GB2395893A

GB2395893A - Food item cutting apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2395893A
Application number: GB0228336A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Joseph Donnelly; Stephen Griffin
Original assignee: D & G Prec Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: D & G Prec Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 2002-12-05
Filing date: 2002-12-05
Publication date: 2004-06-09
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-05
Also published as: GB2395893B; GB0228336D0

Abstract

A food item cutting apparatus (10) comprises a blade member (30) provided at a cutting station (92); an enclosure for at least partially enclosing the cutting station such that the blade member is inaccessible to an operator during normal use; a plurality of cutting tables, each table adapted to receive a food item and rotating conveyance means (70) adapted to convey the cutting tables from a start station (90) to the cutting station (92) and then to return to the start station (90). The blade member may comprise a plurality of planar cutting blades connected to each other at one lateral edge for portioning food such as cakes, pizzas and pies. Each cutting table may be provided with an upper surface and slots in the upper surface for receiving blade segments.

Description

1 Cutting Apparatus with Rotating Table Assembly 3 The present invention

relates to food item cutting 4 apparatus. In particular, but not exclusively, the 5 invention relates to automated food portioning 6 apparatus.

8 Automated machinery is used extensively in the food 9 preparation industry due to the large volumes 10 involved. There is a need for the apparatus to 11 minimize the time taken for each operation, and to 12 minimise the degree of human involvement.

13 Minimising human involvement decreases costs, the 14 frequency of human error, and the risk of human 15 injury.

17 For cutting apparatus in particular, there is a 18 great need to minimise the risk of injury. For a 19 typical automated machine for portioning cakes, 20 pizzas, pies and so on, several steps are required 21 by the operator to ensure safety. Typically, a 22 guard must be raised; the food item positioned on

1 the machine bed; the guard lowered; the food item 2 portioned; the guard raised; and the food item 3 removed for packaging. Safety measures are provided 4 in that the machine will not operate when the guard 5 is raised. The number of steps involved 6 significantly increases production time and costs.

8 According to a first aspect of the present 9 invention, there is provided a food item cutting 10 apparatus comprising: 11 a blade member provided at a cutting station; 12 an enclosure for at least partially enclosing 13 the cutting station such that the blade member is 14 inaccessible to an operator during normal use; 15 a plurality of cutting tables, each table 16 adapted to receive a food item; and 17 conveyance means adapted to convey the cutting 18 tables from a start station accessible to the 19 operator to the cutting station and then to return 20 the cutting tables to substantially the start 21 station.

23 Preferably the blade member comprises a plurality of 24 planar cutting blades, the blades connected to each 25 other at one lateral edge. Preferably the blade 26 member is removable for interchanging with a blade 27 member having a greater or lesser number of cutting 28 blades. The number of blades defines the number of 29 portions of the cut item.

31 Preferably the blade member is mounted to a 32 carriage. Preferably the carriage is slideably

1 mounted on a frame. Preferably the blade member and 2 carriage reciprocate relative to the frame.

3 Preferably actuating means is provided to cause 4 reciprocation of the blade member and carriage.

5 Preferably the actuating means is adapted to cause 6 reciprocation automatically when the item to be cut 7 reaches the cutting location. Preferably the 8 actuating means comprises a pneumatic cylinder.

10 Preferably the conveyance means comprises a rotating 11 table assembly. Preferably the table assembly 12 includes the plurality of cutting tables. Preferably 13 each cutting table is provided with an upper surface 14 and at least one slot in the upper surface.

15 Preferably each cutting table comprises a set of 16 blade receiving segments. Preferably the or each 17 segment set is removable for interchanging with a 18 segment set having a greater or lesser number of 19 segments. Preferably the table assembly further 20 comprises a base plate spaced apart from an upper 21 plate. Preferably the or each segment set 22 interposes the base plate and upper plate.

23 Preferably the segments are complementary to the 24 blade member such that the blade member may travel 2 5 at least beyond the plane of the upper plate.

27 Preferably the food item cutting apparatus includes 28 a bearing within a housing and the rotating table 2 9 assembly includes a shaft rotatably mounted to the 3 0 bearing.

1 Preferably the rotating table assembly is located 2 partially within the enclosure. Preferably the 3 start and cutting stations represent two 4 diametrically opposed positions on the table 5 assembly.

7 Preferably the food item cutting apparatus further 8 comprises indexing means which co-operates with the 9 conveyance means to position the cutting tables at 10 at least the start location and the cutting 11 location. Preferably the indexing means and 12 conveyance means cooperate to rotate the table 13 assembly in discrete steps of 90 . Preferably four 14 cutting tables are provided. Preferably a cutting 15 table is provided at each of the start and cutting 16 stations. Preferably a cutting table is provided at 17 each of two intermediate locations provided at 90 18 rotation from the start and cutting stations.

19 Alternatively the table assembly rotates in a 20 different number of discrete steps, and a 21 corresponding number of cutting tables are provided.

23 Preferably the indexing means comprises an index 24 plate mounted to the shaft of the table assembly 25 such that rotation of the index plate causes 26 rotation of the table assembly. Preferably the 27 indexing means further comprises a conveying piston 28 having a first end positioned adjacent the index 29 plate. Preferably the conveying piston and index 30 plate co-operate such that displacement of the 31 piston rod in a first direction causes rotation of 32 the index plate, while displacement of the piston

1 rod in a second opposite direction does not cause 2 rotation of the index plate.

4 Preferably the indexing means further includes 5 locking means for locking the position of the table 6 assembly. Preferably the locking means comprises 7 one or more locking pistons adapted to engage with 8 one or more apertures provided at the base plate.

9 Preferably two locking piston rods are provided 10 which are received in two apertures provided at the 11 base plate. Preferably two apertures are provided 12 at each 90 orientation around the base plate.

13 Preferably the locking piston is pneumatically 14 operated. Preferably the indexing means includes a 15 stop for preventing further travel of the conveying 16 piston. Preferably the stop is provided at the base 17 plate. 19 Preferably a mover arm is provided to move the cut 20 food item to a cut item table. Preferably the cut 21 item table is provided at a location interposing two 22 of the cutting tables. Preferably four cut item 23 tables are provided, each cut item table interposing 24 two cutting tables. Preferably the mover arm is 25 connected at a first end to the carriage.

26 Preferably the mover arm includes an arcuate scoop 27 provided at a second end. Preferably the mover arm 28 comprises a pneumatically operated cylinder.

30 Preferably the food item cutting apparatus includes 31 a plurality of structural members for mounting one 32 or more of the bearing housing, a second end of the

1 conveying piston, and the frame. Preferably the 2 enclosure comprises at least one panel mounted to 3 one or more of the structural members.

5 The food item cutting apparatus may include control 6 means. The control means may be adapted to control 7 the actuation and timing of one or more of: the 8 actuating cylinder; the mover arm; the conveying 9 piston; and the locking piston. Alternatively, the 10 operator may control the operation of one or more of 11 these components. The control means may provide a 12 delay in the stepped rotation of the table assembly.

13 The length of the delay may be adjustable.

15 The apparatus may include one or more sensors to 16 sense one or more of: the presence of an item on one 17 or more of the cutting tables; the incorrect 18 placement or movement of an item on one or more of 19 the cutting tables; and a resistance to rotation of 20 the table assembly, such as by the jamming of an 21 item in the apparatus.

23 The or each sensor may be any suitable sensor, such 24 as a weight sensor or an optical sensor. The or 25 each sensor may co-operate with the control means to 26 control the operation of the apparatus.

28 Preferably the food item cutting apparatus includes 29 switching means adapted to commence and/or cease 30 operation of the apparatus.

1 According to a second aspect of the present 2 invention, there is provided a method of cutting 3 food items comprising: 4 providing a blade member at a cutting station 5 within an enclosure which at least partially 6 encloses the cutting station such that the blade 7 member is inaccessible to an operator during normal 8 use; 9 providing a plurality of cutting tables, each 10 table adapted to receive a food item; 11 conveying the cutting tables, using conveyance 12 means, from a start station accessible to the 13 operator to the cutting station; and 14 returning the cutting tables to substantially 15 the start location.

17 Preferably the blade member comprises a plurality of 18 planar cutting blades, the blades connected to each 19 other at one lateral edge.

21 Preferably the conveyance means comprises a rotating 22 table assembly. Preferably the table assembly 23 includes the plurality of cutting tables.

24 Preferably each cutting table comprises a set of 25 blade receiving segments.

27 Preferably the rotating table assembly is located 28 partially within the enclosure. Preferably the 29 start and cutting stations represent two 30 diametrically opposed positions on the table 31 assembly.

1 Preferably the method further comprises providing 2 indexing means which co-operates with the conveyance 3 means to position the table assembly at at least the 4 start station and the cutting station. Preferably 5 the indexing means and conveyance means co-operate 6 to rotate the table in discrete steps of 90 .

8 Preferably the indexing means further includes 9 locking means for locking the position of the table 10 assembly. Preferably the method further includes 11 moving the cut item, using a mover arm, to a cut 12 item table. Preferably the cut item table is 13 provided at a location interposing two of the 14 cutting tables. Preferably four cut item tables are 15 provided, each cut item table interposing two 16 cutting tables.

18 An embodiment of the present invention will now be 19 described, by way of example only, with reference to 20 the accompanying drawings, in which: 22 Fig. 1 shows a side view of the food item cutting 23 apparatus with panels of the apparatus removed for 24 clarity.

26 Fig. 2 shows a front view of the cutting apparatus 27 of Fig. 1.

29 Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the cutting apparatus of 30 Fig. 1.

1 Fig. 4 shows a cutting table of the cutting 2 apparatus of Fig. 1.

4 Fig. 5 shows an index plate of the cutting apparatus 5 of Fig. 1.

7 Fig. 6 shows a base plate of the cutting apparatus 8 of Fig. 1 and 10 Fig. 7 shows a locking piston of the cutting 11 apparatus of Fig. 1.

13 Referring to Figures 1 to 3, there is shown a food 14 item cutting apparatus 10 according to the present 15 invention. The item to be cut may be a cake, pie, 16 or pizza, or other similar food item.

18 The apparatus 10 includes a number of structural 19 members 20, 22 to which various components of the 20 apparatus are fixedly attached. Panels (not shown) 21 are attached to a number of the structural members 22 20 to form an enclosure (not shown) but have been 23 omitted in the figures for clarity.

25 The apparatus 10 includes a blade member 30 which 26 comprises a number of planar cutting blades 32, the 27 blades 32 all being connected to each other at one 28 common lateral edge. The blade member 30 is 29 removably attached to a blade member carriage 34.

30 The blade member 30 may be interchanged with another 31 blade member having a greater or lesser number of 32 cutting blades.

2 The carriage 34 is mounted on a frame 40. The frame 3 includes two rods 42 made of hardened steel, and the 4 carriage 34 is slidably mounted on these rods 42.

5 Actuating means, in the form of a pneumatic cylinder 6 50 is provided at the top of the frame 40. The rod 7 end 52 of this cylinder 50 is connected to the 8 carriage 34 and is adapted to cause reciprocation of 9 the carriage 34 and blade member 30 in a vertical 10 direction. This reciprocation is automatic as 11 described below.

13 Mounted to two of the horizontal structural members 14 22 is a bearing housing 60 which houses a bearing 15 62. Rotatably mounted to the bearing 62 is a shaft 16 64. Mounted to the shaft 64 is conveyance means in 17 the form of a rotating table assembly 70. The table 18 assembly 70 includes a base plate 72 spaced apart l9 from an upper plate 74. Interposing the base plate 20 72 and upper plate 74 are four cutting tables. Each 21 cutting table comprises a set 80 of blade receiving 22 segments 82. A number of linking members 76 are 23 provided to increase the structural stability of the 24 table assembly 70.

26 The upper plate 74 includes a number of cut outs at 27 the location of each segment set 80. An individual 28 segment set 80 is shown in Figure 4. Each segment 29 82 is a separate component and a gap 84 exists 30 between neighbouring segments 82. Each segment 82 31 includes two apertures 86 for fixing the segment to 32 the base plate 72 using conventional fasteners.

2 The segments 82 are complementary to the blade 3 member 30 such that each cutting blade 32 of the 4 blade member 30 may travel through a gap 84 and 5 beyond towards the base plate 72. As shown in 6 Figures 1 and 3, the table assembly 70 is located 7 partially within the enclosure. The start station 8 represents a position 90 outwith the enclosure and 9 accessible by an operator. The cutting station 10 represents a position 92 within the enclosure and 11 directly beneath the blade member 30. This position 12 92 is diametrically opposed to the start station 90 13 and is inaccessible by the operator during normal 14 operation. 16 The apparatus 10 includes indexing means 100 to 17 position one of the segment sets 80 at the start 18 station 90 and one of the segment sets 80 at the 19 cutting station 92. The indexing means 100 provides 20 rotation of the table assembly 70 in discrete steps 21 of 90 . There are four segment sets 80 with two of 22 these provided at two intermediate locations 94 at 23 90 rotation from the start and cutting stations 90, 24 92.

26 The indexing means 100 includes an index plate 102 27 mounted to the shaft 64. The indexing means also 28 includes a conveying piston 104. The piston 104 has 29 a first end 106 positioned adjacent the index plate 30 102, and a second end 107 fixedly attached to a 31 structural member 22. The index plate 102 is shown 32 in Figure 5.

2 The index plate 102 includes four piston engaging 3 portions 108. This piston engaging portion 108 4 includes a face 110 against which the first end of 5 the piston 106 can act causing rotation of the index 6 plate 102. The plate 102 includes a number of 7 apertures 112 for fixing the plate 102 relative to 8 the shaft 64. Therefore, rotation of the index 9 plate 102 causes rotation of the table assembly 70.

10 The orientation of the face 110 of the plate 102 is 11 such that displacement of the piston rod 106 in one 12 direction causes rotation of the index plate 102, 13 while displacement of the piston rod 106 in the 14 opposite direction does not cause rotation of the 15 index plate 102.

17 The indexing means 100 also includes locking means 18 in the form of a pneumatically operated locking 19 piston 118 and apertures 116 provided at the base 20 plate 72. The base plate 114 has four sets of 21 apertures 116 with two apertures 116 in each set.

22 The apparatus 10 also includes a locking piston 118, 23 and this is shown in Figure 7. A stop (not shown) is 24 provided at the base plate 114 to limit the travel 25 of the conveying piston 104.

27 The locking piston 118 includes two piston rods 120.

28 When the base plate 72 is at the correct 29 orientation, the piston rods 120 may be received in 30 the apertures 116 of the base plate 72. The piston 31 rods 120 may be received in the apertures 116 in any 32 of four orientations, each at 90 to each other.

2 A mover arm 130 is provided above the carriage 34 3 and reciprocates with the carriage 34 and blade 4 member 30 on the frame 40. The mover arm 130 is 5 provided with a semi-circular scoop (not shown) at 6 one end. The mover arm 130 comprises a pneumatic 7 cylinder which, when operated, is adapted to move a 8 cut food item to cut item table 132. There are four 9 cut item tables 132, each provided at a position on 10 the table assembly 70 interposing two of the sets 80 11 of blade receiving segments.

13 Rotation of the table assembly 70 in discrete steps 14 may be controlled by control means (not shown). The 15 control means may control the stepped rotation of 16 the table assembly 70 according to a specific 17 timing. This timing may include delays provided for 18 the operator. The timing of the stepped rotation 19 may be adjustable by the operator.

21 The control means may be further adapted to control 22 the actuation and timing of: the actuating cylinder 23 50; the mover arm 130; the conveying piston 104; and 24 the locking piston 118. It is to be appreciated 25 that, in addition or alternatively, the operator may 26 control the operation of one or more of these 27 components. The apparatus 10 may be manual, semi 28 automated or fully automated.

30 The apparatus may include one or more sensors (not 31 shown). These sensors may be provided to sense a 32 number of parameters such as: the presence of an

1 item on one or more of the segment sets; the 2 incorrect placement or movement of an item on one or 3 more of the segment sets; and a resistance to 4 rotation of the table assembly, such as by the 5 j amming of an item in the apparatus. The sensors 6 may be of any suitable type, such as a weight sensor 7 or an optical sensor. The sensors provide signals 8 to the control means to control the operation of the 9 apparatus. 11 The apparatus includes switching means (not shown) 12 allowing the operation of the apparatus 10 to be 13 commenced or ceased by the operator.

15 Four of the structural members 22 represent legs and 16 a castor 140 is mounted to each leg to provide 17 mobility. 19 In use, the operator is positioned adjacent the 20 start station 90 of the table assembly 70, and an 21 food item to be cut is placed on the table assembly 22 70 at this location. Operation of the apparatus 10 23 is commenced using the switching means.

25 Unless inhibited by the control means in response to 26 a sensor signal, the actuating cylinder 50 is 27 activated, causing downwards travel of the carriage 28 34 and blade member 30. The cutting blades 32 of 29 the blade member 30 travel to the plane of the upper 30 plate 74 of the table assembly 70 and beyond, 31 passing through the gaps 84 between neighbouring 32 segments 82. The full extension of the actuating

1 cylinder 50 is reached when the blade member 50 is 2 at a position proximal to the base plate 72 of the 3 table assembly 70.

5 The mover arm 130 is now in a position immediately 6 above the upper plate 74. The pneumatic cylinder of 7 the mover arm 130 is actuated, causing the scoop of 8 the arm 130 to extend and then the arm 130 is 9 retracted. The rod of the actuating cylinder 50 is 10 retracted causing raising of the carriage 34 and 11 blade member 30.

13 The two piston rods 120 of the locking piston 118 14 are then retracted from the apertures 116 of the 15 base plate 72 and the rod of the conveying piston 16 104 is extended. This causes rotation of the index 17 plate 102 and therefore rotation of the table 18 assembly 70. The rods 120 of the locking piston 118 19 are then actuated and, once the table assembly 70 20 has rotated 90 the rods are received in the next set 21 of apertures 116 of the base plate 72.

23 The item placed at the start station 90 has now been 24 moved to an intermediate location 94. Operation of 25 the various cylinders is repeated.

27 Once the table assembly 70 has been rotated again, 28 an item is present at the cutting station 92. Once 29 cut, the mover arm 130 moves the item to a cut item 30 table 132. Providing cut item tables 132, and 31 moving the cut item to a cut item table 132, has a 32 number of distinct advantages. Operating speed can

1 be increased by providing a greater number of 2 stations. Also, moving the item to the cut item 3 table entails that an item that is not removed by 4 the operator will not be cut twice.

6 The timing of automatic rotation and cutting can be 7 rapid and, in practice, the greatest limitation to 8 the timing is the speed of the operator. The 9 present invention only requires the operator to pick 10 up an item to be cut and place it at the start 11 location, and remove a cut item which is at the 12 position adjacent to the starting location, and 13 place the cut item at another location for 14 packaging. If the apparatus 10 is fully automated, 15 the operator is not required to operate any switches 16 or controls. The operator is fully isolated from 17 the blade member 30, and so no safety guards or 18 other safety devices need be provided. Furthermore, 19 the use of multiple stations increases production 20 rates.

22 Various modifications and improvements can be made 23 without departing from the scope of the present 24 invention. For instance, rotation of the table 25 assembly may be other than by 90 steps. The 26 conveyance means may not be a rotating table but may 27 be any suitable arrangement of any practical shape.

Claims

1 Claims

3 1. A food item cutting apparatus comprising: 4 a blade member provided at a cutting station; 5 an enclosure for at least partially enclosing 6 the cutting station such that the blade member is 7 inaccessible to an operator during normal use; 8 a plurality of cutting tables, each table 9 adapted to receive a food item; and 10 conveyance means adapted to convey the cutting 11 tables from a start station accessible to the 12 operator to the cutting station and then to return 13 the cutting tables to substantially the start 14 station. 16

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the 17 blade member comprises a plurality of planar cutting 18 blades, the blades being connected to each other at 19 one lateral edge.

21

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, 22 wherein the blade member is removable for 23 interchanging with a blade member having a greater 24 or lesser number of cutting blades.

26

4. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 27 wherein the blade member is mounted to a carriage, 28 the carriage being slideably mounted on a frame such 29 that the blade member and carriage reciprocate 30 relative to the frame.

1

5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, including 2 actuating means adapted to cause reciprocation of 3 the blade member and carriage automatically when the 4 item to be cut reaches the cutting location.

6

6. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 7 wherein the conveyance means comprises a rotating 8 table assembly, and wherein the table assembly 9 includes the plurality of cutting tables.

11

7. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 12 wherein each cutting table is provided with an upper 13 surface and at least one slot in the upper surface.

15

8. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 16 wherein each cutting table comprises a set of blade 17 receiving segments.

19

9. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the 20 or each segment set is removable for interchanging 21 with a segment set having a greater or lesser number 22 of segments.

24

10. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, 25 wherein the table assembly further comprises a base 26 plate spaced apart from an upper plate, and wherein 27 the or each segment set interposes the base plate 28 and upper plate.

30

11. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 8 to :31 10, wherein the segments are complementary to the

1 blade member such that the blade member may travel 2 at least beyond the plane of the upper plate.

4

12. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 5 wherein the start and cutting stations represent two 6 diametrically opposed positions on the table 7 assembly. 9

13. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 10 further comprising indexing means which co-operates 11 with the conveyance means to position the cutting 12 tables at at least the start location and the 13 cutting location.

15

14. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, wherein 16 the indexing means and conveyance means co-operate 17 to rotate the table assembly in discrete steps of 18 90O.

20

15. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 or 14, 21 wherein the indexing means comprises an index plate 22 mounted to the shaft of the table assembly such that 23 rotation of the index plate causes rotation of the 24 table assembly.

26

16. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 27 15, wherein the indexing means further comprises a 28 conveying piston having a first end positioned 29 adjacent the index plate, and wherein the conveying 30 piston and index plate co-operate such that 31 displacement of the piston rod in a first direction 32 causes rotation of the index plate, while

1 displacement of the piston rod in a second opposite 2 direction does not cause rotation of the index 3 plate.

5

17. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 6 16, wherein the indexing means further includes 7 locking means for locking the position of the table 8 assembly.

10

18. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 17, wherein 11 the locking means comprises one or more locking 12 pistons adapted to engage with one or more apertures 13 provided at the base plate.

15

19. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 16 18, wherein the indexing means includes a stop for 17 preventing further travel of the conveying piston.

19

20. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 20 including a mover arm adapted to move the cut food 21 item to a cut item table.

23

21. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 20, wherein 24 the cut item table is provided at a location 25 interposing two of the cutting tables.

27

22. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 20 or 21, 28 wherein the mover arm is connected at a first end to 29 the carriage.

31

23. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 32 including control means adapted to control the

1 actuation and/or timing of one or more of: the 2 actuating cylinder; the mover arm; the conveying 3 piston; and the locking piston.

5

24. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 23, wherein 6 the control means provides a delay in the stepped 7 rotation of the table assembly.

9

25. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 10 including one or more sensors adapted to sense one 11 or more of: the presence of an item on one or more 12 of the cutting tables; the incorrect placement or 13 movement of an item on one or more of the cutting 14 tables; and a resistance to rotation of the table 15 assembly. 17

26. A method of cutting food items comprising: 18 providing a blade member at a cutting station 19 within an enclosure which at least partially 20 encloses the cutting station such that the blade 21 member is inaccessible to an operator during normal 22 use; 23 providing a plurality of cutting tables, each 24 table adapted to receive a food item; 25 conveying the cutting tables, using conveyance 26 means, from a start station accessible to the 27 operator to the cutting station; and 28 returning the cutting tables to substantially 29 the start location.

1

27. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore 2 described and illustrated in the accompanying 3 drawings.

5

28. A method substantially as hereinbefore 6 described and illustrated in the accompanying 7 drawings.