Abstract:
Double-edged knives for use in centrifugal-type cutting apparatuses, for example, the Urschel Model CC®, and transverse cutting wheel-type cutting apparatuses, for example, the Urschel TranSlicer 2000®, to produce uniform cuts in bulk quantities of food products. Such a knife has a longitudinal length defining oppositely-disposed first and second ends and defining oppositely-disposed edges between the first and second ends. Each of the edges has a cutting edge defined thereon adapted for slicing food products. As a result, the knife has two operational life spans and can be removed and reinstalled to utilize either of its cutting edges.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/914,031, filed Dec. 10, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to methods and equipment for cutting food products. 
         [0003]    Various types of equipment are known for slicing, shredding and granulating food products, such as vegetable, fruit, dairy, and meat products. A widely used line of machines for this purpose is commercially available from Urschel Laboratories, Inc., under the name Urschel Model CC®, an embodiment of which is represented in  FIG. 1 . The Model CC® machine line provides versions of centrifugal-type slicers capable of producing uniform slices, strip cuts, shreds and granulations of a wide variety of food products at high production capacities. 
         [0004]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views of an impeller  10  and cutting head  12 , respectively, of types that can be used in the Model CC® machine. In operation, the impeller  10  is coaxially mounted within the cutting head  12 , which is generally annular-shaped with cutting knives  14  mounted on its perimeter. The impeller  10  rotates within the cutting head  12 , while the latter remains stationary. Each knife  14  projects radially inward toward the impeller  10  in a direction generally opposite the direction of rotation of the impeller  10 , and defines a cutting edge at its radially innermost extremity. The impeller  10  has generally radially-oriented paddles  16  with faces that engage and direct food products (e.g., potatoes) radially outward against the knives  14  of the cutting head  12  as the impeller  10  rotates. 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  schematically represents a Model CC® machine with the cutting head  12  mounted on a support ring  28  above a gear box  30 . A housing  32  contains a shaft coupled to the gear box  30 , through which the impeller  10  is driven within the cutting head  12 . Further descriptions pertaining to the construction and operation of Model CC® machines are contained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,694,824 and 6,968,765, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0006]    The cutting head  12  shown in  FIG. 3  comprises a lower support ring  18 , an upper mounting ring  20 , and circumferentially-spaced support segments (shoes)  22 . The knives  14  of the cutting head  12  are individually secured with clamping assemblies  26  to the shoes  22 , which are secured with bolts  25  to the support and mounting rings  18  and  20 . The shoes  22  are equipped with coaxial pivot pins (not shown) that engage holes in the support and/or mounting rings  18  and  20 . By pivoting on its pins, the orientation of a shoe  22  can be adjusted to alter the radial location of the cutting edge of its knife  14  with respect to the axis of the cutting head  12 , thereby controlling the thickness of the sliced food product. As an example, adjustment can be achieved with an adjusting screw and/or pin  24  located circumferentially behind the pivot pins.  FIG. 3  further shows optional gate insert strips  23  mounted to each shoe  22 , which the food product crosses prior to encountering the knife  14  mounted to the succeeding shoe  22 . The knives  14  are separate components of their respective clamping assemblies  26 . 
         [0007]    Another type of widely used line of machines commercially available from Urschel Laboratories, Inc., include versions of transverse rotating cutting wheel-type slicers capable of providing a wide variety of food products at high production capacities. Notable commercial embodiments of transverse rotating cutting equipment include the TranSlicer 2000® and the MicroSlice® wheel.  FIG. 9  represents an exemplary embodiment of the MicroSlice® wheel having a cutting wheel  48  having a plurality of knives  54  attached thereto. The cutting wheel  48  comprises a hub  52  and a rim  50  to which the knives  54  are attached, for example with knife holders  56 . In operation, the cutting wheel  48  rotates in the direction of arrow  66 . A space  64  is formed between a second edge  58  of one knife holder  56  and a cutting edge  60  of an adjacent knife  54  such that the space  64  has a substantially constant circumferential dimension throughout its radial length. The constant dimensions of the spaces  64  enable a food product to be sliced with accuracy. Typically, the food product is transported through a cutting plane of the cutting wheel  48  at a constant speed and the cutting wheel  48  is rotated, also at a constant speed. 
         [0008]    The knives  14  and  54  are constantly prone to deterioration and dulling due to their usage. Individual knives typically have a much shorter operational life span than the cutting head  12  and cutting wheel  48  and their other respective individual components. As such, knives are often replaced many times over the life span of a machine. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention provides double-edged knives for use in centrifugal-type cutting apparatuses, for example, the Model CC®, and rotating cutting wheel-type cutting apparatuses, for example, the TranSlicer 2000®, to produce uniform cuts in bulk quantities of food products. 
         [0010]    According to an aspect of the invention, a knife adapted for producing sliced food products has a longitudinal length defining oppositely-disposed first and second ends and defining oppositely-disposed edges between the first and second ends. Each of the edges has a cutting edge defined thereon adapted for slicing food products. 
         [0011]    According to another aspect of the invention, a shoe assembly of a centrifugal-type slicing machine adapted for producing sliced food products includes a shoe, a knife holder mounted to the shoe, a knife mounted to the knife holder, and means for clamping the knife to the knife holder. The knife has a longitudinal length defining oppositely-disposed first and second ends and defining oppositely-disposed edges between the first and second ends, and each of the edges has a cutting edge defined thereon adapted for slicing food products. 
         [0012]    A technical effect of the invention is that, due to the knife having two cutting edges, the knife has two operational life spans and can be removed and reinstalled to utilize either of its cutting edges, often enabling the knife to be replaced half as often as a conventional blade. 
         [0013]    Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a side view representing a centrifugal-type cutting apparatus known in the art. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views representing, respectively, an impeller and a cutting head suitable for use in the cutting apparatus represented in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a shoe assembly equipped with a double-edged knife in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are perspective views of double-edged bevel-cut knives in accordance two embodiments of the present invention, wherein the knife of  FIG. 5  has a handle and the knife of  FIG. 6  does not. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the double-edged bevel-cut knife of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is an end view of a double-edge knife similar to  FIGS. 5 and 7 , but modified to have bias-cut edges. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a front view representing a cutting wheel known in the art. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 10 and 11  are perspective views of knife holders equipped with a double-edged knife in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a side view of a knife holder equipped with a double-edged knife in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    The present invention provides knives for making slice cuts in food products. Such knives can be utilized in centrifugal-type slicers, nonlimiting examples of which are the Urschel Model CC® machines and the Urschel TranSlicer 2000®, which are capable of producing uniform slices, strip cuts, shreds and granulations of a wide variety of food products at high production capacities. For convenience, the invention will be described in reference to the machine and components represented in  FIGS. 1-3  and the cutting wheel  48  represented in  FIG. 9 , and particularly the cutting head  12  represented in  FIG. 3 , though it should be understood that the invention is not so limited. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  illustrates a shoe  22  adapted for use in the cutting head  12  of  FIG. 3 , but modified to make use of a double-edged knife  34  represented in  FIG. 5 . The shoe  22  is represented as being assembled with a knife holder  33 , to which a knife  34  is mounted and securing with a clamping assembly  26 . Additional details and aspects of the shoe  22  can be obtained from the description relating to  FIG. 3 , and therefore will not be repeated here. 
         [0025]    The knife  34  represented in  FIG. 4  is shown in isolation in  FIG. 5 . The knife  34  is represented as having a longitudinal length defining oppositely-disposed ends and oppositely-disposed edges  35  between the ends. A cutting edge is defined at each edge  35  for slicing food products. The cutting edges  35  are bevel-cut (substantially centered apex), as can be better appreciated from the end view of  FIG. 7 . The bevel-cut edges  35  result in the knife  34  having a symmetrical configuration. The knife  34  of  FIG. 5  is further represented as being fabricated to include a handle  36  that extends from one of the longitudinal ends of the knife  34 . The handle  36  is adapted to facilitate removal from and reinstallation of the knife  34  in the shoe assembly  22 . For this reason, the cutting edges  35  do not extend over the handle  36 , which is narrower in width than the portion of the knife  34  on which the cutting edges  35  are formed.  FIG. 6  represents another possible embodiment of the invention, in which a double-edged bevel-cut knife  38  is configured similar to the knife  34  of  FIG. 5 , but lacks the handle  38  of the knife  34 , such that the cutting edges may extend the full length of the knife  38 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 8  illustrates an end view of a double-edged knife  40  similar to the knife  38  of  FIG. 6 , but with cutting edges  41  that define a bias cut. The bias cut is distinct from the bevel cut represented in  FIGS. 5-7 , in that one side of each knife edge is predominantly machined with the result that the knife  40  is not symmetrical. Whether a knife having bevel-cut edges  35  or bias-cut edges  41  is preferred will depend on the intended use of the knife. Processes for producing the bevel-cut and bias-cut edges  35  and  41  are well known and will not be described here. 
         [0027]    In addition, the knives discussed above may have additional features to accommodate the shoe  22  and clamping assembly  26  in which it is to be installed. Any configurations of grooves, notches, holes, or other features which allow the knife to be installed and locked into place in the shoe  22  (or another suitable shoe assembly) are specific to the design of the shoe, and are not limiting aspects of this invention. Preferably, the clamping assembly  26  may be configured to accommodate the knife  34 ,  38 , or  40  such that a first edge  35  or  41  not being used is not in contact with surfaces of the clamping assembly  26  while the knife  34 ,  38 , or  40 , is secured by the clamping assembly  26 , thereby reducing the likelihood of damage to the first edge  35  or  41  while a second edge  35  or  41  of the knife  34 ,  38 , or  40  is being used to slice food product. 
         [0028]    An advantage of the knives  34 ,  38 , and  40  as described above is that when one edge  35  or  41  becomes dull during operation of the cutting machine, the knife  34 ,  38 , or  40  can be removed from the shoe assembly  22 , turned over, and reinstalled so that the unused edge  35  or  41  serves as the cutting edge of the knife  34 ,  38 , or  40 , whereas the worn edge  35  or  41  is preferably secured and concealed between the shoe  22  and clamping assembly  26 . 
         [0029]      FIGS. 10 through 12  represent the knife holder  56  suitable for use with the cutting wheel  48  represented in  FIG. 9 . The knife holder  56  comprises a double-edged knife  68  mounted thereon. The knife  68  has a longitudinal length defining oppositely disposed ends and oppositely disposed edges  60   a  and  60   b  between the ends. A cutting edge is defined at each edge  60   a  and  60   b  for slicing food products. The knife  68  may be permanently attached to the knife holder, or may be removably held by a clamp  70 . Knife  68  is held against surface  82  formed on the knife holder  56  by clamp  70 , which is attached to the knife holder  56  by fasteners  72 . Clamp  70  may engage the fasteners  72  by way of keyhole-shaped slots  74  which enable the removal of the clamp  70  by merely loosening the fasteners  72  and moving the clamp  70  such that the heads of the fasteners  72  are aligned with the larger opening portion of the keyhole shaped slots  74  and then removing the clamp  70 . Locating studs  76  extend from the knife holder  56  and engage openings  68   a  and  68   b  in the knife  68  to properly locate the knife  68  on the knife holder  56 . Knife holder  56  has second edge  58  formed thereon and, as can be seen, the second edge  58  extends obliquely with respect to the cutting edge  60  of the knife  68 . Knife holder  56  has hub mounting hole  78  and rim mounting holes  80   a  and  80   b  formed therein for attachment to the hub  52  and rim  50 , respectively, of the cutting wheel  48 .  FIG. 12  represents a side view of the knife  68  secured in the knife holder  56  with the clamp  70 . Similar to the knives  34 ,  38 , and  40 , the knife  68  may have bevel-cut edges or bias-cut edges, may optionally include a handle (not shown), and has the advantage of having the ability to be turned over to effectively double the life of the knife  68 . The knife holder  56  may further include means for biasing at least a portion of the knife  68  towards the surface  82  such that the cutting edge  60   b  is not in direct contact with the knife holder  56  while the knife  68  is secured to the knife holder  56 . For example,  FIG. 12  represents the clamp  70  as securing the knife  68  such that the body of the knife  68  is forced along the surface  82 . 
         [0030]    While the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the knife assemblies and the apparatus in which they are installed could differ in appearance and construction from the knife assemblies and cutting heads shown in the drawings, and materials and processes other than those noted could be used. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.