Knife regulations for slicing machines and machines equipped therewith

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to machines for cutting products, including but not limited to slicing food products. The invention particularly relates to knife assemblies for securing knives to slicing machines.

[0002] Various types of equipment are known for slicing, shredding and granulating food products, as nonlimiting examples, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and meat products. Widely used machines for this purpose are commercially available from Urschel Laboratories, Inc., and include machines under the names Model CC ®< and Model CCL. The Model CC ®< and CCL machines are centrifugal-type slicers capable of slicing a wide variety of products at high production capacities. The Model CC ®< line of machines is particularly adapted to produce uniform slices, strip cuts, shreds and granulations, and the Model CCL line is particularly adapted to produce slices or chips of a waffle or lattice type. Certain configurations and aspects of Model CC ®< machines are represented in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,139,128, 3,139,129, 5,694,824, 6,968,765, 7,658,133, 8,161,856, and 9,193,086 and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2014 / 0290451, 2016 / 0158953, and 2016 / 0361831. Certain configurations and aspects of Model CCL machines are represented in U.S. Patent Nos. 3, 139, 127 and 3,139,130.

[0003] FIG. 1 schematically depicts a machine 10 representative of a Model CC ®< machine. The machine 10 includes a generally annular-shaped cutting head 12 equipped with cutting knives (not shown) mounted along its circumference. An impeller 14 is coaxially mounted within the cutting head 12 and has an axis 17 of rotation that coincides with the center axis of the cutting head 12. The impeller 14 is rotationally driven about its axis 17 through a shaft that is enclosed within a housing 18 and coupled to a gear box 16. The cutting head 12 is mounted on a support ring 15 above the gear box 16 and remains stationary as the impeller 14 rotates. Products are delivered to the cutting head 12 and impeller 14 through a feed hopper 11 located above the impeller 14. In operation, as the hopper 11 delivers products to the impeller 14, centrifugal forces cause the products to move outward into engagement with the knives of the cutting head 12. The impeller 14 comprises generally radially-oriented paddles 13, each having a face that engages and directs the products radially outward toward and against the knives of the cutting head 12 as the impeller 14 rotates. Other aspects pertaining to the construction and operation of Model CC ®< machines, including improved embodiments thereof, can be appreciated from U.S. Patent Nos. 3,139,128, 3,139,129, 5,694,824, 6,968,765, 7,658,133, 8,161,856, and 9,193,086 and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2014 / 0290451, 2016 / 0158953, and 2016 / 0361831.

[0004] FIG. 2 is an isolated view of the cutting head 12 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a fragmentary bottom view of the cutting head 12. The cutting head 12 is generally annular-shaped with cutting knives 20 mounted along its perimeter. Each knife 20 projects radially inward in a direction generally opposite the direction of rotation of the impeller 14 (not shown in FIGS. 2 or 3), and defines a cutting edge at its radially innermost extremity. The cutting head 12 is shown in FIG. 2 as further comprising a lower support ring 22, an upper support ring 24, and circumferentially-spaced support segments, referred to herein as shoes 26. The knives 20 of the cutting head 12 are individually secured to the shoes 26 as part of knife assemblies 28. Each knife assembly 28 includes a knife holder 28A mounted to the radially inward-facing side of a shoe 26, and a clamp 28B mounted on the radially outward-facing side of a shoe 26 to secure a knife 20 to the knife holder 28A. The shoes 26 are represented as secured with bolts 30 to the support rings 22 and 24. The shoes 26 are equipped with coaxial pivot pins (not shown) that engage holes in the support rings 22 and 24. By pivoting on its pins, the orientation of a shoe 26 can be adjusted to alter the radial location of the cutting edge of its knife 20 with respect to the axis of the cutting head 12, thereby controlling the thickness of the sliced product. As an example, adjustment can be achieved with an adjusting screw and / or pin 32 located circumferentially behind the pivot pins. FIG. 2 further shows optional gate insert strips 34 mounted to each shoe 26, which the product crosses prior to encountering the knife 20 mounted to the succeeding shoe 26.

[0005] FIGS. 2 and 3 show the knives 20 and clamps 28B secured to their respective knife holders 28A with bolts 36. Alignment of the knife 20 and clamp 28B of each assembly 28 is achieved with pins 38 that protrude from the support surface of the knife holder 28A. As better understood through the detail view of FIG. 4, the opposing surfaces of the knife holder 28A and clamp 28B result in the clamp 28B applying a force to the knife 20 adjacent its cutting edge.

[0006] Because of its proximity to the cutting edge of the knife 20, the leading edge of the knife holder 28A is vulnerable to damage, for example, from impacts with stones and other debris that often accompany food products such as potatoes. Knife holders of the type represented in FIGS. 3 and 4 are typically much more costly components in comparison to the knives they support. FIG. 5 depicts an alternative configuration of a knife assembly 40 configured to address this issue. The knife assembly 40 comprises a knife holder 40A and clamp 40B, the latter of which may be similar if not identical to the clamp 28B of FIGS. 2 and 3. The knife holder 40A includes an insert 42 that supports the knife 20 near its cutting edge and serves to protect the leading edge 44 of the knife holder 40A from stones or other debris that the edge 44 would otherwise encounter. The insert 42 (sometimes referred to as a bumper) is received in a slot 46 that extends along at least a portion of the leading edge 44 of the holder 40A and is generally parallel to the longitudinal length of the holder 40A. As depicted in FIG. 5, the portion of the insert 42 received in the slot 46 generally has a rectangular cross-sectional shape and, aside from relief cuts in its corners, the slot 46 is similarly shaped. The insert 42 and its slot 46 may be sized to precisely position and secure the insert 42 within the slot 46. The insert 42 protrudes from the slot 46 and beyond the leading edge 44 of the holder 40A to support the knife 20 near its cutting edge.

[0007] While centrifugal-type slicers of the type represented by the Model CC ®< have performed extremely well for their intended purpose, further improvements are continuously desired and sought.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention provides knife assemblies adapted for use in slicing machines, including centrifugal-type slicing machines having a cutting head with multiple knife assemblies mounted thereto. The invention is defined in claim 1 and preferred features are set out in the dependent claims.

[0009] Technical aspects of knife assemblies as described above preferably include the ability to protect a leading edge of a knife holder with an insert that can be quickly assembled to the knife holder and will remain reliably secured to the knife holder during the operation of a slicing machine. Additionally, the insert is preferably configured to reduce the likelihood that the insert will be incorrectly installed on the knife holder.

[0010] Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 schematically represents a side view in partial cross-section of a slicing machine known in the art. FIG. 2 is a perspective view representing details of a cutting head of a type suitable for use in the slicing machine of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing a fragment of the cutting head of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a portion of a knife assembly of the cutting head. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative knife assembly capable of use with the cutting head of FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a knife assembly capable of use with the cutting head of FIG. 2 in accordance with a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7 is a side view showing in isolation a portion of a knife holder and an insert of the knife assembly of FIG. 6, and showing the insert in an installed position within a slot of the knife holder. FIG. 8 shows two orientations of the insert of FIGS. 6 and 7 in which the insert is displaced from the installed position of FIG. 7 and yet retained in the slot. FIG. 9 represents orientations of a machining tool for machining the slot in the knife holder of FIGS. 6 through 8. FIG. 10 is a side view showing in isolation the insert of FIGS. 6 through 8. FIGS. 11 and 12 are side views showing, respectively, a portion of an alternative knife holder capable of use with the cutting head of FIG. 2 and the insert of FIGS. 6 through 8 and 10 assembled with the knife holder in accordance with another nonlimiting embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 13 and 14 are side views showing, respectively, a portion of another alternative knife holder capable of use with the cutting head of FIG. 2 and an alternative insert assembled with the knife holder in accordance with yet another nonlimiting embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] FIGS. 6 through 2B depict knife assemblies and components thereof that are capable of use with a variety of cutting machines, including the centrifugal-type slicing machine 10 depicted in FIG. 1, and in some instances may be a modification or retrofit for such a machine. Nonlimiting embodiments of the invention will be illustrated and described hereinafter in reference to the slicing machine 10 of FIG. 1 equipped with an impeller 14 and annular-shaped cutting head 12 as described in reference to FIGS. 1 through 4, and as such the following discussion will focus primarily on certain aspects of the invention that will be described in reference to the slicing machine 10 and cutting head 12, whereas other aspects not discussed in any detail below may be, in terms of structure, function, materials, etc., essentially as was described in reference to FIGS. 1 through 4. However, it will be appreciated that the teachings of the invention are also generally applicable to other types of cutting machines.

[0013] To facilitate the description provided below of the embodiments represented in the drawings, relative terms may be used in reference to the orientation of the cutting head 12 as represented in FIG. 2. On the basis of the coaxial arrangement of the cutting head 12 and impeller 14 of the machine 10 represented in FIG. 1, relative terms including but not limited to "axial," "circumferential," "radial," etc., and related forms thereof may also be used below to describe the nonlimiting embodiments represented in the drawings. All such relative terms are useful to describe the illustrated embodiments but should not be otherwise interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0014] FIGS. 6 through 10 schematically represent portions of a knife assembly 50 at which the cutting edge 54 of a knife 52 is located. As with the knife assemblies 28 and 40 represented in FIGS. 2 through 5, the knife assembly 50 includes a knife holder 56 adapted to be mounted to the radially inward-facing side of a shoe (for example, a shoe 26 of the cutting head 12 in FIG. 2), and a clamp 58 on the radially outward-facing side of the knife holder 56 that secures the knife 52 to the knife holder 56. Similar to the knife holder 28A and clamp 28B seen in FIG. 2, the knife holder 56 and clamp 58 can be configured so that their longitudinal lengths extend parallel to the axis of the cutting head in which they are installed. The clamping action on the knife 52 can be the result of the clamp 58 being secured to the knife holder 56 with fasteners (for example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), or the result of a quick-clamping assembly, a nonlimiting example of which is disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,658,133 and 8,161,856.

[0015] The knife holder 56 includes an insert 60 that supports the knife 52 near its cutting edge 54 and serves to protect the leading edge 62 of the knife holder 56 from stones or other debris that the edge 62 may encounter. The insert 60 is supported on a recessed support surface 64 of the knife holder 56 that extends to and along at least a portion of the leading edge 62 of the holder 56. The insert 60 protrudes beyond the leading edge 62 of the holder 56 so that a leading end 66 of the insert 60 supports the knife 52 near its cutting edge 54. The leading end 66 of the insert 60 is preferably beveled, in some cases defined by a single bevel at or near the leading edge of the insert 60. The nonlimiting embodiment of the insert 60 shown in the drawings has a pair of beveled surfaces 68 and 70 that form the leading end 66 of the insert 60. The beveled surface 68 is represented as being approximately coplanar with a radially-inward surface 71 of the knife holder 56 that is oppositely disposed from the support surface 64 of the knife holder 56. The leading end 66 of the insert 60 serves as a replaceable leading edge for the knife holder 56. If the cutting edge 54 of the knife 52 requires replacement due to damage (for example, chipping, cracking, wear, etc.), the leading end 66 of the insert 60 will likely also exhibit damage and require replacement. However, the knife holder 56 is less likely to need replacement because the insert 60 has sustained the impact from objects that might otherwise damage the knife holder 56.

[0016] FIG. 6 shows a trailing end 72 of the insert 60 as received in a slot 74 located at a trailing end of the recessed support surface 64 of the knife holder 56. The trailing end of the support surface 64 is generally parallel to and spaced from the leading edge 62 of the knife holder 56. The slot 74 defines an opening 90 that is contiguous with the support surface 64 and its trailing end. Similar to the slot 46 shown in FIG. 5, the slot 74 is oriented to be generally parallel to the longitudinal length of the knife holder 56, and also parallel to the leading edge 62 of the knife holder 56. In contrast to what is depicted in FIG. 5, neither the slot 74 nor the trailing end 72 of the insert 60 received in the slot 74 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape. Instead, the trailing end 72 and slot 74 have cross-sectional shapes and are sized to retain the insert 60 within the slot 74. As evident from FIGS. 6 through 8 and 10, the trailing end 72 of the insert 60 has a generally rectangular profile 76 (FIG. 10) from which a locking feature projects from a radially-inward facing surface 80 of the insert 60. The locking feature is depicted as a protrusion 78 that may be a continuous rib that extends along the entire trailing end 72 of the insert 60, or may be two or more separate ribs located at the trailing end 72 of the insert 60.

[0017] In the nonlimiting embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 through 8 and 10, the protrusion 78 is contiguous with the edge of the trailing end 72 of the insert 60. The location of the protrusion 78 enables the trailing end 72 of the insert 60 to interlock with the slot 74 of the knife holder 56, as evident from FIG. 8 in which the insert 60 is shown in two extreme orientations relative to the knife holder 56 and yet its trailing end 72 is retained in the slot 74. As perhaps most evident from FIG. 9, the slot 74 is defined by two diverging portions 82 and 84 that extend away from the leading edge 62 of the knife holder 56. The diverging portion 82 is represented in FIGS. 6 through 9 as extending in a direction roughly parallel to the surface 71 of the knife holder 56 opposite its recessed support surface 64, and the diverging portion 84 is represented in FIGS. 6 through 9 as extending at an acute angle to the diverging portion 82, for example, in a direction roughly 30 degrees to diverging portion 82, though other orientations for the diverging portions 82 and 84 are foreseeable. From FIG. 6 it can be seen that the protrusion 78 of the insert 60 is generally received in the diverging portion 84 of the slot 74 when the insert 60 is clamped to the knife holder 56 by the clamp 58. As evident from FIG. 9, the diverging portions 82 and 84 can be machined into the knife holder 56 using conventional machining tools (not shown) oriented along, respectively, one of two planes 86 and 88. The plane 86 is shown roughly parallel to the surface 71 of the knife holder 56, whereas the plane 88 is shown as oriented roughly 30 degrees to the plane 86. From FIG. 9, it should be apparent that the slot 74 can be manufactured using conventional machining methods.

[0018] The shapes of the trailing end 72 of the insert 60 and the slot 74 in the knife holder 56 are such that the trailing end 72 is able to freely slide in directions parallel to the slot 74, but cannot be dislodged from the slot 74 by moving the insert 60 in any other direction (including perpendicular) to the slot 74, as evident from FIG. 8. In particular, the minimum width or thickness of the insert 60 as defined by the protrusion 78 at its trailing end 72 is greater than the maximum width of the opening 90 to the slot 74. As a result, the insert 60 can be quickly assembled to the knife holder 56 and will remain reliably secured to the knife holder 56 during the operation of a machine in which the knife assembly 50 is installed. The asymmetric configuration of the trailing end 72 of the insert 60 also preferably prevents the insert 60 from being incorrectly installed in the knife holder 56. With an arrangement of the type represented in FIGS. 6 through 10, once the clamping force is released from the knife 52, the insert 60 can be readily removed from the knife holder 56 by sliding the insert 60 parallel to the length of the slot 74, in other words, generally parallel to the longitudinal length of the knife holder 56.

[0019] FIGS. 11 and 13 represent two additional nonlimiting embodiments for the knife holder 56 shown in FIGS. 6 through 9, FIG. 12 depicts the insert 60 of FIGS. 6 through 8 and 10 installed in the knife holder 56 of FIG. 11, and FIG. 14 depicts an alternative insert 60 installed in the knife holder 56 of FIG. 13. In FIGS. 11 and 12, the slot 74 has a cross-sectional shape that is generally complementary and more congruent to the cross-sectional shape of the trailing end 72 of the insert 60, and the protrusion 78 of the insert 60 will generally be within the portion 84 of the slot 74 when the insert 60 is clamped to the knife holder 56. The embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12 provides for interlocking of the insert 60 and knife holder 56 essentially as described for the embodiment of FIGS. 6 through 10, whereas an interlocking capability is not provided in the embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14. The insert 60 shown in FIG. 14 lacks the protrusion 78 of the previous embodiments, and the slot 74 and insert 60 of FIGS. 13 and 14 generally have complementary rectangular cross-sectional shapes. The slots 74 of the knife holders 56 shown in FIGS. 11 through 14 can be manufactured using conventional machining methods.

[0020] The insert 60 is preferably fabricated from materials that are capable of resisting cracking and chipping, and is also preferably corrosion resistant if the machine is used for food processing. Materials for the insert 60 may also be selected relative to the material of the knife holder 56 to have different responses when struck by debris. As nonlimiting examples, if the knife holder is formed of a relative hard but machinable material such as 416 SS, the material for the insert may be a relatively tougher material (e.g., 17-4 SS) that may become bent from debris impacts, causing the more ductile holder to also bend, but once the insert is removed the holder can restraighten without permanent damage. Alternatively, the insert may be a more ductile material (e.g., 410 SS) relative to the knife holder, in which case the insert tends to be sacrificially damaged / bent from absorbing impact energy so that damage to the holder can be avoided or minimized.

[0021] While the invention has been described in terms of specific or particular embodiments, it should be apparent that alternatives could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the machine 10, cutting head 12, impeller 14, knife assemblies, and their respective components could differ in appearance and construction from the embodiments described herein and shown in the drawings, functions of certain components of the machine 10, cutting head 12, impeller 14, and / or knife assemblies could be performed by components of different construction but capable of a similar (though not necessarily equivalent) function, and various materials could be used in the fabrication of the machine 10, cutting head 12, impeller 14, knife assemblies, and their respective components, within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A knife assembly (50) adapted for use in a slicing machine (10) comprising a cutting head (12), the knife assembly (50) comprising: a knife holder (56) having a recessed support surface (64) on an exterior region of the knife holder (56), the recessed support surface (64) defining a leading edge (62) of the knife holder (56), the recessed support surface (64) having a trailing end spaced in a trailing direction from the leading edge (62); an insert (60) disposed on the recessed support surface (64) of the knife holder (56) and having a radially inward-facing surface (80), the insert (60) having a leading end (66) that projects beyond the leading edge (62) of the knife holder (56) and a trailing end (72) secured to the knife holder (56) with securing means; a knife (52) supported by the insert (60), the knife (52) having a cutting edge (54) that projects beyond the leading edge (66) of the insert (60); and means (58) for clamping the knife (52) and the insert (60) to the recessed support surface (64) of the knife holder (56) so that the insert (60) is between the knife (52) and the recessed support surface (64) of the knife holder (56) ; characterized in that the securing means comprises: the trailing end (72) of the insert (60) received in a slot (74) defined in the trailing end of the recessed support surface (64) of the knife holder (56), the slot (74) defining an opening (90) contiguous with the recessed support surface (64) and the trailing end (72) of the insert (60) having a locking feature that comprises a protrusion (78) that projects from the radially inward-facing surface (80) of the insert (60) and defines a thickness of the insert (60) at its trailing end (72) that is greater than a maximum width of the opening (90) of the slot (74).

2. The knife assembly (50) according to claim 1, wherein the trailing end (72) of the insert (60) has an asymmetric configuration.

3. The knife assembly (50) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protrusion (78) is contiguous with an edge of the trailing end (72) of the insert (60).

4. The knife assembly (50) according to any preceding claim, wherein the protrusion (78) interlocks the trailing end (72) of the insert (60) with the slot (74) of the knife holder (56) so that the insert (60) has two extreme orientations relative to the knife holder (56) in which the trailing end (72) is retained in the slot (74) by the protrusion (78).

5. The knife assembly (50) according to any preceding claim, wherein the slot (74) in the knife holder (56) comprises first and second diverging portions (82, 84).

6. The knife assembly (50) according to claim 5, wherein the first and second diverging portions (82, 84) extend away from the leading edge (62) of the knife holder (56).

7. The knife assembly (50) according to claim 6, wherein the first diverging portion (82) of the slot (74) is parallel to a surface (71) of the knife holder (56) opposite the recessed support surface (64) thereof.

8. The knife assembly (50) according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the second diverging portion (84) of the slot (74) extends at an acute angle to the first diverging portion (82).

9. The knife assembly (50) according to claim 5, wherein the trailing end (72) of the insert (60) has a rectangular profile (76) and the protrusion (78) of the insert (60) is received in the second diverging portion (84) of the slot (74).

10. The knife assembly (50) according to any preceding claim, wherein the insert (60) can only be removed from the slot (74) by moving the insert (60) in a direction parallel to the slot (74).

11. A cutting head (12) for a slicing machine (10), the cutting head comprising the knife assembly (50) according to any preceding claim, wherein the knife assembly (50) is installed on the cutting head (12), the cutting head (12) being an annular shaped cutting head (12), and the knife assembly (50) is oriented parallel to an axis of the cutting head (12).

12. The cutting head (12) according to claim 11, wherein an impeller (14) is coaxially mounted within the cutting head (12) for rotation about the axis of the cutting head (12) in a rotational direction relative to the cutting head (12), the impeller (14) has means (11) for delivering food products radially outward toward the cutting head (12), and the knife (52) extends radially inward toward the impeller (14) in a direction opposite the rotational direction of the impeller (14).