GB1604601A - Assembly for handling root vegetables - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO AN ASSEMBLY FOR HANDLING ROOT VEGETABLES (71) I, DENNIS CLAUDE SMITH, a British Subject of 20 Newton Park, Newton Solney, Burtonsn-Trent, Staffordshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an assembly for handling root vegetables.

According to the present invention there is provided an assembly for handling root vegetables comprising a waste disposal unit having a drive arrangement mounting a coupling part, the unit being arranged to be connected in a drain of a sink of the like such that the coupling part is accessible through the dram, and apparatus for scraping or peeling root vegetables comprising a scraping chamber incorporating an abrasive rotary member arranged to define a passage in the chamber from one side of the rotary member to the other, the chamber being open at each end so as to receive vegetables through one end onto the rotary member and to pass scrapings out of the other end after the scrapings are delivered through said passage, an elongate member being secured at one end directly to the rotary member and having at its other end a coupling part releasably engaged over the coupling part of the drive arrangement of the waste disposal unit, whereby drive is transmitted from the waste disposal unit to the rotary member and the scrapings are passed in use to the waste disposal unit.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings the single figure of which is an exploded elevation of an apparatus for scraping or peeling root vegetables and part of a waste disposal unit.

Referring to the drawings a waste disposal unit of any suitable conventional form having a rotary drive, for example for a plurality of cutters, is provided, on a rotor 10, with a centrally projecting and externally threaded connection part 12. Mounted on the latter by means of an internally threaded bore (not shown) is a coupling part 14 which is of substantially hexagonal configuration having an end section 16 of dome shaped form and an annular groove 18 defined between the donoe shaped section 16 and a main body section 20 of the coupling part 14.

The peeling apparatus comprises a scraping chamber which is of cylindrical cup-like form being open at its upper end and at its lower end communicating with a hollow cylindrical sleeve 24 which is open at its lower end. The scraping chamber 22 is preferably formed of aluminium and the internal surface of the side wall of the chamber 22 is gritted to define an abrasive surface.

In the chamber 22 at the lower end thereof there is located a rotary disc 26 which has a wave-like contour on its upper surface, the latter having an abrasive finish, and which has an internally threaded centre bore 28. An elongate member in the form of a rod 30 extends through the lower end of the sleeve 24 and has an externally threaded upper end for securing in the bore 28 of the disc 26. The rod 30 extends through a pair of bearings 32 which are supported in a member 34 the latter being positioned in the sleeve 24. The support member 34 has a cylindrical section 36 defining a through bore in which the bearings 32 are located, and radially extending ribs 38 on the section 36 for retaining the bearing support 34 in the sleeve 24 and defining passages through the latter between adjacent ribs 38.

At its lower end the rod 30 has a coupling part 40 of hollow openended hexagonal configuration arranged to fit over the coupling part 14 on the rotor 10 of the waste disposal unit.

In use when the waste disposal unit is connected in the drain of a sink the peeler may be connected thereto by inserting the rod 30 into the drain such that the coupling part 40 engages with the coupling part 14. The dome shaped section 16 enables a certain amount of self alignment of the rod 30 and provides a push-on fit, the connection being such that the drive for the rotor 10 of the waste disposal unit is transmitted to the rod 30 and thus the disc 26 of the peeler. When vegetables such as potatoes are placed in the scraping chamber 22 on the disc 26, rotation of the disc 26 propels the potatoes around the chamber 22 and the potatoes are scraped by contact with the abrasive surface of the chamber wall and the abrasive surface of the disc 26.

The disc 26 is of such a diameter as to define an annular passage between its periphery and the wall of the chamber 22 and thus the peelings can pass to the lower side of the disc 26 and from there through the passages defined between adjacent ribs 38 in the member 24 to fall into the waste disposal unit from where they are disposed in the usual fashion.

It will be appreciated that during scraping of the potatoes it is desirable to have a flow of water into the chamber 22 and this can be achieved by directing water from a tap.

The apparatus as described is advantageous in that it provides for automatic removal of peelings and thus only clean washed vegetables remain in the chamber 22 after use and these vegetables can be uansferred directly to a cooking utensil. The peeler can be easily and quickly removed after use by pulling the coupling part 40 away from the coupling part 14 and the peeler needs no cleaning.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example the coupling between the peeler and the waste disposal unit may be modified although it is preferred that the latter enables a certain amount of self alignment. Otherwise difficultly may be encountered in fitting the peeler on the coupling part of the waste disposal unit as this coupling part, although accessible to a rod such as described, is not so accessible as to enable a person to align the coupling parts by hand.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. An assembly for handling root vegetables comprising a waste disposal unit having a drive arrangement mounting a coupling part, the unit being arranged to be connected in a drain of a sink or the like such that the coupling part is accessible through the drain, and apparatus for scraping or peeling root vegetables comprising a scraping chamber incorporating an abrasive rotary member arranged to define a passage in the chamber from one side of the rotary member to the other, the chamber being open at each end so as to receive vegetables through one end onto the rotary member and to pass scrapings out of the other end after the scrapings are delivered through said passage, an elongate member being secured at one end directly to the rotary member and having at its other end a coupling part releasably engaged over the coupling part of the drive arrangement of the waste disposal unit, whereby drive is transmitted from the waste disposal unit to the rotary member and the scrapings are passed in use to the waste disposal unit.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rotary member is of circular form and has a wave-like contour on that surface on which vegetables are supported in the chamber.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the coupling part of the elongate member is of hollow open ended configuration and polygonal cross-section, and the coupling part of the waste disposal unit has a domeshaped end and is of similar cross section.

4. An assembly for handling root vegetables, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. self alignment of the rod 30 and provides a push-on fit, the connection being such that the drive for the rotor 10 of the waste disposal unit is transmitted to the rod 30 and thus the disc 26 of the peeler. When vegetables such as potatoes are placed in the scraping chamber 22 on the disc 26, rotation of the disc 26 propels the potatoes around the chamber 22 and the potatoes are scraped by contact with the abrasive surface of the chamber wall and the abrasive surface of the disc 26. The disc 26 is of such a diameter as to define an annular passage between its periphery and the wall of the chamber 22 and thus the peelings can pass to the lower side of the disc 26 and from there through the passages defined between adjacent ribs 38 in the member 24 to fall into the waste disposal unit from where they are disposed in the usual fashion. It will be appreciated that during scraping of the potatoes it is desirable to have a flow of water into the chamber 22 and this can be achieved by directing water from a tap. The apparatus as described is advantageous in that it provides for automatic removal of peelings and thus only clean washed vegetables remain in the chamber 22 after use and these vegetables can be uansferred directly to a cooking utensil. The peeler can be easily and quickly removed after use by pulling the coupling part 40 away from the coupling part 14 and the peeler needs no cleaning. Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example the coupling between the peeler and the waste disposal unit may be modified although it is preferred that the latter enables a certain amount of self alignment. Otherwise difficultly may be encountered in fitting the peeler on the coupling part of the waste disposal unit as this coupling part, although accessible to a rod such as described, is not so accessible as to enable a person to align the coupling parts by hand. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. An assembly for handling root vegetables comprising a waste disposal unit having a drive arrangement mounting a coupling part, the unit being arranged to be connected in a drain of a sink or the like such that the coupling part is accessible through the drain, and apparatus for scraping or peeling root vegetables comprising a scraping chamber incorporating an abrasive rotary member arranged to define a passage in the chamber from one side of the rotary member to the other, the chamber being open at each end so as to receive vegetables through one end onto the rotary member and to pass scrapings out of the other end after the scrapings are delivered through said passage, an elongate member being secured at one end directly to the rotary member and having at its other end a coupling part releasably engaged over the coupling part of the drive arrangement of the waste disposal unit, whereby drive is transmitted from the waste disposal unit to the rotary member and the scrapings are passed in use to the waste disposal unit.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rotary member is of circular form and has a wave-like contour on that surface on which vegetables are supported in the chamber.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the coupling part of the elongate member is of hollow open ended configuration and polygonal cross-section, and the coupling part of the waste disposal unit has a domeshaped end and is of similar cross section.

4. An assembly for handling root vegetables, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.