Abstract:
A slicing machine includes a machine frame having a food loaf delivery path arranged in a longitudinal direction, and a cutting assembly arranged in the delivery path. The cutting assembly has two longitudinally directed reciprocating blades facing upstream in the delivery path. In operation, the loaf is pressed through the cutting assembly which cuts the loaf into quarter sections. A slicing blade is arranged in the delivery path downstream of the cutting assembly, the slicing blade arranged to slice the sectioned food loaf transversely to the longitudinal direction.

Description:
The application claims the benefit of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/287,134 filed Apr. 27, 2001. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to slicing devices, particularly to machines for slicing food product loaves into portions. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Many different kinds of food loaves are produced in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Meat loaves consisting of ham, pork, beef, lamb, turkey, fish and other meats have been commercialized. Such meat loaves or cheese loaves or other food loaves are commonly sliced and collected in groups in accordance with a particular weight requirement, the groups being packaged and sold at retail. The number of slices in a group may vary depending on the size and consistency of the food loaf. For some products, neatly aligned stacked sliced groups are preferred, while for other products the groups are shingled so that a purchaser can see a part of every slice through transparent packaging. 
   Typically, round cross-section or square-section food loaves are sliced into thin slices which are stacked or shingled in groups to be packaged and sold. These slices are then used by the consumer as cold cuts for sandwiches, and the like. 
   The present inventor has recognized that it would be desirable to provide a machine which sliced food loaves into cross-sectional slices and also sliced the cross-sectional slices into smaller pieces. The present inventor has recognized that such smaller pieces would be desired by consumers as hors d&#39;oeuvres, small snack slices, toppings for pizza, ingredients for soups or salads, or other uses where a small slice food piece is desired. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   One aspect of the present invention provides a shear mechanism or cutting assembly for a slicing machine, the slicing machine having a transverse cutting blade for transversely cutting a food loaf into cross-sectional slices, the cutting assembly comprising at least one longitudinally directed cutting blade which severs or divides the food loaf upstream of the transverse cutting blade, making a division or cut plane in the food loaf the cut plane extending in a longitudinal direction. Preferably, the cutting assembly includes a vertical, longitudinal cutting blade and a horizontal, longitudinal cutting blade. The output of the slicing machine, given the combined effect of the transverse cutting blade and the horizontal and vertical longitudinal cutting blades, is a plurality of stacked or shingled and quartered slices. The quartered slices each comprise four small pieces. 
   The sliced pieces can be advantageously sized for small food product needs, such as pizza toppings, hors d&#39;oeuvres, small snack slices, ingredients for soups or salads, or other uses. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the cutting assembly comprises a housing having a perimeter and through-openings or voids for guiding food product loaves through the housing in a longitudinal direction. A vertical longitudinally directed cutting blade is centered within each void. A horizontal longitudinally directed cutting blade is centered within the voids, arranged perpendicularly to each vertical longitudinally directed cutting blade. The vertical and horizontal longitudinally directed cutting blades have sharp edges, preferably serrated, facing upstream in the longitudinal direction, perpendicular to axes of both the vertical and horizontal longitudinally directed cutting blades. 
   The vertical longitudinally directed cutting blades are mounted to a first frame which is carried by the housing. The first frame is guided for vertical reciprocating movement with respect to the housing. The horizontal longitudinally directed cutting blade is mounted to a second frame which is carried by the housing and guided for horizontal reciprocating movement with respect to the housing. The horizontal and vertical cutting blades reciprocate in planes slightly offset along the longitudinal direction so as not to interfere. The first frame carries a cam slot and the second frame carries a cam follower, the cam follower residing within the cam slot, such that horizontal reciprocating movement of the second frame, vertically reciprocates the first frame. 
   The housing carries at least one double acting cylinder which drives the second frame into horizontal reciprocation. Preferably, two parallel double acting cylinders are used for increased power and reliability. 
   Another aspect of the invention provides a slicing apparatus that includes a mechanism for driving crossing, longitudinally directed cutting blades for longitudinally dividing a food loaf. 
   Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will be become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a slicing machine according to one aspect of the invention, including a longitudinal cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear view of the cutting assembly of  FIG. 1  including a housing, a first frame, and a second frame, in a first position; 
       FIG. 3  is a rear view of the cutting assembly of  FIG. 2  in a second position; 
       FIG. 4  is a rear view of the cutting assembly of  FIG. 3  in a third position; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the cutting assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of the cutting assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of the cutting assembly of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged perspective view taken from  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view of a portion of the second frame of the cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 9   a  is a fragmentary, perspective view of a portion of the second frame; 
       FIG. 10  is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view of a portion of the second frame; 
       FIG. 11  is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view of a portion of the second frame; 
       FIG. 12  is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view of a portion of the housing of the cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 13  is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the second frame and the housing of the cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 14  is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view of a portion of the cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 15  is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the first frame of the cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 16  is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view of a portion of the first frame of the cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 16   a  is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the first frame of the cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 16   b  is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the first frame of the cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 17  is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the first frame of the cutting assembly showing a tool about to be engaged to the cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 18  is a fragmentary perspective view of the tool of  FIG. 17  engaged to the first frame of the cutting assembly; 
       FIG. 19  is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the second frame of the cutting assembly; and 
       FIG. 20  is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the cutting assembly. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, a specific embodiment thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a versatile, high-speed food loaf slicing machine  50 . Such a machine is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,265 or EP 0 713 753 A2, or WO 99/08844, dated Feb. 25, 1999, all herein incorporated by reference. The slicing machine  50  comprises a base  51  mounted upon four fixed pedestals or feet  52 , and has a housing or enclosure  53  surmounted by a top  58 . The enclosure can house a operating computer, electrical power supply, a scale mechanism, and a pneumatic or hydraulic supply, or both (not shown). The slicing machine  50  includes a conveyor drive  61  used to drive an output conveyor/classifier system  64 . 
   The upper right-hand portion of slicing machine  50 , as seen in  FIG. 1 , comprises a loaf feed mechanism  75  including a manual loaf loading door  79  and a near-side automatic loaf loading door (not shown). The slicing machine  50  further includes a pivotable upper back frame  81  and a housing  82 . A loaf feed guard  83  protects the near-side of the loaf feed mechanism  75 . Behind loaf feed guard  83  there is a loaf lift tray  85 , employed for automated loading of a food loaf into the machine  50 . A fixed loaf storage tray, used for manual loaf loading, is located on the opposite side of the slicing machine  50 . 
   The slicing machine  50  produces a series of stacks of food loaf slices that are set outwardly of the machine, in a direction of the arrow A, by the conveyor/classifier system  64  of the present invention. According to the disclosed preferred embodiment of the present invention, four rows of food loaf slices are produced from four side-by-side loaves. Although four rows are illustrated, any number of rows, one, two, or more, are encompassed by the invention. 
   The slicing machine  50  includes a fixed frame pivotally supporting the automated feed mechanism  75  for feeding food loaves into a slicing station  66 . The slicing station  66  includes a rotating spindle or head  148 . The head  148  is driven to rotate counterclockwise, as indicated by arrow D. The range of head speeds is quite large and may typically be from 10 to 750 rpm. A round knife blade  149  is shown rotatably mounted at a non-centralized location on the head  148 . The knife blade  149  is driven separately from the head  148 , rotating clockwise in the direction of arrow E. The range of knife blade speeds again is quite large and may typically be from 10 to 4,600 rpm. The blade  149  thus performs an orbital motion and also rotates. Other slicing head constructions may be used in machine  50 , such as an the designs disclosed in WO 99/08844 herein incorporated by reference. The cutting edge of knife blade  149  moves along a predetermined cutting path to cut a slice from each of one, two, or more food loaves in each cycle of operation. 
   The slicing machine  50  further comprises a system of short conveyors for advancing food loaves from loaf feed mechanism  75  into slicing head  66 .  FIG. 1  illustrates two short lower loaf feed conveyors  163  and  164  on the near and far sides of the slicing machine  50 , respectively. These short lower conveyors  163  and  164  are located immediately below two short upper feed conveyors  165  and  166 , respectively. As used in describing conveyors  163 - 166 , the term “short” refers to the length of the conveyors parallel to the food loaf path (the longitudinal direction). The upper conveyor  165  of the pair  163  and  165  is displaceable so that the spacing between conveyors  163  and  165  can be varied to accommodate food loaves of varying height. 
   Directly behind the conveyors  163 - 166 , and upstream of the knife  149  is a cutting assembly  200  for dividing or shearing the food loaf in the longitudinal direction before the loaves are sliced by the knife  149 . The assembly  200  is shown broken away in order to view the conveyors  163 - 166 , but is described in detail in the following figures and description. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates the cutting assembly  200  in isolation from the machine shown in  FIG. 1 . The cutting assembly  200  includes a housing  202 , preferably composed of plastic, having a plurality of voids therethrough. In the exemplary embodiment, four voids  210 ,  212 ,  214 ,  216  are used, comprising two pairs of connected voids. The voids act to guide food loaves through the cutting assembly  200  as the loaves are conveyed through the slicing machine to the transverse slicing blade  149 . 
   A first frame  220  is carried by the housing. The first frame  220  is mounted to the housing  202  and guided for reciprocating vertical movement, by lateral brackets  224 ,  226 . The brackets  224 ,  226  include guide plates  227 ,  228  respectively, for guiding food loaves into the voids  210 ,  216 . The first frame includes a generally rectangular surrounding rim  230  defining one or more open spaces  232 ,  234  which are substantially in registry with the voids  210 ,  212 ,  214 ,  216 . The first frame includes tab portions  242 ,  244  extending upwardly from the rim  230 . The tab portions  242 ,  244  include angled cam slots  248 ,  250  respectively. 
   A second frame  260  is mounted in front of the first frame  220  (behind the first frame in the rear view of  FIG. 2 ). The second frame  260  includes parallel rods or rails  264 ,  266  extending horizontally, and parallel end plates  272 ,  274  extending perpendicular thereto, each end plate connected to respective threaded ends  275  of the rails using a shoulder  278  on the rail and a separate nut  280 , respectively (shown in  FIG. 11 ). The shoulders  278  fit within countersunk holes  281  through the end plates  272 ,  274 . The threaded ends  275  extend through the holes  281 . The end plates  272 ,  274  are located outside of the housing  202 . 
   A horizontal longitudinal blade  302  is fixed at opposite ends to the end plates  272 ,  274 . 
   The first frame  220  is guided by end slots  320   a ,  320   b ;  322   a ,  322   b , (shown in  FIG. 14 ) respectively formed through lateral ends of the rim  230 , and fasteners  324  that fix the brackets  224 ,  226  to the housing and extend through the end slots  320   a ,  320   b ;  322   a ,  322   b . The fasteners have threaded ends that engage threaded holes  326  in the housing  202  (shown in  FIG. 14 ). An intermediate bearing  323  includes a plastic plate  325  and oblong plastic guides  327  that provide friction-reducing sliding and guiding surfaces within the end slots (shown in  FIG. 14 ). Steel spacer bushings  329  are set within the guides  327  for setting the clearance between the housing  202  and the brackets  224 ,  226 . 
   The second frame  260  is guided by the rails penetrating through guide holes  330 ,  332 ,  334 ,  336  formed transversely through side wall blocks  203  of the housing  202  (shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 ). The blocks  203  are fastened to the remaining portions of the housing  202  by fasteners  205 . The blocks are removable to facilitate assembly/disassembly of the cutting assembly  200 . Brackets  340 ,  342  are fixedly connected to the rails  264 ,  266  within the perimeter of the housing  202  by two clamping arrangements each effected by a fastener  359  (shown in  FIGS. 7 and 13 ). A pin  360 ,  362  (see  FIG. 13 ) extends from each bracket  340 ,  342  into the cam slots  248 ,  250 . The pins include plastic rings  363  for reduced friction sliding (shown in  FIGS. 7 and 13 ) within the cam slots. 
   Two dual acting cylinders  366 ,  368  act on the rails  264 ,  266  to drive the rails in horizontal reciprocation. In this regard, a piston (not shown) is connected to each of the rails within the dual acting cylinders, and pneumatic or hydraulic pressure acting on opposite sides of the piston drives the rails into reciprocation. The reciprocation of the rails causes the reciprocation of the horizontal, longitudinally directed blade  302  and causes vertical reciprocation of the four vertical longitudinally directed blades  372 ,  374 ,  376 ,  378 , by driving the pins  360 ,  362  through the cam slots  248 ,  250 . Although two dual acting cylinders are illustrated, a single dual acting cylinder is also encompassed by the invention. Using two dual acting cylinders provide increased power and reliability. 
   The cylinder  366 ,  368  are fit into formed slots  366   a ,  368   a  of the housing (shown in  FIG. 19 ). An H-shaped plate  369  is fastened by fastener  371  to the housing  202  over the slots  366   a ,  368   a  to capture the cylinders  366 ,  368  onto the housing (shown in  FIG. 20 ). 
   The threaded fasteners  382 ,  384 ,  386  protrude through a bottom of the housing  202  for attachment of the cutting assembly to the machine frame. 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 16 and 16   a , the first frame rim  230  includes upper blade holding channels  387   a ,  387   b  formed by upper lugs  391   a ,  391   b  extending from a retainer plate  388 . A through-pin  393 , carried by each blade  372 ,  374 ,  376 ,  378  seats within the channels  387   a ,  387   b . The securing of the retainer plate  388  by fasteners  389  to the first frame rim  230  fixes a top end of the vertical longitudinally directed cutting blades to the first frame. As illustrated in  FIGS. 8 ,  16 , and  16   b , a bottom end of each vertical longitudinally directed cutting blade carries a through-pin  401  which is held in lower blade holding channels  385   a ,  385   b  formed by lower lugs  383   a ,  383   b  of the rim  230  (shown in  FIGS. 8 , and  16  and  16   b ). 
     FIGS. 16-18  illustrate the installation of the blades  372 ,  374 ,  376  and  378 . To install the blades  372 ,  374 ,  376 ,  378 , each plate  388  is loosened from the frame and each blade is installed between the respective lugs  383   a ,  383   b  and  391   a ,  391   b  with the through-pins  401 ,  393  inserted into the channels  385   a ,  385   b ,  387   a ,  387   b , respectively. 
   The retainer plate  388  is forced upwardly to draw the blades taunt by a tool  404  (shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 ) having one eccentrically located pin  405  inserted into a hole  406  of the frame  230 . By rotating the tool about the pin  405 , a cylindrical body  408  of the tool acts as a cam to force the plate  388  upwardly from the frame. The fasteners  389  reside in oval holes  412  (shown in  FIG. 18  without the fastener) in the plate  388  which allow for vertical adjustment. When the blades are drawn taut, the fasteners  389  can be tightened to fix the vertical position of the plate  388  with respect to the frame  230 . 
     FIG. 15  also shows mushroom shaped plastic buttons  430 ,  431  which prevent direct sliding contact between the frame  230  and the housing  220 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 10 , the second frame  260  includes a blade slot  390  on one end plate  272  for receiving the horizontal longitudinal directed blade  302 . A cross slot  415  accepts a through-pin  417  carried by the blade  302  to fix the blade  302 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 9A , the blade  302  is connected to a tightening fixture  393 . The tightening fixture  393  includes a block  397  having a blade insert channel  397   a  and a pin channel  399  for receiving a through-pin  419  carried by the blade  302 . A tightening stud  396  is connected to the block  397  and is engageable to a nut  398  on an outside of the end plate  274 . The fixture  393  inserts into a square hole  392  through the end plate  274 . The square block  397  fits snugly inside the hole  392  to prevent rotation of the blade  302  during tightening. The horizontal, longitudinally directed blade  302  is tensioned by tightening the nut  398  and drawing the tightening stud outwardly. 
     FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4  show a progressive, reciprocating movement of the first frame  220  downwardly and the second frame  260  to the right. Both frames move in reciprocating fashion to longitudinally reciprocate their respective blade or blades to divide into four quarter pieces the food loaves conveyed though the voids  210 ,  212 ,  214 ,  216 . 
   From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.