Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 31st Jan., 1891
I, OLIVER DWIGHT WOODRUFF, of Southington, in the County of Hartford,
and State of Connecticut, United States of America, Mechanic, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in meat-cutters, and the objects of my
improvement are simplicity of construction, and general convenience and efficiency
in operation.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my machine.
Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the crank end, the crank being removed.
Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on the line - of Fig. 1.
Figure 4 is a detached horizontal section on the line y-y of Fig. 2, the central
member being shown in plan view, and-
Figure 5 is a developed plan or diagram of the prominent surfaces of the interior
of the case.
The case A is of tapering form with a hopper 4 and holding cap 5 and crank a
at the large end, said cap being held in engagement with the case by means of
lugs b and holding dog 6.
The large end of the case is provided with a band or rim c, the inner surface of
which is provided with a smooth cylindrical bore. The case is provided on the
outside of this rim with horizontally projecting lugs or studs 6 for securing the cap
or end plate 5. The case is also provided with a suitable standard or support D
of any ordinary construction.
The cap or end plate 5 is provided with a central outwardly projecting hub d
which is bored to form bearings for the crank shaft 17 and upon its inside with a
circular hub e which fits the bore of the rim c as shown most clearly in Fig. 3.
Said cap 5 is also provided with hooked and inclined lugs g that engage the lugs
or projections b and draw the cap into the case as the cap is turned to force
said lugs into engagement with each other. I provide the upper edge of said cap
with a series of fine notches or serrations h, for being engaged by the holding
dog 6 for holding the cap in position when desired. This dog is secured to the
case upon an excentric or crank pink, the same having a suitable handle by
which it may be revolved, and by turning which the point of the dog 6 may be
withdrawn from the serrations h or forced firmly against the same for locking the
cap in place. The particular holding cap and means for securing the same are not
essential to all parts of my invention as the other parts may be used with any
known form of cap and holding mechanism.
The interior of the case immediately under the hopper is provided with feeding
ribs 7 which extend at an oblique angle to the case and merge into or terminate
with the inclined knives 11 or longitudinal knives 10. The portion of the case
toward the small end beyond the hopper and said feeding ribs is provided with a
series of longitudinal knives 10 and oblique or inclined knives 11, the latter
extending around the case at a lesser degree of inclination than the feeding ribs 7.
The longitudinal knives 10 and oblique or inclined knives 11 intersect each other
on the front side of said longitudinal knives. Within this case I fit a combined
forcer and cutter B having a flange 12 which fills the large end of the case from
LD.

page_text: which flange a screw or forcing rib 13 extends towards the small end of the case.
The core at the part immediately under the hopper should be small to facilitate the
entry of the meat. At the point beyond the hopper the combined forcer and
cutter is provided with longitudinal ribs or knives 14 and with other forcing ribs 15
intersecting said knives. The delivery end of the combined forcer and cutter is
preferably turned down or reduced into a plain conical portion 16 of a less
diameter than that end of the case inside the projecting surface of the ribs.
Instead of turning down the end of the combined forcer and cutter, the rib mat
the delivery end of the case may be wholly cut away to leave an annular
discharge.
The shaft 17 is provided with a suitable driving crank or rotated by other
means, the combined forcer and cutter being adjusted to snugly fit the case. Meat
fed into the hopper is forced along by the forcing ribs 13 and feeding ribs 7 and
upon coming in contact with the knives it is cut by the combined action of said
knives and forcer. As it passes along it is further reduced and cut by the
combined action of the other forcing ribs 15 and longitudinal cutters 14 on the
combined forcer and cutter and the longitudinal knives 10 and intersecting
oblique or inclined knives 11 on the case, the meat being intercepted in its passage
through the machine at the junction of said knives and ribs on the case and
combined forcer and cutter so that it is cut off as fast as it is caught within the
angles of the same. In both the case and the combined forcer and cutter the
inclined or spiral ribs merge into the front or cutting edge of the longitudinal
knives. The longitudinal knives upon the case and those upon the combined
forcer and cutter are of a slightly different angle so as to form a shearing cut.
have found by use that a machine of this construction effectually, finely, and
rapidly cuts the meat without the employment of a perforated plate and knives
or other cutting mechanism in addition to the case and combined forcer and cutter.
I
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
1. The combination of the combined forcer and cutter of the case having the
inclined feeding ribs 11 and longitudinal knives 10 intersecting each other on the
front side of said longitudinal knives, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
2. The combination of a case having longitudinal knives and spiral ribs and
inclined feeding ribs, the combined forcer and cutter having the longitudinal
knives 14 and forcing ribs 15 on the front or cutting edge of said longitudinal
knives, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination of the case having the longitudinal knives 10, the feeding
ribs 11 extending to the front or cutting edge of said knife, and the combined
forcer and cutter having the longitudinal knives 14 and forcing ribs 15 merging
into the cutting edge of said longitudinal cutters, substantially as described and for
the purpose specified.
4. The combination of a case provided with feeding and cutting ribs, the
combined forcer and cutter working against said ribs and an annular discharge
between them at the delivery end of the case, substantially as described and for the
purpose specified.
5. The combination of the case having tapering portion, the combined forcer and
cutter fitted thereto, the crank shaft projecting from the large end of said
combined forcer and cutter, the cap 5 having a bearing for said crank shaft and
the hub e fitted to the large end of said case, the case and cap being provided
with engaging lugs for holding and forcing the parts together, and the dog 6 for
locking said cap in place, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
6. In a meat cutter, the combination of the case, the holding cap fitted thereto
and having serrations at the edge, the dog 6 and crank pin or excentric by

page_text: which it is secured to the case, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I the said Oliver Dwight Woodruff have hereunto set my
hand and seal this 2nd day of December in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and ninety.
OLIVER DWIGHT WOODRUFF.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.
OLIVER DWIGHT WOODRUFF.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.