vegetables, and other materials.
Year: 1886

page_text: vegetables, and other materials.
I, HENRY EMANUEL RUSSELL, Managing Director and Secretary of the Russell
& Erwin, Manufacturing Company, of New Britain, Connecticut, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of my 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 apparatus or machines for cutting up or mincing meat,
fish, vegetables or other substances or materials and is designed to provide a
machine for this purpose which will be simple in construction, and effective in
operation.
The working parts are so constructed and arranged that the entire machine
made according to my invention is exceedingly small and compact, the amount of
work which it is capable of performing within a given time being much greater
than that of any other apparatus of the same dimensions with which I am
acquainted.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a plan shewing the interior of the machine the cover being thrown
back upon its hinges or joints.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine the cover being in its closed
position.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line x x Figure 2 shewing the form of the
rotary knives and of the stationary knives or blocks.
Figure 4 is a section on the line x x figure 1 showing the curved formation of
the upper part of the stationary knives.
Like letters indicate the same parts in all the figures.
a is the lower part of the cylinder or case within which the working parts are
enclosed and a¹ is the upper part thereof, this latter part forming the lid or cover;
bb are the legs or supports, and c c are apertures in the same for the reception of
screws to secure the machine to a block or table; d is the feeding hopper; e is the
spout or delivery nozzle; fis the crank handle; g is a link for connecting the two
parts a and al of the case; h is the spindle or shaft, i ¹ are the bearings in the
ends of the case a a¹ within which the spindle rests; k represents the rotating
knives fitted to the spindle h, and 7 represents the washers keeping the said knives

page_text: at the required distance apart; m is a spiral propeller forming part of the shaft h;
n represents the stationary knives or blocks against which the rotating knives k
work to effect the cutting or mincing operation; o o¹ are spiral ribs formed on the
interior face of the case a a'; p is a rib formed upon a projecting part of the
cover a¹ and q is a corresponding recess in the stationary knives or blocks n ;
are lugs on the case a a¹ and 8 8¹are screws connecting the same. t is a recess
formed in the case a in which the blocks n are partly supported.
The two parts a a¹ of the case or cylinder are united by means of lugs and
screws as shewn in the drawing to enable the cover a¹ to be readily lifted and
thrown back so that access may be obtained to the knives and other internal parts
for cleaning or other purposes, as is usual and necessary in this class of machine.
The configuration of each of the rotating knives k is such that there are in each
one, two curved edges u and two straight parallel edges u¹ as is clearly shewn in
Figure 3, the curved edges u being sharp, and the straight edges u¹ being
unsharpened or blunt. The said knives are arranged upon the spindle h at different
angles, that is to say, some are placed at angles different to some of the others as
seen in Figure 3 so that ample space is thus provided between the same for per-
mitting and facilitating the forward travel of the meat or other material as it is
being cut or minced notwithstanding the fact that the said knives are placed very
closely together. The result of this construction and arrangement is that a machine
of exceedingly small dimensions is capable of effecting a much larger amount of
work than is the case with other machines of similar size. The cutting or mincing
is effected by the rotating motion of the knives k against the edges of the stationary
knives or blocks n between which the knives k pass as the spindle is rotated.
Each of the blocks n consists of a distinct or separate piece, but all of the pieces
(forming together the set or series required for one machine) are placed loosely on
a spindle which passes through an aperture in each block, and they can thus be
moved about upon the spindle for the purpose of cleaning. The entire set of
blocks n so united is fitted into a recess t which assists in supporting them in the
proper position in the machine, the lower part of the said stationary knives or
blocks being supported on the floor of the cylinder or case a and their inner edges
resting against the washers . The blocks n extend to about the centre of the
cylinder. When the cover a¹ is in its closed position, the rib p lies in the recess q
and aids in holding the blocks n which do not require to be secured by screws or
other appliances, and may therefore be lifted bodily out of the case or cylinder by
hand when the cover a¹ is lifted and the spindle h is removed. The stationary
knives or blocks n are made with an upper curved surface n* as shewn in Figures
and 4, and it is an important feature of my invention that the centre of the upper
curved surface or edge n* of each of the blocks after the first one (that is to say
the one nearest to the propeller m) is lower than the one preceding it, a gradual
incline being thus provided towards the spout or delivery nozzle e as shewn in
Figure 4. The object of this arrangement is to provide increased space for the
meat or other material as it approaches the delivery end and thus prevent any
tendency to choke, however fast the machine may be operated. The inner edge of
the spout is slightly lower than the block n immediately preceding it and thus
itself forms a block by means of which the rotary knife k at that point is
enabled to finally cut the meat or other material as it is about to enter the
delivery spout.
The internal periphery of both the upper and lower parts of the cylinder a a¹ is
formed with ribs o o¹ in spiral form up to the point where the first of the knives k
is situated, spiral paths or channels being thus formed for facilitating the passage
of the meat as it is being propelled towards the knives.
The hopper d is situated above the propeller m as shewn, so that the meat fed
into the machine drops immediately upon the propeller and is at once carried
forward. The spindle and propeller are preferably cast in one piece and the rotary
knives are kept at the required distance apart upon the spindle by means of the
washers as shewn in Figure 1.

page_text: The meat or other substance to be minced, having been placed within the hopper,
falls upon the propeller and the handle being then rotated the meat is caused to
travel in the direction of the knives along the channels formed by the ribs. Upon
reaching the first knife it is subjected to a preliminary cutting operation and is
then forced forward being successively operated upon by the other knives until
having reached the spout or discharge orifice (by which time it has become
thoroughly minced) it leaves the machine.
I am aware that mincing machines in which knives, arranged upon a spindle
which has a spiral propeller at the other end, are caused to rotate between
stationary knives or blocks are not new and I therefore do not claim such an
arrangement broadly or irrespective of my own improvements as herein described
and illustrated.
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 :-
First. In a mincing machine or apparatus, the combination of a series of rotary
knives with a corresponding series of stationary but removable knives or blocks
curved on their upper surface or edge as described, and seated loosely in the case,
the centre of the said curved surface of each successive block being lower than that
of the preceding one as above set forth.
Second. The combination of a series of rotary knives or cutters formed and
arranged as above described and as shewn in the drawing, mounted on a shaft
and separated by washers, with a series of stationary but removable blocks or
knives partially resting in, and extending from, a recess in one side of the case to
the said washers and bearing against the same, as above described.
Third. In a mincing machine, a series of removable blocks or knives with curved
upper surfaces and so formed and relatively arranged that the centre of each
successive block, in the direction of the discharge end of the machine, is lower than
the preceding one, as and for the purpose above described.
Fourth. In a mincing machine, the employment of rotating knives formed with
two curved sharp edges and two plain straight parallel edges and arranged at
different angles upon the shaft, as and for the purpose above described.
Fifth. A mincing machine constructed, combined, and arranged as above set
forth and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 16th day of September 1886