US3774490A

US3774490A - Slicing device

Info

Publication number: US3774490A
Authority: US
Inventors: S Gerson
Original assignee: RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT DESIGN CO
Current assignee: Cleveland Range LLC; RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT DESIGN CO
Priority date: 1968-11-18
Filing date: 1972-04-13
Publication date: 1973-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-27

Abstract

An array of spaced parallel bars is mounted on a pivoted arm to mesh between a rack of cutting blades. The pivot is on one side of the blades and the bars are on the opposite side. The arm is carried around the outside of the blades either in a single rod or on a spaced pair of rods. The bars in the array are a stack of plates slightly greater in height than the object to be sliced with their free ends overhanging the object. These free ends are arcuate or straight. The arm includes a pair of rods connected by the pivot or a single rod connected to the pivot, a stack of spaced plates and an operating handle remote from the pivot. Stop projections extend from the arm between the plates and the handle. The cutting blades are a planar rack or a pair of staggered planar racks one behind the other.

Description

United States Patent n91 Gerson Nov. 27, 1973 Inventor:

Restaurant Equipment Design Co., Wilmington, Del.

Filed: Apr. 13, 1972 Appl. No; 243,634

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-impart 'of Ser. No. 673,147, Oct. 5, 1967, abandoned, and a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 778,004, Nov. 18, I968, PaL'No. 3,605,839, and a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 77,128, Oct. 1, i970, abandoned.

Assignee:

References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS l/l88l Rice 83/4253 X l/l883 De Puy.. 83/4253 9/1971 Gerson 83/4253 9/l97l Morrett.. 83/4253 Primary ExaminerWillie G. Abercromhie AtturneyArthur G. Connolly et al.

[57] ABSTRACT An array of spaced parallel bars is mounted on a pivoted arm to mesh between a rack of cutting blades. The pivot is on one side of the blades and the bars are on the opposite side. The arm is carried around the outside of the blades either in a single rod or on a spaced pair of rods. The bars in the array are a stack of plates slightly greater in height than the object to be sliced with their free ends overhanging the object. These free ends are arcuate or straight. The arm includes a pair of rods connected by the pivot or a single rod connected to the pivot, a stack of spaced plates and an operating handle remote from the pivot. Stop projections extend from the arm between the plates and the handle. The cutting blades are a planar rack or a pair of staggered planar racks one behind the other.

18 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures SLICING DEVICE This application is a continuation-in-part of U. S. Pa-

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for slicing objects, such as vegetables and fruit, primarily onions, tomatoes, potatoes, oranges, etc. Preexisting slicing devices of this type have employed substantially straightline motion. This requires the use of relatively long cutting blades and reciprocating bearings, which are relatively complicated and expensive to manufacture and maintain and provide a uniform cutting action. The long cutting blades are difficult to maintain thin and stiff for efficient cutting action. Vegetables having tough skins, such as tomatoes and onions, are difiicult to slice. It is more difficult to initially pierce through the skin of the tomato than it is to penetrate the pulpy interior. Onions are relatively hard and have tough skins which makes them very difficult to pierceor slice. There arepreex isting multiple slicers for tomatoes but none which will also slice onions. An object of this invention is to provide a simple, economical, and dependable device for slicing hard and soft objects, such .as vegetables and fruit. Another object is to provide such a device which is particularly well adapted for slicing tomatoes, potatoes, onions, oranges, etc. A further object is toprovide such a device which has thin and stiff blades. it

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention an array of parallel bars are mounted to rotate through a rack of parallel linear cutters, such as sharp knife blades. The bars are arranged to close in a scissors-like action relative to the cutters from an open angle in which the object is received to fully mesh within-and through the cutters. This action punctures and pierces the object and discharges regular clean slices. This is highly advantageous in slicing vegetables and fruit with relatively tough skin, such as tomatoes, potatoes, onions, or-

anges, etc. The array of spaced parallel bars is mounted on a pivoted arm to mesh between a rack of cutting blades. The pivot is on one side of the blades and the bars are on the opposite side. The arm is carried around the outside of the blades on a single rod or a spaced pair of rods. The bars in the array are made of astack of plates slightly greater in height than the object to be sliced with their free ends overhanging the objects. The object-contacting edges of the bars may be straight or curved and a straight configuration remarkably facilitates slicing action and rigidity, simplicity and economy of structure. The arm may include a; single rod connected to the pivot or a pair of rods connected-by the pivot, the stack'of plates and an operating handle remotefrom the pivot. Stop projections extend from the arm between the plates and-handle. The cuttingblades are a planarrack or a pair of staggered planar racks one behind the other, which'remarkably facilitate the slicing of onions yet still effectively slices softer vegetables like tomatoes. The length of the blades is minimized by maintaining the stack of plates on one side of the rack and the force-applyingefficiency of the plates is also accentuated by their placement close to the handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING which is one embodiment of this invention showing several phases of operation;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the slicing device shown in FIG. 1 in the open phase of operation;

FIG. 3 is a left-hand end of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 4 isa right-hand end of the embodiment shown inFIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along the line 55;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along'the line 6-6;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5, but

.only utilin'ng a single rack of cutting blades;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6 of a modified embodiment of the slicing device shown in FIGS. l-S in a furtherprogressed phase of operation; FIG. 9 is a top plan view similar in subject-matter to FIG. 1 of another embodiment of this invention;

I FIG. 10 is a front view in elevation similar in subject matter to FIG. 2 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9;

and I FIG. 11 is side view in elevation of the embodiment shownin FIGS. .9 and 10. I

DESCRIPTION oF' THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS ported above working table surface 16 on front legs 17 and rear legs 19. Front legs 17 are taller than rear legs 19 and each are inclined outwardly to help base frame 14 frombeing tipped over in operation and to help confine objects being sliced.

Blade racks 12A and B each include a row of parallel linear cutters or blades 20, such as five or a total of 10. Blades 20 are as thin as will withstand the forces imposed upon them and are for example, 0.020 to 0.028

equidistantly staggered relative to lower rack 128 to provide a composite blade spacing. The aforementioned spacings may also be slightly smaller such as I three-eighths inch in each rack to provide a composite spacingof three-sixteenths inch if so desired.

Blades 20 are mounted in supporting blocks 22A and 228 by insertion in slots23 secured by pins 25.

Blocks

22A and 22B are connected within base frame 14 by tensioning

screws

24A and 24B extending through holes 26A and 268 in the walls of base frame 14. The free length of blades 20 is remarkably short for such slicing apparatus, for example approximately 6 inches. This allows thin blades 20 to be supported with remarkable stiffness in a given retaining arrangement. This short blade length with sufficient working area is one of the important advantages of this device as is later described.

Operating arm 30 is rotatably connected below base frame 14 on pivot shaft 32 which is mounted between parallel flanges 34 extending downwardly from base frame 14. Ann 30 includes a pair of substantially parallel side rods 36 rotatably connected at their lower ends to pivot shaft 32 by bearings 38. A lower restraining handle 40 is connected to a lateral extension of shaft 32 to help hold slicer in position when it is being operated. Rods 36 pass upwardly from below base frame 14 to above it through substantial spaces 42 between

blade racks

12A and 12B and the adjacent sides of base frame 14.

Bar assembly or array 18 is connected to arm 30 by securement between rods 36. Bar assembly 18A constitutes an array of flat parallel plates 44 interspersed by flat parallel spacer plates 46 (shown in FIG. 6) of substantially triangular form and of equal thickness to plates 44. Array 18 thus may be described as a stack of plates separated by spacing pieces, which are secured between rods 36 by countersunk head rivets 48. As shown in FIG. 6, the back ends of plates 44 are secured to arm 30 and the front ends 50 arcuately overhang an object such as onion 52 in the open position of device 10 shown in FIG. 6 and in solid outline in FIG. 1.

Also as shown in FIG. 6, rear legs 19 have suction cup feet 54 to help hold them down on surface 16 when device 10 is being operated. As shown in FIG. 1, front legs 17 have simple anti-skid cups 56 under them because the operating force is substantially downwardly on front legs 17.

FIG. 1 shows projections 58 extending outwardly from arm 30 for engaging resilient stop pads 60 on base frame 14 to limit the operating movement of arm 30 in a cushioned manner. Operating handle 62 is connected to the top of arm 30 between rods 36.

FIG. 8 shows a slicer 10a which is the same as slicer 10 except for having straight object-contacting edges 66a instead of arcuately curved as in FIGS. l-7. The straight configuration remarkably rigidities, simplifies and economizes structure and fabrication of bar array 18a and also surprisingly improves its operating efficiency. The cutting action is facilitated in that object 52a is more free to move along object-contacting edges 66a through the most advantageous slicing positions throughout the operation stroke, for example, progressively outwardly away from pivot 32a--as later described in conjunction with FIGS. 9-11.

OPERATION A relatively hard vegetable with a tough skin such as onion 52 is sliced by the following sequence of operations. It is first inserted as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 between the upper cutting surfaces or edges 64 of upper blade rack 12A. If desired, initial piercing is facilitated by sliding the onion across the blade edge 64 into position against arcuate pushing surfaces 66 of plates 44of bar array 18. Operating handle 62 in then grasped and pulled downwardly toward the operator through the middle position shown in FIG. 1 to the final or bottom position shown in FIG. 1 in which projection 58 contacts limit pad 60 on frame 14. Onion 52 is thus forced first between blades in upper blade rack 12A to cut it into relatively thick slices of k inch or if; inch thickness and then the aforementioned slices are each sliced in half on blades 20 of lower blade rack 12B to form ultimate slices of A inch or 3/16 inch thickness depending on the particular blade spacing which is utilized. The rotary action of slicer 10 with pivot shaft 32 on one side of the blade racks and pushing bar array 18 on the other side of the blade rack provides a remarkably clean and efficient cutting action which will efficiently slice both onions and tomatoes and other vegetables. Onions are particularly difficult to cleanly slice because of their tough skin and hard interior. The staggered thin blades and their stiffness, attributable to their relatively short length help this device cleanly slice onions with remarkable ease. Tomatoes are also efficiently sliced by the staggered double rack blades of this device with remarkable ease.

If relatively thicker slices are desired, such as thicker onion slices for onion rings, lower blade rack 12B may be removed and only upper blade rack 12A utilized, as shown in FIG. 7. In this manner A inch or inch onion rings are provided.

Although the device shown in FIGS. 1-6 effectively provides thin slices of relatively firm tomatoes, the slicing of very soft tomatoes may be facilitated by using a single blade rack 12A shown in FIG. 7 of ultimate slice thickness, such as one-fourth inch. The device as shown will however operate satisfactorily for all practical purposes.

Blade racks 12A and B are easily removed to facilitate washing and cleaning of the entire device or for varying the effective slicing width. This is accomplished by removing tensioning screws 24A and B. As previously mentioned, the length of blades 20 is remarkably minimized by extending them from pivot shaft 32 through spaces 42 between the sides of blade racks 12A and B and the adjacent walls of base frame 14. In this manner a free blade length of only about 6 inches can uniquely encompass the entire working stroke of bar array 18. The fastening of bar array 18 to a portion of arm 30 which need not extend through blades 20 makes it possible to firmly secure plates 44 to arm 30 and to concentrate the effective mass of arm 30 and plates 44 in an advantageous position for supplying force to objects 52.

FIG. 8 shows how straight edges 66a of bar array 18a regularly and evenly force onion 52a through blade racks 12Aa and 1280 to slice it. Straight edges 66a provide surprisingly smooth, even and facile cutting action with a structure that is advantageously rigid, simple and economical to fabricate. Casting of bar array 18a is therefore facilitated, which is simpler and less expensive than a built up fabrication.

FIGS. 9-11 In FIGS. 9-11 is shown slicer 10b, which is similar to slicer 10a with several exceptions. Slicer 10b has a vertical pivot shaft 32b instead of horizontal pivot shaft 32a. Objects 52b are therefore moved in a horizontal path over working table surface 16b which is supported on four legs 17b of equal length. Blade rack 12b includes a single row or eleven (11) parallel linear cutter or blades 20b primarily intended for slicing softer objects 52b such as tomatoes. Blades 20b are spaced approximately three-sixteenths inch or one-fourth inch apart and are as thin as possible to withstand the forces imposed upon them, such as for example 0.015 inch thick.

Blades 20b have their ends mounted in vertically spaced supporting blocks 22b by insertion in slots 23b within which they are secured by pins 25b. Vertically spaced parallel blocks 22b are mounted within bridge frame 14b by tensioning screws 24b extendingthrough holes 26b in the side bars of bridge frame 14b. Bridge frame 14b is secured to table 16b, for example by cap screws (not shown) screwed into threaded holes in bottom ends of bridge frame 14b. The free length of blades 20b is remarkably short for such slicing apparatus, for example, approximately 6 inches similarly to the length of blades 20 and 20a. As previously discussed, this permits thin blades 20b to be supported with remarkable stiffness and rigidity which is an important advantage of the devices herein described.

Operating arm 30b is rotatably connected to pivot shaft 32b which is mounted on lateral support bracket 34b extending horizontally from the top of bridge frame 14b. Arm 30b includes a single rod 36b rotatably connected at one end by insertion of pivot shaft 32b through bearing hole 38b. Rod 36b passes horizontally over bridge frame 14b. Handle 62b is therefore on the opposite side of blade array 12b from pivot shaft 32b.

pivot shaft 32b is provided by special cap screw 65b screwed up through threaded hole 67b in the outer end of bearing support bracket 34b. Upper end 68b of cap screw 65b is smooth for guiding rotation of arm 30b by insertion through hole 38b. The pivoted end of arm 30b about hole 38b rests on spacing washer 70b made, for example, of a fairly hard self-lubricating material such as nylon.

Bar assembly or array 18b is connected to arm 30b by attachment to leg 31b extending downwardly from rod 36b. Bar assembly 18b constitutes an array of flat parallel plates 44b connected to a solid boss 33b, which is secured within tapered recess 35b in support leg 31b by cap screw 49b, which pass through leg 31b and screw into threaded holes in boss 33b. Bar array 18b is conveniently fabricated by machining or milling from a solid block of metal, such as aluminum alloy, or may be cast in finished form. Object-contacting edges 66b of bar array 18b are straight; and as shown in FIG. 9, have an initial open angle of approximately 45 for receiving an object 52b such as a tomato to be sliced. Object-contacting edges 66b thus loosely overhang object 52b in the open position shown in FIG. 9 in solid outline.

As shown in FIG. 10, legs 17b have suction cup feet 54b to help hold them down on surface 16b when device b is operated. FIGS. 9 and 10 also show a resilient stop pad 60b on upper bridge frame 14b for contacting arm 30b and softly limiting its operating movement.

The lower end of bar array 18b is positively supported away from contact with the top of working table 16b by cylindrical button 72b of a self-lubricating material, such as nylon, inserted within a suitable hole in the bottom edge of boss 33b of bar array 18b. Button 72b smoothly guides the lower end of bar array 18b in a circular path of movement over working table 16b even if downward pressure on handle 62b should force bar array 18b toward working table 16b.

Operation Slicer 10b readily slices relatively soft objects, such as a tomato 52b, by the following sequence of operations. Tomato 52b is inserted as shown in FIG. 9 between the solid position of bar array 18b and the cutting surfaces or edges 64b of blade rack 12b. Operating handle 62b is then rotated in a clockwise direction through the intermediate position shown in broken outline in FIG. 9 to a final position (not shown) in which arm b contacts limit pad 60b on bridge frame 14b. Tomatoes 52b is sliced with remarkable ease into slices as thin as three-sixteenths inch or one-fourth inch depending on the spacing of blades 20b. The straight tomato-contacting edges 66b of bar array 18b help cleanly slice tomatoes 52b because they permit the contacting-position to smoothly vary throughout the circular operating stroke. This allows a complex movement of tomatoes 52b outwardly along edges 66b away from pivot 32b, which facilitates clean slicing action.

The shortness and stiffness of blades 20b contribute to the prolonged dependable cutting action in conjunction with the compound positioning and sliding afforded by the circular motion and movable contact between tomato 52b and contacting edges 66b of bar array 18b. The passage of arm 30b over blade array 12b minimizes the length of blades 20b which helps stiffen them. Tomatoes 52b are therefore consistently thinly sliced even when soft or ripe without requiring any prescoring against edges 64b of blade 20b. The fastening of bar array 18b to a portion of arm 30b which does not extend through blades 20b also concentrates the effective mass of arm 30b and bar array 18b in an advantageous position to apply force behind objects 52b.

I claim:

1. A slicing device comprising a base, a rack of substantially parallel linear cutters having spaces therebetween mounted upon said base, an array of parallel bars having spaces therebetween, said array being arranged to mesh through said spaces in said rack of linear cutters, pivot means mounted upon said base at one side of said rack of cutters, said array of parallel bars being disposed on the opposite side of said rack from said pivot means and disposable at an open angle therewith for receiving an object to be sliced drive means connected to said rotating array of bars for rotating them relative to said rack, the opening between adjacent edges of said rotating bars and cutters when the slicing of said object is initiated being sufi'rcient to initially provide enough space between adjacent edges of said rotating array of bars and said linear cutters for inserting said object therebetween, said drive means including an arm, one end of said arm being connected to said pivot means, said array of parallel bars being connected to said arm on said opposite side of said rack of cutters, and said arm passing around said rack of cutters whereby the length of said bars and rack are minimized.

2. A slicing device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pivoted end of said arm has a spaced pair of rods and said rack of cutters is disposed between said rods.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said array of parallel bars comprises a stack of plates slightly greater in height than the objects being sliced, fastening means securing the back ends of said stack of plates to said arm, and the free ends of said plates disposed adjacent said objects loosely overhanging the position of said object in the initial open position.

4. A slicing device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the object-contacting edges of said array of bars are substantially straight.

5. A slicing device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the object-contacting edges of said array of bars are substantially arcuate.

6. A slicing device as set forth in claim 3 wherein spacing pieces are disposed between said plates.

7. A slicing device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said spaced pair of rods extend the length of said arm and a handle connects the ends of said rods remote from said pivot means to each other.

8. A slicing device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said base comprises a frame section, said rack of cutters being disposed in said frame section, the adjacent sides of said rack and frame section being spaced from each other to provide a substantial space on each side of said rack, and said rods being disposed to move in said space.

9. A slicing device as set forth in claim 2 wherein projections are disposed on said arm beyond said array of bars, and said projections and base are constructed and arranged to contact each other when said array of bars has meshed through said rack of cutters to cut said objects for stopping said array of bars short of contact with said rack.

10. A slicing device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arm includes a single rod connected to said pivot.

11. A slicing device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said array of parallel bars comprises a spaced stack of plates slightly greater in height than said object, attaching means securing the back ends of said spaced stack of plates to said arm, and the free ends of said plates disposed adjacent said object loosely overhanging the position of said object in the initial open position.

12. A slicing device as set forth in claim 11 wherein a leg extends from the portion of said arm on the opposite side of said rack of linear cutters from said pivot means, and said array of parallel bars being secured to said leg.

13. A slicing device as set forth in claim 12 wherein said array of parallel bars includes a boss to which said rear ends of said plates are connected, and said boss being secured to said leg.

14. A slicing device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said rack of cutters is vertically disposed, a horizontal working table is provided, a bridge being vertically mounted on said working table, said rack of linear cutters being mounted in said bridge, an extension from one side of said bridge providing a bracket for said pivot means, and said leg extending downwardly from said arm on the opposite side of said bridge from said supporting bracket.

15. A slicing device as set forth in claim 14 wherein the object-contacting edges of said array of bars are substantially straight.

16. A slicing device as set forth in claim 15 wherein an operating handle extends from the end of said arm opposite from said pivot means.

17. A slicing device as set forth in claim 16 wherein a bearing pad is disposed in the bottom of said array of bars adjacent the top of said working table to prevent said arm from directly scraping against said working table.

18. A slicing device comprising a base, a rack of substantially parallel linear cutters having spaces therebetween mounted upon said base, an array of parallel bars having space therebetween, said array being arranged to mesh through said spaces in said rack of linear cutters, pivot means connected to one end of said array of parallel bars and mounted upon one side of said rack of cutters whereby said array of bars are caused to rotate, the other end of said array of parallel bars being disposed on the other side of said rack and disposable at an open angle therewith for receiving an object to be sliced, drive means connected to said rotating array of bars for rotating them relative to said rack, the opening between adjacent edges of said rotating bars and cutters when the slicing of said object is initiated being enough to initially provide sufficient space between adjacent edges of said rotating array of bars and said linear cutters for inserting said object therebetween the disposition of said pivot means and array of bars on opposite sides of said rack of cutters permitting the connection of said bars to eath other, said rack of cutters including a pair of aligned parallel linear cutting blades, and one of said pair of aligned parallel linear cutting blades being disposed in front of the other with its said blades disposed equidistantly between said blades of the other whereby slices cut by said front pair of parallel linear cutting blades are cut in half by the back pair to facilitate the slicing of relatively harder objects.

Claims

1. A slicing device comprising a base, a rack of substantially parallel linear cutters having spaces therebetween mounted upon said base, an array of parallel bars having spaces therebetween, said array being arranged to mesh through said spaces in said rack of linear cutters, pivot means mounted upon said base at one side of said rack of cutters, said array of parallel bars being disposed on the opposite side of said rack from said pivot means and disposable at an open angle therewith for receiving an object to be sliced drive means connected to said rotating array of bars for rotating them relative to said rack, the opening between adjacent edges of said rotating bars and cutters when the slicing of said object is initiated being sufficient to initially provide enough space between adjacent edges of said rotating array of bars and said linear cutters for inserting said object therebetween, said drive means including an arm, one end of said arm being connected to said pivot means, said array of parallel bars being connected to said arm on said opposite side of said rack of cutters, and said arm passing around said rack of cutters whereby the length of said bars and rack are minimized.