Slicing machine cleaning guard

A slicing machine cleaning guard (16) mounted to a rotary blade front surface (22) of a slicing machine (10) in order to aid a user in cleaning the rear surface (20) of a rotary slicing blade (12). The slicing machine cleaning guard (16) is mounted to the slicing machine (10) subsequent to use. The slicing machine cleaning guard (16) includes a rotary blade cover element (14) which is mounted to the slicing blade frontal cutting surface (22) in contiguous and mating interface throughout the area of the blade front surface (22). The cover element (14) extends beyond a cutting edge (28) of the slicing blade (12) throughout the entire circumference of the periphery of the slicing blade (12). Additionally, securement mechanisms (34 and 44) are provided to secure the rotary blade cover element (14) to a housing (32) of the slicing machine (10).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to safety devices. In particular, this invention 
relates to safety devices for slicing machine systems. More in particular, 
this invention pertains to slicing machine cleaning guards which are 
mounted on a frontal surface of slicing blades for permitting cleaning of 
the rear surfaces of the blades. Still further, this invention relates to 
slicing machine cleaning guards formed in a disk-like contour which are 
removably securable to a frontal face of slicing blades of a slicing 
machine. Still further, this invention is directed to a slicing machine 
cleaning guard which is substantially planar in geometrical contour and 
matingly interfaces with a slicing blade in order to allow a user to clean 
the rear surfaces of the slicing blades without impingement on a blade 
edge. Additionally, this invention relates to a slicing machine cleaning 
guard which is threadedly securable to the housing of a slicing machine. 
2. Prior Art 
Safety devices to prevent injury to a limb of a user of a cutting machine 
utilizing rotary blades are well-known in the art. The best prior art 
known to Applicant includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 745,516; 3,811,355; 2,573,860; 
2,052,366; 2,619,142; 2,398,409; 4,070,941; and, 3,880,032. In general, 
safety devices of this nature are directed to providing an injury free 
atmosphere during the cutting operation. Thus, such prior art devices are 
generally directed to cover elements for rotary blades which cover only a 
segment of the periphery of the blades. In such prior art devices, the 
blade protrudes from the guards in order that a cutting operation may take 
place. Thus, such guards are generally not adaptable for use in a cleaning 
operation where the appendage of the user must pass over the entire blade 
surface. 
Further, in some prior art guard systems, the guards are not in contiguous 
contact with the slicing blade surfaces. If a user were to try to clean 
the blade with the guard in place in such systems, the user's digits may 
be inserted between the guard and the blade with deleterious effects to 
the user. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A slicing machine cleaning guard to aid a user in cleaning the rear 
surfaces of a rotary slicing blade. The rotary slicing blade has a 
substantially planar frontal cutting surface, and is adapted for rotary 
displacement with respect to a housing of the slicing machine. The machine 
cleaning guard includes a rotary blade cover element which is mounted to 
the slicing blade frontal cutting surface in a contiguous interface 
throughout the frontal surface. The cover element extends beyond a cutting 
edge of the slicing blade throughout an entire circumference of the 
cutting blade. The slicing machine cleaning guard further includes a 
mechanism for securing the rotary blade cover element to the housing of 
the slicing machine. 
An object of the instant invention is to provide a slicing machine cleaning 
guard which is adapted for use in cleaning the rear surfaces of a rotary 
cutting blade subsequent to operation of the slicing machine. 
Another object of the subject invention is to provide a slicing machine 
cleaning guard which is releasably mountable to the frontal surface of a 
slicing blade. 
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a slicing 
machine cleaning guard having a cover element which is mounted in an 
interfacing and contiguous manner to a frontal surface of a rotary blade. 
A still further object of the invention is to provide a cover element with 
extends beyond the periphery of a rotary cutting blade throughout the 
circumference of the cutting blade. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a cover element which does 
not have a substantial cleanrance between the rotary blade cutting edge 
and the planar surface of the cover element. 
A still further object of the subject invention is to provide a cover 
element for a slicing machine cleaning guard which is substantially 
transparent in order that the user may visually see the rotary cutting 
blade during a cleaning operation. 
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an improved mechanism 
for securing the rotary blade cover element to a housing of the slicing 
machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to FIGS. 1-7, there is shown a preferred embodiment of 
slicing machine cleaning guard 16, as well as cleaning guard embodiments 
16' and 16", to aid a user in cleaning slicing blade 12 of slicing machine 
10. In general, slicing machine 10 may be one of a number of standard, 
commercially available machines produced by such companies as the Berkle 
Company, the Hobart Company, or one of numerous other companies producing 
slicing machines of the type or similar type as shown in FIG. 1. In 
particular, slicing machine 10 may be utilized for the layered slicing of 
meats, or other like material. In commerce, it has been found that one 
area of safety concern is in the cleaning of slicing blade 12 subsequent 
to use in the cutting of products. In particular, there has been found a 
problem in the cleaning of the rear surfaces of slicing blade 12. 
Apparently, when cleaning frontal surfaces of slicing blade 12, the user 
is able to visually see the surface which is being cleaned. However, when 
cleaning the rear surfaces, the user is placed in an unorthodox position 
and generally does not visually see the surface which is being cleaned. 
Thus, there has been a series of injurious accidents when the user's limb 
comes in contact with cutting edge 28 of slicing blade 12. 
In general, slicing machine 10 includes a rotating shaft 18 which is formed 
in one piece formation or otherwise fixedly secured through bolts or some 
like mechanism to slicing blade 12. Thus, rotational displacement of shaft 
18 results in a corresponding rotational activation of slicing blade 12, 
as is clearly seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6. 
Slicing blade 12 includes blade rear surface 20, as well as blade front 
surface 22. Frontal surface 22 includes blade front surface cutting 
section 24 and blade front surface recessed portion 26. As will be seen in 
following paragraphs, preferred embodiment cover element 14, as well as 
other embodiment cover elements 14' and 14" are mounted adjacent to blade 
front surface 22 and in contiguous mating positional location with respect 
to blade front surface cutting section 24. As is seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 
and 6, slicing blade 12 is generally circular in contour, when taken with 
respect to a vertical cross-sectional view. The circular contour of 
various slicing blades 12 is further seen in FIGS. 3, 5, and 7. As is 
evident, slicing machine 10 is generally placed on a rigid base surface, 
such as a table, and includes an overall housing 32 which remains 
stationary during all operations of slicing machine 10. Thus, shaft 18 and 
slicing blade 12 acting responsively and coincidentally with rotation of 
shaft 18 are activated with respect to housing 32 of slicing machine 10. 
Slicing machine cleaning guard 16, as shown in FIG. 4, includes rotary 
blade cover element 14 which is mounted to slicing blade 12 on frontal 
surface 22 in contiguous interface with blade front surface cutting 
section 24. As can be seen, cover element 14 extends beyond cutting edge 
28 of slicing blade 12 throughout an entire circumference of cutting or 
slicing blade 12. 
Cover element 14 is generally planar in contour for mating interface with 
blade front surface 22 within blade front surface cutting section 24. For 
ease in mounting, cover element 14 is substantially formed in a disk like 
contour including a diameter greater than the diameter of rotary slicing 
blade 12 in order that there be provided an extension section of cover 
element 14 beyond blade cutting edge 28 at all points in the peripheral 
circumference area of edge 28. An important aspect of the subject 
invention concept, is that cover element rear surface 36 lie contiguous 
and in mating interface with blade front surface cutting section 24. Thus, 
as can be seen, when cleaning blade rear surface 20, the user cannot come 
in contact with a sharpened edge, such as blade cutting edge 28. 
Each of slicing machine cleaning guards 16, 16', and 16", are formed of a 
substantially transparent material. In general, in certain art, the 
particular type and visual display of elements may not be important, 
however, in this art, the user should be able to see clearly slicing blade 
12 through cover element 14. Further, cover element 14 may generally be 
formed of a plastic material type composition for ease of mounting on 
slicing blade 12. Additionally, plastic type material of this nature is 
not brittle and subject to cracking, as may be the case if the user were 
to be use a material formed of silicon-oxide or some like brittle 
composition. In cover element 14, there is provided a pair of holes 38 
formed through cover element 14, for insert of a digit of a user to aid in 
removal and mounting of cover element 14 to and from slicing blade 12. 
Passages or openings, or holes 38 aid in maintaining the fingers of a user 
out of the area of cutting edge 28 of slicing blade 12 when mounting or 
demounting cover element 14 from slicing blade 12. In general, openings 38 
are off-axis from cover element 14 in order to allow the user to 
manipulate cover element 14 in a coincident axis mounting on slicing blade 
12. Upon mounting, cover element 14 has a coincident axis with shaft 18 
and slicing blade 12, as is clearly seen in FIGS. 3, 5, and 7. Although 
the particular locations of openings 38 are not highly critical to the 
inventive concept as is herein described, such openings are generally 
within the span width of a user's hand in order that two digits may be 
inserted through openings 38 for mounting and demounting purposes. Such 
displacement of openings 38, each when taken with respect to the other, 
approximates four inches. 
Slicing machine cleaning guards 16, 16', and 16" envisage mechanisms for 
securing rotary blade cover elements 14, 14', 14" to slicing machine 
housing 32 of slicing machine 10. In the preferred embodiment as shown in 
FIGS. 4 and 5, the mechanism for securing rotary blade cover element 14 
includes slot insert member 34 which is fixedly secured to cover element 
14 either in one piece formation or through bolts, screws, or some like 
mechanism. Slot insert member 34 extends outwardly in a radial direction 
from the periphery of cover element 14, as is shown in FIG. 4. Slot insert 
member 34 is adapted for insert of extension lug member 40, extending 
outwardly from housing 32 of slicing machine 10. Extension of lug 40 is 
generally an integral part of various types of meat slicing machines, such 
as that produced by the Berkle Company, and utilized for insert within a 
slot provided on a machine cutting guard, utilized during machine 
operation. Extension lug member 40 is insertable within slot 42 to provide 
some constrainment between housing 32 and cover element 14. Additionally, 
threaded securement member 44 is also fixedly mounted to a periphery of 
cover element 14 and is segmentally displaced with respect to slot insert 
member 34. Securement member 44 is coupled to a threaded opening formed in 
machine housing 32 of slicing machine 10. Thus, bolt member 46 which is 
threaded, may be passed through opening 48 in securement member 44 and 
inserted into threaded opening formed in machine housing 32. Tightening of 
bolt 46 on securement member 44 provides a fixed constrainment between 
cover element 14 and slicing blade 12. 
In another embodiment of slicing machine cleaning guard 16', as provided in 
FIGS. 6 and 7, cover element 14' includes threaded bushing member 50 
formed on rear surface 36'. Threaded bushing 50 extends in a rearward 
direction with respect to cover element rear surface 36' and is generally 
positioned in an axially coincident manner with respect to the overall 
axis of cover element 14'. Threaded bushing member 50 is adapted for 
insert into the volume provided by blade front surface recessed portion 
26. Additionally, threaded bolt 52 passing external to shaft 18 engages 
threaded bushing 50 in threaded securement. Bolt 52 is generally found on 
particular commercial slicing machines 10, such as the Hobart type slicing 
machine. Thus, the fixed securement in this embodiment is provided by the 
engagement of threaded bushing 50 with bolt 52 passing external to shaft 
18 and in fixed securement therewith, as is standard in the commercially 
available slicing machines. 
In a further embodiment, as provided in FIGS. 2 and 3, slicing guard 16" is 
mounted to rotary blade 12 by one or a plurality of magnet members 54 
which are mounted in fixed securement to rear surface 36" of cover element 
14". Magnet members 54 have a width approximately equal to the width 
provided by the space of front blade surface recessed portion 26 and rear 
surface 36" of cover element 14". In this manner, there is provided a 
releasable type securement mechanism between cover element 14" and blade 
12. 
In operation, whether the user utilizes the preferred slicing machine 
cleaning guard 16, or embodiments 16' or 16", the user initially operates 
slicing machine 10 for slicing materials thereon. Subsequent to use, the 
user may remove the slicing machine guard if such is provided with the 
particular slicing machine 10 being utilized. Cover elements 14, 14' or 
14" are inserted and secured to slicing blade 12. The user may then clean 
the rear surface of slicing blade 12 without any possibility of injuring 
himself or herself during the manual cleaning operation. This is provided 
due to the fact that cover elements 14, 14', or 14" are in mating 
interface with cutting edge 28 of slicing blade 12. Thus, there is 
substantially no clearance provided for edge 28 to come in contact with 
the body of the user. 
Although this invention has been described in connection with specific 
forms and embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that various 
modifications other than those discussed above may be resorted to without 
departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. For example, 
equivalent elements may be substituted for those specifically shown and 
described, certain features may be used independently of other features, 
and in certain cases, particular locations of elements may be reversed or 
interposed, all without departing from the spirit or the scope of the 
invention as defined in the appended claims.