Abstract: A system for separating cut food products includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and the flow outlet. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product tangentially into the at least one drum. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product into the at least one drum at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The at least one drum may be a plurality of drums including a first drum having the flow inlet and a second drum having the flow outlet. The system may include a passageway providing fluid communication from the first drum to the second drum. The passageway may include a tapered section. The flow inlet may be aligned with the flow outlet.

Abstract: A system for separating cut food products includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and the flow outlet. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product tangentially into the at least one drum. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product into the at least one drum at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The at least one drum may be a plurality of drums including a first drum having the flow inlet and a second drum having the flow outlet. The system may include a passageway providing fluid communication from the first drum to the second drum. The passageway may include a tapered section. The flow inlet may be aligned with the flow outlet.

Abstract: A system for separating cut food products includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and the flow outlet. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product tangentially into the at least one drum. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product into the at least one drum at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The at least one drum may be a plurality of drums including a first drum having the flow inlet and a second drum having the flow outlet. The system may include a passageway providing fluid communication from the first drum to the second drum. The passageway may include a tapered section. The flow inlet may be aligned with the flow outlet.

Abstract: A system for separating cut food products includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and the flow outlet. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product tangentially into the at least one drum. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product into the at least one drum at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The at least one drum may be a plurality of drums including a first drum having the flow inlet and a second drum having the flow outlet. The system may include a passageway providing fluid communication from the first drum to the second drum. The passageway may include a tapered section. The flow inlet may be aligned with the flow outlet.

Abstract: A flow-propelled rotary knife system includes a housing, having an outlet end and walls defining a fluid passage, a rotatable blade holder, disposed at the outlet end and having a central aperture substantially aligned with the fluid passage, and at least one blade, extending diametrically across the central aperture of the blade holder. The blade holder is configured to rotate about a rotational axis passing through the central aperture, and the at least one blade has a twisted shape selected to rotationally propel the blade and the blade holder to rotate about the rotational axis when the blade is contacted by fluid flowing through the fluid passage and the central aperture in a flow direction, whereby objects propelled along the fluid flow path in the flow direction toward the outlet are helically cut by the rotating blade.

Abstract: A rotary knife fixture for cutting vegetable products such as raw potatoes into spiral shapes. The knife fixture includes a ring-shaped blade holder driven rotatably within a hydraulic product flow path. The blade holder includes at least one cutting blade, wherein the blade is twisted from a generally longitudinally aligned center axis outwardly in opposite circumferential directions with a sharpened leading edge set at a desired pitch angle. By controlling the pitch angle of the blade in relation to the blade rotational speed and velocity at which the potato travels along the hydraulic flow path, the resultant spiral cut shape is selected. By using multiple cutting blades at known axially spaced positions and selecting the angular position of each cutting blade in succession, the number of spiral shapes cut from each potato is selected. The blades can have a nontextured straight-cut edge, or a textured crinkle-cut edge, or a combination.

Abstract: A rotary knife fixture configured for use in a water knife cutting system includes a ring, defining an internal aperture, and at least two spaced, angularly offset, parallel groups of parallel helically twisted cutting blades, extending across the aperture. The ring is configured to be placed in fluid communication with a hydraulic feed conduit of the water knife cutting system and for rotary motion about a rotational axis extending through the aperture. The groups of parallel blades are oriented generally perpendicular to the rotational axis. Each cutting blade has a sharpened cutting edge at one side thereof and is twisted generally about a center point thereof to define a pair of cutting edges oriented in opposite-facing circumferential directions. A vegetable product, fed through the aperture at a product speed, and with the rotary knife fixture rotating at a rotational speed, is substantially simultaneously cut into multiple helically twisted pieces.

Abstract: A rotary knife fixture for cutting vegetable products into spiral shapes. The knife fixture includes a blade holder driven rotatably within a hydraulic product flow path. The blade holder includes at least one cutting blade, wherein the blade is twisted with a sharpened leading edge set at a desired pitch angle. By controlling the pitch angle of the blade in relation to the blade rotational speed and velocity at which the potato travels along the hydraulic flow path, the resultant spiral cut shape is selected. By using multiple cutting blades at known axially spaced positions and selecting the angular position of each cutting blade in succession, the number of spiral shapes cut from each potato is selected. The blades can have a nontextured straight-cut edge, or a textured crinkle-cut edge, or a combination.

Abstract: A flow-propelled rotary knife system includes a housing, having an outlet end and walls defining a fluid passage, a rotatable blade holder, disposed at the outlet end and having a central aperture substantially aligned with the fluid passage, and at least one blade, extending diametrically across the central aperture of the blade holder. The blade holder is configured to rotate about a rotational axis passing through the central aperture, and the at least one blade has a twisted shape selected to rotationally propel the blade and the blade holder to rotate about the rotational axis when the blade is contacted by fluid flowing through the fluid passage and the central aperture in a flow direction, whereby objects propelled along the fluid flow path in the flow direction toward the outlet are helically cut by the rotating blade.

Abstract: A cutting machine for cutting a vegetable product includes a multi-knife cutting plate mounted in-line along a product flow path and a drive motor, 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. A system for cutting vegetable products includes a transport system configured for transporting vegetable products in single file toward an outlet, a plurality of cutting machines, a collection system disposed downstream of the cutting machines and configured to collect the vegetables after cutting, and a selection device configured to selectively couple the outlet of the transport system to one or more of the cutting machines. The plurality of cutting machines may be mounted upon a transport device to selectively move one of the cutting machines into communication with the outlet of the transport system.

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.

Abstract: A rotary knife fixture configured for use in a water knife cutting system includes a ring, defining an internal aperture, and at least two spaced, angularly offset, parallel groups of parallel helically twisted cutting blades, extending across the aperture. The ring is configured to be placed in fluid communication with a hydraulic feed conduit of the water knife cutting system and for rotary motion about a rotational axis extending through the aperture. The groups of parallel blades are oriented generally perpendicular to the rotational axis. Each cutting blade has a sharpened cutting edge at one side thereof and is twisted generally about a center point thereof to define a pair of cutting edges oriented in opposite-facing circumferential directions. A vegetable product, fed through the aperture at a product speed, and with the rotary knife fixture rotating at a rotational speed, is substantially simultaneously cut into multiple helically twisted pieces.

Abstract: A rotary knife fixture for cutting vegetable products such as raw potatoes into spiral shapes. The knife fixture includes a ring-shaped blade holder driven rotatably within a hydraulic product flow path. The blade holder includes at least one cutting blade, wherein the blade is twisted from a generally longitudinally aligned center axis outwardly in opposite circumferential directions with a sharpened leading edge set at a desired pitch angle. By controlling the pitch angle of the blade in relation to the blade rotational speed and velocity at which the potato travels along the hydraulic flow path, the resultant spiral cut shape is selected. By using multiple cutting blades at known axially spaced positions and selecting the angular position of each cutting blade in succession, the number of spiral shapes cut from each potato is selected. The blades can have a nontextured straight-cut edge, or a textured crinkle-cut edge, or a combination.

Abstract: A rotary knife fixture for cutting vegetable products such as raw potatoes into spiral shapes. The knife fixture includes a ring-shaped blade holder driven rotatably within a hydraulic product flow path. The blade holder includes at least one cutting blade, wherein the blade is twisted from a generally longitudinally aligned center axis outwardly in opposite circumferential directions with a sharpened leading edge set at a desired pitch angle. By controlling the pitch angle of the blade in relation to the blade rotational speed and velocity at which the potato travels along the hydraulic flow path, the resultant spiral cut shape is selected. By using multiple cutting blades at known axially spaced positions and selecting the angular position of each cutting blade in succession, the number of spiral shapes cut from each potato is selected. The blades can have a nontextured straight-cut edge, or a textured crinkle-cut edge, or a combination.

Abstract: A cutting head for a food product cutting system includes a generally cylindrical rotatable body, having a radius and configured to rotate about an axis, and a plurality of spatially separated, generally parallel elongate cutting blades, arranged in a circular array centered on the axis and defining a perimeter of the body. Each blade has a long dimension and an outwardly-oriented cutting edge. The generally cylindrical rotatable body is connectable to a driving mechanism configured to rotate the cutting head about the axis, and is positionable adjacent to a food product delivery mechanism, whereby food product that contacts the cutting edges of the array of blades in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis is cut by the blades into slices having a repeatable curvature.