The Nutmeg Grater: A Curved Plate and a Holder That Rocks

"My invention relates to nutmeg-graters; and it consists in the combination, with an elongated curved grater-plate, of a shell or frame carrying the nutmeg and adapted to move lengthwise of the grater-plate to rock or oscillate upon an axis coincident with the axis of the said plate or to take an intermediate direction." "In the practical use of graters as generally constructed it is found that some of the detached portions of the nut or other article being grated adhere to the grating surface or plate, and, accumulating from time to time, form ridges, which soon render a large part of the grating-surface unserviceable. This objection is overcome by my construction, for it is clear that the accumulations forming themselves in ridges during the longitudinal movement of the nut-holder will readily be removed during the rocking or oscillating of the holder, and vice versa." "A represents the grating-plate, which is made semicircular in cross-section and elongated in the direction of its axis. This plate will be made of sheet metal punched or indented from the rear face and bent to form".

Weigh two whole nutmegs. Grate the first for 60 strokes straight along the plate only, keeping it from turning; collect and weigh the gratings in each block of 20 strokes, and look at the plate for lines of packed powder. Grate the second for 60 strokes, rocking and pushing as Thomas's holder allows, and weigh again. Compare grams per stroke in each block, and how much powder is left packed on the teeth. Brush the plate clean between the two. Keep fingertips behind the holder, never on the teeth.

**George H. Thomas** of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, filed US 458,041 on 5 May 1891; it is dated 18 August 1891. His claims cover a curved grating plate with a holder movable "longitudinally, transversely, and angularly". **Honest limits.** The patent gives no tooth sizes. The powder added per stroke, the fraction a crossing stroke knocks off and the stroke counts in the model are examples.