New or Improved Apparatus for Cutting Butter, Butterine, Margarine, or other such-like Products into Pats of Given Size or Weight.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Mar., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Apparatus for Cutting Butter, Butterine,
Margarine, or other such-like Products into Pats of Given
Size or Weight.
I, ISAAC THOMSON, of Christchurch, Canterbury, in the Colony of New
Zealand, Grocer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide apparatus for expeditiously and
accurately cutting up butter, butterine, or other such-like products, into pats each
of a given weight, say one pound, or of other size as desired, without being weighed
whereby handling and consequent deterioration of the butter or other product are.
avoided. By means of this apparatus a block of butter weighing, say, fifty-six
pounds can be cleanly and neatly cut up into fifty-six pats of equal size and weight,
and of saleable appearance in about two minutes, whereas about one hour would be
required to cut it up by hand. The apparatus is of simple construction and can be
easily kept clean, so that the butter or other product is not liable to become
discoloured or tainted.
The apparatus consists of two rectangular frames, preferably of wood, the one
frame being made of the requisite size to receive the block of butter or other
product placed on end, while the other frame is of the requisite size to receive the
block laid on its side. Across the underside of each frame are stretched wires in
number corresponding to the number of cuts to be made at one time and in one
direction through the block, the wires being secured to the sides of the frames by
means of screws. For a fifty-six pound block of butter the one frame would have
three parallel equidistant wires and the other frame would have six parallel
transverse wires and one central longitudinal wire.
The frame having been placed upon a table, with the wires undermost, the block
to be cut is first placed upon end in the smaller frame so as to rest upon the wires,
after which a loose covering board, having grooves corresponding in position with
said wires, is placed upon the block with the grooves undermost, and held down
thereon whilst the frame is drawn upwards by means of handles so that the wires
cut the block into four equal slabs. The block.thus cut into slabs is then laid on
its side in the larger frame and a covering board grooved to correspond with the'
wires having been applied thereon, the frame is drawn upwards as before so as to
cut the slabs at right angles to the cuts previously made, into fifty-six equal parts,..
each of a weight of one pound, ready for putting in wrappers for sale.
The frames may be made of various sizes to suit the size of block to be divided,
and the wires may be arranged to divide the block into any suitable number of
equal parts.
D
100-
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents."

page_text: New or Improved Apparatus for Cutting Butter, Butterine,
Margarine, or other such-like Products into Pats of Given
Size or Weight.
I, ISAAC THOMSON of Christchurch, Canterbury, in the Colony of New
Zealand Grocer, 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 :-
The object of this invention, is to provide apparatus for expeditiously and
accurately cutting butter, butterine, margarine, or other such like products into
pats of one pound (1 lb.) each (or other sizes as desired) without being weighed,
and obviating the necessity of undue handling and consequent disfigurement and
deterioration.
The advantage of employing this apparatus is that a block of butter, butterine,
margarine, or other such like product, weighing say, fifty-six pounds (56 lbs.) (the
weight generally sent out in a case) can be cut into fifty-six equal pats in about two
minutes whereas about an hour has been occupied hitherto in cutting up a similar
quantity thus a great saving of time is effected, and further, the pats are cleanly
and neatly cut, thus giving them a very attractive and saleable appearance.
The cost of the apparatus complete is trifling, there is nothing liable to get out
of order, and it can be very easily kept clean, consequently the butter, butterine,
margarine or other such like product is not likely to become discoloured or
tainted.
The apparatus consists of two frames (preferably of wood) of suitable depth and
strength, one frame being of the requisite size to receive a block of butter butterine,
margarine, or other such like product on its end, while the other frame is the
requisite size to receive the said block on its side. The underside of each frame
has wires stretched across and secured to screws, or their equivalent, the wires on
each frame being arranged according to the number of cuts to be made in the butter,
butterine, margarine or other such like product; thus for a fifty-six pound (56 lb.)
block of butter, butterine, margarine or other such like product, the small frame
has three wires running in one direction whilst the larger frame has six wires
running in one direction and one central wire running in the opposite direction;
each frame is provided with two handles.
The frames being placed on a suitable table or bench, with the wires at bottom,
the block of butter butterine, margarine or other such like product is turned up on
its end into the smaller frame and a loose covering board having grooves corre-
sponding with the wires on the frame is placed on top, the grooves being next the
block of butter, butterine, margarine, or other such like product; pressure is then
put upon the board, (this can be effected very conveniently by the knee) when the
frame is drawn upwards by the handles thus causing the wires to cut the said
block into four equal divisions; the said block is then laid on its side into the
larger frame, and a covering board having grooves corresponding with the wires
on the frame, is placed on top; pressure is then put upon the board as before
described, and the frame similarly drawn upwards thus causing the wires to cut the
Baid block at right angles to the cuts made by the wires on the smaller frame, and
consequently dividing the said block into fifty-six equal pats.
My invention will be readily understood by reference to the annexed sheet of
drawings which show frames having wires, for cutting into fifty-six equal pats, a
block of butter, butterine, margarine or other such like product, weighing fifty-six
pounds.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the amall frame

page_text: Fig. 2. is a plan of the underside of the covering board for same.
Fig. 3. is a plan of the larger frame.
Fig. 4. is a plan of the underside of the covering board for same.
Fig. 5. is a view showing the block of butter butterine, margarine or other such
like product on its end within the smaller frame ready for cutting.
Fig. 6. is a view showing the said block on its side, within the larger frame ready
for cutting.
Fig. 7. shows the mode of securing the wires to frames.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
A is the small frame (preferably of wood) provided with (preferably) drop.
handles a and having wires b stretched across on the underside, fitting in grooves.
in the edge of frame, and turned up on each side and secured by screws c, or their
equivalent, (as shown in Fig. 7) B is the covering board provided with grooves d
corresponding with the wires b.
C is the larger frame (preferably of wood) provided with (preferably) drop
handles e aud having wires f stretched across on the underside fitting in grooves in
the edge of frame and turned up on each side, and secured as described for small
frame, also having another central wire f¹ stretched across the frame at right
angles to other wires and turned up at each end and similarly secured.
D is the covering board provided with grooves h corresponding with the wires f
and f.
E is the block of butter, butterine, margarine, or other such like product.
The block of butter, butterine, margarine or other such like product E is placed.
on end within the frame A (as shown in Fig. 5) and the covering board B placed
on top, pressure is then put upon the board B whilst the frame A is drawn upwards
by the handles a when the wires b cut the said block into four equal slabs; the
block is then turned on its side, into the frame C and the operation repeated, when
the wires and f¹, cut the said block at right angles to the first cuts, thus dividing
it, into fifty-six equal pats ready to be put in papers for sale.
Although the drawings show frames having wires arranged to cut fifty-six pats
of butter, butterine, margarine or other such like product, the frames can be made
and the wires so arranged that any other number of pats may be cut according to
the size of the block to be divided.
I wish it to be clearly understood that I do not confine myself to any particular
material in the construction of the frames, or to any particular kind of wire or
mode of securing it to the frames, as various kinds of wood or other suitable
material, may be used for the frames, and also various kinds of wire (or other
suitable material equivalent to wire) may be used, and the mode of securing same,
varied without departing from the object of my invention.
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 :-
The hereindescribed apparatus for cutting butter, butterine, margarine, or other
such like products into pats of one pound (1 lb.) each or other desired sizes,.
consisting of the frames A and C, and the grooved covering boards B and D ; the
said frames A and C having wires stretched across the underside of each to suit
the desired sizes of the pats required, and secured by screws c, (or their equivalent).
each frame being fitted with suitable handles, substantially as described and.
illustrated in the annexed sheet of drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1896.
ISAAC THOMSON.