Patent GB-478532-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to mechanism for slicing loaves and the like
IPC: B26D7/06
Filed: 1936-10-06
Abstract: 478,532. Slicing bread. AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY CO. Oct. 6, 1936, No. 27082. Convention date, Aug. 20. [Class 5 (i)] [Also in Group XXX] In a machine for slicing loaves in one cutting operation by means of a number of spaced knives, the loaves slide, side foremost, and in abutting relationship, over a shoot 29, and, adjacent to the cutting position, the foremost loaf is separated, from the line of loaves, and is pushed through the knives on to the discharge conveyer. The line of loaves is arrested by the foremost loaf contacting with a step 36, until pivoted fingers 50 raise the loaf sufficiently for it to continue its sliding over the shoot 29, the fingers 50 then descending to arrest the following loaf. The freed loaf is checked by contacting with one of two sets of fingers 27, 27a which each have a four-sided motion so that, in alternation, they are raised above the level of the shoot 29, moved forward towards the knives, retracted to beneath the shoot and moved backward to the original position. The loaf thus follows one set of fingers towards the knives until the said set falls below the shoot leaving the loaf on a table 49 where it is engaged by the other set of fingers rising above the shoot and table and pushing the loaf partially through the knives, the completion of the cut being subsequently effected by the push of the following loaf. The feeding and discharging means are driven, independently of the knives, from a cam-shaft 62. Each set of fingers 27, 27.a is mounted on a carriage 79 which reciprocates parallel to the shoot 29 on a guide 81 which is itself mounted for reciprocating movement at right-angles to the shoot, the latter movement being derived from the cam-shaft 62 through linkage and a bellcrank lever 83, on the shaft 42, connected to the said guide. The reciprocations along the trough 29 are derived from the cam-shaft 62 through linkage, one member 95 of which has a roller end 94 within a slot 104 in a lever 92 looselv mounted on the shaft 42. The roller is adjusted along the slot 104 to vary the angular movement imparted to the lever 92 by the member 95, and thus to regulate the amplitude of the carriage 79 to which it is connected by a link 93, the adjustment being' effected by a link 102 actuated by worm gearing 40, 41 under the control of a hand wheel. The operation of the hand wheel 37 simultaneously effects an adjustment of the bottom plate of the shoot 29 to preserve the desired relationship between the step 36 and the fingers 27, 27a ; and an adjustment of the cams on the cam-shaft 62 to advance or retard their operations. The bottom plate of the shoot 29 is secured at its upper end to a support 30 slidable on guides 31, and rests at its lower end upon the table 49. The support 30 is connected by a link 47 to a quadrant lever 46 meshed with a quadrant 43 moving with the worm wheel 41 when the wheel 37 is adjusted. The hand wheel shaft 38 carries a further worm 105 meshing with a worm quadrant 106 which swings on the drive shaft 62. The quadrant 106 carries gearing 72, 73, 76, 77, and the sprocket 71 driving the discharge conveyer 63, is secured to the gear 72. The angular. adjustment of the quadrant 106 with the gearing thereon, thus effects adjustment of the cams. The side rails 28 of the shoot 29 are mounted towards the forward ends on levers 32 and are slotted at the rear ends at 33, so that the rails may be moved rearwardly to permit the changing of the knife blades 12. The side rails 67 of the discharge conveyer 63 are similarly movable away from the knives, being mounted on levers 68. The conveyer 63 is connected by a chain 26a to the drive shaft 66 of a wrapping-machine. A crumb collecting tray 108 and a crumb shoot 107 are provided. Two oppositely reciprocating knife-carrying frames 11 arranged so that knives 12 are interdigitated, are actuated by bell-cranks 14 and links 13 which are driven by an independent motor 24, belt 21, crank disc 18 and connecting rod 16.