US2011043A

US2011043A - Slicing attachment for bread wrapping machines

Info

Publication number: US2011043A
Application number: US533829A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ferenci Lester
Original assignee: AMF Inc
Current assignee: AMF Inc
Priority date: 1931-04-29
Filing date: 1931-04-29
Publication date: 1935-08-13
Anticipated expiration: 1952-08-13

Description

Aug. 13, 1935. 1.. FERENCI 2,011,043

SLICING ATTACHMENT FOR BREAD WRAPPING MACHINES Original Filed April 29, 1931- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 FIG.| 3

3 x j. 54 E30 \jj/ d T I 3 JNMENTOR 13 m 53 I M #19, ATTORNEY Aug. 13, 1935.

1.. FERENCI SLICING ATTACHMENT FOR BREAD WRAPPING MACHINES Original Filed April 29, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY w wwc without an additional conveyor.

Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES SLICING ATTACHMENT FOR BREAD WRAPPING MACHINES Lester Ferenci, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 29, 1931, Serial No. 533,829 Renewed December 28, 1933,

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a self-contained loaf slicing attachment for. bread wrapping machines, its main object being to incorporate a, slicing device for cutting a loaf of bread into individual slices in a bread wrapping machine in such a manner that the loaf is sliced while it is being fed to the folding mechanism of the machine,

As this invention is a self-contained slicer, it may, when slidably mounted in a wrapping machine, easily be removed and also be used separately if desired.

Another object of the present invention is to make the construction of the slicing attachment of such compactness and simplicity that it is possible to obtain higher slicing speeds than were possible heretofore. For this purpose, an individual electric motor is employed for driving the slicing means, the former being equipped with a shaft extending from both of its ends, each end carrying an eccentric connected to an oscillating slicer frame carrying a plurality of vertically mounted knives or saw blades. The eccentrics of the two slicer frames are opposite each other so that when one eccentric ascends the other descends, thereby transmitting opposite oscillating motions to the slicer frames and their attached saw blades, the armature of the motor exerting a flywheel effect on these motions. The

saw blades are mounted so as to be always under longitudinal tension and each blade is provided with an additional hole permitting its separate removal for replacement by a single quick opertion by means of a special tool designed for this purpose. With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

The loaf to be sliced is placed on a cutting table forming a part of the attachment and pushed through the oscillating blades by a pusher arm forming a part of the bread wrapping machine. A top guide plate also forming a part of the attachment prevents the loaf from moving up or from rolling over during the slicing operation.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. l is an end elevation of the slicing attachment showing one arrangement for driving the slicer frames, two eccentrics being used for each frame;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the upper end of one of the slicer frames, showing the manner of removing the blades for replacement;

Fig.4 is a similar view of the other slicer frame 5 showing the manner of inserting a new blade;

Fig. 5 is a detail view taken on line 8-4 of Fig. 3

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the tool used to remove the blades from the slicer frames; 19

Fig. '7 is a front end elevation, partly in cross section, showing a modified form of slicing attachment as seen from the loaf entering side;

Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation of the same; and a Fig. 9 is a partial plan view of the same.

In carrying the invention into effect there is provided a slotted table, knife blades disposed in said slots, a frame carrying said knives, a motor,

and an eccentric mounted on the shaft of said 20 the particular device selected to illustrate the in- 30 vention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the specific construction shown and described.

The slicing attachment is self-contained, that is, it has an independent drive instead of being driven from the drive shaft of the bread wrapping machine, and it may be removed from the bread wrapping machine and used separately if desired.

frame l0 supports a motor ll having shaft extensions i2, i3 on which are mounted eccentrics having eccentric rods 52 driving the slicer frame i8, and eccentric rods 53 driving the slicer frame 25. In this arrangement of the drive for the slicer frames it will be observed that each slicer frame is driven by two eccentrics connected to opposite ends of the frame.

Referring to Figs, 7 to 9, which .show a modi- 5 fied arrangement for driving the slicer frames,-

the frame It has attached to its bottom the motor Ii having shaft extensions l2 and I! on which are mounted eccentrics carrying eccentric rods I4 and I5 balanced by counterweights it 40 Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the

. slice with respect and IT. The eccentric rod I4 is pivoted to the lower right hand end of the rectangular slicer frame I 8 by means of a bar [9 having a nut threaded thereon which also holds eccentric l4 and frame IE to a guide lever 20 mounted on a shaft 2| supported in bearings of frame Ill. The lowerleft hand side of frame I8 is pivoted to a guide lever 22 also mounted on shaft 2|. The upper ends of frame [8 are pivoted to swing levers 23 which are loosely mounted on a shaft 24 carried in bearing brackets of supporting frame I0.

Eccentric rod I5 is pivoted to the lower left hand side of a second slicer frame 25 by means of a bolt 26 which also holds eccentric rod [5 and frame 25 to a guide lever 21 mounted on a shaft 28 supported in bearings of supporting frame Ill. The right hand side of frame 25 is pivoted in a guide lever (not shown), mounted on shaft 28. Theupper ends of frame 25 are pivoted to swing levers 29 loosely mounted on red 24carried by the frame l0.

Both slicer frames l8and 25 are equipped at their upper ends with blade supporting lugs 30 and carry at their lower ends tension levers 3| with each of which engages a tension spring 32 fastened to the respective frame. Knife or saw blades 33 having pins 34 and 35 are placed into theframes l8 and 25, the upper pins 34 resting in grooves of the supporting lugs 30 while the lower pins 35 engage with grooves in the tension levers 3| so that each blade has the proper permanent longitudinal tension.

Above their upper pins, the saw blades 33 are provided with a hole 36 by which it is possible to insert or remove the blades in an easy and convenient manner by means of a special tool, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, consisting of a sickle- .shaped lever having a sidewardly projecting pin at its working end. For the removal of a blade from either frame, the end of tool 31 is placed with its convex side on top of the slicer frame and. with its pin 38 in engagement with the hole 36 of blade 33, as shown in Fig. 3, when movement of lever 31 in the direction of the arrow lifts pin 34 out of lug 30 and pushes blade 33 outward at the same time, thus unlocking it from its slicer frame,v

To insert a new blade, the curved end of the tool 31, with the new blade 33 suspended from the pin 38 thereof, upon hooking the lower pin of the blade into the groove of its tension lever, is placed with the concave side upon the slice frame, as shown in Fig. 4, when movement of lever 31 in the direction of the arrow lifts the blade and draws it inwardso that its upper pin 34 engages with the groove of lug 30 upon releasing the tool.

The loaves L are advanced on a cutting table 39 by suitable pushing means, not shown, which forms a part of the machine to which this attachment is applied. The cutting table 39 is provided with slots for the moving saw blades 33 and supported by a rod 40 and a. bar 4|, both mounted on the frame Ill. The construction of the slicer frames l8 and 25 permits the close approach of the two sets of blades which avoids the tendency to rotate the loaf about its longitudinal axis when the oppositely moving sets of blades are spaced sufficiently to engage the loaf behind and in front of its longitudinal axis during its passage through the blades. The blades on one frame are staggered the thickness of one to blades on the other frame and the blades on each frame are spaced the thickness of two slices. With this arrangement,

the advantage is gained that the side pressure of the blades in each set caused by compression of the slices due to the thickness of the blades,'is sustained by the thickness of two slices of bread, thus eliminating crooked or uneven cuts. Another advantage of this arrangement is that the friction of the knives in the loaf and, therefore, the power consumption is greatly decreased. This may be explained as due to the diminished compression of the slices.

The frame In is provided with an adjustable top guide plate 42 which serves the purpose of holding the loaf to the cutting plate 39 in order to prevent any vertical movement of the loaf L while passing through the slicer. The plate 42 is mounted by means of two bearing brackets 43 t0 the vertical slidable rods 44, which on their lower ends have racks 45 engaging with gears 46 mounted on a shaft 41 slidably supported in the end walls of main frame In. To one end of shaft 41 is mounted a knob 48 provided with a ratchet ring 49 engaging with a stationary pawl pin 50 mounted in the end wall of frame 10, a tension spring 5| assuring engagement between ratchet ring 49 and pin 50. When the top guide plate 42 is to be raised or lowered, knob 43 is pulled out of engagement with pin 50 and is turned to one side or the other, thereby correspondingly turning shaft 41 and gears 46, thus raising or lowering rods 44. In case of the arrival of a higher loaf than that for which the plate 42 was set, the loaf automatically lifts the plate which follows by virtue of ratchet ring 49 and spring 5|; but lowering of the plate can only be accomplished by hand operation.

With respect to the form shown in Figs. 1-6 it should be noted that in order to reduce vibration and thus make possible greater speed and output, the two

frames

18 and 25 are oppositely reciprocated so that they counterbalance each other. For the same reason oppositely disposed eccentrics He and l3b at one end of the combined motor armature shaft and drive shaft and similarly arranged eccentrics at the opposite end of theqshaft are connected to each side of the frames as shown. While the eccentrics at one end are substantially opposite their centers I30 and l3d vary from diametric opposition by an angle approximately equal to the angle between the diverging

eccentric rods

52 and 53 equal, in the embodiment illustrated, to 19. This is done in order that the one frame shall start down at the exact moment that the other frame starts up as instead of 19 after as would be the case if the diverging direction of thrust of the eccen tric rods were not takeninto account. Thus the reciprocating movements of the frames and con- .necting rods to each frame are equal and opposite and coincident as to time, producing the conditions most favorable to eliminating vibration. Driving each frame from both sides also decreases torsional stresses on the frame and makes possible lighter frames.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 to 9, the slicer frames l8 and 25 are driven by a single eccentric on one side of each slicer frame. In Figs. 1 and 2 the preferred arrangement is shown wherein an eccentric is employed on each side of each frame, the latter construction being pref erable for long slicing frames or when a high cutting speed is desired as in this case both ends of each frame are supported and thus an even motion is secured, eliminating vibration. In the arrangement of Figs. 1 and 2, the slicer frame 75' I! is driven by two eccentric rods 52, one at each end l2, II .of the motor shaft, and slicer frame 25 is driven by two eccentric rods 53 mounted at opposite ends of the motor shaft, each two eccentric rods at the same end of the shaft being balanced by a common counterweight 54.

The frame 10 has outwardly extending lugs 5s attached thereto over a layer oig'esilient material 58. The lugs is are mounted on supports 6| which form a part of a bread wrapping machine, thereby supporting the attachment in position to slice the loaves as they are forwarded to the wrapping mechanism .of the machine.

In view of the foregoing, a detailed description of the operation of the device is deemed unnecessary and accordingly omitted in the interest of brevity.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-contained loaf slicing attachment for bread wrapping machines, comprising a slotted table, knife blades disposed in said slots, a frame carrying said knives, a motor, an eccentric mounted on the shaft of said motor and connected to said frame, and a device for pressing theloaves against said table, said deviceincluding a top guide plate above said table, vertical rods connected to said plate and having racks formed on their lower ends, gears engaging said racks, a shaft carrying said gears, and means for preventing rotation of "said gear shaft in one direction and permitting said shaft to rotate in the other direction when said plate is engaged and raised by a loaf of greater height than the height of said plate from said table.

2. A self-contained loaf slicing attachment for bread wrapping machines comprising a frame,

' knife blades carried by said frame, a motor, and

an eccentric mounted on the shaft of said motor and connected to said frame, said frame having a plurality of grooved lugs and grooved tension levers, and said knives having pins on their upper and lower ends mounted in the grooves of said lugs and levers respectively.

3. A self-contained loaf slicing attachment for bread wrapping machines comprising a frame having a plurality of grooved lugs and grooved tension levers, and knife blades having pins on their upper and lower ends mounted in the grooves of said lugs and tension levers respectively.

4. A self-contained loaf slicing attachment for bread wrapping machines comprising a table, and a device for pressing loaves of bread against said table, said device including a top guide plate above said table, vertical rods connected to said plate and having racks formed on their lower ends, gears engaging said racks, a shaft carrying said gears, and means for preventing rotation of said shaft in one direction only.

5. A self-contained loaf slicing attachment for bread wrapping machines comprising a table, and

a device for pressing loaves of bread against said table, said device including a top guide plate above said table, rods connected to said plate and having racks formed thereon, gears'engaging said racks, a slidable shaft carrying said gears, a knob fixed to said shaft and having a ratchet ring thereon, a stationary pin, and a spring on said shaft urging said ratchet ring into engagement with said pin. Z

6. In a slicing machine, the combination with a pair of spaced movable knife carrying frames,

of a drive shaft having substantially opposed eccentrics thereon, diverging connecting rods between said eccentrics and said spaced frames, one

of said eccentrics being displaced from a position diametrically opposite the other by an angle approximately equal to that between the diverging connecting rods to minimize vibration effects.

7. A self-contained loaf slicing attachment for 'bread wrapping machines, comprising a slotted table, slicing knives disposed in said slots, a frame carrying said knives, a motor, an eccentric mounted on the shaft of said motor and connected to said frame, and a device for pressing the loaves against said table, said frame carrying a plurality of grooved lugs at its upper end and a plurality of grooved tension levers at its lower end, and said knives being provided with pins at their upper and lower ends disposed in the grooves of said lugs and levers and also being provided with holes at their upper ends for receiving a pin on a suitable tool for removing the blades from said frame against the tension of said tension levers.

8. A self-contained loaf slicing attachment for bread wrapping machines, comprising a pair of spaced frames, knife blades mounted on each of said frames, a motor, a pair of substantially opposed eccentrics on the shaft of said motor, and

diverging connecting rods between said eccentrics.

and said spaced frames, one of said eccentrics being displaced from a position diametrically oppositethe other eccentric by an angle approximately equal to that between the diverging con necting rods to minimize vibration, and the blades on one frame being staggered the thickness of one slice with respect to the 'blades on the opposite the other eccentric of the pair by an angle approximately equal to that between the diverging connecting rods to minimize vibration, and the blades on one frame being staggered the thickness of one slice with respect to the blade on the other frame.

10. A self-contained loaf slicing attachment for bread wrapping machines, comprising a stationary frame, a pair of oscillating knife frames, swing levers supporting said knife frames from said stationary frame, knife blades carried by said knife frames, a motor carried by said stationary frame, a pair of substantially opposed eccentrics mounted on the shaft of said motor, and diverging connecting rods connecting said eccentrics to said frame, one of said eccentrics being substantially displaced from a position diametrically opposite the other eccentric by an angle approximately equal to that between the diverging connecting rods to minimize vibration. 11. In a bread slicing machine, a slicer frame having a plurality of knife supports at each end position to the lower side of said main frame and having a shaft projecting beyond both ends of said motor,.a pair of slicer frames, means secured to the upper side of said main frame for mounting said slicer frames for oscillatory movement, oppositely positioned eccentrics on the projecting ends of said motor shaft, and rods connecting said eccentrics with said slicer frames.

13. A self contained slicing unit comprising a main frame, an electric motor secured in pendent position to the lower side of said main frame and having a shaft projecting beyond both ends of said motor, a pair of slicer frames, means secured to the upper side of said main frame for mounting said slicer frames for oscillatory movement, oppositely positioned eccentrics on the projecting ends of said motor shaft, rods connecting said eccentrics with said slicer frames, and adjustable meansfor guiding loaves to said slicer frames.

14. The combination with e; pair of slicer frames, of means for mounting said ice for to and fro movement, an electric motor having sshaft projecting beyond both of its ends, oppositely positioned eccentrics on the projecting ends of said motor shaft, and rods connecting said eccentrics with said slicer frames.

15. The combination with a pair of slicer frames of means for mounting said fesfor movement to and fro. an electric motor having a shaft projecting beyond both of its ends, and pairs of oppositely positioned eccentric members mounted on each of the projecting ends oi said motor shaft and connected with said slicer frames to oppositely move the latter.

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