Patent Publication Number: US-2022234235-A1

Title: Slicing machine

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 102021101713.0 filed on Jan. 27, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to slicing machines, in particular so-called slicers, which are used in the food industry to cut strands of an only slightly compressible product such as sausage or cheese into slices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Since these strands can be produced with a cross section that retains its shape and dimensions well over its length, i.e., essentially constant, they are called product calibers. 
     In most cases, several product calibers arranged parallel to each other are cut at the same time by cutting one slice at a time by the same blade, which moves in a transverse direction to the longitudinal direction of the product calibers. 
     The product calibers are pushed forward by a feed conveyor of a cutting unit in the direction to the blade of the cutting unit, usually on an obliquely downwardly directed feed conveyor, and are each guided through the product openings of a plate-shaped cutting frame, at the front end of which the part of the product caliber projecting beyond it is cut off as a slice by the blade directly in front of the cutting frame. 
     The slices generally fall onto a discharge conveyor of a discharge unit, by means of which they are transported away for further processing. 
     During slicing, the product calibers are usually held at their rear end facing away from the cutting frame by a gripper, which is equipped with corresponding gripper claws for this purpose. 
     For reloading the slicer with new product calibers, the feed conveyor can usually be tilted down from the inclined slicing position to a horizontal loading position for easier loading. 
     This can be done while the rest of the product calibers are still being cut, held by the grippers. 
     In most cases, all grippers are attached to a common gripper slide—with respect to which they can be partially moved a limited distance in the feeding direction—and this entire gripper slide is moved forward in the feeding direction along a gripper guide, together with the calibers held by it. 
     The slide drive is preferably arranged in a fixed position at the rear end of the slide guide and the drive force is transmitted to the gripper slide, for example by means of a sliding shaft, since otherwise, in the case of a slide drive directly on the slide, corresponding cables would have to be routed to the gripper slide, which can move over long distances, for the power supply. 
     For the same reason, the individual gripper drives for actuating the grippers, e.g., extending the gripper claws, are transmitted to the gripper slide from a fixed position on the slide guide via the sliding shaft, which makes it very difficult to control the individual grippers independently. 
     Another disadvantage is that the inclined backward and upward guide of the slide and the parallel sliding shaft result in a large overall height of the machine, which both complicates transport and limits its use in low halls. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is therefore the object according to the invention to provide a slicing machine, in particular a slicer, which facilitates the independent control of the individual grippers and keeps the overall height of the machine low. 
     With regard to the slicing machine and in particular its feed unit, the object is solved in that the gripper slide is attached to an intermediate traversing element which can also be moved in and against the feeding direction, but which travels a significantly shorter distance—in particular less than 60%—than the gripper slide itself in order to move the gripper slide, so that accordingly the gripper slide is also moved at a higher speed than the intermediate traversing element. 
     On the one hand, this allows the gripper slide to be moved very quickly, and on the other hand, the intermediate element only moves over a significantly shorter distance than the gripper slide. 
     Such an intermediate element usually comprises, on the one hand, a traversing base fixed to the base frame, relative to which it is moved, and, on the other hand, a fastening element to which the gripper slide is attached. 
     Different designs of such traversing intermediate elements are possible: 
     A first possibility is that the intermediate element is a traction element unit in which an circulating endless traction element, such as a toothed belt, circulates around two deflection drums or deflection rollers mounted in a traction element frame. The stationary traversing base comprises a drive roller for the traction element, which engages with one of the two strands of the traction element, so that when this strand is moved back and forth relative to the drive roller, the traction element frame is moved in and against the feeding direction relative to the traversing base and the drive roller there. 
     The fastening element for the gripper slide is attached to the other strand of the traction element. 
     If the traction element frame is moved relative to the drive roller in such a way that the drive roller is located first at one end and then at the other end of the traction element frame, the fastening element also moves relative to the traction element frame over approximately its length in the same direction, so that the fastening element travels approximately twice the distance relative to the traversing base as the traction element frame. 
     In addition, multi-stage traversing intermediate elements are also known: 
     In this case, a second traversing element is movable relative to a first traversing element and is usually also guided on the latter, and likewise a third traversing element can be movable relative to the second and is usually also guided on the latter, and so on, the fastening element for fastening the gripper slide being fastened to the last traversing element in the sequence described, while the first is operatively connected to the traversing base. 
     The relative movements between the individual traversing elements can be effected by circulating endless traction elements, toothed rack/pinion combinations or other drive elements. In such a multi-stage intermediate element, the traversing distance that can be traversed by the gripper slide is many times greater than the length of the intermediate element, especially when it is pushed together, and the individual traversing elements usually have the same length. 
     For stabilization purposes, the traversing element, in particular each traversing element, and also in the single-stage embodiment the single intermediate element, in particular the traversing element, is usually guided on its own traversing guide. 
     If necessary, it is then possible to dispense with a gripper guide for guiding the gripper slide. 
     Using the same guide for both the traversing elements and the gripper slide is generally not possible, since it must be possible for the corresponding elements to pass each other along the guide. 
     However, it is possible to form several guides on a guide body, one or some of which can be used as traversing guides and one as a slide guide. 
     Due to the intermediate element, the slide motor driving the gripper slide can be arranged stationary at the traversing base, so that the energy lines there does not cause any problems, and yet the transmission of the corresponding type of energy to the gripper slide or the individual grippers does not have to be carried out via an elaborate sliding shaft extending over a long distance, but always only along the relatively short lengths of the individual traversing elements, which, in addition, can be carried out encapsulated inside and is also easy to realize from a cleaning point of view. 
     The motor of the slide can even be mounted coaxially to the drive shaft of the slide drive, which results in a particularly simple design. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below. They show: 
         FIGS. 1 a, b   : a slicing machine in the form of a slicer according to the prior art in different perspective views, with the feed belt tilted up into the slicing position, 
         FIG. 1 c   : the slicing machine of  FIGS. 1   a, b  in side view with cover parts removed so that the various conveyor belts can be seen more clearly, 
         FIG. 2 a   : a simplified side view of the slicing machine compared to  FIG. 1 c   , loaded with a product caliber, 
         FIG. 2 b   : a side view as in  FIG. 2 a   , but with the infeed belt tilted down to the loading position and the product caliber cut except for a caliber rest piece, 
         FIG. 3 a   : a side view according to  FIG. 2 a    with a traversing unit as slide drive in a first functional position, 
         FIG. 3 b   : a side view according to  FIG. 2 b    with a traversing unit as slide drive in a second functional position, 
         FIG. 3 c   : a representation according to  FIG. 2 b    with two synchronously driven traversing units as slide drive, 
         FIG. 4 a   : the traversing unit shown in  FIGS. 3 a - c    in enlarged individual representation. 
         FIG. 4 b   : an alternative embodiment of a traversing unit in enlarged individual representation, 
         FIG. 5 : a two-stage traversing unit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 a , 1 b    show different perspective views of a multi-track slicer  1  for simultaneous slicing of several product calibers K on one track SP 1  to SP 4  next to each other and depositing in shingled portions P each consisting of several slices S with a general passage direction  10 * through the slicer  1  from right to left. 
       FIG. 1 c    and  FIG. 2 a    show—without and with the caliber K inserted—a side view of this slicer  1  omitting covers and other parts not relevant to the invention, which are attached to the base frame  2  as are all other units, so that the functional parts, especially the conveyor belts, can be seen more clearly. The longitudinal direction  10  is the feeding direction of the calibers K to the cutting unit  7 , and thus also the longitudinal direction of the calibers K lying in the slicer  1 . 
     It can be seen that the basic structure of a slicer  1  according to the state of the art is that a cutting unit  7  with blades  3  rotating about a blade axis  3 ′, such as a sickle blade  3 , has several, in this case four, product calibers K lying side by side transversely to the feeding direction  10  on a feed conveyor  4  with spacers  15  of the feed conveyor  4  between them are fed by this feed unit  20 , from the front ends of which the rotating blade  3  cuts off a slice S with its cutting edge  3   a  in each case in one operation, i.e., almost simultaneously. 
     For slicing the product calibers K, the feed conveyor  4  is in the slicing position shown in  FIGS. 1 a -2 a   , which is oblique in side view with a low-lying cutting-side front end and a high-lying rear end, from which it can be tilted down about a pivot axis  20 ′ running in its width direction, the first transverse direction  11 , which is located in the vicinity of the cutting unit  7 , into an approximately horizontal loading position as shown in  FIG. 2   b.    
     The rear end of each caliber K lying in the feed unit  20  is held positively by a gripper  14   a - d  with the aid of gripper claws  16  as shown in  FIG. 2 a   . These grippers  14   a - 14   d , which can be activated and deactivated with respect to the position of the gripper claws  16 , are attached to a common gripper slide  13 , which can be moved along a gripper guide  18  in the feeding direction  10 . 
     Both the advance of the gripper slide  13  and of the feed conveyor  4  can be driven in a controlled manner, but the actual feed speed of the calibers K is effected by a so-called upper and lower product guide  8 ,  9 , which are also driven in a controlled manner and which engage on the upper side and lower side of the calibers K to be cut in their front end regions near the cutting unit  7 : 
     The front ends of the calibers K are each guided through a product opening  6   a - d  of a plate-shaped cutting frame  5 , the cutting plane  3 ″ running directly in front of the front, obliquely downward-pointing end face of the cutting frame  5 , in which cutting plane the blade  3  rotates with its cutting edge  3   a  and thus cuts off the protrusion of the calibers K from the cutting frame  5  as a slice S. The cutting plane  3 ″ runs perpendicular to the upper run of the feed conveyor  4  and/or is spanned by the two transverse directions  11 ,  12  to the feeding direction  10 . 
     In this case, the inner circumference of the product openings  6   a - d  of the cutting edge  3   a  of the blade  3  serves as a counter cutting edge. 
     Since both product guides  8 ,  9  can be driven in a controlled manner, in particular independently of each other and/or possibly separately for each track SP 1  to SP 4 , these determine the—continuous or clocked—feed speed of the calibers K through the cutting frame  5 . 
     The upper product guide  8  is displaceable in the second transverse direction  12 —which is perpendicular to the surface of the upper strand of the infeed conveyor  4 —for adaptation to the height H of the caliber K in this direction. Furthermore, at least one of the product guides  8 ,  9  can be embodied to be pivotable about one of its deflection rollers in order to be able to change the direction of the strand of its guide belt resting against the caliber K to a limited extent. 
     The slices S standing obliquely in space during separation fall onto a discharge unit  17  which begins below the cutting frame  5  and runs in the passage direction  10 * and which in this case consists of a plurality of discharge conveyors  17   a, b, c  arranged one behind the other with their upper runs approximately aligned in the passage direction  10 *, of which the first discharge conveyor  17   a  in the passage direction  10  can be embodied as a portioning belt  17   a  and/or one can also be embodied as a weighing unit. 
     The slices S can hit the discharge conveyor  17  individually and spaced apart from each other in the passage direction  10 * or, by appropriate control of the portioning belt  17   a  of the discharge unit  17 —the movement of which, like almost all moving parts, is controlled by the control  1 *—form shingled or stacked portions P, by stepwise forward movement of the portioning belt  17   a.    
     Below the feed unit  20  there is usually an approximately horizontally running rest piece conveyor  21 , which starts with its front end below the cutting frame  5  and directly below or behind the discharge unit  17  and with its upper run thereon—by means of the drive of one of the discharge conveyors  17  against the passage direction  10 —transports falling rest piece to the rear. 
     The traversing unit  24  shown in  FIGS. 3 a - c   , where it serves as the slide drive  23 , will first be explained in terms of its function on the basis of the enlarged individual representation in  FIG. 4   a:    
     In this case, the traversing unit  24  is a traction element unit  24  with an endless traction element  28 , such as a belt or several parallel belts, circulating over two deflection rollers  28 . 1 ,  28 . 2 . The two deflection rollers  28 . 1 ,  28 . 2  are held at a distance by a traction element frame  29  in which they are supported. 
     At a position of one strand of the circulating traction element  28  here the lower strand, a drive roller  28 . 3  is provided which is in engagement with the traction element  28  and can be driven in a controlled manner by a motor, here the slide motor M 23 , arranged coaxially thereto in this case, and can thereby drive the traction element  28  in a controlled manner. 
     In this case, the drive roller  28 . 3  is preferably arranged at a greater distance from the traction element frame  29  than the upper strand or lower strand running along the latter, and for deflection towards the drive roller  28 . 3 , a branch roller  28 . 4 ,  28 . 5  is arranged downstream and upstream thereof in each case, over which the corresponding strand is likewise guided, so that the lower strand here of the traction element  28  forms an O-shaped loop in which the drive roller  28 . 3  is arranged. 
     Since the traversing base  24   a  consisting of the two branch rollers  28 . 4  and  28 . 5  as well as the drive roller  28 . 3  is mounted in a stationary manner, when the traction element  28  is driven not only the traction element moves through the O-shaped loop, but in addition the traction element frame  29  moves in or against the feeding direction  10 , i.e., the longitudinal extension of the traction element frame  29  considered in this side view. 
     The gripper slide  13 , which is firmly connected by means of indicated fastening elements  24   c  to the strand opposite the traversing base  24   a , here the upper strand, of the traction element  28 , is moved in this way at twice the speed  2   v  in the feeding direction  10  compared to the feed speed v of the traction element frame  29 . 
     In  FIG. 3 a   , such a traversing unit  24  is attached as a slide drive  23  with the traversing base  24   a  to a strut  2   a  of the base frame  2  of the machine  1  extending in the feeding direction  10 , i.e., obliquely, and can be moved by the latter in or against the feeding direction  10 . 
     The traction element frame  29  is guided along a traversing guide  27 , which also runs in the feeding direction  10  and is arranged stationary with respect to the base frame  2 . 
       FIG. 3 a    also shows that the gripper slide  13  is additionally guided along a slide guide  18 —which also runs in the feeding direction  10 —but this is not absolutely necessary if the gripper slide  13  is fastened to the traversing unit  24  in a suitably stable manner, as indicated by  FIG. 3 b   , in which this slide guide  18  is only shown as an option. 
     Since in  FIG. 3 a    the caliber K to be sliced, here in the case of the multi-track machine the caliber K 1  on the visible first track SP 1 , is still almost complete, the traction element frame  29  is almost completely displaced upwards to the right relative to the traversing base  24   a , and the gripper slide  13  is attached to the traction element  28  and is located near the rear upper end of the traction element frame  29 . 
     In  FIG. 3 b   , on the other hand, only a caliber rest piece KR of the caliber is left, and the traction element frame  29  has moved almost completely downward to the left relative to the traversing base  24   a , and the gripper slide  13  attached to the traction element  28  is located near the front lower end of the traction element frame  29 , so that the gripper  14  can still hold the caliber rest piece KR. 
       FIG. 3 c    shows—also with only the caliber rest piece KR still present as in  FIG. 3 b   —a solution in which above and below the gripper slide  13  there is in each case a traversing unit  24 , which are driven synchronously in or against the feeding direction  10 , since the gripper slide  13  is fastened both at its upper and at its lower end by fastening elements  24   c  to both traversing units  24 . 
     For this purpose, the base frame  2  has above and below the path of movement of the gripper slide  13  two respective struts  2   a ,  2   b  extending in the feeding direction  10 , to each of which one of the traversing units  24  is fastened by its traversing base  24   a.    
     In the case of the upper traversing unit  24 , in contrast to the lower traversing unit  24 , the gripper slide  13  is attached to the lower run and the O-shaped drive loop is formed in the upper strand of the traction element  28 . 
     However, there are other embodiments of traversing units  24  that solves the same object. 
     For example,  FIG. 4 b    alternatively shows another embodiment in which, unlike the embodiment of  FIG. 4 a   , a toothed rack  30  extending in the feeding direction  10  is formed on the traction element frame  29 , with which a pinion  25  driven by the slide motor M 23  is engaged and through this, in a manner analogous to  FIG. 4 a   , the traction element  28  and thus also the traction element frame  29  are moved, and thus also the gripper slide  13 , which is in turn attached to the traction element  28 , with twice the travel speed  2   v  compared to the movement speed v of the traction element frame  29 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a two-stage traversing unit  24  based on the embodiment of  FIG. 4   b:    
     The gripper slide  13  is not directly attached to one run, here again the upper strand, of the traction element  28  of the first traversing unit  24 . 1 , but instead the traversing base  24   a  of a second traversing unit  24 . 2 , and the gripper slide  13  is only attached to its upper strand. 
     The transmission ratio thus obtained has the factor of about 4, with which the gripper slide  13  moves relative to the speed of movement of the traction element frame  29  of the first traversing unit  24 . 1 . 
     As indicated, the two traversing units  24 . 1 ,  24 . 2  may each be arranged in a telescopic rod  26 . 1 ,  26 . 2  of a telescopic unit  26 , the telescopic rods  26 . 1 ,  26 . 2  preferably consisting of a hollow section or of a tube and thereby protecting the traversing unit  24 , and being guided together in the feeding direction  10 . 
     REFERENCE LIST 
     
         
         
           
               1  slicing machine, slicer 
               1 * control 
               2  base frame 
               2   a, b  strut 
               3  blade 
               3  rotation axis 
               3 ″ blade plane, cutting plane 
               3   a  cutting edge 
               4  feed conveyor, feed belt 
               5  cutting frame 
               6   a - d  product opening 
               7  cutting unit 
               8  upper product guide, upper guide belt 
               8 . 1  contact run, lower run 
               8   a  cutting side deflection roller 
               8   b  deflection roller facing away from the 
             cutting side 
               9  bottom product guide, lower guide belt 
               8 . 1  contact run, upper run 
               9   a  cutting side deflection roller 
               9   b  deflection roller facing away from the cutting side 
               10  transport direction, feeding direction 
               10 * pass through direction 
               11   1 . transverse direction (width slicer) 
               12   2 . transverse direction (height-direction 
             caliber) 
               13  gripper unit, gripper slide 
               14 , 14   a —d gripper 
               15  spacer 
               16  gripper claw 
               17  discharge conveyor unit 
               17   a, b, c  portioning belt, discharge conveyor 
               18  slide guide 
               19  height sensor 
               20  feed unit 
               21  end piece conveyor 
               22  end piece container 
               23  slide drive unit 
               24  traversing unit, traction element unit 
               24   a  traversing base 
               24   b  traversing element 
               24   c  fastening element 
               25  pinion 
               26  telescopic unit 
               26 . 1 ,  26 . 2  telescopic rods 
               27  traversing guide 
               28  traction element 
               28 . 1 ,  28 . 2  deflection roller 
               28 . 3  drive roller 
               28 . 4 ,  28 . 5  branch roller 
               29  traction element frame 
               30  toothed rack 
             K product, product caliber 
             KR end piece 
             M 23  slide motor 
             S slice 
             P portion