Slicer blade guide with wear insert

A slicer blade guide with insert preferably includes a base guide plate, an upper guide plate, at least one blade insert and a pair end caps. The base guide plate preferably includes a base angled blade surface, a base insert slot and a bottom chamfered surface. The base angled blade surface extends upward from a top surface of the base guide plate. A bottom of the at least one blade insert is retained in the base insert slot and axially retained with the pair end caps. The upper guide plate preferably includes an upper angled blade surface and an upper insert slot. The upper angled blade surface extends upward from a bottom surface of the upper guide plate. A top of the at least one blade insert is retained in the upper insert slot. The upper guide plate is secured to the base guide plate with a plurality of fasteners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to food processing machinery and more specifically to a slicer blade guide with insert, which reduces the amount of maintenance required for a food slicing machine and increases longevity of the machine.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Slicer blade guides provide support for a continuous cutting blade used in a food slicing machine. However, the slicer blade guide must be replaced about every 4-6 weeks, because of wear. The slicer blade guide needs to be replaced and the machine needs to be recalibrated. The above maintenance requires two workers, which both work at least eight hours. Applicant's invention need only be replaced once a every year instead of every month. Reduced maintenance results in less down time for the food slicing machine and thus greater machine productivity.

Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a slicer blade guide with insert, which reduces the amount of maintenance required for replacing the slicer blade guide on a food slicing machine and increases longevity of the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a slicer blade guide with insert, which reduces the amount of maintenance required for a food slicing machine. The slicer blade guide with insert (slicer blade guide) preferably includes a base guide plate, an upper guide plate, at least one blade insert and a pair end caps. The base guide plate preferably includes a base angled blade surface, a base insert slot and a bottom chamfered surface. The base angled blade surface, the base insert slot and the bottom chamfered surface extend across a length of the base guide plate. The base angled blade surface extends upward from a top surface of the base guide plate at a front thereof and forms an acute angle with a top surface of the base guide plate. A bottom of the base insert slot is preferably parallel to the base angled blade surface. The base angled blade surface has a width that is less than a width of a cutting blade. The base angled blade surface is coated to resist wear from the cutting blade. The coating is preferably chrome, but other coatings may also be used. A bottom of the at least one blade insert is retained in the base insert slot and preferably axially retained on each end with the pair end caps. The at least one blade insert is preferably fabricated from carbide, but other materials may also be used. The at least one blade insert may be purchased from numerous vendors.

The upper guide plate preferably includes an upper angled blade surface and an upper insert slot. The upper angled blade surface and the upper insert slot extend across a length of the upper guide plate. The upper angled blade surface extends upward from a bottom surface of the upper guide plate and forms an acute angle therewith. A top of the upper insert slot is parallel to the upper angled blade surface. The upper angled blade surface is parallel to the base angled blade surface. The upper angled blade surface has a width that is less than a width of a cutting blade. A cutting edge of the cutting blade must extend beyond the slicer blade guide to cut. The upper angled blade surface is coated to resist wear. The coating is preferably chrome, but other coatings may also be used. A top of the at least one blade insert is retained in the upper insert slot. The upper guide plate is secured to the base guide plate with a plurality of fasteners. When the upper guide plate is secured to the base guide plate a distance between the upper angled blade surface and the lower angled blade surface is slightly greater than a thickness of the slicing blade.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a slicer blade guide, which reduces the amount of maintenance required for replacing the slicer blade guide on a food slicing machine and increases longevity of the machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference now to the drawings, and particularly toFIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of a slicer blade guide1.FIG. 1shows a portion of a food slicing machine100with a slicer blade guide1installed in the food slicing machine100. A plurality of food tubes102are positioned above the slicer blade guide1, which are moved from front to back to slice food items104on a continuous cutting blade (cutter blade)106. The slicer blade guide1is attached to a guide support108with a plurality of fasteners. With reference toFIGS. 3-5, the slicer blade guide1preferably includes a base guide plate10, an upper guide plate12, at least one blade insert14and a pair end caps16. The base guide plate10preferably includes a base angled blade surface18, a base insert slot20and a bottom chamfered surface22. The base angled blade surface18, the base insert slot20and the bottom chamfered surface22extend across a length of the base guide plate10. The base angled blade surface18extends upward from a top surface24of the base guide plate10at a front thereof and forms an acute angle “A” with a top surface24of the base guide plate10. Acute angle “A” has a preferable value of 10 degrees, but could have a range of between 5-15 degrees. A bottom of the base insert slot20is preferably parallel to the base angled blade surface18. The base angled blade surface18has a width that is less than a width of the slicer blade106. The base angled blade surface18is coated to resist wear from the cutting blade106. The coating is preferably chrome, but other coatings may also be used. A bottom of the at least one blade insert14is retained in the base insert slot20and preferably axially retained on each end with the pair end caps16. The pair of end caps16are secured to opposing ends of the base guide plate10with a plurality of fasteners (not shown), which are threaded into threaded holes25. The at least one blade insert14is preferably fabricated from carbide, but other hard materials may also be used. The at least one blade insert14may be purchased from numerous vendors.

The upper guide plate12preferably includes an upper angled blade surface26and an upper insert slot28. The upper angled blade surface26and the upper insert slot28extend across a length of the upper guide plate12. The upper angled blade surface26extends upward from a bottom surface30of the upper guide plate12and forms an acute angle “A” therewith. A top of the upper insert slot28is parallel to the upper angled blade surface26. The upper angled blade surface26is parallel to the base angled blade surface18. The base and upper angled blade surfaces18,26have a width, which are less than a width of the cutting blade106. A cutting edge of the cutting blade106must extend beyond the slicer blade guide1to cut. The upper angled blade surface26is coated to resist wear from the cutting blade106. The coating is preferably chrome, but other coatings may also be used. A top of the at least one blade insert14is retained in the insert slot28.

The upper guide plate12is preferably secured to the base guide plate10with a plurality of insert fasteners32and a plurality of retention fasteners34. A plurality of insert countersink holes36are formed in the upper guide plate12and a plurality insert threaded holes38are formed through the base guide plate10. A plurality of retention countersink holes40are formed in the upper guide plate12and a plurality insert threaded holes42are formed through the base guide plate10. When the upper guide plate12is secured to the base guide plate10, a distance “B” between the upper angled blade surface26and the lower angled blade surface18is slightly greater than a thickness of the slicing blade106. The following dimensions are given by way of example and not by way of limitation. The slicing blade106has a typical thickness of about 0.021 inches. The distance “B” is preferably 0.024 inches, but other thicknesses could also be used. A plurality of attachment holes44are formed through the base and upper guide plate10,12to secure the slicer blade guide1to the guide support108with a plurality of fasteners (not shown). The cutting blade106asserts most of its force against the at least one blade insert14. The cutting blade106will also exert force on the upper angled blade surface26and the lower angled blade surface18.