GB2390012A

GB2390012A - Vegetable peeler

Info

Publication number: GB2390012A
Application number: GB0314918A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Wilson Hamilton Miller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-06-26
Filing date: 2003-06-26
Publication date: 2003-12-31
Also published as: GB0214725D0; GB0314918D0; IE20030473A1

Abstract

A vegetable peeler, in particular for turnips comprises a rotatable holder (2) having a fixing member (3) for fixing a vegetable relative to the holder (2). An associated arm (4) of the peeler has a range of movement about the rotatable holder (2) including traversing the axis of rotation of the holder (2). The arm (4) has a blade (8) adjustably mounted thereon for engagement with a surface of a fixed vegetable. The rotatable holder may be connected to a motor (11) via a belt (12). The arm may have a handle (17) mounted on one free end and the other end mounted in a universal joint (7). An electric switch (18) may be provided adjacent the handle.

Description

23900 1 2

A VEGETABLE PEELER

This invention relates to a vegetable peeler and in particular to a peeler for tumips.

s Peeling the skins from vegetables has traditionally been carried out by holding the vegetable in one hand and peeling the skin with a knife held in the other hand. This method of preparing vegetables is acceptable when the quantity of vegetables is small. However, in the situation where a large number of vegetables are to be peeled such as in a restaurant or hotel kitchen, this method of peeling vegetables is cumbersome. Vegetable peelers have 10 been developed in an attempt to speed up the process and these peelers have many shapes and forms. One of the most successful peelers defines a handle at one end and a bi-furcated component at the other end. A blade is pivotally mounted between the prongs of the bi furcated component with an enclosed slot extending along the longitudinal axis of the blade.

The edges of the slot carry the cutting edges of the blade. Although this type of peeler has Àe À À e A IS improved the efficiency of peeling vegetables' there exists a need to improve the process sell À Àe further. This need is particularly prevalent in relation to large vegetables such as tumips.

À- . It is an object of the present invention to provide a vegetable peeler which will reduce À. the bme required to peel vegetables and reduce the complexity of the task of manually À - À peeling vegetables.

À À zo Accordingly, the present invention provides a vegetable peeler comprising a rotatable holder having a fixing means for fixing a vegetable relative to the holder, an associated arm having a range of movement about the rotatable holder including traversing the axis of rotation of the holder, the arm having a blade adjustably mounted thereon for engagement wffl a surface of a fixed vegetable.

as Ideally, the fixing means is formed for engagement with one section of me surface of the vegetable. The vegetable being fixed at only one section allows an operator to move the

blade across the remaining surface of the vegetable by one arcuate motion of the free end of the arm. This greatly increases the efficiency of the apparatus.

Preferably, the rotatable holder is mounted with its axis of rotation substantially vertical. s Ideally, the holder is mounted on a tabletop.

In another embodiment, the rotatable holder is mounted with its axis of rotation substantially horizontal. Optionally, the holder extends from a vertical board or wall.

Preferably, the fixing means is provided by a pair of prongs extending from the holder substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the holder.

10 Ideally, the holder is mounted on a shaft extending through one of a wall, vertical board and tabletop whereby the shaft is driven by a motor.

Preferably, the arm has one free end and one end housed in a universal joint.

Preferably, the arm overlies the surface which the rotatable holder is mounted on.

Ideally, the universal joint is mounted on a support member...DTD: À À. e 15 Preferably, the support member extends from the surface which the rotatable holder area is mounted on.

a h À I. Ideally, a handle is provided on the free end of the arm. The handle is provided as a : hand grip.

À.. À À À Preferably, a switch is provided in order to connecVdisconnect the motor to an À À i À e 20 electricity supply. This allows an operator to rotate the vegetable during the peeling process.

Preferably, the blade is pivotally mounted on the amm.

Preferably, the blade has a depth gauge.

Ideally, the depth gauge is provided by a pair of spaced apart shoulders defining a slot and being formed for engagement with the peel of the vegetable, wherein the blade 25 extends beyond the plane of the shoulders a predetermined distance to shave only the peel

off the rotating vegetable. The depth gauge dramatically reduces the amount of waste generated during peeling of vegetables.

Preferably, the blade extends beyond the plane of the shoulders by a depth in the range of 1-5mm.

5 Preferably, means for removing the peeled vegetable from the fixing means is provided. Ideally, the removing means comprises actuation means and a vegetable engaging element movable by the actuation means to dislodge the vegetable off the fixing means.

Ideally, the actuation means comprises a piston and cylinder mounted in the region of to the fixing means with the vegetable engaing element mounted on or about the free end of a piston rod.

Preferably, variable control speed is provided for the rotatable holder via a motor and gear mechanism.

Ideally, a cut-out button is provided to shut off the motor in the event of an À À À ee..els emergency...DTD: À -.. Preferably, a perspex guard is provided between an operator and the fixing means.

À À À.e This prevents the operator falling onto the fixing means in the event of an accident.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, À À À which is given by way of example only, and shows one embodiment of a vegetable peeler in À Àe 20 accordance wffl the invention. In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vegetable peeler.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a vegetable peeler indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The peeler 1 has a rotatable holder 2 which includes a fixing member 3 for fixing a vegetable relative to the holder 2. An arm 4 has one end 5 free and the other end 2s 6 housed in a universal joint 7. A blade 8 is pivotally mounted on the arm 4 and in use is presented to the peel of a vegetable (not shown) fixed on the holder 2 by fixing member 3.

The rotatable holder 2 is mounted with its axis of rotation vertical on a tabletop 9 via a shaft (not shown) which extends through the tabletop 9. One end of the shaft is connected to a motor 11 via a belt 12.

The fixing member 3 is provided by a pair of prongs 14 extending upright from the holder 2. The universal joint 7 is mounted on a support 15 extending from the tabletop 9. A handle 17 is provided on the free end 5 of the arm 4 and a switch 18 is provided adjacent to the handle 17. The switch 18 is connected to an electric circuit (not shown) via an electric cable 19 in order to connect and disconnect the motor 11 to a power supply. Alternatively, the switch 18 may be located on another part of the peeler 1 easily accesible to the operator.

ID In use, the operator lifts a vegetable such as a tumip and drops it onto the upstanding prongs 14. The prongs 14 spaced slightly apart fix the tumip relative to the holder 2 and transmit the torque from the holder 2 to the tumip during rotation. The operator grabs the handle 17 and moves the blade 8 towards the tumip. Just before contact occurs between the blade 8 and the tumip peel, the operator presses the switch 18 and the tumip begins to À À ..15 rotate. The operator now moves the blade 8 onto the tumip peel and the blade 8 begins to À. shave the peel from the rotating tumip. The operator can peel the entire surface of the . Àe vegetable except the section which is engaged by the prongs 14 by moving the handle 17 in À: an arcuate motion from the base of the vegetable, up along the side of the vegetable, across À À. À the top of the vegetable and down along the other side of the vegetable. Once all the peel À À -.e 20 has been removed, the operator releases the switch 18 and sets the arm 4 down. The vegetable is lifted off the prongs 14, fumed upside down and dropped onto the prongs 14 again. The operator removes me remaining section of vegetable peel by the same procedure as before. In order to remove the need for fuming the vegetable around on the prongs 14, the operator may instead slice the ends off the vegetable. In this situation, all of the vegetable 25 peel can be removed from the vegetable by locating the vegetable on the prongs 14 once.

s Variations and modifications may be made - Rout departing from the scope of the invention as defined in He appended claims.

s. e. À e eve. À-e. À. À À À. Àe.. À À.

Claims

1. A vegetable peeler comprising a rotatable holder having a fixing means for fixing a vegetable relative to the holder, an associated arm having a range of movement about Me rotatable holder including traversing the axis of rotation of the holder, the arm having s a blade adjustably mounted thereon for engagement with a surface of a fixed vegetable.

2. A vegetable peeler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing means is formed for engagement with one section of the surface of the vegetable.

10 3. A vegetable peeler as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the rotatable holder is mounted with its axis of rotation substantially vertical.

4. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder is mounted on a tabletop.

À À À ...1S I. 5. A vegetable peeler as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein Me rotatable holder is I. mounted with its axis of rotation substantially horizontal.

À- . = . 6. A vegetable peeler as claimed in claim 5, wherein the holder extends from a vertical À a. 20 board or wall.

7. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixing means is provided by a pair of prongs extending from the holder substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the holder.

8. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder is mounted on a shaft extending through a wall, board or tabletop whereby the shaft is driven by a motor.

s 9. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arm overlies a surface which me rotatable holder is mounted on.

1 O. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the arm has one free end and one end housed in a universal joint.

11. A vegetable peeler as claimed in claim 10, wherein the universal joint is mounted on a support member.

12. A vegetable peeler as claimed in claim 11, wherein the support member extends from À.15 the surface which the rotatable holder is mounted on.

À.- 13. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein a handle is p,#videcl on the free end of the arm.

À À À À.. À-.. # À - - 20 14. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein a switch is provided in order to connect/disconnect the motor to an electricity supply.

15. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the blade is pivotally mounted on the arm.

16. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the blade

has a depth gauge.

17. A vegetable peeler as claimed in claim 16, wherein the depth gauge is provided by a pair of spaced apart shoulders defining a slot and being formed for engagement win the peel of the vegetable, wherein the blade extends beyond the plane of the showers a s predetermined distance to shave only Me peel off the rotating vegetable.

18. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein means for removing the peeled vegetable from the fixing means is provided.

lo 19. A vegetable peeler as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a perspex guard is provided between an operator and the fixing means.

20. A vegetable peeler substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

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