GB2473506A

GB2473506A - Lever operated press for fruit

Info

Publication number: GB2473506A
Application number: GB0917196A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joseph Lawrence Bleasdale
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-09-16
Filing date: 2009-10-01
Publication date: 2011-03-16
Also published as: GB0917196D0; GB0916228D0

Abstract

A lever operated manual press for cider apples comprises a wooden cylinder and a cooperating wooden piston, preferably octagonal in cross section and made from oak, and a lever approximately 2.5m long, the lever having a fulcrum at one end in the form of an inverted U shaped hanger which may be bolted to a wall and a handle section at the opposite end, the lever acting upon the piston at a point between the two ends. The press may be set up in the corner of the ground floor of any building with a solid floor and brick walls. The apples may be first shredded using an electric garden shredder with a disc cutter.

Description

Description:

The following dimensions and the geometry of the cross section of the piston and cylinder are for illustration purposes and are not material to the principle of the device, other than to ensure that they are within a range that ensures that sustained high pressure is applied to the shredded apples through the action of the lever, and that it can be operated safely in a domestic situation by one person without the use of external power.

The Lever Apple Press consists of: 1. An octagonal CYLINDER made of oak slats that are bound in a square wooden frame and bound with stainless steel wire hoops, -Fig. 1 2. An octagonal OAK PISTON that fits inside the cylinder and can slide through it. -Fig. 2 3. A PRESSING FLOOR made of 4 breeze blocks that rest on the ground in the corner of the building.

These are covered by a sheet of vinyl floor material that is contoured by the use of a back plate and side plate and pair of bricks over which the vinyl sheet is folded. This forms a channel for the juice to flow down into a collecting bowl. -Fig. 3a,3b,3c.

4. A FULCRUM and LEVER. The Fulcrum is an inverted heavy duty U hanger, 75mmx 153mm, made of galvanised steel, that is bolted against the wall. The Lever is a length of fine grained wood, over S foot long, 2' x 4' cross-section. -Fig. 4.

5. Several pine wood blocks, approximately 5" x 3' x 2" and 5" x 3" x 1", to insert between the lever and the piston before applying the pressure. -Fig. 4.

Operation: See Fig. 4. The cylinder is placed upright on the pressing floor and shredded apple is put into it, up to the top.

Then the piston is placed on top, the lever lifted into place with one end slotted into the fulcrum. A number of wooden blocks are placed on top of the piston, sufficient to support the lever which is lowered on them. The weight of the lever will start the flow of juice, which will be squeezed through the slats of the cylinder and be channelled over the pressing floor, to run into a collecting bowl.

The operator then sits on the far end of the lever and so great force is applied to the piston. After a short time, the lever will reach the bottom of its slope and the shredded apple will be compressed inside the cylinder, between the piston and the pressing floor. To compress it further and extract more juice, lift the lever and insert more blocks on top of the piston, then repeat the pressing.

Eventually, depending on the weight of the operator and the time that pressure is applied, most of the juice will have been squeezed out. Lift off the lever, raise the cylinder and place 2 blocks underneath, against the rim of the cylinder and opposite each other, resting on the pressing floor. Lower the lever onto the piston (with a block or two inserted if necessary), and press the piston down through to the bottom of the cylinder. The compressed shredded apple will be ejected below the cylinder, onto the pressing floor, as a octagonal cake. This is removed and can be used for compost or animal feed.