An Improved Pie-raising and Lidding Machine.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd May, 1892-Accepted, 4th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pie-raising and Lidding Machine.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT GAUDIE of 7 Grant Street, Jarrow in the County of
Durham, Confectioner do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The machine is intended for the purpose of blocking or raising pies commonly
known as Melton Mowbray or raised pies and fixing lids thereon.
It can be made either of brass or iron and is delineated on the drawings left
herewith. The machine consists of a circular mould A (on drawings) opening at
hinge B into two halves; attached to mould is an arm C with holes for screwing
machine to table or bench.
Joined to C by hinge D is a plunger E also on an arm and to this arm is fixed
a gas-pipe with Bunsen burner F for heating plunger. By putting a piece of paste
into mould A and pressing down the plunger E by means of handle 1 (shown cut
off on drawing) the pie is raised or formed. A circular piece of tin is placed in the
bottom of mould before putting in the paste, to prevent the pie being torn asunder
when mould is opened to remove pie. G is for fixing on lids and trimming edges of
pie. It works on hinge B and when in position is pressed down by plunger E.
On removing pressure of plunger, the springs H. H attached to hinge B force the
lidder G out of pie and mould, enabling it to be swung out of way as shown in
Figure 3.
The two parts of mould are held together during the operation of making and
Lidding a pie by means of a catch K (Figure 3). L is a fork fitting on each side
of arm C as a guide to keep plunger in proper position when pressed down.
Dated this Sixth day of August 1891
W. R. GAUDIE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pie-raising and Lidding Machine.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT GAUDIE, of 7 Grant Street, Jarrow, in the County of
Durham, Confectioner 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 an improved pie-raising and lidding machine and is
intended for the purpose of blocking or raising pics commonly known as Melton
Mowbray or raised pies and fitting lids thereon.
It can be made of brass or iron and in order that my invention may be fully
herein explained and rendered intelligible I will now refer to the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1. shows a side elevation, Figure 2. a side elevation partly in section and
Figure 3 a plan, with the plunger hereinafter referred to, removed, of a machine
constructed after my invention and throughout this description like marks of
reference designate like parts.
-Referring to the drawings, A. is a mould hinged at A' so as to be capable of
opening and shutting on this centre. A is a handle on the movable portion of the
mould to aid in opening and shutting same and A³ is a projection on the fixed part
of the mould, secured to which is the spring catch A which engages and disengages
with handle A2; to disengage, the end A³ of catch A is depressed; the engage-
ment is automatic. Formed in one with or attached to the mould is an arm 7

page_text: which may be provided with holes for screwing the machine down to a table or
bench and towards the end of the arm lugs 8 are formed between which a
corresponding lug on the arm of the plunger 10 is centred or hinged. A fork 11
is provided on the arm 9 arranged to embrace the feather 12 on the arm 7 which
thus serves as a vertical guide to the motions of the plunger as hereinafter
described.
The plunger (shown in section in Fig. 2.) is only designed to enter the mould a
certain distance; the space between the plunger botton and the mould bottom
represents the thickness of the pie bottom and the sides of the pie are similarly
formed between the plunger and the mould sides. 13 is a pipe formed on arm 9
fitted with a gas burner 14 to the outer end or nozzle of which a flexible gas service
pipe may be readily attached. This is for the purpose of warming the plunger
and to improve the working of the pastry. 15 is a handle (shown broken off) for
lifting and lowering the plunger. 16 is a tin disc and 16à a tin ring which fit
respectively the bottom and sides of the mould and thus act to prevent the pie being
torn asunder when the mould is opened.
17 is the lidder which may be hinged on an extension of the spindle A'; a
spring 18 may be placed beneath the lidder and encircling its spindle so that the
tendency of the spring is always to push the lidder upwards. 19 is a vertical stop
against which the lidder abuts when turned over the mould.
The underside of the lidder is formed as shown in the drawing for the purpose of
shaping the pie and trimming its edges; for the latter purpose any ornamentation
required may be obtained by corresponding formations on the edges of the
lidder..
The upper edges of the mould are bevelled so as to form a neat edge in cutting
or shearing off the pastry as hereinafter described. On the upper surface of the
lidder, suitable bearing surfaces 20 are formed for the plunger to rest against.
The operation of the invention is as follows;
The gas jet having been lighted, first, throw the plunger back, and turn the
lidder round out of the way of the mould (see Fig. 3). The mould having been
opened by handle A² to insert the tin bottom piece, and tin lining ring, close the
mould. Then put enough pastry into the mould to make the bottom and sides of
the pie and bring down the plunger, which will at once raise the pie, and the heat
of the gas burning in and issuing from the end of pipe 13 will allow the paste to be
easily raised and the plunger to be easily withdrawn from the mould without
damaging the shape of the pic. The contents of the pie are then inserted and
a pastry lid of sufficient size laid over it.
Now, swing the lidder round into position over the mould and again bring down
the plunger which will force the lidder down in opposition to the spring pressure,
fix the lid to sides of pie, cut off the pastry edges around the pie top, shape and
finish the pie.
Finally on lifting up the plunger the spring forces up the lidder which can then
be swung round and the mould opened to withdraw the finished pic.
I am aware that machines for raising and lidding pies are well known.
The subject matter of my invention relates to improvements effected in respect of
first cost, and simplicity of design. The horizontal disposition of my machine and
the combined use of one handle for separate operations of moulding and lidding are
important features and though I have described the use of spring power for raising
the lid automatically, I need not adhere to this mechanism as the lidder may be
hinged on a spindle and arranged to be lifted and swung round by hand without the
intervention of spring power.
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 improved pie raising and lidding machine consisting of a hinged mould
adapted to be opened and shut, a lidder arranged to be depressed to form the pie

page_text: lid and to raise itself again and a gas-heated plunger hinged on the machine frame
the several parts being arranged and designed to operate substantially as herein set
forth.
2. The general arrangement or combination of parts constituting an improved
horizontal pie raising and lidding machine in which the weight and leverage of the
plunger is utilised to assist in effecting the lidding operations substantially as herein
described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 26th day of Anril 1892
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent.