US2305251A - Colander, fruit and vegetable press, and the like - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 1 5, 1942. 2,305,251

I COLANDERQY FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRESS AND- THE LIKE Filed Sept. 9, 1942 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Dec. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 2,305,251 COLANDER, FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRESS, AND THE LIKE Louisa M. Haise, Bostonia, Calif. Application September 9, 1942, Serial No. 457,781

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in colanders, fruit and vegetable presses and the like, and one of its objects is to provide a device of this character which is simple and inexpensive in construction, of maximum efliciency in use, and adapted to be readily and conveniently cleaned and kept in sanitary condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which comprises parts capable of being readily assembled in operative relation for use and disassembled for discharge of materials, cleaning, repairs and other purposes.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the device, showing the pressing element in position.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view on line 33' of a Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through the colander or strainer.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, l designates an open rectangular supporting stand comprising corner posts 2 connected at their upper ends by horizontal angle metal side and end rails 3 and 4 and also connected adjacent to their lower ends by side and end braces 5 and 6 set edgewise in a vertical plane. The parts are bolted, riveted, welded or otherwise rigidly secured together to form a strong and durable stand.

Arranged to rest upon the rails 2 and 3 is an openwork supporting frame or table 1 formed of side and end pieces having flanges 8 to fit down into the opening formed by said rails. One of the end pieces of this frame is provided with undercut fixed keepers 9, while the other end piece of the frame carries similarly formed latches l pivotally mounted to swing laterally by bolts II and adapted to be clamped in securing position by nuts l2.

A colander pan Or strainer vessel I3, of semicircular form in longitudinal section and having a perforated bottom I4, is removably mounted in the opening of the frame and adapted to snugly fit at its top therein. At its ends this vessel is provided with inwardly rolled rims I which may be of semicircular, oval or equivalent form, each rim having its concaved side l6 facing downwardly and its convex side l1 facing upwardly and terminating in a free edge portion I 8 forming a stop surface. To the surfaces I! of the rims are fixed locking members l9 having outwardly to projecting ends adapted to engage under and to be engaged by the undercut portions of the keepers 9. and latches Ill to secure the vessel in place and against upward movements during a mashing.

expressing or other similar" operation.

The material to be, mashed, such as potatoes, or from which juice is to be expressed, such as fruit, is placed in the vesselv and subjected to the, pressure of an oscillatory mashing or expressing tool or device 20'. This may consist of a shank or staff 2| having at its upper end a handle 2'2and at its lower end spindles 23 on which are detach ably mounted and journaled rolls 24. This device is adapted to be oscillated back and forth over the curved bottom l4 between the stops I8 to force the material against the bottom for a mashing operation, in which the material itself is forced downwardly through the small perforations in the bottom, or in which juice is expressed from the material and discharged through the perforations.

In colanders of this character as heretofore constructed the back and forth motions of the oscillatory mashing tool are limited by straight horizontal stop bars at the ends of the perforated bottom of the vessel, with which bars the rolls 2' 4" contact. bars is that portions of the material at the ends of the strokes are compressed and compacted against the undersurfaces of the bars to such a degree and density as to render it difficult to remove such compacted material in cleaning the Vessel. Generally the use of a scraping tool is required for the purpose followed by brushing and washing with hot water and even then it is difficult to remove all the material. Hence the cleaning operation is prolonged and much work is necessary in an attempt to keep the vessel in a sanitary condition.

My invention overcomes this objection in a very simple and effective manner. As stated, the rollers 24 contact with the stop surfaces at the limits of their oscillatory travel. These surfaces are arranged below the concaved inner surfaces I! of the stop rims or projections i5. At the periods of contact the rolls close the cavities of the rims l5 in'the plane of the stops and air forced into the cavities by the rolls forms air cushions which prevent the material carried upward by the rolls from being dashed against the undersurfaces of the rims or from being compacted by the rolls against the rim surfaces. On the contrary all material carried up by the rolls and impelled therefrom by the shock of contact drops back into the vessel, whereby the undersurfaces of the stops A material objection to the use of such" I5 are kept free from clinging material so that the stop surfaces may be easily maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.

The material or juice therefrom expressed by the rolls through the perforated bottom of the strainer may be received in a drip pan disposed in the space bounded by the braces 6 and having hooked flanges 26 at its ends to engage the end braces and suspend the pan therefrom, while at the same time holding the pan from shifting movements.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing, the construction, mode of use and advantages of my improved colander structure will be readily understood without a further and extended description. While the structure shown is preferred, it will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, proportions and details of construction of the parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a colander or like article, a strainer for use with an oscillatory expresser having expressing roller means, said strainer comprising a vessel of substantially semicylindrical form and having a perforated bottom and end walls terminating in stops with which the roller means contacts at the ends of the strokes of the expresser, said stops consisting of integral continuations of the bottom and end walls of the vessel and uniform in thickness therewith and being of substantially U-form with their open sides facing downwardly.

2. In a colander or like article, a strainer for use with an oscillatory expresser having roller expressing means, said strainer comprising a vessel of substantially semicylindrical form and having a perforated bottom and end walls terminating in stops with which the roller means contacts at the ends of the strokes of the expresser, said stops being of substantially U-form with their open sidesfacing downwardly, and keepers fixed to the upper convex faces of the stops and pro jecting outwardly therefrom for cooperation with fastening means on a support on which the vessel maybe mounted for use.

3. In a colander or the like, the combination of an open rectangular stand having supporting surfaces, a strainer vessel adapted to be fitted within the top of the stand and having a perforated bottom and inwardly projecting stops at the upper ends of its end walls, said stops being 7 of substantially U-form with their concaved sides facing downwardly, and means for securing said vessel to the stand.

4. In a colander or the like, the combination of an open rectangular stand having supporting surfaces, a strainer vessel adapted to be fitted within the top of the stand and having a perforated bottom and inwardly projecting stops at the upper ends of its end walls, said stops being of substantially U-form with their concaved sides facing downwardly, and means engageable with said stops for securing said vessel to the stand.

5. In a colander or the like, the combination of an open rectangular stand having supporting surfaces, a strainer vessel adapted to be fitted within the top of the stand and having a perfo rated bottom and inwardly projecting stops at the upper ends of its end walls, said stops being of substantially U-form with their concaved sides facing downwardly, keeper members to the 7 upper convex faces of said stops and projecting outwardly therefrom to rest upon the supporting surfaces of the stand, and fastening means on the stand for cooperation with the keepers to secure the vessel in position.

6. In a colander or the like, the combination of an open rectangular stand having supporting surfaces, a removable open rectangular frame,

adapted to engage and rest upon the supporting surfaces of the stand, a strainer vessel adapted to be fitted within the frame and having a perforated bottom and inwardly projecting stops at the upper ends of its end walls, said stops being of substantially U-form with their concaved sides facing downwardly, keeper members fixed to the upper convex faces of said stops and projecting outwardly therefrom to rest upon the frame, and fastening means for cooperation with the keepers to secure the vessel to the frame and stand.'

LOUISA M. HAISE.

Images