Improvements in Machines for Cutting and Chipping Potatoes and other Vegetables, and in the Knives Employed therein.
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in Machines for Cutting and Chipping Potatoes
and other Vegetables, and in the Knives Employed therein.
I EDWARD BIRCH, of 101 Miller Street, Manchester, Lancashire, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
CUTTING AND CHIPPING POTATOES AND OTHER VEGETABLES AND IN THE KNIVES
EMPLOYED THEREIN, to be as follows:―
The object of my invention is first to simplify and cheapen the construction_of
machines for cutting potatoes and other vegetables into chips or slices, and
secondly to make the knife or cutter stronger and more durable.
In performing the first part of my invention I dispense with the ordinary ram or
plunger which carries the wooden block for forcing the potato or other vegetable
through the knife by which it is cut into chips or slices and I employ instead a
rocking arm pivoted at one end to a projection or projections on the bed plate; the
other end of this arm carries the wood or other block, and comes over the knife or
cutter fitted in the bed plate; to this pivoted arm I connect the short arm of an
elbow lever pivoted to a projection or projections on the bed plate, in such
manner that when the long arm of the elbow lever is moved the rocking arm is
raised and then caused to descend and force the potato or other vegetable through
the cutter or knife, thus cutting it into chips or slices.
.
In performing the second part of my invention, instead of making slots in both
sets of the knife blades in the usual manner, I form one set of blades preferably
wider and stronger than the other set, and in these wide blades I forn holes
through which I pass the second set of blades consisting of plain strips of metal.
I secure the ends of the blades to a metal frame in the ordinary or in any
convenient manner. By constructing the knife or cutter in this mauner one set of
blades is supported by the metal around the holes in the other set, and no metal is
removed from the cutting edge in either set of blades.
In some cases if more convenient I may form alots extending to the outer edges
of the wide blades, and use as before smaller plain strips of metal for the other set
of blades.
The first and second parts of my invention may be used either separately or in
combination,

page_text: Improvements in Machines for Cutting and Chipping Potatoes
and other Vegetables, and in the Knives Employed therein.
I EDWARD BIRCH, of 101 Miller Street, Manchester, Lancashire, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
CUTTING AND CHIPPING POTATOES AND OTHER VEGETABLES, AND IN THE KNIVES
EMPLOYED THEREIN, 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 my Invention is first to simplify and cheapen the construction of
machines for cutting potatoes and other vegetables into chips or slices and
secondly, to make the knife or cutter stronger and more durable.
In performing the first part of my Invention I dispense with the ordinary ram
or plunger which carries the wooden block for forcing the potato or other vegetable
through the knife by which it is cut into chips or slices and I employ instead a
rocking arm pivoted at one end to a projection or projections on the bed plate;
the other end of this arm carries the wood or other block and comes over the knife
or cutter fitted in the bedplate; to this pivoted arm I connect the short arm of
an elbow lever pivoted to a projection or projections on the bedplate in such
manner that when the long arm of the elbow lever is moved, the rocking arm is
raised and then caused to descend and force the potato or other vegetable through
the cutter or knife thus cutting it into chips or slices.
In performing the second part of my Invention, instead of making slots in both
sets of the knife blades in the usual manner I form one set of blades preferably
wider and stronger than the other set and in these wide blades I form holes
through which I pass the second set of blades consisting of plain strips of metal.
I secure the ends of the blades to a metal frame in the ordinary or in any
convenient manner. By constructing the knife or cutter in this manner one set
of blades is supported by the metal around the holes in the other set and no metal
is removed from the cutting edge in either set of blades.
The first and second parts of my Invention may be used either separately or in
combination.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference being
had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3 a front view of my improved
machine for cutting and chipping potatoes and other vegetables and Figs. 4 and 5
are a plan and a sectional elevation respectively of a set of knives or cutters made
according to my Invention.
a is the bedplate of the machine and b the rocking arm pivoted at one end to
the two projections a¹ which are cast with or secured to the bedplate; the other
end of the arm carries a wooden or other block c which in a machine of the
ordinary construction is secured to the ram or plunger. The block c comes over
the knife or cutter held in a frame d fitted and secured in a slot or recess in the
The construction of the
bedplate a as shown or in other convenient manner.
cutter is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in which e are one set of knife blades

page_text: made of strips of metal wider and stronger than the other set of knife blades f
which pass through holes in the wide blades e, the ends of both sets being secured
in slots d' in the frame d. There is a metal strap 61 secured to the arm band an
antifriction bowl or roller g rests in the strap and on the arm. b. The bowl g is
mounted at one end of the short arm of the elbow lever h which is pivoted to two
projections a cast with or secured to the bedplate a, so that by moving the long
arm of the elbow lever h, the rocking arm b is raised into the position indicated
by dotted lines Fig. 1, and then by the reverse movement of the long arm the
rocking arm b is caused to descend and by means of the block c to force the
potato or other vegetable through the spaces between the two sets of knife blades
e and f, thereby cutting it into chips or slices.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The construction, combination and arrangement of parts forming the
improved machine for cutting and chipping potatoes or other vegetables, sub-
stantially as herein described and as illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
2. In a machine for cutting and chipping potatoes or other vegetables, the use
and application of the rocking arm b, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein set forth.
3. The cutter consisting of a frame supporting the ends of two sets of knife
blades, one set f. passing through holes in the other set e, substantially in the
manner herein shown and described for the purposes specified.
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent for Applicant,
4, Mansfield Chambers,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.