US875738A - Machine for cutting butter, &c. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

C. E. & 0. W. ROBERTS. MACHINE FOR CUTTING BUTTER, &o.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. 1907. Q

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PATENTED JAN. '7, 1908.

G. E. & 0. W. ROBERTS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BUTTER, 850

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No. 875,738. I

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PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

0. E. & 0. W. ROBERTS. MACHINE FOR CUTTING BUTTER, m

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 190

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

CHARLES E. ROBERTS AND OWEN W. ROBERTS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BUTTER, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

Application filed March 27, 1907. Serial No. 364,862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES E. Ron- ERTS and OWEN WV. ROBERTS, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improve.

ments in Machines for Cutting Butter or the Like Material, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to apparatus for cutting the frusto-conical cakes of butter of commerce into blocks of equal and predetermined size for retailing.

The apparatus employed is of the same general type as is disclosed in our Patent No. 841,818, January 22, 1907. The butter holding and cutting apparatus is, in the present instance however, constructed in permanent association with an inclosing casing which may be a refrigerator or display case.

Certain detailed improvements in construction are further disclosed as will be set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a vertical section through a portion of a refrigerator showing our improved apparatus positioned therein. Fig. 2, is a front elevation at right angles to Fig. 1, certain interior parts being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section, showing the turn table with the rotating and indexing mechanism therefor. 4, is a detail vertical Section on line 4 4 Fig. 3, showing the manner of positioning the base for sliding movement upon its Supports. Fig. 5, is a detail cross section on line 55, Fig. 4, of the same parts. Fig. 6, is a detail vertical section on line 66, Fig. 3, showing the mechanism for controlling the position of the index pin.

Like characters of reference designate the same parts in the several views.

A refrigerator or other inclosing casing 1, is provided with the usual door 2; this door 2 in the present instance has formed therein a small door 3 for purposes hereinafter described. Said door 2 further has secured thereto an upper and a lower fastening means 4 and 4, respectively, which serve as a mounting for the stationary rod 7, held therein by cotter pin 7. The rod 7 has coiled therearound a spring 8, Said spring resting. at its lower end upon a suitable abutment 9 and adapted toeXert upward pressure upon a collar 10 rigidly secured to and projecting from the dividing plate 12. A

cutter carriage 5 consisting as usual of a rigid arm carrying a tension wire 6 as a cutting instrumentality is adapted to slide and be adjusted on the dividing plate as will be hereinafter explained. It also will be seen by this arrangement the cutter carriage, due to the fact that the cutter carriage is held firmly to the dividing plate, is kept at the highest point by spring 8 on red 7. The dividing plate is mounted for vertical sliding movement on the stationary rod 7 by means of upper. and lower collars 10 and 11) which surround the rod 7. Suitably jointed to the lower end or extremity of the dividing plate is an operating arm 13; said arm is secured to a shaft 14 suitably journaled in the casing door and an operating handle 15 is secured to said shaft on the outside door. The dividing plate 12 is guided for vertical movement on the rod 7 by means of collars 10or 10 and is prevented from having a rotary move ment on said red by means of a horizontal pin 11 which has one of its ends rigidly secured to the lower end of the dividing plate and its other end adapted to slide in a groove of a guide 11.

The dividing plate is provided on its exposed face with a series of inclined grooves 16 similar to those described in the patent above referred to. Said grooves are so arranged that when a locking pin 17 on the cutting carriage cooperates therewith successively, the cutter wire will be disposed so as to cut horizontal sections of equal weight from the frusto-conical mass. Said locking pin 17 is carried by a transverse sliding bar 18 in the cutter carriage 5, a locking screw 19 being provided to lock said bar in its transversely adjusted position. Said looking pin 17 is carried directly by a member 20, pivoted in a recess in the bar 18, having a spring 21 disposed to normally urge the pin outward and an operating knob 22.

Suitable slide ways in the form of parallel tubes 23, extending from the back of the casing forward to the door are provided to support the base 24 for the turn table which holds the butter. The base 24 as shown slides at its rear upon the tubes 23, blocks of wood 25 or the like, being provided as wear members. At the front the base has at each side a nose let into a notch 27 in a steel rod 26. Said rods 26 are mounted for free sliding movement in the tubes 23. The base 24 is provided with a journal bearing 28 adapted to serve as a pivot for the turn plurality of supporting lugs 28 adapted to support the periphery of the turn table. In this particular machine the pan is not supposed to be taken off the turn table. When it is desired to place the tub of butter on the pan it would be practically impossible to take the tub 0H the butter while in the casing. It is therefore necessary to devise a simple means as in the present construction whereby the turn table could be easily withdrawn from the casing and the tub of butter placed upside down on the pan of the turn table, the empty tub then slipped off and the turn table with butter replaced to the original position inside the casing.

The turn table 29 is of a general type known in the art and is provided with a radial slot 30 and plural series of circular apertures 31 adapted to cooperate with a movable index pin 32 to permit the rotation of the turn table predetermined amounts for a purpose hereinafter described and explained in the patent referred to. The turn table 29 which is shown as partially broken away in Fig. 3, is provided on its under surface with a series of peripheral ratchet teeth 33, arranged to be engaged by a spring pawl 34 on the indexing lever 35. Said indexing lever 35 is fulcrumed about the pivot point of the turn table and extends outward through an extended slot in the front of the refrigerator. It may be provided with a sliding member 36 moving with it along said slot and to keep the slot closed. The lever 35 may also be provided with lateral wings 37 adapted to slide on the base to support the same.

The index pin 32 is provided with a long extension 38 adapted to be guided in an aperture 39 formed in a side flange of the base. Said extension has pivoted to an intermediate part at 40, an indicator lever 41, said lever being fulcrurned in the back part of the base at 42. A small slot in the lever 41 engaging the pin on the extension 38, forms the connection between these members and enables movement of the pin 32 radial of the turn table. A sector plate 43 has a series of projections 44 formed thereon and opposite the spaces between these pro jections a series of numbers corresponding to the number of pounds which the tubs of butter of commerce are found to weigh. It will be noticed that the spaces between said projections are just sufficient to receive the indicator lever 41 and in operation said lever 41 is positioned in the space bearing the numeral denoting the number of pounds in the particular cake of butter in hand. In making the preliminary adjustment the turn table is moved so that the radial slot 30 is in alinement with the path of movement of the pin 32 and the adjustment of said pin by movement of the lever 41 as above indicated will position said pin so that upon rotation of the turn table or index plate the pin will come into register with the proper series of holes to index the plate the correct amount for a cake of that particular size.

A cam member 45 is carried by the indexing lever 35 and is arranged to cooperate with the extension 38 of the index pin to withdraw the same at the end of the return movement of said indexing lever.

It will be noticed that the inner end of the extension 38 adjacent to the pin 32 by reason of its connection with the guide 39 and the lever 41 is in effect a spring which normally retains said pin in engagementwith a hole but which may be depressed as described by the cam 45 to unlock the same.

In operation the cutter carriage 5 is ad justed vertically by manipulation of the locking pin 17 in the highest slot 16 until the Wire 6 just engages the top of the butter cake. The screw 19 is then set to lock the bar 18 in place. Withdrawing the pin 17 by manipulation of the knob 22 the cutter carriage is moved downward until the pin 17 engages the second groove in the dividing plate. The

machine is now ready for the operation and, pieces of butter of the desired size may be successively severed by alternate manipulation of the index plate or turn table by means of the engagement therewith of the pawl on the hand lever, and vertical reciprocations of the cutting frame through its limits of movement by means of its connection with the dividing plate and the operating device therefor; the manner of operation as will-be observed is generally similar to that of the machine of the patent referred to.

Having thus fully described and explained our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is j 1. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a casing, slide ways secured in the base thereon, a turn table mounted to slide on said ways and to turn about an axis, and a movable cutter-member adapted to operate adjacent said turn table and sever blocks of butter thereon.

2. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a casing, a door therein, slide ways formed in the base of the casing and extending towards said door, a turn table mounted to slide on said ways and to turn about a center, and a vertically movable cutter member adapted to operate above said turn table.

3. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a casing, tubular guides formed in the base thereof, a support having parts to slide in and upon said guides, a turn table mounted to rotate upon said support, and a movable cutting member mounted to operate adjacent said turn table.

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising a casing, tubes to serve as guide ways secured 1n the base thereof, a support slidable upon said tubes and supported thereon at the rear, rods slidable within said tubes and arranged to receive said support at the front thereof, a turn table pivoted upon said support, and a cutter member arranged for operation adjacent said turn table.

5. An apparatus of the class described comprising a casing, a turn table pivoted therein, a door for said casing and a cutting member mounted upon said door and arranged to operate adjacent said turn table.

6. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a casing, slide ways formed therein, a turn table mounted to slide upon said ways and to rotate upon an axis, a door for said casing, a cutting member mounted upon said. door and arranged to operate in conjunction with said turn table, said cutting member having an operating element extending without the casing when the same is closed.

7. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a turn table, spaced series of apertures therein, a yieldingly mounted index pin, means for adjusting said pin so as to register with successive apertures in a selected one of said series, an operator for rotating said. turntable, and means for disengaging said index pin from an aperture upon the return movement of said operator.

8. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a turn table, spaced series of apertures therein, a yieldingly mounted index pin, means for adjusting said pin so as to register with successive apertures in a selected one of said series, an arm mounted to swing and having means to engage and rotate said turntable and means connected with said arm arranged to disengage said index pin upon the return movement of said arm.

9. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a turn table having a circular series of ratchet teeth thereon and spaced series of apertures therein, a swinging arm having a pawl to engage said teeth, a yieldable index pin, means for adjusting said pin so as to engage successive apertures of a selected series in said table and a cam carried by said swinging arm and adapted to disengage said index pin upon its return movement.

10. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a casing, a turntable therein, a swinging arm extending without said casing and having means thereon to engage said table and rotate the same, a second arm having means thereon to variably index the rotation of the table, a door for the casing and a cutting member mounted on said door and having an operating element extending without the casing when the same is closed.

11. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a horizontal turn table, means for variably indexing the rotation thereof, a vertically movable dividing plate arranged adjacent said turntable, means for operating the same, a cutting member carried. by said dividing plate, and means for adjusting the vertical position of said cutting member on said dividing plate.

12. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a horizontal turntable, a vertically movable dividing plate arranged adjacent thereto, means for operating the same, a series of variably spaced slots in. said plate, a cutting member and means for adjustably positioning said member relative to said slots.

13. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a horizontal turntable, a vertically movable dividing plate arranged adjacent thereto, a spring to normally hold said plate at the upper limit of its movement, a lever to depress said plate at option and a cutting member adj ustably mounted on said plate.

14. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a casing, a turn table mounted therein, a door for said casing, and a cutting element mounted for reciprocation upon said door, and having an operating handle extending without the casing when the same is closed. 15. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a casing, a turn table mounted therein, a door for said casing, a cutting member adj ustably mounted for reciprocation upon said door and a small door in the said door arranged to give access to the cutting member for adjustment thereof.

16. A butter cutting apparatus comprising a horizontal turn table, a vertically movable dividing plate arranged adjacent thereto, and having variably disposed oblique slots transversely thereof, a cutting member mounted for vertical movement upon said plate and means for adjusting said member, said means consisting of a bar transversely movable in said member and having a pin to engage one of said slots and means for iixing said plate and bar in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof we allix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. ROBERTS. ()VEN NV. ROBERTS.

\Vitnesscs H. J. VVINSTEN, Gno. P. HENRY.

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