EP2080599A1 - Machine for cutting food in strips or cubes - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine has stabilization grids (8) with stabilization bars (18a, 18b) fastened at ends of a grid frame and a holder frame (14) of a cutter element (3). A front surface of the stabilization bars are directly connected with a rear surface of a cutter (4) of the cutter element and/or a rear surface of a stabilization bar (12) of the cutter element in a direction perpendicular to a feed direction in a form-fit and material-fit manner. The front surface is turned towards the cutter element, and the stabilization grids are made of stainless steel.

Description

introduction

The invention relates to a machine for cutting foodstuffs into strips or cubes, with a loading area for the food to be cut, a cutting device and a feed device with which the food from the loading area in the direction of the cutting device can be advanced, the first and a second Having knife gate each with a plurality of mutually parallel and spaced apart elongated knife, the second knife gate is provided with stabilizing webs, the passages for the stabilizing webs crossing blades of the second knife gate and wherein viewed in the feed direction behind the second knife gate a is arranged by this releasable stabilizing grid, which has a plurality of crossing stabilizing webs, viewed in the feed direction in each case with the knives of the first knife gate and / or the knives of the second knife In addition, the stabilizing bars of the stabilizing grid are fastened at opposite ends to a grid frame, which is fastened to a holding frame of the second knife gate.

State of the art

Machines for cutting foods into strips or cubes have long been known and, for example, in the document DE 1247572 B described. Such machines are often designed as so-called cube scissors in which the present life is mediumly inserted into an elongated insertion shaft forming a feed area, a so-called magazine. By means of a feed device the Schnei dgut is then advanced through an outlet cross section of the feed to a cutter, which consists of two crosswise one behind the other, movable knife gates, in which a plurality of gate blades are mounted parallel to each other. The movable holder of the knife gate on the support frame of the cutting machine via two sliding rods, which are arranged in the longitudinal direction parallel to the Gattermessern. In this construction of the cutting device, the material to be cut is sliced on the first knife gate seen in the feed direction and then in strips by the second knife gate cut a preferably square cross-section. By means of a transverse cutting knife rotating perpendicularly to the feed direction of the material to be cut, short portions, often in the form of cubes, are finally produced from the food cut into strips by the two knife guards.

A disadvantage of these cutting machines, however, is that the material to be cut often adheres to the Gattermessern. Therefore, by the movement of the knife gate, and in particular by the movement of the second knife gate, there may be a deformation of the cut strips, so that they no longer come straight out of the cutter and thus can not be cut straight by the cross cutting knife , Without suffering any loss of quality, however, this suffers from the visual impression of the product, which can affect its sale.

This problem is usually solved in that seen in the feed direction of the material to be cut between the two knife gates so-called guiding or stabilizing webs are attached. These stabilizing webs inhibit on the one hand caused by the second knife gate lateral movements of the cutting material, so that clean and straight cuts can be performed with the second knife gate, on the other hand, the knife of the first knife gate can be supported with their knife backs on the stabilizing webs, so that they also higher Press, as they occur when cutting harder or frozen cuttings, can better resist. In order to prevent bending of the gate blade when cutting, for example, frozen Good, is in the document DE 19832945 C2 also proposed an additional stabilizer before the first knife gate, which should significantly reduce the pressure of the material to be cut on the gate blade of the first knife gate.

Furthermore, in the document DE 19832945 C2 a guide grid between the second knife gate and the cross-cutting blade described, which serves the straight-line guidance of emerging from the second knife gate, strip-shaped Schneidguts. This is to ensure that the cross-cutting blade can perform exact straight and clean cuts for the final desired strip or cube shape of the cutting material. The guide grid is intended to be formed together with the holding frame of the second knife gate as a one-piece unit or as a separately attachable unit.

In order to avoid lateral bruising or compression of the material to be cut, not only the knives but also the stabilizing webs located behind them must not have too great a thickness. However, this can lead to problems with the stability of the knife or stabilizing webs perpendicular to the feed direction of the material to be cut. If, for example, the material to be cut is partially entrained by friction on the blade surfaces of the blades of the first blade gate during the cutting movement, it presses vertically against the blade surfaces of the blades of the second blade gate, which can thereby easily deflect. To a greater extent, this deflection effect can also occur in the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate, since the sliced after passing through the first knife gate there cutting material in its disc normal direction, which coincides with the direction of movement of the second knife gate, a much higher mobility than before the first knife gate , Now, if the guide grid for easier assembly and easier cleaning of the cutting device formed in an advantageous manner as a separately attachable unit, it may happen that by the possible lateral deflection of the blades or the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate this no longer completely with the webs of the guide grid aligned. As a result, the material to be cut can then be pressed in places frontally against the webs of the guide lattice and thereby suffer the just unwanted compression and crushing. This also means that the required feed pressure for the material to be cut must be increased in an undesirable manner.

In order to achieve an increased lateral stability of the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate, is for example in the document DE 19832945 C2 proposed to form the guide grid as a one-piece unit together with the holding frame of the second knife gate. However, this has the disadvantage that the production of such an integrated guide grid is technically very complex and therefore expensive. Due to the rather complicated structure, this construction also has an adverse effect on the assembly and cleaning of the cutting machine, the latter can cause hygienic problems.

task

The object of the present invention is therefore to construct and install a guiding or stabilizing grid between the second knife gate and the cross cutting knife so that the knives and the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate have a high lateral stability or that their lateral deflection is prevented. At the same time, however, the stabilizing grid should also be easy to produce and ensure easy cleaning and easy assembly of the cutting device.

solution

Starting from a machine of the type described above, the aforementioned object is achieved in that the stabilizing webs of the stabilizing grid at their front, the second knife gate facing end surfaces with back surfaces of the blades of the second knife gate and / or back surfaces of the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate in at least one Direction perpendicular to the feed direction are connected directly in a force-transmitting manner and in particular in the form of a positive and / or material connection. The stabilizing grid is composed of a plurality of fixedly connected stabilizing webs which intersect at right angles and thus form rectangular openings through which the strip-shaped material to be cut is passed. About the particular positive (tongue and groove) or cohesive (soldered, glued or welded) connection of the back surfaces of the knife or the back surfaces of the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate with the end faces of the stabilizing webs of the stabilizing grid is achieved that acting on the blades or stabilizing webs forces, and in particular forces which occur transversely to the feed direction of the material to be cut are distributed and discharged via the stabilizing grid. In the machine according to the DE 198 32 945 C2 If necessary, the back sides of the blades of the second blade gate or of the stabilizing webs of the second blade gate may undergo a frictional connection with the stabilizing webs of the stabilizing screen in a deflection in the feed direction, but this is not sufficient to avoid deflections perpendicular to the feed direction. It is understood that the material connection provided according to the invention as an alternative to the positive connection is only applicable where there is no relative movement between the components to be coupled, ie at the stationary stabilizing webs of the second knife gate with the likewise stabilizing webs of the stabilizing grid. On the back of the blades of the second knife gate, on the other hand, there must be a form-locking connection with the stabilizing webs of the stabilizing grid.

In principle, the force-transmitting connection between the back surfaces of the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate and the end faces of the stabilizing webs of the stabilizing grid can also be formed as a cohesive connection. Preferably, however, the force-transmitting connection should be between the back surfaces of the blades of the second knife gate or between the back surfaces of the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate on the one hand and the end faces of the stabilizing webs of the stabilizing grid on the other hand positively to achieve a safe and easily reversible and recoverable coupling between the two components ,

The connection, for example in the form of tongue and groove connection, should in this case be shaped in such a way that a displacement of the blades or the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction is counteracted.

Preferably, a group of stabilizing webs of the stabilizing grid oriented parallel to one another should have slots in which rear edge strips of the knives or stabilizing webs of the second knife gate running perpendicular to the slotted stabilizing webs engage. This ensures that, depending on whether neither the blades nor the stabilizing webs of the second blade gate can bend perpendicular to their longitudinal direction.

The slots formed in the stabilizing webs of the stabilizing grid continue in a line, preferably also in opposite frame legs of the grid frame of the stabilizing grid. As a result, the knives or the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate additionally receive particular lateral hold via their rear edge strips.

Furthermore, breakthroughs in the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate allow the passing of the knife of the second knife gate arranged perpendicular to the stabilizing webs. The apertures are each circumferentially closed, so that the back surfaces of the blades of the second knife gate can be supported during cutting on the narrow sides of the walls bounding the knife back faces of the walls delimiting the respective apertures, whereby a further increase in strength also occurs in the feed direction.

Through the slots in the stabilizing bars and in the grid frame of the stabilizing grid and through the openings in the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate is ensures that both the knives and the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate are precisely guided, which ensures that the knives and the stabilizing webs of the second knife gate are exactly aligned with the stabilizing webs of the stabilizing grid at all times. This prevents the cutting material from being pushed frontally against parts of the stabilizing webs of the stabilizing grid, thus avoiding upsetting and crushing of the cutting material.

Stainless steel should preferably be used as the material for the stabilizing grid, which is particularly suitable for such cutting devices because of its material properties. The grid itself should be made of one piece, which due to the high manufacturing accuracy shaping of the stabilizing webs should be done by spark erosion.

embodiment

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment of a cutting machine not shown in its entirety, but known from the prior art from its basic structure forth with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It shows:

FIG. 1:

a 3-D view of the cutting device of the cutting machine in the assembled state,

FIG. 2:

a top view of the cutting device against the feed direction of the material to be cut,

FIG. 3:

a section through the cutter along the line III-III according to FIG. 2 .

FIG. 4:

a section through the cutter along the line IV-IV according to FIG. 2 .

FIG. 5:

a detailed view of the area V according to FIG. 3 ,

In FIG. 1 is a cutting device 1, consisting of a in the feed direction (VSR) of the material to be cut seen first knife gate 2, followed by a rotated by 90 ° second knife gate 3 and further followed by a stabilizing grid 8, shown in perspective; a plan view of the cutting device 1 opposite to the feed direction of the material to be cut shows FIG. 2 , In the gate gates 2 and 3 are each parallel in the longitudinal direction and arranged at a distance from each other a plurality of blades 4, which are detachably connected via a suspension 5 with the knife gates 2 and 3 respectively. On the knife gates 2 and 3, sliding bars 6 are furthermore fastened in the cutting direction parallel to the knives 4 by means of fastening screws 10, which in turn are slidably mounted in bearing bores 22 of a holding frame 14. To carry out the cutting movement, the knife gates 2 and 3 are driven in an oscillating manner at their ends formed to form anchors 7 via an eccentric, not shown here, in each case in the longitudinal direction of the knives 4.

The preferably square stabilizing grid 8 consists of a plurality of stabilizing webs 18a and 18b bordered by a grid frame 13, which are arranged so as to be grid-connected with one another and with the grid frame in such a way that the stabilizing webs 18a intersect at right angles with the stabilizing webs 18b. The stabilizing webs 18a of the stabilizing grid 8 are aligned with the knives 4 of the knife gate 3, while the stabilizing webs 18b are aligned with the stabilizing webs 12 of the second knife gate 3 aligned with the knives 4 of the first knife gate 2. Since the number and distances of the stabilizing webs 18a and 18b of the stabilizing grid 8 to one another and thus the number, shape and size of the openings in the stabilizing grid 8 are defined by the number and spacing of the blades 4 in the knife gates 2 and 3, these openings have a square cross-section , The stabilizing grid 8 is releasably secured by screws 9 on the support frame 14 so that the screw heads of the screws 9 are completely sunk in the assembled state in the lattice frame 13. This ensures trouble-free cutting of the strip-shaped material to be cut by the cross-cutting blade.

FIG. 3 shows a section through the cutting device 1 on the line III III according to FIG. 2 , The section allows a view along the knife 4 of the first knife gate 2 on a transverse thereto, cut in its longitudinal direction knife 4 of the second knife gate 3, which is passed through openings 11 in the stabilizing webs 12 of the second knife gate 3. The breakthroughs 11 are better recognizable because of FIG. 5 shown enlarged.

The knives 4 of the first knife gate 2 are precisely aligned with the stabilizing webs 12 of the second knife gate 3 and are supported in the feed direction of the material to be cut with back surfaces 16 on end faces 15 of the stabilizing webs 12 of the second knife gate 3 from. As a result, the cutting device 1 is able to easily cut even hard or frozen material to be cut.

On the other hand, the knives 4 of the second knife gate 3 are supported with their back surfaces 16 on end faces 19 of the stabilizing webs 18a of the stabilizing grid 8, the knives 4 also being exactly aligned with the stabilizing webs 18a, and secondly supporting themselves with their back surfaces 16 the back surfaces 16 facing narrow sides of the circumferentially closed openings 11 from (s. FIG. 4 ).

By slightly frictional movements of the material to be cut produced when cutting by friction on the side surfaces of the blades 4 of the first blade gate 2, the blades 4 of the second blade gate 3 could bend slightly due to their length and small thickness transversely to the feed direction of the material to be cut. This would lead to the blades 4 of the second blade gate 3 no longer being precisely aligned with the stabilizing webs 18a of the stabilizing grid 8, whereby the material to be cut would be pressed partially against the end faces 19 of these stabilizing webs 18a. In this case, the cutting material could suffer compression and bruising and a clean, straight cutting by the cross-cutting blade would then no longer possible. Therefore, have the openings 11 in the stabilizing webs 12 of the second blade gate 3, as shown FIG. 4 it can be seen, so narrow openings that the blades 4 of the second blade gate 3 can be supported on the longitudinal sides of the openings 11 and thus a permanent exact alignment of these blades 4 is ensured with the stabilizing webs 18a.

How out FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 can be seen, the stabilizing webs 12 of the second knife gate 3 are aligned with the stabilizing webs 18b of the stabilizing grid 8. In this case, the stabilizing webs 12 via back surfaces 17 in direct positive engagement with these stabilizing webs 18b. The movement of the material to be cut triggered by friction on the knives 4 of the second knife gate 3 could likewise lead to lateral deflections of the stabilizing webs 12 of the second knife gate 3 and thus impair the exact alignment of these stabilizing webs 12 with the stabilizing webs 18b of the stabilizing grid 8. This would then also lead to compression and crushing of the material to be cut on the stabilizing webs 18b of the stabilizing grid 8.

As in FIG. 5 this is prevented by the fact that in the stabilizing webs 18a of the stabilizing grid 8, which are aligned with the knives 4 of the second knife gate 3 and opposite to the feed direction of the material to be cut have a slightly greater depth as the perpendicular to them and aligned with the stabilizing webs 12 stabilizing webs 18b, slots 21 are incorporated, in which the stabilizing webs 12 of the second knife gate 3 engage with rear edge strips 20. These slots 21 continue as grooves until in the grid frame 13 (s. FIG. 1 ), whereby the area in which the rear edge strips 20 of the stabilizing webs 12 of the second knife gate 3 engage is considerably increased. By this lateral fixation of the stabilizing webs 12, a lateral bending of the same is prevented and achieved a permanent exact alignment with the associated stabilizing webs 18b.

As a material for the stabilizing grid 8 stainless steel is provided, which still has a high strength, even at low material thicknesses. Since the stabilizing webs 18 are formed very thin in accordance with the knives 4 and the stabilizing webs 12, the stabilizing grid 8 is therefore not made of several individual parts but in one piece. Because of the complex structure of the workpiece and the required high dimensional accuracy, it is therefore provided to produce the stabilizing grid 8 preferably via the method of spark erosion.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

cutter

2

knife gate

3

knife gate

4

knife

5

suspension

6

sliding bar

7

anchor

8th

Reinforcement mesh

9

screw

10

fixing screw

11

breakthrough

12

stabilization bar

13

lattice frame

14

holding frame

15

face

16

backrest

17

backrest

18a

stabilization bar

18b

stabilization bar

19

face

20

edge strips

21

slot

22

bearing bore

VSR

feed direction

Claims (8)

Machine for slicing foodstuffs into strips or cubes, comprising a feed area for the food to be cut, a cutting device (1) and a feed device with which the food can be advanced from the loading area in the direction of the cutting device (1) comprising a first and a second knife gate (2, 3) each having a plurality of mutually parallel and spaced apart elongated knife (4), wherein the second knife gate (3) with stabilizing webs (12) is provided, the openings (11) for the the stabilizing webs (12) intersecting knife (4) of the second knife gate (3) and wherein viewed in the feed direction behind the second knife gate (3) a detachable from this stabilizing grid (8) is arranged, a plurality of crossing stabilizing webs (18a, 18b ), viewed in the feed direction in each case with the knives (4) of the first knife gate S (2) and / or the blades (4) of the second blade gate (3) are aligned, further, the stabilizing webs (18a, 18b) of the stabilizing grid (8) are secured at opposite ends to a grid frame (13), which at a Holding frame (14) of the second knife gate (3) is fixed, characterized in that the stabilizing webs (18a, 18b) of the stabilizing grid (8) at their front, the second knife gate (3) facing end surfaces (19) with back surfaces (16) of Knife (4) of the second knife gate (3) and / or with back surfaces (17) of the stabilizing webs (12) of the second knife gate (3) in at least one direction perpendicular to the feed direction directly in a force-transmitting manner, in particular form-fitting and / or materially connected , Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the stabilizing webs (18a, 18b) of the stabilizing grid (8) are positively connected to the stabilizing webs (12) of the second knife gate (3) and / or to the knives (4) of the second knife gate (3) are. Machine according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that stabilizing webs (18a, 18b) of the stabilizing grid (8) are connected to stabilizing webs (12) of the second knife gate (3) and / or to the knives (4) of the second knife gate (3) are that a displacement of the stabilizing webs (12) and / or the Knife (4) of the second knife gate is counteracted in each case in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal direction. Machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a group of mutually parallel stabilizing webs (18a) of the stabilizing grid (8) has slots into which the stabilizing webs (12) extending perpendicularly to the slotted stabilizing webs (18a) of the stabilizing grid (8) ) of the second knife gate (3) or knife (4) of the second knife gate (3) engage with rear edge strips. Machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the grid frame (13) has opposite frame legs, which are provided with slots (21) into which the knives (4) and / or the stabilizing webs 812) of the second knife gate (3 ) intervene. Machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the stabilizing webs (12) of the second knife gate (3) have circumferentially closed openings through which the blades (4) of the second knife gate (3) are passed. Machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the knives (4) of the second knife gate (3) in the cutting operation of the machine with their back surfaces (16) are each supported on one of these facing narrow side of the respective opening limiting wall. Machine according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the stabilizing grid (8) is formed in one piece and is preferably made by means of spark erosion of stainless steel.

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