Apparatus for cutting twisted strips

A mechanical cutting device cuts twisted strips of foods such as potatoes. The device comprises twisted cutting tubes, each having a ring secured at a distance from the cutting end. A plurality of such tubes may be arranged in an array, which may be supported by plates having an array of tube-supporting orifices. The cutting tubes are supported for rotation in such manner that, when force is exerted on the tubes to insert the tubes into the food, the tubes rotate as they cut into the food obtaining as result twisted strips of food.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Design Patent D525,762 discloses a food item, commonly referred to as a French fry, in a novel twisted shape. Such a novel shape for a popular food item can have great appeal to consumers. The present invention provides a device capable of easily and efficiently producing food items in such a shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a mechanical cutting device to cut foods into twisted strips. The apparatus includes at least one, but generally a plurality of twisted stainless steel cutting tubes that have a cutting end and a rotatable mount at a distance from the cutting end. The tubes are appropriately supported and guided so that, when force is exerted to insert the cutting tubes into the food, the tubes are permitted to turn to thereby cut the food into twisted strips.

Exemplary embodiments disclosed herein comprise square cutting tubes for producing twisted square strips of food. The tubes can take on other configurations whereby the twisted strips will have other cross-sectional shapes.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises a plurality of knife blades in the form of square cutting tube that has a cutting end, a longitudinal axis, and a ring for providing a rotational mount at a distance from the cutting end. The rotational mount serves to permit rotation of the cutting tube (or “knife”) as it is inserted into the food. The ring is enclosed in opposing circular concave cavities in adjacent faces of a pair of plates, thus allowing the knife to rotate. The plates also act as a platform or assembly to move the knife in the direction of its longitudinal axis to advance the knife, with a sufficient force to penetrate into and cut a food such as a potato (or any food product that may be cut similarly). The plate may then move in the reverse direction to withdraw the knife and the cut food in the form of a twisted square strip such as twisted French fries, as shown for example in U.S. Design Patent D525,762. Preferably, the apparatus contains an array of such knives to maximize the conversion of the food (potato) into twisted shapes (e.g. French fries).

The present invention has been found to be an effective and efficient device for cutting foods into twisted shapes without damage to the food, particularly for cutting a potato to produce twisted French fries.

While the present invention is described as useful for cutting foods into novel shapes, it is not limited to cutting foods, but might be useful for cutting any material that may be cut in the manner described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIG. 1, one component of the invention is a plate1which serves as a joint guide for the cutting tubes. The plate comprises a plurality of apertures2through which the respective cutting tubes pass. Apertures3serve as guides for mounting the plate to the apparatus and for guiding the plate for movement in the direction of the axis of the cutting tubes, as will be described in greater detail below. The plate1may be made of a plastic or metal. Stainless steel of sanitary grade is well suited when the device is used for cutting foods. The particular plate illustrated inFIG. 1is configured for an apparatus that includes a 6×6 array of 36 cutting tubes.

FIG. 2is an end cross-sectional view of a cutting tube or knife4according to the invention illustrating the square cross section of a particular embodiment used for cutting strips of square cross section. As indicated by reference numeral5, the tube is twisted about its longitudinal axis. The total rotation of the tube along its length from end to end can vary, preferably from 30 degrees up to 360 degrees.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the cutting tubes may be subject to different degrees of rotation (twist) to cut and obtain twisted strips exhibiting different degrees of twist. Tubes4may be formed of any suitable material, such as stainless steel.

The tubes4each have a cutting end, at the left end of the tubes as seen inFIG. 3. Each tube has a ring6secured to the outer part thereof at a position spaced from the cutting end, generally at the opposite end of the tube. The ring6may also be formed from stainless steel and is secured to the outer part of the tube4such as by welding. The rings are supported within aperture plates in a manner to permit rotation of the tubes, as described below. The rings on the respective tubes may be mounted at different distances from the cutting ends, as illustrated inFIG. 4. This permits mounting an array of axially aligned cutting tubes closer to one another, in a tighter-packed array, by mounting the rings of adjacent tubes offset axially from one another. Arranging the cutting tubes in a closer-packed array has the advantage of cutting more of the total food material into useful product with less waste.

FIG. 5illustrates the manner in which cutting tubes4are supported in an array in accordance with the invention.

As shown inFIG. 5, an apparatus in accordance with the invention will comprise an array of cutting tubes supported in plates having an array of apertures. The embodiment ofFIG. 5is suitable for an array of 36 tubes in six rows of six tubes each. Tubes are shown only in the top row of the array for clarity.

A first plate10is provided with an array of apertures. At least some of the apertures include an annular groove7around their periphery at the surface that faces an additional plate20.

Additional plate20is provided having a similar set of apertures. The apertures in plate20aligned with those in plate10that have an annular groove have a like annular groove7thereabout at the surface of plate20that faces plate10(not visible in the figure). Thus, when plates10and20are brought into abutment, the facing grooves7form an annular recess within the aperture passing through plates10and20.

As seen inFIG. 5, cutting tube4extends through the upper-right corner aperture8in plates10and20. That aperture in plate10has annular groove7extending thereabout at the face of plate10visible in the illustration. The aligned hole8′ in plate20has a similar groove thereabout at the face of plate20facing plate10. When the plates10and20are brought together, the tube4passes through the aligned apertures of plates10and20. Plates10and20are secured to each other by, i.e., bolts or other suitable fasteners. The ring6associated with tube4is enclosed within the combined groove formed within the combined plates by the facing annular grooves7. The dimension of the grooves7are such that the ring6is captured within the annular recess formed by the adjacent grooves. As a result, the tube4cannot move with respect to plates10and20in a direction along the axis of the tube. However, the dimension of the grooves and the rings are chosen such that the rings6, while held between the plates so as to prevent axial movement of the tubes4, are held loosely enough to permit the tubes and the rings to rotate within the apertures and the grooves. This arrangement permits tube4to rotate within the aperture in plates10and20. As described below, this will permit tube4to rotate as tube4is inserted into the food that is to be cut into twisted strips.

It is possible for all of the tubes of the array to be mounted as described above with their respective rings6held between plates10and20. In that arrangement only the two plates would be needed to support all of the cutting tubes for rotation. However, it can be advantageous to provide another mounting arrangement involving additional mounting plates.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, the mounting arrangement can comprise, for example, three plates10and20, as described above, and a third similar plate30. Plates10and20have an array of aligned apertures, as noted above. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, every alternate hole in plate10comprises an annular groove at the face of plate10that faces plate20. Plate20has such annular grooves associated with the corresponding apertures at the face of plate20that faces plate10, thus forming the mounting arrangement for tubes4as described above.

At the alternate holes in plate10, as shown by reference numeral9, there is no annular groove in plate10. Rather, there is an annular groove in plate20at the corresponding aperture9′ on the face of plate20that faces third plate30. Plate30has an array of apertures like plates10and20. The aperture9″ in plate30corresponds with the aperture9′ in plate20and has an annular groove thereabout at the face of plate30that faces plate20. When plates20and30are brought into abutment, the facing grooves in the aligned holes9′ and9″ enclose ring6′ associated with tube4′. This mounts tube4′ between plates20and30for rotation in the same manner that tube4is mounted between plates10and20for rotation. The rings6and6′ on tubes4and4′ can be positioned at different points along the length of tubes4and4′, respectively, as illustrated inFIG. 4, to accommodate the different axial position at which the respective tubes are secured between the different plates.

Thus, each plate10and30will have circular grooves surrounding alternate apertures on only one of its faces. Plate20will have grooves surrounding alternate apertures in one face corresponding to the grooved apertures in plate10and grooves surrounding the remaining apertures at the face corresponding to the grooved apertures in plate30. The three plates, when assembled into a unit, will support all of the tubes in the array in a more close-packed arrangement than would be possible if all tubes were secured between only two plates, such as10and20. This is because the aperture plus the groove around the aperture, such as illustrated at8on plate10, is of a larger total diameter than an aperture alone, such as shown at11inFIG. 5. By placing those larger diameter arrangements of aperture and groove in different planes on alternate faces of the supporting plates it is possible to bring the tubes into closer proximity with each other. This results in a more densely packed array of tubes. The result is that the apparatus can more economically cut a food into twisted strips with less waste material.

An apparatus40according to the invention will be described with reference toFIG. 6. Apparatus40includes a base member42that includes rails44extending along each side (only one rail42being identified in the figure). At one end is mounted a backing member44. Adjacent backing member44there are included, in this embodiment, angled support members46and48. Members46and48along with backing member44define a space in which a food, such as a potato, can be placed for cutting by the apparatus. Portions42-48of the apparatus will typically be made of a strong, hard material such as steel or other metal. A protective member50may be provided. Protective member50may be made of a softer material in order to protect the cutting ends of tubes4against damage by abrasion against the surface of backing member44, and may also provide a surface for stabilizing the food placed in the apparatus.

The exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 6includes simply a pair of plates10and20mounting the entire array of cutting tubes4, each in a rotatable manner as described above. (The apparatus could comprise three or more plates mounting the array of tubes in order to achieve a more closely packed array, as described above.) The array of tubes could comprise any number of tubes. Only three tubes are illustrated for clarity.

Plates10,20are movable along the length of the apparatus along rails42and are also guided by rods52that pass through openings3in the respective plates. The array of cutting tubes4extends through guides54,54′ which serve to retain the array of tubes in proper alignment.

Arms56are attached to the combined plates10,20. Arms56may be driven by manual means, a hydraulic or pneumatic device, or by any suitable means associated therewith (not illustrated) for driving plates10,20, and thus the array of cutting tubes4, into a food placed in the space defined by supports46,48and backing member44.

As the plates and cutting tubes are driven into the food, the twisted shape of the tubes imparts a rotating motion to each tube. The tubes may be twisted in the same direction, whereby they will all rotate in the same direction in the cutting operation. Alternatively, the tubes may be twisted in opposite directions whereby they will rotate in opposite directions during the cutting operation. In either event, as the tubes rotate as they are driven into the food, each tube will cut a twisted strip from the food. If the tube is square in cross-section, the cut food will resemble a twisted French fry as shown in design Patent D525,762.

Once the cutting tubes are advanced through the food, the drive arms56are reversed to withdraw the plates10,20and the tubes4from the food. The tubes will withdraw the cut twisted strip from the food as they are withdrawn and rotate in a reverse direction.

Ejection rods58are provided, one for each cutting tube. Ejection rods58are supported on member60of the apparatus with one rod58extending into each of the respective hollow cutting tubes through plates10,20. Ejection rods58are of sufficient length to extend to the position of guide54. As a result, when the plates and cutting tubes are withdrawn from the food after cutting the twisted strips, the rods58push the cut strips out of the tubes as the tubes are withdrawn. As the cutting tip of the tubes4travel, during the withdrawal stroke, from the position of guide54′ to the position of guide54, the ejection rods58push the cut strips out of the tubes and they will fall into the space between guides54and54′. A suitable collection device can be provided to catch the cut strips.

A device according to the invention can comprise as little a one cutting tube to cut a single strip at a time, or a great number of cutting tubes in the array to cut many strips from many input food items. The dimension of the tubes can be varied to create cut strips of desired dimensions. The cross-sectional shape of the tubes can also be varied to create strips of different configurations.

The invention has been described with reference to cutting foods into desired shapes. It is not limited to foods, but can be sued for any material that can be cut in similar fashion.

The cutting tubes of the device are preferably twisted stainless steel tubes with a cutting edge at one end with the ring welded at or near the other end. Other material may be used for the tubes. The remaining structural components of the apparatus, as seen inFIG. 6, for example, are to be made of material that is sufficiently strong and rigid. Parts that are brought into contact with foods should be made of materials suitable for such use.

In an exemplary device, the cutting tubes4may measure 10 mm×10 mm in cross section, have a length of 20 cm, with a total twist of 360 degrees over that length. The ring6may be formed of a material with a radius of about 2.5 mm (5.0 mm diameter), and is of a diameter to fit about the exterior of tube4to be secured thereto, as illustrated. The plates10,20and/or30might have a thickness of about 6 mm and measure 17.5 cm×17.5 cm or any size to accommodate a desired array of cutting tubes. With the above dimensions for the tubes, the apertures in the plates may be about 16 mm in diameter with concave circular grooves7of about 3 mm in depth, whereby a pair of such grooves would total 6 mm to accommodate a ring6of 5 mm for rotational movement.

While there is no limit to the dimensions of a machine in accordance with the invention, it is envisioned that cutting tubes would generally measure from 5 mm×5 mm to 30 mm×30 mm in cross section (e.g., a non-circular cross sectional area of from about 25 mm2to 900 mm2) and have a length of about 10 cm to 80 cm. The total rotation or twist of the tube can vary from 30 degrees up to 360 degrees according to the length of the tube. The diameter of the rings and the associated grooves for retaining the rings can vary according to the force that is required to drive the cutters into the food or other material to be cut to obtain the product that is needed. The total length of the cutting tube and the placement of the ring are determined by the length of stroke needed to penetrate and cut the food or other material to be processed by the apparatus. The circular apertures in a particular apparatus according to the invention are of a dimension proportional to the size of the cutting tube that is chosen and the concave circular grooves likewise are to have dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the stainless steel ring(s) that are encapsulated between the plates.