IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR WASHING AND PEELING POTATO50 AND PRETING REDUCING OR PULDING OTHER ROOT
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Topham, of Coleman Street, Bunhill
Row, St. Luke's, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR WASHING AND PEELING
POTATO50 AND PRETING REDUCING OR PULDING OTHER ROOT"
Sealed the 21st July 1874, and dated the 2nd April 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Topham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd April 1874.
I, CHARLES TOPHAм, of Coleman Street, Bunhill Row, St. Luke's, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR WASHING AND PEELING
POTATOES, AND PEELING, REDUCING, OR PULPING OTHER ROOTS," to be as
follows:-
1
My improvements consist in mounting upon a spindle within a box or
chamber a hollow drum for containing the roots to be operated upon.
This hollow, drum has one side open.. This drum, which is perforated.

page_text: throughout its entire circumference and its remaining side in such a
manner as to form all over its entire inner surface abrading or cutting
edges is capable of being rotated by wheel and pinion or other con-
trivance, and the box or chamber containing it is so contrived as to
contain within it at its bottom or lower part as cistern for water, into
which cistern the edge of the drum dips to a certain extent. The box
has a door, hinged or otherwise, and upon the inner side of this door is
carried a stop piece. This stop piece, provided exteriorly with cutting
edges, is carried in such manner by the door as to enter within the
drum, and the office of this stop piece is to assist the peeling, or abrading,
or pulping process by as it were arresting and catching the roots when
thrown against it by the rotary motion of the drum.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Topham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd October 1874..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
TOPHAM, of Coleman Street, Bunhill Row, St. Luke's, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty. Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty.
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Charles Topham, Her special licence that I,
the said Charles Topham, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Charles Topham, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
WASHING AND PEELING POTATOES, AND PEELING, REDUCING, OR PULPING OTHEr
Roors," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Topham, my executors. or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly

page_text: :
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 Charles Topham, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement. And in order that my Invention may be distinctly
understood this Specification is accompanied by a Sheet of Drawings
having letters of reference marked thereupon:-
-
My improvements consist in mounting upon a spindle within a box or
chamber a hollow drum a for containing the roots to be operated upon.
This hollow drum. has one side open. This drum a is perforated
throughout its entire circumference and may or may not be perforated
on its remaining side. These perforations form on the inner surface of
the drum a abrading or cutting edges, and the drum is capable of being
rotated by wheel b and pinion c as shown, or by other contrivance. The
box or chamber containing the drum a is. so contrived as to contain
within it at its bottom or lower part a cistern or chamber or other
receptacle for water, or the bottom part of the box or chamber is so
made as to contain a certain quantity of water, and thus answer the
purpose of the cistern. Into the water the edge of the drum dips to a
certain extent. The box has door hinged or otherwise, and upon
the inner side of this door is carried a stop piece e. This stop piece e,
which may or may not be provided exteriorly with cutting edges, is
carried in such manner by the door as to enter within the drum, and the
office of this stop piece is to assist the abrading, or peeling, or pulping
process by, as it were, arresting and catching the roots when thrown
against it by the rotary motion of the drum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention and the manner in which the same is effected, I wish it
to be clearly understood that what I claim as secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is :
-
Firstly. The stop piece e, and so placing or disposing the same as to
catch or partially arrest the roots to be operated upon, and thereby.
materially assist the action of the abrading cylinder.

page_text: Secondly. I claim so arranging the drum for containing the roots that
its open side is closed by the door (of the outer box or chamber)
carrying the stop piece, and that it dips to a certain extent into the water
at bottom of box or chamber, or in cistern, or other receptacle therein
contained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Topham, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
CHARLES TOPHAM. (L.S.)