Year: 1885

page_text: .
I, ROBERT MORTON of Belhaven Terrace Wishaw in the County of Lanark,
Tinsmith, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved apparatus for cutting almond tablet and other
confectionary cakes into slices. The improved apparatus comprises a stand or
framing upon which is fitted a reciprocating table arranged to carry the tablet or
other cakes and to traverse it under a revolving circular knife or cutter. The
reciprocating table is fitted to slide in horizontal guides in a direction at right
angles to its length its reciprocation being effected by means of cranks and
connecting rods from a rotating shaft which may be driven through gearing from
a hand crank, or by a belt and pulley. Upon the reciprocating table is fitted an
endless apron or band which serves to carry and feed forward the tablet or cake
towards the revolving cutter which is fitted in proximity to one end of the table.
The cutter is made in the form of a disc with a bevelled edge and it is carried on a
spindle fitted over the table and driven at a high speed by gearing from the hand
crank shaft. The edge of the disc may bear on a roller or against the edge of a
smaller disc fitted below so that the tablet or cake as it is traversed backwards
with the reciprocating table is led in between the discs which act as revolving
shears and cut off a slice from the cake at each traverse. On the forward traverse
of the table the band or apron carrying the cake is fed forward towards the cutter
by means of a ratchet and pawl on one of the rollers which carry the band, the
driving pawl being carried on a bracket piece having an inclined edge or being
otherwise fitted so that it acts automatically on the ratchet as the reciprocating
table completes its forward traverse. The intermittent movement communicated to
the carrying band is thus effected while the tablet or cake is forward clear of the
cutter which cuts off a fresh slice at each backward traverse of the table, the
thickness of the slice being regulated by the extent of feeding movement imparted
to the apron.
'

page_text: and other Confectionary Cakes.
I, ROBERT MORTON of Belhaven Terrace, Wishaw, in the County of Lanark,
Tinsmith, 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 improved apparatus for cutting almond tablet and other
confectionary cakes into slices and as seen in front elevation at fig. 1, in end
elevation at fig. 2, and in plan at fig. 3 of the annexed drawings the improved
apparatus comprises two frames or standards A, secured together by cross ties or
stays B, and carrying a reciprocating table C, arranged to support the tablet or
other cake and to traverse it under a revolving circular knife or cutter D, carried
on one end' of a shaft E supported in bearings in the upper parts of the standards
or frames A. The reciprocating table is composed of two side cheeks or frames
which are secured together by brackets F, passing under the table and resting upon
horizontal arms A¹ extending from the frames A and between the said side cheeks
an endless web or band a is carried on rollers supported in bearings at the ends of
the side cheeks. A traversing motion is communicated to the band a, so as to feed
the tablet or cake towards the circular knife or cutter D, by a ratchet and pawl
arrangement as hereinafter described. The brackets F are fitted to slide on the
arms A¹ cf the frame so as to reciprocate the table C, in a direction at right-angles
to its length, this movement being effected by means of cranks G, and connecting
rods or links H, the cranks being secured on a shaft I, extending across the back
of the machine and geared to a hand crank shaft J, by the spur gearing K, L, whilst
the forward ends of the connecting rods or links H, are connected to the rearward
parts of the brackets F, or other parts of the table C.
As seen more particularly by fig. 1 of the drawings the upper parts of the
arms A on which the table C reciprocates are formed with V shaped guides b, and
in the parts of the brackets F, bearing on the faces or sides of the said guides,
strips or pieces c, of brass, gun metal, or other soft metal are carried, these strips,
as the bearing surfaces become worn, being pinched up from time to time by set
screws or equivalent means so as always to have the bearing surfaces in close
contact and so prevent vibration of the table C, during its reciprocations.
The endless apron or band is caused to feed the tablet in a direction at right
angles to the motion of the table C, by a ratchet wheel d, secured on one end of the
axis of one of the carrying rollers of the band, a pawl e, carried in an eye or sleeve f,
formed on or secured to one of the side cheeks of the table. O, being geared with
the ratchet wheel d. The pawl which slides freely in the sleeve f, is caused to feed
the web or band and with it the cake or tablet in the direction of the revolving
knife or cutter D, at each forward reciprocation of the table C, that is to say,
immediately after a slice has been severed from the cake, by the end e¹, fig. 3, of
the pawl coming in contact with the inclined palm or surface g, which is carried by
a stud in a bearing h, fig. 2, made on or secured to one of the arms A1, of the

page_text: frame A. The amount of feed is regulated by the angularity of the surface g,
relatively with the end of the pawl and by the pitch of the ratchet wheel d, on
the axis of the travelling roller of the endless apron or band. After each feed of
the cake or tablet the pawl e, is returned or drawn back to a position to be again
acted upon by the surface g, by means of a plate or other spring i, one end of
which is secured to the table C, and the other end to the pawl, or other
equivalent means may be adopted for that purpose.
The circular revolving knife or cutter D, is made in the form of a disc with the
edge bevelled as indicated and it is secured to the shaft E, by means of the screw j,
and collars ♬, rotary motion being communicated from the hand crank shaft J, to
the shaft E, by the spur gearing M, N. The edge of the disc D, may bear on the
side of a metal strip k, extending across the adjacent end of the table C, clear of
the roller at that end carrying the endless apron or band or instead of the
stationary strip k, a roller or another smaller disc may be substituted for the
disc D, to bear against. By means of the gearing M, N, the cutting disc D, is
rotated at a high speed and at each backward reciprocation of the table C, it severs
or cute from the tablet or cake a strip of a breadth equal to the pitch of the
ratchet wheel d, the said strip falling down the incline m, on to a receiving table or
it may full on to a travelling apron or band by which it is conducted away from
the machine or on or into any other suitable receiver..
In lieu of driving the apparatus by hand it may be driven by power and to
steady the action of the apparatus a fly wheel O, is or may be provided the said
wheel being carried on a shaft P, and having rotary motion communicated to it by
a spur pinion on the said shaft geared with the wheel L
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. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved.
apparatus for slicing or cutting almond tablet and other confectionary cakes,
substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings annexed.
2. In apparatus for the purposes set forth the arrangement and combination of
a rotating cutting knife or disc and a reciprocating table having a feeding apron or
band travelling at right angles to the direction of motion of the table the said
apparatus operating substantially as described with reference to the appended
drawings.
Dated thin sinth dan T... 1000
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Agents.