Epicyclic or Planetary Gears

In a planetary gear system one or more gears rotate around a central gear. F.W. Hudson’s Improved turntable marked with an 1862 patent date and the slightly different Hudson & Leslie use a planetary gear system to rotate the fork carrying the apple in a circular motion (right).

As you crank the handle a small central gear (the sun) rotates a larger gear (the planet, pictured to the left). The planet gear also meshes with a stationary outer ring gear. As the planet gear rotates it also revolves around the smaller central gear. This planetary gear is attached to a metal assembly that carries the fork and apple. The result is a turntable in which the apple rotates and revolves near a stationary blade instead of a blade revolving around the apple, as seen in most turntables. The metal assembly also has a lip that pushes the paring arm away from the pared apple. Unfortunately, one must study this mechanism by peering inside the parer while it is cranked. The fork gear and the gear to which it is meshed are also epicyclic and are easy to view.