An Improved Hand Pulper, Masher, or Strainer for Fruit and Vegetables.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Hand Pulper, Masher, or Strainer for Fruit and
Vegetables.
We, WILSON PHILLIPS DODSON of 2223 Locust Street Gentleman, and FRANCIS
HOWARD ELDRIDGE of 711 Spring Garden Street Manufacturer, both of Philadelphia
in the State of Pennsylvania United States of America 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 our invention is to provide a simple and efficient implement for
preparing fruit and vegetables for the table by the division or disintegration thereof
into filamentous particles and for pressing out the juices of small fruits-berries, and
other substances.
To this end our improvement consists in the combination of a solid cup or recep-
tacle, and a perforated plunger or presser plate, pivoted to one side of said cup as
shewn in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is an isometric view of a pulper, disintegrator or strainer embodying our
improvements.
Figure 2, is a vertical longitudinal, section through the same, shewn as nearly
closed.
A-is the cup-B. is the perforated pressing plate hinged to the cup at the joint C
each having a handle D-E-the handle of the cup being connected with and extended
from a frame to which the cup is secured.
The sides F. G. of the cup are in the plane of the line of motion of the pressing
plate upon its hinges.
The side H is in the form of the arc of the circle swept by the pressing plate
moving upon its hinges and the side I corresponds in its form to the form of the
pressing plate.
The pressing plate being removed by throwing back the handle the cup is filled
with the material to be disintegrated or pressed as the case may be-and the perforated
pressing plate is pressed down upon it forcing the material or the juices through the
perforations in the plate.

page_text: We are aware that a strainer of general form somewhat similar to this has been
made having perforated plates in the cup with a solid pressing plate but this is different
from that and an improvement upon it in various respects.
In mashing potatoes a boiled potato in its skin is put in the cup and when the
potato is mashed the skin ordinarily remains in the cup With a perforated cup this
skin must be entirely removed before mashing another potato but with our solid cup
and perforated presser plate one potato after another can be mashed until skins to a
considerable quantity have accumulated in the cup-when the bulk of the accumula-
tions can be removed without clearing the cup and the operation can be continued―
If any portion of the skin adheres to the pressing plate when it is taken out of the
cup it can be very easily brushed off.
:
In pressing berries or any semi fluid or mixed material the cup if filled with the
material and the plate pressed down separating the solid and fluid portions of the mass
and holding the fluid portions in the cup as in a ladle, from which it can be poured
out as desired and the operation can be repeated as with the potato.
If such material has seeds or particles so small that they would pass through the
perforations, a cloth can be readily laid over the top of the cup-holding them-and
after pressing can be readily removed-whereas with a perforated cup this is very
inconvenient. One handle can be rested upon the table and the other pressed down
upon it, making the pressure by the weight of the arm--whereas with a perforated
cup both handles must be held in the hands.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. In a disintegrator and strainer the combination of a cup or receptacle having
solid unperforated walls and a perforated pressing plate hinged to one side of the cup
and adapted in its motion on its hinge to sweep three sides of the cup-substantially
as specified.
.
2. In a disintegrator and strainer the combination of a cup or receptacle having
solid unperforated walls-a handle fixed thereto and a handle pivoted to the receptacle
and carrying a perforated pressing plate adapted to be vibrated therein or entirely with-
drawn therefrom substantially as set forth.
Dated this 10th day of July 1888