US2556528A

US2556528A - Vegetable slicing knife

Info

Publication number: US2556528A
Application number: US792061A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward T Elkington
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-12-16
Filing date: 1947-12-16
Publication date: 1951-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 1968-06-12

Description

June 12, 195] E. T. ELKINGTON VEGETABLE SLICING KNIFE Filed Dec. 16, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented June 12, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in vegetable slicing knives, and more particularly to a hand knife or kitchen knife for use in slicing vegetables and fruits to form strips of uniform thickmess.

The objects of the invention are to provide a slicing knife of this character which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use; which provides a guide for exactly determining and controlling the dimensions of the slices cut thereby; which has a simple unitary construction, including three cutting edges for defining three sides of a slice; and which utilizes a single cutting element having an opening therein with its edges at opposite sides of the openings offset, and a portion of the element adjacent one of said edges being slotted to define cutting tangs which are bent from the element to span the space between the offset edges and are sharpened to provide cutting edges transverse of said space.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a face view of one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary face view of a modified embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a View illustrating the form of the blank from which the cutting element in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 is formed.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional View similar to Fig. 6 and illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a face view of the blank used in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the knife of the type illustrated in Fig, 8.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line l2-l2 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken on line l3l3 of Fig. 12.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 thereof which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the numeral l0 designates the handle of a knife having a cylindrical neck portion !2 to which is secured a knife blade M.

The knife blade I4 is preferably bent into arcuate cross-sectional shape through the major portion of its extent as best illustrated in Fig. 3, and has a pointed end portion [6. The inner end portion of the knife blade [4 has flanges l8 projecting therefrom and fitting snugly around the neck l2 of the handle Ill. The flanges l8 are secured in place by a suitable securing member 28. The blade 14 is substantially semi-circular in extentand either or both of its longitudinal marginal edges may be sharpened if desired. It will be understood, however, that the blade l4 may be of greater or lesser transverse extent than the semicircular form shown.

The blade M has a slit formed therein substantially centrally thereof and extending longitudinally thereof for the major portion of its length. This slit defines the edge portion 22 which may be blunt. The portion of the blade opposite that having the blunt edge 22 is provide with a plurality of parallel longitudinally spaced slits extending at an angle to the edge 22 and best shown in Fig. 1 as defining the edge portions 24. The slits define triangular tabs 28 which are bent perpendicularly to the blade on a line perpendicular to the edge 22 in an inward direction, as best seen in Fig. 3. The portion of the blade 54 adjacent the slits hereina'bove defined is formed in the manner best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, with the portion terminating at the edge 22 inwardly offset from the semi-circular overall contour of the blade, and the portion of the blade from which the tangs 2s project either retained within the original semi-circular contour of the blade or displaced outwardly slightly beyond said semicircular outline. The parts are so arranged that the off-setting of the adjacent portions of the blade defines a longitudinal slot and is less than the length of the tangs 25 so that the edges 28 of the tangs engage the edge 22 of the blade near its tip. The edges 24 of the blade end 28 of the tang are thus arranged at right angles to each other, and each of these edges is sharpened.

It will be apparent that this knife may be used by causing the lefthand portion 36 thereof at its convex or outer surface to engage. the vegetable.

and thereupon to be forced in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 so that the edges 24 of the blade cut the vegetable in a plane parallel to the direction of the arrow. At the same time the cutting edges 28 of the tangs have a cutting action upon this part of the vegetable transverse of the cut-- ting action at the edges 24 so as to slice the vegetable layer which is cut b the edge 24. Thus, with one single pass of a knife over a vegetable, such as a potato, a plurality of slices of uniform width and thickness are out simultaneously and a comparatively few passes of the knife will completely slice the vegetable into strips of uniform cross-section. It will be observed that as the strips are out they engage the inner surface of the righthand portion 32 of the blade, as viewed in Fig. 3, and are thereby efiectively separated from the vegetable so that no danger of an incomplete severing of the strips from the vegetable occurs, The device is a simple tool, easily used, light in weight, and which is particularly well suited for cutting potatoes for French frying or for frying in shoe string form, for slicing carrots and other vegetables for use in salads, and for slicing other fruits and vegetables which are desired to be served or prepared for preserving in a sliced form.

A modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 4 to '7, inclusive, wherein the knife has a rigid body portion formed of wood or the like of elongated form, characterized by a longi tudinal portion 42 of continuous construction, here shown as rectangular, and a laterally projecting portion is of lesser thickness than the portion :2 and definin a shoulder or overhang 45 along one edge of the portion Intermediate its length the portion is completely cut away at 43 to provide a passage th-erethrough below-the part 42.

The blade used in this form is best illustrated in Fig. '7 and constitutes a blank of sheet metal of substantially rectangular form which is longitudinally notched at 59 at its center with the inner ends of the notches extending diagonally thereof. A pluralit of parallel slots 52, which are parallel to th inner edges of the cut-away portions as and positioned therebetween, are formed in the intermediate portion of the blade. The blade is bent longitudinally on line 5 1 to de fine a portion 55 which bears against the side face of the portion all above the shoulder as and is secured thereto by screws or other securing members 58. The portion it of the blade below the bent line 5%, as illustrated in Fig. '7, bears against the shoulder 46. The narrow elongated diagonal blade portions 62 between the slots 5?. are bent along the lines perpendicular thereto so that the edges of the blade portions 62 extend parallel to but are inwardly offset from the blade portion 55. At their opposite ends the blades 62 are bent along the lines 55 to position the lower terminal portion 65 of the blade blank perpendicular thereto for engagement with the bottom face of the portion ii. The length of the blank is preferably greater than the length of the opening 48 so that the blade part 65 will span said opening G8 and the securing members 68 may fixedly secure it to the handle portion 44 on opposite sides of the opening 33. In this embodimerit of the invention the leadin edges of the blades 62 are sharpened and the edges iii along the slots 52 between the bend line 65 and the lower ends of said slots 52 are likewise sharpened to provide cutting edges lengthwise of the knife. This device is used in the same manner as the Fig. 1 form, it being apparent that a single pass of the knife across a vegetable will cutitparallel to the direction of knife movement along. the line it on one axis and atthe leading edges of the blade 62 at a perpendicular axisand in the same general direction. It will ,be apparent, however, that this form of the invention, where theblank is made as illustrated in Fig. 7, will entail the ill diagonal positioning of the blades 62 relative to the length of the knife, as illustrated in Fig. 6. This necessitates movement of the handle in a direction parallel to the planes of the blades 62 which i approximately 45 degrees displaced from the longitudinal axis of the handle and therefore requires special attention to the direction of movernent of the blades.

A similar embodiment of the invention, wherein the cutting blades are positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device, is illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10. In this embodiment the construction of the handle portion is the same in all respects as that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and bears the same reference numerals. The blank from which the blade is formed is likewise rectangular and is longitudinally centrally notched at 12 with its inner ends it extending at a diagonal of approximately 45 degrees. The central reduced length portion of this blade is slotted at '35 with the ends of the slots terminating in line with the side edges of the cut-awa portion 12. The blank just defined has a blade portion 18 which is adapted to be secured to the upper wide portion 42 of the handle b means of securing members The blade portions 82 between the slots it are bent at the ends of said slots along the lines 8 5 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blade and along the lines 36 parallel to the blade blank. This forms triangular portions 88 which bear against the shoulder Ed and positions the blades 32 perpendicular to the handle, as best illustrated in Fig. 8. The bottom portion 90 of the blank bears against the bottom of the reduced portion of the handle and is secured thereto by securing members 92 at opposite ends of the opening 43 in the reduced dimension portion of the handle. In this form the leading edges of the blades E32 and of the edges along said slot it between the lower end thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 9, and the lower transverse bend 84 are likewise sharpened. Thu these edges define longitudinal and transverse cutting edges which serve to slice the vegetables in strips, permitting use of the knife by .movementin a direction perpendicular to its length to effect this cutting action.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustratedin Figs. 11, .12 and 13, wherein at least the inner end of the handle llifl is formedofrectangular or square cross-section. The handle [-88 mounts a blade having a. portion m2 of the same width as the handle, aperpendicularly bent portion Hi l of comparatively narrow width at one longitudinal edgeof the blade 162, and a second narrow blade ltd at its opposite longitudinal edge. The blade may have integrally formed therewith band parts 55 which are folded around the end ofthe handle and fixedly secured thereto by securing members lit. The blade may be of tapered or pointed form as shown.

he blade portion lt'z has an elongated opening M2 cut therein of generally rectangular form having one edge thereof terminating and substantially coinciding with the inner face of the blade portion i9 1 but preferably with its edge in serrated form. Ihe blade portion Hi l is slotted diagonally at uniformly spaced points along its length in upwardly spaced relation to the adjacent serrated edge of thecut-out H? to define tangs i it. These tangs ll l are bent transversely of the blade m2 and are of a length to span the opening H2. The leading edges of these blade tangs lid-are sharpened and the edges I it in the blade portion [M are also sharpened, thus pro-:

viding cutting edges disposed in perpendicular relation and respectively transverse and lengthwise of the blade. The handle of the tool is used by gripping the same with the outer face of the blade portion I02 positioned foremost and at a desired level relative to the thickness of the vegetable to be cut. A single pass of the knife in a direction transverse of the blade thus serves to cut the vegetable into strips of the desired length and width.

While various preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A vegetable slicing knife comprising a handle and a blade of substantially arcuate crosssectional shape, said blade having a longitudinal central slot formed therein, the portions of said blade on opposite sides of said slot being off-set to define a passage facing tangentially of said blade, and tangs formed integrally with the portion of said blade on one side of said slot and bent to transversely span said slot and positioned in parallel planes substantially perpendicular to the plane of said passage, said tangs being of triangular form and bearing against the edge of the blade at the side of said passage opposite that from which they are bent, the passage edges between said tangs at the side from which the tangs are bent being of serrated form.

2. A vegetable slicing knife comprising a handle and a blade transversely bent and substantially U-shaped in cross-section, said blade having a longitudinal central slot formed therein, and tangs formed integrally with the portion of said blade on one side of said slot and bent to transversely span said slot and positioned in parallel planes substantially perpendicular to the plane of said passage, said tangs bearing against the edge of the blade at the side of said passage opposite that from which they are bent, the passage edges between said tangs at the side from which the tangs are bent being of serrated form.

EDWARD T. ELKINGTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Popular Mechanics, December 1946, page 129.