FR2661862A1 - Method and machine for cutting miscellaneous products, such as mushrooms, into thin strips in the same orientation - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine comprises, on the one hand, a battery (1) of parallel saw blades (2, 3), moved in alternating translations, half of them in one direction and the other half in the opposite direction and, on the other hand, two conveyors (46, 47) facing one another, between the active lengths of which conveyors the products (9), suitably positioned, are clamped. According to the invention, each of the conveyors (46, 47) consists of a plurality of endless belts (48, 49) guided parallel to one another, and driven with continuous progression at the same speed and passing through the free spaces existing between the saw blades (2 and 3) without touching them in order to bring the products, without interrupting the clamping, from upstream where they are distributed whole and positioned, to downstream where they are discharged, cut into thin strips.

Description

Method and machine for cutting into strips in the same orientation of various products, such as mushrooms.

 The present invention relates to a method and a machine for cutting into strips in the same orientation of various products, such as mushrooms.

 The so-called Paris mushrooms are prepared for sale in different, more or less elaborate ways. They are generally cleaned, peeled and separated from the end of their foot. They are then offered whole or divided into strips.

 The mushrooms are cut to remove the end of their stalk in an automatic machine. They are then distributed and stored upside down on the lower conveyor of another automatic machine allowing them to be cut into strips.

 This known machine for cutting mushrooms into strips is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7. It includes a battery 1 of vertical saw blades 2 and 3 moved in alternative translations in front of the aforementioned lower conveyor 4 and an upper conveyor 5 located above . The active strands 6 and 7 of these conveyors 4 and 5 are arranged opposite one another, the active strand 6 of the lower conveyor 4 supporting the heads 8 of mushrooms 9 and the active strand 7 of the upper conveyor 5 retaining the 'trenched end 10 thereof so that said mushrooms are moved upside down by said carriers without risk of tipping.

 Half of the saw blades 2 is carried by a first frame 11 and the other half of the blades 3 interposed between the previous ones is carried by a second frame 12. The two frames are animated by an appropriate mechanism 13 of out-of-phase alternating movements in opposition. Thus, when a frame rises, the other frame descends, so that the faces of each of the strips 14 (FIGS. 2A to 2C) cut into each mushroom 9 results from the alternative action of a saw 2 and the alternative action in phase opposition of a saw 3.

 The mechanism 13 comprises a shaft 15 mounted pivoting about its axis in bearings of a fixed frame 16 and secured to a crank 17 connected by a connecting rod 18 to a pin 19 eccentric on a driving turntable 20. When the turntable, the shaft 15 alternately rotates in one direction and in the opposite direction.

 This shaft 15 is integral with spreaders 21 whose ends 22 and 23 projecting from both sides, are connected by rods 24 and 25 respectively, extending parallel to said shaft 15.

 The saw blades 2 are fixed between rules 26 and 27 integral with the frame 11, the upper cross member of which is connected to the fixed frame 16 by guide rods 28 and the lower cross member of which is provided with projecting tabs 29 fitted with caps 30 covering the rod 24.

 Similarly, the saw blades 3 are fixed between rulers 31 and 32 integral with the frame 12 whose upper cross member is connected to the fixed frame 16 by guide rods 33 and whose lower cross member is provided with protruding tabs 34 fitted with caps 35 covering the rod 25.

 Thus, when the plate 20 rotates, the saw blades 2 descend, while the saw blades 3 rise and vice versa.

 I1 follows that these blades 2 and 3 cut lamellae 14 in the mushrooms 9, but without these being stressed by the cut significantly more upwards than downwards.

 In this known machine, the conveyors 4 and 5 are endless bands having at least the width of the battery 1 of saw blades 2 and 3. The lower band 4 is wound on end rollers 36 and 37 mounted rotating in bearings of the fixed frame 16 and at least one of which is motorized.

 Similarly, the upper strip 5 is wound on end rollers 38 and 39 mounted to rotate in bearings of a carriage movable in height relative to the fixed frame 16; thus, it is possible to adjust the distance of the active strands 6 and 7 as a function of the height of the mushrooms 9, the stems of which were cut uniformly in the previous machine.

 As long as the fungi are positively driven by the active strands 6 and 7 of the carriers, they are perfectly positioned vertically. However, as soon as they reach the flared area 40 located between the rollers 37 and 39 in front of the saw blades 2 and 3, they are no longer held, nor positively driven by said active strands 6 and 7 of the carriers, they can therefore 'piling up in any orientation (Figures 2A to 2C) in this area and appear lengthwise, crosswise or obliquely in front of the saw blades by being pushed towards them by the following mushrooms.

 I1 results from this that the strips 14 cut by saws 2 and 3, the fictitious traces of which pass through products which pass through (the mushrooms 9 for example) are represented in FIGS. 2A to 2C by lines 41, can be skewed strips (Figure 2A), slats at an angle (Figure 23) or long slats (Figure 2C), the whole being mixed randomly.

 The lamellae 14 then fall at the outlet of the saw blades 2 and 3 onto the active strand 42 of an evacuation conveyor 43 whose endless wide strip is wound on end rollers 44 and 45.

 Sliced mushrooms of this type are sold in trays covered with a transparent film. The clientele does not appreciate this variety of slats and chooses the trays, the predominant of which consists of long slats. It is clear then that the remaining trays are discarded.

 The present invention aims to produce only long strips and thus improve the presentation and the brand image, thus increasing sales and at the same time reducing scrap.

 For this purpose, the present invention provides a particular method similar to the aforementioned known method in that it consists in moving the products through a battery of saw blades while keeping them pinched between their ends, the originality of the method of l 'invention residing in that the products in the path are pinched along their entire path including between the saws.

 The invention also extends to a machine implementing this method. It comprises, like the aforementioned known machine, on the one hand, a battery of parallel saw blades, put in alternative translations for half in one direction and for the other half in the opposite direction, on the other hand, two conveyors in look between the active strands from which the suitably positioned products are pinched, these conveyors extending in parallel planes substantially perpendicular to that of the saw blades. It is distinguished, however, by the fact that each of the conveyors is constituted by a plurality of endless belts, guided parallel to each other, driven in continuous movement at the same speed and crossing the free spaces existing between the saw blades without touching them to bring the products without interrupting the pinching, from upstream where they are distributed whole and positioned, downstream where they are evacuated cut into strips.

 According to a particular embodiment, the endless belts are wound on at least two end rollers are at least one is motorized and rest by their active strands on at least one upstream plate and a downstream plate located on either side of the battery of saw blades, the rollers and the plates having guide grooves in which said belts are arranged.

 Advantageously, the belts have a circular section and each fixed or rotating groove has a rectangular section to reduce the contact surfaces.

 Various other characteristics and advantages of the invention will also emerge from the detailed description which follows.

 An embodiment of the object of the invention is shown, by way of nonlimiting example, in the accompanying drawing.

On this drawing,
- in addition to FIG. 1 which is a schematic elevation section of the known machine described in the above,
- Figures 2A to 2C which are diagrams illustrating the cutting of mushrooms in this machine according to Figure 1.

FIG. 7 which is also a schematic elevation of the mechanism 13 driving the saws 2 and 3 of this known machine, a mechanism which is found in the machine of the invention,
are presented
FIG. 3 which is a view similar to FIG. 1 concerning the machine of the invention,
- Figure 4 which is a partial schematic top view taken along line IV-IV of Figure 3.

 - Figures 5 and 6 which are cross-sections taken, on a larger scale, along lines V-V and VI-VI respectively, of Figure 3.

 As indicated in the above, the conveyor belts 4 and 5 having a width at least equal to that of the battery 1 of saw blades 2 and 3 and must therefore be deflected before said battery by the rollers 37 and 39 to prevent them from being damaged by the saw blades. This particular arrangement determines the existence of the flared zone 40 in which the mushrooms 9 are free to take any orientation and thus tackle the saws without having retained the positioning induced upstream by pinching between said strips 4 and 5. .

 The machine of the invention comprises, on the one hand, the battery 1 of saw blades 2 and 3 moved by the mechanism 13 and, on the other hand, conveyors 46 and 47 which are distinguished from conveyors 4, 5 and 43 of the known machine by the following characteristics.

 First of all, the known wide conveyor belts 4 and 5 are replaced by sheets of endless belts 48 and 49 extending parallel to one another, spaced apart at the same pitch as the saw blades 2 and 3 and directed through the free spaces 50 existing between them.

 The belts 48 are wound, if we consider the direction of travel F of the mushrooms 9, around an upstream roller 51 located in front of the saw blades 2 and 3 and around a downstream roller 52 located behind said blades saw, as well as around return rollers 53 and 54 deflecting the web down to pass under the mechanism 13 for actuating the saw blades.

 In the same way, the belts 49 are wound around an upstream roller 55 situated in front of the saw blades 2 and 3 substantially in the same place as the roller 38 and around a downstream roller 56 situated behind said saw blades .

 Between the upstream rollers 51 and 55 and the downstream rollers 52 and 56, the belts 48 and 49 pass positively through the spaces 50 between the saw blades 2 and 3.

 Of course, they must be perfectly guided. To this end, in the embodiment chosen by way of nonlimiting example, said belts 48 and 49 are round (FIG. 5) and constituted by a wire of heat-sealable plastic.

Advantageously, this wire is made of polyurethane with a rough surface and to form an endless carrying belt, the cut ends of the wire are heat-sealed end to end. In this example, the belts have a diameter of approximately 4 mm and are distributed in a pitch of 6 mm which is that of saw blades 2 and 3.

 For guiding and driving the belts 48 and 49, the rollers 51 to 56 have grooves 57 and in this same example where the belts are round, the grooves have a rectangular section (Figure 5). In addition, at least one of the rollers 51 and 52 with fixed bearings is motorized; similarly, at least one of the rollers 55 and 56 with adjustable level bearings is motorized. The motors are such that the belts 48 and 49 run in the same direction F and at the same speed.

 In addition, for guiding and supporting the loaded belts, fixed plates 58 are mounted in the frame of the machine under the active side of the belts 48 (FIG. 3) and delimit grooves 60 (FIG. 6) substantially of the same rectangular section. than the grooves 57 of the rollers. In the same way, fixed plates 59 are mounted in the adjustable level carriage carrying the rollers 55 and 56 to extend under the active strand of the belts 49 and delimit grooves identical to the previous ones to receive the latter.

 The belts 48 and 49 are mounted tensioned. However, this initial tension may not be sufficient for the belts 48 not to deviate from their trajectory. If this is the case, tensioners not shown can intervene on the return strand of said belts 48 and comprise movable intermediate pulleys subject to springs, counterweights or the like and housed in loops formed on these belts.

 In the embodiment shown, the saw blades 2 and 3 extend vertically and the active strand of the plies of belts 48 and 49 extends horizontally. However, nothing prevents changing this orientation provided that the mushrooms can be properly positioned at the entrance of the belts.

 Of course, this machine makes it possible to slice into strips, not only mushrooms, but other fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, carrots ..., and other processed products.

Claims (7)

 1.- Method for cutting into strips in the same orientation of various products, such as mushrooms, consisting of moving said products through a battery of saw blades while keeping them pinched between their ends,  characterized in that the products in progress are pinched along their entire path, including between the saws.  2. Machine implementing the method according to claim 1, comprising on the one hand, a battery (1) of saw blades (2, 3) parallel, moved in alternative translations for half in one direction and for the other half in the opposite direction, on the other hand, two opposite conveyors (46, 47) between the active strands of which the products (9) suitably positioned are pinched, these conveyors extending in parallel planes substantially perpendicular to that of the blades saw,  characterized in that each of the conveyors (46, 47) consists of a plurality of endless belts (48, 49) guided parallel to each other, driven in continuous movement at the same speed and passing through the existing free spaces (50) between the saw blades (2 and 3) without touching it to bring the products without interrupting the pinching, from upstream where they are distributed whole and positioned, downstream where they are discharged cut into strips.  3.- Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the endless belts (47; 48) are wound on at least two end rollers (51, 52; 55, 56) of which at least one is motorized and rest by their active strands on at least one upstream plate and a downstream plate (58, 59) located on either side of the battery (1) of saw blades (2, 3) the rollers and the plates having guide grooves (57, 60) in which said belts are arranged.  4.- Machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the belts (47, 48) have a circular section.  5.- Machine according to claim 4, characterized in that each fixed (60) or rotating groove (57) has a rectangular section.  6.- Machine according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that each belt (47, 48) is made of plastic and more particularly of polyurethane.  7.- Machine according to claims 4 and 6, characterized in that the spacing of the saw blades (2, 3) being of the order of 6 mm, the diameter of each belt (47, 48) is substantially 4 mm.