Abstract:
An improved cutter blade assembly for cutting vegetable products such as potatoes. The cutter blade assembly utilizes a number of cutter blades that transverse an axial bore through which products to be cut are fed. These blades are locked within the assembly by an attachment system that partially deforms the blade to hold the blade in place. This improved attachment connection system serves to hold the blade in a position having higher tension and thereby reduces wear, chatter, and feathering.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to cutting blade assemblies for hydraulic food cutting apparatuses and more particularly to a cutter blade assembly for hydraulic food cutting apparatuses that provide for better cutting results, higher quality products, and reduced damage to the cutting blade assembly. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     Many food products, particularly vegetables and fruits, are processed prior to sale either by canning or freezing. Unless the product involved is of a naturally occurring edible size, for example peas, the product is usually trimmed and sliced or diced, to an edible size prior to preservation processing (such as canning or freezing). These slicing, dicing and other cutting operations have traditionally been accomplished with mechanical cutters. However, relatively recent advances in food product cutting technologies have resulted in the common use of hydraulic cutting apparatuses, which can be used to cut relatively large quantities of food product at very high speeds. 
     In a typical hydraulic cutting apparatus wherein potatoes are to be cut, the potatoes are dropped into a tank filled with water. They are then pumped through a conduit into an alignment chute wherein the potatoes are aligned and accelerated to high speeds before impinging upon a cutter blade assembly where the potato is cut into a plurality of smaller pieces. Hydraulic cutting apparatuses, or as they are known in the trade, hydroknives, can be utilized to cut extremely high volumes of potatoes if the potatoes can be properly aligned and accelerated to high speeds immediately prior to impact with the cutter blade assembly. 
     Quite obviously, there are a variety of applications for hydraulic cutter knives other than just for potatoes. Some of these include cutting beets, pickles, carrots, apples, pineapples and literally a host of other edible food products. 
     Typical cutter blade assemblies are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,478 (Mendenhall), U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,794 (Mendenhall), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,308 (Mendenhall). Such cutter blade assemblies are constructed from a front inlet adapter plate having an inner longitudinal passageway there through and shaped to form a generally conical converger. Pyramidal knife supports are attached in opposing pairs around the conical converger to the back of the front inlet adapter plate to form a pyramidal frame. A plurality of knives are attached in a staggered, generally perpendicular, arrangement to form a sequential cutting grid. 
     As potatoes or other vegetables are processed by passing through the cutting blade assembly, a variety of events take place. Ideally, the potatoes align correctly, pass through without turbulence or interruption, and produce products with straight clean-cut edges that have the desired shape. This, however, is the ideal and in reality a variety of complications and variances take place. First, wearing of the blades in the cutter assembly is a natural phenomenon and results in the blades becoming dull, removed from proper alignment, and deformed. In addition, the force of impact of the potatoes being cut against the blade cutter assembly can cause the holding portion of the blades to be moved and can result in the loss of tension between the blades. In addition, the force of impact of some of the product can cause the blades to be displaced from their proper alignment and orientation and can cause the spacing between the blades to be compressed. This phenomenon is further exacerbated when the flow material through the tube produces turbulence or causes the vegetable matter to impact against the cutter blades in a way other than the way is intended to produce the desired cutting results. 
     These factors can result in damage to the equipment as well as inferior cut products. As the cutting blades become worn, less tensioned, and out of alignment, the products that are to be cut often times break or tear. As a result, the products produced tend to be of a lesser quality than is desired and are therefore less economically and commercially valuable. 
     Blade chatter is the designation given to the phenomena that occurs when the blades in a cutting assembly lose tension and begin to wobble and vibrate. Blade chatter is frequently a concern in the design and use of cutter blade assemblies. Using blades which are too thin, feeding too high of a volume of vegetable mater through the blade assembly, and/or blade wear all can result in chatter. Chatter results in a lower quality cutting of the vegetable matter and increases the chance of breakage of the assembly. 
     As mentioned above, blade wear can be a source of chatter. For instance, the blades shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,083 (Jensen et al.) are attached to the assembly frame through use of bolts that extend through holes formed within the blades. The stress of vegetable material being forced against the center of the blade forces the blade to be partially deformed and stretched and for the holes which surround the bolts to be elongated. As the metal wears, the cutting portion is stretched and these holes enlarge. When this occurs, the blades lose tension and can no longer be held taught. These loose blades will then vibrate and chatter will result. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,625 (Mendenhall) discloses an improved blade apparatus including a blade tensioning means made up of an adjustment screw (within the blade mount) that bears against a roll pin, which, in turn, pushes a portion of the blade around a pair of anvils into a recess. The result is a blade assembly having tension that can be adjusted, by tightening and loosening the adjustment screw, thereby allowing a user to compensate for wear by adjusting the blade to maintain tension. While this is effective in maintaining tension on the blade, the tension is only held in a strong position as long as the portions of the cutting blade that surround the holes through which the blades pass are held in place. When these portions wear, the blade becomes loose and chatter becomes a problem because the blade is not adequately anchored. 
     Therefore, what is needed is an improved device for anchoring a blade within a blade mount thereby reducing vibration and “chatter” of the saw blades. What is also needed is an improved device for adjustably tensioning of a cutting blade in a hydraulic cutting apparatus. Embodiments of the present invention satisfy these needs. 
     What is also needed is an anti-compression stabilizer ring for locking pyramidal knife supports in place thereby preventing these pyramidal knife supports from moving when blades are tensioned, as well as supporting the cutter blade assembly when impacted by an item of food to be cut. Embodiments of the present invention satisfy this need. 
     What is also needed is a flow alignment control tube for lining the blade assembly and for promoting laminar flow of material through the cutter assembly, reducing turbulence within the liquid carrier medium, and reducing product breakage as the product is pushed through the blades of the assembly. Embodiments of the present invention satisfy this need. 
     Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an improved cutter assembly for cutting vegetable matter in a hydraulic cutting apparatus or hydroknife. In one of the preferred embodiments, this cutter assembly comprises a body having an axial bore through which material to be cut transits, at least one elongate blade crossing said axial bore, and an anchoring and tensioning apparatus for mounting the elongate blade(s) to the body. 
     The body further has a first blade mounting surface and a second blade mounting surface for receiving the first and second ends of a blade having a width. The body has surfaces defining a first recess underlying a portion of the first blade. This first recess has a width preferably at least as great as the width of the blade. A second recess is likewise presented within the first blade mounting surface and also underlies a portion of the blade. This second recess also preferably has a width at least as great as the width of the blade. A third recess is provided within a second blade mounting surface underlying a portion of the blade. This third recess has a width preferably at least as great as the width of the blade. 
     A first blade clamp is provided for mounting the blade first end portion to the first blade-mounting surface. This first blade clamp has a first crimping flange configured to lock a portion of the first blade into the second recess. Likewise, a second blade clamp is provided for mounting the blade second end portion to the second blade mounting surface. This second blade clamp having a second crimping flange configured for locking a portion of the first blade into the third recess. 
     The blade is held in a position by the first and second blade mounting surfaces of the body whereby a cutting portion of the blade body passes across the axial bore of the body. In use in a hydraulic cutting apparatus, this axial bore will provide a passageway through which products to be cut will pass. The portion of the blade that transverses this axial bore provides a cutting surface for cutting these materials. The first and second blade mounting surfaces are configured to work in conjunction with the first and second blade mounting clamps along with traditional type fasteners, i.e. bolts and screws, to hold the blades in place in a position which is more secure and tightly anchored than those found in the prior art. This results in less vibration, flexing or variation of the cutting blade when impacted by items to be cut and lengthens the useful life of the blades in the cutter. By reducing these undesired characteristics, the present invention allows a cutter blade assembly to produce higher quality product at a more efficient cost. 
    
    
     Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description wherein I have shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment is to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a cutter blade assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the embodiment of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention prior to attachment to the blade mounting device. 
     FIG. 4 is a partial, perspective, exploded, side view particularly showing the crimped shape of a blade after it has been attached to the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a partial, top, detailed view of the present invention showing the connection between the blade and the blade mounting devices and the tensioning pin of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. 
     A general description of the equipment necessary to cut and process raw potatoes into a desired shape is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,503 (Mendenhall), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As shown in that patent&#39;s FIG. 1, raw whole potatoes ( 17 ) are dumped into a water filled receiving tank ( 13 ). A food pump ( 14 ), usually a single impeller centrifugal pump, draws its suction from receiving tank ( 13 ), and pumps water and the suspended potatoes ( 17 ) from the tank into nozzle gun ( 11 ). The nozzle gun ( 11 ) functions as a venturi, which is used to accelerate and align potatoes ( 17 ) immediately prior to impinging upon the knives of a cutter blade assembly ( 10 ). The cutter blade assembly ( 10 ) thus cuts the potatoes into the desired shapes and sizes. The cut pieces ( 19 ) then enter into deceleration loop ( 18 ) which in effect is the second half of the venturi. The deceleration loop returns to a point above receiving tank ( 13 ) where the water and cut pieces ( 19 ) are deposited onto chain separator ( 20 ). The water passes through chain separator and returns to receiving tank. Chain separator is typically an endless loop chain or dewatering shaker, which is used to mechanically remove the cut pieces from the hydraulic cutting apparatus assembly. 
     Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the present disclosure, one embodiment of the present invention is shown. The present invention is an improved cutter blade assembly for cutting vegetable products such as potatoes. The cutter blade assembly  10  has a body  12  that defines an axial bore  14 . The body  12  has a first end  6  extending to a second end  8 . Between the first end  6  and the second end  8 , the body  12  has a plurality of attachments that are configured to connect with blades (shown in FIG. 2) which cut material passing though the cutter from the first end  6 . In this embodiment, the body  12  is made up of pairs of tensioning trees  16 ,  16 ′. The first end  6  of the device is configured for attachment to a product source such as a nozzle gun shown in the prior patent (&#39;503). The second end  8  is configured for attachment to a venturi cap  120 , which leads material from the cutting assembly into the deceleration loop described in the &#39;503 patent. 
     FIG. 2 shows an exploded, perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG.  1 . The cutter blade assembly  10  is shown resting upon a front inlet adapter plate  125 . In use, the cutter blade assembly  10  and the adapter plate  125  would be connected and oriented so as to receive vegetable matter in a carrier medium through a receiving opening  126  in the front inlet adapter plate  125 . After passing through the receiving opening  126  in the front inlet adapter plate  125 , the vegetable matter travels generally along the longitudinal centerline of the cutter blade assembly  10  through a staggered array of cutting knives  40  before exiting the cutter blade assembly  10  in pieces near the second end  8  of the cutter assembly  10  (FIG.  1 ). 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cutter blade apparatus (“cutter”)  10  has a body  12 , which is configured for placement about the opening  126  in the front adapter plate  125  and defines a first axial bore  14  there through. In use, vegetable matter to be cut passes through this axial bore  14 . A number of elongated blades  40  are mounted to the body  12  and are configured and placed so as to intersect a path of travel of a product through the axial bore  14 . The blades  40  are preferably arranged in a crisscrossing pattern and provide spaces between the blades  40  that define a desired cross-sectional pattern for the vegetable pieces to be produced. As vegetable material passes through the cutting assembly  10 , the impact of the vegetable material against the blades  40  results in the vegetable material being cut into pieces having the cross section defined by the spaces between the blades  40 . 
     In the embodiment shown, the blades  40  do not interlock, but obtain rigidity and cut integrity through tensioning. The preferred blades  40  are relatively thin having a thickness of only 0.008 inches. This reduces the amount of material wasted by the cutting blades  40  and improves the overall functioning of the device. By stacking without interlocking, there is no unequal friction to cause separation of vegetable matter at the junction of the blade intersection. Thus, the blades  40  cut rather than tear the material. This results in a higher quality product without the problems of so-called shattering or feathering. It is preferred that the elongated blades  40  be oriented generally perpendicular to the axial bore  14 , however angular intersections are also envisioned within the scope of this invention. 
     The body or “blade-mounting device”  12  of the cutter  10  is configured to attach to the front inlet adapter plate  125 . This front inlet adapter plate  125  is configured for mounting the cutting blade assembly  10  within the processing equipment used to process and cut the vegetable matter. Preferably, this is done by connecting the front adapter plate  125  to a nozzle gun. The front adapter plate  125  is also configured to connect with the blade mounting device  12 . In the embodiment shown, the blade mounting device  12  comprises a plurality of tension trees  16 ,  16 ′ attaching to and extending generally perpendicular from the adapter plate  125 . These tension trees  16 ,  16 ′ are configured to be mounted to the adapter plate  125  through the use of a fastener such as a plurality of screws or bolts which attach to the bottoms or bases  26  of the trees  16 ,  16 ′. 
     In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, four tension trees  16 ,  16 ,  16 ′,  16 ′ are provided. These tension trees comprising two sets of opposing pairs. Parallel sides of opposing pairs of tension trees provide first blade mounting surfaces  20  and second blade mounting surfaces  30  for mounting the elongated blades  40  there between. The blades  40  are connected to the first blade mounting surfaces  20  and the second blade mounting surfaces  30  through use of first blade clamps  90  and second blade clamps  100 , which are held in place by fasteners such as screws and/or bolts. Detailed views of the connection between the blade  40  and the first and second blade mounting surfaces  20 ,  30  are shown in FIGS. 3,  4 ,  5 , and  6  and will discussed later in detail. 
     A tension cap or “anti-compression stabilizer ring”  108  interconnects the tops of the trees  16 ,  16 ′ thereby holding the tops of the trees  16 , 16 ′ a fixed or spaced distance apart. This keeps the tops of the tension trees  16 ,  16 ′ from tilting in towards the center of the axial bore  14  when tension is applied to the blades  40 , and when the blades  40  are impacted by the vegetable being cut by the blades. It is preferred that the tops  24  of the tension trees  16 ,  16 ′ be configured to connect with the stabilizer ring  108  through the use of a fastener, i.e. a screw or bolt. 
     The flow of material through the cutter  10  is enhanced by a flow control sleeve or “flow alignment control tube”  112  having a plurality of blade insertion slots  114  defined within it. The flow alignment control tube  112  is inserted within the axial bore  14  to increase the laminar flow of material through the tension cutter  10  and to reduce the amount of turbulence and interference that occurs therein. The blade insertion slots  114  are configured to allow portions of the elongated blades  40  to pass there through and to form a cutting pattern within the axial bore  14 . By containing the flow of liquid and material to be cut within the flow tube  112 , the amount of turbulence within the liquid is reduced as is the amount of tension against the blade  40  caused by turbulence. The flow tube  112  also assists the vegetable material being cut to be funneled and channeled in the same direction thus allowing the cutting blade assembly  10  to function more efficiently. 
     It is also preferred that a venturi cap  120  be mounted to the top of the trees  16 ,  16 ′ to compress the flow of liquid and material out of the cutting assembly  10 . The venturi cap  120  also assists to keep the cut strips of vegetable matter together in a mass as they exit the cutter  10 . This reduces the number of vegetable pieces that are off-cut, broken, or damaged, and keeps these pieces together as they exit the cutter  10 . This translates into a reduction in the number of less commercially valuable pieces and an increase in the number of high quality and commercially valuable pieces being produced. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3-6, detailed views of the connection between the blades  40  and the tension trees  16 ,  16 ′ is shown. The preferred elongated blade  40  has a width  17 , a first end portion  44 , and a second end portion  46 . The first end portion  44  is configured for connection with the first blade mounting surface  20  of the first tree  16  and the second end portion  46  configured for mounting to the second blade mounting surface  30  of the second tree  16 ′. As shown in the figures, some trees  16 ,  16 ′ may contain both first and second blade mounting surfaces. Likewise, any combination of first and second blade mounting surfaces may be present on any given tree. 
     A first end  44  of a blade  40  is configured to be connected to a first blade mounting surface  20  by a first blade clamp  90 . A mounting fastener  94  is utilized to attach the first blade clamp  90  and the first end portion  44  of the blade to the first mounting surface  20  through a mounting hole  50  located in the first end portion  44  of the elongated blade  40 . Likewise, a second mounting fastener  94  is utilized to attach a second blade clamp  100  and a second end portion  46  of the elongated blade  40  to the second mounting surface  30  through a second mounting hole  50  located in the second end portion  46  of the elongated blade  40 . The mounting fastener  94  is configured to be adjustable so as to compress the end portions of the elongated blade  44 ,  46  between the blade clamps  90 ,  100  and the mounting surfaces  20 ,  30 . 
     When the first end portion  44  of the elongated blade  40  is pressed between the first blade clamp  90  and the first mounting surface  20 , the blade  40  is deformed and anchored in place by compression between a first crimping flange  92  on the first blade clamp and a correspondingly configured first recess  70  on the first mounting surface  20 . Likewise, when the second end portion  46  of the elongated blade  40  is pressed between the second blade clamp  100  and the second mounting surface  30 , the blade  40  is deformed and anchored in placed by compression between a second crimping flange  102  and correspondingly configured second recess  80  defined within the second mounting surface  30 . Then, after such a connection, the end portions  44 ,  46  of the elongated blade  40  are crimped so as to form a first crimp  52  on the first end portion  44  and a second crimp  54  near the second end portion of the blade  46 . 
     A perspective assembly view of the blade  40  with the resulting crimps  52 ,  54  is shown in FIG. 4, and a detailed, top view of the resulting crimps in the blade is shown in FIG.  5 . 
     These crimped portions  52 ,  54  provide for increased surface area and interaction between the clamping mechanism  20 ,  30 ,  90 ,  100  and the end portions of the blade  44 ,  46 . By providing increased area and support to the blade  40 , the force of impact from vegetable matter along the blade  40  is dispersed along a broader area and less impact is absorbed by the blade portions nearest the mounting holes  50 ,  50 ′. As a result, less fatigue of the blade  40  results, particularly in the area nearest the mounting holes of the blade, and the blade  40  remains tighter and in a desired position for a longer period of time. 
     The ability of the blade  40  to maintain tension can be further facilitated by the presence of a blade tensioner  110  formed and configured for connection with the first mounting surface and the first mounting clamp  90 . While the following description is described in the context of the first mounting clamping  90  and surface mounting portions  20 , it is to be distinctly understood that such a description is not to be limited thereto but may be equally applied to the second clamping  100  and mounting structure  30  and surfaces. 
     The blade tensioner  110  functions to maintain tension upon the blade  40  by providing an adjustable tensioning bolt  96  that is configured to pass through a first clamping device  90  and engage a tensioning dowel pin  48 . This dowel pin  48  is configured to interfit with a tensioning recess  60  that is formed within the first mounting surface  20 . By tightening the adjustable tensioning bolt  96 , the dowel pin  48  pushes blade  40  into the tensioning recess  60  and increases the tension on the elongated blade  40  between the first and second clamps  90 ,  100 , and the first and second mounting surfaces  20 ,  30 . This procedure enables a user of the device to adjust and maintain the cutting blades  40  on a cutting apparatus  10  in proper tension and alignment in order to provide maximum results. 
     Referring specifically now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in use, clamps down the end portion of the blade  44 ,  46  thereby inhibiting the ability of the blade to stretch when impacted, thus reducing the likelihood that the blade&#39;s mounting holes will be deformed from their original circular shape. The result is a blade that maintains its tension better, thereby resulting in less chatter and less feathered product. 
     While in the preferred embodiment, a right angled step that extends the entire width of the blade is formed into each of the ends of the blade, any and all other manner of deforming portions of the blade so as to laterally lock the blade are equivalents. 
     FIG. 6 shows a preferred embodiment of the blade tensioning mechanism  110 . 
     When engaged, the tensioning bolt  96  is manipulated inwardly against a roll or “dowel” pin  48 , which in turn urges blade  40  around blade tension anvils  64  and  66  and into the tensioning recess  60  of the first blade mounting surface  20 . Blade tension roll pin  48  preferably extends the full width of the blade  40 , and is of a sufficiently large radius to avoid unduly high bending stresses in the blade  40  at the point of contact with the roll pin  48 . Blade tension anvils  64 ,  66  are also rounded in the preferred embodiment to minimize stress concentrations in blade  40 , which if unchecked could lead to premature failure of the blade. Although rounded roll pins  48  and tension anvils  64 ,  66  tend to extend blade life, the invention is not limited thereto, and other profiles could be employed for the roll pin  48  and tension anvils  64 ,  66  without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     Through utilization of the present invention, a first crimp  52  is created within the first end portion  44  of the blade by contact with a first anvil portion  76  of the first mounting surface  20  and a second crimp  54  is created within the second end portion  46  of the blade by contact with the second anvil portion  86 . In doing so, the mounting holes  50 ,  50 ′ are less likely to be elongated through use thereby helping the blade maintain its original length, thereby reducing chatter. When used in combination with a blade tensioner  10 , as shown, the tension upon the blades can be maintained and feathering and chatter reduced. 
     While there is shown and described the present preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.