Claims
- 1. An apparatus for slicing an elongated food article into a plurality of longitudinal slabs and inserting slabs from the food article into a container, comprising:
- (a) an indexing feeder comprising an indexing chain, a plurality of feed troughs, each independently affixed to a link of the indexing chain at a distance of one flight from neighboring troughs, and an indexing drive for advancing the indexing chain;
- (b) a first slicing station disposed along the indexing feeder, comprising an indexing turret with a plurality of self-centering chucks disposed around the periphery of the turret, means for rotating the turret such that each chuck is carried from a filling position to a slicing position, means for inserting a food article from a trough into each chuck as the trough is brought into alignment with the chuck at the filling position, a slicing head having a lateral outer edge and a center, a slicing ram for thrusting the food article through the slicing head as the chuck is brought into alignment with the slicing head at the slicing position, a splitter wedge extending from the slicing head, the splitter wedge being V-shaped at the end distal to the slicing head and tapering to a knife edge proximal to the slicing head at the center line of the slicing head, whereby emerging slabs are separated into two equal portions in spaced relationship to one another; and
- (c) a container conveyor system including a conveyor belt, means for feeding containers onto the conveyor belt, means for guiding the containers to a filling angle as the containers are conducted to the slicing station, and means at the slicing station for elevating the containers from the conveyor belt to the slicing head for filling each of said containers with said slabs and returning the containers to the conveyor belt after filling.
- 2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which each of the plurality of self-centering chucks is capable of accommodating food articles having different sizes.
- 3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which the slicing station further comprises a stationary knife to trim the food articles secured in the plurality of self-centering chucks to a predetermined length as each chuck is carried from the filling position to the slicing position.
- 4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which the slicing head comprises a plurality of vertical blades staggered from the outer edge to the center in the slicing direction so as to prevent compression of slabs during slicing.
- 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which the slicing head further comprises a pair of outer slab strippers positioned symmetrically inward from the outer edge of the slicing head adjacent to the head's second outermost blades for diverting the two outermost slabs emerging from the slicing head, away from the container.
- 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which the container conveyor system further comprises means for preventing the containers from rotating while the containers are being filled.
- 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which the filling angle is approximately forty five degrees to assure that the slabs come to rest against the bottom of the container and lying approximately parallel to one another against the side of the container.
- 8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprises a second slicing station disposed along the indexing feeder by an odd number of flights, comprising an indexing turret with a plurality of self-centering chucks disposed around the periphery of the turret, means for rotating the turret such that each chuck is carried from a filling position to a slicing position, means for inserting a food article from a trough into each chuck as the trough is brought into alignment with the chuck at the filling position, a slicing head, a slicing ram for thrusting the food article through the slicing head as the chuck is brought into alignment with the slicing head at the slicing position, whereby the emerging slabs are maintained approximately parallel to one another.
- 9. Apparatus for slicing an elongated food article into a plurality of longitudinal slabs and inserting slabs from the food article into a container, comprising:
- (a) an indexing feeder comprising an indexing chain, a plurality of feed troughs, each independently affixed to a link of the indexing chain at a distance of one flight from neighboring troughs, and an indexing drive for advancing the indexing chain;
- (b) a slicing station disposed along the indexing feeder, comprising an indexing turret with a plurality of self-centering chucks disposed around the periphery of the turret, each self-centering chuck being capable of accommodating food articles having different sizes, means for rotating the turret such that each chuck is carried from a filling position to a slicing position, means for inserting a food article from a trough into each chuck as the trough is brought into alignment with the chuck at the filling position, a stationary knife to trim the food articles secured in the plurality of self-centering chucks to a predetermined length as each chuck is carried from the filling position to the slicing position, a slicing head with a lateral outer edge and a center, having a plurality of vertical blades staggered in the slicing direction from the outer edge to the center so as to prevent compression of slabs during each slicing cycle, and a plurality of outer slab strippers extending inward by a distance of at least two slabs from the outer edge of the slicing head for diverting the outermost slabs, a slicing ram for thrusting the food article through the slicing head as the chuck is brought into alignment with the slicing head at the slicing position, a splitter wedge extending from the slicing head, the splitter wedge being V-shaped at the end distal to the slicing head and tapering to a knife edge proximal to the slicing head at the center line of the slicing head, whereby emerging slabs are separated into two equal and spaced portions; and
- (c) a container conveyor system including a conveyor belt, means for feeding containers onto the conveyor belt, means for guiding the containers to a filling angle as the containers are conducted to the slicing station to assure that the slabs come to rest against the bottom of the container and lying approximately parallel to one another against the side of the container, and means at the slicing station for elevating the containers from the conveyor belt to the slicing head for filling each of said containers with said slabs and returning the containers to the conveyor belt after filling, and means for preventing the containers from rotating while the containers are being filled.
- 10. An apparatus for slicing elongated food articles into a plurality of longitudinal slabs and inserting slabs from at least two of the food articles into a container, comprising:
- (a) an indexing feeder comprising an indexing chain, a plurality of feed troughs, each independently affixed to a link of the indexing chain at a distance of one flight from neighboring troughs, and an indexing drive for advancing the indexing chain a distance of two flights during each slicing cycle;
- (b) a first slicing station and a second slicing station disposed along the indexing feeder, the second slicing station being displaced from the first slicing station by an odd number of flights, each slicing station comprising an indexing turret with a plurality of self-centering chucks disposed around the periphery of the turret, means for rotating the turret such that each chuck is carried from a filling position to a slicing position, means for inserting a food article from a trough into each chuck as the trough is brought into alignment with the chuck at the filling position, a slicing head, a slicing ram for thrusting the food article through the slicing head as the chuck is brought into alignment with the slicing head at the slicing position, a splitter wedge extending from the slicing head of the first slicing station, the splitter wedge being V-shaped at the end distal to the slicing head and tapering to a knife edge proximal to the slicing head at the center line of the slicing head, whereby slabs emerging from the first slicing station are separated into two equal portions in spaced relationship to one another; and
- (c) a container conveyor system including a conveyor belt, means for feeding containers onto the conveyor belt, means for guiding the containers to a filling angle as the containers are conducted to the first and the second slicing stations, and means at the first and the second slicing stations for elevating the containers from the conveyor belt to each slicing head for filling each of said containers with said slabs and returning the containers to the conveyor belt after filling.
- 11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which each of the plurality of self-centering chucks is capable of accommodating food articles having different sizes.
- 12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the first and the second slicing stations each further comprises a stationary knife to trim the food articles secured in the plurality of self-centering chucks to a predetermined length as each chuck is rotated from the filling position to the slicing position.
- 13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the slicing head comprises a plurality of vertical blades staggered in the slicing direction so as to prevent compression of slabs during each slicing cycle.
- 14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the slicing head having an outer periphery further comprises a plurality of outer slab strippers extending inward symmetrically by a distance of at least two slabs from the outer periphery of the slicing head for diverting the outermost slabs.
- 15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the container conveyor system further comprises means for preventing the containers from rotating while the containers are being conveyed from the first slicing station to the second slicing station and while they are being filled.
- 16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the container conveyor system further comprises means for preventing a second container from entering the first and the second slicing stations during each slicing cycle.
- 17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the filling angle is optimized to assure that the slabs come to rest against the bottom of the container and lying approximately parallel to one another against the side of the container.
- 18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the filling angle at the second slicing station is adjusted to ensure that slabs outputted from the second slicing station will be inserted into the V-shaped area formed by the slabs outputted from the first slicing station within the container.
- 19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the indexing drive comprises:
- (a) a drive head capable of assuming a retracted or an advanced position; and
- (b) a pneumatic cylinder for moving the drive head to one of its positions.
- 20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 19, in which the indexing drive further comprises a clamp for preventing the drive head from being moved by the pneumatic cylinder beyond a predetermined distance.
- 21. An apparatus for slicing elongated food articles into a plurality of longitudinal slabs and inserting slabs from at least one of the food articles into a container, comprising:
- (a) an indexing feeder for conveying a plurality of food articles;
- (b) a plurality of chuck assemblies for receiving and securing the plurality of food articles conveyed from the indexing feeder, each chuck assembly being capable of receiving and securing one food article;
- (c) a slicing mechanism for slicing a food article into a plurality of longitudinal slabs;
- (d) a turret for rotating the plurality of chuck assemblies in a sequential manner such that the food article secured in each chuck assembly is aligned with the slicing mechanism in a proper position for slicing;
- (e) means for thrusting the food article secured in a chuck assembly into the slicing mechanism for slicing into longitudinal slabs;
- (f) means for dividing the slabs into two equal and spaced portions and inserting both portions into the container; and
- (g) a conveyor mechanism for conveying and aligning the container with the dividing and inserting means so as to allow the container to receive the slabs.
- 22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, in which the indexing feeder comprises an indexing chain, a plurality of feed troughs, each independently affixed to a link of the indexing chain at a distance of one flight from neighboring troughs, and an indexing drive for advancing the indexing chain.
- 23. An apparatus of claim 22, in which the indexing drive comprises a drive head capable of assuming a retracted or an advanced position, a pneumatic cylinder for moving the drive head to one of its positions, and a clamp for preventing the drive head from being moved by the pneumatic cylinder beyond a predetermined distance.
- 24. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, in which each of the plurality of chuck assemblies is capable of accommodating food articles having different sizes.
- 25. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21 further comprising a stationary knife to trim the food articles secured in the plurality of chuck assemblies to a predetermined length as each chuck assembly is rotated by the turret to align with the slicing mechanism into the proper position for slicing.
- 26. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, in which the slicing mechanism comprises a plurality of vertical blades staggered in the slicing direction so as to prevent compression of slabs during slicing.
- 27. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, in which the dividing and inserting means comprises a splitter wedge extending from the slicing mechanism, the splitter wedge being V-shaped at the distal end to the slicing mechanism and tapering to a knife edge proximal to the slicing mechanism at the center line of the slicing mechanism.
- 28. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, in which the conveyor mechanism further comprises means for preventing the container from rotating while the container is being filled.
- 29. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, in which the conveyor mechanism further comprises means for guiding the container to receive the slabs at a filling angle so as to ensure that the slabs come to rest against the bottom of the container and lying approximately parallel to one another against the side of the container.
- 30. An apparatus for slicing elongated food articles into a plurality of longitudinal slabs and inserting slabs from at least two of the food articles into a container, comprising:
- (a) an indexing feeder for conveying a plurality of food articles;
- (b) a first station and a second station disposed along the indexing feeder, each station comprising a plurality of chuck assemblies for receiving and securing the plurality of food articles conveyed from the indexing feeder, each chuck assembly being capable of receiving and securing one food article, a slicing mechanism for slicing a food article into a plurality of longitudinal slabs, a turret for rotating the plurality of chuck assemblies in a sequential manner such that the food article secured in each chuck assembly is aligned with the slicing mechanism in a proper position for slicing, means for thrusting the food article secured in a chuck assembly into the slicing mechanism for slicing into longitudinal slabs, means in the first station for dividing the slabs into two equal and spaced portions and inserting both portions into the container, in spaced relationship means in the second station for inserting the slabs between the equal portions; and
- (c) a conveyor mechanism for conveying and aligning the container with the dividing and inserting means at the first and the second stations so as to allow the container to receive the slabs.
- 31. An apparatus as set forth in claim 30, in which the indexing feeder comprises an indexing chain, a plurality of feed troughs, each independently affixed to a link of the indexing chain at a distance of one flight from neighboring troughs, and an indexing drive for advancing the indexing chain a distance of two flights during each slicing cycle.
- 32. An apparatus as set forth in claim 30, in which the second station is displaced from the first station by an odd number of flights.
- 33. An apparatus as set forth in claim 30, in which each of the plurality of chuck assemblies is capable of accommodating food articles having different sizes.
- 34. An apparatus as set forth in claim 30 further comprising a stationary knife to trim the food articles secured in the plurality of chuck assemblies to a predetermined length as each chuck assembly is rotated by the turret to align with the slicing mechanism into the proper position for slicing.
- 35. An apparatus as set forth in claim 30, in which the slicing mechanism comprises a plurality of vertical blades staggered in the slicing direction so as to prevent compression of slabs during slicing.
- 36. An apparatus as set forth in claim 30, in which the means for dividing comprises a splitter wedge extending from the slicing mechanism, the splitter wedge being V-shaped at the distal end to the slicing mechanism and tapering to a knife edge proximal to the slicing mechanism at the center line of the slicing mechanism.
- 37. An apparatus as set forth in claim 30, in which the conveyor mechanism further comprises means for preventing the container from rotating while the container is being filled.
- 38. An apparatus as set forth in claim 30, in which the conveyor mechanism further comprises means for guiding the container to receive the slabs at a filling angle at the first and the second stations so as to ensure that the slabs come to rest against the bottom of the container and lying approximately parallel to one another against the side of the container.
- 39. An apparatus as set forth in claim 38, in which the filling angle at the second station is adjusted to ensure that slabs outputted from the second station will be inserted behind slabs outputted from the first station within a container.
RELATED U.S. APPLICATION DATA
This patent application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/058,644, filed on Sep. 11, 1997. The disclosure of the foregoing Provisional Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (8)