IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY .FOR CUTTING OR PARING STARCH
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Allen Turner, of Laurence Pountney Lane,
in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
.FOR CUTTING OR PARING STARCH."
Sealed the 28th April 1868, and dated the 10th December 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Allen Turner
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th December 1862.
I, WILLIAM ALLEN TURNER, of Laurence Pountney Lane, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR PARING STARCH," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of certain improved machinery for the purpose of
cutting or paring the surfaces of blocks of starch, in order to remove the crust
or uneven brittle exterior which the blocks present after the operation of
drying.
I propose to support on a framing and standards a main shaft carrying a fly
wheel to be worked by a crank handle or by steam power; this shaft carries
two driving pullies, one at each end, and outside the framing from these
pullies driving bands actuate small pullies attached to a shaft set in bearings
at the lower part of the framing, this shaft carrying two large pullies set
between or within the framework, and from these large pullies driving straps
again actuate two small pullies set on a shaft on the top of the frame in the
centre thereof; the object of these pullies and driving straps is to afford a
great velocity to the rotation of two circular steel knives set about four inches
apart on the last-mentioned shaft, which revolve in moveable saddles secured

page_text: to the frame by bolts through slotted holes at the bottom of the saddles, in
order that the knives can be set in or out as may be required. The main
shaft carries a small pulley in its centre, which drives a large pulley set on a
shaft at one end of the machine; this shaft also carries at its centre a
hexagonal drum or broad band rigger, over which an endless band is caused
to travel by its slow rotary motion, and by a corresponding drum or rigger at
the other end of the machine; this endless band has a series of wood stops
fixed at any required distances so as to admit of one, two, three, or more
blocks of starch between them; these stops are fixed upon the band so that
the starch cannot slip from the knives when cutting. The endless band can
be of leather, india-rubber, or any other suitable material. The endless
band is guided at each end of the machine so as to keep it parallel with the
knives. By an accurate adjustment of the space between the knives a slight
or thin paring or cutting on the rough surfaces or sides of the starch will be
effected by the slow motion of the endless band and the rapid revolution of the
cutters. These cutters or knives should not be arranged exactly in the same
plane, and instead of being parallel to each other should be set with their
cutting edges slightly nearer together than the edges which leave the blocks,
in order that unnecessary friction of the knives against the surface of the
starch may be avoided, and that a smooth face may be given thereto without
showing the marks or lines of the circular motion of the knives. In addition
to the central arrangement of endless band and cutters I propose to construct
a corresponding series on each side thereof, which would receive motion from
the same shafts by the addition of the requisite pulleys and bands, but it
would be desirable to reverse the direction of these side cutters with their
endless bands, which could easily be done by crossing the driving straps, in
order that the blocks might be fed successively by each endless band at
alternate ends of the machine, and subjected to the action of the cutters,
whereby the six surfaces of the blocks would be conveniently smoothed off or
faced.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Allen Turner in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ALLEN TURNER, of Laurence Pountney Lane, in the City of London, send g
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-six year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Allen Turner, Her special licence that I, the said
William Allen Turner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Allen Turner, 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 MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR PARING STARCH," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Allen Turner, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly 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 William Allen Turner, 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 :-
This Invention. consists of certain improved machinery for the purpose of
cutting or paring the surfaces of blocks of starch, in order to remove the crust
or uneven brittle exterior which the blocks present when they are taken from
the crusting stoves, and is intended to supersede the process commonly called
"scraping."
In order that my Invention may be completely understood, I now proceed
to detail the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into
practical effect, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, in which
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2, an end view; and
Fig. 3, a plan; similar letters referring to corresponding parts in each of the
Figures respectively.
On a framing and standards a, of iron or wood, a main shaft 6 is set in
bearings, and carries a fly wheel c, to be worked by a crank handle or by
team power; this shaft carries two-driving pullies d, one at each end, and
outside the framing; from these pullies driving bands e actuate small pullies f,
ttached to the shaft g, set in bearings at the lower part of the framing; this'

page_text: shaft carries two large pullies h, set between or within the framework, and
from these large pullies the driving straps i again actuate the two smaller
pullies j, set on a shaft on and across the top of the frame in the centre
thereof; the object of these pullies and driving straps is to afford a great
velocity to the rotation of one, two, or other number of circular steel knives,
cutters, or saws k, k, set about four inches apart on the last-mentioned shaft,
and which revolve in moveable saddles secured to the frame by bolts through
slotted holes at the bottom of the saddles, in order that the cutters can be set
inwards or outwards to each other, as may be required; each knife, saw, or
cutter to be slotted, if required, so as to afford freedom to the starch as it
passes along or between them. The position of the cutters may also be
regulated by means of a slide and adjusting screw or lever or other equivalent.
means. The main shaft carries a small pulley on its centre, which drives a
large pulley 1, set on a shaft at one end of the machine; this shaft also carries
at its centre a hexagonal drum m, or broad band rigger, over which an endless
band is caused to travel by its slow rotary motion and by a corresponding
drum or rigger at the other end of the machine; this endless band may
have, if thought desirable, a series of wooden stops fixed at any required
distances so as to admit of one, two, or more blocks of starch between
them; these stops are. fixed upon the band, so that the starch cannot slip from
the knives or cutters when cutting. The endless band can be made of leather,
india-rubber, or any other suitable material. This endless band is guided at
each end of the machine and also upon the face of the bench so as to keep it
parallel with the knives. This band being in the centre of the machine, and
its width being about four inches, will therefore travel between the circular
knives. By an accurate adjustment of the space between the knives a slight
or thin paring or cutting on the rough surfaces or sides of the starch will be
effected by the rapid revolution of the cutters and the slow motion of the
endless band. These cutters or knives should not be arranged exactly
parallel to each other, but should be set with their cutting edges slightly
nearer together than the edges which leave the blocks, in order that unnecs-
sary friction of the knives against the surface of the starch may be avoided
and that a smooth face may be given thereto without shewing the marks o
lines of the circular motion of the knives.
In addition to the central arrangement of endless band and cutters, I con
struct in some cases a corresponding series on each side thereof, which receive
motion from the same shafts by the addition of the requisite pulleys and
bands; but it would be desirable to reverse the direction of these side cutters
with their endless bands, which could easily be done by crossing the driving

page_text: straps, in order that the blocks might be fed successively by each endless band
at alternate ends of the machine, and subjected to the action of the cutters,
whereby the six surfaces of the blocks would be conveniently smoothed off or
faced.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion, that
I do not limit myself to the precise details and configuration of parts herein
specified, as the same may obviously be varied or modified without in any way
departing from the principle of the Invention; but what I claim and desire to
be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent are, the general
arrangement and combination of parts, and especially the oblique or diagonal
relative positions of the cutters, substantially as specified herein, constituting
the "Improvements in Machinery for Cutting or Paring Starch," as set forth
in the title hereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Allen Turner, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Agent for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
WILL. A. TURNER. (L.S.)