AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR MAKING GINGER AND OTHER SNAPS FROM SOFT DOUGH
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Clark, of Rathbone Place, and of
53, Chancery Lane, both in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR MAKING GINGER AND
OTHER SNAPS FROM SOFT DOUGH."-A communication from abroad by
Daniel Morey Holmes, of Williamsburgh, County of Kings, State of
New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 23rd March 1869, and dated the 17th November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th November 1868.
I, ALEXANDER CLARK, of Rathbone Place, and of 53, Chancery Lane,
both in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR MAKING GINGER AND
OTHER SNAPS PROM SOFT DOUGH," to be as follows:-

page_text: effective machine by means of which ginger and other snaps may be
made from soft dough rapidly, conveniently, and accurately, and it
consists in the construction and combination of the various parts of the
machine as herein-after more fully described.
A is the box in which the dough is placed, and which is securely
attached to the frame B of the machine. The dough box A has open-
ings a' formed in its bottom through which the dough is pressed by the
action of the follower C, which fits into the dough box A and is securely
attached to the lower ends of the bars D, the upper ends of which are
pivoted to the cross bar E, so that the follower C when raised out of
the box A may be conveniently swung to one side to allow free access
to the interior of said box A.. In the ends of the cross bar E are formed
holes having screw threads cut in them through which pass the screws F,
so that the follower C may be raised and lowered by turning the said
screws F. The lower and upper ends of the screws F work in sockets
or bearings attached to the frame B. To the lower parts of the screws F
are attached or upon them are formed bevil gear wheels G, into the teeth
of which mesh the teeth of the bevil gear wheels H, attached to the
shaft I, which revolves in bearings attached to the frame B, and to one
end of which is attached a large gear wheel J for lowering the follower C
with a slow movement to press out the dough, and a small gear wheel K
to enable the said follower C to be raised with a more rapid movement.
L is a small gear wheel the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of the
gear wheel J, and which runs loosely upon the shaft M, which works in
bearings in the frame B, and to which motion may be given by hand or
other convenient power; N is a large gear wheel, also running loosely
upon the shaft M, and which is connected with the gear wheel K by
the gear wheel O running loosely upon the journal P attached to the
frame B, and the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of both the gear
wheels N and K, so that the shaft I may be revolved in either direction
to raise or lower the follower C from the shaft M without changing the
revolution of said shaft M; Q is a clutch sliding upon the shaft M
between the wheels L and N, and which may be thrown into gear with
either of said wheels, causing it to revolve with the said shaft M according
to the direction in which it is desired to move the follower C; Rare
knives, the ends of which are attached to the knife frame S, and which
slide back and forth beneath the bottom of the dough box A to cut off
сот

page_text: the dough as it is forced out through the holes a¹. The knife frame S
slides back and forth in dovetailed channelled grooves in the bottom of
said box. To the projecting end of the knife frame S is attached a pin
which enters a groove in the cam wheel T, so that the knife frame S
may be moved back and forth by the revolution of the said cam wheel T.
The cam wheel T runs loosely upon the end of the shaft I or upon a
journal attached to the frame B, and to its inner side is attached a gear
wheel U, into the teeth of which mesh the teeth of the gear wheel V
which runs loosely upon a journal attached to the frame B. X is a gear
wheel attached to the end of shaft M, and the teeth of which mesh intó
the teeth of the gear wheel V, so that the cam wheel T may receive
motion from the said shaft M. The gear wheel X is made detachable,
so that it may be detached and replaced with a smaller or larger one,
according as it is desired to vibrate the knife frame S faster or slower.
To enable this to be done the journal W should be placed in a curved
slot in the frame B, so that its position may be adjusted as required to
enable the gear wheel V to mesh into the gear wheels U and X, whatever
sized gear wheel X may be used. The groove in the cam wheel T, in
which the guide pin of the knife frame S works, should be straight
with two or more sharp inclines, so that the knives R may be operated
quickly at the proper time, and may remain stationary at other times.
Y are rollers, the journals of which should revolve in adjustable bearings
in the frame B; Z are endless belts passing around the rollers Y, and to
which should be attached or which form an endless apron to receive and
carry the pans that receive the snaps from the machine. Motion is
communicated to the carrier by the band A¹ that passes around the
pulley B' attached to the shaft M, and around the pulley C¹ attached to
one of the rollers Y. In using the machine the follower C is run up and
the dough is placed in the dough box A. Then, as the follower C slowly
descends, the dough is forced out through the holes a' in the bottom of
said box A, and at the proper time to form snaps of the desired size the
protruding dough is cut off in slices or cakes by the forward and back-
ward movement of the knives R. The snaps as they are cut off drop
into pans placed upon the carrier Y, Z, which pans as they are carried
forward are removed by the attendant.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
CLARK, of Rathbone Place, and of 53, Chancery Lane, both in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Clark, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Clark, 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 "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR MAKING GINGER AND OTHER SNAPS FROM SOFT DOUGH," a com-
munication to me from abroad by Daniel Morey Holmes, of Williams-
burgh, County of Kings, State of New York, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Clark,
my executors or administrators, 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 Alexander Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):-
This Invention has for its object to furnish a simple, convenient, and
17

page_text: made from soft dough rapidly, conveniently, and accurately, and it
consists in the construction and combination of the various parts of the
machine as herein-after more fully described.
Figure 1 of the Drawing annexed is an end view of this improved
machine, parts being broken away to show the construction; Figure 2 is
a side view of the same; Figure 3 is a vertical detail sectional view of
the same taken through the line x, x, Figure 1..
A is the box in which the dough is placed, and which is securely
attached to the frame B of the machine. The dough box A has open-
ings a' formed in its bottom through which the dough is pressed by the
action of the follower C, which fits into the dough box A and is securely
attached to the lower ends of the bars D, the upper ends of which are
pivoted to the cross bar E, so that the follower C when raised out of
the box A may be conveniently swung to one side to allow free access
to the interior of said box A. In the ends of the cross bar E are formed
holes having screw threads cut in them through which pass the screws F,
so that the follower C may be raised and lowered by turning the said
screws F. The lower and upper ends of the screws F work in sockets
or bearings attached to the frame B. To the lower parts of the screws F
are attached or upon them are formed. bevil gear wheels G, into the teeth
of which mesh the teeth of the bevil gear wheels H attached to the
shaft I, which revolves in bearings attached to the frame B, and to one
end of which is attached a large gear wheel J for lowering the follower C
with a slow movement to press out the dough, and a small gear wheel K
to enable the said follower C to be raised with a more rapid movement.
L is a small gear wheel the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of the
gear wheel J, and which runs loosely upon the shaft M which works in
bearings in the frame B, and to which motion may be given by hand or
other convenient power; N is a large gear wheel, also running loosely
upon the shaft M, and which is connected with the gear wheel K by
the gear wheel O running loosely upon the journal P attached to the
frame B, and the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of both the gear
wheels N and K, so that the shaft I may be revolved in either direction
to raise or lower the follower C from the shaft M without changing the
revolution of said shaft M; Q is a clutch sliding upon the shaft M
between the wheels L and N, and which may be thrown into gear with
either of said wheels, causing it to revolve with the said shaft M according
to the direction in which it is desired to move the follower C; Rare

page_text: knives the ends of which are attached to the knife frame S, and which
slide back and forth beneath the bottom of the dough box A to cut off
the dough as it is forced out through the holes a'. The knife frame S
slides back and forth in dovetailed channelled grooves in the bottom
of said box as shown in Figure 3. To the projecting end of the knife
frame S is attached a pin which enters a groove in the cam wheel T, so
that the knife frame S may be moved back and forth by the revolution
of the said cam wheel T. The cam wheel T runs loosely upon the end of
the shaft I or upon a journal attached to the frame B, and to its inner
side is attached a gear wheel U into the teeth of which mesh the teeth
of the gear wheel V which runs loosely upon the journal W attached
to the frame B; X is a gear wheel attached to the end of shaft M,
and the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of the gear wheel V, so
that the cam wheel T may receive motion from the said shaft M. The
gear wheel X is made detachable, so that it may be detached and
replaced with a smaller or larger one according as it is desired to
vibrate the knife frame S faster or slower. To enable this to be done
the journal W should be placed in a curved slot in the frame B, so
that its position may be adjusted as required to enable the gear wheel V
to mesh into the gear wheels U and X whatever sized gear wheel X may
be used. The groove in the cam wheel T in which the guide pin of the
knife frame S works should be straight with two or more sharp inclines,
so that the knives R may be operated quickly at the proper time, and
may remain stationary at other times. Y are the rollers, the journals of
which should revolve in adjustable bearings in the frame B; Z arc
endless belts passing around the rollers Y, and to which should be
attached or which form an endless apron to receive and carry the pans
that receive the snaps from the machine. Motion is communicated to
the carrier by the band A' that passes around the pulley B' attached
to the shaft M, and around the pulley C' attached to one of the rollers Y.
In using the machine the follower C is run up and the dough is placed
in the dough box A. Then as the follower C slowly descends the dough
is forced out through the holes a' in the bottom of said box A, and
at the proper time, to form snaps of the desired size, the protruding
dough is cut off in slices or cakes by the forward and backward move-
ment of the knives R. The snaps as they are cut off drop into pans
placed upon the carrier Y, Z, which pans as they are carried forward are
removed by the attendant.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of

page_text: performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination of the follower C, cross bar E, and screws F,
with the dough box A, frame B, and driving shaft I, substantially as
herein shown and described.
Secondly. The knife frame S, adapted to slide in dovetail grooves
formed in the bottom of the dough box A upon each side of the per-
forations, whereby the knives R are adapted to be fastened upon the
under side of said frame and work in contact with the perforations as
herein described, for the purpose specified.
Thirdly. Operating the sliding knife frame S from the shaft M by
means of the cam wheel T and gear wheels V and X, substantially as
herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.
Fourthly. The combination and arrangement of the gear wheels L, J,
N, O, K, and sliding clutch Q, with each other and with the shafts M
and I, for the purpose of operating the follower C, substantially as herein
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
A. M. CLARK,
Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
ALEXR. CLARK. (L.S.)
i