Knife assemblies for slicing machines and machines equipped therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034043-B2
Application number	US-201916239642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2019
Priority date	Jan 5, 2018
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

Knife assemblies adapted for use in slicing machines. Such a knife assembly includes a knife holder having a support surface that defines a leading edge of the knife holder and a trailing end spaced from the leading edge, an insert disposed on the support surface so that a leading edge thereof projects beyond the leading edge of the knife holder and a trailing end thereof is secured to the knife holder, a knife clamped to the knife holder so that the insert is between the knife and the support surface. The trailing end of the insert is secured to the knife holder as a result of the trailing end being received in a slot defined in the trailing end of the support surface, or with posts protruding from the support surface that engage slots defined in the trailing end of the insert.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A knife assembly adapted for use in a slicing machine comprising a cutting head, the knife assembly comprising:
a knife holder having a recessed support surface on an exterior region of the knife holder, the recessed support surface defining a leading edge of the knife holder, the recessed support surface having a trailing end spaced in a trailing direction from the leading edge;
an insert disposed on the recessed support surface of the knife holder and having an inward-facing surface that faces and contacts the recessed support surface of the knife holder and having an outward-facing surface that is oppositely-disposed from the inward-facing surface of the insert, the insert having a leading edge that projects beyond the leading edge of the knife holder and a trailing end secured to the knife holder with securing means;
a knife supported by the outward-facing surface of the insert, the knife having a cutting edge that projects beyond the leading edge of the insert; and
means for clamping the knife and the insert to the recessed support surface of the knife holder so that the insert is between the knife and the recessed support surface of the knife holder and the knife and the insert are clamped by the clamping means to the recessed support surface of the knife holder;
wherein the securing means comprises:
the trailing end of the insert received in a slot defined in the trailing end of the recessed support surface of the knife holder, the slot defining an opening contiguous with the recessed support surface and the trailing end of the insert having a locking feature that comprises a protrusion that protrudes from only the inward-facing surface of the insert and defines a thickness of the insert that is within the slot and is greater than a maximum width of the opening of the slot.

2. The knife assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the locking feature protrudes from only the inward-facing surface of the insert and the trailing end of the insert has an asymmetric configuration formed by the locking feature.

3. The knife assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the opening of the slot and a first portion of the slot have an elevation above the recessed support surface, and the protrusion protrudes from the inward-facing surface of the insert into a second portion of the slot that is recessed below the recessed support surface in a direction away from the opening.

4. The knife assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the protrusion interlocks the trailing end of the insert with the slot of the knife holder so that the insert has two extreme orientations relative to the knife holder and yet the trailing end is retained in the slot by the protrusion.

5. The knife assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is contiguous with an edge of the trailing end of the insert formed by a distal end surface of the insert.

6. The knife assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the slot in the knife holder comprises first and second diverging portions.

7. The knife assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second diverging portions extend away from the leading edge of the knife holder.

8. The knife assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the first diverging portion of the slot is parallel to a surface of the knife holder opposite the recessed support surface thereof.

9. The knife assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the second diverging portion of the slot extends at an acute angle to the first diverging portion.

10. The knife assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the second diverging portion of the slot is recessed below the recessed support surface of the knife holder, the trailing end of the insert has a rectangular profile received in the first diverging portion of the slot, and the protrusion of the insert is received in the second diverging portion of the slot.

11. The knife assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the insert can only be removed from the slot by moving the insert in a direction parallel to the slot.

12. The knife assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the recessed support surface is recessed in a direction toward a radially-inward surface of the knife holder.

13. The knife assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the clamping means contacts the knife at a surface region thereof that trails the leading edge of the knife holder in the trailing direction.

14. A cutting head comprising the knife assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the knife assembly is installed on the cutting head of the slicing machine, the cutting head is an annular-shaped cutting head, and the knife assembly is oriented parallel to an axis of the cutting head.

15. The cutting head according to claim 14 , wherein an impeller is coaxially mounted within the cutting head for rotation about the axis of the cutting head in a rotational direction relative to the cutting head, the impeller has means for delivering food products radially outward toward the cutting head, and the knife extends radially inward toward the impeller in a direction opposite the rotational direction of the impeller.

Assignees

• Urschel Laboratories Inc

Inventors

• Baxter Corey Everette
• Jacko Michael Scot
• Rust Ryan Andrew

Classifications

• B26D7/0691

  by centrifugal force · CPC title

• B26D1/03

  with a plurality of cutting members · CPC title

• B26D2210/02

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

• B26D7/2614 Primary

  Means for mounting the cutting member · CPC title