Abstract:
Machines and methods suitable for performing cutting operations on products to yield a reduced-size product, for example, slicing and strip-cutting elongate food products. Such a method includes simultaneously delivering products to annular-shaped cavities of a rotating impeller. The products are simultaneously delivered with a feed unit that has a feed chute extension that protrudes into an interior of the impeller. The feed chute extension defines feed chutes that are aligned with the annular-shaped cavities of the impeller and direct the products to circumferential series of pockets within the annular-shaped cavities. The products are held within the pockets by centrifugal force as the products are carried past a slicing knife to form a first longitudinal cut through each of the products during a rotation of the impeller and to produce therefrom a substantially longitudinally sliced product.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a continuation-in-part patent application of co-pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/142,969, filed Apr. 29, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/155,909, filed May 1, 2015. The contents of these prior applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to methods and equipment for performing size reduction operations on products, including but not limited to food products. 
         [0003]    Various types of equipment are known for reducing the size of products, for example, slicing, strip-cutting, dicing, shredding, and/or granulating food products. A particular example is the DiversaCut 2110® manufactured by Urschel Laboratories, aspects of which are disclosed in patent documents including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,472,297 and 3,521,688. The DiversaCut 2110® is adapted to uniformly slice, strip-cut, and/or dice a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and meat products at high production capacities. 
         [0004]    A portion of a DiversaCut machine is depicted in  FIG. 1  as an apparatus  10  comprising a casing (or cutting head)  12  that encloses an impeller  14 . Food product  16  is delivered through a feed hopper (not shown) to the impeller  14  as the impeller  14  rotates on a horizontal axis within the casing  12 . Centrifugal force holds the product  16  against the inner wall of the casing  12  as paddles  20  of the impeller  14  carry the product  16  past a slicing knife  22  mounted on the casing  12  and oriented roughly parallel to the axis of the impeller  14 . An adjustable slice gate  18  located upstream of the slicing knife  22  defines a gate opening, through which the product  16  is able to move radially outward before encountering the edge of the knife  22 , where a single slice  24  is produced from each individual product  16  with each rotation of the impeller  14 . The thickness of each slice  24  is determined by the gate opening, and more particularly the radial distance between the cutting edge of the slicing knife  22  and the adjacent edge of the slice gate  18 . In the embodiment shown, the slices  24  enter circular knives  26  as they radially emerge from the gate opening, with the result that each slice  24  is cut into multiple parallel strips  28  as the slice  24  continues to travel under the momentum originally induced by the impeller  14 . If diced, shredded, or granulated food products are desired, the strips  28  then pass directly into a rotating knife assembly  30  equipped with crosscut knives  32  that make a transverse cut to produce a reduced-size product  34  (e.g., diced), which is then discharged from the apparatus  10  through a discharge chute  36 . 
         [0005]    As evident from  FIG. 1 , the circular and crosscut knives  26  and  32  are located outside the casing  12 , and therefore engage the food product  16  after slices  24  cut from the product  16  have been produced by the slicing knife  22 . The slices  24 , strips  28 , and product  34  are all examples of reduced-size products that can be produced with a DiversaCut machine of the type represented by the apparatus  10  depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0006]    Although the above-described methods and equipment are useful for many size reduction applications, there is an ongoing desire to perform size reduction operations on various products of different types and shapes, including but not limited to food products. A particular example is elongate food products (i.e, an aspect ratio (width to length) of less than one) that preferably undergo orientation during their delivery to a slicing knife so that the slicing knife can make a longitudinal cut through the product. Notable but nonlimiting examples include the types of cuts made in green beans, such as French-cut beans, European-style cut beans. etc. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides machines and methods suitable for performing cutting operations on a product to yield a reduced-size product, for example, slicing elongate food products and optionally also strip-cutting, dicing, shredding, and/or granulating such food products. 
         [0008]    According to a one aspect of the invention, a machine includes a casing comprising a circumferential wall and a slicing knife disposed in the wall. The machine further includes an impeller adapted for rotation within the casing about the axis thereof to cause a product within an interior of the impeller to be held by centrifugal force against the wall of the casing as the product is carried past the slicing knife to form a cut through the product during a rotation of the impeller. The impeller comprises annular-shaped cavities that are parallel to each other within the impeller and paddles oriented transverse to the annular-shaped cavities to define within each annular-shaped cavity a circumferential series of pockets that are circumferentially oriented with respect to the casing so that the product is circumferentially oriented with respect to the casing and the cut through the product is a first longitudinal cut and a substantially longitudinally sliced product is produced. The machine also includes a feed unit adapted to simultaneously deliver a plurality of the product to the annular-shaped cavities of the impeller. The feed unit comprises a feed chute unit that defines multiple feed troughs and has a feed chute extension that protrudes into the interior of the impeller. The feed chute extension comprises feed chutes that are aligned with the annular-shaped cavities of the impeller. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for reducing the size of products. The method entails simultaneously delivering the products to annular-shaped cavities of a rotating impeller that has an axis of rotation. The products are simultaneously delivered with a feed unit comprising a feed chute unit that defines multiple feed troughs and has a feed chute extension that protrudes into an interior of the impeller. The feed chute extension comprises feed chutes that are aligned with the annular-shaped cavities of the impeller and direct the products to circumferential series of pockets within the annular-shaped cavities. The products are circumferentially oriented by the pockets with respect to the impeller, and are held within the pockets by centrifugal force as the products are carried past a slicing knife to form a first longitudinal cut through each of the products during a rotation of the impeller and to produce therefrom a substantially longitudinally sliced product. 
         [0010]    Machines and methods as described above are useful for various size reduction applications, including but not limited to elongate food products such as green beans that must be oriented prior to and during slicing with a slicing knife to make one or more longitudinal cuts through individual beans. 
         [0011]    Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a fragmentary view of a machine adapted to perform cutting operations on a product to yield a reduced-size product, for example, sliced, strip-cut, and crosscut (e.g., dicing, shredding, or granulating) products. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  represents a machine similar to that of  FIG. 1 , but adapted to perform longitudinal slicing operations on elongate products to yield reduced-size products. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  represents the machine of  FIG. 2  with a closure unit thereof pivoted to an open position to expose a casing and impeller of the machine. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , but with a portion of the casing shown in phantom to further reveal the impeller and with a strip-cut unit removed to reveal a slicing unit of the machine. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the machine of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5 , but with a portion of the casing shown in phantom to reveal the impeller of the machine. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the interior of the casing of the machine of  FIGS. 2 through 6 , revealing the impeller and a portion of a feed chute of the machine. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a side view of a portion of the machine taken from  FIG. 3 , showing the casing, impeller, slicing unit, and strip-cut unit of the machine. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a more detailed side view of the slicing and strip-cut units of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a detailed perspective view of the slicing and strip-cut units of the machine of  FIGS. 2 through 9 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a view similar to  FIG. 10 , but with the impeller removed to further reveal the slicing unit. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 12A, 12B, and 12C  are isolated views of the impeller of the machine of  FIGS. 2 through 11 . 
           [0024]      FIGS. 13A, 13B, and 13C  are isolated views of a slice gate of the machine of  FIGS. 2 through 11 . 
           [0025]      FIGS. 14A, 14B, and 14C  are schematic representations of initial, intermediate, and final forms, respectively, of a food product that can be processed by the machine of  FIGS. 2 through 11 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  represents a machine similar to that of  FIG. 2 , but modified to include a feed unit for delivering elongate products to the machine. 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  represents the machine of  FIG. 15  with a casing and strip-cut unit of the machine removed to reveal an impeller and slicing unit of the machine. 
           [0028]      FIG. 17  is a view similar to  FIG. 16 , but with a closure unit thereof pivoted to an open position to expose the interior of the impeller. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0029]      FIGS. 2 through 13C  depict a machine  110  and components thereof in accordance with a nonlimiting embodiment of the present invention. The machine  110  and certain of its components are similar in general construction to the machine  10  and components represented in  FIG. 1 . In view of these similarities, the following discussion will focus primarily on certain aspects of the machine  110 , whereas other aspects not discussed in any detail may be, in terms of structure, function, materials, etc., essentially as was described for the machine  10  represented in  FIG. 1 . In  FIGS. 2 through 13C , consistent reference numbers are used to identify elements that are the same or functionally equivalent to elements shown in  FIG. 1 , but with the numerical prefix “ 1 ” added. 
         [0030]    As with the machine  10  of  FIG. 1 , the machine  110  can be seen in  FIG. 3  as including an annular-shaped casing (or cutting head)  112  and an annular-shaped impeller  114  that rotates within the casing  112  on a horizontal axis. The impeller  114  may be driven by an electric motor (not shown) encased within an enclosure  111  of the machine  110 . The impeller  114  is enclosed and coaxially mounted within the casing  112 , which defines a stationary housing for the impeller  114 . On the basis of this coaxial arrangement about the rotational axis of the impeller  114 , relative terms including but not limited to “axial,” “circumferential,” “radial,” etc., and related forms thereof may be used below to describe the nonlimiting embodiment represented in the drawings, and such relative terms are intended to indicate the construction and relative orientations of components and features of the machine  110 . 
         [0031]    The impeller  114  has an open axial end coinciding with an open axial end of the casing  112  through which product is able to enter the impeller  114 , and a number of axially-orientated, circumferentially-spaced paddles  120  that are mounted near the perimeter of the impeller  114  so as to be adjacent a circumferential wall  113  of the casing  112 . As seen in  FIG. 8 , the paddles  120  may be inclined relative to radials of the impeller  114  in a direction opposing the rotational direction of the impeller  114 . The circumferential wall  113  of the casing  112  defines a circumferential opening that is partially closed by a slice gate  118 . The slice gate  118  defines an outlet or gate opening through which product is able to exit the impeller  114 , and the size of the gate opening is adjustable by pivoting the slice gate  118  toward and away from the casing  112 . 
         [0032]    With the arrangement described above, as the impeller  114  rotates in a clockwise direction (as viewed in  FIGS. 2-4 and 8-11 ), the paddles  120  capture product introduced into the impeller  114  through its open axial end, and centrifugal forces produced by rotation of the impeller  114  cause the product to be urged radially outward into engagement with the circumferential wall  113  of the casing  112 . The impeller paddles  120  carry the product past a slicing knife  122  that is mounted on the casing  112  and oriented roughly parallel to the axes of the casing  112  and impeller  114 . The adjustable slice gate  118  is located upstream of the slicing knife  122  and allows the product to move outward across the edge of the knife  122  to produce a single slice from each individual product with each rotation of the impeller  114 . The slice gate  118  and slicing knife  122  are effectively components of a slicing unit of the machine  110 , which performs a first cutting operation on products that have been introduced into the impeller  114 . The thickness of each slice is determined by the radial distance between the cutting edge  123  of the slicing knife  122  ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ) and an adjacent gate edge  119  of the slice gate  118  ( FIGS. 8-11 ). 
         [0033]    From the slicing knife  122 , the nonlimiting embodiment of  FIGS. 2-11  represents the slices as entering an array of circular knives  126  as the slices emerge from the slicing knife  122 , with the result that each slice is cut into multiple parallel strips as the slice continues to travel under the momentum originally induced by the impeller  114 . The circular knives  126  are preferably oriented perpendicular to the slicing knife  122  so as to make parallel longitudinal cuts through the slices, in some cases through each slice, resulting in the production of reduced-size strip-cut products, which are then discharged from the machine  110  through a discharge chute  136 . As with the impeller  114 , the circular knives  126  may be driven by an electric motor (not shown) encased within the enclosure  111  of the machine  110 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 2 through 6  represent the machine  110  as having a feed hopper  138 , which delivers product to the impeller  114  as the impeller  114  rotates within the casing  112 . In the nonlimiting embodiment represented, the feed hopper  138  is part of a closure unit  140  that further includes the discharge chute  136  and a cover  142  for the slicing and circular knives  122  and  126 . As evident from  FIG. 3 , the closure unit  140  is pivotally mounted to the machine  110 , so that an open position of the unit  140  exposes, among other things, the casing  112 , impeller  114 , and a strip-cut unit  144  that comprises the circular knives  126 . 
         [0035]    As evident from  FIGS. 2, 5 and 6 , the feed hopper  138  includes dividers  146  that define multiple feed passages  148  within the feed hopper  138 . Each feed passage  148  communicates with a separate feed chute  150 , which are part of a feed chute unit  152  that projects into the interior of the impeller  114  when the closure unit  140  is in a closed position represented in  FIGS. 2 and 5 through 7 . As evident from  FIGS. 3, 4, 6, 7 and 12A -C, the impeller  114  is configured to have multiple concentric, parallel, and axially-spaced rings  154  between two end rings  155 , which delineate multiple concentric, parallel, and axially-spaced annular cavities  156  ( FIG. 12B ) within the impeller  114 . The impeller paddles  120  divide each cavity  156  into circumferentially-spaced series of pockets  158 , each constituting a sector of its cavity  156  and circumferentially distributed at the perimeter of the impeller  114  so as to also be circumferentially oriented with respect to the casing  112 . In the nonlimiting embodiment shown in the drawings, six impeller paddles  120  are equi-angularly distributed on the impeller  114 , such that each pocket  158  extends about sixty degrees in the circumferential direction of the impeller  114 . Also in the embodiment shown in the drawings, five rings  154  define six cavities  156  with the end rings  155 , and  FIGS. 6 and 7  show three feed chutes  150  with each chute  150  delivering product to the pockets  158  of two cavities  156 . The feed chutes  150  can be seen in  FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7  as transitioning from a direction roughly parallel to the axis of the impeller  114  (and therefore perpendicular to the annular cavities  156  of the impeller  114 ), to a direction that more nearly coincides with the circumferential direction of the impeller  114  and therefore more nearly parallel to the annular cavities  156  of the impeller  114 . In the nonlimiting embodiment shown in the drawings, the feed chutes  150  are oriented about 30 degrees from the circumferential direction of the impeller  114  and its cavities  156 , such that the rings  154  of the impeller  114  perform the final alignment of products within the cavities  156  and their pockets  158 . 
         [0036]    In view of the above, as the impeller  114  rotates, products placed in the hopper  138  are distributed by the dividers  146  among the feed passages  148  of the hopper  138  and thereafter delivered and distributed by the feed chutes  150  among the pockets  158  of the annular cavities  156  of the impeller  114 , after which the paddles  120  effectively push the products through the slicing knife  122 . The distance between the knife  122  and the adjacent downstream gate edge  119  of the slice gate  118  defines the gate opening of the casing  112 , and as previously noted the width of the gate opening can be adjusted by repositioning the gate  118  relative to the casing  112 , for example, by pivoting the gate  118  toward and away from the casing  112 . The thickness of each slice is determined by the gate opening, and therefore can be modified by making adjustments with the slice gate  118 . 
         [0037]    As most readily seen in  FIGS. 11, 13A, 13B and 13C , channels  160  are defined in the surface of the slice gate  118  facing the impeller  114 . The channels  160  are parallel to each other and circumferentially oriented with respect to the casing  112 . The channels  160  are represented as being defined by ribs  162  that protrude from the surface of the gate  118  toward the impeller  114 . In the nonlimiting embodiment shown in the drawings, five ribs  162  define six channels  160 , with each channel  160  being individually circumferentially aligned with only one of the annular cavities  156  of the impeller  114 . As such, a product (or multiple products) located in and circumferentially aligned by a pocket  158  of a cavity  156  is guided to one of the circumferentially-aligned channels  160 , and then remains circumferentially aligned by the channel  160  before and during engagement with the slicing knife  122 . 
         [0038]    As should be evident from the descriptions of the feed chutes  150 , pockets  158 , and channels  160 , an elongate product (an aspect ratio (width to length) of less than one, and particular products whose lengths are greater than the axial widths of the channels  160  and pockets  158 ) will be oriented during its delivery to the knife  122  by the individual and cooperative orientations of the feed chutes  150 , pockets  158 , and channels  160 , so that the knife  122  will create a longitudinal cut through the product. Such a capability is advantageous when processing certain food products, a notable but nonlimiting example being green beans, such as schematically represented in  FIG. 14A . Common types of cuts associated with green beans include French-cut beans, schematically represented in  FIG. 14B , as well as other cut styles, including European-style cut beans. In the case of producing French-cut beans, the gate opening of the casing  112 , determined by the distance between the knife  122  and gate edge  119  of the slice gate  118 , can be adjusted with the gate  118  to be roughly one-half an average or nominal diameter of the beans supplied to the machine  110 , so that the longitudinal cut produced by the slicing knife  122  roughly cuts each bean longitudinally in half, as is represented by  FIG. 14B . As evident from  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the cutting edge  123  of the slicing knife  122  may be serrated to promote the cutting effectiveness of the knife  122 , particularly when producing a longitudinal cut through a product having a relatively small aspect (width to length) ratio. 
         [0039]      FIG. 14C  represents the result of making additional longitudinal cuts through the French-cut bean of  FIG. 14B . As described above, these cuts, referred to above as strip-cuts, can be created with the circular knives  126  as halved products (e.g.,  FIG. 14B ) emerge from the slicing knife  122 , with the result that each slice is cut into multiple parallel strips as each halved product continues to travel under the momentum originally induced by the impeller  114 . The circular knives  126  are oriented to be roughly perpendicular to the slicing knife  122 , and therefore make parallel longitudinal cuts through each halved-product to produce the reduced-size strip-cut product represented in  FIG. 14C , which is then discharged from the machine  110  through the discharge chute  136 . While multiple parallel longitudinal cuts are shown in the strip-cut product of  FIG. 14C , a single cut or more than two cuts could be made instead. As evident from  FIGS. 9 through 11 , the circular knives  126  may also have serrated cutting edges  127  to promote the cutting effectiveness of the knives  126 , particularly when producing longitudinal cuts through products having a relatively small aspect (width to length) ratio. Optionally, the machine  110  may be configured to perform additional processing on the strip-cut products downstream of the circular knives  126 , such as with crosscut knives  32  of the type depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0040]      FIGS. 15 through 17  depict a machine  210  and components thereof in accordance with another nonlimiting embodiment of the present invention. The machine  210  and certain of its components are similar in general construction to the machine  110  and components represented in  FIGS. 2 through 13C . In view of these similarities, the following discussion will focus primarily on certain aspects of the machine  210 , whereas other aspects not discussed in any detail may be, in terms of structure, function, materials, etc., essentially as was described for the machine  110  represented in  FIGS. 2 through 13C . In  FIGS. 15 through 17 , consistent reference numbers are used to identify elements that are the same or functionally equivalent to elements shown in  FIGS. 2 through 13C . 
         [0041]      FIG. 15  represents the machine  210  as equipped with a feed unit  238 , which is shown delivering elongate products (green beans) to the impeller  114  ( FIGS. 16 and 17 ) of the machine  210  as the impeller  114  rotates within the casing  112 . In the nonlimiting embodiment represented, the feed unit  238  comprises a feed chute unit  252  that includes a feed chute extension  253  that projects into the interior of the impeller  114  when the closure unit  140  is in a closed position represented in  FIGS. 15 and 16 . The feed chute extension  253  projects into the interior of the impeller  114  through an opening  256  ( FIG. 17 ) in a door  254  of the closure unit  140 . As a safety measure, the extension  253  and opening  256  are partially covered by a shield  258  rigidly attached to the door  254 . As evident from  FIG. 17 , the feed chute extension  252  is similar in construction and function to the feed chute unit  152  depicted in  FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7 . The closure unit  140  and its door  254  are pivotally mounted to the machine  210  so that in its open position the closure unit  140  exposes, among other things, the casing  112 , impeller  114 , and strip-cut unit  144 . 
         [0042]    As evident from  FIG. 15 , the feed chute unit  252  and its extension  253  have aligned dividers  246  that define multiple troughs  248  along which the products flow toward the impeller  114 . The troughs  248  are aligned with feed chutes  250  ( FIG. 16 ) attached to the extension  253 . As with the previous embodiment of FIGS.  2  through  13 C, each feed chute  250  delivers product to the pockets  158  of multiple annular cavities  156  of the impeller  114 . In the particular embodiment represented, three troughs  248  deliver product to three feed chutes  250 , and each feed chute  250  delivers product to two of the six cavities  156  of the impeller  114 . The troughs  248  are represented as defining linear paths that are disposed at an acute angle (i.e., less than ninety degrees but more than zero degrees) to the axis of the impeller  114 . This angle is depicted as roughly forty-five degrees to the impeller axis in  FIGS. 15 and 16 . The feed chutes  250  define arcuate paths to perform the final alignment of products with the cavities  156  and pockets  158  of the impeller  114 . The angle that products are reoriented by each feed chute  250  is preferably equal to about ninety degrees minus the acute angle of the troughs  248 . In the particular embodiment of  FIGS. 15 through 17  in which the angle of each trough  248  is roughly forty-five degrees, the feed chutes  250  divert the products an angle of about forty-five degrees (90°-45°). 
         [0043]    According to a preferred aspect of the embodiment of  FIGS. 15 through 17 , the feed unit  238  includes a vibratory shaker (not shown) so that products dropped on or delivered en mass to the feed unit  238  become oriented parallel to the troughs  248  of the feed chute unit  252  before being delivered to the feed chutes  250 .  FIGS. 15 and 16  indicate the primary vibrational motion as parallel to the troughs  248 , though other primary or secondary vibrational motions could also be utilized. 
         [0044]    In view of the above, as the impeller  114  rotates, products placed in the feed unit  238  are distributed by the dividers  246  among the feed troughs  248  of the unit  238  and are thereafter delivered and distributed by the feed chutes  250  among the pockets  158  of the annular cavities  156  of the impeller  114 , after which the paddles  120  effectively push the products through the slicing knife  122 . As previously discussed in reference to the prior embodiment, the thickness of each slice is determined by the gate opening, and therefore can be modified by making adjustments with the slice gate  118 . 
         [0045]    In addition to green beans, the machines  110  and  210  and processes performed therewith can be ladapted to cut a variety of different types of food products and produce a variety of different cuts, for example, by adjusting the axial spacing of the circular knives  126  to perform one or more cuts on each individual slice produced by the slicing knife  122  and produce reduced-size strip-cut products of various different widths. It is also foreseeable that the machines  110  and  210  and their processes could be adapted to cut products other than food products. Therefore, while the invention has been described in terms of a specific embodiment, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the physical configuration of the machines  110  and  210  and their components used therewith could differ from those shown, and various materials and processes could be used to manufacture the machines  110  and  210  and their components. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.