AU625187B2

AU625187B2 - Bread slicing machine

Info

Publication number: AU625187B2
Application number: AU68045/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Paul Eaton Willett
Original assignee: APV Baker Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Moffat Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1990-03-23
Filing date: 1990-12-13
Publication date: 1992-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2010-12-13
Also published as: AU6804590A; GB9026350D0; GB2242117A; CA2031664A1

Description

V

62 518E37 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1952 Name of Applicant Address of Applicant .~Actual Inventor Address for Service APV BAKER PTY LTD Cook Road, Mitchamn, Victoria, 3132,

AUSTRALIA.

Paul Eaton WILLETT GRANT ADAMS COMPANY Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 9 NATIONAL MUTUAL CENTRE .44 Edward Street Brisbane, Queensland, 4000

AUSTRALIA.

4 1 1 t t COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: "BREAD SLICING MACHINE" wAv-11 The following statement is a full description of the invention including the best method of performing it known to the applicant.

BOOM

9 9 6 J. 2 0 i TO: THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS SCOMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 1:: THIS INVENTION relates to a bread slicing machine.

A well-known and widely used type of bread slicing machine has a fairly steeply inclined feed table on which may be placed transversely a bread loaf, or a number of loaves one behind the other, to be advanced gravitationally down the feed table to a pair of oppositely reciprocated framnes fitted with parallel serrated slicing blades arranged to cut the loaf into slices, the sliced loaf being received on a delivery table at the front of the machine. Many larger bread retailers find it advantageous to make use of a twin bread slicer made to slice two loaves simultaneously, two sets of slicer blade carrier frames being mounted adjacently in the machine, which has a wider feed table to accept two sets of loaves to be sliced, and a correspondingly wider delivery table.

Although the first one or two loaves of a series may be moved to and through the slicer blades gravitationally, the resistance offered to subsequent loaves by the first one or two already past the blades and at rest on the delivery table reduces the likelihood of the remaining loaves being sliced without pressure 2 being applied to them, and so it is well-known to mount on the feed table a weighted pusher to bear on the rearmost loaf. It is desirable that the pressure applied by the pusher should be variable during the course of its stroke so that middle loaves of the series will not be crushed and deformed.

A bread slicing machine of the type described requires a good deal of floor space to enable an operator to walk to a side of the rear part of the machine to load loaves on the feed table, and in the case of a twin slicing machine the operator should have easy access to both sides of the machine. In either case the loaves which are to be delivered sliced and 2 ready for packaging at the front of the machine, must be loaded at the rear of the machine, which is inconvenient and time consuming.

The present invention has been devised with the general object of overcoming the present disadvantages by providing a bread slicing machine which is particularly convenient to use and may be very economical of installation space.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides broadly in a bread slicing machine of the type having a frame, slicing means on the frame including at least one pair of sets of adjacently spaced parallel counter-reciprocating slicing blades, and loaf feeding means on the frame for feeding bread loaves in sequence forwardly to and through the slicing means, wherein the loaf feeding means includes a passage defined by loaf guides curving substantially arcuately ti from an entry, above the slicing means, through a rearwards, downwards and forwards path, to the slicing means; and pusher means mounted on the frame for arcuate movement through the passage to urge loaves through the passage and to and through the slicing means. The pusher means preferable includes an actuating arm pivoted at one end about the axis of the arcuate loaf uides and carrying a pusher arranged to move through the passage, spring-loading means being provided for th urging the pusher down through the passage. Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

In order that a preferred embodiment of the invention may be readily understood and carried into practical effect, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a twin bread.

slicing machine according to the invention, 3 A

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j 0 0& 00 0 0 0 0) 0000 00000 0 00 0 9 0 00 o e 0 *0 0 000 001 0 0 0000 0000 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 o i o e o 0 o o 000000 0 0 o 00 00 i U 0 0 0 0 0 Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the machine shown in Figure 1, with its upper front cover being removed, and Figure 3 is a partly broken-away front elevational view of the machine with its delivery table assembly and some other front parts removed.

The twin bread slicing machine in the drawings includes a main frame 10 having a pair of channelled side uprights 11 supported on horizontal feet 12 and rigidly interconnected by a pair of top members 13, a spaced pair of parallel intermediate members 14, a flywheel mounting 15 and a motor mount 16, the top and intermediate members 13 and 14 being interconnected centrally by posts 17.

15 Two adjacent pairs of rectangular blade carrier frames 18 are mounted in the main frame 10, one pair to each side of the posts 17. The frames 18, of which parts only are shown in Figure 3 are of generally conventional type, each fitted with a series of parallel spring-tensioned serrated blades 18a. The two frames of each pair are disposed one closely behind the other.

Each frame is vertically slidable, bearings (not shown) at its upper corners riding on vertical shafts (not shown) within the channelled side uprights 11 and 25 between the posts 17 and a central bottom bearing 19 sliding on a bottom fixed shaft 20. The bottom bearing 19 is carried by a bracket 21 mounted in laterally adjustable manner on the bottom of the carrier frame 18.

The blade carrier frames 18 of each pair are counterreciprocated by a motor 22 on the motor mount 16 driving by a belt drive a flywheel 23 the shaft of which, rotatable in a bearing on the flywheel mounting carries oppositely directed cranks 24 connected by connecting rods 25 to the bottom bearings 19. Fixed crumb shields 26 deflect crumbs from the bottom bearings 19.

A salient feature of the invention is the loaf feeder assembly indica,.ed generally at 27 which replaces the inclined feed table of a conventional bread slicer, and which has an associated loaf pusher assembly 28.

The loaf feeder assembly includes a feeder frame 29 fixed behind the main frame 10 and the loaf pusher assembly includes a pair of actuating arms 30 at opposite sides of the upper front part of the main frame 10, pivoted about a common transverse axis at 31.

The feeder frame has a transverse top member 32 to which are rigidly secured the bottom ends of two pairs of similar upwardly and forwardly curving outer guide bars 33 which, in side elevation, are arcs centred on the pivotal axis 31 of the pusher actuating arms The arcuate curvature of the outer guide bars 33 is continued in a guide plate entering the main frame rItt between its uprights 11, as indicated in broken outline in Figure 2.

directly in front of the two pairs of outer guide bars 33 are two pairs of inner guide bars which are also curved arcuately about the axis 31 but of lesser radius. The inner guide bars of each pair are rigidiy interconnected near their lower ends, and each of these bars is mounted n radially adjustable manner on brackets 36 fixed to the top of the main frame Between the two pairs of outer guide bars 33 and inner guide bars 35 is a loaf spacer 37 which is an elongated parallel-sided loop with a cross-piece 38 which is connected by posts 39 to the top member 32 of the feeder frame 29, the sides of the spacer 37 being curved arcuately about the axis 31 and of a radial length intermediate those of the outer and inner guide bars 33 and The outer and inner guide bars are so arranged that bread loaves, as indicated in broken outline at in Figure 2, may be fed from the front of the machine, s !f 'i two at a time at opposite sides of the loaf spacer 37, into arcuate passages defined by the two pairs of outer and inner guide bars. The two pairs of inner guide bars 35 are so adjusted radially that the loaves can easily move gravitationally down the passages and, if the supply of loaves to these passages is maintained, the leading loaf in each will, after proceeding through an arcuate path, be presented to the slicing blades 18a and, by the pressure applied by following loaves, forced under a hinged and lightly spring-loaded top loaf guide plate 41, slotted from its front to clear the blades 18a, and through the blade carrier frames 18 to be delivered, fully sliced, onto a horizontal delivery o table 42 substantially tangential to the guide plate 34.

15 The delivery table 42 is mounted between a 0090 oo: pair of side brackets 43 hingedly attached to the main 0oo°0 frame 10 and releasably held by any suitable catch.

Above the table there are mounted a central loaf guide o 44 and two side loaf guides 45, which are laterally adjustable to suit the length of loaves to be sliced and delivered onto the table.

If several of the loaves 40, one behind the other, are delivered onto and left on the receiving u ~table, the leading one will strike against, and move, a stop bar 46 pivoted to a pair of bosses 47 extending j forwards form the front of the table. The stop bar, when so moved, operates a switch (not shown) to stop the motors 22 and thus the operation of the bread slicer.

30The operation of the machine can also be stopped by pressing emergency stop buttons 48 at both sides of the front of the receiving table.

Crumbs carried across to the front of the receiving table will be received in a crumb catcher 49 which is removable suspended from the bosses 47.

Although, while the slicing machine is kept fully or nearly fully loaded with loaves 40, each of i 6 4 l these loaves will be sliced in turn by being pressed, by the following loaves, through the slicing blade assemblies, the final loaf, or the final few loaves of a series, will require to be pressed forwards by the loaf pusher assembly 28. On the actuating arms 30 of this assembly rotatable sleeves 50 extend towards each other and have radial arms 51 connected to pusher mounting blocks 52. On each of these mounting blocks is fixed a pusher 53 consisting of a rectangular base and a number of spaced parallel rectangular plates 54 extending perpendicularly therefrom. On each of the mounting blocks 52 there is also fitted a roller 55 and a laterally extending stop arm 56. When the slicing machine is not in use, or when the pushers are not otherwise required to be used, they are enclosed in a channelled pusher rest 57 fixed on the upper ends of the o outer guide bars 33 and releasably retained by a small flange 58 extending up from the bottom front edge of the rest. When the pushers are required to be used, they may be released from the rest 57 by using handles 59, connected by stop bars 60 to the sleeves 50, to lift the pushers clear of the flange 58 and then to guide the pushers into the arcuate passages defined by the outer and inner guide bars 33 and 35, a roller 55 of each 25 pusher riding on one of the outer guide bars 33 and subsequently on the guide plate 34. The stop bars limit the pivotal movement of the sleeves 50 in either direction relative to the actuating arms 30 and so maintain the pushers in correct alignment as they proceed down the arcuate passages. The plates 54 of the pushers are such that on the final parts of the strokes of the pushers they pass through the counterreciprocating slicer blades 18a to ensure the loaves are completely sliced.

To moderate the pressure applied by each of the pushers during the course of its stroke, a link 61 7 i' p~~a~iu- i connects each actuating arm 30 with one end of a lever 62 which at its other end is fulcrumed at 63 on a main frame side upright 11. A rod 64 pivoted at one end to the upright 11 passes slidably through a small block pivoted on the lever 62 and between two compression springs 66 and 67 on the rod 64. These parts are so made and arranged that if the actuating arm 30 is upright, as shown, and the associated pusher 53 is swung free of the rest 57 and directed between a pair of outer and inner guide bars, the spring 66 will cause the pusher to impart an initial thrust to bring it into operative position. As the pusher moves along its downward stroke the spring 67 is gradually brought under compression to ensure the pusher does not exert undue 15 pressure on the loaves.

9o00 As the pusher is brought to the end of its *000 6000 stroke its stop arm 56 is brought to rest against a o. fixed stop pin indicated in broken outline at 68 in o Figure 2; a roller 69 on the lever 62 coacts with a micro-switch 70 to stop the appropriate motor 22; and the lever 62 is moved beyond "dead centre" position and biased to remain so by the spring 67.

A top cover 71 removably mounted on thze main 2 frame 10 encloses variou& components ot the machine 25 including the levers 62 and associated parts and the Supper parts of the blade carrier frames 18, and a bottom Sfront cover 72 and the hinged delivery table assembly 0conceal and protect the drives for the carrier frames.

0 It will be apparent that an operator may, without moving from the front of the machine, load Sloaves to be sliced into the machine and remove the loaves when sliced for packaging and sale. As no walkway for the operator is required to be provided at the sides of the machine it can be accommodated in a very restricted space, the more so because whereas the feed table of a conventional slicing machine extends 8 rearwards for a considerable distance, the loaf feeder of a machine according to the invention extends only a short distance behind the main frame. It has been found, therefore, that a twin slicing machine according to the invention may be satisfactorily installed in a space of lesser floor area than a conventional single loaf slicing machine.

The invention is, of course, applicable to a single-loaf slicing machine in which the main frame, feeder frame and delivery table are all of about half the width of the machine herein described and illustrated, single pairs of outer and inner guide bars, a half-width spacer and a single pusher being provided on such a machine.

oftf t t I *9 t lit x 9

Claims

2. A bread slicing machine according to Claim 1 ~wherein the loaf guides include: a outer and inner guide members curved arcuately about a common axis, the inner guide members being of lesser radial length than the outer guide menbers, the o inner guide members being mounted for adjustable o a a movement towards or from the outer guide members to vary the depth of the passage between them.
3. A bread slicing machine according to either of o. 25 the preceding claims wherein: j a the passage leads at its lower end and forwards of the slicing means to a substantially horizontal receiving table substantial tangential to the passageway to receive loaves sliced by the slicing means.
4. A bread slicing machine according to Claim 3 wherein: there is provided on the receiving table a stop movable by the leading one of a plurality of loaves sliced and advanced over the table and when so moved to interrupt the operation of the slicing means. ~~ii 1: A bread slicing machine according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pusher means includes: an actuating arm pivotal about the common axis; and a pusher connected to the actuating arm for propulsion by the actuating arm through the passage.
6. A bread slicing machine according to Claim wherein: a pusher rest is mounted above the entry to the passage, and the pusher is connected to the actuating arm for pivotal movement between the pusher rest and the entry to the passage. 15 7. A bread slicing machine according to either of Claims 5 or 6 wherein: spring-loading means are provided for urging the pusher through the passage from its entry to the slicing means. S 20 8. A bread slicing machine substantially as o° herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. a DATED this twelfth day of March 1992. APV BAKER PTY. LTD., 25 by its Patent Attorneys, GRANT ADAMS COMPANY. Ii 0 i 1 1 1