US1756544A - Mechanism for assembling slices - Google Patents

Description

April 29, 1930.

J. FOLK MECHANISM FOR ASSEMBLING SLICES Original Filed Aug. 16. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 29, 1930. J K I 1,756,544

MECHANISM FOR ASSEMBLING SLICES Original Filed Aug. 16. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 29, 1930. J, FOLK MECHANISM FOR ASSEMBLING SLICES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Aug. 16 1926 Patented Apr. 29, 1930 uurrso srarss ear'snr crease JOSEPH FO LK, OF LA FORTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNQR TO U. S. SLICING MACHINECOM- PANY, OF LA FORTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA MEGHANISlVI FOR ASSEMBLING SLIGES Application filed August 16, 1926, Serial No. 129,327. Renewed September 19, 1929.

This invention relates to mechanism for use in connection with slicing machines for receiving slices as they are formed and arranging or assembling the slices in a suitable stack for wrapping. 1

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a slice assembling device which will receive the slices as they are formed upon an easily accessible platform which may be covered with wrapping paper so that the slices after being deposited may be picked up in the paper without the necessity of touching the slices with the hands.

A further object is to provide a slice receiver which shall be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, ellicient in operation and which shall not unduly add to the necessary power for operating slicing machines.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following specification.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of a slicing machine showing one embodiment of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig- 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, with parts in section; and

Fig. is an elevation looking from the left in Fig. 1 with parts in section.

The numeral 10 designates the base or frame of a slicing machine having a rotary slicing knife 11 and a reciprocating table 12 for moving the material to be sliced past the knife. A bracket 13 projects'forwardly from the base 10 and is provided with a bearing sleeve 14 at its forward end in which a pin 15 is journaled. A spider 16 is. secured to the upwardly projecting end of the pin 15 and rests upon the sleeve 14: in position to rotate about the axis of the sleeve. The spider 16 extends rearwardly from the pin 15 towards the reciprocating table 12 and the rear edge of the spider-is curved and projects. beneath the front edge of the reciprocating table 12 sothat the reciprocating table overlaps the 21 to the bracket 19. The opposite end of the 1 connecting rod is pivotally connected at 22 to the spider 16. When the table 12 reciprocates the connecting rod willsimultaneously oscillate the spider 16. The radial distance from the pivot pin 15 to the outer edge of the plate 17 just permits the plate 17 toclear the cutting edge of the knife 11. Since the axis 15 is displaced along the frontedge of the table 12 relative to the cuttingedge oftheknife it is apparent that this will cause the plate 17 to swing beneath the edge of the reoiprocating, table 12. At one cornerof the spider 16 there is provided a sleeve 23 in which a spindle 24 is journaled. A sleeve 25 is slidably mounted on the upper end of the spindle 241 and carries a bracket 26 on which a slice receiving plate 27 is supported- The plate 27 extends abovethe spider 16 and is shaped to fit within the contour of the upright walls 17 and 18 so that the plate 27 oscillates with the spider 16 and the abutment walls 17 and 18. A hand lever 28 is pivoted at 29 on the handle on the sleeve 25 and is provided with a toothed block or segmental nut 30' which meshes with threads 31 on'the spindle 2 1, thus supporting the sleeve 25 in adjusted positions longitudinally of the spindle. The upward movement of the sleeve 25 is limitedby a removable cap 32 secured to the upper end of the spindle 2 1. The threads 31 are discontinued to provide a gap 33 just above the spider 16 so that when the sleeve,

25 reaches its lowermost position with the plate 27 near the spider 16, rotation of the spindle 24 will not affect the toothed block 30. Secured to the spindle 24 below the lower end of the sleeve 23 is a disc 3 1 and journale'd on the spindle 2% below the disc 34 is a sleeve 35 which carries an arm 36 projecting horizontally therefrom. The projecting-end of a. pin 37 with. a link 38, the other end of the link 38 being pivoted at 39 to an arm 40' rigidly mounted on the bracket 13. A cam dog 41 is journaled on the upper end of the pin 37.'and is provided with a 'cam face 42 which bears against the periphery of the disc 34. The point of contact between the faces of the dog .41 and the disc 34 is at one side of the center line of the cam and disc and the cam is held in contact with the disc by a spring 43 which extends into an opening in one edge of the cam and which bears against a stop lug 44 projecting upwardly from the arm 36. As the spider 16 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction by the connecting rod 20, as viewed in Fig; 2, the distance between the spindle 24 and the pivot point 39 will be increased which will tend to straighten the toggle formed by the link 38 and arm 36. This will swing the arm 36 about the axis of the spindle 24 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, and since the bearing between the-cam dog 41 andth-e'link 38 is at the left off the center line in this figure the rotation of the disc 34 will cause the dog 41 to bear more tightly against the periphery of the disc 34 and rotate the disc 34 in unison with the arm 36. Since the disc 34 is secured to the spindle'24 the rotation of the disc will be imparted to the threads 31 and the movement of the threads in the toothed block30 will lower the sleeve 25 and plate 27 a slight amount. On the re-' turn movement of the, spider the cam dog 41 will slide idly over the disc 34 so that the spindle 24 will remain in its adjusted position of rotation. In this way the plate 27 is grade ua-lly fed downwardly as the spider is oscillatedby reciprocation of the table 12. At each reciprocation of the table a slice is severed from the material carried by the table and directed away from the knife 11 onto the receiving plate 27 by a slice deflector 45.

This slice deflector is adjustably mounted on a post 46 carried by a bracket 47 secured to the chain box 48 of the slicing machine. The deflector is provided with a curved slice engaging face having ribs thereon for restricting the. contact between the slice and deflector as more fully described and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 123,044, filed July 17, 1926. Since the receiving plate 27 occupies the same relation to the reciproeating table 12 at each slicing operation the slices formed by the knife 11 will be deposited broad side down on top of one another in an orderly stack on the plate 27; The plate 27 is gradually moved downwardlyby the mechanism described providing room forthe succeSsive slices as they are formed. The slices are held against centrifugal displacement by the abutment wall 17 and are held from sliding when the direction of oscillation is reversed bythe end'walls 18. It will be appar ent that the spindle 24 for feeding the plate 27 downwardly is arranged at one corner of the plate 27 to'leave the upper surface of the plate free from obstruction so that the stack of slices is easily accessible and so that a piece of wrapping paper may be spread on the up-' per surface of the plate 27 to permit the stack;

. the hands. "V hen the plate reaches its lgwermost position the block 30 will register with.

the gap 33 in the threads 31 so that further rotation will not jam the threads. After the stack of slices has been removed, or at any other time desired, the plate 27 mayagain v be raised to its uppermost position by grasping the sleeve 25 and handle 28, thus releasing the toothed block 30. It is then only necessary to raise the sleeve along the spindle 24 to return the plate27 to its uppermost position. By releasing the lever 28 the segmental. nut 30 will again engage the threads 31 andhold the plate 27 in its raised ready for further operation.

position As shown in Figs. 1 and 2,'the slicereceiving late 27 projects beneath the front edge ofthe reciprocating table. Due to the location of the receiver beneath the reciprocating table, the slices, when out, fall free of any relatively moving parts and the stack of slices is notso liable to be disarranged upon the return movement of the receiver. The. overlapping relationship of the receiver and table makes it certain that none of the slices will fall outside of the receiving plate 27. It is also desirable that the plate 27 project under the reciprocating table because the oiiset position of the pivot or fulcrum with respect to the knife would not otherwise permit the rim 17 of the receiver to go close to the knife. The overlap of the table with respect to the plate also permits the crumbs falling over the edge of the table to collect in the recess between the stack and the rim 17. i

It is to be noted, however, that it is not necessary that the entire surface of the receiver be positioned below the top surface of the meat table as it is only necessary that the portion of the surface of the slice receiver ad acent the table upon which the slices are cleplositecl should be positioned below the meat ta e.

' As shown in the drawings, the abutment plate'does not extend entirely around the receiver 27, the side toward the operator 1 being unobstructed so that the slices may be easily removed and the receiver cleaned.

Iclaim:- V I V r j 1. The combination with a slicing machine, of a receiver for slices formed by said machine, means for directing saidslicesonto said receiver as they are formed, means. for rotating said receiver about an upright axis,

an adjusting means removed from the. axis of rotation of said receiver, mechanism con? nected to said adjusting means and operable through rotation of said receiver to actuate said adjusting means.

2. The combination with a slicing machine, of a receiverfor slices formed by said machine, said receiver comprising an abutment plate shaped to partially enclose a slice re-. ceiving space but leaving said space open at one side, a receiving plate movable vertically within said slice receiving space, and means spaced away from the central portion of said open side for vertically adjusting said plate.

3. 'The combination with a slicing machine, of a slice receiver comprising an abutment plate shaped to partially enclose a slice receiving space, a receiving plate mounted for vertical adjustment in said slice receiving space, means for rotating said receiver about an upright axis centrally disposed relative to the open side of said slice receiv ing space, and means offset relative to the axis of rotation of said receiver for adjusting said receiving plate vertically.

4. The combination with a slicing machine, of a receiver for slices formed by said machine, means for rotating said receiver about an upright axis, means spaced from said upright axis for adjusting said receiver vertically, and means operated by the rotation of said receiver for actuating said adjusting means. 7

5. The combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife and a reciprocating table, of a slice receiver, means connected with said reciprocating table for oscillating said slice receiver past the cutting edge of said slicing knife, a threaded member djisplaced f'rom the axis of rotation of said receiver for adjusting said receiver, and means operated by the rotation of said receiver for rotating said threaded member.

6. The combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife and a reciprocating table, of a slice receiver mounted to oscillate about an upright axis, means for oscillating said receiver simultaneously with the operation of said reciprocating table, said receiver comprising an upright abutment plate partially enclosing a slice receiving space but leaving one side of said space open, a receiving plate vertically adjustable in said slice receiving space, and a threaded member connected with said receiver but spaced from the axis of rotation thereof for adjusting said plate.

7. The combination with a slicing machine having a reciprocating table and a slicing knife, of a spider mounted to oscillate about an upright axis, spaced from said table, an upright abutment plate surrounding a portion of the periphery of Said; spider but leaving one side thereof open, a vertically movable p ate disposed in the space surrounded by said abutment plate, and a threaded meme ber positioned at one nd of said open side spaced from said cutting plane and ofisetin the direction of said plane relative to the cut.- ting edge of said knife, the edge of said slice receiver being arranged to extend beneath the edge of said table.

9. The combination with a slicing machine comprising a reciprocating table and a slice ing knife, of a slice receiver projecting beneath the edge of said reciprocating table, and means for moving said slice receiver simultaneously with said reciprocating table past the cutting edge of said knife. 10. The combination with a slicing ma chine having a reciprocatingt-able and a slic Eng knife, of a slice receiver having a. curved edge thereof extending beneath the edge of said reciprocating table, and means for roe tating said slice receiver about the axis of the curvature of said receiver.'

11. The combination with a slicing ma chine having a reciprocating table and .a slicing knife, of a slice receiver having an arcuate edge, an upright abutment plat-e extend ng about said edge and having its up.- per edge extending beneath the edge of said reciprocating table, and means for rotating said slice receiver about an upright. axis spaced from the edge of: said reciprocating tableand offset in the direction of said edge of said reciprocating table relative to the cut? ting edge of said knife.

12. The'combination with a slicing machine having a reciprocating table and a slicing knife, .of a slice receiver having an arcuate peripheral portion extending beneath the edge of said reciprocating table, an up: right abutment plate extending about said peripheral portion and having its upper edge projecting beneath the edge of said reciproe eating table, slice receiving plate disposed Within the space included by said abutment plate, means for rotating said slice receiver about an upright axis spaced from the edge of said reciprocatingtable and offset in the direction of the cutting plane of said knife relative to the edge of said knife, and means for rotating said slice receiver past. the cutting edge of said knife simultaneously with said reciprocating table,

13. The combination with a slicing chine having a reciprocating table and a slicing knife, of a support spaced frona the-edge of said reciprocating table, slice receiver i na ate a out anuprigh a upport, a upr ght a h ist-meat mounted on said receiver and spaced said upright axis, means for intermittently operating said adjustment screw, and an arm -projecting from said support and connected V justment screw carried by said slice receiver and spacedfrom said axis of rotation, an arm pivoted to oscillate about the axis of said adjustment screw, a one-way drive connected with said arm for rotating said adjustment screw, and a link having one end pivoted to said arm and having its other end pivoted atv a fixed point spaced from the axis of rota- 131011 of said slice receiver.

15, The combination with a slicing ma chine having a reciprocating table and a slicing knife, 'ofa bracket'projecting from'said slicing machine, a-slice receiver ournaled to rotate about an upright axis on said bracket,

means connecting said slice receiver with said reciprocating table to oscillate said slice receiver simultaneously With the reciprocation of said table, an abutment plate extend ing about a portion of said slice receiver, a

vertically adjustable slice support disposed within the space included by said abutment plate, a threaded spindle journaled in said slice receiver and spaced from the axis of oscillation thereof, an arm journaled to rotate about the axis of said threaded spindle,

a one-Way cam drive carried by said arm for rotating said spindle, a link connecting said arm with a point spaced from the axis of oscillation of said; slice support, and a toothed member connected with said slice support for engaging the threads on said threaded spindle; Y

16. The combination with a slicing machine having a reciprocating table and a slicing knife, of a slice receiver mounted to oscillate about an upright axis, a slice support vertically adjustable on said slice receiver, a threaded spindlefor adjusting said slice support, and a releasable nut connecting saidspindle with said slice support.

17. The combination with a slicing machine, of a slice receiver for receiving slices formed by said machine, means for rotating said receiver about an upright axis, a threaded spindle ournaled in said slice receiver and spaced from said axis of rotation, a slice sup- I port, a sleeve connected with said slice support and movablelongitudinally of said spindle, a toothed member mounted on said sleeve for engaging the threads on said spindle, means for releasing said toothed member to permit movement of said support relative to said spindle, and means actuated by the movement of said slice receiver for'periodically rotating said spindle.

a threaded spindle connected with said slice supporting plate for adjusting the same vertically, said spindle being offset relative to the center of said open side of said receiver and longitudinally thereof to permit unobstructed access to said support through said open side, and means operated by the movement of said support for rotating said spindle.

19. The combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife and a reciprocating table, of a slice receiver having an arcuate peripheral portion and straight side portions, an abutment plate extending about said arcuate peripheral portion and straight side portions but leavingthe side of said receiver opposite said arcuate portion open, means for rotating said receiver about-an axis substantially midway of the open side of said receiver, a vertically adjustable slice support disposed within the space included by said abutment plate, an adjustment screw .dis-

posed near one end of the'open side of said slice receiver, means for connecting said slice support with said adjustment screw, and means operated by the oscillation of said slice support for rotating said adjustment screw to move said slice support downwardly.

20. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife, ofatable for moving thesubstance to be sliced past said slicing knife so that slices may be cut therefrom by said knife, a member pivoted to a relatively fixed support, a feed screw extending upwardly from said member and rotatably mounted therein, means for preventing longitudinal movement of said feed screw in said member, a slice receiver rotatably mounted on said feed screw, a feed nut on said slice receiver adapted to enga e said feed screw, means for rotating said feed screw relatively to said member as said mem ber moves about its pivot, and means for moving said member and slice receiverin timed relation to the movements of the supporting table.

21. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife, of a tablefor moving the substance to be sliced past said slicing knife so that slices may be cut therefrom by said knife, a member pivoted to a relatively fixed support, a feed screw extending 'upwardly from said member and rotatably mounted therein, means for preventing longitudinal movement of said feed screw in said member, a slice receiver rotatably mounted on said feed screw, a feed nut on said slice receiver adapted to engage said feed screw, means for rotating said feed screw relatively to said member as said member moves about its pivot, and means for moving said member and slice receiver in timed relation to the movements of the supportin table, said feed nut being pivoted to sai slice receiver and yieldingly urged into engagement with said feed screw.

22. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife, of a table for moving the substance to be sliced past said knife, a slice receiver for receiving the slices as they are cut from the substance by said slicing knife, a feed screw journaled in an oscillating member and adapted to support said slice receiver, a feed nut on said slice receiver adapted to engage said feed screw and be fed downwardly if and when said feed screw is rotated, said feed screw being located eccentrically to the pivot of said oscillating member so that as said member oscillates said feed screw will move about said pivot, and a link connected to a relatively fixed support and having operative connections with said feed screw so that as said feed screw is moved about the pivot for said oscillating member said operative connections will cause said feed screw to rotate about its own axis to impart a feeding movement to said slice receiver.

23. A slicing machine comprising a slicing knife, a substance support, a slice receiver movable in timed relation with the movement of said substance support and adapted to receive slices as they are cut from the substance on said support, said slice receiver being supported by means of a feed screw co-operating With a feed nut on said slice receiver, and means for feeding the slice receiver downwardly after each movement of the substance to be sliced past a predetermined position comprising a link pivoted to an arm concentric with the axis of said screw and adapted to actuate said arm, a member having a cam face pivoted to said arm, a substantially circular disc rigidly connected to said feed screw and adapted to have the peripheral surface thereof engage said cam face, and means for yieldingly urging said member having said cam face into engagement with the peripheral surface of said circular disc, said member having said cam face being adapted to rotate said feed screw about its axis by frictional engagement between said cam face and said peripheral surface on said circular disc as said arm moves about its pivot in one direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 7th day of August, A. D. 1926.

JOSEPH FOLK.

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