Bread slicing machine

Abstract: A bread slicing machine for use in bakeries, supermarkets and the like, comprises a frame (1); two drums (5,6) connected to the frame (1) and being rotatable about substantially horizontal parallel shafts (3,4) and a plurality of parallely spaced endless drivable slicing bands (9). These slicing bands are passed around the drums (5,6) such that their slicing band parts (9′,9″) cross each other between the drums at an acute angle, and the slicing bands being driven in such direction that a component of velocity of the slicing band parts (9′,9″) perpendicularly to the plane through the axes of the shafts of the drums (5,6) at the position of their crossing points is directed in the direction of conveyance of the loafs. The plane through the axes of the shafts (3,4) of the slicing band drums (5,6) extends substantially vertically. Guiding means for guiding the loafs comprise drivable conveying belts (12,54) extending between the slicing bands (9) from the entrance to the exit of the slicing bands (9), or through a portion of this path, and forming a support face for the loaf (B) moving substantially in the direction of conveyance of the loaf.

Description: The invention relates to a bread slicing machine according to the preamble of claim 1. Such bread slicing machine is known from US-A-1.937.332 (1933). It discloses an unshielded sliding band machine having a downwardly inclined supply chute. The object of the invention is to provide a convenient bread slicing machine enabling a correct transport of the loafs through the slicing bands. The breads slicing machine according to the invention is characterized by the features of the characterizing portion of claim 1. The invention will hereafter be elucidated with reference to the drawing showing embodiments of the bread slicing machine according to the invention by way of example. Fig. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the bread slicing machine according to the invention by way of example. Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view along the line II-II of Fig. 1, in which a number of parts is omitted for the sake of clarity. Fig. 3 and 4 are sectional views corresponding to that of Fig. 1 and showing a further embodiment of the bread slicing machine according to the invention in two different positions. In the several Figs. like parts are indicated with like reference numerals. In the drawing there is shown an embodiment of a bread slicing machine intended for use in a supermaket, bakery or the like. The bread slicing machine comprises a frame generally indicated by reference numeral 1 and to which the various parts are suspended which are encased in an encasement 2. The encasement 2 may, for example, consist of plates or covers made of plastics or metal and being fixed to the frame 1. The bread slicing machine as shown is in principle adapted to be placed on the floor. By means of horizontal parallel, vertically superimposed shafts 3 and 4, drums 5 and 6 are journalled in the frame 1. Of the drums 5 and 6 the lower drum 6 is drivable by means of a motor, for example an electric motor 8, through V-belt 7. The drums 5 and 6 serve to tension and drive a plurality of substantially parallely spaced endless slicing bands 9 passed around the upper drum 5 and the lower drum 6. In the drawing a portion of the slicing bands 9 is omitted for the sake of clarity. The slicing bands 9 are provided on one of their sharp sides with cutting teeth for slicing the loaf. Each slicing band 9 is passed over the drums 5 and 6 in such a way that a leading part 9' and a returning part 9'' cross each other between the drums 5 and 6. On the drums 5 and 6 the slicing bands 9 lie with a flat side against the surface of the drums 5 and 6, and between the drums 5 and 6 the slicing bands 9 are twisted 180° about their longitudinal axis. In the center between the drums 5 and 6 the slicing bands 9 are turned 90° to their position on the drums 5 and 6 such that the cutting teeth of the parts 9' and 9'' are directed to the same side. For accurately directing the slicing bands 9 in their slicing zone the bread slicing machine includes guide pins 10 fixedly mounted to a holder 11 and extending between each pair of adjacent slicing band parts 9' and 9'' and contacting the sides thereof. In this manner the spacing between the slicing band parts 9' and 9'' and consequently the thickness of the loaf slices is determined by the thickness of the guide pins 10. The loafs to be sliced are guided through the slicing bands 9 in a horizontal position substantially symmetrically to the crossing points between the slicing band parts 9' and 9'', wherein the direction of rotation of the drums 5, 6 is such (see arrow A at drum 6 in fig. 1) that the horizontal velocity components of the slicing band parts 9' and 9'' at the position of their crossing points are directed in the direction of conveyance of the loaf so that also the slicing forces acting on the loaf are directed in the direction of conveyance of the loaf and the loafs are, as it were, being pulled automatically through the slicing bands 9. To supply the loaf to the slicing bands 9 and to discharge the sliced loaf there are provided means consisting of drivable conveying means being arranged between the slicing bands 9 from the entrance to the exit of the slicing bands 9 and thereby forming the face for the loaf. In the embodiment shown by way of example the conveying means consist of endless belts 12 passed around rollers 13 and 14 extending parallel to the shafts 3 and 4. The number of belts 12 is so big that between each pair of adjacent slicing band parts 9' and 9'' a belt 12 extends so that each slice of bread is eventually supported by its own belt 12. The belts 12 are driven by the roller 13 being rotated by a motor, such as an electric motor 16, through a chain 15. This electric motor 16 is adapted to be switched on and off by means of push buttons 17 on the outer side of the encasement 2. The conveying means, that is the belts 12 in the embodiment shown, not only take care of the supply of the loaf B to the slicing bands 9 and the discharge of the sliced bread, but also serve for reducing the resistance to the loaf during slicing since the belts 12 move substantially as fast as the loaf is pulled through the slicing bands 9. As a result thereof the loaf does not encounter a counter force during the slicing operation and the loaf will never get stuck in the slicing bands 9. On the inlet side of the slicing bands 9 there is arranged a switch 18, for example a micro-switch, having a rotable arm 19, against which the loaf will run up during its supply thereby causing the arm 19 to rotate resulting in activating the switch 18 and starting the drive of the slicing bands 9. As long as the arm 19 is kept from its vertical starting position by the transported loaf the drive of the slicing bands 9 remains switched on. As soon as the loaf comes out of engagement with the arm 19 the arm 19 returns by spring force to its vertical starting position and the drive of the slicing bands 9 being switched off again until a subsequent loaf arives. The loaf B to be sliced is supplied to the bread slicing machine through a vertical supply chute 20 debouching through a bend portion 20' above the horizontal belts 12. The chute 20 starts on the upper side of the encasement 2 so that the loafs B can be supplied from the upper side of the bread slicing machine. The supply opening of the supply chute 20 is closed by a swing platform 21 adapted to swing about a pivot 22 in its center and being retained by a counter weight 23 in a starting position inclining downwardly in a direction to the supply chute 20. In order to supply a loaf B to the supply chute 20 it is only necessary to place the loaf onto the swing platform 21 whereafter this loaf is automatically sliding in the direction to the supply chute 20 and the swing platform 21 swings after a delay as a consequence of the weight of the loaf B thereby causing a loaf B to drop into the supply chute. As a result of the delayed rotation of the platform 21 due to the counter weight 23 the loaf B is sliding over the platform 21 against the wall of the supply chute 20 whereby the loaf comes to lie in a horizontal position. Into the supply chute 20 are projecting two spaced pins 24 extending horizontally in a starting position. These pins 24 project through the wall of the chute 20 and are downwardly pivotable as a whole against a return force. The pins 24 are adapted to catch the supplied loaf B and bring it into a horizontal position, if necessary, so that the loaf B is supplied to the slicing bands 9 in the right position. In the supply chute 20 are also extending centering means 25 to center and to transversely guide the supplied loaf B up to the slicing bands 9. The centering means 25 are connected to guide means 26 arranged behind the slicing bands 9 and being adapted to engage the ends of the loaf already sliced in order to retain the relationship of the slices thereof and to prevent the slices of the loaf from falling over to the sides. The connection between the centering means 25 and the guide means 26 causes the centering means 25, which automatically adjust to the length of the loaf to be sliced, to also automatically adjust the support means 26 so that they can always receive the sliced loaf in the right position. The centering and guide means 25, 26 together consist of two continuous bent rods, of which the upper horizontal portions 27 are journalled in supports 28. A lower horizontal rod portion 29 of the centering means 25 just terminates in front of the slicing bands 9, while a lower horizontal rod portion 30 of the support means 26 starts at a short distance behind the slicing bands 9. Each lower rod portion 30 of the guide means 26 being essentially aligned with the respective lower rod portion 29 of the centering means 25, wherein the ends of the rod portions 30 may have a slightly outwardly extending starting portion. Both rods of the centering and guide means 25 and 26 are interconnected by a ballance and return device 31 causing the deflections of both rods to be equal and to load both rods towards one another. The balance and return device 31 may, for instance, consist of a tumbler lever assembly or rack assembly loaded by a weight or a spring. Preferably the return force on both rods is substantially independent of the rotational position of the rods of the centering and guide means 25, 26. For this purpose it is also possible to displace the upper horizontal portions 27 of the rods in their supports 28. As seen in the direction of conveyance of the loaf, behind the slicing bands 9 is arranged another conveying roller 32 for conveying the loaf B to outside the encasement 2. The rotatable conveying roller 32 is suspended in a resilient and vertically adjustable manner and is driven by the roller 13 through a belt 35 which is tensioned by a tensioning means 33 and guided over a roller 34. A discharge opening 36 for the loaf B is provided in the encasement 2 and closed by a plurality of adjacent lamellas 38 being suspended on their upper ends from a pivot shaft 37 and being able to swing outwardly but not inwardly from their vertical rest position. At least a part of the lamellas 38 is provided with a carrier means 39 ensuring that when the lamellas 38 are pivoted by the loaf B the lamellas 38 hanging just outside the length of the bread are carried along through a smaller angle, whereby the loaf lying on a dispensing platform 40 adjacent the discharge opening 36 is bordered by a lamella 38 preventing the outer slices of the loaf to tip over outwardly. The operation of the bread slicing machine as shown is as follows. For supplying a loaf B it may be placed onto the swing platform 21 where the loaf B slides downwardly due to the inclination of the swing platform 21, the swing platform 21 rotating downwardly due to the weight of the loaf and the loaf B falling into the supply chute 20. Therein the loaf meets the pins 24 causing the loaf B to descend further in a horizontal position. During the further descent the loaf B comes into engagement with the centering means 25 of which the rods are pushed away from each other against the return force such that the loaf is positioned in the center of the row of slicing bands 9. Through the bend portion 20 of the wall of the supply chute 20 the loaf B is supplied to the upper part of the belts 12 in a lying position, said upper part of the belts 12 moving in the direction of conveyance of the loaf and supplying the loaf B to the slicing bands 9. Just before the loaf B contacts the slicing bands 9, the switch arm 19 is actuated by the loaf B thereby switching on the drive of the slicing bands 9. Then the loaf is transported through the slicing bands 9 wherein the forces excerted by the slicing bands 9 onto the loaf B are sufficient to convey the loaf through the slicing bands 9. The sliced bread is received, after leaving the slicing bands 9, between the horizontal lower rod portions 30 of the guide means 26 being adjusted to the right length of the loaf by means of the centering means 25. The loaf B is then further conveyed in between the horizontal lower rod portions 30 by means of the belts 12 and the conveying roller 32, the loaf B running up against the lamellas 38 of the discharge opening 36 and pivoting them outwardly. The lamellas 38 being suspended next adjacent the loaf pivot through a smaller angle than the lamellas 38 above the loaf whereby the loaf, when it is lying on the dispensing platform 40, is still retained as a whole and cannot fall apart. In this position the loaf may be taken away or may be brought into a container bag by an automatic packing machine. The supply point for the loaf to be sliced (swing platform 21) and the discharge point of the sliced loaf (dispensing platform 40) are positioned on a ergonomically favourable height so that an easy and comfortable operation is possible. The bread slicing machine described hereinbefore is particularly adapted to slice a single bread of any dimension, but it is also possible to supply a plurality of breads successively to the bread slicing machine. The invention is not restricted to the embodiment described hereinbefore and shown in the drawing by way of example, which can be varied in different manners within the scope of the invention. For instance it is possible to position the support face for the loaf and/or the plane of symmetry of the slicing bands 9 under a small angle to the horizontal or vertical respectively without leaving the scope of the invention. Also other slicing means than endless slicing bands can be used, such as slicing wheels, knifes or the like.

Claims: Bread slicing machine, comprising a frame (1), two drums (5, 6) connected to the frame (1) and being rotatable about substantially horizontal parallel shafts (3, 4) arranged such that a plane through the axes of these shafts extends substantially vertically; and a plurality of parallely spaced endless drivable slicing bands (9) passed around the drums (5, 6) such that their slicing band parts (9', 9'') cross each other between the drums at an acute angle, the slicing band being drivable in such direction that a component of velocity of the slicing band parts (9', 9'') perpendicularly to the plane through the axes of the shafts of the drums (5, 6) at the position of their crossing points is directed so as to promote the conveyance of the loafs, a loaf supply on a higher level than the crossing points of the slicing band parts, a loaf discharge, and guiding means (12, 32, 41, 42, 53, 54) for guiding the loafs through the slicing bands, and a supply chute (20) extending from the supply to the entrance of the slicing bands (9), characterized by an encasement (2) having a supply opening (25) in its upper side and a discharge opening (36) in its front side, the supply opening (25) being connected to a substantially vertical supply chute (20) to guide loafs via a bend portion (20') to the guiding means at the entrance of the slicing bands, the guiding means comprising drivable rollers arranged before and after the slicing bands, as seen in the direction of conveyance and adapted to engage the loafs which move substantially horizontally and symmetrically through the slicing bands. Bread slicing machine according to claim 1, wherein the supply chute (20) comprises means (21, 24) to guide the loafs in the supply chute (20). Bread slicing machine according to claim 2, wherein the means (21, 24) to guide the loafs in the chute (20) include a swing platform mounted to a horizontal pivot (22) at the upper edge of the supply chute and having a returning means (23;) and inclining downwardly into the supply chute (20) in its starting position. Bread slicing machine according to one of claims 1-3, wherein the supply chute (20) comprises means (21, 24) to keep the loafs horizontal within the chute. Bread slicing machine according to claim 4, wherein said means (21, 24) include a swing platform mounted to a horizontal pivot (22) at the upper edge of the supply chute (20) and having a returning means (23; 59) and inclining downwardly into the supply chute (20) in its starting position. Bread slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a horizontal dispensing platform (40) joining the discharge opening, and a safety closure provided in the opening (36) and preferably consisting of adjacent lamellas (38) suspended from a horizontal pivot shaft (37) and adapted to pivot only outwardly, at least a part of said lamellas having carrier means (39) for partially carrying along transversely adjacent lamellas (38).

Inventors: JONGERIUS SEBASTIAAN CORNELIS, JONGERIUS, SEBASTIAAN CORNELIS ELISABETH
Applicants: JONGERIUS BV, JONGERIUS B.V.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B26D7
IPC codes: B26D1, B26D3, F02B1, B26D7, B26D5