AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRESSING DRIED FRUITS, AND SEPARATING AND REMOVING THEREPROM THE
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Casson, of Wellington St., Woolwich, in
the County of Kent, Grocer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE
FOR DRESSING DRIED FRUITS, AND SEPARATING AND REMOVING THEREPROM THE
Sealed the 11th June 1861, and dated the 13th December 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Casson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th December
1860.
I, JOHN CASSON, of Wellington St., Woolwich, in the County of Kent,.
Grocer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR DRESSING DRIED FRUITS, AND SEPARATING AND REMOVING THEREFROM
THE STEMS AND OTHER REFUSE WITHOUT INJURY TO THE FRUIT," to be as
follows:-
I provide a hollow cylinder, the periphery of which is made of wire, so as
to form a network with long and narrow interstices. Attached to the network
of this cylinder, and pointing towards the centre of the same, I provide a series
of loops or catches, the purpose of which is to break up the masses of fruit and
separate the stems therefrom. The cylinder has a fixed axle provided with
loops or catches projecting towards those attached to the network. The fruit
to be dressed and cleansed from its refuse is placed in the cylinder through a
door or opening provided for the purpose. This opening is then closed, and

page_text: the cylinder is made to oscillate or revolve on its axis, thus causing the fruit
to fall by the force of gravity against the loops or catches before mentioned;
this action of the machine breaks up the masses of fruit and separates the
stems therefrom. There is further provided a brush placed lengthwise outside
of the cylinder; this brush is fixed to the framework on which the cylinder is
mounted, and as the latter oscillates or revolves the brush is made to impinge
against the fruit, removing the stems and other refuse therefrom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Casson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
June 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CASSON, of Wellington Street, Woolwich, in the County of Kent, Grocer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, 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 me, the
said John Casson, Her special licence that I, the said John Casson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Casson, 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 "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRESSING
DRIED FRUITS, AND SEPARATING AND REMOVING THEREFROM THE STEMS AND OTHER
REFUSE WITHOUT INJURY TO THE FRUIT," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Casson, 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 John Casson, 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,
and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-

page_text: I provide a hollow cylinder, the periphery of which is made of wire; so as
to form a network with long and narrow interstices. Attached to the network
of this cylinder, and pointing towards the centre of the same, I provide a series
of loops or catches, the purpose of which to break up the masses of fruit and
separate the stems therefrom. The cylinder has a fixed axle provided with
loops or catches projecting towards those attached to the network. The fruit
to be dressed and cleaned from its refuse is placed in the cylinder through a
door or opening provided for the purpose; this opening is then closed and the
cylinder is made to oscillate or to revolve on its axis, thus causing the fruit to
fall by the force of gravity against the loops or catches before mentioned;
this action of the machine breaks up the masses of fruit and separates then
from their stems. There is further provided a brush placed lengthwise outside
of the cylinder; this brush is fixed to the framework on which the cylinder is
mounted, and as the latter oscillates or revolves, the brush is made to impinge
against the fruit, thus removing the stalks and other refuse therefrom.
I now proceed to describe my Invention more fully, having reference to the
Drawings annexed.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my machine as adapted for dressing raisins ;
Fig. 2 is an end view of same; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of cylinder
and axle; Fig. 4 is an end view of the cylinder of my machine, as adapted for
cleaning currants and other similar fruits; Fig. 5 is a cross section of same,
shewing the cylinder and interior brushes; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of
cylinder; and Fig. 7 is a section of pinion bearing.
In Fig. 1, A is a wirework cylinder formed of stout longitudinal wires a, a',
etc., at distances of about four inches apart, and thickly covered by wires of
about No. 13 gauge, running round the cylinder; of the wires last mentioned
there are about five to the inch; B is a door or means by which the fruit to be
dressed is introduced inside the cylinder A; C is the axle of the cylinder; and
D is a crank handle by which it is turned or oscillated; E is the frame on
which the cylinder is mounted; F is a brush for taking away the refuse
matter; G, G', are fastenings by which the brush is attached to the frame E;
and H is a box or drawer, in the first place, for catching the refuse, and
secondly, for receiving the fruit when cleaned; I is one of two pinions attached
to the framework E to be used in cleaning currants; but it is not in gear
when the raisin-dressing cylinder is used.
In Fig. 2 A is the cylinder as before, C the axle, D the handle, E the
frame, F the brush, and G the fastening of the brush; the fastening G is
curved, and works through a slot in the framework E. By these means the
brush can be adjusted as required; when the brush is properly adjusted the

page_text: fastening & is made secure by means of a small key or wedge which is driver
into the slot.
In Fig. 3, it will be seen, that to the cylinder A are attached the loops o
catches b, b', etc. There are four or five of these loops formed in one stou
wire of the length of the cylinder, and one of these wires is bound in the net
work with every alternate longitudinal rib of the cylinder A. All of these
loops point inward towards the centre of the cylinder, and they are arranged
so that the loops of one wire come opposite the middle of the spaces of the
next wire. This arrangement is preferred, because it ensures the greatest
possible efficiency in the action of the loops. The axle C (Fig. 3) is by
preference formed partly of a rectangular piece of wood. There are also
attached to this axle the radiating loops c, c', etc., to assist the action of the
loops b, b', etc. M is the beadpiece of the drum or cylinder, and it may be
made of wood, iron, or other suitable material..
My machine, as above described, is adapted for cleaning raisins, and its
action is as follows:-After the fruit has been introduced through the door B,
and that door securely fastened, the handle D is turned or oscillated, causing
a like motion of the cylinder A; this. from the gravity and vis inertia of the
masses of fruit, causes them to press with considerable force against the loops
or catches b, 6, etc., of the wirework cylinder, and also against c, c', etc., the
loops radiating from the axle C. In consequence of this pressure the masses
of fruit are broken; the stems of the fruit also are caught in the loops, and
pulled off the fruit, while the brush G, reaching through the long narrow
interstices of the wirework, is constantly catching and sweeping out the
smaller stems and the other refuse. When this action has continued for a
short time the masses of fruit are thoroughly broken; every raisin is detached
from its stem, and all the refuse, except a few of the larger stems which may
remain caught in the loops, is swept by the brush out of the cylinder. The
refuse is then taken from the box H; the door of the cylinder is opened, the
few large stems remaining in the cylinder are removed by the hand; then a
half turn of the cylinder causes it to empty itself into the box, and the fruit
is ready for sale as for use.
The adaptation of my machine to dressing dried currants and similar small
fruits is as follows:-I provide an extra cylinder N, Figs. 4, 5, and 6, some-
what smaller than that which I use for raisins. The cylinder N is made of
wirework, and the longitudinal ribs are three or four inches apart, and on the
inside of the cylinder to allow proper action to the outer brush F, Figs. 1
and 2. The interstices between the wires which pass around the cylinder are
very narrow, there being about nine of these small wires to an incb in the

page_text: length of the cylinder. The axle O of this cylinder is made to rotate inde-
pendently of the cylinder itself, and is provided with collars at o, o', inside the
cylinder to prevent the latter from sliding off. To the axle O is fixed the
pinion P (Fig. 4), and the head piece Q of the cylinder is formed with a
projecting rim, having interior cogs; I, 1, Figs. 1 and 2, are pinions which
are not in gear when the raisin cylinder is used; these pinion wheels cor-
respond to the pinion P and the cog wheel Q of the cylinder N. The raisin
cylinder A is readily unshipped or lifted out from the frame E, and the
cylinder N put in its place, and the handle D, Fig. 1, attached, when the
pinion P will turn the pinion I, I will turn the pinion I', and I will slowly
head piece Q and the cylinder with it, the axle having
a much faster motion, and in the same direction. To the axle O are attached
two irons S, S', having each three slotted arms (Figs. 5 and 6.) To these
slotted arms are attached three adjustible brushes T, T', and T", which con-
sequently have the same motion with the axle O. The other parts of this
cylinder are identical with those of the cylinder A, excepting that the loops or
catches may be omitted if desired, as the currants require more of the process
of scouring by the brushes than of the action of the loops to break the
turn the cog wheel or
masses.
The action of the currant cleaner will be readily understood. The rotation
of the cylinder tends to carry the fruit round with it, while the more rapid
revolution of the brushes in the same direction not only scours those which
the brushes pass over, but it also tends to urge them round with the cylinder,
while the force of gravity causes their falling back through intermingling
and exposure of new surfaces to the scouring action of the inner brushes, the
outer brush in the meantime taking away the refuse which is thus detached
from the fruit.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
using the same, I declare that,-
First, I claim the loops or catches substantially, as described, for breaking
the masses of fruit, and for detaching and collecting the stems.
Second, I claim the outside brush F substantially as and for the purposes
described, and I claim the method by which it is adjusted to a larger or a
smaller cylinder.
Third, I claim the long narrow interstices of the net work as described for
the better action of the brushes.
Fourth, I claim, with reference to Figs. 5 and 6, the brushes acting from
the centre of the cylinder, and directly attached to the axle, having thus a

page_text: much wider sweep and a more flexible broom than by the old arrangements,
and obviating the tendency of the fruit to collect in bunches.
Fifth, I claim the rotation of the cylinder and interior brushes in the same
direction for the better commingling of the fruit, and the more perfect action
of the brushes.
Sixth, I claim in substance the combination by means of which the operation
of raisin dressing and currant cleaning may be performed by one machine,
thus saving expense and economizing space.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Casson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
זוזמl
JOHN CASSON.
(L.D.)