GB2263629A

GB2263629A - Food slicer

Info

Publication number: GB2263629A
Application number: GB9201793A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Zan Michael Zannetos
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-01-28
Filing date: 1992-01-28
Publication date: 1993-08-04
Also published as: GB9201793D0

Abstract

A slicing machine for cutting slices from a foodstuff, e.g. donor kebabs, comprises a rotatable guide (11) and a blade (4), the rotatable guide (11) being adjustably located adjacent to a cutting edge of the blade (4) and defining a gap (G) between the cutting edge and the rotatable guide (11). The blade (4) is located within a housing (1) which encloses substantially all of the blade (4), exposing only a minor portion of the cutting edge adjacent to the rotatable guide. The guide may be a roller, and the machine may be one with a disc blade or may be an electric knife. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION "A slicing machine".

The present invention relates to a slicing machine and more particularly relates to a slicing device adapted to slice food products such as doner kebabs, meat or fish.

Doner kebabs are cooked by forming, on a skewer, a cylindrical body of spiced meat, and mounting the skewer on a cooking apparatus which comprises a motor adapted to rotate the skewer, and a vertical burner or heater which is located adjacent the skewer. As the skewer rotates the outer portion of the meat cooks and is sliced off, thus revealing an uncooked inner part which is then cooked during the continuing rotation of the skewer.

When removing a slice of meat from the doner, the rotation of the skewer is discontinued and the person operating the cooking apparatus manually removes a slice of the doner kebab with a knife. This operation can be dangerous, especially for a person operating a doner kebab grill with a steady stream of customers who will be frequently cutting slices of meat from the doner, which may, if the operator is in a great hurry, lead to accidents. Also, the quantities of meat and the thickness of the meat will vary, leading to inconsistent portions.

To achieve the desired slicing effect with a knife requires a high level of skill and concentration.

The present invention seeks to provide a slicing machine wherein the above disadvantages are overcome, or at least mitigated.

Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides a slicing device for cutting slices from a foodstuff comprising a housing, a cutting means received in the housing with a portion of the cutting edge of the cutting means exposed and a rotatable guide mounted on the housing in spaced relation to the exposed cutting edge to define a gap determining the thickness of the slices cut by the cutting means.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows a slicing device in plan view; FIGURE 2 shows the slicing device of Figure 1 through section A-A; FIGURE 3 shows one embodiment of a roller; FIGURE 4 shows another embodiment of a roller; and FIGURE 5 shows yet another embodiment of a roller.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a slicing device embodying the present invention and intended primarily for slicing kebabs, comprises a substantially circular housing 1 to which cylindrical collar 2 is secured. A skirt portion 3 on the circumference of the housing 1 is provided which has sufficient depth to enclose cutting means 4 which consists of a rotatable circular cutting blade 4. The housing 1 has a portion cut away along a chord line, which exposes a minor portion of a cutting edge of the cutting means 4. The housing 1 may be closed by a cover plate (not shown) clipped onto skirt 3 of the housing, so as to enclose the cutting blade 4.

A bracket 5 is mounted on the housing 1 adjacent to the cut-away portion. The bracket 5 comprises a lip 6 extending downwardly over the cut-away portion of the housing 1 to a position just above the blade 4. Bracket 5 also comprises two parallel upright arms 7 and 8 on which are mounted supports 9 and 10. Supports 9 and 10 are hingedly mounted to upright arms 7 and 8 (by adjusting bolts 17 and 18). The free edges of the support plates 9 and 10 adjacent to the cutting means 4 are dimensioned such that the support plates 9 and 10 do not interfere with the rotation of the cutting means 4.

A rotatable guide 11 is supported between supports 9 and 10 in a position above and in spaced relation to the cutting edge of blade 4. The rotatable guide 11 consists of a roller provided with a series of interspaced annular ridges 20 along the shaft 22 of the roller 11. The annular ridges 20 on the roller 11 help to prevent the slicing device from skating away from the kebab to be sliced when the rotating cutting means 4 comes into contact with the kebab. The roller 11 rotates about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis of the blade 4.

The blade 4 is centrally mounted on mounting shaft 12 which extends upwardly through the housing and is surrounded by collar 2. A small portion of the mounting shaft 12 protrudes above the height of collar 2. The longitudinal axis of mounting shaft 12 defines the rotation axis of the blade 4.

The mounting shaft 12 cooperates with a flexible drive shaft (not shown), which has a surrounding sleeve which is secured by locking bolts 14 and 15 to the collar 2. The blade is locked in position on the mounting shaft 12 by blade mounting means 16. The rotatable guide 11 is separated from the cutting edge of the blade 4 by a gap G.

The lip 6, support plates 9 and 10 and roller 11 all act as guards which prevent the user's fingers from coming into contact with the blade 4.

The roller may take many forms. Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment, roller 19 formed with annular ridges 20 interspaced down a shaft 22. The annular ridges 20 stop the slicing device from skating from side to side as the blade grips the meat when it rotates. Thus the annular ridges 20 guide the roller down the meat in a substantially straight line.

Figure 4 shows a roller 11 which has tapered portions 23 and 24 which direct the meat to be cut towards the centre of shaft 25.

Figure 5 shows roller 11 with tapered portions 26 and 27 and with shaft 28 provided with annular ridges 29.

The combination of tapered portions 26 and 27 and annular ridges 29 provides a stable guide roller 11.

In operation of the device, the slicing device is positioned adjacent the kebab preferably with the blade uppermost and the drive shaft 12 pointing downwards. The roller 11 is placed in contact with the meat and the slicing device is angled towards the meat so that the blade 4 comes in contact with the meat and cuts into the meat.

Using the roller 11 as a guide, the slicing device is drawn downwards, keeping the roller 11 and blade 4 in contact with the meat, thereby cutting slices of meat from the kebab. The slices are of a uniform thickness and are obtained easily without danger to the user. There is no skill required to use the slicing device and consistent results can be obtained.

By releasing adjusting bolts 17 and 18, the gap G between the roller 11 and the blade 4, can be increased or decreased as required by pivoting the support plates 9 and 10. This allows different thicknesses of meat to be sliced from the kebab.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to one specific embodiment in which the roller is mounted leading the blade, it is to be appreciated that the roller may also be mounted trailing the blade or mounted in both trailing and leading positions.

The invention could be incorporated onto an electric knife, rather than a rotating blade, with the rotatable guide provided adjacent and parallel to the cutting edge of the electric knife.

The roller could also be replaced by a rod provided with interspaced rotatable discs to provide a rotatable guide.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A slicing device for cutting slices from a foodstuff comprising a housing, a cutting means received in the housing with a portion of the cutting edge of the cutting means exposed and a rotatable guide mounted on the housing in spaced relation to the exposed cutting edge to define a gap determining the thickness of the slices cut by the cutting means.

2 A slicing device according to Claim 1, wherein the rotatable guide is a roller.

3. A slicing device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the cutting means is a circular rotatable cutting blade.

4. A slicing device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the housing is substantially circular and is provided with a cut-away portion defined by a chord line across the circular outline of the housing.

5. A slicing device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the gap between the cutting edge and the rotatable guide can be adjusted.

6. A slicing device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the rotatable guide is rotatably mounted on two supports at opposed ends of the rotatable guide, the supports being pivotally mounted to a bracket which is in turn secured to the housing.

7. A slicing device according to Claim 6, wherein the gap between the cutting edge and the rotatable guide is adjusted by loosening adjusting bolts and pivoting the supports into a desired position.

8. A slicing device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein a lip is provided which covers the space between an upper surface of the cutting means and the housing, the lip preventing foodstuff from lodging between the housing and the cutting means and guiding the sliced foodstuff away from the slicing device.

9. A slicing device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the cutting means is driven by a motor.

10. A slicing device according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the cutting means is coupled to a motor by a mounting shaft.

11. A slicing device according to Claim 10, wherein the mounting shaft is surrounded by a collar fixedly mounted to the housing.

12. A slicing device according to Claim 11, wherein the mounting shaft is coupled to the motor by a flexible drive shaft.

13. A slicing device according to Claim 12, wherein the flexible drive shaft comprises a flexible core rotatable relative to a flexible surrounding sleeve, the flexible core being coupled to the mounting shaft and the surrounding sleeve being secured to the collar.

14. A slicing device according to Claim 9, wherein the motor is mounted on the slicing device.

15. A method of using a slicing device according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the slicing device is held adjacent to the foodstuff to be sliced, the rotatable guide is placed in contact with the foodstuff and the slicing device is angled such that the cutting means also comes into contact with the foodstuff, the slicing device is then stroked along the foodstuff with the rotatable guide leading the cutting means.

16. A slicing device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.