Year: 1896

page_text: 1, ALFRED SAUNDERS, of 48, Elder Street, London Road, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Grocer and Provision Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for cutting or dividing cheese or pieces of
cheese to the best possible advantage without waste or breakage and with a less:
expenditure of time and labour than hitherto.
In carrying out my invention I advantageously employ in combination with a
counter or platform two knives and five wires of different shapes and sizes adapted'
for different kinds and sizes of cheese or pieces of cheese to be divided, the said
wires having combined with them mechanical devices for operating them.
The two knives are intended for dividing cheese which cannot be conveniently
divided by a wire and are made of different sizes the larger being designed for
cutting whole cheeses, such as goudas, Derby goudas or Derby shapes into halves
and the smaller for cutting wedge shaped pieces out of cheeses of the above.
mentioned class without the necessity for dividing the same. These knives are
connected to slides moving in guides and are designed when not required for use to
be moved down below the top of the counter or platform. The larger knife is
attached to the slide carrying it. at both ends whilst the smaller knife, which is
preferably of a pointed shape, is only attached to its slide at one end. The
portions of the platform adjacent to the slots through which the knives pass are
made removable and are preferably provided with ribs to allow the cheese in the
process of cutting to slightly open in order to give freedom of movement to the
knives and to ensure clean cutting without breakage or waste.
Springs may be 'arranged in connection with the slides carrying the knives in
order to assist in lifting the same and catches or other suitable means are provided
for holding the knives down beneath the table when not in use.
The wires are arranged to pass up through slots in the platform to form arch
shaped loops beneath which the cheese to be cut is placed. The several wires are
of different lengths to form loops of different sizes suitable for cutting pieces of
cheese of varying size, the small loop serving for cutting small pieces and the
larger loops for cutting larger pieces, whereby the sharp or keen bending of the
wires which would take place if a large loop were used for cutting a small piece of
cheese is obviated. The sides of the slots through which the wires pass are made
movable. The wires are each counected at one end to the underside of the
platform and at the other end. to a sliding block or piece moving in guides each
block being provided with a handle for operating it. In some cases the wire is
assisted. in rising by means of a piece of narrow band steel connected to the
operating slide and sometimes, where great, power is required, the wire can be
worked by a pair of pinion wheels in connection with plain band wheels over which
steel bands connected to the cutting wire pass.
Although in the foregoing description I have described my apparatus as provided
with two knives and five wires it is to be understood that I may construct an

page_text: apparatus having only one knife or wire, or two, three or more selected according
to requirement..
Dated the 29th day of September 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Cheese Cutting Apparatus.
I, ALFRED SAUNDERS, of 48, Elder Street, London Road, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Grocer and Provision Merchant, 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 :-
This invention relates to apparatus for cutting or dividing cheese or pieces of
cheese to the best possible advantage without waste or breakage and with a less
expenditure of time and labour than hitherto.
In carrying out my invention I advantageously employ in combination with a
counter or platform knives and wires of different shapes and sizes adapted for
different kinds and sizes of cheese or pieces of cheese to be divided, the said wires
having combined with them mechanical devices for operating them.
The knives are intended for dividing cheese which cannot be conveniently
divided by a wire to produce a clean surface and are made of different sizes the
larger being designed for cutting whole cheeses, such as goudas, Derby goudas or
Derby shapes into halves and the smaller for cutting wedge shaped pieces out of
cheeses of the above mentioned class without the necessity for dividing the same.
These knives are connected to slides moving in guides aud are designed when not
required for use to be moved down below the top of the counter or platform. The
larger knife is attached to the slide carrying it at both ends whilst the smaller
knife, which is preferably of a pointed shape, is only attached to its slide at one
end. The portions of the platform adjacent to the slots through which the knives
pass are made movable. Springs may be arranged in connection with the slides
carrying the knives in order to assist in lifting the same.
The wires are arranged to pass up through slots in the platform to form arch
shaped loops beneath which the cheese to be cut is placed. The several wires are
of different lengths to form loops of different sizes suitable for cutting pieces of
cheese of varying size, the small loop serving for cutting small pieces and the
larger loops for cutting larger pieces, whereby the sharp or keen bending of the
wires which would take place if a large loop were used for cutting a small piece of,
cheese is obviated. The sides. of the slots through which the wires pass are made
removable. The wires are each held at one end underneath the platform and at
the other end fixed to a sliding block or piece moving in guides each block being
provided with a handle for operating it. Where great power is required the wire
can be worked by a pair of pinion wheels in connection with plain band wheels
over which steel bands connected to the cutting wire pass.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which;-..
Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus provided with one knife and three
wires arranged according to my invention:
Figure 2 is a plan of the same:
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Figure 2.illustrating the arrangement of a
knife in accordance with my invention; and,

page_text: position:
Figures 5 and 6 are a front view and a side view respectively of a modified form
of knife; and,
Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 Figure 2 but drawn to a larger scale:
Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 Figure 2 shewing the arrangement of a
cutting wire:
Figures and 10 are respectively a side view and a front view drawn to a
larger scale than Figure 8 of a device for holding one end of the cutting wire;
and,
Figures 11 and 12 are respectively a front view and a side view of the operating
bandle attached to the other end of the said wire and also drawn to an enlarged
scale:
Figure 13 is a section on the line 13-13 Figure 2 showing a modified arrange-
ment of parts for operating a cutting wire; and
Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 13 shewing the parts in a different
position:
Figures 15 and 16 are respectively a side view and a front view illustrating a
detail of the apparatus shewn in Figure 13 but drawn to a larger scale..
Figure 17 is a section on the line 17-17 Figure 2 illustrating another modified
arrangement for operating the cutting wire; and,
Figures 18 and 19 are views of details of the same drawn to a larger scale and
bereinafter described:
Figure 20 is a section on the line 20-20 Figure 2 drawn to a larger scale:
Figure 21 is a sectional plan of the whole apparatus with the exception of
certain parts of the top or platform which are removed in order to reveal the paris
beneath them.
a is the frame of the apparatus and b is the table or platform of the same which
is advantageously carried within the flanges of a metal rim e secared to the sides.
of the frame a. d is the cutting knife and e, f, y are the three cutting wires.
The knife d is at one end pivoted to and carried by a bar d' sliding between
two guides d² fixed to the frame a and to the rim c around the top of the same,
the said bar d' at the opposite end to that carrying the knife being provided with
an operating handle d³. The opposite end of the knife d is connected to one end
of a link-bar d', the other end of which is connected to the free end of a radius:
arm d³ pivoted to the frame at d. d', d' are brackets fixed on the frame a and
having inclines or cam surfaces d³, 8 upon them.
dis a lever at the fulcrum of which are rollers do, do designed to run upon the
inclines d, the said lever d' at one end having a roller d" adapted to move in a
slot d in the radius arm d whilst the other end carries a pulley d over which a
cord d passes, the said cord at one end being secured to the frame a and at the
other end to the operating slide or handle d, by the adjustable wire d. d is a
spring fixed at one end to the slide d and at its free end hooking around the rod dº
and serving when the slide is lifted to draw the said rod more or less inwards to
take up any slack in the cord d to prevent the latter from running off the
roller d
dis, ds are radius bars between the brackets d' and the lever do, and d¹ is a
spring arm pivoted to the brackets d' aud at its free end carrying a roller which
bears in a groove in the underside of the lever d the spring in connection with the
said arm d being of such strength that when the handle or slide d is raised from
the position shewn in Figure 3 to that shewn in Figure 4 the lever d, and also the
radius bar d to which one end of the knife is connected by the link d' will be
lifted, the parts taking the position shewn in Figure 4.
The knife being in the position shewn in Figure 4 the downward movement of
the same is effected by pressing down the slide d which is directly connected with
one end of the knife; the other end of the knife is positively moved down by the
pull exerted on the radius arin d by the lever do which lever it will be obvious

page_text: moves down under the pull exerted by the cord d owing to the rollers moving
down the inclines ds and the radius links d controlling the movement of the outer
end of the said lever d.
As hereinbefore stated for some kinds of cheese it is not necessary to use a
double ended knife; when I use a single ended knife advantageously make it of
the shape shewn in Figures 5 and 6, the said knife being directly attached to the
bar d².
d, d are movable strips at the two sides of the slot in the platform through
which the knife d passes, the said strips being arranged in conjunction with
springs, which normally press the said strips towards one another so that
when the knife is out of the slot they close together whilst when the knife is
moved down between them they will separate. These strips d", d serve as ribs,
which support the cheese slightly above the main table so that in the process of
cutting the two parts of the cheese will tend to slightly open or separate in order
to give freedom of movement to the knife and in order to ensure clean cutting
without breakage or waste.
The means which I may employ for holding and operating the cutting wire are
numerous, in the drawing I have shewn the three wires e, f, g as being arranged in
conjunction with different operating and holding mechanisms but it is to be
understood that these arrangements are only given as examples.
The arrangement for holding and operating the wire e is shewn in Figures 8 to 12.
In these figures e' is a slide to which one end of the wire e is fixed, and e' is a
clip or clamp to which the other end of the wire is fixed, the slide el working
between guides e³, e fixed to the frame a and the clipe being fixed to a cross
bare of the frame a the top of which bar beneath the platform b is arch shaped
so that when the wire is pulled down, as indicated in the full lines in Figure 8, it
will lie upon the top of the same. The means for holding the end of the wire e
in the slide e' wil be clearly understood by reference to Figure 12 wherein it will
be noticed that the slide el has a recess e' formed in it and the operating handle e
of the said slide is pivoted thereto at ' and provided with a horn e" which enters the
recess ein such a manner that when the end of the wire e is placed opposite to
the said recess e and the handle e is pressed down the said wire will be forcibly
clamped into the said recess between the walls of the same and the horn 8. A
spring catch e pivoted to the lower end of the slide e engages with the lower part
of the handle e and holds it securely alter the wire has been clipped. The clip e²
for the other end of the wire, which is shewn in Figures 9 and 10, comprises two
members e, ell, the relative arrangement of which is such that, when the end of
the wire e is inserted into a hole in the part ell and the part e10 has the wire beneath
it, any strain upon the wire will tend to draw the two parts of the clip together in
such a manner as to grip the wire more tightly.
In order that the clip e2 may follow the position of the wire during the cutting
operation so as to avoid the frequent bending of the same at the point of connection
with the said clip, the latter is not rigidly attached to the bar but is pivoted
thereto, a spring e tending to move the said clip towards the wire e in order to
maintain the wire in an erect position when raised for cutting.
In order that the wire e may normally lie beneath the platform and be raised
when required for use I provide a spring for lifting the wire and a catch for
holding down the wire against the pull of the said spring. This spring is
advantageously arranged in a spring drum e placed in a recess in the bar and
having coiled outside it a steel band e" one end of which is attached to the slide e',
as shewn in Figure 12, in such a manner that when the said handle e' is moved to
its lowermost position the said band " is unwound from the drum el whilst the
spring within the same is coiled, and that as the spring re-acts the said band e¹
will be again wound on to the drum and lift the wire.
el is the catch which holds down the slide e' against the pull of the said spring
the said catch being engaged by a tooth e, Figure 12, formed at the lower part of

page_text: the slide e. This catch e is mounted upon a rod e" arranged parallel with the
guides e, e and supported at its lower end. in the connecting piece between the
two guides and at its upper end beneath the rim of the frame. Near its upper
end this rod is provided with a finger levere designed to rotate the rode
sufficiently to disengage the catch els from the tooth e against the pressure of a
spring coiled around the lower end of the said rod and serving to hold the said
catch in engagement with the tooth e. The lifting of the wire when the
catches is disengaged from the slide el is further assisted by springs e, e fixed
upon the top of the arched portion of the bar e and which are compressed when
the wire is pulled down on the said arch.
In order to prevent the wire e from buckling or bending as it is raised by the
spring I pass it down through a series of rings e, e adapted to slide on the
rode and connected to a chain, the said ring with the chain being lifted by and
lying upon the slide as the latter rises.
The wire f the arrangement for holding and operating which is illustrated in
Figures 13 to 16, differs from that herein before described in that, instead of being
fixed at one end to the framing it is fixed to a movable lever so as to allow of a
relatively long wire being used for cutting large pieces of cheese without
necessitating an unnecessarily long movement of the operating-slide. In these
figures is the slide which operates in the same manner as the slide e' described in
the last arrangement, the said slide f¹ having one end of the wire fattached to it.
The wire, however, instead of being attached in the manner illustrated in Figure 12
is attached by means of a clip 12 of the same construction as the clip e² shewn in
Figures 9 and 10, the said clip being pivoted to the slide f¹. The other end of the
wire is connected by means of a clip f³ similar to the clip 2 to the free end of a
lever pivoted at 7 to brackets on the frame a. ' is a lever, one end of
which is connected to the lever whilst near the other end are rollers f8, f8
designed to run on inclines f, f on the brackets fin such a manner that when
the free end of the lever is moved down, the free end of the lever to which
the wire is attached, will also be moved down; Figure 13 sbewing the position
of the lever when so moved, and Figure 14 the position of the lever before the
movement commenced. 10 is a spring arm which carries at its free end a roller
acting against the underside of the lever and serving to lift the parts, the said
spring arm being depressed to coil its spring when the lever is moved
down.
As the length of wire taken up by the movement of the arm is considerably
less than that taker up by the movement of the slide f', it is necessary to provide
means for permitting of a certain amount of movement of the said slide before
the arm is moved and to arrange that movement shall be imparted to the said
arm fat such a point of the movement of the slide, that by the time the latter has
been moved to the bottom of its guides, the arm is also moved to its lowest
position. For this purpose I advantageously provide the following arrangement
To the bifurcated free end of the lever I attach two wires or bars " upon which
slides the axle of a sheave or pulley, to a strap surrounding which is
connected a rod". This rod is guided in a cross-bar" which connects the
lower ends of the rods f", ". Surrounding the rod f" is a spring, the upper
end of which spring is attached to the connecting bar whilst the lower end
thereof is attached to the lower end of the rod f, as shewn in Figure 13 so that
the normal tendency of the said spring will be to lift the axle together with the
sheave upon the guide rods ff. To the slide is attached one end of a cord
or gut string which extends over the sheave thence down and below another
sheave, carried at the lower ends of the guides in which the slide f' works, and
thence upwards to the lower end of the rod is to which it is united so that the said
cord and the rod f15 are a continuation one of the other. If now the slide f¹ is
moved downwards in its guides, it will be obvious that whilst on the one hand the
wire is being pulled down at one end, the, pulley will also be moved downwards,
the spring at the same time being placed more or less in tension so that no

page_text: "movement will be imparted to the lever f'. When, however, a stop upon the
rod (which in this case is the extremity of the strap f") comes into contact
with the connecting bar f1, the rods are pulled down to operate the lever f
and the lever f to puli down the opposite end of the wire.
It will be obvious that the distance which the rod f1 will move before
movement is imparted to the lever f' must be such that the remaining part of
the movement of the slide f¹ is sufficient to move the lever to its lowest position
but not more than sufficient, as otherwise the downward movement of the slide f¹
would be stopped before the wire was drawn completely through the slot in the
table b. The slide has arranged in conjunction with it a catch f, a thumb
lever, and a chain with rings 22, 22 which operate in the same manner as the
corresponding parts described with reference to Figures 8 to 12.
The wire g which is designed for cutting whole cheeses is arranged and operates
in a manner which will be readily understood by reference to Figures 17, 18 19
and 21 of the drawings. The wire in this case instead of being attached to rods or
levers is attached to steel bands g', g' which bands are made of spring steel the normal
tendency of which is to remain straight. The said bands are adapted to be wound
on a drum g2 from which, owing to their tendency to occupy a straight position,
they will constantly tend to unwind themselves, whereby when a suitable catch in
connection with the said drum g is released the bands will automatically uncoil
from the drum to raise the wire ready for use.
g³, g³ are rollers around which the said bands pass from above the platform to the
drum and 9, 9 are small rollers which prevent the reaction of the bands, after
coiling, from taking place without rotating the wheel g, that is to say, the said,
rollers g', g' serve for preventing the spring bands from uncoiling in an improper
-direction..
95 is a metal bridge piece arranged beneath the platforms and having at its ends
openings 9, 9 through which the bands g¹ pass in which openings rollers 9° are
placed to guide the bands in their upward movement. The said bridge piece is also
provided as shewn with a series of pins 97, 9' upon which the wire g will lie when
the bands g', gl are coiled up as will be clearly understood by reference to Figure 17
of the drawings. The wire g may be connected to the ends of the bands in any
suitable manner. In the drawings Figures 18 and 19 illustrate a very suitable
method of connection. In these figures, which are respectively face and edge views of
one end of one band drawn to a larger scale than Figure 17, it will be noticed that
the end of the band is bent over and riveted to form a loop which is provided with
a longitudinal slot 98. Into this loop is placed a folded piece of metal g³ having
holes at go, gl, and g and this folded piece of metal having the wire passed
through the said holes is placed in the loop of the band by passing it through the
slot go to one side of the loop it being then returned into proper position within the
¡loop.
gs is a bevel wheel fixed to or formed integral with the drum 92 and 914 is a
pinion engaging with the wheel 913 and adapted to be operated through the medium
of a shaft go by a handle ole on the outer end thereof, this gearing serving for
winding down the band with considerable power in order to cut a cheese. g is a
ratchet wheel fixed on the shaft gl and having in engagement with it a pawl gl,
clearly shewn in Figure 1, which can be released by the pressure of the finger in
order to allow the re-action of the bands to cause their uncoiling and the consequent
moving up of the wire g ready for use.
In all the foregoing arrangements it will be noticed that the bridge piece g³ upon
which the wire g lies when pulled down is provided at the centre with a hole or
recess, as shewn at h in Figures 8, 13, 14, 17 and 21. These hollows or recesses
are for the purpose of preventing small pieces of cheese which may be drawn
through the slots from accumulating adjacent to the wire.
In order to afford ready access to the wires the portions of the table adjacent to
the sides of the slots are made removable as will be understood by reference

page_text: to Figure 2 in which i, i indicate the movable pieces; these movable pieces are at
their edges preferably faced with metal as indicated at j, j Figure 20.
Although I have shewn and described an apparatus having one knife and three
wires it is to be understood that I may construct an apparatus having any other-
number of knives or wires or having one or more knives or one or more wires only
according to the requirements of retailers and others.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A cheese cutting apparatus wherein a knife or wire is connected to slides or
other devices and designed when not required for use to be pulled below the top of
the counter or platform in connection with which it is arranged, substantially as..
described.
2. In an apparatus for cutting cheese, the combination of a knife carried by a.
slide and adapted to move through a slot in the table or platform of the apparatus,.
the sides of which slot are designed to move towards each other when the knife is.
not between them, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for cutting cheese, the combination of a cutting wire adapted to.
work through a slot in a table or platform, the said wire being permanently
secured at one end and at the other end attached to a slide moving in suitable
guides, substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for cutting cheese, a wire designed to pass through a slot in a
table or platform the said wire at one end being attached to a slide and at the other
end to a movable arm or lever so that the said wire is operated from both ends,.
substantially as described.
5. In apparatus for cutting cheese the combination of a cutting wire attached to.
straight steel bands adapted to be coiled upon a drum and to be operated through.
suitable gearing, substantially as described.
the good den of March 1907
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant..