NZ190857A - Auxiliary power unit for kitchen appliances:shaft drive through sink waste - Google Patents

Description

' Ro No.: Date: 190,857 27 June 1979 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "AUXILIARY POWER UNIT" 23<JUNl98o I RONALD KEITH ANDER, a New Zealand citizen, of 4 Caius Avenue, Wanganui, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention for which / we pray that a patent may be granted to pBfe/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- 190857 This invention relates to an auxiliary power unit for use in both industrial and domestic kitchen, laboratory or other operations. More particularly it relates to such a unit which can be used to provide a source of drive for 5 appliances through the drain of a sink.

Common domestic appliances come in separate units and the drive from one unit is conventionally incompatible with the operating implement of any other unit. Thus an electric mixer may be operated by a motor which is totally independent 10 from that of an electric blender and the implement of one cannot be driven off the motor of the other.

It is an object of this invention to go some way towards alleviating these disadvantages or at least to offer the public a useful choice.

Accordingly the invention may be said broadly to con sist in a combination comprising: a sink, a drain pipe extending downwardly from the bottom of said sink, a power take-off assembly comprising a power source, a rotary shaft driven by said power source, said rotary shaft being within 20 a sleeve which is water tight, said sleeve passing from outside to inside said drain pipe in a watertight fit, said rotary shaft having a coupling at its free end which can be coupled with the driving shaft of an implement to be driven thereby, the coupling being at or adjacent the joint 25 of said drain pipe and said sink. 1 10CT 1933 190857 The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples.

The invention may be more fully understood by having reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of an assembly according to the invention installed in the drain of a sink.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the view shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view of a portion of figure 1.

In the embodiment illustrated a sink 10 having a waste pipe 12 and trap 14 coupled thereto through a sink waste outlet 11 is provided with an assembly according to the invention with a fruit or vegetable peeling attachment 28 installed. The fruit peeling attachment 28 takes the form of an abrasive disc having a substantially hemispherical upper surface and fitted onto a rubber centre 29. The disc can alternatively have a frustoconical upper surface.

OA A peeling guide 26 is provided within the sink for a purpose to be described below. Guide 26 is held by a large suction cup 22 and shaft 24 to the side of the sink 10 for easy removal. A transparent cover 30 having a water inlet 3 2 is provided to minimize splashing of water out of the sink during the operation of the peeler. 11 OCT 1933 4 190857 The disc 2 8 illustrated is of an abrasive type having no cutting edges. If it is touched while in motion it will not injure the operator. The disc can be stopped by hand pressure disengaging the clutch.

Beginning at the bottom centre of Figure 3 the drive assembly consists in outer casing 20 surrounding a sheeve 40 which is keyed into the bottom of drive shaft 42. A sleeve 44 surrounds the drive shaft 42. A casing portion 46 projecting out of drain pipe 12 is fitted tightly over sleeve 44. The mouth of casing 20 is in its turn fitted tightly over casing portion 46. Flanges 21 reinforce casing portion 46. A cap 48 is threadingly engaged in casing portion 46. A seal 50 surrounds the boss 41 of sheeve 40. A bearing 52 is provided between sleeve 44 and drive shaft 42.

A bushing 54 is provided between sleeve 44 and drive shaft 42 near the top of the assembly. A further seal 55 is provided within cap 56. Drive coupling 64 is threadingly engaged on the end of drive shaft 42 at the upper end thereof. A combination valve and coupling member is provided in the drain recess 11 of sink 10. The valve comprises a lower disc portion 60 which is fixed into the sink mouth and an upper valve portion 62 which is pivotal relative to disc 60. The valve also consists in a handle portion 58 having splines running vertically on its frusto-conical outer surface. The lower portion 6 6 of the valve includes a recess 67 in which a spring 68 rests to maintain tension in the valve.-The opening into the mouth of pipe 12 is provided by a series of upper segments 7 2 and lower segments 7 0 which * 10CT S983 " ' 190857 provide an opening when they are at least partially in register with one another and which close the valve when they are completely out of register with one another.

When attachments are to be driven by the coupling 64 a cap member 74 having its interior surface provided with splines which correspond with the splines on surface 58 is provided. Shaft 76 extends from disc 77 to provide drive for attachments to be driven by the device. Drive is taken from coupling 64 by coupling lugs 80 extending downwardly from discs 77. A bearing 78 is provided between the disc 77 and the cap portion 74.

The assembly is powered by an electric drive motor 16. The drive is transmitted by an endless belt 34 over a pair of sheaves 36 and 40 in belt driving clutch assembly 18. Tension is maintained in the belt by tension adjusting idler sheave 38.

The clutch assembly is designed to disengage when it is overloaded beyond a predetermined limit. In addition there is provided an overload switch in motor 16 to prevent it being burned out if for some reason the clutch assembly does not disengage when it is overloaded.

Motor 16 is doubly insulated from the rest of the assembly so that there is no danger of electrical shock in its use. It may be provided with a drain hole near its bottom.

In operation, sheave 3 6 drives endless belt 34 which in turn drives sheave 40 which in its turn drives shaft 42. A cap 74 is first fitted over valve handle 58 to'engage lugs 80 with drive coupling member 64. The valve is then pivoted 190857 to either closing or opening depending upon the use to which the attachment is to be put. In a preferred embodiment the degree of rotation between the fully opened and the fully closed position is 45°.

The valve may also be pivoted by a solenoid or by a remote operating device such as a worm gear extending out of the kitchen cabinet. These devices serve both to operate the valve and to lock the drive coupling.

When the device is to be used in a fruit or vegetable peeling operation, disc 28 is in the position illustrated in the sink 10. Water is provided in the sink up to a level A. While the water is running into the sink the fruit to be peeled is placed in the sink. The guide 26 is fitted and positioned to provide maximum contact of fruit with the disc 28. The water level A is that which allows the pieces of fruit to be peeled to not only have free motion but also to have maximum contact with the disc. Transparent cover 30 is fitted after the water has been filled into the sink. When the water in the sink needs topping up while the cover is in position, water may be added through hole 32. The motor 16 is then switched on and the revolving disc moves the water and fruit in a circular motion so that they pass over the abrasive surface of the disc.

In a preferred embodiment when the electrical motor is fitted with a timing switch the operator can simply leave the items peeling in the sink and continue with other activities knowing that the device will be automatically shut off when peeling has been completed.

Drive shaft 76 can be a rigid shaft as is the case when used in association with a disc 28 or it can be a flexible 190857 drive shaft when it is designed to be used in connection with an attachment which is remote from the sink. Thus with a flexible shaft it is possible to drive such attachments as beaters, slicers or other similar implements to one side of the sink. The spring 68 should have sufficient tension so that the valve does not rotate from the chosen position when the auxiliary drive coupling is being driven by the main drive shaft 42. A stop is also provided at each of the open and closed positions.

The majority of attachments are fitted directly onto portion 58 to lock with the end of driveshaft 42. Thus in most cases shaft 76 will be quite short. This provides the advantage that there is a readily available source of water to aide in mixing and also to provide for ready cleaning of the attachments. In addition any spills or extraneous spraying of liquid is confined to being in the sink.

It will be seen that this single source of drive with its associated attachments can replace a whole range of kitchen implements. Similarly the invention can have industrial application in commercial kitchen and in commercial laboratories or the like operations where a source of drive is required.

Although the preferred embodiment described is intended for use through the drain of a sink it will be seen that the apparatus can be set up with the shaft extending through a bench or the like and still be within the scope of the invention claimed.

Other variations on embodiments illustrated within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims will be apparent to the skilled reader.

Claims (19)

190857 WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. In combination a sink, a drain pipe extending downwardly from the bottom of said sink, 5 .a power take-off assembly comprising a power source, a rotary shaft driven _by said power source, said rotary shaft being within a sleeve which is watertight, said sleeve passing from outside to inside said drain pipe in a watertight fit, said rotary shaft having a coupling at its free end 10 which can be coupled with the driving shaft of an implement to be driven thereby, the coupling being at or adjacent the joint of said drain pipe and said sink.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drain pipe has a pair of substantially right angled bends 15 so as to divert liquid draining from said sink around said rotary shaft.

3. A combination according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said drive receiving shaft is itself coupled to an attachment.

4. A combination according to claim 3 wherein said 20 attachment comprises a disc having a substantially frusto- conical upper surface .

5. A combination according to claim 3 wherein said attachment comprises a disc having a substantially hemispherical upper surface. 25

6. A combination according to claim 3 wherein said attachment comprises a liquidizer, a cake mixer J a juice' extractor or the like. N.2. PAIT.MT CFF!CE 11 OCT 1983 P.ECEiVEO - 9 - I 90857

7. A combination according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein there is provided a guide member cooperable with said disc.

8. A combination according to any one of the preceding 5 claims wherein said power source is an electric motor.

9. A combination according to claim 8 wherein said electric motor is provided with a timing switch.

10. A combination according to either of claims 8 or 9 wherein said rotary shaft is driven by an endless belt 10 over a sheave on said electric motor and a sheave at the end of said rotary shaft.

11. A combination according to any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein said electric motor is provided with a clutch.

12. A combination according to any one of claims 8 to 15 11 wherein said electric motor is provided with an overload switch.

13. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there is further provided a transparent cover which fits over said sink. 20

14. _ A combination according to any one of the pre ceding claims wherein there is a drain valve associated with said drive coupling cooperable with said sink drain to be fitted therein, the handle of said valve being reversably pivotal from an open to a closed position, and being 25 mateable with a retaining portion of said drive coupling, the arrangement being such that in use said associated drive coupling may be driven by said main drive coupling when said retaining portion is mated with said valve handle. N.Z. PATENT CvT::-'~ DC7 - 10 - 1 O p Q n; -7 I / U 0 J /

15. A combination according to claim 14 wherein said handle is annular and said drive coupling is rotatable within said handle annulus.

16. A combination according to either claim 14 or 15 wherein said handle is provided with gripping splines.

17. A combination according to any one of claims 16 to 18 wherein said valve comprises a pair of discs, one being pivotal and the other being fixed, said discs being provided with sets of segmental openings which when they are out of register allow the valve to be closed and when in Reregister allow it to^open.

18. A combination according to claim 17 wherein said pivotal disc is pivotal through a 45° angle.

19. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. By y&JthSir authorised Agents., A, J. PARK & SON.