WO1997018066A1

WO1997018066A1 - Splitting device

Info

Publication number: WO1997018066A1
Application number: PCT/SE1996/001458
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tore Eklund
Original assignee: Tore Eklund
Priority date: 1995-11-16
Filing date: 1996-11-12
Publication date: 1997-05-22
Also published as: SE9504098D0; SE9504098L; SE505206C2; AU7659796A

Abstract

A device for splitting of objects, e.g. cheese, pates and the like, into pieces of any size comprises a frame (1), a cutting table (3), a motor (2) with a winding device (11) being arranged on the frame (1), and a cutting wire (4). The cutting wire (4) starts from the winding device (11) and extends via guidings (8a, 8b, 8c) across the cutting table (3) and to a fixation point preferably below the level of the cutting table (3). Said fixation point may be provided in a mount (4a) for the cutting wire (4) on the frame (1), or on the winding device (11). At least two of the guidings (8a, 8b) are vertically displaceable along upright elements (6a, 6b), said elements being biased in a direction away from the cutting table (3).

Description

Splitting Device

The present invention relates to splitting devices, and more specifically to a device for splitting of first of all foods such as cheeses, pates and the like into smaller pieces. The device comprises a cutting wire, which by means of motor power is drawn through the food which is to be cut, for the splitting of this into pieces ofthe size desired.

The splitting device according to the invention has arose in a need to achieve a simple and reliable splitting device for the splitting of cheese into smaller pieces. It should, however, be appreciated that there are a number of applications apart from food applications in which the splitting device might be useful, e.g. for the cutting of foamed plastic or rubber. It is in the following described in relation to the splitting of cheese, but this description is not to be understood as in any way limiting the invention.

Presently there are a number of devices for the splitting of cheese. There are some more or less automated devices which cut cheeses in predetermined pieces by means of fixed, changable tools in the form of knives and/or metal wires. These devices are meant to be used in cheese shops and at the cheese suppliers to split big cheeses, delivered from the cheese manufacturers, into smaller pieces, which are packed and sold in the self service counters in the shops. An example of such a device is the cheese splitter, which is manufactured by TORNOVA AB and sold under the name of "DeLa".

It is also frequently so, that the customers themselves want to choose the size ofthe pieces of cheese that they wish to buy at a cheese counter. Ln those cases the shop personnel often use tools such as knives or drawing wires for the cutting ofthe pieces of cheese. The use of such tools often demand the use of great force, and sometimes also incorrect working positions, which means running the risk of working injuries of various kinds.

The cutting of cheese is facilitated if the cutting element, i.e. the knife or the wire is not moved in a peφendicular direction through the cheese, but is instead at the same time moved in the longitudinal direction of the knife or the wire. The above described known device has no such possibility, why the force applied must be of a relatively great magnitude, while it is of course possible to practice such a longitudinal movement forwards and backwards by

SUBSTITUTE SHEET manual cutting of cheese by means of string or knife.

The present invention aims at solving the above stated problem. This aim is achieved by a splitting device ofthe appended claims, from which may also be understood that, which characterizes the invention.

A preferred embodiment ofthe invention is described in closer detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which;

FIGURE 1 is a schematical view of a preferred embodiment of a splitting device according to the invention, and

FIGURE 2 is a schematical view ofthe embodiment in fig. 1, with the cutting wire disposed in the finishing position.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of a splitting device comprises a frame 1, an electrical motor 2, a cutting table 3 and a cutting wire 4. The frame 1 comprises a bottom plate 5, on which are arranged two vertical rods 6a, 6b spaced apart on a suitable distance from each other in order to, between themselves, provide space for the cutting table 3 for a cheese or another object to be split, of a commonly occuring size. The cutting wire 4, which is easily replacable, has one of its ends 4a fixed to the base of one 6a ofthe rods and runs over three small wheels 8a, 8b, 8c to a winding wheel 11 connected to the motor 2, which are both disposed under the cutting table 3. The small wheels 8a, 8b are mounted in a mount 10a and 10b respectively, which are displacable upwards and downwards along a respective associated rod 6a, 6b, while a lower mount 9 for the third small wheel 8c is fixedly mounted to the bottom plate 5 by the second rod 6b in a position corresponding to the position ofthe mount 4a ofthe cutting wire 4 adjacent to the first rod 6a. Springs 7a, 7b bias the mounts 10a, 10b arranged on the rods 6a, 6b and thereby also the small wheels 8a and 10b in an upward direction from the cutting table 3.

The electrical motor 2, which is suitably equipped with a gear and the winding wheel 1 1 carried by a rotatable shaft 12 is arranged on the bottom plate 5. The cutting wire 4 runs from the mount 4a in the bottom plate 5 adjacent to one ofthe rods 6a, via the wheels 8a, 8b which are displacable on the two rods 6a, 6b above the cutting board 3, and back downwards toward the bottom plate 5 and via the fixed wheel 8c to the winding wheel 1 1.

The cutting table 3, which is fixed and arranged above the electric motor 2, is located on such a distance from the part ofthe cutting wire 4, which is initially extended between the two rods 6a and 6b at their respective upper ends, that all the commonly occuring cheeses or other objects to be split are placable under the cutting wire onto the cutting table 3 without interference. In the cutting table there is arranged a not shown groove, which is parallel to and located straight under the part of the cutting wire 4, which runs between the two upper wheels of fig. 1. Said groove receives the cutting wire 4 at the completion ofthe cutting operation.

In fig. 1 the splitting device 1 is shown in an operable position for the splitting of an object, e.g. a cheese. In this position only a slight tension is applied to the cutting wire 4 by the winding wheel 1 1, which means that the springs 7a, 7b bias the displacable mounts 10a, 10b, together with the two wheels 8a, 8b, toward a stop at the upper part of the rods 6a, 6b. In this operable position an object, e.g. a cheese, is placed on the cutting table 3. When the electric motor 2 is started the shaft 12 starts to rotate the winding wheel 1 1, and the cutting wire 4 is wound onto the winding wheel 11. The cutting wire 4 is tensed and when the force ofthe springs 7a, 7b is overcome the displacable mounts 10a, 10b are drawn downwards. The upper horizontal part of the cutting wire 4 is gradually lowered down toward the object placed on the cutting table 3 for splitting.

When the cutting wire 4 approaches the top side ofthe object, e.g. a cheese, the motor may temporarily be halted so that the customer may take his or her time to decide on, and maybe ask for an alteration ofthe size ofthe piece of cheese to be cut. When the customer feels satisfied with the size ofthe piece, maybe after an adjustment, the motor 2 is once again started and the cutting wire 4 is lowered further into contact with the object, then to cut down through the object. By this cutting operation, the cutting wire 4 will move first of all vertically down through the object, but since the free end ofthe cutting wire 4 is gradually shortened every part ofthe cutting wire 4 will move along the length ofthe wire. The resulting movement of every element ofthe wire which cuts through will perform a rectilinear movement with a downward inclination parallel to the wire. Said movement is advantageous compared to a pure vertical movement, since it decreases the cutting resistance throughout the object.

After having completely cut through the object, the cutting wire 4 continues down into the groove in the cutting table 3 adapted to the cutting wire 4, in which position the motor stops, and left on the cutting table is the cut object. This position is shown in fig. 2. A limit switch is suitably arranged, which switch shuts off the motor 2, when the cutting wire 4 has entered its groove in the cutting table 3. All movements ofthe device then stops and the cut pieces may easily be removed from the cutting table 3 without the risk of injuries due to squeezing or cutting being inflicted on the person operating the device 1. To reset the device for the next cutting operation the motor is reversed, the effect of which reversal is that the cutting wire 4 is wound onto the winding wheel 1 1. The springs 7a, 7b will then push the displacable mounts 10a, 10b on the rods 6a, 6b upwards and thereby resetting the device into the operable position. A second switch may be provided at the upper ends of the rods 6a, 6b to stop the upward movement.

The displacable mounts 10a, 10b on the rods 6a, 6b are thus designed, that the forces applied on said mounts through the tension of the cutting wire 4 are unable to twist said mounts so that the sliding function is compromised. These ends may be attained e.g. by the contact between the mounts 10a, 10b and the rods 6a, 6b comprising support wheels or other suitable bearings, which prevent locking due to twisting ofthe mounts.

The above detailed description of an embodiment ofthe invention has only been given in order to facilitate the understanding of said mvention, and no undue limitations ofthe scope of the invention shall construed from this, since changes and modifications are obvious to the person skilled in the art. Thus the springs 6a, 6b for the biasing ofthe displacable mounts 10a, 10b along the rods 6a, 6b may be of various designs, e.g. they might be housed in tubular rods 6a, 6b operating on the mounts 10a, 10b through grooves in the rods, or be provided in the form of hydraulic or pneumatic type. They might for instance also be provided in the form of drawing springs, drawing the mounts 10a, 10b upwards, or be arranged integrally with the rods 6a, 6b.

With due consideration to the fact that keeping a splitting device 1 of this type clean is ofthe utmost importance when handling foods, protecting covers are suitably provided around the rods 6a, 6b covering then not only the springs 7a, 7b but also the wheels 8a, 8b with their mounts 10a, 10b. The cutting wire 4 then extends through a narrow slot, suitably provided with a stripper.

In certain applications the cutting may be facilitated through the heating of the cutting wire 4. This heating is accomplished by leading, in a conventional manner, an electric current through the wire 4.

For some materials to be cut the cutting may have to be performed by a movement which is mainly peφendicular to the longitudinal extension ofthe wire, and in some cases also in connection with the heating of the wire. Instead ofthe mount 4a ofthe wire 4, a wheel is used here as well, so that both ends ofthe cutting wire start from the winding wheel, and run in a loop via all the wheels. When the motor 2 is started the cutting wire 4 will be wound from both ends, and mainly to the same extent, which means that the cutting part of the cutting wire 4 is only capable of a pure upward and downward movement without a significant movement in the direction ofthe longitudinal extension ofthe cutting wire 4.

For the cutting of foods such as pates, cheeses and the like, a stainless spring wire is used as a cutting wire. For harder materials a stainless saw wire and the like may be used.

In the same way, the detailed construction of the motor and its controls are of no significant importance for the invention as such, the alternating forward and rearward drive being realised either by means of a reversal ofthe motor itself, or by the use of gears or belts to switch the direction of rotation ofthe winding wheel. Another feasible modification is the replacement of the rotatable wheels, around which the wire runs, by fixed elements with very low friction. I order for the rods 6a, 6b not to bend towards each other during the cutting operations, they may be provided with suitable types of supports or reinforcements.

Through the present invention the initially stated aim is thus achieved.

Claims

1. Device for the splitting of objects, e.g. cheese, into pieces of desired size, which device comprises a frame (1), a cutting table (3), a motor (2) and a winding device (1 1), the motor (2) and the winding device (1 1) being arranged on the frame (1), and a cutting wire (4), extending from the winding device (11) and out across the cutting table (3), characterized in that the cutting wire (4) extends from the winding device to a point (4a), preferably below the level ofthe cutting table (3), via guidings (8a, 8b, 8c) across the cutting table (3), at least two ofthe guidings (8a, 8b) are vertically displacable along upright elements (6a, 6b), said two guidings (8a, 8b) being biased in a direction away from the cutting table (3).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guidings (8a, 8b, 8c) are provided in the form of rotatably arranged small wheels.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fixation point (4a) of the cutting wire (4) is arranged on the winding device (11).

4. Device according to any ofthe preceding claims, characterized in equipment for the heating ofthe cutting wire (4).

5. Device according to any ofthe preceding claims, characterized in that the motor (2) and the winding device (11) are disposed under the cutting table (3).

6. Device according to any ofthe preceding claims, characterized in the cutting table (3) being provided with a groove for receiving the cutting wire (4) after completion of the cutting through an object.