Hersey's Quick Return Apple Parer
S. S. HERSEY PATENTED JUNE 18, 1861 Back to Videos
S. S. Hersey of Farmington, Maine was granted two apple parer patents during the American Civil War. One for a quick return parer and a second for a slow return parer that could pare in both the forward and reverse directions (Hersey, 1861 & 1864).
Hersey produced two versions of his quick return parer (Lambert, 2014). In his patented design a spring-loaded paring arm was carried by a sector or arc gear and after paring in one direction both the arc gear and paring arm snap back to starting position, see first three images below.
Figures 1 and 2 for Hersey's 1861 apple parer patent application, National Archives at College Park, Cartographic Branch, 241-PATENTUT-32561
S. S. HERSEY PATENTED JUNE 18 1861
S. S. Hersey Apple Parer 1861 Patented Design
In Hersey's modified 1861 model the paring arm snaps back to starting position as the gear carrying it continues to rotate, see images below. A cam (projection) on the rotating gear pushes the paring arm around the apple for 180 degrees as it pares. A second cam, on the circular gear, repeats the motion after the paring arm has snapped back to starting position. The two cams that push and release the paring arm are set 180 degrees apart on the circular gear.
Using two cams set 180 degrees apart to alternately rotate a quick return paring arm was the same strategy used by J. D. Browne for his Nonpareil apple parer. Hersey used an unusual and distinctive looking spring on both his orignal and modified 1861 design. The original spring is missing in the arc gear version illustrated above.
Ruby the lab gives it the sniff of approval after paring is completed!
S. S. Hersey 1861 patented parer with circular gear.
S. S. HERSEY PATENTED JUNE 18 1861
References
Hersey, S. S., inventor; 1861 June 18. Apple Parer. US32561.
Hersey, S. S., inventor; 1864 Aug. 30. Improved Apple-Parer. US43990.
Lambert, J. (2014). The Three Marvelously-Designed Herseys. See article section of this website.
National Archives at College Park, Cartographic Branch, 241-PATENTUT-32561.
