GB2343368A

GB2343368A - Meat cutter

Info

Publication number: GB2343368A
Application number: GB9925497A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stefan Elmer
Original assignee: Schmid and Wezel GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Schmid and Wezel GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1998-11-03
Filing date: 1999-10-28
Publication date: 2000-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2019-10-28
Also published as: GB2343368B; FR2785216A1; FR2785216B1; GB9925497D0; DE19850689C1

Abstract

A motor-driven meat cutter with a blade (5), which is releasably fastened in its end area (6) in a receiving element (7), which is a part of a blade driving unit (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) guided in the housing (1) and is moved back and forth by a pneumatically driven piston (20). The blade drive unit has two flanges (9, 11), which are connected with each other by means of a rod (10). The rod (10) extends through a piston (20), which is arranged on it and moves back and forth. The flanges (9, 11) are supported in the housing (1) on both sides by springs (14, 15). The spaces formed between the front faces of the piston (20) and the flanges (9, 11) are alternatingly charged with compressed air and exhausted. The end area (6) of the blade may be connected with a guide block (53) which is suitable for the reception and insertion into a cutout (73) in the receiving element of the blade driving unit (7-11). The guide block may be provided with means (54) which permit the screwing of the unit formed by the blade (5), the end area (6) of the blade (5) and the guide block (53) with the receiving element (7) of the blade driving unit.

Description

j 2343368 MEAT CUTTER The invention relates to a meat cutter as well as a

blade which can be inserted therein.

It is the object of the invention to equip a meat cutter with a particularly dependable and low-maintenance drive, and which in particular operates as free of vibrations as possible, and at the same time to provide a dependable, but easily releasable fastening of the blade in the drive unit.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a motordriven meat cutter with a blade, which is releasably fastened in its end area in a receiving element, which is a part of a blade driving unit guided in the housing and is moved back and forth by a pneumatically driven piston; wherein the blade drive unit has two flanges, which are connected with each other by means of a rod, wherein the rod extends through a piston, which is arranged on it and moves back and forth, wherein the flanges are supported in the housing on both sides by springs, and wherein the spaces formed between the front faces of the piston and the flanges are alternatingly charged with compressed air and exhausted.

The invention furthermore relates to several advantageous further developments.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 2 is a view from above (in the direction of the arrows II - II in Fig. 1) on the exemplary embodiment; Fig. 3 is an enlarged representation of a lateral view of the connection between the end element 2 and the end area 6 of the blade 5; Fig. 4 is a section along the line IV - IV; and 2 Fig. 5, a perspective representation of the end section 6 of the blade 5.

The handle 100 of the meat cutter is constituted by the housing 1, the front end element 2 and the rear end element 3. As can be seen from Fig. 2, the elements are screwed together by means of screws 4. The blade 5 is received with its end area of lesser width in a receiving element 7, which is essentially hexagonal in cross section and is guided in the correspondingly designed guide 21 in the front end element 2, so that it can be moved back and forth. The receiving element 7 is continued in a cylindrical shoulder 8 of reduced cross section, which is screwed together with a flange 9. Screwing together is provided by means of the end 101, provided with a thread, of a rod 10. on its other end (on the right in Fig. 1), this rod 10 has a flange 11. The receiving element 7, the shoulder 8, the two flanges 9, 11, as well as the rod 10, constitute a blade driving unit, which is movable back and forth in the interior bore 11 of the housing 1, is coupled with the blade 5 and moves the latter back and forth. A collar-like flange 12 has been clamped between the housing 1 and the front end element 2, on whose inside a cuff 13 made of plastic is arranged, which for one is used as a guide for the shoulder 8, and also as a seal against the escape of compressed air at the front end (in the direction toward the blade). A spring 14 is located between the f lange 12 and the flange 9. A spring 15 is also located between the flange 11 and the rear end element 3. The two springs 14 and 15 therefore act on both sides on the blade driving unit constituted by the receiving element 7, the shoulder 8, the two flanges 9, 11, and the rod 10 and, in the absence of compressed air, define its position of rest.

A piston 20 is arranged in the interior bore 11 of the housing 1. This piston 20 has a bore 201, through which the rod 10 extends. Thus, the piston 20 can move back and forth inside the housing 1, as well as on the rod 10.

3 The supply of compreg8ed air takes place by means of a compressed air line (not represented), which is screwed into the bore 21 in the rear end element 3. From there, the compressed air reaches a valve, identified as a whole by 23, via a short, obliquely extending bore 22. The valve is designed in such a way that it opens when the tappet 24 is pushed down and lets the compressed air flow through to the further bores 25, 26, drawn in dash-dotted lines. The function and structure of such a valve 23 is known to one skilled in the art. It is therefore not necessary in the present context to describe it in greater detail. when an operator grasps the handle 100 and in the process also pushes the operating lever 30 toward the housing 1, and after the safety bolt 31 has been turned out of its locking position in a counterclockwise direction (as represented in Fig. 1), the tappet 24 is pushed downward and the valve is opened.

The compressed air enters the annular conduit 33 provided in the piston 20 via the outlet opening 32. The annular conduit 33 is connected via a short bore 34 with the bore 3.5, which is open in the direction toward the flange 11. It follows from this that, when the operating lever lever 30 is operated, compressed air becomes effective from the bore 21 via the opened valve 23, the bores 25, 26, the outlet opening 32, the annular conduit 33 and the bores 34, 35 between the piston 20 and the flange 11, so that the piston 20 in the housing 1 is displaced to the left on the rod 10. The blade driving unit constituted by the receiving element 7, the shoulder 8, the rod 10 and the two flanges 9, 11 is simultaneously displaced toward the right. In the course of this the spring 15 is compressed.

A further annular groove 40, as well as a further bore 42 which is connected with the former via the bore 41, is provided in the piston 20 and opens toward the flange 9. However, in the position represented in Fig. I it is not charged with compressed air. During the movement of the 4 piston 20 toward the left, the space between the left end of the piston 20 and the flange 9 is exhausted, namely via the outlet opening 43, the bore 44, the bore 45, as well as the recess 46, which is covered with a filter 47.

If the piston 20 now moves out of the position represented in Fig. 1 toward the left, it reaches a position after a defined amount of time, in which the annular conduit 33 is no longer connected with the outlet opening (for compressed air) 32, and instead the outlet opening (for compressed air) 32 is connected via the annular conduit 40 and the bore 41 with the bore 42, so that the space between the left end of the piston 20 and the flange 9 is charged with compressed air. The space between the right front face of the piston 20 and the flange 11 is simultaneously exhausted via the outlet opening 48, the bore 44, the bore 45 and the recess 46. Therefore a force directed toward the right begins acting on the piston 20, so that the latter initially slows its movement and then reverses its movement. Because of the charging with compressed air of the space between the piston 20 and the flange 9, the blade driving unit constituted by the receiving element 7, the shoulder 8, the rod 10 and the flanges 9, 11 now also moves to the left, in the course of which the spring 14 is compressed.

Accordingly, a two mass vibrating system is provided. Both masses vibrate against each other. One mass is constituted by the piston 20 and the other by the blade driving unit 7, 8, 10, 9, 11 and the blade 5 received in it. Frequency and stroke are determined by the layout of the springs 14, 15, as well as by the pressure of the compressed air. The control of the compressed air takes place in the manner demonstrated by the piston 20. A stroke of the blade 5 in the direction of the two-headed arrow 50 of approximately 10 mm is caused in this way. Such a stroke length is advantageous, because in this way a real cut in the material to be cut is achieved by means of a sufficient longitudinal movement of the blade 5. The stroke should advantageously be greater than 6 mm.

Running which is extremely free of vibrations results from the reciprocal vibration of the two masses. The drive system is insensitive to failure and requires only little maintenance.

Figs. 3 and 4 represent the fastening of the end area 6 of the blade 5 in the receiving element 7. The receiving element 7 is provided with a slit 51 (see Fig. 1) up to a line 71, i.e. until shortly before it makes a transition into the shoulder 8. The receiving element 7 is divided by this slit 51 into a right part 71 (in Fig. 4) and a left part 72. The right part 71 has an essentially semicircular cutout 73.

The end area 6 of the blade 5 is provided with an elongated hole 52 (see Fig. 1), and a guide block 53 is pressed, or respectively shrunk into it, as can be seen from Fig. 4, whose cross section matches in one portion the cutout 73 and in the other portion the elongated hole 52 (see Fig. 4) so that, on the one hand, because of the shrinking, it can be easily introduced into the elongated hole 6 of the blade 5, forming a unit with the blade 5, and on the other hand it can be introduced into the cutout 73. Two threaded bores 54 have been placed into this guide block 53, into which Inbus screws 55 have been screwed, whose heads 56 are held in recesses in the part 72.

Thus, the end area 6 of the blade 5 provided with the elongated hole 52 is pulled against the contact surface 721 by the screws 55, which are screwed together with the guide block 53, and is fixed in place against it. No elastic deformation of the two parts 71, 72 of the receiving element 7 in respect to each other occurs, so that the reception of the receiving element 7 in the guide 21 is not worsened by pressure of the parts 71, 72 against each other, in particular in the course of clamping blades of various thicknesses. Moreover, the danger of breakage of the receiving element 7 because of damaging effects of such deformations is prevented, because no tension is generated between the two parts 71, 72 in the 6 course of fastening the blade 5. The clamping is therefore independent of tolerances in the thickness of the end area 6 of the blades 5. The blade 5, or respectively its end area 6, constitutes a unit together with the guide block 53, which is easily exchangeable. The screws 55 are accessible from the exterior, namely because the front end element 2 has a corresponding recess 57.

Claims

7 CLAIMS,

1. A motor-driven meat cutter with a blade (5), which is releasably fastened in its end area (6) in a receiving element (7), which is a part of a blade driving unit (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) guided in the housing (1) and is moved back and forth by a pneumatically driven piston (20); wherein the blade drive unit has two flanges (9, 11), which are connected with each other by means of a rod (10), wherein the rod (10) extends through a piston (20), which is arranged on it and moves back and forth, wherein the flanges (9, 11) are supported in the housing (1) on both sides by springs (14, 15), and wherein the spaces formed between the front faces of the piston (20) and the flanges (9, 11) are alternatingly charged with compressed air and exhausted.

2. The meat cutter in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the supply of compressed air into the spaces between the piston (20) and the flanges (9, 11) takes place via bores (22, 25, 26) and an outlet opening (32) in the housing (1), two circumferential grooves (33, 34) in the piston (20) and bores (35, 42) in the piston (20), which open into the said spaces.

3. The meat cutter in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that the exhaustion of the spaces between the piston (20) and the flanges (9, 11) takes place via air outlet bores (43, 48) in the housing (1) which, respectively in one position of the piston (20), are in connection with a bore (44) conducting the exhausted air.

4. The meat cutter in accordance with one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the end area (6) of the blade (5) is connected with a guide block (53), which can be inserted into a cutout (73) in the receiving element (7) 8 of the blade driving unit (7, 8, 9, 10, 11), wherein the receiving element (7) is divided (71, 72) by a slit (51), into which the end area (6) of the blade (5) can be placed, and the guide block (53) can be screwed together with a part (71) of the receiving element (7).

5. The meat cutter in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that an area of the guide block (53), which is rectangular in cross section, is pressed or shrunk into an elongated hole (52) in the end area (6) of the blade (5).

6. The meat cutter in accordance with one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the stroke is more than 6 mm, preferably approximately 10 mm.

7. A blade for a motor-driven meat cutter, characterized in that the end area (6) of the blade (5) is connected with a guide block (53), which is suitable for the reception and insertion into a cutout (73) in a receiving element (7) of a blade driving unit (7 to 11), and which is provided with means (54), which permit the screwing of the unit formed by the blade (5), the end area (6) of the blade (5) and the guide block (53) with the receiving element (7) of the blade driving unit (7, 8, 9, 10, 11).

8. A meat cutter substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A blade for a meat cutter substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.