Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting and Squeezing Fruit.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 24th Apr.; 1895-Accepted, 8th June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting and Squeezing Fruit.
I, RALPH MACHIN, of 98 Houndsditch, in the County of London, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
.
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cutting and squeezing
lemons, oranges, or other like fruit. The apparatus consists of a framework
arranged and adapted with suitable bearings to carry four pulleys. Two pulleys
are placed at a short distance apart upon an approximately horizontal line at
the base of the apparatus, and the other two pulleys are mounted above. The
centres of the upper pulleys are not quite on the same level, one being higher than
the other, and this is placed at the feeding end of the apparatus at which the fruit
is entered. The lower pulley at the feeding end is preferably not placed exactly
under the upper feed pulley, but farther inwards, in order to give more room or
facility for feeding the fruit. Both pairs of pulleys are connected by endless belts,
there being a pair of belts on each pair of pulleys running closely side by side;
and in addition to this, the upper and lower feed pulleys are preferably connected
by gearing so as to-run at the same speed. The lower portion of the upper pair
of belts, and the upper portion of the lower pair of belts-from the arrangement
of the pulleys described-form a tapering space between which the fruit is
conveyed; and as the several belts are supported by closely placed friction rollers
on the inner side of the said portions of the belts, the fruit is squeezed between the
belts as it is conveyed through the said tapering space; the pressure being taken
by the friction rollers.
A circular knife, capable of revolution, is suitably arranged and adapted to
work with its cutting edge passing between the said upper and lower pairs of belts,
thus presenting its edge to the central part of the fruit as it is fed into the
tapering space. The friction rollers, with the belts passing over them, tend to
draw in the fruit, force it against the circular knife, until it is cut through the
central part thereof, and squeezing the juice from the halves of the fruit finally
deliver the residue at the opposite end to the feeding end. Means are provided
for catching the juice, and the squeezed fruit.
The friction rollers are so hung as to adapt themselves by spring action so as to
suit the inequalities or varying size of the fruit, and may be adjustably arranged
in addition; and the bearings of the delivery end of the apparatus is also arranged
to be adjusted, in order to keep the belts at a suitable tension. Sides to enclose
the fruit, and convey the juice are also provided; and the apparatus may be driven
by hand or other motive power.
Dated this 26th day of July 1894.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting and Squeezing Fruit.
I, RALEN MACHIN; of 98: Houndsditch, in the County of London, Merchant, do-
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to he
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cutting and squeezing
lemons, oranges, or other like fruit, for various useful purposes. In. the further
description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying, drawings,
in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in diagram; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical
section through the same;
Fig. 3 is a plan (with parts removed) of Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line A-B;
Fig. 5 is a partial plan and section showing some of the upper and lower friction
röllers used in the machine; and
Fig. 6 is a side elevation, and Eig. 7 a plan, showing.a few links (full size) of the
belts employed!
Ir these drawings the apparatus is shown as consisting of a framework of two
side frames. a, connected together by distance rods b, provided with shoulders within
the frames and outside nuts screwed upon the ends of the rods; in the well known
mander. Suitable bearings are arranged and adapted to carry the shafts of four
compound pulleys, two at each end, (indicated. in. diagram in Figs: 1 and 2), but the
bearings are omitted from the drawings for the sake of clearness. Two pulleys c
and are mounted as aforesaid, one at each end, upon an approximately horizontal
line at the base of the apparatus; and the other two pulleys & and d are similarly
mounted above them at the upper part of the apparatus. The centres of the upper
pulleys d'and'd are not quite on the same level, d being higher than. ; or else
their respective diameters are such that a belt e passing over them is preferably
inclined downward's on its lower side towards the top of the pulley c'. The lower
pulley c'is either not placed' exactly under the upper pulley d, or else a belt f
passing over it is so gilided as to form a throat or an enlarged space between the
upper belt e and the lower belt f, into which enlarged' space the lemons or other fruit
is fed to the apparatus., Both pairs of pulleys c and. c, and d'and' d', are each
contected by endless chain belts, there being a pair of helts passing over tlie
lower pulleys cand c'; and a pair of belts e passing over the upper pulleys d'and'd',
each pair running closely side by side, but kept a short distance apart by a central
flage, (or other adequate means); as shown in Fig. 3. The upper palley dis
connected by a spur wheel'd on its shaft to a similar spur wheel mounted on the
shift of the pulley c; so that the two pulleys c' and'd, with the two pairs of Belts e
and travel at the same speed: The lower portion of the upper pair of belts e, and
the upper portion of the lower pair of belts f, form a tapering space converging
towards each other, from the throat or feeding end' of the apparatus to the geared
end, (as shown in Fig. 2), and as the several' belts are supported by closely placed
friction rollers, g, and h, on the inner side of the several belts (as shown) the fruit
is squeezed between the belts with an increasing pressure, as it is conveyed through
the said tapering space. The several friction rollers and support the belts in
withstanding the pressure of the fruit.
A circular knife i, mounted upon an axle working in suitable bearings in the
framework, is arranged and adapted to work with its cutting edge between each
pair of the said upper and lower belts; thus presenting its edge to the central part
of the fruit as it is fed from the throat into the tapering space between the belts.
The belts seize upon the fruit and carry it inwards agaiust the circular knife, which

page_text: is left free to revolve by the pressure upon its lower half of the incoming fruit, until
the latter is cut through the centre. Each half of the fruit is then.carried inwards
by the upper and lower belts e and f on the side corresponding to the. respective
Halves, squeezing them more and more in their progress until the residue is, delivered
into a suitable receptacle (not shown) at the geared end of the apparatus.. The
juice of the fruit flows through the narrow space left between: the belts f, and
through orifices j preferably formed within the links of the chain belts, and is
conducted into another suitable receptacle beneath the apparatus, also not shown.
The upper friction rollers a work in end bearings g! which are capable of sliding
A distance
up and down between projecting guide ribs a' cast on the side-frames-a.
piece 93 is secured to the upper ends of the bearings g' to connect them together in
pairs, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. A circular india rubber spring 9³ is mounted
upon a central pin gabove each bearing g', the pin g passing through holes made
in a cover k, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. Tightening bolts are provided as
shown in Figs. 1 and 4 which, when screwed down towards the upper flanges of the
two side frames, exert a pressure through the india rubber spring 9 upon the
bearings g' and the friction rollers g, so that adjustment may be made to suit
the inequalities or varying size of the fruit. Immediately in front of the knife i
two pairs of short friction rollers are shown in Figs. 2 and 3, supported by central
hanging bearings dependent from the cover k, or the top of bearing g', to resist
deflection of the belt immediately adjoining the knife.
The lower friction rollers h, which support the belt f, have end bearings in the
side frames a, or they may be arranged in any other suitable manner.
The belts may be made of any suitable material, but gun metal chain belts,
such as are shown in Figs. 6 and 7, are preferably employed. These belts are
made of jointed links in the usual manner of chain belts, with the orifices j as
shown. The links with the orifices are made to a required pitch, so that sprockets
or teeth on either or both of the pulleys c and d (not shown) engage with the
links of the chain belts and drive them in a positive manner. The surfaces of the
links may be roughened if desired, to grip the fruit more effectually. Suitable
guide rollers 1, 1, are sometimes used for one or both pairs of belts; and these
rollers may be made adjustable, or any suitable means can be used for adjusting
the end bearings, in order to keep the belts at a suitable tension.
A spur wheel m secured upon the shaft which carries the pulley c¹, engages with
an intermediate wheel n, and this in turn with the gear wheel o keyed upon the
driving shaft which carries a fast and loose pulley p; whereby the apparatus is
operated. The machine is mounted upon standards in any convenient manner;
and it will be understood that the knife may be removed when the fruit passed
through the apparatus does not require to be cut.
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. An apparatus for cutting and squeezing fruit, having in combination four belts
arranged in two pairs and adapted to work over suitable pulleys in a converging
manner, a rotatable knife mounted near the feeding end between the said pairs of
belts, and suitable means for driving the belts, substantially as and for the purpose
herein shown and described.
2. In an apparatus for squeezing fruit, the combination of two sets of endless
belts arranged with a wide space between them at one end adapted for receiving
the fruit, and converging towards each other at the other end, and means for driving
the belts in the same direction whereby the fruit is gradually squeezed between the
said helts in its passage through the apparatus, substantially as and for the
purpose herein described.
3. In an apparatus for squeezing fruit the combination of two sets of endless
belte adapted to receive and impart an increasing pressure to fruit placed between
them, with friction rollers arranged and adapted to assist the belts in withstanding

page_text: the pressure, and an adjustable spring pressure to provide for inequalities in the
form or size of the fruit, substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In an apparatus for cutting or squeezing fruit, the combination of two
sets of belts arranged in a converging manner for imparting a gradually
increasing pressure to fruit placed between, one being supported by friction 5
rollers running in fixed bearings and the other supported by friction rollers
running in bearings adjustable under spring pressure, substantially as herein
described and shown by the drawings.
5. In an apparatus for cutting and squeezing fruit, the combination of a rotatable
knife i working between two belts e, over a pair of belts f, substantially as and 1
for the purpose herein described and illustrated.
1 1905
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.