Improvements in and relating to Combined Culinary Presses, Graters, and Choppers.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Combined Culinary Presses,
Graters, and Choppers.
I, EDWIN BALTZLEY, residing at Number 2528 Callowhill Street, in the City and
County of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America,
Gentleman, 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 graters, cutters, choppers and grinders, and has for its
object the production of a machine that will grate nearly all substances, cut meats
press the juices and oils from berries, fruits, &c., and perform other useful culinary
and industrial functions, and in which the cutter plate will have egress or discharge
openings and flaring cutting edges or gathering arms, which will be hereinafter more
particularly described and claimed.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple, cheap and efficient
machine that will be compact and perform its work in a rapid and satisfactory manner,
and which can be realily cleaned, the parts being readily accessible and detached and
interchanged for the various cutting, grating and grinding purposes. The compart-
ment for receiving the substance to be treated is extremely shallow, being deep enough
only to contain a feed blade of proper dimensions and a sufficient quantity of the
substance to be acted on. By having the said compartment shallow simplifies and
improves the method of conveying the substance from the hopper to the cutter plate,
and at the same time all its parts can be reached for a thorough cleansing, and very
little substance is needed to begin or end an operation. The compartment receives
the substance through a feed opening formed through the rear wall of the said com-
partment and preferably by way of a hopper which I provide to hold a quantity of
substance to be acted on and to guide it to the said opening, thereby forming a vertical,
gravity feed way.
The substance is forced by a feed blade through a cutting plate, which closes the
outer end of the compartment. This feed blade crowds the substance onto the cutting
edges of the cutter plate producing a disintegration or separation of the substance into
small particles. The lower side of the opening to the compartment terminates in a
cutter bar having a cutting edge and the feed blade has a corresponding cutting edge
on its rear side. These two cutting edges operate to cut or divide the meat at the
instant it is taken up by the feed blade, from that which remains in the hopper, and
permits it to be carried forward to the cutting plate without restraint, which would
not be the case if the pieces were not thus severed and were too large to be taken into
the compartment at once.
The improvement further consists of the novel features and the peculiar construction
and combination of the parts which will hereinafter be more fully described and
claimed, and shown in the annexed drawings, in which-
Figure 1, is a perspective view of a machine embodying my invention ;
Figure 2, is a vertical section on the line, X-X, of Figure 1, the cutting plate, the
feeder and the crank being removed;
Figure 3, is a perspective view of the upper portion of the machine showing the
feeder in position ;
Figure 4, is a plan view of the plate ;
Figure 5, is a perspective view of the feeder;
Figures 6, are detailed sectional views of the feeder on the line, Z-Z, and, V-V,
of Figure 3;
Figure 7, is a plan view of a cutting plate ;
Figure 8, is a cross-section on the line, 8-8, of Figure 7 ;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modification

page_text: Figure 11, is a detail section on the line, 13-13, of Figure 3, on an enlarged
scale;
Figures 12 and 13, show the feeder having a shoulder along the rear edges of the
blade or blades.
The frame, A, having the shallow compartment, B, in its face is provided with
suitable means for securing it to a support, such as a table, shelf, &c. The rear wall, a,
of the compartment, B, is provided with the feed opening, b, through which the
substance to be reduced has ingress to the compartment. The lower edge of
the opening, b, is provided with a cutter bar, 61, which forms a cutting edge, 62, in the
plane of the bottom of the chamber. This cutter bar may be made as a separate piece
and set in or it may be cast integral with the frame or casing, as shown. In cross-
section the cutter bar may have its upper surface at right angles to the plane of the
rear wall, a, or at an acute or obtuse angle to said wall, but as a matter of preference
it is desired to have it incline to the plane of the wall, a. The cutting edge, 62, is
preferably arranged tangentially to the center of the compartment to obtain a draw or
shear cut, and may incline to or from said center of the compartment to cut toward or
away from the said center as desired. The hopper, (, inclines to the cutter bar, 61, to
feed the substance vertically to the compartment, B, which is constructed as shallow
as possible consistent with the necessary strength to the feed blade that works in it.
A hopper however, is not essential to my invention, as by providing a feed board or
ledge, Y, as shown in Figure 9, at the outside edge of the opening, b, the substance
may be fed to the feed blade by hand. But I prefer to provide a hopper to hold the
substance to be operated upon, in supply quantity, and to direct it by force of gravity
into the compartment, B.
The object of a shallow compartment is to get the substance to be operated upon
directly from the hopper, C, to the cutting plate, E, and also to keep as little substance
in the machine at once as possible. If the compartment was deep and extended into
a long tube some mechanism would be necessary to convey the substance from the
hopper to the cutting plate, such as a shallow screw operating in conjunction with
conveying or friction sides of the tubular chamber. But with my shallow compart-
ment it is only necessary to incline a narrow feed blade from front to rear. to take
the substance directly from the hopper and force or wedge it forward to and onto the
cutting edges of the cutting plate."
The compartment, B, is provided with as small a feed opening, 6, as possible
consistent with a sufficient aperture to admit large pieces of meat or other substance
at once. The object of this is to provide as continuous a back wall as possible to
the compartment, a, so that the least possible substance remaining in it may be acted
on until it is all passed through the cutting plate. Any suitable means may be
employed to fasten the cutting plate to the frame, but I prefer the ordinary locking
studs, f, shown in the drawings.
In Figure 7, also in Figure 1, is shown a cutter plate constructed on the principle
of my former invention in graters, as shown in patent of the United States of
America, number 378,127; that is, with their cutting edge flush with the body of
the cutter and beveled from front to rear. The upper bevel, g, of the portion of the
cutting plate between the openings depresses the body of the grater in front of the
cutting edges, g³, and the under bevel, gl, helps to give sharpness to the cutting edge,
while it, together with the bevel, 94, gives more ready clearance for the substance
after it has been cut or grated. The greater these nether or under bevels the better,
for they not only make the clearance more ready and thorough, but render the cutting
plate easy to clean.
The discharge openings are arranged radial so as to secure the greatest number
of cutting edges and the largest discharge capacity possible within the given
space.
The plate shown in Figures 1 and 7, has large discharge openings, especially
designed for meats and herbs. The large openings, together with the nether or
under bevels render the plate easy to clean.

page_text: In Figure 4, is shown another cutter plate, an improvement on the one shown in
Figures 1 and 7, in which the openings, K, are circular in form.
It will be observed that the cutting edges, k, in the rear of the egress or discharge
openings, K, partially surround the said openings, and flare outwardly to form, so to
speak, gathering edges, arms, or shoulders, k¹, on each side thereof. The cutting
edges intersect and form the points, k2, which divide the substance before the same is
crowded in between the said flaring shoulders, k¹. As the substance is forced in
between the said edges, arms, or shoulders, k', it is gradually compacted and cut.
This form of plate is especially designed for grating soft and yielding substances,
such as corn.
For harder substances, such as almonds, the cntting edges, k, will
not extend forward to such a degree and do not necessarily intersect.
While I have shown the form of egress or discharge openings round I do not limit
myself to this form, as it is evident that it may be varied as required, the essential
features being the depressed portions opposite or in the rear of the cutting edges,
and the flaring cutting edges or gathering arms on each side of the said
openings.
Cams, I, are arranged on the front or discharge side of the peripheral ring of
the cutter plate. The outside of said ring is notched at four equal intervals, so as
to permit the cutting plate to slip onto the locking lugs, f; and one corner of
each notch is cut away, to form another series of peripheral cams, i, by means of
which the cutting plate, when turned on the lugs, f, automatically adjusts itself
in place.
The feed blade, J, receives the substance from the hopper, and conveying it to
the cutter plate, forces it upon the cutting edges thereof, from whence it is discharged
through the egress or discharge openings.
Each wing of the feed blade, J, is set at an angle to the line of its movement
by means of which the substance is conveyed from the hopper to the cutter plate.
The object of so placing it is to gain the compression bevel or angle on its front side
for the purpose named and a free clearance way on its rear or feed side, so that the
instant its inner cutting edge passes the feed opening, b, the substance therein
may drop into the compartment, B, in front of the next descending blade, and be
carried forward thereby. If the wings of the feed blade were solid on their inner
side, having a bearing dimension against the rear wall of the compartment, B, equal
to the width of the blades, then the substance in the hopper would be prevented
from entering the compartment, B, until their entire width had passed the feed
opening, b, and thereby limit the feed capacity of the device. The wings of the
feed blade are therefore made as thin as is consistent with the required strength.
Each wing of the feed blade has two cutting edges, which I shall designate as the
front and rear cutting edges. The front cutting edge is the one on the compression
side of the feed blade and works in opposition to the cutting edges of the cutter
plate. The rear cutting edge is on the feed side of the feed blade and cuts in
opposition to the cutting shoulder in the feed opening. Both cutting edges are on
a tangent, the front one to effect a shear cut with the radial cutting edges of the
cutter plate, and the rear one to effect a shear cut with the cutting shoulder in the
feed opening.
Each wing of the feed blade also has bearing faces, j³, 12, extending rearwardly
from each of its cutting edges, and they will be designated as the front and rear
bearing-face, respectively.
The object of the bearing face, 13, is to provide a sufficient body to that part of
the feed blade that forces the meat or other substance onto the cutting edges of the
cutter plate so that if any of the said substance from any cause should squeeze between
the said face and cutters, it, the said bearing face, would tend to grind the said
substance and force it onto the next succeeding cutting edge. Moreover, if the said
bearing face was a narrow or knife edge it would soon wear so as to leave a
space between it and the cutter plate.
The compression face, 1, 1, Figure 6, of the wings of the feed blade I bevel on a

page_text: decreasing angle of inclination from center to circumference, that is, from shaft to
outer ends, as shown in Figure 5, and also in the two sections, N¹, N³, Figure 6.
The blade is in section near the shaft in, N', and out toward the end in, N². The
end or widest part of the blade is shown in Figure 5, where the angle of inclination
is least.
The purpose of this is to direct the substance to be grated or cut from the center
to the circumference, where the greater number of cutting edges are, whereby the
speed of cutting is greatly accelerated, and for the additional purpose of crowding
the substance against the peripheral wall of the casing, whereby it will be retarded
in its forward movement by frictional contact, and the feed blade advancing on
the substance will force it onto the cutting edges, cut and force it through the
discharge openings.
I, preferably, increase the width of the feed blade gradually from center to circum-
ference, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, for the purpose of increasing its compression
surface, so that its compression capacity will equal the cutting capacity of the cutter
plate throughout the diameter of the latter.
While my invention contemplates using one or more wings to the feed blade I
prefer two. One decreases cutting speed too much, and more than two occupies too
much room in the compartment, B, as they are made sufficiently strong. While
two admits of powerful construction, and at the same time permits ample feed
room between them for the admission of the substance to be cut from the hopper.
In addition to this two wings adjust themselves to the cutter plate more perfectly
and effect a more rapid and satisfactory cut. They are also more simple and con-
venient in operation. The two winged form also admits of varying their width to
suit the substance to be acted on. Some substances require very wide compression
surfaces, such as fruits and jellies.
In Figures 12 and 13, I show the feed blade with feed shoulder, j; raised or
formed in its front bearing face, j2, its front and rear edges, preferably, coincident
with the edges of the bearing face; this shoulder is provided so as to give greater
efficiency to the operation of the feed blade wben oily or fibrous substances are being
acted upon.
When the compression face of the feed blade ends at the bearing face,
without this shoulder there is a tendency of tough fibers to wedge between the blade
and cutter plate. The shoulder obviates this by presenting a right angled or
approximately right angled resistance to the wedging process of the fibers, and in
place thereof collects them against it and crowds them with firm, abrupt pressure onto
the cutting edges of the cutter plate.
The frame is provided with a bearing, M, which supports the shaft, N, that has the
feed blade on its inner end and the crank, O, on its other end.
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 1
claim is―
:
First The combination with the frame having a shallow compartment and the
apertured discharge plate, of the herein described revolving feed blade made thin and
wide and arranged at an angle to its line of motion, the pitch of the blade varying,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
:
Second The combination with the frame having a shallow compartment and a
hopper with its rear wall inclined and terminating in a shoulder or ledge, b¹, and the
cutting edge, 62, and the perforated discharge plate of the feeder having a cutting
edge, that is adapted to act in opposition to the cutting edge, 62, a compression face
and a second cutting edge to act in opposition to the cutting edges on the discharge
plate, substantially as described.
Third: The combination with the frame having a shallow compartment and a
discharge plate; of the herein described feeder having a compression face; jo, and
having a shoulder which forms a cutting edge at the front rear edge of the said feeder;
substantially as set forth.

page_text: :
Fourth The combination with the frame having a compartment and the cutting
plate, of the feed blade having its front side or compression face inclined, the inclina-
tion being different angles, substantially as described.
Fifth The combination with the frame having a compartment and the cutting
plate, of the feed blade having its front side or compression face inclined from its
bottom edge, the rapidity of the incline decreasing from the inner to the outer end of
the blade, substantially as described.
Sixth The combination with the frame having a compartment, and the cutting
plate, of the feed blade having a bearing face at its rear front edge and having its
front side inclined from the said bearing face at different angles, substantially as
described.
Seventh The combination with the frame having locking studs, of the cutting
plate having notches in its edges to correspond with the studs, and having one corner
formed by the notches sheared off to form the cams, i, having cams, I, on the rear
side of the plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.
:
Eighth In a culinary grater and chopper the herein described rotary feeder having
a blade set at an angle to the plane of its revolution and provided with a shoulder
projected from the advance edge and at an angle to the inclined feed face thereof,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Ninth The herein described cutting plate having discharge openings and having
the cutting edges in the rear of the said openings extended forward and flaring,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Tenth The herein described cutting plate having discharge openings and having
the cutting edges in the rear of the discharge openings flaring and intersecting with
one another, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Eleventh The combination with the frame having a shallow compartment and the
discharge plate of the revolving feed blade gradually increasing in width from its
inner to its outer end and having its front side inclined to the line of motion of the
said blade, the inclination gradually increasing from the inner to the outer end of
the blade, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 7th day of J.
1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.