US1821445A - Slice stacker - Google Patents

Description

Slept. 1, 1931. L.. NESTOR 1,821,445

sLIcE STACKERv Filed oct. 2, 192e s sheds-sheet. 1

I v w IWI/IO? a @Zand/0J 'mina Pulsonneg! a L. NESTOR SLICE STACKER A Sept. 1,1931.

Filed Oct, 2, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. NESTOR SLICE STACKER Sept. l, 1931.

` 5 sham-.s-sneetA s Fild Oort. 2, 192.6

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latented Slept. 1i, 193i Utell 'F'S pf. -F'FICE I EDWARD J. ame, or iainimeronrs, MINNESOTA SLICE STACKER Application filed October 2,

rlhis invention relates to slice receiving apparatus for slicing machines. Ylt is the general object of the invention to provide mechanism whereby slices discharged from a slicing machine may be received, either in piled formation one slice upon another or in overlapped formation, one slice overlapping a preceding slice.` Y

To this end the invention consists in theV novel devices and novel combinations of devices hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a slicing machine with one embodiment of the present invention applied thereto, certain of the parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a shown in broken away;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1, c-rta'in of the parts being broken away; Y

Fig. d is a bottom view of a pawl and ratchet mechanism that may be used;

Figs. 5 and 6 are illustrative views showing two different manners in which slices may be piled when the device of theinvention is used;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one type of feed mechanism that may be used;

8 is a vertical section taken on the line S-S of Fig. 7; and

l'fig. 9 is an illustrative view showing'the manner in which slices may be piled when the type of feed mechanism illustrated inY Figs. 7 and 8 is used. i

ln the drawings, a standard slicing machine is illustrated, such as that described and claimed in the U. S. yPatent No. 1,376,775, issued to A. K. -Luschka and Jv. Folk, 'on May 3rd, 1921. 1n generalit may bestated that the said slicing machine includes a base 10, within which the `main drive 'laft 11 of the machine is journaled. rl'he n iin drive shaft may be operated by a wheel 12 which in turn may be yoperated either by hand or power. A food advancing platform. 13 is used which is adapted'to be reeiprocated back and forth adjacent a cutside elevation of the device 1, certain of the parts being 1926. Serial No. 139,09*?.

ting yknife 14, 'and isalso adapted to *ad-A vance intermittently towards `the 'knife 14; when the machine `is in operation. A

bracket 15 is secured to ythe `base 10, the

155'" forming upper and lowerV U-shapedtracks bracket beinguadapted'to carry 'a .frame 16 for the4 slat and chain slice conveyor Conveyor 17 is adaptedto move backan'd forth around the frame 16 in substantially a U-shaped path. vances towards the cutting knife 14 aportion of the meat or Vother 'food .tobe sliced. will'be forced against the prongs 18 of 'con-v veyor 17,1so that'theprongs will be projected a short. distance rvinto the material'to be sliced. Platform i13 fwill. vthen beV moved transversely ofthe frame :10 towards the cuttlngedge of vthey cuttingknife A111, conf` veyor 17A moving with the platform 'until' the knife le hasjcoinpletely cut off .theslice At ythat time a supplemental forward move` ment will be impartedto the conveyor 17 by the arm k19, jcarryinglthe conveyor around from the `right side of .the frame .16, as

20, as the conveyor moves from the cutting side of the frame to the discharge side thereof. slice dischargingliyZl mounted on a shaft 22 journa'led in bracket 15 is'adapte'd to be so positioned that as `the conveyor` moves tothe discharge .side ofthe frame 16 the slice carried'by theprongs 18 will be carried over the fly arms, whereupon the [fly 22 will be actuated downwardly by motion imparted thereto, through crank 23 actuated by Varml 24e. A pinion 25Y secured tothe main drive shaft llactuates agear 26 carried on a secondary slraft journaled. inframe 28. Shaft 27 extends through vfa slot in arm 24 and act'uateslt`he"arm to moveiiy 21 at'the proper Jtime by meansof cams 29 acting' againstcam Arollers V30 secured to the arm 2e. Fly v21 will be movedunti'llthe sameis approximately iirav'horizon'tal plane, where-` upon the slice vcarriedthereby .will bedischarged 'therefrom in a flatwise 'position permitting the slice to 'fall downwardly subi? As the' platform .13 aditc stantially in a vertical plane. The operation of the particular type of slicing machine herein illustrated is fully described in the patent above referred to, and accordingly no further description of the same will be given here. The device of the invention may be used with any type of slicing machine adapted to discharge slices as cut thereby in a downwardly direction. Accordingly, applicant does not wish to limit himself to the use of his machine with the particular type of slicing machine herein illustrated and partially described.

In accordance with the present invention parallel rods 3l and 32 are extended substantia'lly horizontally respectively from the frame l0 of the slicing machine and from a lug 33, carried by bracket l5. Rods 3l and 32 lie in substantially the same vertical plane and are positioned at the rear side of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Said rods are connected at their outer ends by a vertical brace 34, at approximately their central portion by rod 35, and slightly inward from their central portion by a guide rod 36. A bar 37 extends transversely from the rod 3l and has secured at its front end a vertical guide rod 38.Y The rear end of bar 37 and the rearend of a top bearing block 39 between which the guide rod 36 extends, form Vbearings for a hollow vertical shaft 40 through which a rod 4l extends. A horizontal screw 42 is journaled in bearings 43 and 44 secured respectively to brace 34 and rod 35. The thread of screw 42 terminates short of the outer end of its shaft as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Screw 42 is adapted to be driven off shaft 40 by means of beveled gear 45, secured to shaft 40 and beveled gear 46, secured to the inner end of screw V42. A spider 47 is provided, which is secured to a carriage 48 fitting over the guide rod 36 and adapted to ride upwardly and downwardly thereon on rollers 49. he spider 47 extends from adjacent the discharge end of the slicing machine outwardly to adja-V cent the brace 34 and has formed thereon at its upper side the two 'parallel tracks 50, upon which cooperating guides 5l secured to the bottom of a tray 52 ride.

A vertical screw 53 is formed on or secured to the hollow shaft 40 adjacent the 53, and also being of sulheient size so that when the block is moved to its extreme right hand limit, as viewed in Fig. 3, the block will clear the collar 54 when raised or lowered. The toothed block 55 is adapted to be engaged with the vertical screw 53 and to act as a nut thereon. A rod 56 extends transversely through spider 47 and is mounted therein for sliding movement, the right hand end of the rod, as viewed in Fig. 3, being threaded to a link 57 which in turn is pivotally connected to a lever 58 pivoted in a handle 59 formed integrally with the spider 47. A pressure spring 60 is interposed between the right hand side of the blocl'55 and the left hand end of the spider 47, the spring being coiled about the rod 56 and adapted normally to force the block 55 to the left.

A short vertical shaft 6l suitably journaled in the frame 28 is driven off the secondary shaft 27 by means of beveled gear 62 secured to secondary shaft 27 and beveled gear 63, meshing with gear 62 and secured to shaft 6l. A crank arm 64 is secured to the lower end of shaft 6l and is pivotally connected to an actuating rod 65 to reciprocate thesame. Secured to the lower end of red 41 is a shroud 66, while secured to the lower end of shaft 40 below the bar 37 a ratchet 67 is provided. An arm 68 is journaled on the shaft 40 between the ratchet 67 and the bar 37. The reciprocating end of actuating rod 65 is secured to a pivot pin 69 extending downwardly from the outer end of the arm 68. A pawl 70 mounted for pivotal movement on pin 69 has an ear against which one end of a spring 7l bears the other end of spring 7l bearing against an ear on the arm 68, the spring being adapted to force the pawl 70 into engagement with the ratchet 67. Shroud 66 is adapted to be turned so as to vary the length of movement imparted to the ratchet by the pawl 70, the shroud acting to form a surface over which the pawl 70 will ride out of engagement with the ratchet teeth. An adjusting lever 72 is secured to the upper end of the rod 41, and is supported on a bearing plate 73 carried on the upper face of the bearing block 39. Lever 72 is provided with an opening at its end having a ball ratchet 74 therein actuated by spring 75 to engage with teethvformed on the periphery of the bearing plate 73. A small scale plate 76 is secured to the circumferential edge of plate 73, and has numerals thereon at various points indicating the various distances that ratchet 67 will be moved by the pawl 59 during each reciprocating movement of rod 65 when the lever 72 and accordingly the shroud 66 is turned to a given position. Pointer 77 is secured to the outer edge of lever 72 and is adapted to co-operate with the scale 76. Overthrow Sli llo

movement of the' shaft 40 is prevented by means of a spring pressed bearing Y, block 78 held by an adjustable screwl7 9 in arecess formed in the bar 37, the recess being open to the shaft 40 and the block 78, be-

.'ing held against the shaft 40 by thetension which a pin 81 is journaled.y A handle 82 is secured to the outer end of the pin 8l, spring 83 being coiled about the pin engaging the handle 82 and one of the eye bearings 80 to normally move the pin 81 toward the screw 42. A toothed block 84 is secured to the pin 81 between the eye bearings 80 and is adapted to be engaged with the screw 42 and to act as a nut on the screw. Handle 82 may be engaged with a spring 85 secured to one of the eye bearings 80to hold the toothed block 84 against the action of spring 83 out of engagement with the screw 42.

Suitable bracing, such as the braces 86 and 87 may be provided extending between the frame 10 of the slicing machine and the rods 31 or 32 and the bar 37. An aperture will be provided in spider 47 adjacent the handle 59, through which the guide 38 )vill extend. The guide 38 will prevent swinging movement of the spider about rod 36.

In Figs. 7 and 8 a slightly dierent type of horizontal screw and toothedblock are used. In place of the screw 42 a reversing screw 88 oi the double acting ratchet type is provided; in place of the toothed block 84 an arm 89 is provided secured to the pin 8l, the arm 89 having a cylindrical bore at its outer end withinwhich a cylindrical tooth 90 is adapted to be received. 'The tooth 9() is substantially chisel-shaped at its engaging end and has a flange 91 at its upper end adapted to seat within a recess r termed at the upper end of the bore in the arm 89. Spring 92 secured to the top'oif the outer* end of arm 859 is adapted to resiliently hold the tooth 9() in screw engaging position. A pair of cams 93 are secured to the ends of the shaft of sc rew 88 and are adapted to turn the tooth 90 "for reverse travel after the tooth which in operative position is adapted to engage with the double acting screw 88, reaches lthe `end ofA its movement in a given direction.

Operation By use of the present device lslices received from' the slicing machine may be piled in either stacked arrangement, one slice upon another, or piled in overlapped arrangement, one slice overlapping another. Considering the parts of the device to' be arranged, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. If, for example, it is desired to stack the slices cut from ham or similar food product,

slicel uponuanothenhandle 82 is moved to throwthe toothed block 84 out of engagement with the screw 42, whereupon the han- .dle 82 will be caught by the spring 85 to hold the toothed block 84 out of engagement.

vThe operator then grasps the lever 58 with one portion of his hand, the otherportion of j his hand resting upon the handle 59. By' moving the lever 58 towards the handle 59, toothed block 55 will be released from the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby permitting the spider 47, tray'52 and carriage 48 lto slide downwardly upon the guide'rod 36;

.lVhen the said parts have beendownwardly slid to a position where the toothed block 55 extends even with the top portion of the vertical screw 53, lever 58 is released thereby permitting the block 55 to engage with screw 53. The slicing machine is now put in operation. As a slice is received by the iy 21 it will be discharged downwardly on the tray 52. By properly setting the shroud G6 by movement of the lever 77, movementot' screw 53 may be varied so that immediately after a given slicey is discharged upon the tray 52 screw 53 will be turned a sutlicient distance so that the spider 47, carriage 48 and tray 52 will be moved downwardly a distance vequal to the width of the slice cut. Accordingly, as a second slice is discharged by the fly 21, the said second slice will fall immediately upon the rst slice discharged and as the machine is successively operated, a pile of slices will be formed on the tray, one slice directly on top of another. Ther screw 53 is terminated short of bar 37 so that the toothed block 55 will run off the screw to prevent jamming of the parts of the device after an extreme downward position of the spider and tray has been reached. If, after a givenv pile has been made it is desired to form other piles on the tray 52, 4

the tray may be slid outwardly from the dis-V charge end of the slicing machine on tracks 50, whereupon other piles may be formed,

as shown in Fig. 6, the slices being indicated by the letter A.

If it .is desired to pile slices cut by the `'machine one upon another in overlapped formation, `lever 58 is again grasped and the spider 47, tray 52 and carriage 48 are raised Vto a position where the toothed block 55 will extend above the level of the collary i 54, whereupon the lever 58 may be released. f

Block 55 will then rest upon the top surface of the collar 54 and the lowering screw will tra-y 52.` vAfter a first slice is discharged upon the tray, shaft 40 will be turned as before, thereby transmitting a step of `Inovemeiit through beveled gears and 46 to the horizontal screw 42. Accordingly, the toothed block 84 being in engagement with the screw 42, the'tray 52 will be slid outwardly from'the discharge side of the machine on the tracks one step. As a second'slice is discharged upon the tray, a portion thereof will overlap the first slice. The slices, A accordingly, will be received on the tray in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5, a sheet of paper being indicated by the letter B. After the toothed block 84 has run off the outer end of the thread of the horizontal screw, whereupon further outer 'movement vill be prevented, handle 82 may be grasped and the block moved out of Iengagement with the screw, whereupon the tray may be pushed inwardly to its enti-enit:l inner position. The length of movement or the horizontal screw, of course, may be varied by changing the position of the'lever 72, controlling the shroud G5. Accordingly, the slices as received on the tray may be overlapped varying amounts as desireth lVhen the mechanism illust ed in Figs. 7 and 8 is used', to feed the-tray, reversing action of the tray will vtake place. After the tooth 90 has'been moved to such a position'that it strikes one ofthe canisQ-, the tooth will be turned so that the movement of the tooth will be reversed thereby causing the tooth to` be moved in an opposite direction. Accordingly, slices A will be 'piled upon the tray in the manner illustrated in Fig. 9, due to the intermittent movement of the screw and to the reversing mechanism. Sheets of paper B may be interposed between successive layers ifdesired.

lt will be understood Athat'the movable parts of the device will'be vso synchronized 'with the action of the slicing machine that the tray 52 will be moved one step either downwardly or laterally immediately after a slice has been discharged on to the tray from the iy 21 whereupon the tray will remain stationary until after a further slice 'has been discharged. f

It will, of course, be understood, that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of parts without departing V.from the scope of the invention. I

That is claimed is :l

l. In combination a 'slicing machine, a tray upon which the slices are adapted to be discharged therefrom, a substantially horizontally disposed screw adapted to be intermittently turned and a toothed block secured to said tray and adapted to be reinittently move said tray in substantially a horizontal plane whereby slices may be dismalais posed on said tray in such relation that each slice overlaps its adjacent slice.

2. In combination a slicing machine, means for receiving the individual slices as cut by saidlmachine and depositing the same, a spider having a track secured thereto, a tray movable on said track and upon which the slices are adapted to be deposited, and means for moving said tray along said track intermittent-ly in a direction away from the discharge end of said machine and for automatically reversing the movement of the tray;l

3.y The structure defined in claim 2, and means for synchronizing the movement of said tray with said slice receiving and depositing means so that said tray will be moved shortly after a slice has been depoisted thereon.

4. In combination a slicing machine, means for receiving the ,individual slices as cut by said machine and depositing the same, a spider having a substantially horizontal track secured thereto, a tray movable upon said track laterally to a desired horizontal position, and means for lowering said spider and tray intermittently after a sliceis deposited thereon, whereupon after a pile of slices has been formed said tray may be moved on said track and additional piles made. Y

5. ln combina-tion, a slicing machine, a spider at the discharge side thereof, a substantially horizontal track carried by said spider, a tray adapted to ride on said track, said tray being adapted to receive the slices as cnt by said slicing machine, and a feed screw for sliding said tray along said track torcause the slices to be piled on said tray in overlapped relation.

In combination, Va slicing machine, a spider at the discharge side thereof, a substantially horizontal track carried by said spider, a tray adapted to ride on said track, said tray being adapted to receive the slices as cut by said slicing machine, a substantially horizontally disposed feed screw adapted to be intermittently turned, and a. toothed block secured to said tray and adapted to be removably engaged withsaid screw to vintermittently move said tray along ,said

track in a horizontal plane, whereby slices may be discharged on said tray in such relation that each slice overlaps its adjacent slice. y. Y

7. In a slicing machine, a slicing knife, a source of power, a driving connection between said source of power and said slicing knife, a support mounted for vertical movement, a tray adapted to receive from said slicing knife and mounted on said support for horizontal movement, a vertical driving element, a horizontal driving element, means for operating one. of said driving elements from said source of power, means for operating the other of said driving elements from the eieinent operated from saidsource of power, means for releasably connecting said support to said vertical driving element to impart vertical movement to said support, means for holding said support in a l'iXed horizontal plane when said connecting means is not engaged with said vertical driving element, and means for releasably connecting said tray to said horizontal driving element to impart horizontal movement to said tray when said support is so held.

S. In a slicing machine, a support mount ed for vertical travel, a slice receiving tray mounted on said support for horizontal travel, driving element for said supp .'t, a driving element for said tray, a common actuating mechanism for said driving elements, a connecting member adapted to be releasably engaged with said first mentioned driving element to move said support vertically, retaining means with which said connecting member may be engaged when not engaged with said iirst mentioned drivy ing element to retain said support in a iixed Y slices in both superimposed relation and in overlapped relation, a slicing knife, a support mounted for vertical movement, a tray mounted on said support for horizontal movement and adapted to receive cut slices, a vertical screw, means for imparting Inotion thereto, a horizontal screw driven from said vertical screw, a collar on said vertical screw, a toothed block carried by said support, and adapted to be lowered below said collar to engage said vertical screw to impart vertical movement to said support, and adapted to be carried above said collar to rest on the same and retain said support in a iixed horizontal plane, and a toothed block carried by said tray and adapted to be engaged with said horizontal screw when said first mentioned block rests on said collar to cause horizontal movement to be imparted to said tray.

10. In a slicing machine capable of piling slices in both superimposed relation and in overlapped relation, a slicing knife, a support mounted for vertical movement, a tray mounted on said support for horizontal movement, a vertical screw, means for imparting intermittent rotative movement to said vertical screw, a horizontal screw driven from said vertical screw, a connecting member carried by said support, and adapted to be releasably engaged with said vertical screw to cause said support to be vertically moved, means for retaining 'said support at a fixed horizontal level with said connecting member out of engagement with said vertical screw, and a connecting member carried by said tray and adapted to be engaged with said horizontal screw when said support is held at a iiXed horizontal level vby said retaining means to impart horizontal movement to said tray.

l1. The structure defined in claim 10, and means for varying the extent of rotation of said Vertical and horizontal screws during the intermittent movements thereof.

l2. In combination, a slicing machine, a tray for receiving individual slices as cut said machine, a track upon which said l rides, means acting in synchronism with said machine for moving said tray along said track by intermittent steps in the direction away from the discharge end of the said machine, and means for adjusting said i'lrst mentioned means to vary the distance said tray will ride in each step in its movement.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

LEONARD NESTOR;

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