Patent Publication Number: US-2007095191-A1

Title: Bagel sandwich knife

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants&#39; copending patent application Ser. No. 11/263,092, filed on Oct. 31, 2005. The entire disclosure of such patent application is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to knife assemblies, and more specifically to knife assemblies used in food preparation.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The preparation of food for cooking and eating usually involves cutting food items such as fruit, vegetables, meat, and dough-based products into smaller pieces for cooking or baking, combination with other items, and presentation to the consumer. For food items to be combined as slices with other foods, as in the preparation of bread, rolls, bagels, or other items too thick for eating alone and uncut, the slicing process is time-consuming, sometimes dangerous to the preparer, and often error-prone in that the results of a slicing operation can be uneven, unattractive, or even unusable in producing the final dish. These problems can result in food wastage, injury, and delays in preparation which are unacceptable in most meal preparation processes.  
      Bagels present unique problems in preparing a sandwich. A bagel sandwich is made by slicing the bagel in half on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the hole in the bagel. Bagels are quite firm and thick, and present considerable resistance to a cutting blade when being cut. In addition, the outer surface of the bagel is smooth, round, and two-dimensionally convex, making it highly unstable for cutting except when laid flat on a surface and cut horizontally. Horizontal cutting requires more energy and time than downward (vertical) cutting, both to execute the cut and to hold the bagel in position.  
      The smooth, convex, outer surface of the bagel presents an additional problem when attempting to cut the bagel into thirds or multiple slices on planes perpendicular to the axis of the hole. Most cutting blades directed at a surface at an angle tend to slide along that surface rather than ‘bite’ into it for the cut. Consequently, food preparers do not often try to make bagel sandwiches or other multilayered bagel preparations using conventional cutting methods.  
      A bagel is most safely cut by laying it on a flat surface, placing the palm of one hand on the top surface of the bagel, and engaging the outer circular edge of the bagel with a serrated bread knife. The knife is moved parallel to the plane of the support surface while the person keeps the fingers of the hand on the bagel and out of the cutting plane of the knife.  
      Many people are injured while cutting bagels. The source of the injuries is often improper equipment or improper procedures. For example, many people will use an ordinary, non-serrated knife. Such knives more easily slip on the smooth outer convex surface of the bagel and cut the hand that holds the bagel. Other injuries occur when the bagel is cut while standing it on its convex edge.  
      To address this safety problem several companies offer frames or holders designed to hold a bagel in position for cutting into two or three layers. Among these are the Bagel Trap, a frame with knife slots for slicing a bagel into two or three layers, and the J. P. Products Bagel cutter, also a frame with three knife slots. Neither product includes a knife or blade. Other companies offer combined holders and blades, but only for making a single cut, such as the Bagel Biter, a guillotine-style cutter with a single blade for slicing a bagel into two halves and an enclosure for holding the bagel. Still other firms offer motor-driven cutters, like the Toastmaster Bagel Slicer, which has an enclosure to hold the bagel and a single blade for cutting the bagel in half.  
      None of the products combine the ability to cut a bagel into three or more slices with the blade or knife for making the cuts and none of the products provides a motor-driven cutter to produce three or more slices of a bagel.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention, in one embodiment thereof, includes a knife with or without a bagel holder, the knife preferably including one or more knife blades capable of being locked firmly side by side of their tangs and tips so as to make parallel cuts in a bagel or similar food item held firmly in a user&#39;s hand and/or a holder. The tangs of the blades are fixed in the knife handle. Optionally, the tips of the blades are fixed in a spacer element between them. The knife blades, when locked in place for operation, are tightly anchored in a single convenient handle to improve the user&#39;s control of the cut. The knife blades may be assembled so as to provide two or more different thicknesses of cut between them. The knives may be used with the holder at any of several different slot widths to accommodate the different thicknesses of cut. Each knife blade comprises either a simple blade with a linear or serrated cutting edge, or a motor-driven double-reciprocating blade pair with linear or serrated cutting edges.  
      In additional embodiments, the invention incorporates a rigid guard that extends from the handle to the tips of the blades so that a food item to be cut passes within the guard. The guard strengthens the knife and reduces the likelihood of exposing fingers or other tissue to the cutting edges of the knife blades. The guards also support the outside surfaces of the bagel where the bagel is being cut, thereby providing added stability and guidance for a bagel cut on its convex edge.  
      Further embodiments incorporate staggered blades and/or offset blades and/or parallel blades and/or non-parallel blades and/or blades positioned so as to center the food item being cut toward the midpoint of the length of the blades. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The claimed invention will be illustrated by reference to the following drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements, and in which:  
       FIG. 1A  shows a bagel with markings indicating where the invention&#39;s cuts will divide it into three parts.  
       FIG. 1B  shows the bagel after it has been cut by the invention.  
       FIG. 2A  shows a side view of the knife, in a preferred simple embodiment.  
       FIG. 2B  shows a top view of the knife of  FIG. 2A , with the blades spaced closer together.  
       FIG. 2C  shows a top view of the knife of  FIG. 2A , with the blades spaced farther apart.  
       FIG. 3A  shows a side view of a motorized form of the invention&#39;s knife, in a preferred simple embodiment.  
       FIG. 3B  shows a top view of the knife of  FIG. 3A .  
       FIG. 3C  shows a side view of a motorized form of the invention&#39;s knife with tip spacers.  
       FIG. 3D  shows a top view of the knife of  FIG. 3C , with the blades spaced closer together.  
       FIG. 3E  shows a top view of the knife of  FIG. 3C , with the blades spaced farther apart.  
       FIG. 3F  shows a top view of the knife of  FIG. 3C , with the blades in paired reciprocating positions at the limits of their movement.  
       FIG. 4A  shows a top view of the invention&#39;s knife of  FIG. 3A  during a cut through a bagel.  
       FIG. 4B  shows a close-up of the cut of  FIG. 4A .  
       FIG. 5A  shows the invention&#39;s knife of  FIG. 3C , bagel holder, and a bagel during a cut.  
       FIG. 5B  shows an end view of the bagel holder for use with the knife of  FIG. 3C , with a bagel in position for cutting.  
       FIG. 6A  shows the invention&#39;s knife of  FIG. 3B , bagel holder, and a bagel during a cut.  
       FIG. 6B  shows an end view of the bagel holder for use with the knife of  FIG. 3B , with a bagel in position for cutting.  
       FIG. 7  shows the invention&#39;s bagel holder with removable bagel holding parts.  
       FIG. 8A  shows the invention&#39;s knife of  FIG. 2C  with blade spacers.  
       FIG. 8B  shows the invention&#39;s knife of  FIG. 2B  with blade spacers.  
       FIGS. 9A-9H  show stages in the conversion of the blade spacing of the knife of  FIG. 2C  to the blade spacing of the knife in  FIG. 2B .  
       FIG. 10  shows a side view of the knife with two guards.  
       FIG. 11  shows a top view of the knife with two guards.  
       FIG. 12  shows internal detail of the knife with two guards, in the top view.  
       FIG. 13  shows three different blades for use in the knife having two guards.  
       FIG. 14  shows the major components of the knife with two guards ordered for assembly, in a side view of each component.  
       FIG. 15  shows the major components of the knife with two guards ordered for assembly, in a top view of each component.  
       FIG. 16  shows an inverted closed-side view of the knife with a single guard.  
       FIG. 17  shows a top view of the knife with a single guard.  
       FIG. 18  shows an open-side view of the knife with a single guard.  
       FIG. 19  shows internal detail of the knife with a single guard, in the top view.  
       FIG. 20  shows the major components of the knife with a single guard ordered for assembly, in a side view of each component.  
       FIG. 21  shows the major components of the knife with a single guard ordered for assembly, in a top view of each component.  
       FIG. 22  shows a pair of centering blades to be used in the invention.  
       FIG. 23  shows the knife with a single guard having two centering blades mounted for use.  
       FIG. 24  is a schematic of an assembly for adjusting the spatial relationships between the guards of the knife assembly and, also, between the blade of the knife assembly, and also between the guards and the blades.  
       FIG. 25  is a schematic side view of one preferred knife assembly;  
       FIG. 26  is a schematic end view of the assembly of  FIG. 25 .  
       FIG. 27  is a top perspective view of another preferred blade assembly that comprises only one blade.  
       FIG. 28  is a bottom perspective view of the blade assembly of  FIG. 27 .  
       FIG. 29  is another, enlarged top perspective view of the blade assembly of  FIG. 27 .  
       FIG. 30  is a side view of the blade assembly depicted in  FIG. 27 .  
       FIG. 31  is a side view of one preferred blade used in the assembly depicted in  FIG. 27 .  
       FIG. 32  is a front view of the blade depicted in  FIG. 31 .  
       FIG. 33  is a schematic representation of a knife assembly being lowered into place into one of the guard of assemblies of the invention;  
       FIG. 34  is a side view of the assembly of  FIG. 33  when the knife assembly has been lowered into place into the guard assembly and the guard assembly has been closed and locked.  
       FIG. 35  is a bottom view of the assembly of  FIG. 33  when the knife assembly has been lowered into place into the guard assembly and the guard assembly has been closed and locked.  
       FIG. 36  is an end view of the assembly of  FIG. 33  with the knife assembly disposed within the open guard assembly.  
       FIG. 37  is an end view of the assembly of  FIG. 33  when the knife assembly has been lowered into place into the guard assembly and the guard assembly has been closed and locked. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The apparatus of this invention, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a knife with two or more parallel cutting blades for cutting a bagel  10  or other food item with two or more parallel cuts  11 ,  12  as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . In the invention&#39;s knife  20 , the blades  21   a ,  21   b  are anchored by their tangs  29   a ,  29   b  in a handle  22 , as shown in  FIGS. 2A, 2B  and  2 C in a manual embodiment, for holding and cutting, and for separating the blades  21   a ,  21   b  by a predetermined distance. In a preferred simple two-blade embodiment, shown in  FIG. 2A , blades  21   a ,  21   b  are anchored by their tangs  29   a ,  29   b  at a fixed distance from each other.  
      Optionally, in a reinforced two-blade embodiment, blades  21   a ,  21   b  are also anchored by their tips in a spacer  23  which holds the blades apart at a predetermined distance at the tips. Different embodiments of the invention provide different spacings between the blades as seen in  FIGS. 2B and 2C . In a combined embodiment, removable spacing elements are incorporated into the handle and the spacer to permit changing the spacing between the blades. Said removable spacing elements are placed either between the blades or outside them depending on the space desired between the blades.  
      Although two blades are shown in the figures, the invention provides for the inclusion of three or more blades for cutting multiple slices from a bagel in one cutting process. Alternatively, one may use only one such blade in certain embodiments.  
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  show one design for the invention in a powered embodiment. In the powered set of embodiments, the invention incorporates in its knife  30  conventional double-reciprocating blades  31   a ,  31   b  and  32   a ,  32   b  driven by a motor in the handle  33  to cut a bagel  10  without sawing effort by the user. In a preferred simple two-double-reciprocating-blade embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , blades  31   a ,  31   b  and  32   a ,  32   b  are anchored by their tangs  310   a ,  310   b , and  320   a ,  320   b  at a fixed distance from each other.  
      Optionally, in a reinforced two-double-reciprocating-blade embodiment, blades  31   a ,  31   b  and  32   a ,  32   b  are also anchored by their tips in a spacer  34  which holds the blades apart at a predetermined distance at the tips. As in the manual embodiments, different powered double-reciprocating blade embodiments of the invention provide different spacings between blades  31   a ,  31   b  and blades  32   a ,  32   b  as shown in  FIGS. 3D and 3E . Again, in a combined embodiment, removable spacing elements are incorporated into the handle  33  and the spacer  34  to permit changing the spacing between the blades. Said removable spacing elements are placed either between the blades or outside them depending on the space desired between the blades.  
       FIG. 3F  shows two double blades of the powered embodiment at the ends of their opposing reciprocating strokes. The double reciprocating blades  31   a ,  31   b  and  32   a ,  32   b  are paired as blade  31   a  with  32   a  and blade  31   b  with  32   b  so as to allow the spacer  34  anchoring the tips to keep all four blades in alignment for cutting.  
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  show the operation of the powered blades  31   a ,  31   b  and  32   a ,  32   b  when cutting a bagel  10 . The invention&#39;s use of double-reciprocating blades  31   a ,  31   b  and  32   a ,  32   b  in its powered embodiment applies forces in opposite directions simultaneously to the bagel  10 , stabilizing the bagel physically during the cutting process.  
      The invention, in one embodiment thereof, also comprises a holder  40  for bagels to keep the bagel stationary during either manual or powered cutting with the knife  20  or the knife  30 . See  FIG. 5A  for a top view of the holder  40 , and  FIG. 5B  for an end view of holder  40 .  
      The user may use one set of positioning parts  42   a  for more-widely-spaced cuts as shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , and another set of positioning parts  42   b  for more-narrowly-spaced cuts as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . Although a center element between the knife blades or blade pairs may be incorporated in the holder, the invention&#39;s holder  40  does not require a center element between the knife blades. The holder&#39;s two sides confine the knife blades precisely, and the knife blades are firmly anchored at both ends of the knife as seen in  FIGS. 2C and 2D  and  FIGS. 3C through 3F .  
      As shown in  FIG. 7 , the holder comprises a base part  41  and one or more positioning parts  42   a ,  42   b . The holder&#39;s base part  41  is the same for all embodiments. The holder&#39;s positioning parts  42   a ,  42   b  are sized and spaced so as to guide the invention&#39;s blades accurately. Either set  42   a  or set  42   b  of positioning parts may be mounted on the holder&#39;s base part  41 .  
      The invention provides a convertible knife embodiment that allows the user to change the space between the knife blades as needed for different thicknesses of cut. See  FIGS. 8A, 8B , and  9 A- 9 H for one form of the invention&#39;s convertible embodiment.  FIG. 8A  shows the invention&#39;s knife  20  of  FIG. 2C  with a wider spacing between blades  21   a  and  21   b .  FIG. 8B  shows the invention&#39;s knife  20  of  FIG. 2B  with a narrower spacing between blades  21   a  and  21   b.    
      To convert the knife from the form in  FIG. 8A  to the form in  FIG. 8B , the user removes and repositions spacing elements between the blades. See  FIGS. 9A and 9B , showing cross sections of the knife handle  22  and the blade spacer  23  respectively for the knife configuration of  FIG. 8A . In  FIG. 9A , blade tangs  29   a ,  29   b  are positioned outside blade spacers  211   a ,  211   b . The user removes screws  24   a ,  24   b  as shown in  FIG. 9C , and then removes tang spacers  211   a ,  211   b . In  FIG. 9B , blades  21   a ,  21   b  are positioned outside spacers  212   a ,  212   b . The user removes screws  25   a,    25   b  as shown in  FIG. 9D , and then removes spacers  212   a ,  212   b.    
      In the next step of conversion, the user repositions blade tangs  29   a ,  29   b  closer together as shown in  FIG. 9E , and reinserts tang spacers  211   a ,  211   b  as shown, outside blade tangs  29   a ,  29   b . The user then repositions blades  21   a ,  21   b  closer together as shown in  FIG. 9F , removing tip spacers  212   a ,  212   b  altogether and replacing screws  25   a ,  25   b  with shorter screws  26   a ,  26   b . On refastening all screws as shown in  FIGS. 9G and 9H , the invention&#39;s blades are now positioned closer together as shown in  FIG. 8B .  
      As mentioned above, many people cut themselves while trying to slice a bagel. In order to address this safety issue and improve the safety of the knife and of all knives, the invention further provides a range of additional embodiments with safety features. The safety features include, in one embodiment, one or two rigid guards that isolate the cutting edges of the blades from a person&#39;s fingers and reinforce the longitudinal stiffness of the blades so that they do not laterally wobble during cutting.  
      The invention provides a double-sided guard knife and a single-sided guard knife. The dual-sided guard knife  100  is shown in  FIGS. 10-12 . It provides longitudinal guards  110 . 1  and  110 . 2  opposite the outer facing sides of the blades  120 . 1 ,  120 . 2 . The guards are spaced to permit bagels, rolls or other food items to pass between the guards  110 . 1  and  110 . 2  in order to be cut by the blades  120 . 1  and  120 . 2 .  FIGS. 16-21 , show the single-sided guard knife. All embodiments having longitudinal guards  110 ,  210  may have the same spacer structures and functions as described above for other embodiments. For all embodiments, the invention may be fabricated either in integrated form for permanent use in a single configuration, or in modular form for disassembly, cleaning, part replacement, or reconfiguration of spacings and blades. Those skilled in the art will understand that existing, single bladed knives may be retro-fitted with single or double sided guards.  
      Turning to  FIGS. 10, 11 , knife  100  has a handle  130 , a pair of parallel blades  120 . 1 ,  120 . 2  and a corresponding pair of guards  110 . 1 ,  110 . 2  disposed outside the respective blades. The guard  110 . 1  has an upper edge  110 . 1   a  and a lower edge  110 . 1   b.  As seen in  FIG. 10 , the blades  120 . 1 ,  120 . 2  in phantom are laterally and vertically isolated. In other words, even if a person&#39;s hand  150  or fingers  151 - 155  were beneath the blades  120 . 1 ,  120 . 2 , the lower edges  110 . 1   b,    110 . 2   b  (not shown) of the guards would protect the hand  150  and fingers  151 - 155  from the blades  120 . 1 ,  120 . 2 . The guards  110 . 1 ,  110 . 2  completely cover the outer side of each blade  120 . 1 ,  120 . 2  and extend below the cutting edges of the blades to protect the hand  150  or fingers  151 - 155  of a person who mistakenly places his hand or fingers beneath the knife  100  while cutting.  
      In one embodiment, the guards  110 . 1 ,  110 . 2 , the handle  130  and a tip spacer  132  are molded around the blades  120 . 1 ,  120 . 2  to form the knife  100 . The blades  120 . 1  and  120 . 2  are thus laterally reinforced by the handle, tip spacer and guards. The structure of the knife  100  is relatively rigid. The blades  120 . 1 ,  120 . 2  are supported laterally and vertically at each of their ends. This enables the invention to use knives with relatively thin blades, thereby reducing the cost of the materials for the knife. During cutting, dynamic forces generated by the person making the cut and frictional forces of the bread that resist the cut and will tend to bend thin knife blades so that they wobble transverse to the direction of cut. However, the structure of the invention reinforces the lateral stability of the dual, thin blades by holding them relatively stiff and thus resistant to lateral wobble.  
      The knife  100  may also be constructed from individual elements that are assembled together with suitable fasteners. See  FIGS. 12 and 15  which show, respectively, assembled and exploded views of the structure of one dual-sided guard knife. A handle spacer  131  and the tip spacer  140  are in the center of the structure. Blades  120 . 1 ,  120 . 2  are on opposites sides of the handle and tip spacers and guards  110 . 1 ,  110 . 2  are outside the blades. Rivets  139  extend into openings of the guards, blades, handle and tip spacer to assemble and hold the parts together. The tangs  121 . 1 ,  121 . 2  of the blades  120 . 1 ,  120 . 2  are anchored in the knife handle element  131  by one or more rivets  139 . The tips  122 . 1 ,  122 . 2  of the blades are likewise anchored in a tip spacer  140  by rivet  139 . The guards  110 . 1 ,  110 . 2  are anchored both at the handle  130  and the tip spacer  140  by the same rivets.  
      In the dual blade embodiments of the invention the blades may be offset vertically with respect to each other. In other words, the blades, though parallel, may have their cutting edges disposed at different depths with respect to each other. This allows the cutting edge of one blade to lead the cutting edge of the other blade. The offset arrangement of the leading cutting edges reduces friction experienced by two blades that are both parallel and aligned. Where the blades are aligned with their lower edges in the same plane, the center cut slice between the blades may become compressed. If so, the compressed slice presses against both the blade surfaces and increases frictional force that inhibits cutting. By jogging or offsetting the relative depths of the cutting edges of the blades with respect to each other, the leading edge of the lower blade acts, at least initially, like a single blade. There is no compressive force exerted on the inside surface of the leading edge of the lower blade because the other blade is vertically offset from it.  
      The offset blades may be fabricated in any of several forms to facilitate different types of cutting.  FIG. 13  shows three different blades  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c  for use in the knife having two guards. The top blade  120   a  in  FIG. 13  places the blade&#39;s cutting edge closer to the lower edge of the guard. The middle blade  120   b  in  FIG. 13  places the blade&#39;s cutting edge farther from the lower edge of the guard. The bottom blade  120   c  in  FIG. 13  places the blade&#39;s cutting edge at a middle distance from the lower edge of the guard. The invention may thus be fabricated with two or three blades to provide staggered leading edges; facilitating cutting where making an initial cut with a single blade constitutes an advantage.  
       FIGS. 14 and 15  show the major components of the knife  100  with a dual guard assembly, in a side view and top assembly view. One guard  110 . 1  is at top, then a blade  120   a , then a handle spacer  131  and a tip spacer  140 , another blade  120   b , and the second guard  110 . 2 . The handle  130  comprises handle spacer  131  and the handle ends of the guard  110 . The assembly may be done once when the knife is fabricated in an integrated embodiment, or may be done by the user at any time for the modular embodiments.  
      A knife  200  provides one longitudinal guard  210  on only one side of the blades  120   a  and  120   b . The guard  210  is spaced from the proximate blade to permit the cutting of two slices of bread from the side of a loaf of bread or to cut a bagel into three slices. The guard  210  blocks hand access to the cutting edges of the blades  120   a ,  120   b . The single-sided knife  200  may be fabricated for either right-hand or left-hand use.  
       FIG. 16  shows an inverted closed-side view of the knife  200  with a single guard  210 , in an embodiment for right-handed use in carving from the side or end of a large food item such as a roast or a loaf of bread. The view is inverted top-to-bottom to make it consistent with the two figures that follow. The closed side of this embodiment is similar to the closed side of the knife embodiment  100 .  FIG. 17  shows a top view of the knife  200  with a single guard  210 , in an embodiment for right-handed use. Note that the guard  210  of this embodiment may be made thicker than that of the full guard embodiment.  FIG. 18  shows the open-side view of the knife  200  with a single guard  210 , in an embodiment for right-handed use. Note the relative positions of the two cutting blades  120   a ,  120   b  that have their lower, leading edges vertically spaced or offset from each other. The blade  120   a  closer to the viewer is positioned lower than the blade  120   b . This positioning may be reversed or changed as required. This positioning may be done in the same way for the dual-sided guard knife  100 .  FIG. 19  shows some internal detail of the knife  200  of  FIGS. 16-18 .  
       FIG. 20  shows the major components of the knife  200  of  FIGS. 16-19 , in side views.  FIG. 21  shows an expanded assembly view of the element. A guard  210  is at top, then a blade  120   a , then a handle spacer  131  and a tip spacer  140 , another blade  120   b , and a tip facing  260  and a handle facing  270 . The handle  230  comprises handle spacer  131 , the handle end of the guard  210 , and the handle facing  270 . The assembly may be done once when the knife is fabricated in an integrated embodiment, or may be done by the user at any time for the modular embodiments. In one embodiment, rivets  139  extend through openings in the parts to secure the parts to the handle and tip spacers.  
      The knife may be fabricated so as to position the blades with their cutting edges at opposing longitudinal angles. See  FIGS. 22 and 23 . A cut made with the knife  250  will start near one end of the blade, either the handle end or the tip end. One blade will engage the food item first and the cutting action will move the food item toward and past the center of the blade&#39;s length. A return cut will then engage the food item with the other blade slanted to move the food item in the opposite direction, thereby tending to keep the food item centered along the length of both blades.  FIG. 22  shows a pair of centering blades  330   a ,  330   b  to be used in the invention, and  FIG. 23  shows the knife  250  with a half guard having two centering blades  330   a ,  330   b  mounted for use. This embodiment also reduces the amount of bread surface that is on the inner faces of the knives. Reducing the area of surface contact on the opposing surfaces  126 ,  127  (See  FIG. 19 ) reduces the frictional forces generated by the central, sliced bread on the blades and makes it easier to simultaneously cut three slices.  
       FIG. 24  is a schematic view of a knife assembly that is comprised of a pair of guards  110 . 1  and  110 . 2 , a pair of blades  120 . 1  and  120 . 2 , means  402 ,  404 ,  406 ,  408 ,  410   412 , 414 , 416 , and  418  for varying the distance  423  between blades  120 . 1  and  120 . 2 , means  412 ,  414 ,  416 ,  418 ,  420 ,  422 ,  424 ,  426 ,  428 ,  430 ,  432 ,  434 ,  436 ,  438 , and  440  for varying the distance between the guards  110 . 1  and  110 . 2 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 24 , and to the preferred embodiment depicted therein, it will be seen that the guards  110 . 1  and  110 . 2 , and also the blades  120 . 1  and  120 . 2  are mounted on a pair of threaded shafts  402  and  420 . Disposed on said threaded shaft  402  is a multiplicity of threaded nuts  404 ,  406 ,  408 ,  410 ,  412 ,  414 ,  416 , and  418 . Disposed on said threaded shaft  420  is a multiplicity of threaded nuts  422 ,  424 ,  426 ,  428 ,  430 ,  432 ,  434 , and  436 . As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the position of each of said threaded nuts on the shaft on which it is disposed can be varied by rotating the nut in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Thus, e.g., the position of the guards and/or the blades disposed between any set of nuts may also be varied.  
      By way of illustration, guard  110 . 2  is disposed between nuts  404  and  406  at its top  407 , and it is disposed between nuts  422  and  424  and its bottom  409 . As will be apparent, the when nuts  404  and  406  are moved in a counterclockwise direction, the top  407  of guard  110 . 2  is moved in direction  411 . Conversely, when the  422  and  424  are moved in a clockwise direction, the bottom  409  of guard  110 . 2  is moved in the direction  413 .  
      As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the distance  440  may be varied by adjusting the nuts disposed around guards  110 . 1  and  110 . 2 . Similarly, the distance  442  between blades  120 . 1  and  120 . 2  may also be varied by adjusting the nuts disposed around such blades. Similarly, the distance  444  (between blade  120 . 1  and guard  110 . 1 ), the distance  446  (between blade  120 . 2  and guard  110 . 2 ), the distance  448  (between blade  120 . 1  and guard  110 . 2 ), and the distance  450  (between blade  120 . 2  and guard  110 . 1 ) may also be varied.  
      Referring again to  FIG. 24 , and in the embodiment depicted, each of guards  110 . 1  and  110 . 2 , and each of blades  120 . 1  and  120 . 2  are substantially parallel to each other. Furthermore, in the embodiment depicted, each of threaded bolts  402  and  422  are substantially coplanar  
      In another, schematically illustrated in  FIG. 25 , a multiplicity of threaded bolts that are not coplanar are utilized.  FIG. 25  is a side view of a guard  110 . 1  which is comprised of a multiplicity of orifices  460 ,  462 ,  464 , and  466 . Disposed within orifices  460  and  462  are threaded bolts  402  and  420 . Disposed within orifices  464  and  466  are threaded bolts  403  and  421 . As will be apparent, the representation in  FIG. 25  is schematic, and does not correspond to the proper scale, angles, or dimensions. As will also be apparent, similar orifices  460 / 462 , and  464 / 466  appear on the other guard used in the assembly guard  110 . 2 .  
      Referring again to  FIG. 25 , from which detail has been omitted for the sake of clarity of illustration, it will apparent that one may mount knives  120 . 1  and  120 . 2  at different heights and/or at different spacings.  
       FIG. 26  illustrates another end view of the assembly of  FIG. 25 .  
       FIG. 27  is a top perspective view of another preferred blade assembly  440  that comprises only one blade. Referring to  FIG. 27 , and the preferred embodiment depicted therein, it will be seen that blade assembly  440  is comprised of a housing  442  and a blade  44  disposed therein.  
      In one preferred embodiment, the housing  442  is an integral assembly that is preferably made from injection molded plastic. In one aspect of this embodiment, the injection molded plastic is transparent injection molded plastic so that, while in use, one may see a bagel being cut by the blade  444 .  
      In one embodiment, the plastic comprising the housing  442  is comprised of an antimicrobial agent. One may make the housing  442  out of any of the antimicrobial agents known to impart such properties to plastic such as, e.g., the materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,989, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. As is disclosed in such patent, “The present invention relates to combinations of phenolic and inorganic compounds which exhibit excellent antimicrobial activity when incorporated into a substrate resin, which mixtures do not exhibit the negative effects associated with the use of either alone. Plastic articles manufactured via a variety of processes from such resins are provided long term antimicrobial activity and exhibit superior resistance to discoloration and maintenance of physical properties, especially upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Triclosan, or Irgaguard®, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether, is a known antimicrobial for plastics applications. It is known to have high activity against numerous gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial. It can be incorporated as a neat material or via a masterbatch into a variety of polymer substrates, for example, polyethylenes such as LDPE, HDPE, MDPE, polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (ABS), styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN), polystyrene (PS), polyacrylates, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyamide, polyesters, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polymer latex, polyurethane (PUR), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), unsaturated polyester (UP), urea formaldehyde resin (UF), etc. Irgaguard® exhibits high activity at the surface of plastic articles and the activity remains after repeated washing of plastic articles. Further, Irgaguard® has a good toxicological profile.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,989 also discloses that “Silver based materials, such as colloidal silver, silver nitrate, silver sulfate, silver chloride, silver complexes and silver ion containing zeolites are known antimicrobial agents for plastic articles. Silver compounds exhibit high activity against microorganisms and they have a good toxicological profile. High processing temperatures are possible with silver compounds (greater than 300° C.).” 
      Other means of making antimicrobial plastic articles are also known. Thus, and referring to claim 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,562, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification, this patent provides “1. A method for producing antimicrobial plastic bodies, comprising the steps of: a) providing a plastic blank for forming said plastic body; b) providing antimicrobial particles of at least one antimicrobially active metal or metal compound; c) coating the plastic blank with said antimicrobial particles by a chemical or physical method; d) processing the coated blank by at least one of comminuting and melting down; and e) forming the processed blank into a desired shape, which is said plastic body, wherein the antimicrobial particles of metal or metal compound are embedded in the plastic in the form of discrete particles.” 
      Referring again to  FIG. 28 , it will be seen that blade assembly  440  is comprised of a blade  444 , one embodiment of which is depicted in  FIGS. 32 and 33 . In one preferred embodiment, the dimensions  450 ,  452 , 454 ,  456 ,  458 , and  460  are, respectively, 15.97 millimeters, 10 millimeters, 5 millimeters, 10.47 millimeters, 17.44 millimeters, and 1.5 millimeters. The blade  444  has a length  462  of 215 millimeters.  
      In one preferred embodiment, the blade  444  has a cutting edge with 3.8 serrations per inch and a bevel 10 millimeters from the cutting edge on one or both sides. The blade preferably is made from 1.5 millimeter stainless steel  304  or better. In one aspect of this embodiment, the stainless steel contains at least about 18 percent of chromium and at least about 8 weight percent of nickel.  
      Referring again to  FIG. 28, 29 , and  30 , the dimensions  480 ,  482 ,  484 ,  486 , and  488  are, respectively, 1.29 millimeters, 2.59 millimeters, 1.93 millimeters, 14.83 millimeters, 9.55 millimeters.  
       FIG. 33  is a schematic representation of a kitchen knife guard assembly  500  into which a kitchen knife  502  comprised of a blade  504  and a handle  506  is being lowered into assembly  500  to be supported by pads  508  and  510  when the sides  512 / 514  of such assembly are rotated in the direction of arrow  516  are releasably locked to each other. In one aspect of this embodiment, when the sides  512 / 514  are releasably locked together, the pads  508 / 510  form a pocket (not shown) in which blade  504  nests.  
       FIG. 34  is a side view of assembly  500  in its locked position with the blade  504  shown (in dotted line outline) nesting within pads  508 / 510  within the pocket (not shown, but see  FIG. 37 ).  
       FIG. 35  is a bottom view of the assembly  500  in its locked position.  
       FIG. 36  is a schematic view of the blade  504  disposed above the guard assembly  500  prior to the time it is rotated in the direction of arrow  516  and locked. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 36 , the locking means is a snap buckle  520  which is hingably attached to side  514  of guard  500  and which can lock sides  512 / 514  together when fastener  522  is friction fitted into receptacle  524 . These and other fastening means are well known to those skilled in the art. Reference may be had, e.g., to U.S. Pat. No. D30,1566 (low profile snap buckle), U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,641 (snap buckle), U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,985 (safety snap buckle), U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,302 (snap buckle tool), and the like. The entire disclosure of each of these United States Patent is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.  
      In one embodiment, the locking means is the snap buckle described and claimed in United States patent claim  1  of this patent describes: “1. A safety snap buckle, comprising: a) a male part having catching means, and having a central member with an additional catch located thereon, and b) a female part having a depressible member located thereon, engageable with said catch, and having an open end, a front surface, and a back surface, whereby disengagement of said male part from said female part requires manual pressure on said catching means and said depressible member.  
       FIG. 37  is an end view of the locked assembly  500 .  
      In one embodiment, the apparatus of this invention produces two or more precisely-aligned, clean, quick, safe cuts in a bagel, roll or other food item with a single cutting operation. In the case of the bagel, the result is a cut bagel usable in creating sandwiches with three or more layers: a club bagel sandwich. The invention thus provides kitchen service as a bagel knife in situations requiring fast, safe, accurate, attractive food preparation and presentation.  
      In its single guard embodiments, the invention also produces two or more precisely-aligned, clean, quick, safe cuts in other food items including large items requiring end or side slices. The invention&#39;s ability to perform multiple simultaneous cuts without compromising safety or quality in a variety of roles constitutes a significant advantage in food preparation, presentation and/or productivity.  
      The invention further contemplates and the appended claims will cover embodiments of the invention that use a single blade and a single side guard and single or double bladed versions with adjustable side guards. The relative spaces between the side guards, between the blades, and between the side guards and the blades are preferably adjustable. The distance between the blades in the double bladed version and the distance between either side guard and an adjacent blade may be varied by using different size spacers at the ends of the blades. Another way to vary the distance is to provide a spacer with a threaded screw and external adjusting nuts to moved the blades or the guards. For example, one could put a fixed spacer between the ends of two blades and then insert springs between the blades ends the ends of the spacer. The threaded spacer screw would extend beyond the side guards and would be held in place by springs acting between the blades and the guards and the external wing nuts. As the wing nuts were tightened, the guards would move toward each other and reduce the space between the adjacent blade and guard. Likewise, as the wing nuts were loosened, the springs would urge the guards farther away from the adjacent blades. While the above embodiments show a manual knife, those skilled in the art understand that the manual knife may be adapted to receive a motor that reciprocates the blades.