CA2017199A1 - Hydraulic cutting system - Google Patents
Hydraulic cutting systemInfo
- Publication number
- CA2017199A1 CA2017199A1 CA 2017199 CA2017199A CA2017199A1 CA 2017199 A1 CA2017199 A1 CA 2017199A1 CA 2017199 CA2017199 CA 2017199 CA 2017199 A CA2017199 A CA 2017199A CA 2017199 A1 CA2017199 A1 CA 2017199A1
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- blades
- tiers
- opening
- articles
- cutting device
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
A high-speed hydraulic cutting system is pro-vided for cutting articles. The articles are accelerated in a liquid medium and passed through a blade assembly.
Articles to be cut may include, for example, tubers such as potatoes and carrots, and non-food items such as certain plastics. The blade assembly includes inter-leaved tiers of blades. A first group of tiers is comprised of pairs of parallel blades. The final two tiers are single, centered blades.
A high-speed hydraulic cutting system is pro-vided for cutting articles. The articles are accelerated in a liquid medium and passed through a blade assembly.
Articles to be cut may include, for example, tubers such as potatoes and carrots, and non-food items such as certain plastics. The blade assembly includes inter-leaved tiers of blades. A first group of tiers is comprised of pairs of parallel blades. The final two tiers are single, centered blades.
Description
2 Q ~
-HYDRAULIC CUTTING SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field: The present invention is directed toward high-speed hydraulic cutting system.
State of the Art: Hydraulic cutting systems are known in which potatoes, carrots, and other tubers are cut at high speeds by being accelerated within a flowing liquid medium and then passed through a blade assembly.
Typically the tubers are accelerated by water flowing through a tubular structure and then sliced by a set of fixed blades into elongate portions having rectangular or square cross-sections.
For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,109,468, issued to Lamb in 1963, discloses a food pump that accelerates a food product, typically potatoes, in a tubular accelerator through crisscrossing tiers of blades having internal cutting edges to produce french fry potato strips. Each -~
tier of blades is interleaved with and perpendicular to its respective adjacent tiers. This patent discloses a blade assembly in which the first and second tiers of blades shear off the outside slabs of the potato. The -third and fourth crisscrossing tiers are comprised of pairs of parallel blades spaced away from each other equidistant from a center line. The final tier is a single centered blade. In the Lamb patent, 12 french ~;
fries are thus produced.
U.S. Patent No. 4,082,024, issued to Hodges et ~ ---al. in 1978, discloses a cutting assembly of several crisscrossing and interleaved tiers of blades having internal cutting edges. The first blade to contact the potato is a single centered blade. The second tier is -~
also a single centered blade. Successive tiers of criss~
35 crossing pairs of parallel blades are then outwardly ;~
nested to shear off slabs of the potato increasingly in a direction away from the center of the potato.
U.S. Patent No. 4,275,086 issued to Brown et al.
in 1981 discloses a cutting assembly that, like Lamb, has inwardly nested blades. In ~rown et al., the final two ' ' ;" ' ' ` Y'~' ;, ~' ;, -,'.';
~7~
tiers are pairs of parallel blades offset from each other and equidistant from a center line to produce a single centered strip of food product. U.S. Patent No. 4,372,184 issued to Fisher et al. in 1983 discloses a cutting assem-bly that has a round outer blade to shear off an outershell of the potato and to produce a cylindrical inner core, which is then cut by two crisscrossing tiers of blades. Each of these tiers are comprised of two parallel blades spaced from each other equidistant from a center - -~
line. This arrangement also produces a center core section of food product having a square cross-section.
A desirable object of such high-speed hydraulic cutting devices, particularly when used to cut potatoes, carrots, or other tubers, is to produce a cut product at a high rate of speed while avoiding shattering, crumbling, or otherwise causing damage to the product. Yet it is common in such high-speed cutters to have relatively low recovery rates; in other words, the percentage of useful ;
product produced is low. For example, when such cutters 20 are used with potatoes, it is not uncommon to find use- ~ -ful product recovery rates (yields) as low as 75 percent.
Such cutting assemblies are not designed to be used with carrots. When carrots are passed through potato cutting assemblies, recovery rates can drop to as low as 50 or 60 25 percent. Therefore, large amounts of the cut product are ~
either completely unusable or less desirable for the in- -tended use as french fries, shoestring potatoes, or strip ~ ~
cut carrots. Consumers seeking a high quality product may `
not wish to purchase products if they contain high numbers of shattered or irregular product.
In addition, when a tuber or other product shatters in the blade assembly, it is not uncommon for the assembly to clog up, thereby shutting down production.
Such plugging up of the cutting assembly can create enormously expensive down time.
Therefore, there remains a need for a high-2 Q ~ 3 speed hydraulic cutting assembly that eliminates theshattering or fracturing of cut product, thereby in-creasing recovery rate of the desired product while decreasing or eliminating down time in the cutting process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A hydraulic cutting device of the invention includes a hydraulic product accelerator and a cutting assembly. A cutting assembly of the invention includes a housing which is mounted with respect to the product -~
accelerator and has an opening sized, configured and positioned to receive items to be cut from said hydraulic ;
product accelerator. A first plurality of tiers of blades -~
are mounted to the housing and are inwardly nested in a flow direction away from the opening. Each tier has blades which are interleaved in crisscross fashion with the blades of any adjacent tiers. The final blades are centered blades. The cutting edges of the blades face the opening.
It has been found that blade assemblies of the invention provide a high recovery rate (yield) in potatoes and carrots. When used with potatoes, blade assemblies of ~ ;
the invention significantly increase this recovery rate.
When used with carrots, cutting assemblies of the inven~
tion have produced recovery rates as high as 95 to 98 percent.
~ Cutting assemblies of the invention terminate in crisscrossing centered blades, which significantly adds to the efficiency and recovery rate of the cutting assembly.
After the outer layers have been sliced off, the center blades split the core of the article. A release of com~
pression on the core of the article thus takes place as the article passes through the blade assembly. This -~-release of pressure allows the article to pass through the . - ,: . . -. .~ , ~ ' ~
:
assembly more easily, thus reducing or precluding jamming or shattering of articles in the cutting assembly. This release of pressure also reduces the required flow rate of liquid medium and articles to be cut. By decreasing the flow rate, the percentage of shattered product is further decreased or completely eliminated.
The experienced efficiency and recovery rate are unexpectedly high in comparison to that of cutting assem- -blies of the known art.
::
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a - -hydraulic cutting system of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cutting assembly of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the cutting assembly of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cutting assembly of FIG. 2; and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a cutting assembly of the invention. ~
~ -DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a hydraulic cutting system of the invention includes a supply tank 3, food pump 4, motor 5, a product accelerator 6, and a cutting assembly 7. Articles to be cut, such as potatoes, carrots, other tubers, or non-food items such as certain plastics, are held in a liquid medium within tank 3. The articles and the water are pumped by pump 4 through tube 6. Pump 4 is powered by motor 5. The product is then passed through a cutting assembly 7, where it is sliced into typically elongate members. In the case of potatoes, the cutting assembly will produce french fries or shoestring potatoes.
2 ~ ~ r~
.
Carrots can be cut into shoestring-type carrot strips.
As shown, tube 6 is narrowed where it approaches cutter 7. This narrowing of tube 6 causes product within tube 6 to accelerate and spread out longitudinally as it approaches cutter assembly 7. Tube 6 has approximately the inner diameter of items such as potatoes or carrots to -~
be cut, so that only a single such item passes through the cutting assembly 7 at any given time.
Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, a cutting lo assembly of the invention includes a base plate lo; blade trees 12, 14, 16, and 18; a first plurality of blades 22 and a second plurality of blades 24. First plurality 22 -~
includes blades 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 46, and 48 (blades 26 through 48). Second plurality 24 15 includes blades 50 and 52.
Base plate 10 is preferably formed of a non~
corrosive metal such as aluminum, and is approximately 2.54 centimeters thick and 13.0175 centimeters square. A ;~- ;
cylindrical opening 54 is formed in the center of base 20 plate 10. Cylindrical opening 54 has a radius of ~ ;
approximately 7.62 centimeters to permit the entry of potatoes, typically, for example, Russet potatoes, used ;~
in french fry or shoestring type potatoes. Firmly mounted, as shown, to base plate 10 are blade trees 12, 14, 16, and 18. Blade trees 12 through 18 are mounted to base plate 10 in a firm manner by, for example, machine screws. Blade trees 12 through 18 are notched to form the i -~
step patterns shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
Blades 26 through 52 are firmly mounted to -~ `
blade trees 12 through 18 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 by means of bolts and nuts, of which bolt 58 and nut 60 are `~
typical. The bolts and nuts such as bolt 58 and nut 60 are preferably formed of a non-corrosive steel. Blades 26 through 52 are preferably formed of stainless steel to 35 resist corrosion in a liquid environment. These blades ^ -measure approximately 12.7 centimeters long and are about ~
'''.~ ; '.
~ `` 2 ~
2.54 centimeters deep.
As shown in FIG. 3, the assembly of blades constituted by blades 26 through 48 present crisscrossing tiers of inwardly nested blades. Blades 26 and 28 provide a first tier of blades. Blades 26 and 28 are parallel to each other and equidistant from center line 64. A second -tier of blades is provided by blades 30 and 32, which are also parallel to each other and equidistant by the same amount as blades 26 and 28 from center line 64. A third lo tier of blades is provided by parallel blades 34 and 36.
However, blades 34 and 36 are closer together than blades 26 and 28. For this reason, blades 34 and 36 are deemed to be inwardly nested and to converge in a flow direction away from opening 54, in other words in a direction rep- ;~
resented by arrow 66. Blades 34 and 36 are "inwardly nested" or "converge" in the sense that they are closer together than blades 26 and 28.
A fourth tier of blades is provided by parallel blades 38 and 40 which are equidistant by the same amount as blades 34 and 36 from center line 64. A fifth tier is provided by blades 42 and 44 which are parallel to each other and equidistant from center line 64. A sixth tier is provided by blades 46 and 48 which are parallel to each other and spaced equidistant by the same amount as blades 42 and 44 from center line 64. A seventh tier is provided by blade 50 which is a single, centered blade, centered ;
upon center line 64. Finally, an eighth tier is provided by blade 52, which is also a single, centered blade, centered on center line 64. The cutting edges of the blades, for example, cutting edges 26a and 52a, are inwardly directed to face product entering the nested blades through product entrance opening 54.
The blades of the first plurality 22 of blades are sharpened such that the outside surfaces, e.g., 3S surface 26b (FIG. 3), are bevelled as shown to produce the ~
cutting edges, e.g., edge 26a. The inside surfaces which -21~7~
, are in contact with the cutting trees, e.g., surface 26b, are flat. The blades of first plurality 22 may therefore be considered as inside sharpened. The insides of the blades have the sharp cutting edge. The blades of the second plurality 24 of blades, which are single, centered blades (i.e. blades 50 and 52) are centered sharpened.
Both sides of these blades, e.g., sides 50b and 50c, are bevelled equally to produce a cutting edge, e.g. edge 50a, which is centrally aligned on the blade.
As shown in FIG. 2, each tier of blades is interleaved with each adjacent tier of blades in criss- ;
cross fashion. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 through 3, ;~
blades 26, 28, 34, 36, 42, 44 and 50 are perpendicular to blades 30, 32, 38, 40, 46, 48 and 52.
Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the blades of respec-tive adjacent tiers are notched to allow close inter-leaving between the blades. For example, the bottom of blade 30 is notched at 70 approximately 0.3175 centimeters ~ ;
up from the bottom of blade 30, and blade 26 is notched at notch 72 approximately 0.9525 centimeters from the top of ;-~
blade 26 to allow blades 26 and 30 to interlock with each other as shown and overlap a distance of approximately 1.27 centimeters. Similar notches are formed so that blades 26 and 28 are notched to engage with blades 30 and ~
25 32; blades 34 and 36 are notched to engage with blades 38 ~ ~-and 40; blades 42 and 44 are notched to engage with blades 46 and 48; and blade 50 is notched to engage with blade "~
52.
! , ~ ' I Smaller notches approximately 0.3175 centimeters -~
deep, of which notch 74 is typical, are formed in the bottom of blades 34, 36, 42, 44, and 50 to accommodate the tops of blades 30, 32, 38, 40, 46, and 48 as shown. The notches shown, of which notches 70, 72, and 74 are typical, serve to strengthen the blade assembly by `-~
providing an engagement between the blades to preclude or to reduce lateral motion of the blades as articles are `
` ~ 3 ~
passed through the blades.
As shown in FIG. 4, the blade assembly produces square cross-sections, of which space 79 is typical. The cross-sections shown in FIG. 4 are intended to be equally sized and square. Space 79 has a square cross-sectional dimension of 1.11125 centimeters. Cross-sections of potato french fries which have been found useful include, for example, 0.47625 square centimeters, 0.635 square centimeters, 0.714375 square centimeters, 0.79375 square centimeters, 0.9525 square centimeters, 1.11125 square centimeters and 1.27 square centimeters. Square cuts between 0.47625 centimeters and 0.714375 centimeters are referred to as shoestring cuts. The 0.9525 square centimeters cut is referred to as a thin straight cut.
Rectangular cross-sections are also useful.
Rectangular cross-sections which are currently used are 1.11125 centimeters by 2.2225 centimeters which is referred to as a steak cut, and 0.714375 centimeters by 1.42875 centimeters which is referred to as a mini-steak cut. A rectangular cut is produced by increasing the distance parallel blades are spaced one from another. For example, to produce a rectangular cross-section cut, the parallel blades 26, 28, 34, 36, 42 and 44 would be offset from center line 64 a greater or lesser amount than parallel blades 30, 32, 38, 40, 46 and 48 from center line 1~
64. -~ -The cutting assembly of FIG. 5 includes a base ~ -plate 80, cutter trees 82, 84, 86, and 88, a first plur~
ality of blades 90 and a second plurality of blades 92.
First plurality of blades 90 include blades 94, 96, 98, 102, 104, 106, 108 (blades 94 through 108). Second plur-ality 92 includes blades 110 and 112. Base plate 80 includes an opening 116, corresponding to opening 54 in base plate lO. Blades 94 through 104 are inwardly nested and converge in direction 118 away from opening 116, which is a direction of flow or a downstream direction. The 2 ~ 3 V
blade assembly of FIG. 5 may be considered to be a blade assembly similar to FIG. 2, having six tiers rather than eight. The blades of first plurality so are inside sharpened, while the blades of second plurality 92 are center sharpened.
The blade assembly of FIG. 2 and the blade assembly of FIG. 5 are configured to be positioned in a ~--hydraulic cutting assembly, such as that shown in FIG. 1, in such a manner that the direction of flow corresponds to arrow 66 or arrow 118. The items to be cut enter the blade assembly at a high rate of speed through opening 54 or opening 116 and then pass through the blade assembly, cutting the items into several elongate members having square cross-sections or rectangular cross-sections, as ~ -15 previously described. - ~ -Because the pairs of parallel blades of the first plurality are inside sharpened, outside slabs of articles tend to spread out from the center of the cutting assembly as the article is cut. The bevelled edge of the blade forces these outside slabs to splay outward. This splaying effect reduces compression on the core of the ~-~
article.
When the article reaches the final crisscrossing centered blades, such as blades 50 and 52, the outer por~
25 tions of the article have been sheared off, and a central ~ ~
core remains. Because the centered blades of the second -` -plurality are center sharpened, equal splitting of the core occurs down the center of the article as it passes through the assembly. As the core of the article passes through the final blades, and the core of the article is split, a release of compression takes place within the core. This release in compression allows the article to pass through the assembly more easily, and results in the reduction in back pressure exerted on the article.
In other words, not only is the core of the `
article cut more easily, but portions of the article, ``;~
;.~,...
~` 2~7~ ~
, . . .
notably outer portions, which are at earlier stages in the cutting process are permitted to be cut more efficiently.
The reduction of back pressure at the front core section of the article is transmitted back to the trailing outer portion.
These dynamics significantly increase recovery rates experienced over other known cutting assemblies. A
great reduction in the amount of unusable or less desir-able shattered product is produced. Jamming of articles in the assembly is decreased or eliminated. Also, the required flow rate of articles through the assembly is decreased, thus further decreasing or completely eliminating shattered product.
Reference herein to details of the illustrated -embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as important to the invention.
~ ~ , :'
-HYDRAULIC CUTTING SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field: The present invention is directed toward high-speed hydraulic cutting system.
State of the Art: Hydraulic cutting systems are known in which potatoes, carrots, and other tubers are cut at high speeds by being accelerated within a flowing liquid medium and then passed through a blade assembly.
Typically the tubers are accelerated by water flowing through a tubular structure and then sliced by a set of fixed blades into elongate portions having rectangular or square cross-sections.
For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,109,468, issued to Lamb in 1963, discloses a food pump that accelerates a food product, typically potatoes, in a tubular accelerator through crisscrossing tiers of blades having internal cutting edges to produce french fry potato strips. Each -~
tier of blades is interleaved with and perpendicular to its respective adjacent tiers. This patent discloses a blade assembly in which the first and second tiers of blades shear off the outside slabs of the potato. The -third and fourth crisscrossing tiers are comprised of pairs of parallel blades spaced away from each other equidistant from a center line. The final tier is a single centered blade. In the Lamb patent, 12 french ~;
fries are thus produced.
U.S. Patent No. 4,082,024, issued to Hodges et ~ ---al. in 1978, discloses a cutting assembly of several crisscrossing and interleaved tiers of blades having internal cutting edges. The first blade to contact the potato is a single centered blade. The second tier is -~
also a single centered blade. Successive tiers of criss~
35 crossing pairs of parallel blades are then outwardly ;~
nested to shear off slabs of the potato increasingly in a direction away from the center of the potato.
U.S. Patent No. 4,275,086 issued to Brown et al.
in 1981 discloses a cutting assembly that, like Lamb, has inwardly nested blades. In ~rown et al., the final two ' ' ;" ' ' ` Y'~' ;, ~' ;, -,'.';
~7~
tiers are pairs of parallel blades offset from each other and equidistant from a center line to produce a single centered strip of food product. U.S. Patent No. 4,372,184 issued to Fisher et al. in 1983 discloses a cutting assem-bly that has a round outer blade to shear off an outershell of the potato and to produce a cylindrical inner core, which is then cut by two crisscrossing tiers of blades. Each of these tiers are comprised of two parallel blades spaced from each other equidistant from a center - -~
line. This arrangement also produces a center core section of food product having a square cross-section.
A desirable object of such high-speed hydraulic cutting devices, particularly when used to cut potatoes, carrots, or other tubers, is to produce a cut product at a high rate of speed while avoiding shattering, crumbling, or otherwise causing damage to the product. Yet it is common in such high-speed cutters to have relatively low recovery rates; in other words, the percentage of useful ;
product produced is low. For example, when such cutters 20 are used with potatoes, it is not uncommon to find use- ~ -ful product recovery rates (yields) as low as 75 percent.
Such cutting assemblies are not designed to be used with carrots. When carrots are passed through potato cutting assemblies, recovery rates can drop to as low as 50 or 60 25 percent. Therefore, large amounts of the cut product are ~
either completely unusable or less desirable for the in- -tended use as french fries, shoestring potatoes, or strip ~ ~
cut carrots. Consumers seeking a high quality product may `
not wish to purchase products if they contain high numbers of shattered or irregular product.
In addition, when a tuber or other product shatters in the blade assembly, it is not uncommon for the assembly to clog up, thereby shutting down production.
Such plugging up of the cutting assembly can create enormously expensive down time.
Therefore, there remains a need for a high-2 Q ~ 3 speed hydraulic cutting assembly that eliminates theshattering or fracturing of cut product, thereby in-creasing recovery rate of the desired product while decreasing or eliminating down time in the cutting process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A hydraulic cutting device of the invention includes a hydraulic product accelerator and a cutting assembly. A cutting assembly of the invention includes a housing which is mounted with respect to the product -~
accelerator and has an opening sized, configured and positioned to receive items to be cut from said hydraulic ;
product accelerator. A first plurality of tiers of blades -~
are mounted to the housing and are inwardly nested in a flow direction away from the opening. Each tier has blades which are interleaved in crisscross fashion with the blades of any adjacent tiers. The final blades are centered blades. The cutting edges of the blades face the opening.
It has been found that blade assemblies of the invention provide a high recovery rate (yield) in potatoes and carrots. When used with potatoes, blade assemblies of ~ ;
the invention significantly increase this recovery rate.
When used with carrots, cutting assemblies of the inven~
tion have produced recovery rates as high as 95 to 98 percent.
~ Cutting assemblies of the invention terminate in crisscrossing centered blades, which significantly adds to the efficiency and recovery rate of the cutting assembly.
After the outer layers have been sliced off, the center blades split the core of the article. A release of com~
pression on the core of the article thus takes place as the article passes through the blade assembly. This -~-release of pressure allows the article to pass through the . - ,: . . -. .~ , ~ ' ~
:
assembly more easily, thus reducing or precluding jamming or shattering of articles in the cutting assembly. This release of pressure also reduces the required flow rate of liquid medium and articles to be cut. By decreasing the flow rate, the percentage of shattered product is further decreased or completely eliminated.
The experienced efficiency and recovery rate are unexpectedly high in comparison to that of cutting assem- -blies of the known art.
::
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a - -hydraulic cutting system of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cutting assembly of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the cutting assembly of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cutting assembly of FIG. 2; and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a cutting assembly of the invention. ~
~ -DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a hydraulic cutting system of the invention includes a supply tank 3, food pump 4, motor 5, a product accelerator 6, and a cutting assembly 7. Articles to be cut, such as potatoes, carrots, other tubers, or non-food items such as certain plastics, are held in a liquid medium within tank 3. The articles and the water are pumped by pump 4 through tube 6. Pump 4 is powered by motor 5. The product is then passed through a cutting assembly 7, where it is sliced into typically elongate members. In the case of potatoes, the cutting assembly will produce french fries or shoestring potatoes.
2 ~ ~ r~
.
Carrots can be cut into shoestring-type carrot strips.
As shown, tube 6 is narrowed where it approaches cutter 7. This narrowing of tube 6 causes product within tube 6 to accelerate and spread out longitudinally as it approaches cutter assembly 7. Tube 6 has approximately the inner diameter of items such as potatoes or carrots to -~
be cut, so that only a single such item passes through the cutting assembly 7 at any given time.
Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, a cutting lo assembly of the invention includes a base plate lo; blade trees 12, 14, 16, and 18; a first plurality of blades 22 and a second plurality of blades 24. First plurality 22 -~
includes blades 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 46, and 48 (blades 26 through 48). Second plurality 24 15 includes blades 50 and 52.
Base plate 10 is preferably formed of a non~
corrosive metal such as aluminum, and is approximately 2.54 centimeters thick and 13.0175 centimeters square. A ;~- ;
cylindrical opening 54 is formed in the center of base 20 plate 10. Cylindrical opening 54 has a radius of ~ ;
approximately 7.62 centimeters to permit the entry of potatoes, typically, for example, Russet potatoes, used ;~
in french fry or shoestring type potatoes. Firmly mounted, as shown, to base plate 10 are blade trees 12, 14, 16, and 18. Blade trees 12 through 18 are mounted to base plate 10 in a firm manner by, for example, machine screws. Blade trees 12 through 18 are notched to form the i -~
step patterns shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
Blades 26 through 52 are firmly mounted to -~ `
blade trees 12 through 18 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 by means of bolts and nuts, of which bolt 58 and nut 60 are `~
typical. The bolts and nuts such as bolt 58 and nut 60 are preferably formed of a non-corrosive steel. Blades 26 through 52 are preferably formed of stainless steel to 35 resist corrosion in a liquid environment. These blades ^ -measure approximately 12.7 centimeters long and are about ~
'''.~ ; '.
~ `` 2 ~
2.54 centimeters deep.
As shown in FIG. 3, the assembly of blades constituted by blades 26 through 48 present crisscrossing tiers of inwardly nested blades. Blades 26 and 28 provide a first tier of blades. Blades 26 and 28 are parallel to each other and equidistant from center line 64. A second -tier of blades is provided by blades 30 and 32, which are also parallel to each other and equidistant by the same amount as blades 26 and 28 from center line 64. A third lo tier of blades is provided by parallel blades 34 and 36.
However, blades 34 and 36 are closer together than blades 26 and 28. For this reason, blades 34 and 36 are deemed to be inwardly nested and to converge in a flow direction away from opening 54, in other words in a direction rep- ;~
resented by arrow 66. Blades 34 and 36 are "inwardly nested" or "converge" in the sense that they are closer together than blades 26 and 28.
A fourth tier of blades is provided by parallel blades 38 and 40 which are equidistant by the same amount as blades 34 and 36 from center line 64. A fifth tier is provided by blades 42 and 44 which are parallel to each other and equidistant from center line 64. A sixth tier is provided by blades 46 and 48 which are parallel to each other and spaced equidistant by the same amount as blades 42 and 44 from center line 64. A seventh tier is provided by blade 50 which is a single, centered blade, centered ;
upon center line 64. Finally, an eighth tier is provided by blade 52, which is also a single, centered blade, centered on center line 64. The cutting edges of the blades, for example, cutting edges 26a and 52a, are inwardly directed to face product entering the nested blades through product entrance opening 54.
The blades of the first plurality 22 of blades are sharpened such that the outside surfaces, e.g., 3S surface 26b (FIG. 3), are bevelled as shown to produce the ~
cutting edges, e.g., edge 26a. The inside surfaces which -21~7~
, are in contact with the cutting trees, e.g., surface 26b, are flat. The blades of first plurality 22 may therefore be considered as inside sharpened. The insides of the blades have the sharp cutting edge. The blades of the second plurality 24 of blades, which are single, centered blades (i.e. blades 50 and 52) are centered sharpened.
Both sides of these blades, e.g., sides 50b and 50c, are bevelled equally to produce a cutting edge, e.g. edge 50a, which is centrally aligned on the blade.
As shown in FIG. 2, each tier of blades is interleaved with each adjacent tier of blades in criss- ;
cross fashion. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 through 3, ;~
blades 26, 28, 34, 36, 42, 44 and 50 are perpendicular to blades 30, 32, 38, 40, 46, 48 and 52.
Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the blades of respec-tive adjacent tiers are notched to allow close inter-leaving between the blades. For example, the bottom of blade 30 is notched at 70 approximately 0.3175 centimeters ~ ;
up from the bottom of blade 30, and blade 26 is notched at notch 72 approximately 0.9525 centimeters from the top of ;-~
blade 26 to allow blades 26 and 30 to interlock with each other as shown and overlap a distance of approximately 1.27 centimeters. Similar notches are formed so that blades 26 and 28 are notched to engage with blades 30 and ~
25 32; blades 34 and 36 are notched to engage with blades 38 ~ ~-and 40; blades 42 and 44 are notched to engage with blades 46 and 48; and blade 50 is notched to engage with blade "~
52.
! , ~ ' I Smaller notches approximately 0.3175 centimeters -~
deep, of which notch 74 is typical, are formed in the bottom of blades 34, 36, 42, 44, and 50 to accommodate the tops of blades 30, 32, 38, 40, 46, and 48 as shown. The notches shown, of which notches 70, 72, and 74 are typical, serve to strengthen the blade assembly by `-~
providing an engagement between the blades to preclude or to reduce lateral motion of the blades as articles are `
` ~ 3 ~
passed through the blades.
As shown in FIG. 4, the blade assembly produces square cross-sections, of which space 79 is typical. The cross-sections shown in FIG. 4 are intended to be equally sized and square. Space 79 has a square cross-sectional dimension of 1.11125 centimeters. Cross-sections of potato french fries which have been found useful include, for example, 0.47625 square centimeters, 0.635 square centimeters, 0.714375 square centimeters, 0.79375 square centimeters, 0.9525 square centimeters, 1.11125 square centimeters and 1.27 square centimeters. Square cuts between 0.47625 centimeters and 0.714375 centimeters are referred to as shoestring cuts. The 0.9525 square centimeters cut is referred to as a thin straight cut.
Rectangular cross-sections are also useful.
Rectangular cross-sections which are currently used are 1.11125 centimeters by 2.2225 centimeters which is referred to as a steak cut, and 0.714375 centimeters by 1.42875 centimeters which is referred to as a mini-steak cut. A rectangular cut is produced by increasing the distance parallel blades are spaced one from another. For example, to produce a rectangular cross-section cut, the parallel blades 26, 28, 34, 36, 42 and 44 would be offset from center line 64 a greater or lesser amount than parallel blades 30, 32, 38, 40, 46 and 48 from center line 1~
64. -~ -The cutting assembly of FIG. 5 includes a base ~ -plate 80, cutter trees 82, 84, 86, and 88, a first plur~
ality of blades 90 and a second plurality of blades 92.
First plurality of blades 90 include blades 94, 96, 98, 102, 104, 106, 108 (blades 94 through 108). Second plur-ality 92 includes blades 110 and 112. Base plate 80 includes an opening 116, corresponding to opening 54 in base plate lO. Blades 94 through 104 are inwardly nested and converge in direction 118 away from opening 116, which is a direction of flow or a downstream direction. The 2 ~ 3 V
blade assembly of FIG. 5 may be considered to be a blade assembly similar to FIG. 2, having six tiers rather than eight. The blades of first plurality so are inside sharpened, while the blades of second plurality 92 are center sharpened.
The blade assembly of FIG. 2 and the blade assembly of FIG. 5 are configured to be positioned in a ~--hydraulic cutting assembly, such as that shown in FIG. 1, in such a manner that the direction of flow corresponds to arrow 66 or arrow 118. The items to be cut enter the blade assembly at a high rate of speed through opening 54 or opening 116 and then pass through the blade assembly, cutting the items into several elongate members having square cross-sections or rectangular cross-sections, as ~ -15 previously described. - ~ -Because the pairs of parallel blades of the first plurality are inside sharpened, outside slabs of articles tend to spread out from the center of the cutting assembly as the article is cut. The bevelled edge of the blade forces these outside slabs to splay outward. This splaying effect reduces compression on the core of the ~-~
article.
When the article reaches the final crisscrossing centered blades, such as blades 50 and 52, the outer por~
25 tions of the article have been sheared off, and a central ~ ~
core remains. Because the centered blades of the second -` -plurality are center sharpened, equal splitting of the core occurs down the center of the article as it passes through the assembly. As the core of the article passes through the final blades, and the core of the article is split, a release of compression takes place within the core. This release in compression allows the article to pass through the assembly more easily, and results in the reduction in back pressure exerted on the article.
In other words, not only is the core of the `
article cut more easily, but portions of the article, ``;~
;.~,...
~` 2~7~ ~
, . . .
notably outer portions, which are at earlier stages in the cutting process are permitted to be cut more efficiently.
The reduction of back pressure at the front core section of the article is transmitted back to the trailing outer portion.
These dynamics significantly increase recovery rates experienced over other known cutting assemblies. A
great reduction in the amount of unusable or less desir-able shattered product is produced. Jamming of articles in the assembly is decreased or eliminated. Also, the required flow rate of articles through the assembly is decreased, thus further decreasing or completely eliminating shattered product.
Reference herein to details of the illustrated -embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as important to the invention.
~ ~ , :'
Claims (10)
1. A hydraulic cutting device comprising:
a hydraulic product accelerator;
a housing mounted with respect to said product accelerator and having an opening sized, configured, and positioned to receive items to be cut from said hydraulic product accelerator;
a first plurality of tiers of blades mounted to said housing and being inwardly nested in a flow direction away from said opening, each tier of said first plurality having blades which are interleaved in crisscross fashion with the blades of any adjacent tiers; and at least two crisscrossing centered blades nested behind said first plurality of tiers;
wherein said blades have cutting edges facing said opening.
a hydraulic product accelerator;
a housing mounted with respect to said product accelerator and having an opening sized, configured, and positioned to receive items to be cut from said hydraulic product accelerator;
a first plurality of tiers of blades mounted to said housing and being inwardly nested in a flow direction away from said opening, each tier of said first plurality having blades which are interleaved in crisscross fashion with the blades of any adjacent tiers; and at least two crisscrossing centered blades nested behind said first plurality of tiers;
wherein said blades have cutting edges facing said opening.
2. A hydraulic cutting device according to Claim 1, wherein said crisscrossing centered blades are center sharpened.
3. A hydraulic cutting device according to Claim 1 wherein the blades of said first plurality are inside sharpened.
4. A hydraulic cutting device according to Claim 1, wherein each said tier of said first plurality are comprised of a pair of parallel blades.
5. A hydraulic cutting device according to Claim 1 wherein blades of adjacent tiers of blades are notched to provide interlocking engagement between blades of adjacent tiers.
6. A hydraulic cutting device according to Claim 1 wherein said opening is sized to receive potatoes.
7. A hydraulic cutting device according to 5 Claim 1 wherein said opening is sized to receive carrots.
8. A hydraulic cutting device according to Claim 1, wherein two of said centered crisscrossing blades are perpendicular to each other.
9. A blade assembly for a hydraulic cutting device, said blade assembly comprising:
receive items to be cut; and a first plurality of tiers of blades mounted to said housing and being inwardly nested in a flow direction away from said opening, each said tier of said first plurality being comprised of a pair of parallel blades which are interleaved in crisscross fashion with the blades of any adjacent tiers; and a second plurality of tiers of blades comprised of opening.
receive items to be cut; and a first plurality of tiers of blades mounted to said housing and being inwardly nested in a flow direction away from said opening, each said tier of said first plurality being comprised of a pair of parallel blades which are interleaved in crisscross fashion with the blades of any adjacent tiers; and a second plurality of tiers of blades comprised of opening.
10. A blade assembly according to Claim 10, wherein the blades of said first plurality are inside sharpened.
12. A blade assembly according to Claim 11, wherein blades of adjacent tiers of blades are notched and interlock with blades of any adjacent tiers.
13. A blade assembly according to Claim 12, wherein centered blades are perpendicular to each other.
14. A blade assembly according to Claim 13, wherein said opening is sized to receive potatoes.
15. A blade assembly according to Claim 13, wherein said opening is sized to receive carrots.
16. A process for cutting articles, comprising:
accelerating said articles in a liquid medium in a tubular product accelerator;
slicing outer layers of said articles by means of a first plurality of tiers of blades, each said tier being comprised of a pair of parallel blades mounted in crisscross fashion with the blades of any adjacent tiers, and said tiers of said first plurality being inwardly nested in a flow direction with the cutting edges of said blades facing said opening; and slicing the core of said articles by means of a second plurality of tiers of crisscrossing centered blades nested behind said first plurality of tiers with their cutting edges facing said opening.
17. A process according to Claim 16, wherein the blades of said second plurality are center sharpened.
18. A process according to Claim 17, wherein the blades of said first plurality are inside sharpened.
19. A process according to Claim 18, wherein said articles are potatoes.
20. A process according to Claim 18, wherein said articles are carrots.
12. A blade assembly according to Claim 11, wherein blades of adjacent tiers of blades are notched and interlock with blades of any adjacent tiers.
13. A blade assembly according to Claim 12, wherein centered blades are perpendicular to each other.
14. A blade assembly according to Claim 13, wherein said opening is sized to receive potatoes.
15. A blade assembly according to Claim 13, wherein said opening is sized to receive carrots.
16. A process for cutting articles, comprising:
accelerating said articles in a liquid medium in a tubular product accelerator;
slicing outer layers of said articles by means of a first plurality of tiers of blades, each said tier being comprised of a pair of parallel blades mounted in crisscross fashion with the blades of any adjacent tiers, and said tiers of said first plurality being inwardly nested in a flow direction with the cutting edges of said blades facing said opening; and slicing the core of said articles by means of a second plurality of tiers of crisscrossing centered blades nested behind said first plurality of tiers with their cutting edges facing said opening.
17. A process according to Claim 16, wherein the blades of said second plurality are center sharpened.
18. A process according to Claim 17, wherein the blades of said first plurality are inside sharpened.
19. A process according to Claim 18, wherein said articles are potatoes.
20. A process according to Claim 18, wherein said articles are carrots.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US35411789A | 1989-05-19 | 1989-05-19 | |
| US354,117 | 1989-05-19 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2017199A1 true CA2017199A1 (en) | 1990-11-19 |
Family
ID=23391937
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2017199 Abandoned CA2017199A1 (en) | 1989-05-19 | 1990-05-18 | Hydraulic cutting system |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2017199A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US11523570B2 (en) | 2019-04-09 | 2022-12-13 | Premier Horticulture Ltée | Methods and apparatuses for collecting the acrotelm of peat bogs |
-
1990
- 1990-05-18 CA CA 2017199 patent/CA2017199A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US11523570B2 (en) | 2019-04-09 | 2022-12-13 | Premier Horticulture Ltée | Methods and apparatuses for collecting the acrotelm of peat bogs |
| US11606904B2 (en) | 2019-04-09 | 2023-03-21 | Premier Horticulture Ltée | Apparatuses for collecting the acrotelm of peat bogs |
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