing fruit the combination of a frame work, a feeder
connected to the frame work, a revolving disk, a series of cutter knives secured to
the revolving disk, means for revolving the disk, and means for feeding the fruit
through the feeder to the cutter knives.
4. In a machine for slicing fruit the combination of a frame work, a feeder con-
nected to the frame work, a revolving disk, a series of cutter knives secured to the
revolving disk, a screw having an enlarged head to feed the fruit through the
feeder, the revolving disk and cutter knives adapted to cut the fruit in the feeder,
means for revolving said disk.
Dated this 16th day of June 1802
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.