Dicing machines and methods of use.

(54) Title: CUBE CUTTING MACHINES AND METHODS OF USE. (54) Title: DICING MACHINES AND METHODS OF USE.

(57) Summary

Machines and methods capable of producing cubed products from materials. Such a machine includes a blade (14) adapted to slice food product to produce slices, a circular cutter (20) comprising blades (31) that adapt and arrange to cut slices into strips, a cross cutter (22) comprising blades (30) that are adapted and arranged to produce a cross cut on the strips and a shear plate (32) that is at least partially between the circular cutter (20) and the cross cutter (22). The shear plate (32) defines a first shear edge (48) in proximity to the blades (30) of the cross cutter (22) and is adapted to ensure cubing of the strips received by the cross cutter (22) from the circular cutter (20). A support bar (34) supports the shear plate (32) and a feature (52) is provided to adjust the proximity of the first shear edge (48) relative to the blades (30) of the cross cutter (22).

(57) Abstract

Machines and methods capable of producing diced products from materials. Such a machine ineludes a knife (14) adapted to slice food product to produce slices, a circular cutter (20) comprising knives (31) that are adapted and arranged to cut the slices into strips, a cross-cutter (22) comprising knives (30) that are adapted and arranged to produce a crosscut in the strips, and a shear píate (32) that is at least partially between the circular cutter (20) and the cross-cutter (22). The shear píate (32) defines a first shear edge (48) in proximity to the knives (30) of the cross-cutter (22) and is adapted to ensure dicing of the strips received by the cross-cutter (22) from the circular cutter (20). A support bar (34) supports the shear píate (32), and a feature (52) is provide for adjusting the proximity of the first shear edge (48) relative to the knives (30) of the cross-cutter (22).

CUBE CUTTING MACHINES AND METHODS OF USE

Background of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to methods and machines for cutting solid and semi-solid materials, including food products.

The Affinity® Cube Cutter is a machine manufactured by Urschel Laboratories and is particularly suitable for dicing various materials, notable but not limiting examples of which include cheeses and meats. The Affinity® cube cutter is well known as capable of high performance and precision capacity cuts. Additionally, the Affinity® Cube Cutter is sanitary in design to discourage bacterial growth.

A non-limiting representation of an Affinity® cube cutter is shown in Figure 1. The product is delivered to a feed hopper (not shown) and enters a rotary impeller 10, where centrifugal forces hold the product against an Interior wall. of a stationary sheath 12 equipped with a slicing blade 14. The slicer blade 14 is disposed in an opening in the sheath 12 and is normally oriented approximately parallel to the axis of rotation of the Impeller 10. The blades of the Impeller 10 carry the product to the slicer blade 14, producing slices that enter the cutting unit in machine cubes. Specifically, the slices pass between a rotary feed drum 16 and a feed roll 18, then enter a rotary circular cutter 20 whose axis of rotation is approximately parallel to the rotational axes of the rotary feed drum 16 and feed roll. 18. The circular cutter 20 is equipped with blades oriented approximately perpendicular to the rotational axis of the circular cutter 20 and therefore, so that the blades cut each slice into strips. The strips pass directly into a rotary cross cutter 22, the axis of rotation of which is approximately parallel to the rotational axis of the circular cutter 20. Cross cutter 22 is equipped with blades that, as shown, are oriented approximately parallel to the rotational axes of cross cutter 22 and therefore transverse and preferably perpendicular to the blades of circular cutter 20, to produce final cross cuts that produce a product cut into cubes. The rotational speed of the cross cutter 22 is preferably independently controllable relative to the feed drum 16, feed roll 18 and circular cutter 20, so that the size of the cubed product can be selected and controlled. As is evident from Figure 1, the rotational axes of the impeller 10, feed drum 16, feed roll 18, circular cutter 20 and cross cutter 22 are all approximately parallel to each other.

Figure 2 schematically represents a longitudinal cross section of cross cutter 22 (not to scale) showing a hollow spindle 24 adapted to coaxially mount on a second spindle or arrow (38 in Figure 3). The hollow spindle 24 defines a circumferential wall 26 in which the grooves 28 are formed to receive blades 30 from the cross cutter 22.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing individual components of the cube cutter unit of FIG. 1, including feed drum 16, feed roll 18, circular cutter 20 and cross cutter 22 and components associated therewith. As shown in Figure 3, each of the feed drum 16, feed roll 18, circular cutter 20 and cross cutter 22 is configured to coaxially mount individually on a separate shaft or spindle. In the non-limiting representation of Figure 3, the feed drum 16 and cross cutter are shown as individually mounted on separate spindle shafts 38 and secured thereto with a retainer washer 40 and nut 42 and the feed roll 18 and circular cutter 20 are shown as being individually mounted on separate spindle shafts 44 and secured thereto with screws 45.

Figure 3 further depicts a shear or spacer plate 32 supported and screw secured to a support bar 34. Shear plate 32 has an upper shear edge 47 adapted to separate products (strips) from the circular cutter 20 prior to to be cubed with the cross cutter 22. The grooves 46 are defined on a surface of the shear plate 32 to accommodate the blades of the circular cutter 20. The grooves 46 extend to the shear edge 47, so that the individual edges of the shear edge 47 between the adjacent grooves 46 are capable of removing strips from between blades adjacent to the circular cutter 20. A Bottom shear edge 48 of the plate Shear 32 is in close proximity to the blades 30 of the cross cutter 22 to ensure complete cubing of the strips delivered from the circular cutter 20 to the cross cutter 22. The feed drum 16, feed roll 18, circular cutter 20, cross cutter 22, shear plate 32 and support bar 34 are all shown as being cantilevered from a machine support structure 50, for example an enclosure , frame and / or other structures interconnected with the stationary sheath 12 and including drive systems operable to rotate the impeller 10, feed drum 16, feed roller 18, circular cutter 20 and cross cutter 22 at the desired rotational speeds thereof.

From the above, it should be apparent that the feed drum 16, feed roll 18, circular cutter 20, cross cutter 22, shear plate 32, and support bar 34 must be positioned securely and accurately relative to each other. others, for example, to ensure that the circular cutter 20, cross cutter 22, and shear plate 32 do not move relative to each other to the extent that the blades of the circular cutter 20, the blades 30 of the cross cutter 22 and the shear plate 32 do not interfere with each other. Although fully suitable for many food processing applications, including cheeses for which Affinity® is widely used, there is an ongoing desire for greater versatility in machines of this type, for example in the ability to position the shear plate 32 on relative to the cross cutter 22 and in particular to the lower shear edge 48 of the shear plate 32 relative to the blades 30 of the cross cutter 22, to ensure complete cubing of the strips received from the circular cutter 20.

Brief Description of the Invention The present invention provides machines and methods capable of producing cubed products from a variety of materials.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a machine is provided that includes a blade adapted to slice foodstuff to produce slices, a circular cutter comprising blades that are adapted and arranged to receive the slices of the blade and cut the slices into strips. , a cross cutter comprising blades that are adapted and arranged to receive the strips of the circular cutter and produce a cross cut on the strips and a shear plate that is at least partially between the circular cutter and the cross cutter. The shear plate defines a first shear edge in proximity to the knives of the cross cutter and is adapted to ensure cubing of the strips received by the cross cutter from the circular cutter. A support bar supports the shear plate and the machine further includes means for adjusting the proximity of the first shear edge relative to the cross cutter blades.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a machine for slicing solid and semi-solid materials is provided. The machine includes a blade adapted for slicing food product to produce slices, a circular cutter comprising blades that adapt and arrange to receive the slices of the blade and cut the slices into strips, a cross cutter comprising blades that are adapted and arranged to receive the strips from the circular cutter and produce a cross cut on the strips and a shear plate at least partially between the circular cutter and the cross cutter and having grooves which receive the circular cutter blades. The shear plate defines a first shear edge in proximity to the cross cutter blades and adapted to ensure that the strips received by the cross cutter from the circular cutter are cubed. The shear plate further has a second shear edge comprising individual edges between adjacent pairs of the grooves to remove the strips from between adjacent pairs of the circular cutter blades. A support bar supports the shear plate and the machine further includes means for adjusting the proximity of the first shear edge relative to the cross cutter blades.

Other aspects of the invention include methods of using machines comprising elements such as those described above. A particular but non-limiting example is using the machine to cut food products into cubes.

A technical effect of the invention is the ability to position the shear plate relative to the cross cutter and in particular the lower shear edge of the shear plate relative to the knives of the cross cutter, to ensure full cube cutting of the strips received from the circular cutter. Such capability promotes the use of the machine to cube a variety of solid and semi-solid materials of varying consistencies, textures, hardnesses, etc., including but not limited to food products such as meat with connective tissue.

Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 schematically represents an example of an Affinity® cube cutting machine.

Figure 2 represents a fragmented longitudinal cross-sectional view of a cross cutter of the Affinity® cube cutting machine of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a fragmentary schematic view of a cube cutting unit of the Affinity® cube cutting machine of figure 1.

Figure 4 depicts a fragmented perspective view of a shear plate and support bar suitable for use in a cube cutter unit, for example, of the Affinity® cube cutter machine of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detailed view of a feature of the shear plate in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the shear plate and support bar of Figure 5, including a cross section of the cam feature thereof.

Figure 7 is an end view of a cube cutting unit in which the shear plate and support bar of Figures 4 to 6 are installed and showing an adjustability for the cam feature.

Detailed description of the invention

Figures 4 to 7 show a shear plate 32 and support bar 34 configured as components of a cube cutter unit adapted to be installed in a cube cutter, as a non-limiting example, the Affinity® cube cutter depicted in figure 1. The cube cutter unit is adapted to cut a sliced ​​product in a direction transverse to the cut that produced the sliced ​​product (a "cross cut") to achieve a cube cut effect and produce a cubed product. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the diced unit and its benefits are not limited to such uses, nor are they limited to the Affinity® cube cutter.

As depicted in Figures 4-7, the cube cutter unit comprises components, including shear plate 32 and support bar 34, which are similar to those shown for the Affinity® cube cutter in Figures 1 and 3. The terms "shear plate and" support bar "will be used with reference to the shear plate 32 and support bar 34 depicted in Figures 4 to 7, although these terms should be understood to encompass other means capable of the functions of shear plate 32 and support bar 34, for example means capable of separating products (strips from a first cutting device, means capable of ensuring a complete cut of the products from a second cutting device and support means therefor. Additionally, in a non-limiting embodiment depicted in Figures 4 to 7, shear plate 32 and support bar 34 are configured to allow use as part of a retrofit unit for the Affinity® cube cutter of Figures 1 to 3, since the cube cutting unit mainly comprises components that can be additional to or replaced by components shown in Figures 1 to 3. However, it should be appreciated that the cube cutting unit could also be provided as original equipment in a cube cutting machine. Due to the similarities between the cube cutter unit and its shear plate 32 and support bar 34 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the unit of a shear unit 35) of Figures 4 to 7 and the cube cutter unit of Figures 1 and 3, The following discussion of Figures 4 to 7 will focus primarily on aspects of the cube cutter and shear units of Figures 4 to 7 that differ from the cube cutter unit of Figures 1 and 3 in some notable or significant way. Other aspects of the cube cutter and shear units of Figures 4 to 7 not discussed in detail may be, in terms of structure, function, materials, etc., essentially as described for the cube cutter and shear units. Figures 1 and 3. Additionally, consistent reference numbers in the figures are used to identify the same elements or functionally equivalent elements.

Shear plate 32 is at least partially between circular cutter 20 and cross cutter 22 and is precisely positioned relative to circular cutter 20 and cross cutter 22 in order to remove the products (strips) from circular cutter 20 and their blades 31 (Figure 7) before the strips are cut by the blades 30 of the cross cutter 22 in a transverse direction to the cuts made by the blades 31, which result in what is called herein as "dicing" to produce a "dicing" product. In particular, the upper and lower shear edges 47 and 48 of the shear plate 32 are disposed between the circular cutter 20 and the cross cutter 22. As is evident from Figure 7, the grooves 46 in the shear plate 32 individually accommodate the blades 31 of the circular cutter 20, so that the individual edges of the upper shear edge 47 between the adjacent grooves 46 remove the strips between adjacent blades 31. Additionally, as is evident from Figure 7, the lower shear edge 48 of the shear plate 32 is in close proximity to the blades 30 of the cross cutter 22 to ensure complete cubing of the strips received from the circular cutter twenty.

The shear unit 35 of Figures 4 to 7 is intended to allow greater precision with respect to the placement and proximity of the lower shear edge 48 of the shear plate 32 relative to the blades 30 of the cross cutter 22 to ensure cube cutting complete with strips received from the circular cutter 20 and its blades 31. To allow adjustment of the distance between shear edge 48 and blades 30 of cross cutter 22, FIG. 4 depicts a pair of cam features 52 partially disposed between support bar 34 and a trailing edge 54 of the shear plate. 32 opposite its shear edges 47 and 48. As is evident from Figure 6, each cam feature 52 is configured to have a disk-shaped head on an axis 60, both received in complementary configured gaps in support bar 34. As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the head of each cam feature 52 may have a frusto-conical edge that defines a cam surface 56 (Figure 5), which as seen in Figures 4 to 6, is abuts against trailing edge 54 of shear plate 32. The axial degree of the cam surface 56 gradually varies so that rotation of the cam feature 52 about an axis defined by its axis 60 causes displacement of the trailing edge 54 of the shear plate 32 relative to the support bar 34. In turn, this movement of the shear plate 32 causes the shear plate 32 to tilt relative to the support bar 34. As is evident from Figure 7, increasing the inclination of the shear plate 32 in this manner causes the shear edge 48 of the shear plate 32 to move toward the cross cutter 22, thus reducing the distance (space) between the lower shear edge 48 of the shear plate 32 and the blades 30 of the cross cutter 22. As a non-limiting example, movement of a distance (d1) of approximately 0.001 inch (approximately 25 microns) at the trailing edge 54 of the shear plate 32 can result in movement of a distance (d2) of approximately 0.002 inch ( approximately 50 micrometers) at shear edge 48 of shear plate 32. In preferred embodiments, cam feature 52 is capable of causing movement of at least 0.015 inch (approximately 380 microns) at shear edge 48. Once a desired clearance is achieved, a fastener 58 can be installed through one of several preformed through holes 62 in the head of cam feature 52 and, as shown in Figure 5, threaded or otherwise mated with the support bar 34 to ensure the rotational position of the cam feature 52 on the support bar 34. The complete shear plate 32 is supported and secured to the support bar 34, for example with at least one screw 36 shown in Figure 6.

The ability to finely adjust the gap between the lower shear edge 48 of the shear plate 32 and the blades 30 of the cross cutter 22 as described above promotes the versatility of the shear unit 35 and a cube cutter unit in which it installs. As a non-limiting example, the adjustability of the bottom shear edge 48 promotes the ability to produce cubed cut products from a variety of solid and semi-solid materials of various consistencies, textures, hardnesses, etc., including but not limiting to food products such as meat with connective tissue.

Although the invention has been described in terms of a specific embodiment, it is clear that other forms could be taken by someone skilled in the art. For example, the physical configurations of the cube cutting machine, cube cutting unit, shear unit 35 and / or its components could differ from those shown and various materials and processes could be used in its manufacture. Therefore, the scope of the invention will be limited only by the following claims.