IMPROVED KNIFE AND PEELER
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hermann Brandes, of Hamburg, temporarily at 67,
Strand, in the City of Westminster, for an Invention of "IMPROVED
KNIFE AND PEELER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hermann Brandes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th June 1880.
HERMANN BRANDES, of Hamburg, temporarily at 67, Strand, in the City of
Westminster. "IMPROVED KNIFE AND PEELER."
The Invention relates to a combination tool or instrument for preparing potatoes,
apples, cucumber, or other fruit for food, and consists in a knife pivoted at both
ends to the shaft of a second knife in such a manner, that the cutting edge of the
pivoted knife coincides with the axes of the pivots, and is always parallel with the
shaft of the second knife. The blade of the latter may be lancet shaped or of any
other suitable shape, while the other end of the shaft is provided with a handle.
The shaft of the knife may be round, flat, prismatic, or of any other suitable shape.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Hermann Brandes in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st December 1880.
HERMANN BRANDES, of Hamburg, temporarily at 67, Strand, in the City of
Westminster. IMPROVED KNIFE AND PEELER."
"
My Invention relates to an instrument for preparing potatoes, apples, cucumbers,
or other fruit for food, and consists in a knife pivoted at both ends to a shaft in
such a manner that the cutting edge of the pivoted knife coincides with the axis
of the pivots, and is always parallel with the said shaft. One end of the shaft is
preferably formed into a knife blade, lancet shaped, or of any other suitable shape,
while the other end of the shaft is provided with a handle. In the accompanying
Drawing, which serves to illustrate the Invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation;
Fig. 2 a side elevation; and Fig. 3 a cross section of the knife and peeler through
line A, B; while Fig. 4 shows its application for peeling potatoes; A is the shaft,
which may be round, flat, prismatic, or of any other suitable section, and which
ends in a lance shaped single or double edged knife B. On the side of the shaft
are two bearings d, d, bored out to receive the pivots f and f of the peeling
knife C, the cutting edge of which is always turned against the shaft A. The
peeling knife is triangular in cross section, with equal sides, and so placed with
regard to the pivots and f that the axis of the latter forms one line with the
cutting edge, whereby the distance between the shaft A and the cutting edge
remains constant when the peeling knife turns on its axis. The pivotting is
limited (to about 45°) by a projection of the knife coming in contact with the lower
bearing d, (Figs. 1 and 3); e is the handle of the instrument. The instrument is
used by taking the handle with the right hand, holding the fruit with the left
hand against the shaft a, about the middle of the height of the blade c, and
carrying the latter round the fruit with sufficient pressure to cause the blade to cut,
or turning the fruit in the opposite direction, see Fig. 4. The advantages of my
method of peeling are, increased facility and speed of operation, and economy,
the latter resulting from the uniform thickness of the peels, which depends entirely
from the distance of the cutting edge from the shaft A When in operation, the
knife adjusts itself at every irregularity of the surface by turning in its bearings,
while in the ordinary method of peeling the position or inclination of the knife
must be continually adjusted by hand. The instrument may be made of steel and
wood combined, or of any other suitable material.
1. The combination of a shaft with a movable knife placed with its cutting edge
towards the shaft and parallel with the latter, and capable of turning on an axis,
which forms one straight line with the cutting edge of the knife, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
2. The combination of a shaft having a handle at one end and a knife or lancet
at the other end, with a movable knife placed with its cutting edge towards the
shaft and parallel with the latter and capable of turning on an axis which forms
one straight line with the cutting edge of the knife, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
3. The combination of a shaft A provided with a handle, with a movable knife C,
placed with its cutting edge towards the shaft and parallel with the latter, a pair

page_text: of pivots ff, placed in one line with the cutting edge of the knife, a pair of
bearings attached to the shaft and bored out to receive the pivots, and a stop for
limiting the angular motion of the knife, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hermann Brandes, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, A.D. 1880.
HERMANN BRANDES. (L.S.)