GB2133311A - Improvements in or relating to grinding means for condiments - Google Patents

Abstract

A set of tools for a condiment grinding means has in the female part 1 two diametrically opposed apertures 11, 12 forming an elongate diametric slot each side of the central aperture 8, and providing easy feed entry for condiment, especially peppercorns. The upper surface of the female tool has relatively angled surfaces 13 and 14 facilitating feed. The apertures 11 and 12 have generally straight side portions 16 and these develop into respective ramp surfaces which progress axially of the tools and which further taper in their width. These ramps extend around a major portion of the respective halves of the female grinding surface. This arrangement provides a gradual entry channel for peppercorns between the cooperating tools and the taper provides an initial crushing action. The taper further ensures that there is still a major portion of the female grinding tool surface available for grinding teeth, especially at the inner region thereof. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to grinding means for condiments This invention relates to an improved grinding means for condiments such as peppercorns or salt. Grinding means are known comprising two relatively rotatable cooperating grinding tools which may be arranged so that the teeth do not come into contact during rotation. With plastic grinding tools this avoids excessive wear and with metal tools it provides a safeguard against particles of metal becoming detached. Plastic tools have been preferred in view of immunity from corrosion although metal tools have the advantage of wear and better grinding properties.

Metal tools nevertheless do suffer from corrosion problems and they are also expensive to manufacture requiring a complex casting or machining techniques.

It is an object of this invention to provide firstly a configuration for the grinding tools which offers better performance, especially when grinding peppercorns, and secondly to provide a construction of grinding tools which enables same to be manufactured from stainless steel material which hitherto has not been possibie by known methods.

According to this invention there is provided a condiment grinding means comprising a pair of cooperating relatively rotatable male and female grinding tools, the grinding tools including cooperating grinding surfaces which are held spaced apart from one another during operation, the cooperating surfaces further including teeth extending in a radial direction across the surfaces, the female tool having diametrically opposed entry apertures to feed condiment to be ground between the cooperating surfaces with each aperture leading to a cavity provided between the grinding surfaces by cut-away portions of the female tool, the cut-away portions being defined by ramp surfaces, the width of the ramp surface tapering as the surface progresses axially and radially of the female tool.

With such a construction according to the invention the two opposed apertures provide unobstructed and easy entry for the condiment to be ground which is conveyed to a relatively long and slow taper of the ramp surface providing initial crushing and ensuring feed to the toothed cooperating surfaces of the grinding tools. By providing only two apertures in opposed relationship the female grinding tool may include a diametric elongate slot defining the two apertures at each end with a central portion to rotatably receive the male grinding tool. A further advantage of this arrangement is that the ramp surfaces may be made longer than hitherto and tapered so that the female tool may inciude toothed portions in the zones adjacent to the ramp.

The male grinding tool preferably includes notches or flat stepped profiled portions in the grinding surface thereof which serve to trap any condiment to prevent same riding over the teeth.

The construction according to the invention has been found to overcome the problem which occurs in certain circumstances where peppercorns for example due to their spherical profile tend to ride over the teeth in a rolling motion without being ground. A further and more particular advantage of the invention is that the construction for the tools enables same to be manufactured from stainless steel by a sintering process using powdered metal. Known constructions of grinding tool do not enable such a process to be performed, and hence it has hitherto not been possible to make such tools from stainless steel, at least in an economic manner.

One embodiment according to the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings illustrating only the male and female grinding tool parts of a condiment grinder.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 shows an underneath exploded view of the male and female grinding tools, Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the tools from above, Figure 3 shows an underneath view of the tools in cooperating relationship, Figure 4 shows an underneath plan view of the male grinding tool, Figure 5 is a section on AA of Figure 4, Figure 6 is an interior plan view of the female grinding tool, Figure 7 is a section on BB of Figure 6, and Figure 8 shows a top plan view of the male grinding tool with a detail of the surface.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to Figures 1 to 3, the grinding means comprises a female grinding tool 1 and a male grinding tool 2 which have respective cooperating grinding surfaces 3 and 4 of generally frusto-conical form.

The grinding surfaces 3 and 4 are provided with teeth extending in a generally radial direction and which may be straight edged as shown or helically curved. The teeth shown extend outwardly in a direction at an angle to a radial.

The male grinding tool 2 has a boss 5 with an associated collar 6 forming a bearing surface which, when the tools are assembled, abuts a complementary surface 7 of the female tool 1 with the boss 5 passing through aperture 8 in the female tool. This arrangement ensures that the male and female cooperating grinding surfaces do not come into physical contact but are maintained in a closely spaced relationship thereby avoiding particles of metal from being worn away from the teeth. The male tool includes a square bore 9 which engages with a shaft to enable rotary motion to be coupled to the male tool whilst the female tool is held stationary by means of screws passing through the cut-away parts 9 of a mounting flange 10.

In contrast with prior art constructions the grinding tools according to the present invention have only two diametrically opposed apertures for receiving the condiment 11 and 12. These apertures in the present example form an elongate diametric slot each side of the central aperture 8.

This provides easy entry for condiment especially peppercorns with the entry being assisted by the upper surface of the female tool having relatively angled part surfaces 13 and 14.

The entry apertures 11 and 12 have generally straight side portions 1 5 and these develop into respective ramp surfaces 1 6 which progress axially of the tools and which further taper in their width. These ramps extend around a major portion of the respective halves f the female grinding surface. This arrangement provides a gradual entry channel for peppercorns between the cooperating tools and the taper provides an initial crushing action. The taper further ensures that there is still a major portion of the female grinding tool surface available for grinding teeth, especially at the inner region thereof.

Another important advantage of this construction is that it enables the female grinding tool part to be manufactured from metal powder by a sintering process to produce a stainless steel tool. The male grinding tool 2 has teeth over a major portion of its surface excepting for cut-away portions 1 7 being in the nature of steps or ledges in the surface. The purpose of these is to ensure than any peppercorns which may tend to ride over the teeth when entering the ramp have an angled abutment surface which carries them forward to initiate the grinding.

A further feature of the ramp surfaces 16 is that the plane of the surface is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grinding tools with the inner edge defining the surface progressing outwardly in a helical manner, thus providing the outward taper to the surface.

As may be seen more clearly in Figure 6, this affords a relatively long path for initial entry and crushing of peppercorns whilst still providing a good area covered by teeth on the female grinding part which cooperate with the male part to provide finer grinding of the condiment during rotation. The elongate aperture in the female part also provides for better disturbance of peppercorns adjacent the top of the female tool, thus ensuring reduced risk of jamming and better feed than known constructions.

Claims (5)

1. A condiment grinding means comprising a pair of cooperating relatively rotatable male and female grinding tools, the grinding tools including cooperating grinding surfaces which are held spaced apart from one another during operation, the cooperating surfaces further including teeth extending in a radial direction across the surfaces, the female tool having diametrically opposed entry apertures to feed condiment to be ground between the cooperating surfaces with each aperture leading to a cavity provided between the grinding surfaces by cut-away portions of the female tool, the cut-away portions being defined by ramp surfaces, the width of the ramp surface tapering as the surface progresses axially and radially of the female tool.

2. A condiment grinding means according to Claim 1, wherein two apertures in opposed relationship are provided, the female grinding tool having an elongate slot defining the two apertures at each end with a central portion to ratatably receive the male grinding tool.

3. A condiment grinding means according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the ramp surfaces are tapered whereby the female tool includes toothed portions in the zones adjacent to the ramp.

4. A condiment grinding means according to any preceding Claim, wherein the make grinding tool includes notches or flat stepped profiled portions in the grinding surface thereof which serve to trap any condiment to prevent same riding over the teeth.

5. A condiment grinding means using tools as herein described with reference to the drawings.