Abstract:
A food product cutting apparatus that makes a substantially horizontal cut through food product being delivered in a substantially vertical direction. The food product is delivered to a cutting device through an internal passage of at least one feed member above the cutting device. A force is applied to the food product traveling downward through the internal passage so as to push the food product against a first wall of the feed member. The apparatus is configured to improve product flow by configuring the passage of the feed member to have a cross-sectional shape defined by two offset, overlapping diameters. The apparatus is also configured for improved safety by ensuring that the cutting device is properly secured before electrical power is available for driving the cutting device.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/416,653, filed Oct. 7, 2002. In addition, this application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/250,113, filed Jun. 4, 2003, and copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/072,494, filed Feb. 4, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to cutting methods and equipment, particularly for use in slicing food product. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus equipped with a cutting device having a substantially horizontal cutting plane, wherein the apparatus delivers stabilized food product to the cutting device and electric power to the cutting device is prevented unless the cutting device is properly installed on the apparatus. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/072,494 and 10/250,113 disclose methods and apparatuses for delivering food product to a horizontal cutting wheel, by which the product is properly oriented and stabilized to produce a sliced product of uniform thickness. The horizontal cutting wheel is contained within an enclosure that defines a chute from whose lower end the sliced food product exits the apparatus. The enclosure is supported by a frame that houses the electrical wiring to a motor within the enclosure for driving the cutting wheel. Feed tubes are mounted generally perpendicular to the cutting wheel, and each feed tube is sized such that products (e.g., round and/or elongate potatoes) are fed single-file to the cutting wheel. 
   Each feed tube is preferably equipped with means, preferably multiple water jets discharged by nozzles mounted in a wall of the tube. According to Ser. No. 10/072,494, the nozzles are preferably arranged in pairs so that jets discharged therefrom intersect near the wall of the feed tube opposite the nozzles, while Ser. No. 10/250,113 allows the jets to impact the surface of the cutting wheel. In each case, the nozzles are adjusted to direct the jets in a downward incline toward the cutting wheel to assist in stabilizing the product and assist in feeding the product downward through the tubes. 
   According to Ser. No. 10/250,113, smooth (unsplined) feed tubes reduce jamming of the product. Smooth feed tubes may have a smooth tapered flare to trap and center round potatoes against the cutting wheel. The opening of the tube may be asymmetrical as a result of the flare being formed on less than the entire diameter of the tube. Alternatively, smooth feed tubes may have a stepped (ribbed) tapered flare. According to an optional aspect of Ser. No. 10/250,113, product can be stabilized by equipping the feed tubes with splines. Splined feed tubes may have an unflared opening, a smooth tapered flare, or a stepped (ribbed) tapered flare. 
   Ser. No. 10/250,113 also discloses mounting the cutting wheel in a manner that does not require tools for replacement. The cutting wheel is trapped between an upper housing and a wheel support within a lower housing, whereby the upper and lower housings together define an enclosure for the cutting wheel. The upper housing is raised and lowered relative to the lower housing with a crank mounted to the frame, with the force required to hold the cutting wheel in place being applied by the upper housing through operation of the crank. 
   While the apparatuses disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/072,494 and 10/250,113 make possible the vertical feeding of round and elongate food products to a horizontal cutting wheel to produce a sliced product of uniform thickness, further improvements are still desirable. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a food product cutting apparatus that comprises cutting means for making a substantially horizontal cut through food product being delivered thereto in a substantially vertical direction. The food product is delivered through at least one feed member above the cutting means. The feed member comprises an internal passage defining an opening in proximity to the cutting means for delivering the food product to the cutting means. The internal passage is defined by diametrically-opposed first and second walls of the feed member, and the apparatus comprises means for applying a force to the food product traveling downward through the internal passage so as to push the food product against the first wall of the feed member as the cutting means is making a substantially horizontal cut through the food product. 
   According to a first aspect of the invention, each of the first and second walls has a radius of curvature transverse to the internal passage, and the radius of curvature of the first wall has a center that is offset from a center of the radius of curvature of the second wall so that the internal passage has a cross-sectional shape defined by two offset, overlapping diameters. According to a second aspect of the invention, the cutting means is contained in a lower housing member of the apparatus, and an upper housing member of the apparatus is located above the cutting means. The upper housing member has first and second positions relative to the cutting means, in which the upper housing member is engaged with the lower housing member and applies a clamping load to the cutting means so as to secure the cutting means within the lower housing member when the upper housing member is in the first position thereof. The upper housing member is disengaged from the lower housing member and releases the clamping load on the cutting means when the upper housing member is in the second position thereof. Finally, the apparatus includes means for preventing electrical current flow to the cutting means when the upper housing is not in the first position thereof. 
   A food product cutting apparatus configured in accordance with the above is capable of improved product flow and improved safety. The former is achieved with a feed member configured in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, while the latter is achieved by ensuring that the cutting means is properly secured before electrical power is available for driving the cutting means, and that access is prevented to the cutting means while supplied with electrical power. In this regard, the invention generally provides improvements over the methods and apparatuses disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/072,494 and 10/250,113. 
   Other objects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view a cutting apparatus in accordance with this invention, showing a safety crank operable to raise and lower an upper housing of the apparatus relative to a lower housing of the apparatus, and showing the safety crank in an engaged position at which time the upper housing is lowered onto the lower housing. 
       FIG. 2  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a feed tube of the cutting apparatus of FIG.  1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an end view of the lower end of the feed tube of FIG.  2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a portion of the cutting apparatus of  FIG. 1 , illustrating engaged and disengaged positions of the safety crank. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view showing the safety crank misaligned as a result of the upper housing being incompletely lowered. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1 through 5  show portions of a cutting (slicing) machine  10  having a horizontal cutting wheel  12  equipped with multiple blades, and feed tubes  22  mounted above the wheel  12  for delivering products, such as potatoes, for slicing. Each feed tube  22  has an internal passage  24  that is sized such that products (e.g., round and/or elongate potatoes) are fed single-file to the cutting wheel  12 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , and in accordance with copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/072,494, each feed tube  22  is equipped with nozzles  58  that discharge fluid (e.g., water) jets  52  for holding product against a first wall  26  of the tube  22 . The nozzles  58  are preferably arranged in sets of two or more on a second wall  28  of the tube  22  diametrically opposite the first wall  26 , with each nozzle set producing jets  52  that converge toward the first wall  26  opposite the nozzles  58 . The jets  52  preferably intersect at or near the first wall  26  directly above the exit point of the cutting wheel blades as they pass beneath the tube opening  54  while moving in a direction toward the first wall  26  (FIG.  2 ). Two sets of nozzles  58 , one set being vertically spaced above the other set, are represented in  FIG. 2  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. The fluid preferably flows to the nozzles  58  from a manifold  60  located near or on the tube  22  so as to better ensure that substantially the same pressure is present at all of the nozzles  58 . 
   The water jets  52  within each feed tube  22  are directed downward toward the cutting wheel  12  at an angle of less than forty-five degrees relative to the second wall  28  of the tube  22 . Accordingly, with vertically oriented tubes  22  as shown in the Figures, the jets  52  are directed downward at an angle of less than forty-five degrees from vertical (greater than forty-five degrees from horizontal). A preferred angle for each jet  52  is about twenty-five degrees from vertical (about sixty-five degrees from horizontal). This orientation has been found to improve stabilization and feeding of product through the feed tubes  22  when each set of nozzles  58  produces two fluid jets  52 . In practice, good results have been obtained with paired nozzles  58  having orifice diameters of about 0.156 inch and supplied with water at pressures of about 30 to 70 psi (about 2 to about 5 bar), preferably about 30 to 40 psi (about 2 to about 3 bar). It is believed that a set of three nozzles  58  having orifice diameters of about 0.108 inch will produce similar results. Notably, stabilization and product feed-through is improved with a tube  22  configured in accordance with  FIGS. 2 and 3  over that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/072,494, which discloses jets at angles of greater than forty-five degrees from vertical (up to about forty-five degrees from horizontal). 
   As evident from  FIG. 3 , another aspect of the invention is that the internal passage  24  of each feed tube  22  is defined by two offset overlapping diameters. More particularly, the first and second walls  26  and  28  defining the passage  24  of each tube  22  have radii of curvature (Rd) whose centers are located on axes that are offset in a direction transverse to the passage  24 . As a result, the passage  24  has a cross-sectional shape defined by two offset, overlapping diameters, resulting in the presence of longitudinal ridges  30  at the intersections of the walls  26  and  28 . The radii of curvature Rd are preferably the same for the walls  26  and  28 . In practice, suitable results have been obtained using radii of curvature Rd of about 2.125 inches (about 54 mm) and an offset of about 5/16 inch (about 8 mm) between centers. 
   As also evident from  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each tube  22  is preferably formed to have a smooth tapered flare  56  at its lower end, which defines an opening  54  to the tube  22  adjacent the cutting wheel  12 . As depicted in  FIG. 3 , the flare  56  is continuous but limited to the first wall  26  of the tube  22 , with the result that the opening  54  of the tube  22  is asymmetrical. The flare  56  has a radius of curvature transverse to the internal passage  24  that increases in the direction toward the opening  54 , so that the portion of the opening  54  defined by the flare  56  has a larger radius of curvature than that part of the opening  54  defined by the second wall  28  of the tube  22 . The presence of the tapered flare  56  configured as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  has been shown to improve trapping and centering of round potatoes against the cutting wheel  12 , thereby producing a sliced product of uniform thickness. Other than the flare  56  and ridges  30 , the interior surface of the passage  24  of each feed tube  22  is preferably smooth and unsplined to reduce product jamming within the tubes  22 . However, feed tubes  22  with splines and/or a stepped (ribbed) tapered flare in accordance with U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/250,113 could be used with this invention if necessary to further promote product stability and/or reduce product roll, respectively. 
     FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5  illustrate a preferred feature of the invention associated with the capability of removing and installing the cutting wheel  12  without the use of tools. As discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/250,113, the cutting wheel  12  is trapped between an upper movable housing (lid)  32  and a wheel support  36  on which the wheel  12  is mounted within a lower housing  34  of the machine  10 , as schematically represented in  FIG. 1. A  clamping force is applied to the cutting wheel  12  with the lid  32  through a bearing cap  38  fitted to a central hub (not shown) of the wheel  12 . The lid  32  is received in an annular recess  40  defined in a rim portion of the lower housing  34 , and both the lid  32  and recess  40  preferably have mating tapered peripheral edges that promote alignment of the lid  32  with the lower housing  34  as the lid  32  is lowered with a crank  14  onto the lower housing  34 . The cutting wheel  12  is preferably located within the lower housing  34  such that the center of the lid  32  is deflected a controlled distance downward when the lid  32  is forced onto the lower housing  34  by operation of the crank  14  to capture the cutting wheel  12 . 
   It is desirable that the machine  10  can be operated with the cutting wheel  12  consistently secured under a clamping load time after time without using tools and permanent fasteners that could be improperly used or lost. It is also desirable that the machine  10  cannot be opened or accessed during operation so as to avoid personal injury while the cutting wheel  12  is rotating. Finally, it is preferred that the cutting zone of the machine does not have electrical components and connections that could complicate the mechanical design and pose future maintenance issues. To address these concerns, the machine  10  is depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5  as equipped so that the force applied to clamp the lid  32  to the lower housing  34 , and thereby secure the cutting wheel  12 , is generated by a screw ( 62  in  FIG. 5 ) housed within upper and lower frame members  42  and  44  supported on a frame pedestal  46 . In  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 , the lid  32  can be seen as secured to an arm  48  extending from the upper frame member  42 , while the lower housing  34  is secured to an arm  50  extending from the lower frame member  44 . The lower frame member  44  is adapted to swivel on the pedestal  46 , while the upper frame member  42  is adapted to be raised and lowered relative to the lower frame member  44  through the action of the screw  62 . In this manner, the lid  32  can be raised and lowered relative to the lower housing  34 , and the lower housing  34  can be swiveled out of alignment with the lid  32 . 
   The screw  62  is operated with the crank  14 , which is shown as comprising a two-piece assembly including a first connecting rod  16  secured to the screw  62  above the upper frame member  42 , and a second connecting rod  18  pivotally connected to the first connecting rod  16  and equipped with a guard-locking key  20  located on its end opposite the first connecting rod  16 . A guard-locking switch  64  is mounted to the lower frame member  44 , into which the key  20  must be plugged in order to complete the power circuit for operating the machine  10 . The length of the second connecting rod  18  is such that the key  20  cannot be inserted into the switch  64  unless the crank  14  has been rotated a sufficient number of revolutions to lower the lid  32  and securely clamp the wheel  12  within the lower housing  34 , and to also radially align the key  20  with the switch  64 . Comparing the lowered-engaged and raised-disengaged positions of the crank  14  portrayed in  FIG. 4 , the lowered position of the crank  14  preferably reduces the mechanical advantage of the crank  14  if an attempt is made to raise the lid  32 . 
   To further illustrate the above,  FIG. 1  shows the crank  14  as having been properly operated to lower the lid  32  onto the lower housing  34 , clamp the cutting wheel  12  within the lower housing  34 , and permit insertion of the key  20  into the switch  64 .  FIG. 1  also shows the lower frame member  44  as being equipped with a pin  66  that has been inserted in a bore  68  formed in the upper frame member  42 . The pin  66  ensures that the lid  32  and lower housing  34  cannot be mated unless the upper and lower frame members  42  and  44 , and therefore the upper and lower housing  32  and  34  and the key  20  and switch  64 , are properly angularly aligned with each other. In  FIG. 5 , though the upper and lower frame members  42  and  44  are properly angularly aligned, the lid  32  has not been sufficiently lowered relative to the lower housing  34 , with the result that the cutting wheel  12  is not adequately clamped within the lower housing  34 . In this situation, though vertically aligned with the switch  64 , the key  20  cannot be inserted into the switch  64  because the upper frame member  42  (supporting the lid  32 ) has not been sufficiently lowered relative to the lower frame member  44 , as evidenced by a gap  70  between the upper and lower frame members  42  and  44 . Obviously, the key  20  also cannot be inserted into the switch  64  if the crank  14  (and therefore the key  20 ) is not radially aligned with the switch  64 . 
   While the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, features of this invention could be used in combination with one or more features of commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/072,494 and 10/250,113. Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated in the Figures. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed above are for the purpose of disclosing the illustrated embodiments, and do not necessarily serve as limitations to the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.