Cutting heads, cutting machines equipped therewith, and methods of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11027450-B2
Application number	US-202016732478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 2, 2020
Priority date	Jan 2, 2019
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Cutting heads and machines equipped therewith. The cutting heads include axially-spaced annular-shaped structural members and circumferentially-spaced support segments between the structural members. Each support segment has a leading edge and a trailing edge, a knife support surface defined on an inner surface region adjacent the leading edge of the support segment, and a gate located adjacent the trailing edge of the support segment. A knife assembly is located adjacent the leading edge of each support segment. Each knife assembly includes a holder opposing one of the knife support surfaces of the support segments and adapted to clamp a knife between the holder and knife support surface. The cutting head may further have camming units that secure the support segments between the structural members, camming units that clamp the knives to the knife support surfaces, and/or adjustment pins that deflect the gates of the support segments.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An annular-shaped cutting head of a cutting machine, the cutting head comprising:
annular-shaped first and second structural members spaced apart in an axial direction of the cutting head;
circumferentially-spaced support segments between the first and second structural members, each of the support segments having a leading edge and an oppositely-disposed trailing edge, an inner surface region facing in a radially inward direction of the cutting head, an outer surface region facing in a radially outward direction of the cutting head, a knife support surface defined on the inner surface region adjacent the leading edge of the support segment, and a gate located adjacent the trailing edge of the support segment;
knife assemblies located adjacent the leading edge of each of the support segments, each of the knife assemblies comprising a holder opposing one of the knife support surfaces of the support segments and adapted to clamp a knife between the holder and the knife support surface;
wherein the cutting head further comprises at least one of the following:
first camming units engaging the first and second structural members and adapted to draw the first and second structural members together to releasably secure the support segments therebetween;
second camming units located at the outer surface regions of the support segments and adapted to draw the holders of the knife assemblies toward a corresponding one of the knife support surfaces to clamp a knife between the holder and the knife support surface; and
adjustment units each comprising an adjustment pin engaging the first and second structural members and a camming portion adapted to cam against the outer surface region of a corresponding one of the support segments adjacent the trailing edges of the support segment to deflect the gate of the support segment in the radially inward direction of the cutting head.

2. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting head comprises the first camming units, each of the first camming units comprising:
a locking pin that extends between and through the first and second structural members, the locking pin having a first end engaging the first structural member and a second end protruding from the second structural member; and
a camming member located at the second structural member, pivotally engaging the second end of the locking pin, and adapted to displace the second end of the locking pin away from the second structural member when pivoted relative to the locking pin so as to draw the first structural member toward the second structural member and thereby releasably secure the support segments therebetween.

3. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 2 , wherein each of the locking pins has an axis of rotation, the first and second ends of each locking pin are at oppositely-disposed axial ends of the locking pin, and the camming member and the second end of the locking pin of each of the first camming units have complementary features enabling the locking pins to be rotated with the camming members about the axes of rotation thereof.

4. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 3 , wherein the locking pins are also the adjustment pins that engage the first and second structural members, each of the camming portions is between the first and second structural members, and rotation of one of the locking pins about the axis of rotation thereof causes the camming portion thereof to cam against the outer surface region of a corresponding one of the support segments to deflect the gate thereof in the radially inward direction of the cutting head.

5. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 4 , wherein the camming portions define eccentric camming surfaces and rotation of the locking pins about the axes of rotation thereof causes the camming portions thereof to move in the axial direction of the cutting head between the first and second structural members.

6. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 4 , wherein rotation of one of the locking pins about the axis of rotation thereof causes the camming portion thereof to move in the axial direction of the cutting head between the first and second structural members, and the outer surface region of each of the support segments comprises an inclined surface against which the camming portion of a corresponding one of the locking pins cams to deflect the gates in the radially inward direction of the cutting head.

7. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 6 , wherein the camming portions of the locking pins are threadably mounted to the locking pins so that the rotation of the locking pins cause the camming portions thereof to move in the axial direction of the cutting head.

8. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 7 , further comprising complementary features on the camming portions and the outer surface regions of the support segments that in combination define a gage indicating how far the gates are deflected in the radially inward direction of the cutting head.

9. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 2 , wherein each of the camming members has a camming surface that cams against the second structural member.

10. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 2 , wherein each of the support segments has a relief in the outer surface region thereof between the leading edge and the gate thereof that enables the gate and the trailing edge of the support segment to pivot relative to the leading edge of the support segment.

11. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting head comprises the adjustment units, each of the adjustment pins comprises an axis of rotation and first and second ends at oppositely-disposed axial ends of the adjustment pin, the first end engages the first structural member, the second end protrudes from the second structural member, and each of the adjustment units comprises:
a member located at the second structural member; and
complementary features on the member and the second end of the adjustment pin that enable the adjustment pin to be rotated with the member about the axis of rotation thereof.

12. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 11 , wherein rotation of each of the adjustment pins about the axis of rotation thereof causes the camming portion thereof to cam against the outer surface region of a corresponding one of the support segments to deflect the gate thereof in the radially inward direction of the cutting head.

13. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 12 , wherein the camming portion of each of the adjustment units is between the first and second structural members, and rotation of one of the adjustment pins about the axis of rotation thereof causes the camming portion thereof to move in the axial direction of the cutting head between the first and second structural members.

14. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 13 , wherein the outer surface region of each of the support segments comprises an inclined surface against which the camming portion of a corresponding one of the adjustment units cams to deflect the gates in the radially inward direction of the cutting head.

15. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 14 , wherein the camming portions of the adjustment units are threadably mounted to the adjustment pins so that the rotation of the adjustment pins cause the camming portions thereof to move in the axial direction of the cutting head.

16. The annular-shaped cutting head according to claim 15 , further comp

Assignees

• Urschel Laboratories Inc

Inventors

• Gereg Dustin Joseph

Classifications

• B26D7/2628

  Means for adjusting the position of the cutting member · CPC title

• B26D7/2614 Primary

  Means for mounting the cutting member · CPC title

• B26D7/0691

  by centrifugal force · CPC title

• B26D2210/02

  for cutting food products, e.g. food slicers · CPC title

• B26D1/03 Primary

  with a plurality of cutting members · CPC title