GB2048653A

GB2048653A - An appliance for processing food

Info

Publication number: GB2048653A
Application number: GB8006654A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Moulinex SA
Current assignee: Moulinex SA
Priority date: 1979-03-01
Filing date: 1980-02-27
Publication date: 1980-12-17
Also published as: FR2450092B1; GB2048653B; ES489065A1; DE8004961U1; IT8020284A0; BE881975A; CH634736A5; IT1140749B; FR2450092A1

Abstract

An appliance for grating food has a rotatable drum (10) detachably received in a chamber to which food is fed via a funnel (24). Food grated by perforations in the wall of the drum (10) emerges from an outlet orifice (28). The base (30) of the chamber supports a rotatable shaft (32) which carries a drive member (38). The peripheral surface of the member (38) has a plurality of equally spaced helical ribs (40) each arranged to engage in a respective notch (44), Fig 4 (not shown) provided in the end-plate (18) of the drum (10). Rotation of the shaft (32) in the direction of arrow F causes the end-plate (18) to remain captive on the drive member during rotation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An appliance for processing food The invention relates to household appliances for processing food, in particular for grating vegetables.

According to the present invention there is provided an appliance for processing food comprising a rotatable drum having a perforated side wall, one end of the drum being open and the other end of the drum being closed by an end-plate, a chamber for receiving said drum with the axis of the drum extending substantially horizontally, the chamber having an outlet orifice at one end arranged to surround the open end ofthe drum, and the chamber having a substantially vertical base at the other end arranged to be adjacent to the end plate of the drum, a feed funnel opening into the side wall of the chamber, and a substantially horizontal rotatable shaft supported by the base of the chamber, the shaft carrying a drive member arranged to be detachably coupled to the end plate of the drum, wherein the drive member has a plurality of equally spaced helical ribs on its peripheral surface which form a thread, and the end plate has a substantially central hole, the rim of which has a plurality of notches each arranged to receive a respective one of said ribs, rotation of the drive member in the winding direction of the helical ribs being arranged to cause the end plate of the drum to engage on the drive member towards the base of the chamber.

Thus, in an appliance of the invention substantially autdmatic coupling of the drive member to the endplate of the drum is provided.

The coupling of the drum to the drive member is initially effected by means of a simple thrust exerted by the user on the drum until the notches are engaged with the ribs. Subsequently, when the shaft is caused to rotate, the drum is positioned on the drive' member. The position is maintained autdmatically throughout the time for which the shaft rotates.

After the shaft has stopped, it will be understood that in order to uncouple the drum, the user only needs to pull the drum out of the chamber.

An embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example, with reference to the accdmpanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows an axial section of an appliance of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the drum of the appliance of Figure 1, partly in axial section and partly in elevation; Figure 3 shows a section of the appliance of Figure 1 without the drum; and Figure 4 is an external view of the back of the drum, the contour of a chamber and funnel of the appliance being represented in dash-dot lines.

The appliance shown in Figure 1, which can be used for grating vegetables, comprises a rotary cylindrical drum 10 disposed with its axis horizontal.

The cylindrical side wall of the drum is made of metal and is provided with perforations 12 as shown in Figure 2. The drum 10 is open at one end 14, its other end 16 being closed by a metal end-plate 18 on which the edge of the cylindrical side wall is crimped at 20 (Figure 4). The drum 10 is' mounted in a chamber 22 which is generally cylindrical in shape. A feed funnel 24 for vegetables opens into the generally cylindrical wall of the chamber from one side. At one end, the chamber 22 has a wide outlet orifice 28 for grated vegetables which surrounds the open end 14 of the drum, and at the other end the chamber 22 has a vertically arranged base 30 which is located adjacent the end-plate 18 of the drum.In its central region, this base 30 supports a horizontal rotatable shaft 32 which has a polygonal cross-section at its external end 34 for driving connection with a suitable drive unit (not shown). At its other end the shaft 32 carries a drive' member 38 projecting into the chamber 22 and arranged to be detachably coupled to the end plate 18 of the drum.

In the embodiment illustrated, the drive member 38 comprises a body which is substantially cylindrical in shape, its external peripheral surface carrying six equally spaced helical ribs 40 which together form a kind of thread with several threads of elongated pitch. A hole 42 passes through the centre of the end-plate 18 of the drum, the rim of the hole 42 having six notches 44 which are each arranged to receive one of the ribs 40 with a small amount of play.

To facilitate the introduction of the ribs 40 into the notches 44, each rib 40 is provided with a part 46 in the form of a point (Figures 1 and 3) at its end pointing towards the outlet orifice 28.

It will be appreciated that when the user requires to operate the appliance the drum 10 is firstly introduced into the orifice 28 of the chamber 22 and is then pushed horizontally into the chamber 22. During this' movement, the notches 44 initially slide over the points 46 of the ribs 40 of the drive member 38 and then engaged with these ribs 40. Subsequently, when the shaft 32 is caused to rotate in the direction of the arrow F in Figure 1,the drum positions itself on the drive' member 38 as the rotation of the drive member in the winding direction of the helical ribs 40 causes the end-plate 18 to engage, as a result of a screw action, on the drive membertowards the base 30 of the chamber 22.In order to prevent the end 16 of the drum 10 from rubbing against the base 30 of the chamber 22, that region of the drive member38 which is closest to this base cdmprises abutment means which restrict the engagement of the end plate 8 on the drive' member. As shown, these abutment means are formed by heels48 provided transversely in the gaps between the ribs 40.

Once the grating operation has ended, and after the shaft 32 has stopped, the user removes the drum frdm the appliance, for example to wash it. To remove the drum, the user pulls it horizontally out of the chamber 22, whilst at the såme time leaving it free to rotate slightly, relative to the drive' member in the direction of the arrow F. This movbment causes, in a simple and easy manner, the uncoupling of the drum and the drive member.

1. An appliance for processing food cdmprising a rotatable drum having a perforated side wall, one end of the drum being open and the other end of the drum being closed by an end-plate, a chamber for receiving said drum with the axis of the drum

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION An appliance for processing food The invention relates to household appliances for processing food, in particular for grating vegetables. According to the present invention there is provided an appliance for processing food comprising a rotatable drum having a perforated side wall, one end of the drum being open and the other end of the drum being closed by an end-plate, a chamber for receiving said drum with the axis of the drum extending substantially horizontally, the chamber having an outlet orifice at one end arranged to surround the open end ofthe drum, and the chamber having a substantially vertical base at the other end arranged to be adjacent to the end plate of the drum, a feed funnel opening into the side wall of the chamber, and a substantially horizontal rotatable shaft supported by the base of the chamber, the shaft carrying a drive member arranged to be detachably coupled to the end plate of the drum, wherein the drive member has a plurality of equally spaced helical ribs on its peripheral surface which form a thread, and the end plate has a substantially central hole, the rim of which has a plurality of notches each arranged to receive a respective one of said ribs, rotation of the drive member in the winding direction of the helical ribs being arranged to cause the end plate of the drum to engage on the drive member towards the base of the chamber. Thus, in an appliance of the invention substantially autdmatic coupling of the drive member to the endplate of the drum is provided. The coupling of the drum to the drive member is initially effected by means of a simple thrust exerted by the user on the drum until the notches are engaged with the ribs. Subsequently, when the shaft is caused to rotate, the drum is positioned on the drive' member. The position is maintained autdmatically throughout the time for which the shaft rotates. After the shaft has stopped, it will be understood that in order to uncouple the drum, the user only needs to pull the drum out of the chamber. An embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example, with reference to the accdmpanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows an axial section of an appliance of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the drum of the appliance of Figure 1, partly in axial section and partly in elevation; Figure 3 shows a section of the appliance of Figure 1 without the drum; and Figure 4 is an external view of the back of the drum, the contour of a chamber and funnel of the appliance being represented in dash-dot lines. The appliance shown in Figure 1, which can be used for grating vegetables, comprises a rotary cylindrical drum 10 disposed with its axis horizontal. The cylindrical side wall of the drum is made of metal and is provided with perforations 12 as shown in Figure 2. The drum 10 is open at one end 14, its other end 16 being closed by a metal end-plate 18 on which the edge of the cylindrical side wall is crimped at 20 (Figure 4). The drum 10 is' mounted in a chamber 22 which is generally cylindrical in shape. A feed funnel 24 for vegetables opens into the generally cylindrical wall of the chamber from one side. At one end, the chamber 22 has a wide outlet orifice 28 for grated vegetables which surrounds the open end 14 of the drum, and at the other end the chamber 22 has a vertically arranged base 30 which is located adjacent the end-plate 18 of the drum.In its central region, this base 30 supports a horizontal rotatable shaft 32 which has a polygonal cross-section at its external end 34 for driving connection with a suitable drive unit (not shown). At its other end the shaft 32 carries a drive' member 38 projecting into the chamber 22 and arranged to be detachably coupled to the end plate 18 of the drum. In the embodiment illustrated, the drive member 38 comprises a body which is substantially cylindrical in shape, its external peripheral surface carrying six equally spaced helical ribs 40 which together form a kind of thread with several threads of elongated pitch. A hole 42 passes through the centre of the end-plate 18 of the drum, the rim of the hole 42 having six notches 44 which are each arranged to receive one of the ribs 40 with a small amount of play. To facilitate the introduction of the ribs 40 into the notches 44, each rib 40 is provided with a part 46 in the form of a point (Figures 1 and 3) at its end pointing towards the outlet orifice 28. It will be appreciated that when the user requires to operate the appliance the drum 10 is firstly introduced into the orifice 28 of the chamber 22 and is then pushed horizontally into the chamber 22. During this' movement, the notches 44 initially slide over the points 46 of the ribs 40 of the drive member 38 and then engaged with these ribs 40. Subsequently, when the shaft 32 is caused to rotate in the direction of the arrow F in Figure 1,the drum positions itself on the drive' member 38 as the rotation of the drive member in the winding direction of the helical ribs 40 causes the end-plate 18 to engage, as a result of a screw action, on the drive membertowards the base 30 of the chamber 22.In order to prevent the end 16 of the drum 10 from rubbing against the base 30 of the chamber 22, that region of the drive member38 which is closest to this base cdmprises abutment means which restrict the engagement of the end plate 8 on the drive' member. As shown, these abutment means are formed by heels48 provided transversely in the gaps between the ribs 40. Once the grating operation has ended, and after the shaft 32 has stopped, the user removes the drum frdm the appliance, for example to wash it. To remove the drum, the user pulls it horizontally out of the chamber 22, whilst at the såme time leaving it free to rotate slightly, relative to the drive' member in the direction of the arrow F. This movbment causes, in a simple and easy manner, the uncoupling of the drum and the drive member. CLAIMS

1. An appliance for processing food cdmprising a rotatable drum having a perforated side wall, one end of the drum being open and the other end of the drum being closed by an end-plate, a chamber for receiving said drum with the axis of the drum extending substantially horizontally, the chamber having an outlet orifice at one end arranged to sur round the open end of the drum, and the chamber having a substantially vertical base at the other end arranged to be adjacent to the end plate of the drum, a feed funnel opening into the side wall of the chamber, and a substantially horizontal rotatable shaft supported by the base of the chamber, the shaft carrying a drive member arranged to be detachably coupled to the end plate of the drum, wherein the drive member has a plurality of equally spaced helical ribs on its peripheral surface which form a thread, and the end plate has a substantially central hole, the rim of which has a plurality of notches each arranged to receive a respective one of said ribs, rotation of the drive member in the winding direction ofthe helical ribs being arranged to cause the end-plate of the drum to engage on the drive member towards the base of the chamber.

2. An appliance as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at its end pointing towards the outlet orifice each rib has a part in the form of a point arranged to facilitate the introduction of the ribs into the notches in the end-plate.

3. An appliance as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the region of the drive member which is closest to the base of the chamber comprises abut mont means which restrict the engagement of the end-plate of the drum on said drive member.

4. An appliance for processing food substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.