GB2078101A

GB2078101A - Cutting vegetable

Info

Publication number: GB2078101A
Application number: GB8015626A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: MALORDEAN Ltd
Current assignee: MALORDEAN Ltd
Priority date: 1980-05-12
Filing date: 1980-05-12
Publication date: 1982-01-06
Also published as: GB2078101B

Abstract

Apparatus 1 for cutting a vegetable or other foodstuff, to produce a chip or slice, comprises cutting means 19 shaped to produce a cut which, in plan, is non-linear, and arranged to enable the vegetable to be sliced in spaced-apart but substantially parallel planes. The pivot point 9 may be moved along a slot 21 so that adjacent cuts are out of phase. A further embodiment comprises a rotary plate with radial non-linear cutters. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for cutting vegetables This invention relates to methods and apparatus for cutting vegetables into chips or slices of various cross-sectional shapes. Reference will be made hereinafter to the cutting of potatoes but it should be understood that the methods and apparatus of the present invention may be applied to other foodstuffs.

Hitherto, commonly used methods of cutting chips from potatoes have included a method in which the potatoes are forced through sharpened metal latices or meshes. Such a method can bruise the potato thereby adversely affecting the taste. Apparatus for carrying out such a method is available ;n a manually operated version but requires a relatively large pressure to force the potato through the lattice.

Another known method involves the use of two sets of rotating blades, the axis of rotation of the sets being orthogonal to each other and also to the direo tion in which the potatoes are caused to move towards the sets of blades. The first set of blades slices the potatoes and the second set cuts the slices into chips. This method only allows square or rectangular cross-sectioned chips to be cut.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for cutting a vegetable or other foodstuff to produce a chip or a slice, the device comprising cutting means shaped to produce a cut which, in plan, is non-linear and arranged to enable the vegetable to be sliced in spaced-apart but substantially parallel planes and with the non-linearity of the cut in one plane being out of phase with the non-linearity of the cut in an adjacent plane.

The present invention also provides a method for cutting a vegetable or other foodstuff to produce a chip or a slice, the method comprising slicing the vegetable in spaced-apart but substantially parallel planes, each slice being, in plan, non-linear and the non-linearity in one plane being out of phase with the non-linearity in an adjacent plane.

Apparatus in accordance with the present invention should have the ability to be able to slice the vegetable with the non-linearity of one cut out of phase with that of an adjacent cut although a particular embodiment of apparatus of the invention may be capable of being operated with the non-linearity of adjacent cuts in phase.

A slice or a chip produced according to the method of the present invention may be of any crosssectional shape. For example, chips having a square, rectangular, circular diamond or hexagonal shaped cross-section may easily be made.

According to one preferred embodiment of apparatus in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an elongate cutter mounted for pivotal movement about or near to one end, the cutter being shaped to produce a non-linear slice through a potato and being mounted so that the pivot point of the cutter may be moved linearly of the cutter so that the non-linearity of adjacent cuts may be out of phase.

A second preferred embodiment of apparatus in accordance with the present invention is provided with a cutter which is mounted for sliding movement in the direction of cut and also for limited movement at right angles to this direction to enable adjacent cuts to be made out of phase with each other.

A third preferred embodiment of apparatus in accordance with the present invention is provided with a cutter mounted for rotational movement, the cutter having two radially disposed and substantially diametrically oppositely arranged cutting blades.

Preferably the cutting blades are arranged so that the non-linearity of one blade is radially out of phase with the non-linearity of the other blade.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device of Figure 1, the device shown in one cutting position; Figure 3 is a further side elevation of the device of Figure 1, the device being in a second cutting position; Figure 4 is a front elevation of a second device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 is a plan view of the device of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a further plan view of the device of Figure 4 but with the cutter in a different cutting position; Figure 7 is a plan view of the cutting plate of a third device in accordance with the present invention;; Figure 8 is a section through the cutting plate of Figure 7; and Figure 9 is a similar section through the cutting plate of Figure 7 but with the cutting plate rotated through 1800.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, a first embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention includes a base 1 which may be made of, for instance, plastics or metal. Base 1 is provided with an integral, vertical rear wall 3 and an integral flange 5 which extends along one side of base 1 from rear wall 3 about half way along base 1. Also integral with base 1 and upwardly extending therefrom is a support post 7, the upper end of which is turned over to locate a pin 9. Extending upwardly from a position about half way up post 7 to the turned over end thereof is a centrally located elongate slot 11.

Afurtherelongate slot 13 is located close to and parallel with an edge 15 of wall 3. This slot 13 extends from the upper surface of wall 3 to the upper surface of base 1 and slot 13 is aligned with slot 11 so that a plane passing through the centre of these slots is parallel to a longitudinal edge 17 of base 1.

The device is provided with a knife 19 which is mounted for pivotal movement about pin 9, the latter passing through a longitudinal slot 21 provided near one end 23 of the knife. At its other end knife 19 is provided with a handle 25.

Considering the "blade" of knife 19 to extend from handle 25 to the remote end 23 of the knife, a first flat portion 27 of the blade extends from handle 25 and, as shown in Figure 1, passes through slot 13. Extend ing from portion 27 of the blade across a central region of knife 19 is profiled portion 29. As seen in plan this portion 29 of the blade is non-linear. Rather it has a form not dissimilar to square waveform, although the sections linking the longitudinal sections (for instance section 32 linking longitudinal sections 31 and 33) is inclined ratherthan perpendicular to the longitudinal sections.

The bottom edge 35 of profiled portion 29 is a sharp edge to enable this portion of the knife to slice through potatoes.

Extending from profiled portion 29 to end 23 of knife 19 is flat portion 37.

The operation of the device is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Potato 39 is firmly held against wall 3 and flange 5, with the blade 19 in a raised position and with pin 9 abutting that end of slot 21 which is remote from end 23. With the blade maintained in this position relative to pin 9 it is pivotted downwardly to the position shown in Figure 2. This causes a slice of potato, having an average thickness equal to the distance between slot 13 and edge 15 of wall 3, to be detached from the body of the potato. The blade is then raised and the body of the potato moved towards flange 5 until it abuts thereagainst.

The knife 19 is moved linearly in a direction from end 23 towards handle 25 until pin 9 abuts against that end of slot 21 closer to end 23. The resultant position is as shown in Figure 3. The knife is then pivotted downwardly so as to cut through potato 39 once again. The length of slot 21 and the dimensions of sections 31,32 and 33 of profiled portion 29 of the blade are such that this second "slice" through the potato is exactly out of phase, or in anti-phase, with the first "slice". Because of the shape of the profiled section 29, there is cut from potato 39 not a single slice but rather a plurality of hexagonal crosssectioned chips. In the language of waveforms, the length of slot 21 should be equal to half the wavelength of the profile of section 29.

The slicing action of the knife is then repeated, after further movement of the potato 39 to abut against flange 5. It will be appreciated that with this and each subsequent slice being effected with the linear position of the blade relative to pin 9 being alternated for successive slices, further chips will be cut.

Referring to Figures 4to 6, a second device in accordance with the present invention includes a plate 51 which is mounted for vertical sliding movement within guides 53 and 55. These guides enclose flat edge portions 57 and 59 of plate 51. Between these edge portions 57 and 59 the plate is profiled in a manner similar to portion 29 of the knife of the device of Figures 1 to 3.

Attached to the top of plate 51 is a handle 61 by means of which plate 51 may be moved down within the guides 53 and 55.

The bottom edge of the profiled portion of plate 51 is sharp to enable the plate to cut through a potato.

The width of plate 51 is less than the distance between the outer ends of the guideways defined by guides 53 and 55. This enables the plate 51 to be moved laterally between the position shown in Figure 5 and that shown in Figure 6.

The guides 53 and 55 are mounted on a base 63 and integral with and extending upwardly from the front of base 63 is a flange 65.

The operation of the device is similar to that of the device of Figures 1 to 3 except that the cutter is reciprocated in a vertical plane rather than being pivotted in a vertical plane. As with the earlier described device the plate 51 is moved laterally between each "slice" in orderthat hexagonal cross-section chips are formed at each "slice".

In embodiments which are otherwise similar to eitherthe embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 or the embodiment of Figures 4 to 6, the movement of the cutter by half a "wavelength" between each slice is replaced by an arrangement in which the lateral position of the cutter remains fixed but the potato itself is located on a support which is moved laterally relative to the cutter between each "slice".

Referring to Figures 7 to 9, a third device in accordance with the present invention includes a housing (not shown) within which there is located a circular plate 81 which is mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to and passing through the centre of the plate 81. The rotation of plate 81 may be effected either manually or by means of an electric motor.

The plate includes cutters 83 and 85 which extend radially from opposite sides of the centre of plate 81 and which, as best seen in Figures 8 and 9, are profiled in a manner similar to the cutting portions of the devices described above with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 4to 6.

As viewed in Figure 7, plate 81 is otherwise divided into substantially flat portions with diametrically opposed regions 87 and 89 being at the level of the upper portions of profiled cutters 83 and 85 and diametrically opposed regions 91 and 93 being at a level below cutters 83 and 85, as indicated in Figures 8 and 9. Regions 87 and 93 are interconnected by means of stepped portion 95 and regions 89 and 91 are inter-connected by means of stepped portion 97.

In order to "slice" a potato, the potato is loaded into the housing so that it rests on plate 81. It is held against this plate and as the plate rotates, anticlockwise as shown in Figure 7, it is "sliced" alternately by cutters 83 and 85. After being, for instance, sliced by cutter 83 a relatively high region 87 of the plate passes under the potato followed by the relatively low region 93. Cutter 85 then slices through the potato and, since the cutters 83 and 85 are arranged out of phase with each other the result is that hexagonal chips are removed from the potato and fall into the space below plate 81. The plate continues to rotate, higher region 89 and then lower reg ion 91 passing below the potato until cutter 83 reaches the potato and further hexagonal chips are removed therefrom.

It will be appreciated that the devices described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 4to 6 may be operated so as to provide slices rather than chips by not moving the cutter laterally between the "slices" or only moving itto an amount less than half the "wavelength" of the profiled section of the cutter. In the embodiment of Figures 7 to 9, a similar effect may be achieved by replacing the plate 81 by another plate in which the diametrically opposed cutters are not completely out of phase.

It will be further appreciated that the crosssectional shape of the chip or slice which is produced by any of the above-described devices depends upon the shape of the cutter and, for instance, chips, having a square, rectangular, diamond or circular cross-section can just as easily be made, depending upon the shape of the cutter employed.

Claims

1. Apparatus for cutting a vegetable or other foodstuff to produce a chip or slice, the device comprising cutting means shaped to produce a cut which, in plan, is non-linear and arranged to enable the vegetable to be sliced in spaced-apart but substantially parallel planes.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the non-linearity of said cut in one plane is out of phase with the non-linearity of the cut in an adjacent plane.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said non-linearity of said cutting means is shaped so as to produce square, rectangular, circular, diamond or hexagonally cross-section shaped chips.

4. Apparatus for cutting a vegetable or other foodstuff to produce a chip or a slice, said apparatus comprising an elongate cutter mounted for pivotal movement about or near to one end, the cutter being shaped to produce a non-linear slice through a vegetable or other foodstuff, and being mounted so that the pivot point of the cutter may be moved linearly of the cutter so that the non-linearity of adjacent cuts may be out of phase.

5. Apparatus for cutting a vegetable or other foodstuff so as to produce chips or slices, said apparatus comprising a cutter mounted for sliding movement in the direction of cut and also for limited movement at right angles to this direction to enable adjacent cuts to be made out of phase with each other.

6. Apparatus for cutting a vegetable or other foodstuff so as to produce chips or slices, said apparatus comprising a cutter mounted for rotational movement, the cutter having two radially disposed and substantially diametrically oppositely arranged cutting blades.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said cutting blades are arranged so that the non-linearity of one blade is radially out of phase with the non linearity of the other blade.

8. A method for cutting a vegetable or other foodstuff to produce a chip or slice, the method comprising slicing the vegetable in spaced-apart but substantially parallel planes, each slice being, in plan, non-linear, and the non-linearity in one plane being out of phase with the non-linearity in an adjacent phase.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 and substantially as herein described.

10. Apparatus for cutting vegetables or other foodstuffs into chips or slices substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A method according to claim 8 and substantially as herein described.

12. A method of cutting a vegetable or other foodstuff to produce a chip or slice substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.