An Improved Masher for Potatoes and other Vegetables.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1893-Accepted, 15th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Masher for Potatoes and other Vegetables.
I, FREDERICK TENNEY, of 11 Booth Ferry Road, Goole, in the County of
York, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
The object of my invention is the construction of a device whereby potatoes, or
other vegetables, may be evenly and quickly broken into one even mass, without
permitting the escape of the great amount of heat, which is lost by the appliances
generally used.
My improved device consists of a handle formed of wood, metal, or other suitable
material, made in any suitable shape and having a cylindrical portion at its
lower end.
Around such cylindrical portion, I attach, by a screw or other suitable means, a
helical or coiled spring. This spring extends from the upper part of the said
cylindrical portion to some distance below its termination, thereby forming a
receptacle, within which the cylindrical piece works after the manner of a piston when
pressure is applied to the handle to compress the spring.
In operation the device is pressed down into the potatoes, or other vegetables
requiring to be mashed, the lower coils of the spring first cut into the vegetable and
enclose within them a portion thereof, further pressure upon the handle then
compresses the spring and pushes down the cylindrical piece aforesaid, with the
result that the enclosed portion of vegetable is forced through the partly closed
coils of the spring, and by repeating the operation a sufficient number of times the
whole material is broken up in a very thorough and efficient manner, and as the
nashing operation is performed within the mass of the material, without removing
the material piece by piece to be operated upon, as is usually the case, little or no
loss of heat results.
The coiled spring may be made of steel wire, or other suitable material, and may
if desired be coated with copper, zinc, nickel, or silver. The wire may be square
in section and the lower coils may be twisted, while the upper ones are left plain,
or the spring may be made of any other form which may be found suitable or
convenient in practice.
Dated this 5th dow of Santamber 1809
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Masher for Potatoes and other Vegetables.
I, FREDERICK TENNEY, of 11 Booth Ferry Road, Goole, in the County of
York, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, 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 my invention is the construction of a device, whereby potatoes, or
other vegetables, may be thoroughly and quickly broken into one even mass, without
permitting the escape of the great amount of heat, which is lost by the appliances
generally used.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings, which forms part of this Specification:-
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved masher.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the line X X in Fig. 1, and
Figs. 3 & 4 are detached views of parts of the apparatus.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
A is a handle, formed of wood, metal, or other suitable material, and made in the
shape shewn, or of any other pattern, which can be conveniently grasped by the
hand.
Affixed to the lower end of the said handle A, or made in one picce therewith,
is an enlarged cylindrical portion B, having a cap C forming a flange or shoulder D,
at its upper end.
Around the said cylindrical portion B, I affix a helical or coiled spring E. This
spring extends from the flange D to some distance below the termination of the
cylindrical piece, as shewn clearly in Fig. 1, thereby forming a receptacle, within
which the said cylindrical piece works after the manner of a piston, when pressure
is applied to the handle A. to compress the spring.
The coils e of the upper part of the spring, are preferably made of equal diameter,
while the coils e¹ of the lower half increase gradually in diameter, as shewn in
Figs. 1 & 4, the bottom coil being from to of an inch larger in diameter than
the coils e.
The lower end of the spring is preferably secured to the bottom coil by wrapping
with wire, or by a thin metal clip, and then soldered.
The upper end of the spring may be bent into an eye F, Fig. 4, to receive a
screw or other fastening device for attachment to the cylindrical piece B. A
recess H is formed in the flange D, Fig. 3, to receive the said eye, the said recess
being covered by a metal plate J, Fig. 1, when the spring is fixed in place; or the
said spring may be affixed by a thumbscrew, or other suitable device, which will
render it easily detachable.
The said spring may be made of steel wire, or other suitable material and may,
if desired, be plated with tin, nickel, silver, or other suitable coating. The wire
may be square in section, and the lower coils el may be twisted, while the upper
coils e are left plain, or the spring may be of any other form found suitable or
convenient in practice.
In operation, the apparatus is pressed down into the potatoes, or other vegetables
requiring to be mashed, the lower coils e¹ of the spring first cut into the vegetable
and enclose within them a portion thereof, further pressure upon the handle A then
compresses the spring and pushes down the cylindrical piece B, with the result that
the enclosed portion of vegetable is forced through the partly closed coils of the
spring, and by repeating the operation a sufficient number of times, the whole
material is broken up in a very thorough and efficient manner, and as the mashing
operation is performed within the mass of the material, without removing the said
material piece by piece to be operated upon, as is usually the case, little or no loss
of heat results.
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. In a vegetable masher, a helical spring enclosing the vegetable to be mashed,
and a handle to compress said spring, and thus force said vegetable through the coils
of said spring.
2. In a vegetable masher, a helical spring, enclosing the vegetable to be mashed,
and a bandle to compress said spring, having a cylindrical portion within the
spring, acting as a piston, to force said vegetable through the coils of said spring.
3. A vegetable masher, consisting of a bandle A, having a cylindrical portion B
and a flange D, a helical spring E, secured to said handle, surrounding and extending
beyond said portion B, substantially as described.
4. A vegetable masher, consisting of a handle A, having a cylindrical portion B
and a flange D, a helical spring E, secured to said handle, having coils e of equal

page_text: diameter, surrounding said portion B, and coils el of gradually increasing diameter
extending beyond said portion B substantially as described.
5. A vegetable masher, consisting of a handle A, having a cylindrical portion B,
and a flange D, a helical spring E, having an eye F entering and secured within a
recess H by a screw or other device, and a plate J covering said recess, substantially
as described.
Dated this 5th day of June 1893.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.