GB2157945A

GB2157945A - Rotary high-speed automatic slicer

Info

Publication number: GB2157945A
Application number: GB08410778A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chin Yang Hsieh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-04-27
Filing date: 1984-04-27
Publication date: 1985-11-06
Also published as: GB8410778D0

Abstract

A food slicer comprises a horizontal flat plane 3 on which a blade 19 is mounted with adjustable clearance, and a rotor assembly 2 rotatable relative to said plane about a vertical axis 16. The rotor assembly is provided with two food holders 21, each having means 23 to press the food into contact with said plane as the assembly rotates. The blade 19 may also rotate about a vertical axis. To produce strips instead of slices, the food is made to traverse a row of upwardly-projecting teeth before being sliced. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rotary high-speed automatic slicer This invention relatesto an automaticslicerfor kitchen use.

Existing slicers such as the kinds shown in FIGS. 5,6 present the disadvantage thattheytend to make loud noise of impact in operation, and are only adapted to slice a loaf of frozen meat having the proper hardness.

Improper hardness ofthe meat loaf often results in the trouble of the machine. It cannot be use to slice a meat loaf which is too hard, or the food which is too soft, too crisp ortoo tough.

The object ofthis invention isto provide an improved slicing mechanism adapted to the slicing of most food, whereby the aforesaid drawbacks are obviated.

Numerous advantages ofthis invention will be better understood when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: FIG. is a perspective view of this invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of this invention; FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view of this invention taken along the line A-A of Figure 2; FIG. 4 is a graphical representation showing the power transmission ofthis invention; FIG. and 6 are two conventional slicers.

Referring to FIG. 1, this invention comprises transmission mechanism (1), rotor assembly (2) and platform (3), etc. in which the transmitor mechanism serves to rotate the rotor assembly (2) and blade (19).

The rotor assembly (2) has two food receivers (21) connected by a connecting arm (24) fixed on and driven by the rotary shaft (16), which also causes the co-rotation of the pressing rods (22) and the pressing pieces (23),to perform the slicing in cooperation with the blade (19).

As shown in FIG. 2, a supporting rod (25) is provided in each receiver (21) which allows the pressing piece (23) to be received therein. Since thetrajectory of the receivers are surrounded by the raiser (31), the cut-off slice which fails to slip into the slot beside the blade will be stopped by the raiser and left in the platform .

Blades (32) are mounted on the platform (3) for slicing thefood. As shown in FIG. 3, transmission mechanism (1) includes motor (11), belt (12), transmission shaft (13), worm (14), worm (15), rotary shaft (16), cutting shaft (17), clutch (18), etc. The rotation of motor (11) is transmitted through the belt (12) to turn transmission shaft (13), which in turn, drives worm (14) and worm (15) through engaging gears to rotate rotary shaft (16) and cutting shaft (16).The rotation of rotor assembly can be caused orstopped by means of clutch (18). (We disengagethecoupling instead of switching off the machine because it is more facile in continuous use.) Due to the different pitches of worms (14) and worm (15), the rotary shaft (16) and cutting shaft (17) may attain different speed, to slice the foodstuff. Before starting the motor, when we are loading the foodstuff to be sliced, we must atfirst check if it has enough weightto exert an enough pressure. If it does not has sufficientweight,then depressthe pressing rods (22) into the receivers (21) with their pressing pieces (23) urging againstthefoodstuffto stabilize it. Thiswill facilitate the slicing, and make the slicing very fast.

When the slicing is finished, disengage the clutch (18) to stop the rotary shaft (16). Since the slices cut off from the load strip through a slot near the blade and fall along a chute (all not shown) and are collected in an alien (not belong to this machine) collector, for example a basket, the receivers are now vacant, and we can load another loafs. The thickness of the slice can be regulated by altering the clearance between the blade and the platform. The cutting shaft (17) drives the blade (19). For relativelysoftfood such as vegetables, the rotation of blade (19) is not necessary, and only the rotation of rotary shaft is sufficient.

However, for hard food such as a forzen beef load, the rotation of the blade can achieve much better result.

The pressing rod has considerable weight, sufficient to provide a downward pressure on the food.

The pressing piece (23) are provided with nails at the bottom side to fasten the food.

An outstanding advantage of this invention is its capabilityoffilleting apartfromslicing. Forthis purpose, a detachablefilleter (32) can be provided on the platform in the route ofthe foodstuff to be filleted before it reaches the blade (19). Thefilleter (3) is a toothed-rack-like structure with each tooth point defining a sharp edge and the distance of two adjacent teeth corresponds to the desired width of the fillets.

When a loaf of meat passes the edges, it is scratched to form a plurality of cuts at its bottom side. When the scratched bottom side is subject two the subsequence slicing, a plurality of fillets instead of a single slice is formed. Preferably the filleter is replaceable, so as to change the width of the fillets. In conventional slicers, the blade operates by reciprocation,which, at the end of each stroke causes the deceleration and noise, thus leading to low working efficiency. This problem is satisfactorily solved by the rotary operation according to this invention. The conventional slicers are res tricted to slice frozen meat having a definite hardness.

In contrast, this invention permits the slicing of various food like frozen meat chilled to - 1 00C as well as meat at normal temperature, and various vegitables. The conventional slicers serve onlyforslicing, whilethis invention can be used for both slicing and filleting. It's advantages is self-evident.

1. A rotary slicerforfood comprising a horizontal flat plane on which a blade is mounted with an adjustable clearance between said blade and said plane; characterised by that it has a rotor assembly which is rotatable relative to said plane about a vertical axis and on which there is provided receiver means to receive the food to be sliced and allow the food received therein always in pressure contact with said plane, and means to drive said rotor assembly.

2. The rotary slicer according to Claim 1, characterised by that said blade is rotatable about an axis parallel to said vertical axis.

3. The rotarysliceraccording Claim 1 orClaim2, characterised by that pressing means are provided to press the food retained in said receiver means downwardly.

4. The rotary slicer according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized bythat itfurther comprises filleting means, which comprises a plurality of parallel

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Rotary high-speed automatic slicer This invention relatesto an automaticslicerfor kitchen use. Existing slicers such as the kinds shown in FIGS. 5,6 present the disadvantage thattheytend to make loud noise of impact in operation, and are only adapted to slice a loaf of frozen meat having the proper hardness. Improper hardness ofthe meat loaf often results in the trouble of the machine. It cannot be use to slice a meat loaf which is too hard, or the food which is too soft, too crisp ortoo tough. The object ofthis invention isto provide an improved slicing mechanism adapted to the slicing of most food, whereby the aforesaid drawbacks are obviated. Numerous advantages ofthis invention will be better understood when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: FIG. is a perspective view of this invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of this invention; FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view of this invention taken along the line A-A of Figure 2; FIG. 4 is a graphical representation showing the power transmission ofthis invention; FIG. and 6 are two conventional slicers. Referring to FIG. 1, this invention comprises transmission mechanism (1), rotor assembly (2) and platform (3), etc. in which the transmitor mechanism serves to rotate the rotor assembly (2) and blade (19). The rotor assembly (2) has two food receivers (21) connected by a connecting arm (24) fixed on and driven by the rotary shaft (16), which also causes the co-rotation of the pressing rods (22) and the pressing pieces (23),to perform the slicing in cooperation with the blade (19). As shown in FIG. 2, a supporting rod (25) is provided in each receiver (21) which allows the pressing piece (23) to be received therein. Since thetrajectory of the receivers are surrounded by the raiser (31), the cut-off slice which fails to slip into the slot beside the blade will be stopped by the raiser and left in the platform . Blades (32) are mounted on the platform (3) for slicing thefood. As shown in FIG. 3, transmission mechanism (1) includes motor (11), belt (12), transmission shaft (13), worm (14), worm (15), rotary shaft (16), cutting shaft (17), clutch (18), etc. The rotation of motor (11) is transmitted through the belt (12) to turn transmission shaft (13), which in turn, drives worm (14) and worm (15) through engaging gears to rotate rotary shaft (16) and cutting shaft (16).The rotation of rotor assembly can be caused orstopped by means of clutch (18). (We disengagethecoupling instead of switching off the machine because it is more facile in continuous use.) Due to the different pitches of worms (14) and worm (15), the rotary shaft (16) and cutting shaft (17) may attain different speed, to slice the foodstuff. Before starting the motor, when we are loading the foodstuff to be sliced, we must atfirst check if it has enough weightto exert an enough pressure. If it does not has sufficientweight,then depressthe pressing rods (22) into the receivers (21) with their pressing pieces (23) urging againstthefoodstuffto stabilize it. Thiswill facilitate the slicing, and make the slicing very fast. When the slicing is finished, disengage the clutch (18) to stop the rotary shaft (16). Since the slices cut off from the load strip through a slot near the blade and fall along a chute (all not shown) and are collected in an alien (not belong to this machine) collector, for example a basket, the receivers are now vacant, and we can load another loafs. The thickness of the slice can be regulated by altering the clearance between the blade and the platform. The cutting shaft (17) drives the blade (19). For relativelysoftfood such as vegetables, the rotation of blade (19) is not necessary, and only the rotation of rotary shaft is sufficient. However, for hard food such as a forzen beef load, the rotation of the blade can achieve much better result. The pressing rod has considerable weight, sufficient to provide a downward pressure on the food. The pressing piece (23) are provided with nails at the bottom side to fasten the food. An outstanding advantage of this invention is its capabilityoffilleting apartfromslicing. Forthis purpose, a detachablefilleter (32) can be provided on the platform in the route ofthe foodstuff to be filleted before it reaches the blade (19). Thefilleter (3) is a toothed-rack-like structure with each tooth point defining a sharp edge and the distance of two adjacent teeth corresponds to the desired width of the fillets. When a loaf of meat passes the edges, it is scratched to form a plurality of cuts at its bottom side. When the scratched bottom side is subject two the subsequence slicing, a plurality of fillets instead of a single slice is formed. Preferably the filleter is replaceable, so as to change the width of the fillets. In conventional slicers, the blade operates by reciprocation,which, at the end of each stroke causes the deceleration and noise, thus leading to low working efficiency. This problem is satisfactorily solved by the rotary operation according to this invention. The conventional slicers are res tricted to slice frozen meat having a definite hardness. In contrast, this invention permits the slicing of various food like frozen meat chilled to - 1 00C as well as meat at normal temperature, and various vegitables. The conventional slicers serve onlyforslicing, whilethis invention can be used for both slicing and filleting. It's advantages is self-evident. CLAIMS

4. The rotary slicer according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized bythat itfurther comprises filleting means, which comprises a plurality of parallel edges running along the tangent direction ofthe circular route ofthe rotor assembly, and is secured on said plane.

5. A rotary slicersubstantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 4 ofthe accompanying drawings.