The present invention relates in general to a kitchen cutting device and in particular to a new and useful manual safer cutting device with a quick and easy way to slice, dice, and create long wedge cuts through an elongated hotdog and or a sausage food product known in the art as frankfurters or wieners. Prior art shows that inventions that cut a plurality of slices down the longitudinal length, by way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,578 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,010 require the handling and use of a knife to execute a cut.
When my invention cuts a plurality of slices down the longitudinal length of a sausage, it is equipped with an array of cutting blades completely enclosed inside of a housing to avoid any kind of accidental cuts caused by the now unnecessary use of an exposed knife.
Prior art shows that inventions that cut long longitudinal wedge pieces, by way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,675,580 requires that a person have one hand on the sausage while simultaneously forcing the sausage through the cutter knives leaving the possibility of personal injury to there figures from this form of usage.
My invention puts to use a two handle beam apparatus, and a hotdog barrier to to execute a cut, while a person having one hand on the tubular containment chamber, forces the tubular containment cutting chamber past the respective hotdog barrier while simultaneously cutting long longitudinal wedge pieces of a sausage from one end to the other.
Prior art also shows that inventions that create long longitudinal wedge cuts in the security of a cutting chamber by way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,771 do not allow long longitudinal cuts to sever all the way through with in the cutting chamber, leaving a diameter of at least one-quarter of an inch of longitudinal core down the center of the sausage.
Other prior art also shows that inventions that create diced cuts in the security of a cutting chamber by way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,880 does not show any obvious locking mechanism to prevent the execution of the cutting blades while the chamber is open.
In my invention, a person would have a choice of sliced, diced, or long longitudinal wedge severed through completely discrete pieces of sausage, and would ultimately offer kids, elderly, and people of all ages a better way to prevent choking or any kind of blocking of the air way, from a large sausage, or loosely connected pieces of hotdogs in an totally safe manner.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements for cutting a sausage food product. The aforementioned patents do not describe a sausage cutter for creating cubed or diced cut through pieces in a safe manner. Therefore the above mentioned patents do not fulfill the true objective of a totally safe means for cutting.
In both respects, the sausage cutter according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of finding a safer method for slicing, dicing, and creating long wedge cuts of a sausage food product as I have done in my mockup.
The invention seeks to realize among other things the following:
The object of the invention is to provide a novel cutting mechanism that combines long cut capabilities with short sliced cut capabilities to create diced or cubed sausage and simply cutting a hotdog with less time and work.
A principle object of the present invention is to have several designs and sizes to accommodate several size sausages, and could even be used to slice and dice a large variety of different food products, like soft fruits and vegetables as well. A further important object of the present invention is to provide a safe easy way for elder people to cut there own sausage product the way they like them cut for ease of eating.
Another major object of the invention is to provide a fast and safe way for the on the go mom and dad to slice or dice the hot dogs in small easy to swallow pieces for the younger kids.
Another principle object is to provide a quick and safe three step operation for slicing and dicing a sausage product with out using a much slower and more dangerous knife.
Yet another principle object is to provide a mechanism with a momentary containment chamber that holds the sometimes hot finished cut up sausage product until it's ready to be served on a plate.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cutting device that's possibly made of plastic and easily unassembled for washing by hand in a kitchen sink, or in a dish washer.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device that will make foods prepared with sliced and diced up sausages less cumbersome and fun for everyone of all ages in the family to prepare.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a lever locking device that can only be released by either end of the two handle beam apparatus midway through the plunge cutter housing, to ensure the device can only be used safely and properly.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent from the description of the views and the detailed embodiments that follow, or may be learned by the practice of the invention.
A sausage food product and a two handle beam apparatus also sharing the same view are both in line with a food product inlet, located at one end of the respective cutter housing.
Part number one: A two handle beam apparatus.
In the drawings, reference numeral 2 istermed and generally indicates a two handle beam apparatus in accordance with the invention.
A tubular containment cutting chamber 4 having a food product inlet 10 at one end and a food product outlet 12 which is provided with a knife or wire 14 for cutting.
A stop slot 18 having an opening from the food product inlet end 10, and extending the respective opening to a distance just short of the food product outlet end 12 without an opening.
A two handle beam apparatus 2 for slicing a sausage food product includes at the opposite longitudinal end a tubular containment chamber 20 having a longitudinal length generally similar to a standard size sausage product 6, and an inside diameter with a generally larger circumference than a jumbo size sausage products 8 outside circumference.
A tubular containment chamber 20 is provided with a food product inlet 22 at one end and a food product outlet 26 at the other end, with two short sleeve locator pins 24 located across from each other generally near the respective food product outlet end 26.
A sleeve locator pin 24 having a fixed mount 28 (only one of two fixed mounts shown n
A stop slot 18 having an opening from the food product inlet end 22 and extending the respective opening to a distance just short of the food product outlet end 26 without an opening.
A horizontal guide beam 30 having the same longitudinal axis as a tubular containment cutting chamber 4 and a tubular containment chamber 20.
A tubular containment cutting chamber 4 and the tubular containment chamber 20 have a fixed mount 32 on the outer surface with a guide beam 30.
A middle portion 34 of a guide beam 30 spanning an opening between the food product outlet end 12 of a tubular containment cutting chamber 4 and the food product outlet end 26 of a tubular containment chamber 20 generally longer than the distance of a standard size sausage product 6, forming a two handle beam apparatus 2 all together.
Part number two: A tubular sleeve containment cutting chamber.
A tubular sleeve containment cutting chamber 36 having a longitudinal length generally similar to a standard size sausage product 6, and an inside diameter with a generally larger circumference than the respective standard size sausage products 6 outside circumference.
A tubular sleeve containment cutting chamber 36 having an outside diameter generally smaller than a tubular containment chambers 20 inside diameter.
A tubular sleeve containment cutting chamber 36 having a food product inlet 38 at one end, and a food product outlet 40 which is provided with a knife or wire 42 for cutting.
A stop slot 44 having an opening from the food product inlet end 38 and extending the respective opening to a distance just short of the food product outlet end 40 without an opening.
A tubular sleeve containment cutting chambers 36 food outlet end 40 is telescopically forced by hand into a tubular containment chambers 20 food inlet end 22.
A sleeve locator slot 46 is used for locating, aligning, and stopping a telescopically mounted tubular sleeve containment cutting chamber 36 with a generally short sleeve locator pin 24 inside a tubular containment chamber 20.
Part number three: A food ejector.
A plurality of pusher blades 58, 106, 108, 109 extending generally up a food ejector 48.
A food ejector 48 is provided with a top surface 50 longitudinally configured generally longer and generally wider than a jumbo size, sausage product 8 having the respective top surface 50 recessed, with sides 52 higher than the center 54, creating a lateral centering means for the respective jumbo size sausage product 8. A food ejector 48 having an array of transversely oriented clearance slots open from the top surface 50 and opened on both side surfaces 56 extending downwardly to a predetermined clearance depth forming pusher blades 58, 106, 108, 109.
An upper depression 58a located on a pusher blades 109 side surface 56 at each end of a food ejector 48, in the form of an upper relief.
A lower depression 58b (only three of four lower depressions shown in
A side surface 56 that stands between an upper depression 58a and a lower depression 58b located on a pusher blade 109, takes the form of a momentary locator ledge 58c (only three of four momentary locator ledges shown in
Part number four: A cutter housing.
A cutter housing 66 is provided with a food product outlet 68 on the top surface longitudinally configured to be generally longer, and generally wider than one jumbo size sausage product 8.
A cutter housing 66 is provided with an upper momentary food containment chamber 70 from the top surface to be generally deeper than the thickness of a jumbo size sausage product 8.
An upper momentary food containment chamber 70 is provided with an array of transversely oriented cutting blades 72 configured longitudinally.
A cutter blades 72 top surface 72a starts from the bottom of the respective upper momentary food containment chamber 70, and extends downwardly to a sharp edge similar to a knife, taking the form of the top circumference on a handle beam inlet 74, and handle beam outlet 76.
A cutter blades 72 lateral ends have a fixed mount 72b to an upper momentary food containment-chambers 70 inside surfaces 70a.
A bottom sharp edge of a cutter blade 72 having the sides 78 lower than the center 80 of the respective cutter blade 72, longitudinally configured into a lateral centering and cutting means for a jumbo size sausage product 8.
A handle beam inlet 74 and a handle beam outlet 76 are provided with openings on there inside circumference called a guide beam slot 88 oriented longitudinally all the way through a cutter housing 66.
A guide beam slot 88 having a generally slightly larger inside dimension than a guide beams 30 outside dimension.
A handle beam outlet 76 located on one end of a cutter housing 66 is provided with a center mounted vertically oriented pillar 76a having a top and bottom fixed mount 76b to the inside circumference of the respective handle beam outlet 76.
A pillar 76a having a generally smaller lateral thickness than a stop slot 18, 44 (only four of six stop slots shown in
A pillar 76a having a fixed mount 76c on a backside surface 76d of a food barrier 76e.
A cutter housing 66 is provided with a lower momentary food containment chamber 82 having an opening on a bottom surface 84, which is termed a food ejector inlet 86, extending upwards to be a generally deeper pocket than two jumbo size sausage product 8.
A cutter housing 66 provided with a spring plunger 90 in the form of a momentary locator point.
A spring plunger 90 having a transversely oriented fixed mount 90a on an inside surface 92 with all four momentary locator points, just inside a food ejector inlet 86, to line up with an upper depression 58a and a lower depression 58b located on a pusher blade 109 side surface 56.
A spring plunger 90 generally extending into a lower momentary food containment chamber 82 from a food ejector inlet 86 inside surface 92 to rest on a momentary locator ledge 58c, located on a side surface 56 of a pusher blade 109.
A cutter housing 66 is provide with a lever lock pocket 94 cut through from a bottom surface 84 to form a lever slot 96 opening to the lower portion of a guide beam slot 88 (both 96 and 88 shown in hidden lines in
A cutter housing 66 is provide with a lever lock pocket 94 having openings on a bottom surface 84 generally part way up on an inside surface 92, and having no openings to an outside surface 94a.
Part number five: A lever lock.
In the drawings, reference numeral 98 istermed and generally indicates a lever lock in accordance with the invention.
A cutter housing 66 is provided with a lever lock 98 having the form of a class one lever.
A lever locks 98 lower ledge 102 portion is in the form of a boot, with the toe of the boot pointing inwardly generally beyond the inside surface 92 and protruding into a lower momentary food containment chamber 82. The respective lower ledge 102 of the respective lever lock 98 is used as a safety stop for a cutter housing 66,
A lateral width of an upper lever slot 96 having a slightly larger slip fit for a lever locks 98 upper lateral width.
A long depression 106c extending downwardly on a side surface 56 of a pusher blade 108 in the form of a relief having the respective long depression 106c (only two of four long depressions shown in
And finally, this will define how the two above cut operations and parts work together in a three dimensional way to create cut cubed or diced food pieces 16. Creating slices 110 from a food product described next.
A tubular containment chambers 20 food product inlet 22 containing a jumbo size sausage product 8 (shown in dark hidden lines in
A guide beam 30 on a tubular containment chamber 20 will intersect and rotate the upper portion of a lever lock 98 to a generally horizontal position, which would be the effort on a class one lever and than release a lower ledge 102 of the respective lever lock 98 off of a food ejectors 48 lock stop ledge 106b.
A cutter housing 66 is still resting on a food ejectors 48 locator ledge 58c (only two of four locator ledges shown in
A jumbo size sausage product 8 is stopped by a food barrier 76e as the tubular containment chambers 20 stop slot 18 (only one of two stop slots shown in
A food product outlet 26 on a tubular containment chamber 20 clears a lower momentary food containment chamber 82 formed by a cutter housing 66 resting on a food ejector 48, to create a resting place for a sausage food product 8.
Creating long wedge cuts 112 from a food product described next.
A tubular containment cutting chambers 4 food product inlet 10 containing a jumbo size sausage product 8 (shown in dark hidden lines in
A guide beam 30 on a tubular containment cutting chamber 4 will intersect and rotate the upper portion of a lever lock 98 to a generally horizontal position, which would be the effort on a class one lever and than release a lower ledge 102 of the respective lever lock 98 off of a food ejectors 48 lock stop ledge 106b (only one of two lock stop ledges shown in
A cutter housing 66 is still resting on a food ejectors 48 locator ledge 58c (only one of two locator ledges shown in
A jumbo size sausage product 8 is stopped by a food barrier 76e as the tubular containment cutting chambers 4 stop slots 18 (only one of two stop slots shown in
A food product outlet 12 on a tubular containment cutting chamber 4 clears a lower momentary food containment chamber 82 formed by a cutter housing 66 resting on a food ejector 48, to create a resting place for a jumbo size sausage food product 8.
Once a cutter housing is lifted off a food ejector 48, a jumbo size sausage product 8 is now in the form of four, but not limited too, long wedge cuts 112 down it's longitudinal length all the way through, which would normally be resting on the top surface 50 of the respective food ejector 48.
having the respective food ejector 48 and the respective cutter housing 66 form a lower momentary food containment chamber 82.
In this example, a two handle beam apparatus 2 has four purposeful applications, in that it is intended for holding, locating, and cutting a standard size sausage product 6, than rotating a lever lock 98 off a lock stop ledge 106b (only one of two lock stop ledges shown in
A standard size sausage product 6 is inserted by hand into a tubular sleeve containment cutting chambers 36 food product inlet 38 now located at one end of a two handle beam apparatus 2.
A standard size sausage product 6 is inserted by hand into a cutter housings 66 handle beam inlet 74.
A guide beam 30 on a tubular containment chamber 20 will intersect and rotate the upper portion of a lever lock 98 to a generally horizontal position, which would be the effort on a class one lever and than release a lower ledge 102 of the respective lever lock 98 off of a food ejectors 48 lock stop ledge 106b.
A cutter housing 66 is still resting on a food ejectors 48 locator ledge 58c (only one of two locator ledges shown in
A standard size sausage product 6 is stopped by a food barrier 76e as tubular containment chambers 20 stop slots 18 (only one of two stop slots shown in
Both food product outlets 26, 40 on a tubular containment chamber 20 and tubular sleeve containment cutting chamber 36 clear a lower momentary food containment chamber 82 formed by a cutter housing 66 resting on a food ejector 48, to create a resting place for a food product.
A standard size sausage product 6 is now in the form of four, but not limited too,
A resilient spring return for a lever lock 98 to a generally vertical position would be obvious to one in the art and easily designed in numerous ways, so no illustration of a spring return is shown in the drawings.