US2311761A - Bread slicing machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1943. A. A. KOTTMANN ET L 2,311,761

BREAD SLICING MACHINE Filed Nov. 50, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ARTHUR A. KG TMANN FRED 1.. BENNETT EDWARD R. KEAST ATTORNEYS Feb. 23, 1943- A. A. KOTTMANN ETAL 2,311,761

" BREAD SLICING MACHINE I Filed Nov. 50, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ARTHUR A. KOTTMANN #12242 FRED BENNETT EDWARD R. KEAST Patented Feb. 23, 1943 Arthur A. Kottmann, Davenport, an'diFredpL. Bennett, Le ;Claire, Iowa, and Edward R. Keast, "WestEnglewood; N. .L, assignors, by--mesneassignments, to TheBettendorf Company, a corporation of Maryland Application November 30, 1940, Serial N 0. 3.673998 -6' 'Claims. (01. 146-88) This invention relatesjto bread slicingmachinesof the. endless band slicer type, and-:more particularly to means: for preventing accumulationof solidmaterial .on the blade surfaces.

It has been found that when. slicingcertain varieties vof bread,. such as rye bread and; some types of white bread, a glutenous'deposit is built up on the blades :andon the pulleys which .;drive the blades. :This deposit cakes on theblades and pulleys andcausesheating of the blades-because of .friction .developed at the .point where :the bladespass through the guiding fingers. This increase in blade temperature is sufficient to bake the gluten deposit "so that .:it is extremely hard and diificult to remove. :The gluten deposit causes excessive wear on the guidetfingers and also, due to the heat developed'by friction, the blades'are lengthened and .the tension of the blades reduced with the result that the slices become uneven.

One object of the present, invention. is :to provide for continuously lubricating .zthe sidezsurfaces of the blades to lessen thehtendencyofthe glutenous material toadhere to the blades.

Another objectof the invention is to provide means for continuously removing any material adhering to the blade surfaces or to the surfaces of the pulleys.

With the above and other objects. in; view, the invention maybe said to comprise the "lubricating and cleaning means illustrated in the accompanying drawings hereinafter-described andparticularly set forth in the appended claims,';together with such variations and'modifica'tions thereof as will be apparent to. one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a partof this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sideielevation .of

band blade slicer showing the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation on an enlarged scale showing. the lubricating and scraping devices associated with .one of the blade.

pulleys;

Fig. .3 .is a fragmentary side elevation on'an enlarged scale showing thelubricating and Scraping deviceassociated with the other, pulley;

Fig. 4 is. a fragmentary front elevationof one end of the vblade lubricating and scraping device, portions being.v broken away andshown in section;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation. .of the ingdevicev with a portion of .the lubricating device broken away-and .shown .in, section;

Fig. 6 is -a section takenon the line indicated at 6-6 in Fig.4;

Fig. 7 is a section vtakencn the line indicated at 1l in Fig..2,'- and Fig. 8-is a section on the line indicated at 88 in Fig. 7.

In the accompanying drawings, the devices of the present i-nventionare shown applied .to the .slicing unit, ofa bread slicing machine, which comprises spaced :pulleys I and 2 journaled frame members 3 and .crossed endless slicer blades '4 running over. thepulleys. .Theloread @is' fed to the: slicer blades along a .bed .5 which is 'slotted to permit passage-of the slicer blades. Suitable-guidefingersJi-may be provided to hold the portions -of the blades passing through the bed 5 in parallel planes. A series of the blades l are arranged side by side, as shown in Figs. 4 and :5; the spacesbetween the blades where they pass through the bed 5. corresponding .to the thickness of the .slices 'to be-cut.

Adjacent the uppermost drum 1 there mounted a lubricant applying wiper .block which is pressed against ;the outer surfaces the blades,- as they -pass'over the drum 1,.the-inher face of the block l being shaped to conform to. the surface of'thedrum and the block'beingof 1 a length suflicient -to engage all of. the blades passing over thedrum. .A longitudinal slot 8 extends the full-length-of the block 1 andcpens to the-inner face of "the block. The slot 3 has an absorbentpad 9 thereimwhichis impregnated with a lubricant-and serves to.maintain.a.supply of lubricant to the inner face-of. the'block, so

that theybands arecontinuously =moistened -with lubricant. j Lubricant may be supplied-to .the pad 95through oilipassages. l0 leading to an oil receiving channel -I l inythe top ofthe bloclel.

Lubricant is applied to the surface of the upper pulley l bymeans of an elongated wiper-block 'l 2;"7Whi0h engages the underside of the .pulley 5 between the runs-of the endless slicer blades 4. .45;

The block 12 has an inner face which conforms to the surface of the pulley and is provided with a-slot I3 .opening to the inner face thereof,

in which is mounted anabsorbent pad J4 which is supplied -with oil through passages 15 leading from .an oil receiving-channel it formed inthe block. The block .12 preferably-projects-beyond an :end. of-the pulley- I, as shown in Fig. 7, a

sufficient, distance to expose an end portion of the channel 16, so that-oil may :be introduced opposite :end .of the blade. lubricating. and scrapinto thethannel l 6.

The block l2 and I1 continuously supply oil to the surfaces of the pulleys and 2, and the oil on these pulleys moistens the inner surfaces of the slicer blades. The outer surfaces of the blades are continuously moistened by the lubricant applying wiper block I, and the lubricant on the side faces of the blades greatly lessens the tendency of glutenous material in the bread to stick to the surfaces of the blades.

Each of the lubricant applying blocks is ingly pressed toward the surface of a drum and each of the blocks is mounted upon a support which is detachably secured to the frame members 3 which support the pulleys. Each wiper unit is mounted upon a supporting bar 22 detachably secured to the frame members and disposed parallel with the pulley axes. Each supporting bar 22 is a square bar having one end fitting in a square hole in a supporting plate 23 attached to one of the frame members 3. The opposite end of each of the bars 22 is provided with a bore 24 which receives a plunger 25 which is pressed outwardly by a coiled spring 25 interposed between the inner end of the plunger and the bottom of the bore 24. A retaining pin 21 engaging a slot in the plunger 25 prevents separation of the plunger from the bar 22. At its outer end the plunger is provided with a shoulder 28 and a reduced end 29 which fits in a hole provided in a supporting plate 30 attached to the frame member 3 opposite that to which the plate 23 is attached.

The wiper block 1 is carried by an angle bar 3| which has a vertical flange 32 rigidly attached to the supporting bar 22 and is resiliently supported by means of a spring plate 33 which is secured by bolts 34 to the vertical flange 32. The spring plate 33 projects above the bar 3| and is adjustably connected to the bar 3|, the plate being provided with slots 35 which receive the attaching bolts 34. By loosening the bolts 34 the plate 33 and the block 1 may be adjusted vertically to increase or decrease the spring pressure exerted on the block I by the plate 33. The block 1 is attached to the plate 33 by means of screws 36. The bar 3| has an inwardly projecting flange 31 to which is attached a resilient scraper blade 38 which engages the outer faces of the slicer bands. The scraper blade 38 is adjustably connected to the flange 31, being provided with elongated slots 39 which receive attaching bolts 40. By adjusting the scraper 38 inwardly toward the pulley the pressure of the may be increased.

The wiper block |2 is supported upon an angle bar 4| which is rigidly attached to the removable cross bar 22 which is mounted directly beneath The block I2 is carried by spring the top pulley l. plate 42 attached to the bar 4| and this plate is preferably adjustably secured to the bar 4| so that the spring pressure exerted by the block on the drum may be increased or decreased. To

permit this adjustment, the spring plate 42 mayji' be provided with slots 43 to receive attaching bolts 44, which serve to secure the plate in adjusted positions on the bar 4|. The supporting bar 4| may be adjustably connected to the bar scraper on the blades:

yield- 22 by bolts 44a passing through slots 43a in the '75 bar 4|. A scraper 45 is attached to the bar 22 on the side opposite that to which the bar 4| is attached and has its upper edge in engagement with the Surface of the pulley The scraper is preferably adjustably secured to the bar, being provided with slots 46 which receive attaching bolts 41, by means of which the scraper may be secured in adjusted position. A guard plate 48 may be secured to the bar 22 by the bolts 41 and this guard plate coacts with the scraper to provide a receptacle to receive any solid material dislodged from the surface of the pulley by the scraper.

As shown in Fig. 3, the wiper block I! which engages the lower pulley 2 is supported on an angle bar 49 rigidly attached to the lower supporting bar 22, the block I! being carried by a spring plate 50 which is adjustably attached to the angle bar 49. The adjustment of the block 11 is permitted by slots 5| in the plate 50 which receives attaching bolts 52. Downward adjustment of the block I! causes increased deflection of the spring plate 50 and results in greater spring pressure on the surface of the drum. A scraper 54 is clamped between the bar 49 and the lowermost bar 22 and is preferably adjustable to vary its pressure against the drum surface. The inner edge portion of the scraper 54 and the bar 49 may be provided with transverse slots 55 and 55a which receive clamping bolts 55, which serve to secure the bar 49 and scraper 54 in adjusted position. A guard plate 5'! may also be secured to the lowermost supporting bar 22 to prevent the particles of solid material dislodged by the scraper 54 from flying into adjacent parts of the machine.

In the operation of the machine, the interior and exterior surfaces of the blades and the surfaces of the pulleys are continuously supplied with a liquid lubricant. The lubricant on the side faces of the blades lessens the adhesion between the blades and glutenous material of the bread being sliced. Any glutenous material adhering to the exterior surfaces of the bands is removed by the scraper 38, and any glutenous material adhering to the surfaces of the pulleys and 2 is removed by the scraper blades 45 and 54. It has been found that most of the adhesive material on the interior surfaces of the slicer blades is transferred to the surfaces of the pulleys during passage of the blades over the pulleys, and that the cleanin of the pulley Surfaces serves to prevent any substantial accumulation of solid material on the inner surfaces of the slicer blades. The lubricant used is preferably an oil such as that known in the trade as divider oil which is a light, colorless, odorless and tasteless oil of vegetable origin. The wooden wiper blocks are preferably made of hard maple since this material has been found to have superior wearing qualities.

It is essential that both the lubricant applying block 8 and the scraper 33 engage the blades 4 at points where the blades are in full engagement wlth a rigid surface, such as the cylindrical surface of the pulley I, so that the depth of grooves worn in the block and scraper by the blades cannot exceed the thickness of the blades. If the bloclr or scraper were engaged with an unbacked portion of the blades, deep grooves would be worn in the block or scraper by the cutter blad which would interfere with adjustment of the blades on the pulleys to vary the thickness of thelices cut y e blades- By positioning the blo k 1 and the scraper 38 to engage the blades'in the arc of contact of the blades with the'pulley l,

where they are in full engagement with the pulley I, the grooving of the scraper and block is so slight that the blades are not damaged when set to a different spacing.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the specific devices herein shown and described for purposes of illustration may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a bread slicing machine having a pair of spaced pulleys and a series of endless cutter blades passing over said pulleys, means for moistening the peripheral blade engaging surfaces of said pulleys with a lubricant, a lubricant applying Wiper bearing against the external surfaces of the cutter blades on one of said pulleys, a scraper engaging the periphery of each pulley throughout the length of the blade engaging portion thereof, and a scraper engaging the outer surfaces of the cutter blades on one of said pulleys.

2. In a bread slicing machine having a pair of spaced pulleys and a series of spaced endless cutter blades running over said pulleys, a lubricant applying wiper comprising a wood block having an inner face shaped to conform to the surface of a pulley, a slot opening to said inner face, a lubricant impregnated pad in said slot, and means for yieldingly pressing said block toward the surface of the pulley.

3. In a bread slicing machine having a pair f paced p eys and a series of spaced endless cutter blades running over said pulleys, a combined lubricating and scraping device comprising a supporting bar parallel with and adjacent a pulley, a lubricant applying wiper resiliently supported by said bar, and a resilient scraper carried by said bar, said wiper and scraper engaging the outer surfaces of cutter blades on the adjacent pulley.

4. In a bread slicing machine having a pair of spaced pulleys and spaced endless cutter blades running over said pulleys, a lubricating applying and scraping device comprising a fixed bar parallel with and adjacent to a pulley, a resilient supporting member attached to said bar, a lubricant applying wiper carried by said resilient member and yieldingly pressed against the pulley, said resilient member being adjustable to vary the pressure of the Wiper ag n th p l y, and ,a resilient scraper attached to said bar and yieldingly pressed against the pulley, said scraper being adjustable on the bar to vary the pressure thereof against the drum.

5. In a bread slicing machine having a pair of pulleys and a series of fiat endless cutter blades spaced apart and running over said pulleys, a wiper block extending longitudinally of one of said pulleys and engaging the same between the opposite runs of said blades, a Wiper block extending longitudinally of one of said pulleys and engaging the exterior surfaces of the blades running over the latter pulley, said blocks having concave faces conforming to the pulley curvature, a lubricant retaining pad carried by each of said Wiper blocks for applying lubricant to the surfaces of the blades and pulleys, and means for yieldably pressing each wiper block against the pulley adjacent which it is mounted. I

6. In a bread slicing machine having a pair of spaced pulleys and a series of fiat spaced end less cutter blades running over said pulleys, a lubricant applying Wiper engaging the exterior surfaces of said blades in the arc of contact of the blades with one of said pulleys, said wipercomprising a block having a concave blade engaging face conforming to the curvature of the pulley, a longitudinal slot opening to its blade engaging face and a lubricant impregnated pad in said slot, and means for yieldably pressing said Wiper against said blades.

ARTHUR A. KOTTMANN. FRED L. BENNETT. EDWARD R. KEAST.

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