GB227260A - Improvements in or relating to machines for cutting or slicing fruit, vegetables andthe like - Google Patents

Abstract

227,260. Bertschinger, J., and Lehmann, H. Dec. 3, 1923. Cutting and slicing fruit &c.-In a reciprocat. ing-knife machine two sets of vertical knives are moved at right angles to each other in a horizontal direction successively by one stroke of the operating handle, the carrier of one set of knives having also thereon a single knife the edge of which is horizontal, whereby fruit &c. is cut into cubes. This handle 6 is on the arm 5 of a lever 4, 5 pivoted at 7 on the machine frame 1, the arm 4 carrying a roller 9 which, through slot 10, 11, lever 13, vertical arm 15, Fig. 6, link 16, rocking lever 22, slot 23 therein and pin 24 on the cutter 26, moves the cutter 26 bearing the vertical knives 27 across the machine from front to rear. The cutter 26 is guided on fixed rods 28 and the blades 27 move in slots 30 in a table 33 integral with a slide 32 which moves transversely of the machine after the blades 27 have moved beyond 'the table 33 and into slots 38 in an L-shaped plate 35<a> removably fixed by screws 34 and wing nuts 35 above the table 33 and to the fixed machine frame. Other slots 39 in this plate 35<a> receive a second set of blades 40 mounted on a cutter 41 which is removably attached to the slide 32 by a set-screw 43. The driving means for this cutter 41 comprise a stud 44 on the lever 4, 5, lever 48 slotted at 45, 46, link 49, rocking lever 52, pin 51 thereon and slot 53 in an offset 54 of a lever 55 on the slide 32, movement of which slide may be limited by a claw 32<a> thereon coacting with an arm 32b, Fig. 5, which is attached to a removable upper part of the machine. Fixed to the cross-piece 59 of this slide 32 is a horizontal knife 60, the cutting edge 61 lying immediately above the top of the blades 40. The cutting edges of a blade 27, a blade 40 and the blade 60, therefore, move in three planes mutually at right angles, the cubes thus cut falling on to shoots 62, 63, and an oblique plate 32<c> preventing any pieces from falling off towards the front of the machine. Exchanging the cutter 41. The lever 55, Fig. 2, is pivoted at 57 en a plate 56 attached to the slide 32 and by swinging this lever counter-clockwise against its spring 58 the slot 53 is disengaged from the stud 51 on the lever 52 whereby the slide 32 may be removed from its guide slot 31 and the cutter 41 exchanged for one having a different spacing of the blades. Auxiliary slicing means. If it is desired to slice fruit &c. instead of cutting it into cubes the knives 67, 68 and 69 are used. These knives are attached to the rear ot the slide 32, the rear edges of knives 67 and 68 being bent downwardly to assist delivery of the cut pieces on to the shoot 71. Means for gripping the fruit &c. The detachable upper portion of the machine comprises a U-shaped frame 74, Fig. 5, fixed on top of the L-shaped plate 35<a> by the wing nuts 35, the fruit being gripped between an upstanding gripping surface 81 on the frame 74 and a similar surface 79 on a slide 77 moving in a guide 76 in this frame 74. This slide 77 is actuated from the operating lever 4, 5 by a link 84 pivoted at 83 to the lever 4, 5 and having a slot 85 taking over a, pin 88 on a lever 87 having a finger 89 coacting with an arm 90, 91, Figs. 3 and 4, guided by slots 92, 94 on studs 93, 95 on the fixed frame 74. This arm coacts with an arm 96, spring 98, and links 101, 103 to reciprocate the slide 77 to the right against a spring 102, Fig. 5. Pivoted at 106 to the frame 74 is a guard 107 which carries the arm 32<b> referred to above and can be depressed to engage a, catch 108 with a pin 109 on frame 74. This guard 107 also carries angle-pieces 110 which receive the cutters 67-69 and a square frame 111 having a gripping surface 112 for use in connection with the cutters 67-69. A spring-pressed pin 114 maintains the guard 107 and arm 32b raised when necessary. Operation. The lever 4, 5 is moved by the handle 6 downwards to its full extent from the position shown in Fig. 1, the arm 84 swinging the arm 87 and finger 89 so that the gripping surfaces 79 and 81 are separated and fruit &c. is placed between them. The lever 4, 5 is then given a single working stroke in a counter-clockwise direction and at first, whilst the roller 44 moves in the concentric slot 45, the roller 9 in the slot 10 depresses the arm 13 so that the cutter 26 moves from front to rear. Subsequently, while the roller 9 is in the concentric slot 11 maintaining the cutter 26 stationary in the slots 38, the roller 44 in the slot 46 swings the arms 48, 49, and 52 so that the slide 32 moves from right to left, the cutters 41 and 60 thereby cutting the fruit into cubes. If it is desired to slice only, the guard 107 is lowered, the arm 32<b> limits the movement of the slide 32 and the cutters 67 -69 coact with the angles 110 to slice the fruit in the frame 111.