US1445521A - Slicing machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 13. 1923. r 1,445,52L AER. LUSCHKA ET AL.

- SLICING MACHINE.

FILED AUG-2, 1920. s SHEETSSHET l.

Z /ZZ/f so -A. R. LUSCHKA ET' AL. sucme MACHINE.-

FILED AUG-2,1920. 8 SHEETS-SHEET Feb. 13, 1923. 1 1,445,521. A. R. LUSCHKA ET AL.

SLICING MACHINE. FILED AUG.2,1920. s SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Feb. 13, 1923. 1,445,521.

A. R. LUSCHKA ET AL.

SLICING MACHINE.

FlLED AUG-Z: 19.20. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Feb. 13, 1923. 1,445,521. A. R. LUSCHKA ET AL.

SLICING MACHINE.

FILED Aua.2, 1920. u SHEETS-SHEET 5.

5&z7kz as: M04414 K J MALL 1M Feb. 13,1923. 1,445,521. I A. R. LUSCHKA ET AL.

SLICING MACHINE.

FILED AUG-2, 1920. a SHEETS-SHEET e.

Z025; Z3663 fza zg AUGUST R. LUSCHKA AND HENDRIX tan TO U. s. SLICING or INDIANA.

SLICING MACHINE.

STUKART, OF LAPORTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS MACHINE COMPANY, OF LAPORTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION 1 Application filed August 2, 1920. Serial No. 400,626.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AUGUST R. LUSCHKA and HENDRIK STUKART, citizens of the United States, residing at Laporte, in the county of Laporte and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slicing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanismfor slicing bread and other material, and has for its object the provision of machines of the class named which shall be of improved construction and operation.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawin s and described in the following specnIcatlon, and

1t is more, particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

- In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vention Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

F ig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 55 of Fig. 3, with some parts omitted;

ig. 6 is atop plan view with parts in section of a slightly. modified form of the invention; i

Fig. 7 is a-vertical sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 6; and

. Fig. 8v is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. In the-"illustrative embodlment of the invention shown in the drawings, a support or base 10 is provided having. a top plate 11 forming a table on which the operating mechanism is mounted. Rising from the upper face of the plate llnear the front edge of the base 10 are twoangle brackets 12 and 13 connected at the top by a crossbar 14 having a bearing 15 therein for a knife spindle or shaft 16. The rear end of the shaft 16 isca'rried. in a bearing 17 formed in a cross-bar 18, Fig. 2, which is supported on upright rods 19 and 20. The rod 19 is rigidly secured to the top plate 11 of the base 10 in any suitable manner,

and the rod 20 is carried by a projecting lug 21 formed at one side of the base 10.

Formed integrally with the ends of the shaft 26 front edge of knife 31-may be clamped by a wing machine embodying one form of the present in-' cross-bar 18 are bearings 22 and 23, and a bearing 24 is supported by an arm-25 at a point lntermediate the ends of the bar. A is journaled in .he bearings 22 and 24 and is provided with a hand wheel 27 having a handle 28 by which the Slicing machine 1s operated. The knife spindle 16 1s driven from the shaft 26 by a pair-of beveled gears 29 and 30. A flat circular disc-shaped knife 31 is carried at the forward end of the spindle'16 adjacent the the table 11. The knife 31, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is provided with a centralopening 32 and a pair of eccentric opemngs 33 and 34, the openings 33' and 34 being positioned near the periphery of the knife. The spindle 16 is provided with a head 35 arranged in front of the bearing 15 which forms a stop against which the disc nut 36 or .other suitable securing device. The front face of the head 35 is provided with a projecting pin 37 for cooperating with openings 38 and 39 formed in theblade 31 adjacent the openings 33 and 34, respectively. A similar opening 40 is formed adjacent the opening 32 at the center of the knife. When the disc knife is secured to the spindle 16 by means of eitherone of the eccentric openings 33. and 34 and the spindle 16 is rotated the knife will be given an eccentric movement about the spindle as a center so that the edge of the blade will have a movement similar to that of a simitar knife used in some forms of slicing machines.

A loaf of bread 41 or other material to be sliced is supportedon a feed plate 42 which carries an up-ri ht wall 43 at one edge thereof. A pair of rackets 44 are secured to the upright plate 43 pivoted on a shaft 45 which is journaled in bearings formed on the plate 11 and cross-bar 14, as shown in Fig. 3. A series of toothed wheels 46 are splined on the shaft 45 between the pivot brackets shaft 45 so that the teeth of alternate discs are angularly displaced relative to one another thus securing a better engagement with 1 1o prongs 49 of the wheels 46 to the loaf of bread. A pair of rollers 50 arev journaled between yokes 51 which are pivoted at the ends of a. pair of arms 52. The arms 52 are pivotally mounted on the upright bar 19 and are provided with a spring 53 by means of which. the arms 52 with the rollers 50 thereon are swung inwardly so that the rollers are caused to press resiliently against the face of the loaf 41 opposite the toothed discs 46. In this manner the loaf is pressed against the prongs 49 so that when the shaft 45 is rotated, by mechanism to be described, the loaf will be fed along its supporting plate 42 toward the front: face of the machine. The rear end of the plate 42 is provided with a stud bolt 54 which projects through an arcuate slot in abracket 56 secured to the rear face of the base 10.

A wing nut 57 is threaded on the lower end of the bolt 54 so that the bolt may be firmly held at various positions of adjustment in the slot 55. The plate 42 may be swung about the shaft 45 as a pivot into various ansquarely across the loaf. When the plate 42- is swung into its .full line position in Fig, 5 the loaf will be presented at an oblique angle to the plane of the knife and rotation of the knife will therefore cause it to cut across the loaf at an oblique angle in a manner frequently used. in slicing long thin loaves of bread, and especially rye bread.

The knife 31 is so proportioned and mounted on the spindle 16 that when it is in its uppermost position, as-shown in Fig. 3,

there will be sufficient space between the lower edge of the knife and the table top to accommodate the height of the loaves to be cut. When the knife is turned to; 180 degrees from the position shown in Fig. 3 the lower edge of the knife will be slightly below the top of the table 11 so that each. revolution of the spindle 16 the knife. passes entirely across the space at the front edge of the table from which the loaf of bread being sliced pro jects. The peculiar eccentric movement of the. knife produces a drawing out which readily slices the bread without any tearing or squeezing action. In order to prevent injury to the operator or other persons a casing 58 maybe provided which is removably held'in place by lugs 59 which engage the angle brackets 12 and 13 in a manner to permit the casing to be readily lifted from the machine. The casing encloses the entire orbit of the knife 31. with the exception of the slicing position adjacent the front end of the supporting plate 42. As' shown in Fig. 4, the casing 58 comprises a rear plate 60'and a front plate 61 which may bedetachably .secured to the rear plate. The two plates are spaced apart to enclose the knife 31 and are cut away at their lower central portions suiliciently to permit the loaves and the slices to be fed past the slicing knife.

The shaft 45 and its toothed discs 46 are rotated to feed the loaf by a beveled pinion 62 secured to the lower end of the shaft 45 below the plate 11 which pinion meshes with a. corresponding pinion 63 on a shaft 64 journaled in bearings 65 and '66 depending from the lower face of the plate 11. The end of the shaft 64 projects frome base 10 on the same side of the base as the hand wheel 27 and carries a ratchet wheel 67 rigidly secured thereto. An arm 68 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 64 and carries a pawl 69 at the upper end thereof in position to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 67. The end of the pawl is provided with a removable tooth-engaging plate 70 beveled to slide upon the ratchet wheel when the arm 68 is rotated in one direction, and to rotate the ratchet wheel 67 when the arm is moved in the opposite direction. The pawl 69 is resiliently held in contact with the ratchet teeth by a leaf spring 71 secured to the arm 68 and bearing against a pin 72 projecting from one face of the pawl 69. It

will be seen from Fig. 1 of the drawings that if the pawl is lifted a' sufficient distance away from the ratchet wheel 67 the pin- 72 will place the center of the pivotal connection between the pawl and its supporting arm 68 so that the pawl will be retained out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. A link 73 is pivotally connected at one end to the arm 68 and at the opposite end to one arm of a bell crank lever 74. The bell crank 74 is pivoted at 75 to an extension 76 projecting downwardly from the-bearing 22 in which the shaft 26 is journ aled. The upper end of the bell crank 74 is provided .with a cam roller 77 which extends into a cam groove 78 formed in a: member7 9 projecting from the face of the hand wheel 27' and rigidly connected therewith. The cam groove 78 is shaped to impart a reciprocation to the lever 74 andthe link 73 at the time that the knife 31 is in its uppermost position and to hold these parts stationary during the time that the knife is making a slicing out. Movement of the-lever 74 and link 73 will oscillate the pawl 69 and thus impart a partial rotation to the shafts 64' and 45 and to the feeding discs 46 so that the loaf of bread will be fed forwardly into position to have a slice cut therefrom. The amount the loaf is fed and consequently the thickness of the slices may beregulated by a cam shroud or plate 80. This plate. as

shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is pivotedon the shaft 64 between the ratchet wheel 67 and the arm 68in position to bring its cam surface in alinement with aroller 81 mounted 5 on the side of the pawl 69. When the roller -81 engages the shroud 80 duri the idle stroke'of the pawl the plate 70 wil be lifted out of contact with the ratchet teeth, and will be held out of contact until the pawl is returned a suflicient amount on its forward stroke to bring the roller 81 out of contact with the periphery of the shroud.- The amount of rotation imparted to the ratchet wheel, and consequently to the feeding mechanism, may thus be regulated by the angular position of the shroud 80 upon 'the shaft 64. An arm 82 is formed integral 9 with the shroud 80 and is provided with a spring-pressed pin 83 arranged to engage a series of openings 84' in an index plate 85.

By withdrawing ings 84 and shi ing the position of the arm 82 to various openings in the index plate the feeding mechanism may be adjusted to regulate the thickness of the slices being cut. One of the openings 84 is arranged to hold the plate 80in position to .entirely prevent operation of the feeding mechanism so that the thickness of the slices maybe varied from nothing to any desired thickness within the limit'of the machine. .The index-plate 85 is pivoted at its upper portion to the shaft 64 and is provided with aslot 86 at its lower end through which a screw 87 extends into a projection 88 on the bases 10. This arrangement permitsthe index plate 85 to be shifted in order to properly set the index numerals thereon in position to cause the slices, when formed, to'correspond with the 40 designations on the index plate. r

. The shaft 16 in the usual operation of the machine rotates in a clockwise direction, as

viewed in Fig.3. so that the periphery of the" knife, at the rightof the center line in that figure, will constitute the cutting edge. If

this portion of the edge becomes dull in time the knife may bev easily removed from the spindle 16 by releasing the wing nut 57 and may be secured to the spindle by the opposite openings 33. This will reverse the posi- '-tion of the knife on the spindle so that the other half of the periphery will now become, the cutting edge and it will therefore be unnecessary to sharpen the knife until the two halves have been successively used and until both sides of the knife have become dull.' To sharpen the knife it" may be supported by means of the central opening 32 so that it will rotate about its center and a sharpening instrument may then be held in a stationary position to engage the edge of the knife as the knife rotates thus restorlng a sharp cutting edge to the entire periphery of the knife. In this way the knife may be I 6.5 much more easily and quickly sharpened the pin 83 from the openbracket 90'rigidly connected with the cross bar 18. The spindle is driven from a stud shaft 91 arranged in axial alinement with. the shaft 26 and journaled in bearing 23. The stud shaft 91 is connected with the spindle 89 by gearing enclosed in a housing 2 and arranged to increase the speed of the spindle over that of the stud shaft. A pair of spur gears 93 of different sizes may be v employed for this purpose. An automatic grinder 94 is carried by the bracket in position to engage the knife 31 when supported on the spindle 89. This grinder may be of any well-known and approved construction, a suitable form of de- 90 vice for that purpose being shown in Patent No. 1,308,433, granted July 1, 19 19, to August R, Luschka andJosep'h Folk. With v this mechanism, when it' is desired tosjharpen a knife, the-blade is removed from the end 95 of spindle 16 and placed on the spindle 89.

The stud shaft 91 is then connected with the shaft 25 by means of a sliding collar 95 having clutch teeth 96 arranged to engage notches 97 in a collar 98 secured to the stud 100 shaft 91. The clutch sleeve 95'is held in position by .a set screw 99. WVhen the parts. arethus connected the grinder is brought into proper engagement with the beveled edge of the knife and the hand wheel 27 is rotated to'sharpen the knife in a manner well known in the art. I

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 the general construction and operation of the machine is similar to that of the form of invention previously described, but the feeding mechanism for the loaves of bread as they are being sliced is arranged horizontally, instead of vertically, so that the teeth of the feeding discs engage the bottom instead of the sides of the loaves. In this form of the invention the drive shaft 64 for the feeding mechanism is operated in the same 'way as in the form previously described, and a stud shaft 100 is journa-led in a bearing 10] in the platell and is driven by a pair of beveled gears 102 operated by the shaft 64. A bushing 103 is formed integrally with the base plate 11 and a yoke 104 is pivoted on the bushing 103 in order to swing about the axis of the stud shaft 100. A slideway 105 is formed on the upper face of the plate 11 to support the end of the yoke 104 opposite the shaft 100. A

horizontally arranged shaft 106 is journaled to the shaft 100 and spaced thereon by collars 10.). A work supporting trough or box 110 is secui-ed to the bearing members 107 and is supported at its rear end on a bracket 111 fastened to the base 10'by screws 112. A slot 113 is formed in the bracket 111 and a bolt 11-1 and wing nut 11:") are provided for holding the work support 110 in vari us angular positions of adjustment. The shaft 100 is driven from the shaft 100 by beve d gears 110 so that the toothed discs can ilx' operated at any position of the work support. .\n arm 117 is pivotally mounted on a lug 118 secured to the work support 110 \and a roller 11! is journaled on a shaft 1:20

' the arm 11? may he provided with a spring to supplement the action of gravity on the roller 119 if this is found desirable.

plate 1'31 is secured to the front edge of the base plate 11 by screws 122 and a series of rearwardly projecting fingers 123 are supported at the upper edge of the plate 1:21 in position to bridge the space between the work support 110 and the slicing knife when the work support is swung into an oblique angular position. as shown in full lines in Fig, 0. \Vhen the work support is in the position shown in broken lines in that figure the front edge of the support will approximately coincide with the front of the plate 121. Any suitable receiver may be provided for the slices as they are cut from the loaf. such a device being shown at 121 in Figs.- 5 -and 7 of the drawings.

1. In a slicing machine. a disc-sha 'ied knife. a spindle for rotating said knife. and

' means for securing saio knife to said spindle at a point on said knife spaced from the center thereof.

2. In a slicing machine. a disc-shaped knife. a spindle for rotating said knife. and means for securing said knife to said spindle at a plurality ofspaced positions on said knife.

3. In a slicing machine. a disc-shaped knife. and means for supporting said knife at the center thereof and for imparting concentric rotation thereto and-for supporting said knife at a position spaced from the center thereof for imparting eccentric rotation to said knife. 4. In a slicing machine, a disc-shaped knife. and means for rotating said knife about an axis normal to the plane thereof and spaced from the center thereof to perform 'a cutting operation and for rotating said knife about an axis arranged at the center thereof to facilitate sharpening of said knife.

5. In a slicing machine, a disc-shaped knife, mechanism for rotating said knife about an axis arranged cccentrically thereof to impart a slicing movement to said knife and for totaling said knife about an axis arranged centrally thereof at a different rate of speed from the eccentric rotation of said knife to facilitate sharpening of said knife.

0. In a slicing machine, a disc-shaped knife having a plurality of openings therein, and means for securing said knife to a'spindle engaging any oneof said openings.

7. In a slicing machine, a disc-shaped knife having a centrally arranged opening therein and having a second opening spaced from the center of said knife, and means for selectively engaging said openings so that said knife may be rotated eccentrically to perform a slicing operation and concentrically to facilitate sharpening of said knife.

8. In a slicing machine, a pair of rotary spindles. drivingmechanism for said spindles arrangedto rotate said spindles at different rates of speed. a disc-shaped knife, means fox-secu ing said knife eccentrically on the spindle having a slower rate of rotation sothat said knife may be operated by 'at a plurality of positions spaced from the center thereof to cause different portions of the periphery of said knife to act as cutting edges.

10. In combination, adisc-shaped knife. a spindle for supporting said knife. means for securing said knife to said spindle at different positions on said knife spaced from the center thereof, and means for rotating said spindle to cause different portions of the periphery-of said knife to act as cutting edges. the portion of said periphery serving as acntting edge depending upon the position of said knife on said spindle.

11. In combination, a rotary spindle, a disc-shaped knife secured to said spindle at a position spaced from the center of said knife. means for holding said knife on said spindle to impart an eccentric rotation thereto, and a housing arranged to form a guard for said knife at various positions during the rotation thereof.

12. In combination, a slicing knife, a work 'to the cutting plane of said knife to cause said knife to sever slices from said article at different angles to the longitudinal axis thereof, and means operable in the various positions of adjustment of said support for feeding said article along said support.

13. In combination, a slicing knife, a Work support for-holding an article to'be sliced by said knife, a roller having prongs thereon for engaging said article, resilient means for holding said article against said prongs, and means for rotating said roller to feed. said article to said slicingknife, said-work support being movablexabout the axis of said roller to various angular positions of ad justment relative to the plane of said slicing knife.

14. In combination, a slicing knife, a work support for holding articles to be Sliced, a roller positioned at one side of said work support for engaging said articles, and means. for rotating said roller to feed saidv articles to said slicing knife, said work support being pivotally adjustable about the axis of said roller to vary the angle at which an article thereon is knife.

15. In a slicing machine, 1 neans for suppresented to said slicing porting an article to be sliced, a disc-shaped knife, and means for rotating said knife about an axis arrangedtransversely-to .the plane of said knife at a point spaced from the center of said disc to impart adrawcutting operation to said knife for severing slices from said article. I

16. In a. slicing machine,-a disc-shaped knife, means for rotating said knife about an axis extending transversely to the plane thereof and located at a point spaced from the center of said disc-shaped knifeto' impart a drawcutting. operation to the edge of said lmife, and means for presenting an article to said knife at different angles relative to the cutting plane of said'knife to permit said knife to sever. slices from said article at different angles relative thereto.

17 In combination, a slicing knife, means for feeding an article to said knife, ratchet mechanism for operating said feeding means, an adjustable device, for regulating said ratchet mechanism, and means for holding said adjustable device in its different positions of adjustment, said holding meansbeing adjustable to permit regulation of said adjusting device.

'18. In combination, -'a slicing knife, means for feeding an article to be sliced, a ratchet wheel for operating said feeding means, a pawl for rotating said ratchet wheel, an adjustable device for controlling said pawl to cause said pawl to impart different amounts,

of movement to said ratchet wheel, and an index member for holding said adjustable device in its various positions, said index member being movable to diflerent positions to regulate the amount of movement of said feeding mechanism for the various positions in which said adjustable: said index member.

19. In a slicing machine, a work support,

and a plurality of toothed wheels arranged pair of beveled gears for driving said feed roller, said Work support being movable about the axis of one of said gears to permit said Work support to assume various angular positions While the driving connection for said roller is undisturbed, and a slicing knife for cutting slices from an article on said support at various angles relative to the longie5 'device is held by for engaging an article carried thereby, a

tudinalaxis of said article, the angle .at

Which'said slices are cut depending upon the position of said work support.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification on this 29th day of July, A. D. 1920.

AUGUST R. LUSCHKA, HENDRIK STUKART.

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