AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING. DRYING, AND DRESSING CURRANTS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph and Samuel Lingford, both of Bishop Auckland,
in the County of Durham, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE
FOR WASHING. DRYING, AND DRESSING CURRANTS."
Sealed the 11th January 1861, and dated the 14th July 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph and Samuel Lingford
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
14th July 1860.
We, JOSEPH and SAMUEL LINGFORD, both of Bishop Auckland, in the County
of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IM-
PROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING, DRYING, AND DRESSING CURRANTS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of a wire cylinder with solid ends mounted on an
axis supported by a suitable framing. In connection with the axis of said
cylinder are a train of wheels and a handle for imparting motion to said
cylinder at any desired speed; we propose to adapt a cistern underneath the
aforesaid cylinder containing water in which the said cylinder revolves. The
fruit is put into the cylinder through a door in the wirework thereof.
The operations of this machine are as follows:-For dressing currants the
cistern aforesaid is not used, but the handle of the machine simply turned slowly
so as to raise the currants and allow them to fall; which frees them from stalks.
To wash them, we then place the cylinder in the aistern aforesaid, and impart

page_text: rotary motion thereto; when sufficiently washed we let the water run off, and
proceed to dry the currants by imparting a high speed to the cylinder by meaus
of the wheel work aforesaid, which completes the operation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph and Samuel Lingford in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th January 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
and SAMUEL LINGFORD, both of Bishop Auckland, in the County of Durham,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Joseph and Samuel Lingford, Her special licence that we, the said Joseph
and Samuel Lingford, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Joseph and Samuel Lingford, our 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING, DRYING, AND DRESSING
CURRANTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph and
Samuel Lingford, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their hands and seals, or under the band and seal of one of
us or them, 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 we, the said Joseph and Samuel Lingford, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention consists of a wire cylinder with solid ends mounted on an
axis supported by a suitable framing. In connection with the axis of said
cylinder are a train of wheels and a handle for imparting motion to said
cylinder at any desired speed. We propose to adapt a cistern underneath the

page_text: aforesaid cylinder containing water in which the said cylinder revolves. The
fruit is put into the cylinder through a door in the wirework thereof.
The operations of this machine are as follows:-For dressing currants, the
cistern aforesaid is not used, but the handle of the machine simply turned slowly
so as to raise the currants and allow them to fall, which frees them from
stalks. To wash them we then place water in the cistern, and impart rotary
motion to the cylinder; when sufficiently washed, we let the water run off, and
proceed to dry the currants by imparting a high speed to the cylinder by
means of the wheelwork aforesaid, which completes the operation.
In order to explain our said Invention as completely as possible, we now
proceed to describe the best means we are acquainted with for carrying tho
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of referenco
marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved machine; Figure 2, a top plan
view thereof; Figure 3, an end view; and Figure 4, a longitudinal and vertical
section of a modification of Figures 1, 2, and 3. At each of the foregoing
Figures we employ similar letters of reference to denote corresponding parts
in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures
respectively.
A is a framing of metal supporting the following parts; B, a hollow
cylinder or drum the ends whereof are solid, and the circumference composed
of wirework, affixed to the peripheries of said ends; a portion of said wirework,
as at C, Figure 2, is formed as a sliding door to afford access to the interior
of the cylinder B; this cylinder is mounted upon an axis D, the ends whereof
are supported by and are capable of revolving in bearings E, E, affixed to the
framing A. G is a winch handle fixed on one end of the axis D, for imparting
rotatory motion to the cylinder or drum B; H is a rigger fixed on the opposite
end of the axis D; I, an endless strap or band passing over the rigger H,
and also over another rigger K, of larger diameter than the rigger H; L, an
axis on which the rigger K is fixed; M, a winch handle for imparting rotatory
motion to the rigger K, and transmitting same to the cylinder B, for the
purpose herein-after stated; N is a cistern to contain water; O, a door
5 capable of moving sideways on a screw P, which serves the double purpose
of a hinge, and also to tighten said door against the bottom of the cistern to
render same water-tight; Q is a catch for supporting the opposite end of the
door O.

page_text: In the arrangement exhibited at Figures 1, 2, 3, the cistern is intended to
to be fixed to the framing A. We do not, however, intend to limit ourselves
to this mode of connecting the cistern to the framing, but propose, if desirable,
to hinge one side of the cistern to the framing, as at Figure 4, and support
the opposite side by a catch, as at a, and when this is the case, the door O in
the former described cistern may be dispensed with.
In operating with a machine of the above construction for washing, dressing,
and drying currants, we proceed as follows:-For dressing currants it is simply
necessary to place the currants within the cylinder B (having no water in the
cistern), then turn the handle G slowly, the effect of which will be to raise
and turn the currants over, and as they fall the stalks will pass through
the meshes of the wirework of the cylinder. To wash currants the cistern
must be charged with water, and rotatory motion imparted to the cylinder B,
and when sufficiently washed the currants may be dried by drawing off the
water from the cistern, and then imparting rapid rotatory motion to the cylinder
B by the winch handle M; the currents may be discharged from the cylinder
by first withdrawing the door C, and opening the door O, then turning the
cylinder round until the opening therein comes opposite to that in the bottom
of the cistern, a vessel being placed beneath to receive the currants; or, in
operating with a machine in which the cistern is hinged as at Figure 4, then
it is simply necessary to move the cistern on its hinge into the position ex-
hibited by the solid lines to discharge the currants from the cylinder B.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of our said
Invention of "An Improved Machine for Washing, Drying, and Dressing Cur-
rants," together with the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, we would remark, in conclusion, that we hereby
declare our Invention to consist in, and we claim, the general arrangement
and combination of parts above particularly described, set forth, and represented
by the Drawings, as constituting an improved machine for washing, drying
and dressing currants.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph and Samuel Lingford, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Tenth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
JOSEPH LINGFORD (LB)