US2884974A - Potato slicing machine - Google Patents

Description

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May 5, 1959 Filed July 13, 1956 B. WOODWARD, JR

POTATO SLICING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. BERNARD WOODWARD, JR.

AT-ToRNEY May 5, 1959 B. wooDwARD, .JR 2,884,974'y PoTATo SLICING MACHINE Filed July 15, 195e s sheets-sheet, 2

OOOOO Oo .OOOOO INVNTOR. BERNARD wooDwARD, JR.

ATTORNEYy May 5, 1959 B. WOODWARD, JR

POTATO SLICING MACHINE Filed July l5, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

BERNARD WOODWARD,JR.

RVi/TM@ ATTORNEY United States Patent Oi POTAT() SLICING MACHINE Bernard Woodward, Jr., Rochester, N.Y., assignor to F. B. Pease Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application July 13, 1956, Serial No. 597,653

8 Claims. (Cl. 146-78) My invention relates to a potato slicing machine and more particularly to the knife mounting of such a machine. Reference is made to my co-pending application Ser. No. 532,279, filed September 2, 1955, now Patent No. 2,832,387.

An object of my invention is to provide a machine of the type shown and described in the above mentioned copending application in which the slicing knives are mounted and arranged for performing the slicing operatio-n in a more efficient manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide a potato slicing machine in which the slicing knives thereof are mounted so that they may be placed in tension and positively held in a desired position, preferably radial with respect to the axis of rotation, whereby more ellicient slicing of the potatoes is accomplished.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine for cutting whole peeled potatoes into crinkled slices suitable for French frying, the machine being inexpensive to manufacture, ecient in operation and adapted to produce crinkled sliced potatoes in large quantities, the knives being extremely thin in crosssection and placed in tension to accomplish more efficient slicing with less damage to the knives during operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a means of mounting the slicing knives of a potato slicing machine wherein clamps or knife mounting members are provided for rigidly holding the knives in a radial position with respect to an axis of rotation, the clamps after receiving the knives between them being adapted to be spread apart to place the knives in tension.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a means of mounting the slicing knives of a potato slicing machine whereby the knives may be removed for sharpenlng or replacement by merely loosening retaining screws and each individual knife may be removed without disturbing the others.

My invention further contemplates a novel construction of a potato slicing machine wherein the parts are arranged for easy partial dismantling to enable examination and repair of the interior of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be particularly set forth in the claims and will be apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the machine of my invention showing the slicing knives, the mounting therefor, the drive for the machine and showing how the parts are arranged for easy partial dismantling to enable convenient access to the operating parts;

Fig. 2 is ar view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the mounting for one of the knives and illustrating the position of the parts when the knife is not in tension;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the knife in tension;

Fig. 5 is an edge view of one of the knives;

2,884,974 Patented May 5, 1959 HCC Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Fig. l in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 3 showing a means of mounting and tensioning a straight slicing knife instead of a fluted or corrugated one; and

Fig. 9 is an edge view of one of the straight slicing knives.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, the machine of my invention comprises a whole sliced potato intake chute 11 which herein has been shown in dotted lines and is more fully shown in my above mentioned co-pending application; a frame 12 which has been only partly shown which carries the mechanism to be described; a driving motor 13 mounted on the frame; and suitable mechanism presently to be described for rst cutting the potatoes into slabs and then slicing the slabs into frying size pieces.

The frame is generally rectangular in shape and may include legs (not shown) for supporting the frame at the proper height in a potato peeling, slicing and packing line, The frame may be made of angle or channel iron or other structural shapes suitably welded or otherwise secured together to form a strong structural support for the operating mechanism, one channel carried by the frame being shown at 14.

The projecting end of the motor shaft has a pulley 16 rigidly secured thereto. A belt 17 drives a pulley 18, the hub 19 of which is keyed to a tubular drive shaft 21. The tubular drive shaft is carried by bearings 22 supported by structural shapes 23 tied to the frame l2.

Extending in concentric relation to and internally of the tubular drive shaft 21 is a stationary shaft 24 having a square end 26. rlhe squared end of the shaft is adapted to receive a member 27 which is welded to the channel 14 as indicated at 28. The projecting end of the shaft is threaded to receive a nut 29 and washers 31 are interposed between the member 27 and the nut 29. The purpose of the arrangement described is to prevent any rotation of the shaft 24.

Keyed to the hollow rotatable shaft 2l, as indicated at 32, and held in position longitudinally of the shaft by set screws 33 is a rotatable or carrier plate 34 which has radially extending strengthening ribs 36. The carrier plate constitutes the rotating wall of a housing or potato receiving casing, the other walls o-f which are stationary as will presently appear. Integral with the carrier plate 34 or attached thereto in any suitable manner are a plurality of paddles or potato propelling elements 37. These paddles urge the potatoes by centrifugal force into engagement with a peripheral wall 38 constituting a stationary part of the casing. The peripheral wall has an annular flange 40 welded thereto which substantially closes the space between the stationary peripheral wall 38 and the inner edge o-f the paddles 37.

The peripheral wall 38 is integral with or welded, as shown, to a plate or wall 39, the carrier plate 34, the stationary peripheral wall 38 and the stationary Wall 39 constituting the housing for the reception of the potatoes to be spliced. The stationary wall 39 is welded, `as indicated at 42, to a stationary sleeve 43 for a purpose which will later appear. A shroud 44, annular in shape, is welded to the plate 39 externally thereof, the purpose of which will also later appear.

The stationary sleeve 43 has a pair of slots 46 projecting inwardly from one end thereof for the reception of the ends of a pin 47 which extends through the fixed shaft 24. The forward or outboard end of the shaft 24 is threaded, as indicated at 48, to receive an elongated nut 49 adapted to be turned by a hand wheel 51.

The shaft 24 is turned down `at 52 and from thence to its rearward or inboard end. The hollow drive shaft 3 21 is thus Ientirely free of the stationary shaft 24 as indicated by the clearance 53. The hollow drive shaft Z1 has a slight bore for the reception of a sleeve bearing 54 which rotates with the hollow shaft.

It will now be appreciated that when the nut 49 is drawn up by rotating the hand wheel S1, the end of the nut butts against the end of the sleeve and holds the sleeve 43 and the stationary housing 39-38 rigidly in position longitudinally of the stationary shaft. The pin 47 serves as a stop to limit the inward movement of the sleeve 43. When it is desired to gain access to the interior of the housing for the purpose of effecting repairs or Afree parts which may have become clogged with poe tatoes, the nut 49 is withdrawn from the end of the shaft 24. The stationary housing 39-38 together with the sleeve 43, may then be readily removed. When desired the shaft 24 may be removed by removing the nut 29 and pulling the shaft through to the left as viewed in Fig. 1.

The rotatable carrier plate 34 has an annular turned part 56 and an annular ange 57. The annular flange has a plurality of bolt openings arranged in a circle for the reception of `an `annular ring of bolts 55 which serve to hold a knife mounting assembly generally indicated by the numeral 58, in position. The knife mounting assembly 58 comprises a pair of annular knife mounting rings 59 and 61. The knife mounting ring 59 is held rigid with the rotatable carrier plate 34 by the bolts 55.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 which are enlarged views of the lower part of the knife mounting `assembly shown in Fig. l, the knife mounting annular rings 59 and 61 are held in fixed space relation by spacing rods 62. For this purpose the annular rings 59 and 61 'are provided with bores 63 adapted to receive the ends of the spacing rods 62. The ends of the spacing rods 62 are threaded longitudinally, as indicated at 64, and provided with bored sockets 66. The threaded bores 64 are adapted to receive the threaded portions of screws 67. The spacing rods are provided with shoulders 69 against which the margins of the bore openings 63 in the 'annular rings 59 and 61 abut when the screws 67 are drawn up tight. In the particular arrangement shown, eight spacing rods are provided (Fig. 2). It will now be apparent that the spacing rods 62, when the screws are drawn up tight, hold the annular rings 59 and 61 rigidly in spaced relation throughout their annular extent.

The stationary casing dened by the peripheral wall 38 and the stationary wall 39 is surrounded by a multiplicity of slicing blades, as indicated more clearly in Fig. 2, held in position by the knife m-ounting assembly 58. In the construction about to be described, the means employed holds the slicing blades, indicated by the numeral 71, precisely radial with respect to the axis of the hollow drive shaft 21. An important aspect of this invention lies in the construction of the mounting means for the slicing blades by which this precise radial positioning of the slicing knives is accomplished. While a precise radial positioning of the slicing knives is believed to be important, it will 'be appreciated that should it be found desirable, under certain conditions, to have the slicing knives tilted slightly with respect to the radial, this would be possible by slight modification of the mounting means as will be apparent.

The slicing knives, as will be apparent from Fig. 5, are `corrugated or fluted and are extremely, almost wafer thin in cross section. Preferably the slicing knives are approximately twenty thousandths of an inch thick. The cutting edges, at 72, are sharpened (Figs. 3 and 6) `and by reason of the extreme thinness of the blades, the slabs of potatoes, as will presently appear, 'are readily forced through the slicing knives 71. Because l have found the use of extremely thin slicing knives desirable, the precise radial positioning of the slicing knives, in the applications I have thus far encountered, appears to be of the utmost importance. The slicing knives being radially mounted 4 between the two adjacent knives, as will be more clear from an examination of Figs. 2 'and 7, there exists a throat 73 which is smaller in cross sectional area than the discharge or outlet 74. That is, the space between two adjacent knives increases from the cutting edges of the knives as they extend radially from the axis of rotation.

As previously mentioned, the slicing knives are extremely thin. They are made as thin as practical considering the extremely rigorous service which they must withstand. The almost wafer thin cross sectional area of the knives, as distinguished from relatively thick knives, not only causes less resistance to the urging of the slabs of potatoes between the knives but also causes less cornpression of the potato during the slicing operation. Compression of the potato slices along the surfaces cut appears to make the potatoes tough after frying.

With the considerations in mind that it appears to be important to make the slicing knives extremely' thin and hold them precisely radial, I have further found that the slicing knives bend and break probably due to uncquai forces being applied en opposite sides of a knife during a slab cutting operation.

I have further discovered that bending and breakage of slicing knives can be, to a large extent overcome, if the slicing knives are stretched taut much as a violin string might be stretched. The knives are of hardened steel and, in the case of a corrugated or fluted knife, tensioning of the knife results in a lengthening or stretching of the knife so that it is spring-like in character. When thus stretched taut or tensioned, if the forces on opposite sides of a particular knife are unequal so that there is a tendency to bend the knife, due to the spring-like character of the knife, immediately upon removal of the unequal forces, the knife will spring back to its original radial position with respect to the axis of rotation. One of the important reasons for tensioning the knives is to secure uniform slice widths. This results from the fact that if the knives are distorted during a cutting operation they will spring back t-o a radial equi-spaced position.

For the purpose of mounting the slicing knives and tensioning them, I provide a pair of clamps 76 and 77. The ends of the clamps are slotted, as indicated at 78, for the reception of the knives. The ends of the knives, as indicated at 79, are bent at an angle of approximately to the lengthwise extent of the knives so that the bent portions 79 may be positioned behind or in locked relation to the clamps 76 and 77.

The lower end of each of the clamps is slotted, as indicated at 81, for the reception of a dowel pin 82. The dowel pins 82 are press fitted into bores 83 formed in the annular rings 59 and 61. The dowel pin receiving bores 83 are bored accurately equidistant from each other on a circle the center of which is the axis of rotation of the hollow drive shaft 21. Bores 84 are also provided in the annular rings 59 and 61 for the reception of screws 86. These bores 84 are formed equidistant from each other in an annular ring or circle the center of which is also the axis of the shaft 21. Moreover, each of the bores 84 is on the same radius as one of the bores 83.

The bores 84 are adapted to receive screws 86. The screws 86 have shanks 87, machined cylindrically which accurately t the bores 84 and the ends of the screws 86 are threaded, as shown, to receive threaded openings 88 provided in the clamps 76 and 77. The annular rings 59 and 61 are stepped, as shown at 89, to provide an annular recess extending entirely around the annular rings 59 and 61 to accommodate the bent over parts 79 of the slicing knives.

lt will now be apparent that, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the slicing knives may be readily inserted in the slots 78 provided in the ends of the clamps. Then upon drawing up one or both of the screws 86, the clamps 76 and 77 will be drawn up so they lie `iiush with and flat against the faces of the annular rings 59 and 61, Tightening up on the screws to draw the clamps flush against the annular rings 59 and 61 lengthens the knives 71 by pulling the utes of the knives apart. The knives are thus stretched taut and tensioned. As previously mentioned, the knives are essentially of spring steel and when tensioned in the manner described, upon removal of forces tending to distort or bend the knives, they will spring back into a position radial with respect to the axis of rotation.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modified form of my invention for the reception of straight cutting knives 91 having bent ends 92. The construction of the annular ring 59 and its associated parts including the clamp 76 is the same as that previously described in connection with Figs. 3 and 4. However, the annular ring on the other side, indicated by the numeral 93, is shaped differently and is provided with an annular abutment part 94 and an annular recessed part 96. A screw 97 having an elongated cylindrical machined shank 98 is threaded at its outer end as shown at 99. A spring 101 is interposed between the head of a screw 97 and the wall of the annular ring 93. When the screw 97 is threaded into the clamp 77 until a shoulder 102 of the screw engages the clamp 77, the clamp 77 and the screw 98 are in effect a single unit and the cylindrical shank 98 is free to shift in the bore of the annular ring 93. Thus the pressure of the spring 101 holds the slicing knife 91 in tension and the spring will yield when the knife is subjected to distorting forces.

The operating parts are enclosed by a sheet metal housing 108 removable from the frame, Fig. 1, to enable access to the driving elements. A second shield 109 is attached in position to the shield 108 by screws 111 only one of which is shown in Fig. 1. The sheet metal shield 109 may be readily removed to enable access to the rotating parts. The shroud 44 substantially closes the space between an inwardly turned lip 112 of the shield 109,

When the casing or housing defined by the stationary wall 39, the stationary peripheral wall 38 and the rotating wall 34 is charged with potatoes through the chute 11 and the hollow shaft 21 rotated, the paddles 37 and the slicing knives 71 are rotated. Centrifugal force exerted on the potatoes by the paddles 37 throws the potatoes toward the inner side of the peripheral wall 38.

As more particularly described in the above mentioned co-pending application, the peripheral wall 38 (Fig. 2) is spiral in shape, the wall increasing in distance from the axis of rotation in a clockwise direction from the point 113 to the point 114. A preferably fluted knife 116 is mounted at 113 and the gap 117 between the edges 113 and 114 provides a space between which slabs of potatoes cut by the knife 116 are discharged into cutting relation with the radially extending slicing knives. As the slicing knife mounting assembly, generally indicated by the numeral 58, rotates, the slabs just cut by the knife 116 move closer and closer t-o the exterior of the peripheral wall 38 as will be appreciated from an examination of Fig. 2. The outer surface of the peripheral wall 38 pushes the slabs of potatoes between the knives; the knives slice the slabs into frying size pieces; and, on the next rotation of the slicing knives, the next slab as it is cut into pieces by the slicing knives, pushes the slices previously cut outwardly from between the slicing knives into a discharge chute (not shown) formed as part of shield 109, all as more particularly described in the above mentioned co-pending application.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for slicing potatoes the combination of a multiplicity of slicing knives and a mounting means therefor, said mounting means comprising a pair of elements, means for holding said elements in rigid spaced relation, knife tensioning means for each of said knives, each of said knife tensioning means comprising a pair of members one of which is carried by each of said elements, and at least one of which is non-rigid therewith said members having means for receiving the ends of a knife and means extending between at least one of said elements and its associated member for drawing said member toward said element to place the knife in tension.

2. In a machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said last mentioned means includes a spring.

3. In a machine in accordance with claim 1 in which the knives are corrugated, means are provided for holding said members radial with respect to an axis of rotation and means comprising a screw extending between at least one of said elements and its associated member are provided to draw said member against said element to place the knife in tension.

4. A machine for slicing potatoes comprising, in combination, a casing having a peripheral wall into which whole peeled potatoes are discharged, said peripheral wall being spirally related to an axis of rotation and having a gap defined and Iformed by said spiral peripheral wall through which sliced potato slabs may be discharged, a slab cutting knife carried by said casing adjacent said gap, potato propelling means, means for rotating said potato propelling means and said peripheral wall with respect to each other whereby slabs are cut from the potatoes and discharged through said gap, a multiplicity of corrugated knives substantially radially mounted externally of said peripheral wall and equally spaced from said axis of rotation, means for rotating said peripheral wall and said substantially radially extending knives with respect to each other whereby the peripheral wall by reason of its spiral shape forces the slabs outward into cutting relation with the radial knives, and means for tensioning the corrugated knives comprising a pair of knife mounting members, a carrier having a .pair of spaced elements upon which said knife mounting members are nonrigidly supported and means for pulling up on said knife mounting members to clamp them against said spaced elements and place said knives in tension.

5. A machine for slicing potatoes comprising, in combination, a casing having a peripheral wall into which whole peeled potatoes are discharged, said peripheral wall being spirally related to an axis of rotation and having a gap defined and formed by said spiral through which sliced potato :slabs may be discharged, a slab cutting knife carried by said casing adjacent said gap, potato propelling means, means for rotating said potato propelling means and said .peripheral wall with respect to each other whereby slabs are cut from the potatoes and discharged through said gap, a multiplicity of knives substantially radially mounted externally of said peripheral wall and equally spaced from the axis of rotation, means for rotating said peripheral wall and said substantially radially extending knives with respect to each other whereby the peripheral wall by reason of its spiral shape forces the slabs outward into cutting relation with the radial knives, and means for tensioning said knives for resisting the circumferential forces imparted to said slabs by said spiral peripheral wall for maintaining said knives in radial alignment comprising a pair of ring shaped members and movable means in which said knives are mounted, said movable means being movable axially and being carried by said ring shaped members.

6. A machine in accordance with claim 5 wherein said movable means comprises a pair of movable elements for each of said radial knives in which the ends of the knives are rigidly secured and means for moving at least one of said movable elements toward and away vfrom its ring shaped member to enable the tensioning of each radial knife separately.

7. A machine for slicing potatoes comprising, in cornbination, a casing having a peripheral wall into which whole peeled potatoes are discharged, said peripheral Wall being spirally related to an axis of rotation and having a gap defined and formed by said spiral through which sliced potato slabs may be discharged, a slab cutting knife carried by said casing adjacent said gap, potato propelling means, means for rotating said Ipotato propelling means and said peripheral Wall with respect to each other whereby slabs are cut from the potatoes and discharged through said gap, a multiplicity of knives substantially radially mounted externally of said peripheral Wall and equally spaced from said axis of rotation, means for rotating said peripheral Wall and said substantially radially extending knives with respect to each other whereby the peripheral wall by reason of its spiral shape forces the slabs outward into cutting relation with the radial knives, resiliently supported mounting means and means including said resiliently supported mounting means for supporting and tensioning said radial knives.

8. A machine for slicing potatoes comprising, in combination, a casing having a peripheral wall into which whole peeled potatoes are discharged, said peripheral wall being spirally related to an axis of rotation and having a gap deiined and formed by said spiral through which sliced potato slabs may be discharged, a slab cutting knife carried by said casing adjacent said gap, potato propelling means, means for rotating said potato propelling means and said peripheral wall with respect to each other o whereby slabs are cut from the potatoes and discharged through said gap, a multiplicity of knives substantially radially mounted externally of said peripheral wall and equally spaced from the axis of rotation, means for rotating said peripheral wall and said substantially radially extending knives with respect to each other whereby the peripheral Wall by reason of its spiral shape forces the slabs outward into cutting relation with the radial knives, resiliently supported mounting means and means including said resiliently supported mounting means for supporting and tensioning said radial knives to resist the circumferential forces imparted to said slab by said spiral peripheral Wall and for enabling the radial knives to yield when the circumferential forces are excessive.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,187,957 Urschel Jan. 23, 1940 2,232,311 Bridge Feb. 18, 1941 2,288,986 Yuhas July 7, 1942 2,664,130 Kubon Dec. 29, 1953 2,749,955 Buechele June 12, 1956 2,832,387 Woodward Apr. 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 777,061 France Nov. 17, 1934

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