Work Rectilinearly Reciprocated Through Tool Station Patents (Class 83/707)
  • Patent number: 11209340
    Abstract: A rotary microtome and a control method therefore are provided. The rotary microtome includes: a specimen holder, configured to hold a specimen; a handwheel drive system, including a handwheel and a handwheel axis, and configured to receive a user operation via the handwheel and to move the specimen holder up and down via the handwheel axis based on the user operation; a damping component, connected to the handwheel axis, and configured to generate damping for rotation of the handwheel axis; a knife; a section motor, connected to the knife and configured to drive the knife to cut the specimen; and a control device, connected to the damping component and the section motor respectively, and configured to obtain an operation parameter of the section motor, and to adjust the damping generated by the damping component according to the operation parameter, such that the user feels a material hardness of the specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS LTD., SHANGHAI
    Inventor: Zheguang Fan
  • Patent number: 11123892
    Abstract: A method produces a frame for a transport device for receiving slices of material separated by a cutting blade of a cutting machine. The method includes: providing a single integral workpiece, the single integral workpiece having a base plate region, a first longitudinal side region on a first side of the base plate region, and a second longitudinal side region on a second side of the base plate region, bending the first longitudinal side region along a first longitudinal side bending edge until the first longitudinal side region is perpendicular to the base plate region, and bending the second longitudinal side region along a second longitudinal side bending edge until the second longitudinal side region is perpendicular to the base plate region. The first longitudinal side region and second longitudinal side region each extend away from the base plate region in a first direction, and are parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: BIZERBA SE & CO. KG
    Inventors: Hannes Richter, Nikolaus Koch, Timo Capone
  • Publication number: 20150075348
    Abstract: A food slicing system having a mandolin slicer with side walls and a food pusher configured for use with the same. The food pusher is designed to have a self-aligning function when used with the slicer. The food grip portion of the food pusher includes multiple surfaces configured to allow the pusher to self-align between the walls of the slicer during use while also maintain constant and fixed contact with the food product being sliced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: LIFETIME BRANDS, INC.
    Inventor: Jasper E. Wheeler
  • Publication number: 20150047490
    Abstract: A mass-balancing arrangement comprises an adjustably pre-loaded spring member (14); a pivotably mounted lever (16; 31) for compensating different inertial forces in combination with the spring member (14); a first drawing member (24) connecting a movable mass to the lever (16); a second drawing member (17) connecting the spring member (14) to the lever (16); and a first roller (15) for deflecting the first drawing member (24). The lever (16; 31) has an upper lever arm (19; 32) and a lower lever arm (20; 33), one being sector-shaped and the other cam-shaped. The upper lever arm is connected to the movable mass through the first drawing member (24), and the lower lever arm is connected to the spring (14) through the second drawing member (24). Two torques produced at the upper and lower lever arms are kept balanced. The balanced mass may be an object carriage of a microtome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Leica Microsystems Ltd. Shanghai
    Inventors: Zheguang Fan, Xiao Zhou
  • Publication number: 20130068076
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting the cutting gap in a slicing device for cutting food products, wherein the slicing device comprises a rotationally driven blade, a cutting edge, and an adjusting device, which moves the blade toward the cutting edge or away from the cutting edge perpendicularly to the cutting edge, wherein the blade is first moved by the adjusting device until the blade touches the cutting edge and then a desired distance between the blade and the cutting edge is set by the adjusting device. The invention further relates to a device for adjusting the cutting gap of a slicing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: CFS BUHL GMBH
    Inventors: Jorg Schmeiser, Josef Mayer
  • Patent number: 8333136
    Abstract: A food product slicer includes a carriage assembly is mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of a knife. An adjustable gauge plate provides variable slice thickness for food product carried by the carriage assembly. During automatic slicing, when the gauge plate is moved from the open position to the closed position, a slicer controller automatically shuts down the carriage drive in a controlled manner that causes the carriage to stop at its most forward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Samuel A. Rummel, Shahram Shariff
  • Patent number: 8215219
    Abstract: A food product slicer includes a carriage assembly is mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of a knife. An adjustable gauge plate provides variable slice thickness for food product carried by the carriage assembly. During automatic slicing, when the gauge plate is moved from the open position to the closed position, a slicer controller automatically shuts down the carriage drive in a controlled manner that causes the carriage to stop at its most forward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Samuel A. Rummel, Shahram Shariff
  • Patent number: 8187157
    Abstract: A microtome blade changing apparatus for a knife holder (1) of a microtome comprises a blade dispenser (4) storing unused blades and a blade container (5) for receiving used blades. The blade dispenser (4) and blade container (5) are respectively arranged adjacent to the knife holder (1). To reduce the risk of injury to an operator in the context of a blade changing operation, enable operation of the microtome blade changing apparatus reliably and in simple fashion, and allow economical manufacture of the microtome blade changing apparatus, the microtome blade changing apparatus is characterized in that an entraining element (13) manually actuable by an operator is provided, and is configured in such a way that an unused blade is transferable with the entraining element (13) from the blade dispenser (4) to the knife holder (1), and a used blade is thereby conveyable into the blade container (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Rolf Metzner, Christoph Schmitt
  • Patent number: 8136435
    Abstract: A food product slicer knife includes a circular knife body with a peripheral cutting edge. A central opening passes through the knife body and includes a pair of diametrically opposed outwardly extending slots. The knife body also includes at least one set of diametrically opposed drive pin receiving openings spaced outwardly of the central opening and circumferentially offset from the diametrically opposed outwardly extending slots. A tool assembly is adapted to facilitate knife installation and removal and holds the knife when removed from a slicer. A food product slicer includes a knife mount hub adapted to cooperate with the knife to hold the knife on the slicer during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Guangshan Zhu, Shahram Shariff
  • Patent number: 8082830
    Abstract: A food product slicer includes a base and a knife mounted for rotation relative to the base. A carriage assembly is mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of the knife. The carriage assembly includes a home position forward of the knife and has a tray arm removably mounted to a carriage arm. An adjustable gauge plate is mounted for movement between a closed position that prevents slicing and multiple open positions that permit slicing at respective thicknesses. An interlock arrangement prevents removal of the tray arm from the carriage arm unless the carriage assembly is in the home position and the gauge plate is in the closed position. The interlock arrangement includes a key member rotatably mounted to the tray arm. A key slot may be located on the carriage arm for receiving an end of the key member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Samuel Rummel, Brian Stump, Shiyu Chen, Shahram Shariff
  • Patent number: 7832317
    Abstract: A food slicer is provided having a support member including a base portion and an upstanding portion integrally formed with the base portion. The upstanding portion includes a rotating cutting blade secured thereto for slicing food product and at least one motor positioned within the upstanding portion for rotating the cutting blade. The base portion includes a food product table slidably secured thereto and is movable across the cutting blade for holding product while it is being sliced by the cutting blade. An adjustable gage plate also is provided for determining the thickness of a food product to be sliced by the cutting blade along with an adjustable gage plate alignment mechanism connecting the upstanding portion to the gage plate at an upper portion of the gage plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Scott M. Zeeb, Scott J. Rote, Aaron B. Eiger, Todd L. Clem
  • Publication number: 20100162869
    Abstract: A mandoline for cutting and/or slicing food items having an infeed deck and outfeed deck pivotally mounted on a housing adjacent each other in a sloped longitudinal orientation. Adjacent end portions of the infeed deck and outfeed deck are vertically spaced. The end portion of said outfeed deck includes a fixed blade mounted above the end portion of said infeed deck. A pair of knob assemblies are rotatably mounted on opposite sides of the housing and each include a pair of open cam slots and respectively engage a pin respectively formed on opposite sides of said infeed deck and said outfeed deck. Rotation of said cam assemblies causes said infeed deck and outfeed deck to move simultaneously either toward or away from each other to vary the space between the fixed blade and said infeed deck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Richard S. Smith, Louis Chalfant
  • Patent number: 7685914
    Abstract: A food slicer comprises a fan-cooled electrically powered motor driving a slicer blade. The motor is mounted within an enclosure which comprises at least one air intake port and at least one exhaust port on opposite sides of one nominally air-tight first partitioning wall within the enclosure to confine the flow of cooling air from the air intake port through the enclosure, then into intimate contact with the electrical windings and components within the frame of the motor. The motor frame is sealed into a closely conforming contacting aperture in the first partitioning wall. The fan is mounted immediately adjacent to a non-contacting aperture in a second partitioning wall within the enclosure juxtaposed the exhaust port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Edgecraft Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel D. Friel, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7658135
    Abstract: Meat slicing machine, comprising a belt blade (5) conceived to follow a straight cutting line (50) for the meat to be sliced, characterised in that it comprises a support surface (9) parallel to the cutting line (50) and set at a distance from the line at right angles to the support surface (9) itself; a container (11) for the meat to be sliced, having an exit opening (12) facing the said support surface (9) on the side of the cutting line (50); Pushing devices (13) associated with said container (11), conceived to push the meat down towards said exit opening (12); and a moving mechanism (19, 22) conceived to translate the container (11) in a parallel manner to the support surface (9) with a backward and forward motion from one side of the cutting line (50) to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Inventor: Giorgio Grasselli
  • Publication number: 20090241751
    Abstract: A microtome for generating thin sections of a specimen is suggested, comprising: a sectioning knife with a knife edge coming into engagement with the specimen during generation of the thin sections along a sectioning plane, an advance unit that generates at an angle to the sectioning plane between two thin sections an advance that defines the thickness of the thin section, a linear motor having a linear stator and a linear rotor, the linear motor generating a linear relative motion between the knife edge and the specimen in order to create the thin section, wherein the linear stator generates a traveling magnetic field that drives the linear rotor, and a control unit for controlling the linear motor for performing a relative back-and-forth motion along a predetermined displacement traveling path and for controlling the advance unit between two thin sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventor: Roland Walter
  • Publication number: 20090211417
    Abstract: A slicer for use in slicing a food product includes a slicer body. A slicer knife is mounted to the slicer body. A linear motor may be provided to move a food product support carriage. A slicer may also include stroke length setting adjustment features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: PREMARK FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Samuel A. Rummel, Guangshan Zhu, Shahram Shariff
  • Patent number: 7549363
    Abstract: A food slicer is provided having a support member including a base portion and an upstanding portion integrally formed with the base portion. The upstanding portion includes a rotating cutting blade secured thereto for slicing food product and at least one motor positioned within the upstanding portion for rotating the cutting blade. An adjustable gage plate also is provided for determining the thickness of a food product to be sliced by the cutting blade. The base portion includes a food product table slidably secured thereto and is movable across the cutting blade for holding product while it is being sliced by the cutting blade. The food product table has at least one peripheral reinforcement along an edge thereof where the reinforcement has a hollow channel therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Scott J. Rote, Michael R. Riechers, Aaron B. Eiger, Frank Bondarowicz
  • Publication number: 20090071310
    Abstract: A food product slicer includes a base and a knife mounted for rotation relative to the base. A carriage assembly is mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of the knife. The carriage assembly includes a home position forward of the knife and has a tray arm removably mounted to a carriage arm. An adjustable gauge plate is mounted for movement between a closed position that prevents slicing and multiple open positions that permit slicing at respective thicknesses. An interlock arrangement prevents removal of the tray arm from the carriage arm unless the carriage assembly is in the home position and the gauge plate is in the closed position. The interlock arrangement includes a key member rotatably mounted to the tray arm. A key slot may be located on the carriage arm for receiving an end of the key member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: PREMARK FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Samuel Rummel, Brian Stump, Shiyu Chen, Shahram Shariff
  • Patent number: 7503248
    Abstract: A holder provided with an oscillatory movable ultramicrotome cutter which is arranged on a cutter holder and oscillatory movable by means of a piezo-electric element. The cutter is supported by the piezo-electric element. The holder can be easily produced with high dimensional accuracy. It makes it possible to oscillate the cutter blade at a high frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Anton Meyer & Co. AG
    Inventor: Daniel Studer
  • Patent number: 7444915
    Abstract: A drive unit for a food slicer has a housing and a bearing plate inside the housing. The bearing plate carries a transmission which transfers the rotation of a drive motor coupled to the mechanism to a circular blade that is rotatably mounted in a first bearing. The bearing plate has the first bearing for the circular blade, and the housing is provided with an opening through which the first bearing can be accessed from outside the housing. The slicer has the advantage of being especially quiet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Kovacic, Aleksander Sedovsek
  • Patent number: 7398718
    Abstract: A system and method for tracking and controlling the food product carriage of a food product slicer is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventor: Mark Kovacs
  • Patent number: 7314076
    Abstract: The invention is a device for peeling one or more individual layers of a multilayer shim. In detail the device includes a platform having a surface with a recess. A mechanism is mounted in the recess for mounting the shim and a moving the shim upward such that a portion of the shim is above the surface. A blade assembly is rotatably mounted to the platform, which is rotatable in a plane parallel to the surface. The blade assembly includes a cutting blade mounted thereon, such that said blade is in slidable contact with the surface and movable over the recess. Thus shim can be raised by the mechanism and the portion of the shim requiring removal can be raised above the surface and the blade assembly thereafter can be rotated causing the cutting blade to shear off the portion of the shim above the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Northrup Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph P. Wardell, Tiencheng Wang
  • Patent number: 7174822
    Abstract: A food slicer comprises a fan-cooled electrically powered motor driving a slicer blade. The motor is mounted within an enclosure which comprises at least one air intake port and at least one exhaust port on opposite sides of one nominally air-tight first partitioning wall within the enclosure to confine the flow of cooling air from the air intake port through the enclosure, then into intimate contact with the electrical windings and components within the frame of the motor. The motor frame is sealed into a closely conforming contacting aperture in the first partitioning wall. The fan is mounted immediately adjacent to a non-contacting aperture in a second partitioning wall within the enclosure juxtaposed the exhaust port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Edgecraft Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel D. Friel, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7162941
    Abstract: A universal slicer contains a housing, a rotatably mounted revolving blade, a positioning plate which is provided with a bearing surface for a product that is to be sliced, and a mechanism regulating the width of cut by adjusting the positioning plate in relation to the revolving blade. In order to ensure that the slices are cut in a uniform manner, particularly when using universal slicers that have a simple configuration and are inexpensive to produce, the universal slicer is provided with a tensioning device, by which the positioning plate can be prestressed free from play counter to the mechanism regulating the width of cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Kovacic, Jozef Skoncnik
  • Patent number: 7066067
    Abstract: A microtome, in particular a rotational microtome, comprising a base frame (10) on which is provided a specimen holding device (32) for performing a vertical cutting movement. The microtome further has a knife holding device (12) for a cutting element (24) which is formed by a cutting knife (26) or a cutting blade combined with a blade holder. A considerable cost saving and a substantially enhanced level of torsional stiffness and stability when the cutting forces take effect is achieved in that in the microtome the knife holding device (12) has two side plate portions (14) which project forwardly from the lower end portion (16) of the base frame (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Hess Consult GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Juergen Hess
  • Patent number: 6895843
    Abstract: A resaw apparatus and method of sawing a succession of boards from a cant of a succession of cants. A band saw is vertically positioned to cut the succession of boards from the cant as the cant is reciprocated through the saw. A pivoted raker gate downstream of the band saw's blade engages the cut board and prevents it from passing through the saw in the reverse direction. A vertically movable live hold-down roller upstream of the saw blade presses down on the cant during sawing. A measuring device measures the cant's height prior to sawing the first board from the cant. When the raker gate moves into its vertical position after the cut board passes, the saw blade is raised slightly to avoid contact with cant splinters on the reverse pass. Each cant is processed to completion before sawing the next cant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Inventor: Ennis J. Hurdle, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6845697
    Abstract: A system and method for tracking and controlling the food product carriage of a food product slicer is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventor: Mark Kovacs
  • Patent number: 6772665
    Abstract: A resaw apparatus and method of sawing a succession of boards from a cant of a succession of cants. A band saw is vertically positioned to cut the succession of boards from the cant as the cant is reciprocated through the saw. A pivoted raker gate downstream of the band saw's blade engages the cut board and prevents it from passing through the saw in the reverse direction. A vertically movable live hold-down roller upstream of the saw blade presses down on the cant during sawing. A measuring device measures the cant's height prior to sawing the first board from the cant. When the raker gate moves into its vertical position after the cut board passes, the saw blade is raised slightly to avoid contact with cant splinters on the reverse pass. Each cant is processed to completion before sawing the next cant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Inventor: Ennis J. Hurdle, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6644162
    Abstract: An automatic microtome is disclosed which comprises a base, a knife-holder mounted on the base for supporting a microtome knife, a specimen holder mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the base towards and away from the knife-holder and also mounted for transverse movement relative to the knife holder for displacing a specimen held by the specimen holder relative to a knife mounted in the knife holder for cutting sections from such specimen. The knife holder is mounted directly on the base without provision for adjustment of the position of the knife holder on the base such as to vary the location of the knife edge in relation to said edge, and the specimen holder is designed to provide enhanced stability over a wide range of longitudinal positions the specimen holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Shandon Scientific Limited
    Inventors: John Temple, Ian Kerrod
  • Publication number: 20030200854
    Abstract: A cutting machine for food including a motor housing with one blade which is rotationally held on or in it, a carriage which is used to support the material to be cut and which can be moved parallel to the cutting plane of the blade, and means for carriage guidance to which the carriage is attached or can be attached, and a base plate which is used directly or indirectly for holding the motor housing, the cutting machine having a base part which encompasses the base plate and a carrier part which is made essentially in one piece with it, and the motor housing being held on the carrier part. Furthermore, this invention relates to a base part for one such cutting machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Heinrich Graef, Andreas Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6532850
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for dissecting logs in a sawing installation are disclosed. The installation having a reciprocally moving longitudinal conveyor for moving the logs reciprocally through a double band saw assembly utilizing band saw blades having sawing teeth both on a forward longitudinal edge and a rearward longitudinal edge thereof. As a consequence, the log is sawn both during the forward stroke and during the backward stroke of the reciprocally moving conveyor. Between subsequent strokes the band saw blades are displaced radially with respect to the conveying direction such that during each stroke the log first comes into contact with an outward band saw blade and then with an inward band saw blade, both relative to the log axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Esterer WD GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Jean Gunnar Bergvall, Nikolaus Gössl
  • Publication number: 20020157518
    Abstract: A sawing device for sheets of wood and plastic material has a support with at least one transport belt. The transport belt has longitudinal profiled sections arranged in the transport direction of the transport belt. The longitudinal profiled sections are positioned at a spacing from one another. At least one saw unit is provided and is moveable transversely to a longitudinal extension of a sheet to be cut while the sheet is resting on the longitudinal profiled sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Applicant: GreCon Dimter Holzoptimierung Sud GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Erhard Jung
  • Publication number: 20020069737
    Abstract: A slicer comprising a slicer body including a rotatable blade for slicing a product, and a tray mounted for reciprocal movement relative the slicer body and for supporting and moving the product relative the blade. The tray includes a tray body and a unitary handle. In another embodiment, the invention is a slicer including a slicer body having a rotatable blade for slicing a product and a tray for supporting the product and moving the product relative the blade. The slicer further includes a handle unitary with the tray, the handle providing a surface which a user may grip to manually move the tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventor: Guangshan Zhu
  • Patent number: 6209437
    Abstract: The microtome has a sample carrier movable along a first linear guide and a hand drive movable along a substantially linear path of motion that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of the sample carrier. A deflecting device is provided to deflect the motion of the hand drive into a motion in the direction of the linear guide of the sample carrier. By deflection of the paths of motion between the hand drive and the sample holder, the motion of the hand drive can take place substantially horizontally forward and backward and convert the motion of the hand drive into a motion of the sample carrier which is substantially perpendicular to the motion of the hand drive. The cutting motion takes place in a substantially vertical direction, so that the sections can be removed or washed away from the inclined back surface of the cutting knife or knife carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Laborgerate GmbH
    Inventors: Ilia Izvoztchikov, Hans Heid
  • Patent number: 6209438
    Abstract: A slicer having an interlock mechanism, the slicer comprising a tray for receiving a food product to be sliced, the tray being movable along a slicing path and having a tray arm. The slicer further includes a blade for slicing the food product as the tray moves along the slicing path and a carriage having a locking arm for receiving the tray arm. The locking arm is movable between a release position wherein the tray arm can be placed into and removed from the locking arm, and a locking position wherein the tray arm cannot be placed into or removed from the locking arm. The slicer has a gauge plate adjuster for controlling the position of a gauge plate in the slicer, and the gauge plate adjuster has a recess formed therein. At least part of the locking arm is received in the recess of the gauge plate adjuster when the locking arm is in the release position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dan J. Mitchell, Neal H. Blackburn
  • Patent number: 6196097
    Abstract: A bacon slicing system (10) includes a conveying system (20). The conveying system (20) is mounted for sliding between a first and second lateral position. The conveyor belt (65) of the conveying system (20) is rotatable in a longitudinal direction which is generally perpendicular to the lateral movement of the conveying system (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Hormel Foods, LLC
    Inventor: Gary A. Handel
  • Patent number: 6092448
    Abstract: A food slicer for automatic operation having a staged dynamic brake for bringing the slicer carriage to rest at a predetermined location in a smooth manner. A sensor or system of sensors are utilized to detect the slicer carriage location. The sensor output is fed through a microprocessor which controls a dynamic brake which in turn acts upon the slicer carriage. The brake acts upon the carriage in two or more stages, so as to bring the carriage to rest in a smooth manner. The invention may also operate to as to bring the carriage to rest in a predetermined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Richard W. Cartwright, Joseph Chunchi Huang, Brian Eric Bader
  • Patent number: 6016734
    Abstract: A food slicing machine including a housing and a disc-shaped knife which is mounted for rotation on the housing. An adjusting device moves a stop plate relative to the cutting plane of the knife to set the slice thickness. A food carriage reciprocates adjacent the knife and is pivotable between a slice cutting position and a fully retracted position. A locking disc is connected to the adjusting device and includes a slot of uniform width extending from the periphery in a generally radial direction. A locking element which is slightly smaller than the slot is arranged to enter the slot responsive to pivoting of the carriage out of the slice cutting position. Upon setting the adjusting device to a slice thickness of zero, the slot is aligned with the locking element. A relatively small amount of pivoting of the carriage from the slice cutting position toward the fully retracted position causes the locking element to enter the slot and prevent substantial rotation of the adjusting device in either direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Inventor: Klaus Koch
  • Patent number: 5881626
    Abstract: A rotary microtome includes a crank mechanism for moving an object carriage up and down in a vertical path and a drive mechanism for driving the crank mechanism. The object carriage has a receptacle for a specimen holder. A mass-balancer balances the moveable masses of the microtome. The mass-balancer has a pretensioned, adjustable spring element and a pivotably mounted lever for compensating different inertial forces of the microtome in combination with the spring element. A drawing element connects the lever to the object carriage. The mass-balancer is indirectly connected to the drive mechanism by the drawing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Leica Instruments GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Kiene, Manfred Biehl
  • Patent number: 5862730
    Abstract: A food slicer for automatic operation having a staged dynamic brake for bringing the slicer carriage to rest at a predetermined location in a smooth manner. A sensor or system of sensors are utilized to detect the slicer carriage location. The sensor output is fed through a microprocessor which controls a dynamic brake which in turn acts upon the slicer carriage. The brake acts upon the carriage in two or more stages, so as to bring the carriage to rest in a smooth manner. The invention can also operate to as to bring the carriage to rest in a predetermined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Richard W. Cartwright, Joseph Chunchi Huang, Brian Eric Bader
  • Patent number: 5615591
    Abstract: A food product slicing machine includes a coupling and associated interlock mechanism for connecting and disconnecting a carriage arm of the food slicing machine to and from a reciprocating carriage base mounted to the housing of the machine. The coupling includes a cylindrical mounting head which is rotatably mounted in the carriage base by a bracket. The mounting head contains a slot for slidably receiving a foot of the carriage arm, and the bracket also contains a slot with which the mounting head slot can be aligned through rotation of the mounting head within the bracket. The mounting head slot and bracket slot must be aligned in order to attach or remove the carriage arm's foot to or from the carriage base. The interlock mechanism is provided to prohibit the alignment of the slots when the gauge plate of the slicing machine is not in a safe position. Accordingly, the carriage arm may not be removed from the carriage base when the gauge plate is not in the safe position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Premark FEG Corporation
    Inventors: Richard P. Scherch, Timothy A. Schrand, James A. Shirk, Danny J. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 5535654
    Abstract: A microtome (2) with a sample holder (51) for a sample (22) to be thinly sectioned and with a knife holder (12) for a cutting knife (10) is described, wherein the sample holder (51), for performing a cutting movement (arrow 54) relative to the knife holder (12), can be driven in a first spatial direction (arrows 54, 56) by means of a first drive device (53), and for performing a coarse adjustment and a section thickness adjusting movement in a second spatial direction (arrow 24) perpendicular to the first spatial direction (54, 56) by means of an electrical second drive device (50). In the vicinity of the cutting knife (10), for defined delimitation of the coarse adjustment movement of the sample holder (51) in the second spatial direction, a delimiting device (20) is provided, which is connected over control means (44), preferably an electronic control, with the electrical second drive device (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Microm Laborgerate GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Niesporek, Hans Heid
  • Patent number: 5461957
    Abstract: A cold meat slicer having a housing, a rotating circular cutter blade, a carriage for the product to be cut for reciprocating movement relative to the cutter blade and adapted to be driven either manually or by a motor. The optionally selectable manual or motor-driven operation is provided by two parallel rocker arms, a drive arm and a driven arm adapted to be selectively coupled and mounted on a common swivel axis, the drive arm being connected to a drive motor and the driven arm coupled to the carriage guide. The rocker arms execute their movements exclusively in planes parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Bizerba-Werke Wilhelm Kraut GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Koch, Michael Fuchs, Viktor Fecker
  • Patent number: 4996900
    Abstract: An end dogging sawmill carriage is described, including a pair of front and rear carriage units having dogs which engage the opposite ends of a log and a pair of independent drives for such carriage units. The pair of drives are temporarily connected together by a releasable connector means to maintain the log clamped between the carriage units as such pair of drives share the load and both drive the log through the primary breakdown log cutting apparatus. The releasable connector can by a cylinder actuated cable clamp mounted on the rear carriage unit for clamping the first drive cable of the front carriage unit in response to an electrical control signal applied to a solenoid valve for operating the clamp cylinder. In another embodiment the releasable connector is a solenoid actuated lock which operates a latch member to selectively engage one of a plurality of notches spaced along a notched connecting rod attached between the end of the first cable and the front carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: The Coe Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Hugh E. Schmidt, Arthur L. McGee
  • Patent number: 4870881
    Abstract: A vertical edger for cutting parallel horizontal kerfs in a log. The edger includes a first horizontal cutting blade; a second horizontal cutting blade; drive structure coupled to the horizontal cutting blades for rotatably driving the horizontal cutting blades; a first vertical column; a second vertical column spaced from the first vertical column; slide structure for attaching the first horizontal cutting blade to the vertical columns and for allowing the first horizontal cutting blade to move vertically along the vertical columns; the side structure including a first sleeve member slidably attached to the first vertical column, a second sleeve member slidably attached to the second vertical column, and a connector extending between the first and second sleeve members; and structure coupled to the slide structure for causing the slide structure to move vertically along the vertical columns and for causing the first horizontal cutting blade to move vertically along the vertical columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Inventor: Ennis J. Hurdle, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4612966
    Abstract: During the parallel splitting up of workpiece panels, in particular, consisting of laminated, compressed wood, it is usually not possible to prevent one of the two panel sections resulting after completion of the last separating cut, more particularly, that which was clamped in the feeding device, from warping on account of material tensions, thereby rendering it useless. In order to avoid this, it is proposed that the trimmed edge of the last remaining panel section facing away from the cutting plane be released prior to the final feeding procedure to be carried out, that it be clamped again immediately thereafter, that a further trimming cut be made on the panel section, and that this panel section then be fixed following the final feeding procedure and trimmed anew. In this process, the last resulting panel section is relieved of tension before being finally trimmed along its two longitudinal sides. This ensures that the trimmed edges subsequently produced thereon are exactly parallel to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Inventor: Detlef Jenkner
  • Patent number: 4580477
    Abstract: A household slicing machine wherein a rotary disc-shaped knife is mounted in a housing in a vertical plane to slice foodstuffs which abut against the front side of a stop. The front side of the stop is located in a second vertical plane which is parallel to the plane of the knife and the machine has an adjusting device which can move the stop relative to the knife so as to shift the plane of the front side of the stop nearer to or further away from the plane of the knife and to thereby select the thickness of the slices which are severed from the selected foodstuff. The adjusting device has a stationary component having a follower whose carrier is removably mounted in a working platform which forms part of the housing and is located in front of the stop. The carrier extends through a window of the stop into a helical path which is defined by two confronting cylindrical walls respectively forming part of an inner and an outer sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1986
    Assignee: Robert Krups Stiftung & Co. KG
    Inventor: Norbert Flammann
  • Patent number: 4546685
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for setting the thickness of cut in cold meat slicing machines. In order to bring a stop plate on such a machine into parallel alignment with the cutting plane of the machine, provision is made for the stop plate to be rigidly connected to a guide axis aligned and displaceable transversely relative to the stop plate, and for the axis to be axially displaceable in two spherical bearings pivotably supported on the machine frame and to be supported against rotation by a bracket rigidly connected to the axis and slidingly guided in the machine frame, with a mechanism for setting the thickness of cut engaging the bracket, and for one of the spherical bearings to be adjustable in two directions extending substantially radially relative to the guide axis for the purpose of positioning the stop plate and the circular cutter blade parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1985
    Assignee: Bizerba-Werke Wilhelm Kraut GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Albrecht Maurer, Alois Butz, Klaus Koch
  • Patent number: 4541319
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cold meat slicing machine comprising a locking device exhibiting the following features: a slider member articulated at the carriage prevents swivel motion of the carriage at a thickness of cut setting other than zero; a bar is swivable into a first end position in which it permits swivel motion of the carriage; a claw connected to the bar locks the device for adjusting a stop plate at the zero thickness of cut setting; a supporting surface of the slider member locks the adjusting device in the zero position when the carriage is in the swivelled-out position; in the swivelled position of the carriage, rotation of the slider member, and, consequently, alteration of the zero position of the device for adjusting the stop plate are excluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: Bizerba-Werke Wilhelm Kraut GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Albrecht Maurer, Alois Butz
  • Patent number: 4539877
    Abstract: An elongated frame supports a pair of rails for a wheeled log carriage. A winch drum is mounted on the frame between the ends of the latter and drives a cable reeved through opposite end pulleys for moving the carriage in feed and return movements. Multiple pulley V-belt assemblies are provided in the drive unit for the carriage and are operated by a manual lever which in one direction actuates feed movement of the carriage and releases return drive movement and in the other direction of the lever releases the drive for the feed movement and actuates the drive for the return movement. Such actuation and release of the multiple pulley V-belt assemblies is controlled by rocker arm clutches controlled by the manual lever. A log ramp is utilized with the mechanism and has a pull cable powered from the main drive mechanism of the sawmill under control of an operator's lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1985
    Inventor: Robert L. Stevenson