362 Description of a Machine for the [May, 



thrown, and thence admitted into a kind of trough, where they are 

 forced against the cyUnder, which as it revolves grinds the potatoes 

 to a pulp. 



Fig. 1, Plate XXXIV., represents the machine in front, or 

 lengthways of the cylinder; and fig. 2 is a section through the 

 middle of it, showing also the hopper with its contents, and the 

 manner of the action of the machine. A represents the handle, 

 by which motion is given to the machine : it is fixed upon the end 

 of the axis of the grating cylinder B ; on the opposite extremity of 

 tliis axis is a fly-wheel C, to regulate and equalize the movement. 

 D is the hopper, into which the potatoes are put ; and pressing by 

 their weight upon the top of the cylinder as it revolves, they are in 

 part grated away. On one side of the lower part of the hopper is 

 an opening, closed or opened more or less at pleasure by a slider E; 

 and the degree of opening which this has regulates the passage of 

 the potatoes from the hopper D into the trough F : this is as wide as 

 the length of the cylinder, and has a concave board G fitted into it, 

 which slides backwards and forwards, by the action of levers a a 

 affixed to an axis H, extended across 'ihe frame of the machine. 

 K is a lever fi.^ed upon the middle of this axis, and terminating in 

 a hook at the end for the suspension of a weight L ; this acts upon 

 the board G by means of the levers K and a a and the rods I, to 

 force or press the potatoes contained in the trough forwards against 

 the cylinder, and complete the grating of them into a pulp. 



A line c is tied to the end of the lever K, and passing over a 

 pulley d, hangs down within reach of the person who turns the 

 handle of the machine. By drawing this line, the weight at the 

 end of the lever K is raised up, and by the rods b the board G is 

 withdrawn to the extremity of the trough, and a fresh stock of 

 potatoes falls out at the opening E from the hopper into the trough ; 

 then, the line being let go, the weight L presses the board against 

 the potatoes, and forces them against the cylinder, which by its 

 motion grates them away very rapidly, the pulp passing down the 

 space between the edge of the lower board of the trough F, and 

 the cylinder, which space is only a narrow crevice that nothing may 

 pass down but the reduced pulp, which falls into a box or vessel 

 situated between the frame at M. The board G is perforated with 

 a number of large circular holes, to make an uneven surface, in 

 which the potatoes remain steady, whilst exposed to the action of 

 the cylinder upon their opposite sides. 



The tin plate covering the cylinder is of course pierced from the 

 inside outwards, and the bur or rough edge left round each forms an 

 excellent rasping surface, for the reduction of such substances as 

 the present. The frame of the machine requires but little expla- 

 cation, merely consisting of a square frame, containing the cylinder, 

 and supporting the hopper. This frame stands on four legs, two of 

 which rise up to a sufficient height to carry the pivot of the axis H. 

 The legs are morticed into four ground cells, which may be made 



