GB1560877A

GB1560877A - Slicing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB1560877A
Application number: GB14761/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-04-14
Filing date: 1978-04-14
Publication date: 1980-02-13

Description

(54) SLICING APPARATUS (71) We, ADOLF CAVIER and RUDOLF MAASS, both German citizens of Flerrentwiete 49a, 2000 Hamburg 56, Germany and Bahrenfelder Chaussee 73, 2000 Ham- burg 50, Germany, respectively do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to slicing apparatus and particularly to slicing apparatus of the type having a plurality of circular cutting knives which rotate in planetary fashion.

The slicing apparatus of the invention is particularly of value in slicing foodstuffs such as cold meats and in particular is of value for slicing smoked salmon.

Various devices are already known in which attempts have been made to carry out such slicing automatically. For example, according to German Gebrauchsmuster 1 831 114 a disc slicing machine is disclosed in which a set of circular knives is provided which rotate and circulate in palanetary fashion in a vertical plane. The apparatus described has a magazine for receipt of the material to be cut and means for pressing it perpendicularly against the cutting edges of the circular knives. Oblique cuts, such as are, for example, preferred when slicing smoked salmon, cannot be carried out using this device. Cleaning and sharpening of the knife blades in such apparatus requires substantial disassembly work and reassembly after cleaning or sharpening, which takes up a lot of time and is generally inconvenient.

German Offenlegungsschrift 1 632 120 discloses apparatus in which a rotating circular knife is repeatedly passed in a swinging fashion over a magazine which holds the material to be sliced. In this case also the material to be cut is urged in a direction at right angles to the cutting plane of the knife. This apparatus likewise does not permit an oblique cut to be made.

According to the present invention there is provided slicing apparatus including a plurality of circular knives so arranged that they rotate in planetary fashion around a stationary sun wheel, a cutting table which is so arranged that it turns about the axis of the sun wheel during the circular move ment of the cutting knives and which is adjustable in height relative to the cutting plane of the knives, wherein associated with each knife is a circular support part which substantially covers the side of the knife remote from the cutting table, and which runs with its associated knife about the axis of the sun wheel while maintaining a fixed position relative to the cutting table.

Such an apparatus may be constructed with feed of the material to be sliced obliquely to the plane of circulation of the knives and the apparatus is found to be capable of cutting smoked salmon sides into thin slices of good appearance and even thickness.

It is particularly surprising that the apparatus of the present invention produces satisfactory results even with smoked salmon having regard to the peculiarities of that material which are not shared with other foodstuffs such as sausages. In contrast to such other foodstuffs, smoked salmon is not a particularly solid material but it requires to be cut into thin even slices.

The success of the apparatus of the in- vention is believed to arise mainly from the provision of the circular support parts which overlie each of the circular cutting knives.

These support parts constitute a solid surface on to which the material from which a slice is just being cut comes to lie directly behind the cutting edge. It is found that the cut off slice has an even thickness over its entire extent and the support part also appears to prevent deformation of the material being cut giving rise to serrated, peaking or ripple marks on the slices.

Preferably the rotating knives are mounted on a common support member and the apparatus includes a guide for feeding the material to be cut at an acute angle relative to the turning plane of the knives.

Such a common support member for the knives may be driven by the engagement of a plurality of pins in corresponding apertures on the support member, the pins being mounted on a rotary member turned by a suitable drive motor . Preferably the sun wheel around the axis of which the cutting knives rotate in planetary fashion is fixed relative to an appropriate apparatus frame.

A particularly convenient way of constructing apparatus according to the invention is to provide a lid attached to a machine frame carrying the cutting knives and cutting table and to provide a feed device for the material to be sliced on the lid.

Such a feed device may be capable of angular adjustment so as to feed the material to be sliced at the desired angle relative to the plane of the circulating knives. For smoked salmon, it is found that the smoked salmon side should preferably be fed at an angle of 18 to 20" relative to the circulating plane of the knives.

For adjusting the thickness of the slices, the cutting table is adjustable in height.

Both the cutting table and the circular support parts which substantially cover the cutting knives are preferably provided with arcuate grooves to assist the passage of the material being sliced over those surfaces.

In use of the apparatus, as the cutting table, knives and support parts are rotated about the axis of the sun wheel, successive slices are removed from the material fed to the cutting plane those slices passing through the gap between the edge of the cutting knife and a circular aperture in the cutting table coaxial with the axis of rotation of the knife. A suitable conveyor mechanism is provided below the table for collecting the slices and removing them from the apparatus.

The invention is illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Figure 1 is a vertical section through slicing apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 but without the lid; Figure 3 is a plan view similar to Figure 2 but with the circular support parts removed and a knife sharpening device installed, and Figure 4 is a side view on an enlarged scale of the sharpening device shown in Figure 3.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 the apparatus comprises a machine frame 1 having an upper support plate 2. Mounted inside frame 1 is a drive motor 3 with an associated gearbox 4. An outward shaft 5 of gearbox 4 passes through the centre of a sun wheel 6 which is fixed to plate 2 and carries a drive member 61.

Drive member 61 bears four upwardly directed pins 7 which engage in bores in a knife carrier 8.

Mounted on knife carrier 8 are two bearings 12 in each of which a shaft 11 is rotatably set. The lower half of each shaft 11 carries a planet gear wheel 10 while to its upper end is fixed a circular cutting knife 9. Bearings 12 are balibearings and as carrier 8 is rotated around the axis of shaft 5 by means of driving member 61, the knives turn on their axes by interengagement of planet gear wheels 10 with the fixed sun wheel 6.

Also mounted on carrier 8 via adjustable mountings 14 are a pair af arcuate cutting table parts 13. Raising or lowering these cutting table parts by means of devices 14 narrows or widens the gap respectively between the cutting edge of knife 9 and the upper surface of cutting table part 13 and accordingly sets the apparatus to cut thinner or thicker slices respectively.

Appropriately mounted for rotation together with drive member 61 is a supporting bridge 28 each end of which carries a circular support part 29 which is arranged to lie above and adjacent knife 9. The assembly of bridge 28 and the circular support parts 29 may be removed as a unit for cleaning purposes and also when it is desired to sharpen the knives as explained below. The circular support part may be supported relative to the knife in each case by a balibearing or the like.

Moth support parts 29 and cutting table parts 13 are provided with a plurality of arcuate grooves 27 centred on the axis of shaft 5.

Carrier 8 is supported on rollers 18 set in fork members 17 mounted on the upper ends of piston rods 16 of piston cylinder devices 15 fixed to plate 2. Piston rods 16 pass through suitable apertures in fixed sun wheel 6.

Hinged at 20 to plate 2 is a lid 19 which carries a guide 21 for the material to be sliced. This guide is set an an acute angle to the cutting plane of knives 9, preferably between 15 and 35". The lower end of the guide debouches at an area past which the peripheries of rotating knives 9 pass when the machine is operated. Within guide 21 is provided a guide rail 22 on which a clamp 23 slides which clamp is adapted to grasp the material to be sliced and feed it, for example under hydraulic pressure, downwardly along the guide 21.

Below the end of guide 21 and underneath the cutting table there is provided a conveyor belt 24 for transporting the cut slices away. Fixed to support plate 2 is a mounting 25 which carries a turn-round roller 26 around which conveyor belt 24 passes.

In use motor 3 is energised and shaft 5 driven at a suitably reduced speed via gearbox 4. Pins 7 on member 61 cause carrier 8 to rotate and engagement of wheels 10 with wheel 6 turns the knives. The grooves 27 diminish the friction between the material to be sliced and the cutting table or circular support parts. The material to be cut is continuously fed downwardly in guide 21 and slices fall continuously on to conveyor belt 24 which is driven at an appropriate speed. Usually, belt 24 is driven at a relatively low speed so that the slices are laid down in overlapped fashion on the belt. Because of the horizontal arrangement of the knives and the conveyor belt lying directly thereunder, the slices are laid down arranged in the same way as they were in the material from which they were sliced; this is otherwise than in the earlier types of apparatus referred to above.If the conveyor belt is driven at a suitable speed, when the apparatus is used for slicing smoked salmon, the deposited set of slices are almost indistinguishable in appearance from the original smoked salmon side.

If it is desired to clean the apparatus and/ or sharpen the knives lid 19 is simply lifted and fluid under pressure introduced to piston cylinder devices 12. This urges piston rods 16 upwardly so lifting carrier 8 on rollers 18 and disengaging pins 7 from carrier 8. This constitutes a safety feature of the machine as the drive to the knives is accordingly disengaged and if the motor switch is inadvertently operated while cleaning the machine or setting it up for knife sharpening there is no risk of injury e.g. to fingers. The drives in the knives can be restored simply by operating an appropriate control valve to relieve the pressure in the hydraulic cylinders 15, so lowering piston rods S6, carrier 8 and the parts it supports.

Figures 3 and 4 show a knife sharpening device for use in connection with the apparatus of the invention. The knife sharpening device consists of a central mounting 106 which can be fixed on to the upper end of shaft 5 by means d a fixing screw 107. Mounting 106 bears 1800 apart two mountings each carrying two rotary bearings 105. Each bearing 105 is fixed on one side to a rocker arm 108 by means of a nut 102 and bears on its opposite side a conical sharpening disc 101. Compression springs 103 are located between the sharpening disc and mounting on the one hand or between the rocker arm 108 and bearing 105 on the other.

In order to sharpen the knives 9, lid 19 of the apparatus is lifted and the assembly of bridge 28 and circular support parts 29 removed. Mounting. 106 is slipped over shaft 5 in an angular position where discs 101 do not overlap knives 9 and then rotated so that each pair of cutting discs 101 lie one above and one below the respective knife 9.

Mounting 106 is then fixed to shaft 5 by tightening fixing screw 107, and motor 3 then operated to rotate the knives 9 and accordingly to sharpen them as they pass between sharpening discs 101. After sufficient sharpening has taken place, the motor is switched off, the sharpening device removed by reversing the procedure indicated above and the assembly of bridge 28 and circular support parts 29 refitted.

It is to be understood that the number of knives in the device is not limited to two.

Three, four or more knives each with its associated bearing and planetary gear may be mounted on a common carrier 8 with cutting table sections 13 shaped appropriately between them.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. Slicing apparatus including a plurality of circular knives so arranged that they rotate in planetary fashiqn around a stationary sun wheel, a cutting table which is so arranged that it turns about the axis of the sun wheel during the circular movement of the cutting knives and which is adjustable in height relative to the cutting plane of the knives, wherein associated with each knife is a circular support part which substantially covers the side of the knife remote from the cutting table, and which runs with its associated knife about the axis of the sun wheel while maintaining a fixed position relative to the cutting table.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the rotating knives are mounted on a common support member and the apparatus includes a guide for feeding the material to be cut at an acute angle relative to the turning plane of the knives.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the sun wheel is rigidly fixed to a frame constituting the frame of the apparatus.

4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including a lid on which a guide for feeding material to be cut

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Below the end of guide 21 and underneath the cutting table there is provided a conveyor belt 24 for transporting the cut slices away. Fixed to support plate 2 is a mounting 25 which carries a turn-round roller 26 around which conveyor belt 24 passes. In use motor 3 is energised and shaft 5 driven at a suitably reduced speed via gearbox 4. Pins 7 on member 61 cause carrier 8 to rotate and engagement of wheels 10 with wheel 6 turns the knives. The grooves 27 diminish the friction between the material to be sliced and the cutting table or circular support parts. The material to be cut is continuously fed downwardly in guide 21 and slices fall continuously on to conveyor belt 24 which is driven at an appropriate speed. Usually, belt 24 is driven at a relatively low speed so that the slices are laid down in overlapped fashion on the belt. Because of the horizontal arrangement of the knives and the conveyor belt lying directly thereunder, the slices are laid down arranged in the same way as they were in the material from which they were sliced; this is otherwise than in the earlier types of apparatus referred to above.If the conveyor belt is driven at a suitable speed, when the apparatus is used for slicing smoked salmon, the deposited set of slices are almost indistinguishable in appearance from the original smoked salmon side. If it is desired to clean the apparatus and/ or sharpen the knives lid 19 is simply lifted and fluid under pressure introduced to piston cylinder devices 12. This urges piston rods 16 upwardly so lifting carrier 8 on rollers 18 and disengaging pins 7 from carrier 8. This constitutes a safety feature of the machine as the drive to the knives is accordingly disengaged and if the motor switch is inadvertently operated while cleaning the machine or setting it up for knife sharpening there is no risk of injury e.g. to fingers. The drives in the knives can be restored simply by operating an appropriate control valve to relieve the pressure in the hydraulic cylinders 15, so lowering piston rods S6, carrier 8 and the parts it supports. Figures 3 and 4 show a knife sharpening device for use in connection with the apparatus of the invention. The knife sharpening device consists of a central mounting 106 which can be fixed on to the upper end of shaft 5 by means d a fixing screw 107. Mounting 106 bears 1800 apart two mountings each carrying two rotary bearings 105. Each bearing 105 is fixed on one side to a rocker arm 108 by means of a nut 102 and bears on its opposite side a conical sharpening disc 101. Compression springs 103 are located between the sharpening disc and mounting on the one hand or between the rocker arm 108 and bearing 105 on the other. In order to sharpen the knives 9, lid 19 of the apparatus is lifted and the assembly of bridge 28 and circular support parts 29 removed. Mounting. 106 is slipped over shaft 5 in an angular position where discs 101 do not overlap knives 9 and then rotated so that each pair of cutting discs 101 lie one above and one below the respective knife 9. Mounting 106 is then fixed to shaft 5 by tightening fixing screw 107, and motor 3 then operated to rotate the knives 9 and accordingly to sharpen them as they pass between sharpening discs 101. After sufficient sharpening has taken place, the motor is switched off, the sharpening device removed by reversing the procedure indicated above and the assembly of bridge 28 and circular support parts 29 refitted. It is to be understood that the number of knives in the device is not limited to two. Three, four or more knives each with its associated bearing and planetary gear may be mounted on a common carrier 8 with cutting table sections 13 shaped appropriately between them. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. Slicing apparatus including a plurality of circular knives so arranged that they rotate in planetary fashiqn around a stationary sun wheel, a cutting table which is so arranged that it turns about the axis of the sun wheel during the circular movement of the cutting knives and which is adjustable in height relative to the cutting plane of the knives, wherein associated with each knife is a circular support part which substantially covers the side of the knife remote from the cutting table, and which runs with its associated knife about the axis of the sun wheel while maintaining a fixed position relative to the cutting table.

is fixed, means for adjusting the angle between the guide and the lid and a hinge connection between the lid and a frame constituting the frame of the apparatus.

5. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the cutting table and the circular support parts are provided with grooves

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the circular sup port parts are mounted on a holder mounted on the axis of the sun wheel enabling their simultaneous removal from the apparatus.

7. Slicing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.