CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRESSING FRUIT
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Barr, of 4, Cherry. Street, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Estate Agent, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRESSING FRUIT."
Sealed the 18th August 1865, and dated the 22nd February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Barr at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd February
1865.
I, DAVID BARR, of 4, Cherry Street, Birmingham, in the County of
5 Warwick, Estate Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRESSING FRUIT," to be as
follows:-
A vertical shaft is made to revolve by means of a handle placed at the top
thereof, on which is fixed one or more iron arms. On each of the arms is
fixed a circular or curved brush, hollowed out or reduced at the front edge so
as to form a cavity to admit and break down lumps, of fruit. The brush or
brushes so constructed and fixed are made to revolve in an ordinary sieve until
the fruit is sufficiently dressed. A horizontal piece of wood or metal is fixed
across the top of the sieve and the shaft, passing through a hole in the centre

page_text: thereof is made to work on a wooden or metal block fixed at the bottom of
the sieve. This arrangement will allow the brush to rise or fall according to
the quantity of fruit over which it passes. The novelty of this arrangement
consists in the shape and fixing of the brush, and also in the socket or block
in which the spindle works.
The said Invention also includes certain improvements in a machine made
after the following manner :-A brush reduced at the front edge or raised so
as to form a cavity to admit the fruit is fixed in a wooden or metal frame or
stand, by means of a spindle or rod attached to that end of the brush under
which the fruit first passes, which spindle or rod works in a bush-or socket on
either side of the frame. The other end of the brush is secured, and raised or
lowered by a screw working through a cross bar at the top of the frame. A
sieve is held under and in proper contact with the brush by means of an india-
rubber or other spring fastened to the cross bar or sides of the machine.
The sieve so placed is connected with a crank in the main spindle or shaft
which passes through the frame. The machine may be worked by steam or
hand power. A hopper containing the fruit is fixed over the upper end of
the sieve, out of which it falls as fast as it is required for dressing. The sieve
may be stationary if required, in which case the crank would give motion to
the brush.
The novelty of this arrangement consists in raising and lowering the brush
in the manner described, by which means the fruit may be dressed a longer
or shorter time as required. In the peculiar application of the spring so as
to keep the brush always in proper contact with the sieve, and also in the
peculiar action given by the crank to the machine for the purpose of fruit
dressing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Barr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, DAVID
BARR, of 4, Cherry Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Estate
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her 'most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto

page_text: me, the said David Barr, Her special licence that I, the said David
Barr, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said David Barr, my executors, administrators, and 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRESSING FRUIT," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said David Barr, my executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 David Barr, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
A vertical shaft A is made to revolve by means of a handle B, on which is
fixed one or more arms or a circular plate C, to which is fixed a brush D
made of bristles or other material of which brushes are usually made, being
hollowed out or reduced at the front edge so as to form a cavity E to admit
and break down lumps of fruit: The brush or brushes so constructed and
fixed are made to revolve in an ordinary sieve F until the fruit is sufficiently
dressed or cleaned. A horizontal piece of wood or metal G is fixed across
the top of the sieve, and the shaft passing through a hole in the centre
thereof is made to work in a wooden block H, or suitable piece of metal fixed
at the bottom. This arrangement will allow the brush to rise or fall according
to the quantity of fruit over which it passes. A hopper or receptacle for
the fruit may be fixed on the top of the cross bar G, pegs being attached to
the spindle A and to the said hopper; the fruit when in lumps can be
easily broken down, and prepared for the brushes; it then falls through an
aperture at the bottom of the hopper into the sieve, and is dressed as discribed
above.
The said Invention also includes certain improvements in a machine for
dressing fruit, as shewn in Fig. 2 & 3, and made after the following manner:
-A brush I reduced at the front edge J or raised so as to form a cavity
to admit the fruit is fixed in a wooden or metal frame or stand K by means

page_text: of a spindle or rod L, which spindle or rod works in a bush, socket, or
groove M on either side of the frame; another brush N, made in like
manner, may be fixed a little below the brush I, or the fruit may be dressed
with one brush only. The brush or brushes are raised or lowered according
to the length of time the fruit requires dressing by means of a spindle working
in a slot or groove O. The spindle is held in the required position by a
thumbscrew P working on each end of the spindle against the sides of the
frame. A sieve Q is held under and in proper contact with the brushes by
means of an india-rubber spiral or other spring R, which may be fixed to
the outside or inside of the frame. The sieve so placed is connected with and
worked by a crank S in the main spindle or shaft. The machine may be
worked by hand or steam power. A hopper T containing the fruit to be
dressed may be fixed over the upper end of the sieve, from which it falls through
an aperture as fast as is required by dressing. The fruit after being dressed
is conveyed by the sieve to a draw in the bottom of the frame. The sieve
may be made stationary, if desirable, in which case the crank S would be
connected with and give motion to the brushes.
In this arrangement the novelty consists in the raising and lowering of the
brushes and sieve, by which means the fruit may be dressed a longer or shorter
time, as it may require; the application of the spring so as to keep the brush
always in proper contact with the sieve without bruising the fruit; the
peculiar action given by the crank to the brushes or sieve for the purposes of
fruit dressing.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Barr have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named David Barr, in the
presence of
TOM BANKS,
Of No. 4, Cherry Street,
Birmingham.
DAVID BARR. (L.S.)