IMPROVEMENTS IN CUT- TING ROOTS AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Barter, of Saint Ann's Hill, Blarney,
County Cork, M.D., for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CUT-
TING ROOTS AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Barter at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th March 1853.
I, RICHARD BARTER, of St. Ann's Hill, Blarney, County Cork, M.D.,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CUTTING ROOTS AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the arrangement and construction of a
machine or apparatus in which the roots and other vegetable substances
may be cut into pieces of various sizes, and the degree of fineness of
the division of such pieces may be regulated.
For this purpose is employed a circular disc, suitably mounted in a
frame; such disc being covered with galvanized iron, and having an
operating surface of suitably formed knives or cutters on each side of it,
so as to be capable of operating upon the roots or other vegetable sub-

page_text: stances brought into contact with it, by passing down hoppers placed
on either side of the said disc, with an open side next the disc.
The precise form of the knives or cutters depends upon the kind of
material to be operated upon, and the degree of smallness to which it is
required to reduce the articles introduced into the machine.
The machine is double, and may be used on either or both sides.
The knives or cutters also may be of different sizes on either side. They
may also be adjusted, by means of screws, to any required distance of
projection from the face of the dise.
The machine or apparatus may be worked by manual or mechanical
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Barter, in the Great Seal Patent Office.
on the 5th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
RICHARD BARTER, of Saint Ann's Hill, Blarney, County Cork, M. D..
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of IIer reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Richard Barter, Her special licence that I,
the said Richard Barter, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Richard Barter, my exccutors, 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 CUTTING ROOTS
AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Richard Barter, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-

page_text: formed, 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 Richard Barter, 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, reference being had to the drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
My Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING ROOTS AND OTHER VEGE-
TABLE SUBSTANCES" has for its object the cutting of such substances
into pieces of various sizes, with the means of regulating the degree
of fineness of the division of such pieces.
each side of
The machine or apparatus for the purpose consists of a circular disc
or drum, or two discs, united by cross pieces with a drum or driving
wheel between them, suitably mounted in a frame, and having an
operating surface of suitably formed knives or cutters on
the said disc, or on the outer sides of the pair of discs. This disc or
drum, or pair of discs, with driving wheel between them, is or are made
to revolve between two hoppers, placed one on each side of it or them,
the hoppers being open at the side next the disc or discs, so that the
roots and other vegetable substances contained therein may, as they fall
down, come in contact with the knives or cutters on the face of the
revolving disc, or pair of discs, and be cut or divided as required.
The knives or cutters are screwed on to each face of the disc; the
degree of their projection from which being regulated by means of
substances placed between them and the face of the disc, and by adjust-
ing screws. The pair of discs may also be formed so as to dispense
with the use of knives, by punching them so as to form sharp projec-
tions upon their surface.
In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood, I will
describe it more particularly by reference to the accompanying draw-
ing, and the figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1, is a vertical section, and Fig. 2, a plan view of the machine

page_text: or apparatus which I prefer for the purpose. a, is the frame or stand-
ards; b, and 6, the pair of metal dises, united by cross pieces e, c,
and connected to the driving wheel d, turning on an axle e, mounted in
bearings f, fixed to the frame; g, g, are knives or cutters screwed into
the outer face of the discs; one of these knives is shown detached on
an enlarged scale at Fig. 3; h, h, are hoppers, into which the roots
and other vegetable substances are introduced. These hoppers have
an open side at h. It will be seen that on the introduction of roots
and other vegetable substances into the upper part of the hoppers h, h,
they will, by their own gravity, fall down towards the knives or
cutters g, g, so as to come in contact therewith, and be operated
upon thereby, during the revolution of the discs driven by the wheel
d, which may be actuated either by manual or mechanical power.
It will also be evident that the roots and other vegetable substances
thus brought in contact with the knives or cutters will be divided more
or less according to the particular form and degree of projection of the
same from the face of the disc. Any convenient number of the knives
or cutters may be fixed to the dises. I have shown eight in the draw-
ing; but this number may he varied. Likewise their form may he
varied from those represented.
I would here remark, that in some cases it may be desirable to use
different forms and numbers of knives or cutters on the two operating
sides or faces of the discs. In all cases, however, the operation by
which the roots and other vegetable substances are brought in contact
with the knives or cutters on the discs, or with the cutting surfaces of
the discs themselves, and cut or divided by them, will be the same as
that above described.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I
do not mean or intend to confine myself to the precise forms and
arrangements of the parts described.
But what I claim as of my Invention, is the mode described of
cutting roots and other vegetable substances by means of a disc, or a
pair of discs, with knives or cutters thereon, such disc or drum, or pair

page_text: of discs, revolving between two hoppers, or at one side of one hopper
with open sides or side next the operating face of the disc.
In witness whereof, I, the before-named Richard Barter, have
hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal, this (1st)
First day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-three.
RICHARD BARTER.
(L.S.)
Sigued, sealed, and delivered by the above-named
Richard Barter, in presence of
DOMINICK F. RONAYNE, Attorney-at-Law,
John's Hill, Waterford County.
GEORGE SOUTHWICK, Bootmaker, Kinsale, Cork.