Lattice cutting machine system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9352479-B2
Application number	US-201313837753-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Dec 31, 2011
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A cutting machine for cutting a vegetable product includes a frame, supporting a product flow path, at least three links, pivotally attached to the frame, a cutting plate, pivotally attached to each of the three links at three pivot points and oriented substantially perpendicular to the flow path, a plurality of cutting knives, carried by the cutting plate, each having a generally corrugated configuration defining adjacent peaks and troughs, the cutting knives oriented angularly with respect to each other, and a drive motor, coupled to rotationally drive at least one of the links with respect to the frame, whereby the cutting plate moves in an orbital motion in a plane substantially perpendicular to the flow path, thereby moving the cutting knives sequentially and repeatedly across the product flow path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cutting machine for cutting a vegetable product, comprising:
a frame, supporting a product flow path to a cutting position;
at least three links, each of the at least three links having a first end that is pivotally attached to the frame at a first pivot point, and a second end;
a cutting plate, pivotally attached to at least three pivot points at the second ends of each of the at least three links, and oriented substantially perpendicular to the flow path;
a plurality of cutting knives, carried by the cutting plate in a fixed orientation, each knife having a corrugated configuration defining adjacent peaks and troughs, the cutting knives oriented angularly with respect to each other; and
a drive motor, coupled to rotationally drive the first end of at least one link of the at least three links about the first pivot point thereof with respect to the frame, whereby the cutting plate moves in a plane substantially perpendicular to the flow path, in an orbital motion with a fixed angular orientation through a generally circular path at the cutting position, wherein the fixed orientation of the cutting knives does not rotate with respect to the at least three second pivot points, thereby moving the cutting knives sequentially and repeatedly across the product flow path.

2. A cutting machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cutting plate further comprises:
a plurality of recessed ramps, each positioned at an upstream side of each cutting knife, configured for guiding the product into cutting engagement with the respective cutting knife; and
a plurality of slots, each positioned at a downstream side of each cutting knife, configured for passage of each cut slice therethrough.

3. A cutting machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cutting plate includes four cutting knives disposed at approximately 90° intervals, and oriented substantially perpendicular to each successive cutting knife.

4. A cutting machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each of the cutting knives has a trough dimension greater than ½ the peak-to-peak dimension of each cut slice, whereby each cut slice has a regular pattern of small holes formed therein to define lattice cut slices.

5. A cutting machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cutting plate further comprises a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, configured for flow-through passage of an hydraulic fluid.

6. A cutting machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the vegetable product comprises potatoes.

7. A cutting machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein an orbital speed of the cutting plate and a feed rate of product along the product flow path are selectable to produce cut slices having a selected peak-to-peak thickness.

8. A cutting plate for cutting vegetables, comprising:
a plurality of cutting blades, disposed radially upon the cutting plate in a fixed orientation, each cutting blade having a corrugated cutting profile and configured to cut a vegetable slice with a pattern of adjacent peaks and troughs;
a corresponding plurality of slots, adjacent to each cutting blade, the slots configured to allow the vegetable slice to pass through after being cut by one of the plurality of cutting blades; and
a plurality of rotatable links, pivotally connected to the cutting plate at a plurality of first pivot points, the links configured to link the cutting plate to a driving device that rotates one of the links about a second pivot point distal from the first pivot point thereof, thereby moving the cutting plate in a plane in an orbital motion in a generally circular path, wherein the fixed orientation of the cutting blades does not rotate with respect to the plurality of first pivot points, adjacent to a cutting position for the vegetables.

9. A cutting plate in accordance with claim 8 , further comprising a ramp adjacent to each cutting blade, the ramps being configured to control the thickness of the vegetable slices cut by the cutting blades.

10. A cutting plate in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the cutting plate comprises four cutting blades.

11. A cutting plate in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the four cutting blades are oriented at approximately right angles with respect to each other.

12. A cutting plate in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the plurality of rotatable links comprises at least three rotatable links.

13. A cutting machine for cutting vegetables, comprising:
a product flow path, configured to direct the vegetables to a cutting position;
a cutting plate, pivotally mounted upon distal ends of three rotatable links at the cutting position, and oriented generally perpendicular to the product flow path;
four cutting knives, fixedly disposed upon the cutting plate at approximately 90° intervals and oriented substantially perpendicular with respect to each adjacent cutting knife, each of the cutting knives having
a fixed angular orientation;
a corrugated configuration defining adjacent peaks and troughs;
an upstream side, having a recessed ramp for guiding the vegetables into cutting engagement with the cutting knife; and
a downstream side, having a slot for passage of each cut slice therethrough after cutting; and

means for rotationally driving a proximal end of at least one of the links, thereby driving the cutting plate in an orbital motion through a generally circular path with a fixed angular orientation in a plane generally perpendicular to the flow path at the cutting position, wherein the fixed orientation of the cutting knives does not rotate with respect to the proximal or distal ends of the links, whereby the cutting knives sequentially and repeatedly move across the cutting position and into cutting engagement with the vegetables to form vegetable slices having a corrugated cut shape.

Assignees

• J R Simplot
• Simplot Co J R

Inventors

• Walker David Bruce
• Neel Allen J
• Campion David
• Boyd Jason
• Deleve Travis
• Vogen Wayne

Classifications

• B26D1/60

  and is mounted on a movable carriage · CPC title

• B26D1/0006

  Cutting members therefor · CPC title

• B26D7/0658 Primary

  using fluid, e.g. hydraulic, acting directly on the work · CPC title

• Y10T83/8791

  Tool mounted on radial face of rotor · CPC title

• B26D7/0675

  specially adapted for piles of sheets · CPC title