Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting Cheese and like Substances.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting Cheese and like Substances.
I, ALVERDO BALL, of Hillsgrove, Rhode Island, United States of America,
Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in apparatus
for cutting cheese and such like substances, and it has for its object the provision
of means whereby the substances can be quickly cut and, further, pieces of desired
weight can be approximately estimated and cut.
The apparatus comprises a suitable frame or base having a disc or table cen-
trally pivoted thereon and capable of turning.
The frame has an upwardly extending standard formed with a vertical guide
for a rack-bar, which is capable of being reciprocated by a pinion and winch-
handle. An arm extends from the rack and carries a knife blade which extends
radially to a support in the centre of the table. A suitable guide is attached to
the arm; the knife being capable of lateral movement therein.
The substance to be cut is placed upon the table and brought under the knife
which, being depressed, cuts off any desired quantity. A scale may be inscribed
or engraved upon the table to enable cheeses of customary and known sizes to
be placed thereon in suitable position for the knife to cut off pieces of proper size
with respect to the required weight.
Dated this 4th day of January 1898.
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting Cheese and like Substances.
I, ALVERDO BALL, of Hillsgrove, Rhode Island, United States of America,
Inventor, 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 certain new and useful improvements in apparatus for
cutting cheese and like substances. The object of the invention is to provide
means whereby substances may be quickly cut in pieces of approximately the
correct weight required.
Reference being had to the drawings hereunto attached, and the figures and
letters of reference marked thereon; like lettters referring to similar parts
throughout all the views;

page_text: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus;
Fig. 2 is a plan thereof;
Fig. 3 is a detail view of the cutting mechanism;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of some of the parts hereinafter referred to. Figs. 5,
6, 7, and 8 are detail views of some of the parts.
The apparatus comprises a suitably shaped base A, capable of being secured
to a counter or the like by screws passed through apertures B.
Guides C extend upwardly from the base A, and are connected near their
upper ends by a bar 1, and retain the slidable rack bar E between them. An
arm projects from one of the guides C and supports the tooth-wheel G mounted
on the pin H, and having a handle L; the teeth on the wheel being arranged
to mesh. with the teeth of the rack bar E.
An arm J projects from the rack bar E and carries the curved arm K formed
with a longitudinal slot L. The arm J also carries the crosshead M, at its
extremity, to which the plate N is attached by a screw or the like O; the other
end of the plate N being provided with a lug P fitted with a pin Q having a
head R on its lower end, and is retained in place by the collar and pin q.
knife S rests adjacent to the plate N and has a shank T, partly of round section,
but having a flat portion t; the round part being passed through the slot L of
the curved arm K, and fitted with a winch-handle U. The opposite end of the
knife is supported by a pin s projecting therefrom and passing through an aper-
ture in the head R. The knife is kept normally in a vertical position by means
of a, lug thereon, which rests behind the plate N, and an upwardly spring
pressed bolt W, fitted to reciprocate, vertically, in a projecting lug X on the
lower part of the cross-head M, and having its head rounded and resting against.
the side of the shank topposite to that upon which is the lug V.
A circular table Y is suitably and centrally pivoted to the base A, as shewn in
Fig. 4, and is provided with handles Z whereby it can be conveniently rotated.
The cheese or like substance to be cut is placed upon the table Y which is then
turned to the required position. The rack bar E, arms J, K, plate N, and
knife S are then raised by rotation in one direction of the wheel G, and depressed
to cut the cheese, by rotation in the reverse direction; the rotation being limited
by lugs G on the wheel, coming into contact with the lug on one of the
guides C. When the substance has been cut partially through vertically, it may
be cut horizontally by turning the knife into a horizontal position by means of
the handle U; the rounded head of the spring-pressed bolt allowing the edge of
the shank to slip over and depress it as shewn in Fig. 8 and, when rising, it
will press against the side of the knife and tend to move it into a horizontal
position (Fig. 7). The partial rotation of the knife around the pins, disengages
the lug from behind the plate N as shewn clearly in Figs. 7 and 8.
knife may then be moved in a horizontal direction, with the pin Q as its pivot,
guided by the slot L in the arm K.
The
Scale lines Y¹ may be inscribed on the table Y to enable the operator to cut
off more accurately, pieces of the required weight, from substances of which the
approximate weight, in bulk, is known; the piece of cheese or the like being
first placed against the plate N and the table being then revolved until the knife.
is over the required mark on the scale.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
(1) An apparatus for cutting cheese and like substances, consisting of a base
adapted for attachment to a counter or the like; vertical guides projecting
upwardly from the base; a rack bar reciprocable in the guides, an arm project-
ing from one of the guides, and supporting a tooth-wheel adapted to mesh with
the teeth of the aforesaid rack bar; and an arm projecting from the rack bar;

page_text: a plate carried by said arm and provided with a lug and pivot pin at its outer
end; a knife revolubly connected to said pivot più, and having its other end
formed with a shank passed through a longitudinal slot in a curved arm, sup-
ported by the arm aforesaid, and fitted with means for rotating it; means such
as the aforedescribed spring-pressed bolt and lug on the knife, for retaining the
latter in either a vertical or horizontal position; and a table revoluble on the
base, and provided with means for rotating it; all substantially as and for the
purposes herein before set forth and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
(2) In the apparatus herein before described, the table inscribed with a scale,
substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth and illustrated in the
drawings hereunto annxed.