GB1304292A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1304292 Cutting machine J McAULAY 2 Nov 1971 [9 Nov 1970] 53094/70 Heading A4C [Also in Division B5] A machine for cutting a solid or semi-solid block of material, such as cheese or butter, comprises first and second wire grids 22, 40 mounted perpendicularly to each other for cutting the block into successively smaller blocks, a first ram 20 for moving the block through the first grid 22, and a second ram 30 for moving the cut block through the second grid 40. The block is pushed along a working surface 21 of a machine bed 12 by a pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly 16 mounted at one end thereof. A vertically extending frame 23 is integral with the other end of the machine bed and comprises a plurality of mutually perpendicularly disposed steel wires 24 which define a plurality of rectangles within the frame. Adjacent the frame 23 a vertical ram 30 is disposed which has a horizontal table of transparent plastics material with a serrated upper surface 30a. A hand wheel (38) Fig.3, (not shown), is provided for raising and lowering the table with respect to the horizontally extending wire grid 40 which contains a plurality of closely spaced wires 42. When the second ram 30 has pushed the cut block through the second grid the serrations of the table on the vertical ram project a small distance above the grid and thus facilitate the removal of the cut blocks. A safety feature of the apparatus incorporates two series-connected start buttons both of which must be pressed to actuate the machine.