GB2395422A

GB2395422A - Food cutter for continuous helical slices

Info

Publication number: GB2395422A
Application number: GB0226954A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-11-19
Filing date: 2002-11-19
Publication date: 2004-05-26
Also published as: GB0226954D0

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a food product comprises cutting a potato with a continuous helical cut of a pitch such that adjacent turns of the resulting spiral-cut potato 1 are self-supporting when separated, passing an elongate supporting member substantially centrally through the potato, separating the adjacent turns of the spiral along the supporting member 2, and then cooking the potato while supported by the supporting member. The invention also provides apparatus for cutting potatoes or the like, comprising means 4 for supporting the potato, a cutting blade 8 engageable with the potato and means 5-7, 9-11 for effecting relative rotational and longitudinal movement between the potato and the blade so as to achieve a continuous helical cut of the potato, the apparatus being such that the cut potato is capable of being opened out into a spaced spiral shape, but is maintained as an integral whole to permit subsequent handling. In another embodiment the apparatus may comprise positioning spikes 21 to engage and hold the potato with the cutting performed by two blades 23 mounted on a rotating axis 22.

Description

- 1 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR USE IN MANUFACTURING A FOOD

PRODUCT

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for use in manufacturing a 5 food product.

Background to the Invention

Potatoes can be processed into foods of various forms, for example chips or French fries, where the potato is cut into sticks or wedges and then deep-fat fried, crisps (chips in the USA), where the potato is cut into thin slices and then fried, and baked pota 10 toes. The manufacture of crisps is a specialised process which is not generally within the scope of individual food outlets such as cafes and takeaways. For these outlets, chips or French fries and baked potatoes tend to be the staple products. There is, however, a demand for alternatives to these staples.

It is known in the manufacture of crisps to cut potatoes in a continuous spiral ac 15 tion, the spiral then being deep fried to provide individual crisps, since the action to cut the potato sufficiently thinly to form crisps on frying would necessarily result in a spiral with insufficient strength to remain as a single piece in subsequent handling. An example of this is disclosed in US-A-5784942.

Summary of the Invention

20 According to the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a food product, comprising cutting a potato with a continuous helical cut of a pitch such that ad jacent turns of the resulting spiral-cut potato are self-supporting when separated, passing an elongate supporting member substantially centrally through the potato, separating the adjacent turns of the spiral along the supporting member, and then cooking the potato 25 while supported by the supporting member.

The supporting member may be passed through the potato before cutting, to act as the axis about which the cut is effected, or it may be passed through the cut potato along the axis of the spiral cut. Where it is inserted subsequently to cutting, the support ing member is suitably a wooden or plastics stick which can be used to support the po 30 tato, and any filling therein, while it is being eaten, the stick being disposed of after the

- 2 potato has been eaten. The material of the stick must be heat resistant to permit it to be maintained in position in the potato during the cooking operation, especially where deep fat frying is used. Wooden sticks have been found to be especially effective in holding the separated turns of the helically-cut potato apart from each other, in use.

5 The pitch of the cut is preferably such as to yield a thickness of potato in the spiral of 3-1 5mm. An especially suitable thickness has been found to be about 7mm, this pro ducing the most flexible spiral with a reduced likelihood of snapping of the product, and with adequate cooking times.

The potato is suitably cooked by baking, deep-fat frying, or microwave heating, in 10 conventional manner. The resulting open-spiral cooked potato may be enhanced by the introduction of filling materials, for example such as are conventionally used with baked

potatoes. To enhance the retention of the filling materials in the potato, the helical cutting is preferably carried out in such a manner as to yield a dished spiral.

While reference is made throughout to potatoes, the invention is not limited to 15 potatoes. It will be readily appreciated that other vegetables, especially root vegetables, may be substituted for potatoes, and some fruits are capable of being processed in the same way.

The invention also provides apparatus for cutting potatoes or the like, comprising means for supporting the potato, a cutting blade engageable with the potato and means 20 for effecting relative rotational and longitudinal movement between the potato and the blade so as to achieve a continuous helical cut of the potato, the apparatus being such that the cut potato is capable of being opened out into a spaced spiral shape, but is maintained as an integral whole to permit subsequent handling.

In one embodiment, the potato is mounted on to a spindle which is then rotated 25 as a cutting blade is moved along a fixed axis generally parallel to the spindle to cut into the potato. The blade may be a fixed blade or it may be a disc blade mounted for rota tion about an axis oblique to the spindle, as well as being movable along the fixed axis, so as to form a dished spiral cut in the potato, in use. Drive means may be provided for ro tating the disc blade. The blade may be driven along the fixed axis by a screw drive linked 30 to drive means for rotating the spindle, the relationship between the speed of rotation of

the spindle and the speed of longitudinal movement of the blade being such as to ensure the desired thickness of potato in the spiral. Preferably, the relationship is changeable to permit the thickness to be selectively varied according to the user's requirements, for ex ample to change the cooking speed of the resultant spiral-cut potato.

5 Where a disc blade is used, it is possible to use the same blade to cut two or more potatoes at the same time. This offers an advantage in balancing the load on the disc and its mounting. While the disc may simply be freely rotatable, it is preferably driven, rotat ing in the opposite sense to the or each potato. The driving may be effected by mounting the disc on a drive shaft via universal joints so as to permit the disc to rotate about an axis 10 out of alignment with the drive shaft. For example, the blade may be mounted between two drive shaft segments which are mounted so as to subtend an acute angle between them. In an alternative arrangement, a helical blade mounted on a rotatable shaft is urged into the potato whilst being rotated, so as to achieve a spiral cut by a screw action.

15 In this embodiment, the potato is suitably held stationary by means of positioning spikes along the length of the potato, located so as to avoid contact with the rotating blade.

In yet another embodiment, the cutting blade is caused to rotate around the po tato whilst projecting into it, the potato being urged longitudinally relative to the axis of rotation of the cutting blade or the potato being held still and the blade being caused to 20 move axially along the potato as it rotates, in order to perform the spiral cut.

The apparatus may also be provided with means to open out the spiral lengthwise, for example by means of a rigid finger which performs a similar movement to that of the cutting blade, either by movement of the finger or by movement of the potato (or a com bination of the two movements), before cooking takes place.

25 The product may be partially cooked in oil and then frozen for later cooking in oil, so as to speed up the final preparation, and to give extra crispness to the potato outer skin (while the potato may be peeled before cutting, leaving the skin in place may enhance flavour and appearance). For baking of the open spiral potato, it is preferred to wrap the potato in foil, for example aluminium foil, to maintain moistness and improve the flavour.

- 4 Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a potato cut in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of an apparatus for cutting potatoes accord-

5 ing to one embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side view of an alternative apparatus.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiments

Referring first to Figure 1, a food product consists of a potato 1 or the like, cut into a continuous spiral and mounted on to a supporting member, such as a wooden stick 10 2, in such a manner as to form an open spiral with spaces between the turns of the spiral, the potato being cooked in this configuration, preferably by deep-fat frying or baking.

The stick 2 serves both to support and maintain the potato in its spiral shape, and to per-

mit the consumer to eat the potato without having to touch the potato with the fingers.

The spaces between the turns in the spiral may be filled with edible fillers such as cheese, 15 flavoured sauces, cooked or raw vegetables or salad materials.

Figure 2 illustrates apparatus for cutting the potato. The apparatus comprises a frame 3 mounting a removable spindle 4 upon which a potato 1 can be located by pushing the spindle therethrough. The spindle 4 has a gear wheel 5 at one end thereof engage-

able with a drive gear 6 carried by the shaft of an electric motor 7. The spindle 4 can be 20 held in the frame by a spring clip or the like (not shown). A cutting blade 8 is carried by a carriage 9 mounted on a rotatable screw-threaded shaft 10 so as to be driven along the shaft as it rotates. The shaft is mounted in the frame 3 and has a gear wheel 11 at one end thereof, engaging the drive gear 6 of the motor so as to be rotatable therewith. Limit switches 12 and 13 on the frame are operated by engagement with the carriage 9 to 25 switch off the motor 7 when the carriage reaches the limits of its travel. The blade 8 is obliquely angled to the axis of the spindle so as to provide a concave spiral cut in the po-

tato as a result of rotation of the potato and simultaneous forward motion of the blade on its carriage 9. The cut extends to the spindle so that the spiral can be opened out as shown in Figure 1 after the potato is removed from the spindle. It can then be mounted 30 on a stick or the like, as shown. The blade 8 is preferably mounted on the carriage in

- 5 such a manner as to permit the angle thereof relative to the spindle to be altered. This may be achieved by providing a pivoted mounting with a slotted retaining clamp so that the mounting can be clamped at the desired angle. The blade may be removably mounted to permit worn blades to be readily replaced.

5 The blade 8 is suitably a steel blade having a thickness of about 1 mm and a width tapering to a point. The angle of the blade relative to the spindle also determines the thickness of the potato in the resultant spiral, so that increasing the angle in a longitudinal plane through the spindle increases the thickness.

An alternative arrangement uses a fixed blade, with the potato being mounted so 10 as to be freely slidable axially, while still permitting rotational force to be applied. As the potato is rotated, it is driven axially by contact with the blade.

Figure 3 illustrates an alternative approach. The potato 1 is carried on a fixed support 20 having spaced spikes 21 upstanding therefrom to hold the potato in place.

The cutter comprises a rotatable shaft 22 movable axially and carrying a pair of blades 23 15 shaped so as to describe a helical path as the shaft 22 is rotated. The spikes 21 are posi tioned such that the blades 23 do not come into contact with them. In use, the potato is placed on the spikes and the blade is rotated and pushed axially so as to cut the potato into a continuous spiral as it moves forward.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a food product, comprising cutting a potato with a continuous helical cut of a pitch such that adjacent turns of the resulting spiral-cut potato are self-supporting when separated, passing an elongate supporting member sub 5 stantially centrally through the potato, separating the adjacent turns of the spiral along the supporting member, and then cooking the potato while supported by the supporting member.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the supporting member is passed

through the potato before cutting, to act as the axis about which the cut is effected.

10

3. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the supporting member is passed through the cut potato along the axis of the spiral cut.

4. A method according to Claim 3, wherein the supporting member is a wooden or plastics stick.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the pitch of the cut is 15 such as to yield a thickness of potato in the spiral of 3-1 5mm.

6. A method according to Claim 5, wherein the thickness is 7mm.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the cut potato is cooked by baking, deep-fat frying or microwave heating.

8. A method according to any preceding claim, which comprises introducing 20 an edible filler into the space between the turns of the cooked potato.

9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the helical cutting is carried out in such a manner as to produce a dished or concave spiral cut.

10. Apparatus for cutting potatoes or the like, comprising means for support-

ing the potato, a cutting blade engageable with the potato and means for effecting relative 25 rotational and longitudinal movement between the potato and the blade so as to achieve a continuous helical cut of the potato, the apparatus being such that the cut potato is capa-

ble of being opened out into a spaced spiral shape, but is maintained as an integral whole to permit subsequent handling.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 10, comprising a rotatable spindle for re 30 ceiving the potato thereon, a cutting blade movable along a fixed axis generally parallel to

- 7 the spindle, and drive means for simultaneously rotating the spindle and moving the blade along the fixed axis.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein the blade is rotatable disc.

13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, wherein means are provided for rotat-

5 ing the disc during the cutting operation.

14. Apparatus according to Claim 11, 12 or 13, wherein the blade is driven along the fixed axis by a screw drive linked to drive means for rotating the spindle, the relationship between the speed of rotation of the spindle and the speed of longitudinal movement of the blade being such as to ensure the desired thickness of potato in the spi 1 0 ral.

15. Apparatus according to Claim 14, wherein the relationship is changeable to permit the thickness to be selectively varied according to the user's requirements.

16. Apparatus according to Claim 10, comprising helical blade mounted on a rotatable shaft is urged into the potato whilst being rotated, so as to achieve a spiral cut 15 by a screw action.

17. Apparatus according to Claim 16, comprising positioning spikes to engage and hold the potato along the length thereof, located so as to avoid contact with the ro-

tating blade.

18. Apparatus according to Claim 10, comprising means for rotating the cut 20 tiny blade around the potato whilst projecting into it, and means for producing relative longitudinal movement between the blade and the potato.

19. Apparatus according to Claim 18, comprising means for urging the potato longitudinally relative to the axis of rotation of the cutting blade.

20. Apparatus according to Claim 18, comprising means for driving the blade 25 being axially along the potato as it rotates, in order to perform the spiral cut.

21. Apparatus according to any of Claims 10 to 20, comprising opening means to open out the spiral lengthwise after cutting.

22. Apparatus according to Claim 21, wherein the opening means comprises a rigid finger which performs a similar movement to that of the cutting blade, either by

- 8 movement of the finger or by movement of the potato (or a combination of the two movements), before cooking takes place.