Patents by Inventor Michael Scot Jacko

Michael Scot Jacko has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10780602
    Abstract: Slicing machines having a cutting head equipped with one or more cutting units mounted thereto for securing knives to the cutting head. The cutting head has structural members spaced apart in an axial direction of the cutting head and circumferentially-spaced cutting units between the structural members. Each cutting unit includes a knife holder adapted for supporting a knife, a clamp overlying the knife holder and arranged to apply a clamping force to a knife disposed between the knife holder and clamp, and a cam rod adapted to apply a clamping force to the clamp. The clamp has upstanding flanges, each having a hole therethrough and a slot that engages a pivot, and the clamp, slots, cam rod, and pivots are arranged so that the clamp both pivots and translates relative to the pivots as the cam rod rotates between clamping and release positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin Joseph Gereg, Michael Scot Jacko
  • Publication number: 20200223085
    Abstract: Cutting wheels equipped with knife assemblies suitable for performing size reduction operations on products, methods of operating cutting wheels, knife holders for such knife assemblies, methods of manufacturing knife holders, and slicing machines capable of utilizing such cutting wheels. The knife assemblies each have a leading edge that faces a direction of rotation of the cutting wheel, a trailing edge oppositely disposed from the leading edge, and a cutting edge on the leading edge. Each knife assembly further has a knife holder having a first surface that faces the products advanced toward the cutting wheel in a feed direction and a registration surface formed in the first surface. The registration surface is defined by at least a first recessed planar surface that is recessed a distance relative to the first surface and defines with the first surface at least a first step therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Anthony A. McCracken, Michael Scot Jacko
  • Publication number: 20200223084
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for cutting food products. The apparatus includes an annular-shaped cutting head having at least a first mounting frame surrounding a central axis of the cutting head and a plurality of cutting tools arranged around the central axis of the cutting head and pivotably coupled to the first mounting frame such that each cutting tool has a pivot axis. The method includes deflecting each cutting tool about its pivot axis by engaging first portions of the cutting tools in proximity to the first mounting frame to deflect the first portions a first radial deflection distance relative to the central axis and engaging second portions of the cutting tools to deflect the second portions a second radial deflection distance relative to the central axis. The first and second radial deflection distances can be adjusted individually or in unison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Corey Everette Baxter, Michael Scot Jacko, Keith Alan Barber, Richard James Ruegg
  • Patent number: 10611042
    Abstract: Cutting wheels equipped with knife assemblies suitable for performing size reduction operations on products, methods of operating cutting wheels, knife holders for such knife assemblies, methods of manufacturing knife holders, and slicing machines capable of utilizing such cutting wheels. The knife assemblies each have a leading edge that faces a direction of rotation of the cutting wheel, a trailing edge oppositely disposed from the leading edge, and a cutting edge on the leading edge. Each knife assembly further has a knife holder having a first surface that faces the products advanced toward the cutting wheel in a feed direction and a registration surface formed in the first surface. The registration surface is defined by at least a first recessed planar surface that is recessed a distance relative to the first surface and defines with the first surface at least a first step therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony A. McCracken, Michael Scot Jacko
  • Patent number: 10562203
    Abstract: A slicing machine having a cutting head and a knife assembly mounted thereto, and methods for clamping a knife of the knife assembly in the slicing machine. The knife assembly includes a knife holder having a support surface that supports the knife and a clamp overlying the knife holder so that the knife is between the support surface of the knife holder and the clamp. A clamping rod is rotated from a release position to a clamping position to secure the clamp to the knife holder and clamp the knife therebetween. The clamping rod is eccentrically mounted to the cutting head and uses eccentricity to apply a clamping load to the clamp when rotated from the release position to the clamping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Scot Jacko
  • Publication number: 20190329437
    Abstract: Slicing machines having a cutting head equipped with one or more cutting units mounted thereto for securing knives to the cutting head. The cutting head has structural members spaced apart in an axial direction of the cutting head and circumferentially-spaced cutting units between the structural members. Each cutting unit includes a knife holder adapted for supporting a knife, a clamp overlying the knife holder and arranged to apply a clamping force to a knife disposed between the knife holder and clamp, and a cam rod adapted to apply a clamping force to the clamp. The clamp has upstanding flanges, each having a hole therethrough and a slot that engages a pivot, and the clamp, slots, cam rod, and pivots are arranged so that the clamp both pivots and translates relative to the pivots as the cam rod rotates between clamping and release positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Dustin Joseph Gereg, Michael Scot Jacko
  • Patent number: 10442102
    Abstract: Machines and methods suitable for performing cutting operations on products to yield a reduced-size product, for example, slicing and strip-cutting elongate food products. Such a method includes simultaneously delivering products to annular-shaped cavities of a rotating impeller. The products are simultaneously delivered with a feed unit that has a feed chute extension that protrudes into an interior of the impeller. The feed chute extension defines feed chutes that are aligned with the annular-shaped cavities of the impeller and direct the products to circumferential series of pockets within the annular-shaped cavities. The products are held within the pockets by centrifugal force as the products are carried past a slicing knife to form a first longitudinal cut through each of the products during a rotation of the impeller and to produce therefrom a substantially longitudinally sliced product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Luc Van Buynder, Nicholas Alan Underwood, Shawn Christopher Boylstein, Mark Allen Martin, James A. Fant, Michael Scot Jacko
  • Patent number: 10406530
    Abstract: Machines and methods adapted to process, for example, to reduce the size of, disperse, or homogenize, a variety of materials and compositions. Such methods and machines are capable of reducing the size of a material and dispersing the material in a liquid by cutting the material with knives located along a perimeter of an annular-shaped cutting head, causing the cut material to flow radially outward from the cutting head through gaps between the knives, and flowing a liquid through passages in the cutting head that cause the liquid to cascade around the knives of the cutting head in an axial direction of the cutting head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Fant, Michael Scot Jacko
  • Publication number: 20190210239
    Abstract: Knife assemblies adapted for use in slicing machines. Such a knife assembly includes a knife holder having a support surface that defines a leading edge of the knife holder and a trailing end spaced from the leading edge, an insert disposed on the support surface so that a leading edge thereof projects beyond the leading edge of the knife holder and a trailing end thereof is secured to the knife holder, a knife clamped to the knife holder so that the insert is between the knife and the support surface. The trailing end of the insert is secured to the knife holder as a result of the trailing end being received in a slot defined in the trailing end of the support surface, or with posts protruding from the support surface that engage slots defined in the trailing end of the insert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Corey Everette Baxter, Michael Scot Jacko, Ryan Andrew Rust
  • Patent number: 10279495
    Abstract: An apparatus for slicing food product to produce food product slices. The apparatus includes a circular cutting head having an axis and at least one knife assembly on the circumference of the cutting head, and a knife extending axially inward and having a corrugated shape to produce a food product slice with a periodic shape characterized by peaks and valleys. At least one component securing the knife to the cutting head has a surface facing radially inward and a corrugated shape shaped differently than the corrugated shape of the knife to minimize surface contact between unsliced food products and the cutting head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Scot Jacko, Daniel Wade King
  • Publication number: 20180333886
    Abstract: Modular units with clamping assemblies for securing knives to slicing machines, and a slicing machine having a cutting head equipped with one or more modular units mounted thereto for securing knives to the cutting head. Such a clamping assembly includes a knife holder, a knife supported by the knife holder, a clamp overlying the knife holder so that the knife is between the knife holder and the clamp, and a cam rod that secures the clamp to the knife holder and clamps the knife therebetween. The cam rod has oppositely-disposed ends rotatably coupled with the mounting blocks and a camming portion between the oppositely-disposed ends and arranged for contacting the clamp. The clamping assembly further includes complementary features for inhibiting deflection of the camming portion away from the knife holder when the cam rod is in a clamping position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Dustin Joseph Gereg, Michael Scot Jacko
  • Patent number: 10065334
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for reducing food products. Such a method includes introducing a food product into an impeller rotating within a casing about an axis thereof. The impeller has paddles and pockets defined by and between adjacent pairs of the paddles. The paddles are circumferentially spaced so that each pocket is sequentially radially aligned with a circumferential opening of the casing as the impeller rotates. Each paddle has a relief slot defined in an outer radial edge of the paddle. Food products are expelled from the pockets and cut with a knife disposed at the circumferential opening of the casing as the impeller rotates and the pockets travel past the circumferential opening. The knife defines a cord of the casing, extends into the path of the paddles, and passes through the relief slots of the paddles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Alan Klockow, Michael Scot Jacko
  • Patent number: 10059019
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for reducing food products. The apparatus includes a casing, an impeller adapted for rotation within the casing, and a cutting device. The casing has axial and circumferential openings for product entering and exiting, respectively, the casing. The impeller includes a drum, paddles mounted to the drum, and pockets defined by and between adjacent pairs of paddles that are radially aligned with the circumferential opening of the casing as each pocket travels past the circumferential opening. The cutting device includes a knife disposed at the circumferential opening of the casing and oriented perpendicular to the axis of the impeller. The knife lies on a sector of the casing and has a cutting edge located within an interior of the casing so that the knife extends into the path of the paddles and passes through relief slots defined in the paddles as the impeller rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Alan Klockow, Michael Scot Jacko
  • Publication number: 20180229390
    Abstract: A modular unit configured for mounting to a cutting head of a slicing machine and for securing a knife to the cutting head, and slicing machines equipped with one or more of such modular units. The modular unit includes mounting blocks adapted to be spaced apart in an axial direction of the cutting head, and a clamping assembly assembled with the mounting blocks so as to be between the mounting blocks. The clamping assembly is configured to secure a knife to the cutting head, and at least portions of the clamping assembly may be removable from the cutting head by disassembling the clamping assembly from the mounting blocks without removing the mounting blocks from the cutting head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Dustin Joseph Gereg, Michael Scot Jacko
  • Publication number: 20180126581
    Abstract: A slicing machine having a cutting head and a knife assembly mounted thereto, and methods for clamping a knife of the knife assembly in the slicing machine. The knife assembly includes a knife holder having a support surface that supports the knife and a clamp overlying the knife holder so that the knife is between the support surface of the knife holder and the clamp. A clamping rod is rotated from a release position to a clamping position to secure the clamp to the knife holder and clamp the knife therebetween. The clamping rod is eccentrically mounted to the cutting head and uses eccentricity to apply a clamping load to the clamp when rotated from the release position to the clamping position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Scot Jacko
  • Publication number: 20180071934
    Abstract: Methods and equipment for producing shaped food products having large amplitudes, for example, sliced, shredded, and/or strip-cut food products. The methods and equipment utilize a cutting apparatus having at least two sequential knives at different radial positions in reference to radial distances of the sequential knives in radial directions of the cutting apparatus. Each sequential knife has a corrugated shape comprising peaks and valleys, and the sequential knives are arranged to be in phase or out of phase alignment with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel Wade King, Michael Scot Jacko, Thomas R. Mahaffey, II
  • Publication number: 20180071936
    Abstract: Size-reduction machines equipped with cutting units suitable for performing size reduction operations on products, including but not limited to food products. The cutting unit includes a frame secured to the machine at an exit of a feed passage of the machine. The frame defines an opening aligned with the exit of the feed passage. The cutting unit further includes a pulley rotatably mounted to the mounting frame and driven by a spindle of the machine. A knife is coupled to the pulley so as to rotate therewith about its axis. The knife has a central axis that coincides with the axis of the pulley, an axial surface facing the feed passage, and at least one blade between the central axis and an outer perimeter of the knife.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Scot Jacko
  • Patent number: 9902080
    Abstract: An apparatus for slicing food product to produce food product slices. The apparatus includes a rotatable cutting wheel having two or more knife assemblies. Each knife assembly includes a knife extending radially between a hub and rim of the cutting wheel. The knife has a leading edge facing a direction of rotation of the cutting wheel and a large-amplitude corrugated shape characterized by peaks and valleys. The knife is secured to the hub and rim with a knife holder, and a clamp secures the knife to a first surface of the knife holder. The knife holder and knife are configured to provide continuous and accurate alignment of an individual food product throughout the slicing thereof by the knife of each knife assembly to produce food product slices with a generally parallel-cut cross-section having a uniform thickness and a large-amplitude periodic shape with an amplitude of 0.1 inch or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Enrique Michel, John Poole Hildebrand, Keith Alan Barber, Michael Scot Jacko, Daniel Wade King
  • Patent number: 9862113
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for slicing products. Such an apparatus has an annular-shaped cutting head equipped with knife assemblies located at a circumference of the cutting head, and interior surfaces each located in a circumferential direction of the cutting head relative to one of the knife assemblies such that each interior surface leads one of the knife assemblies and trails a different one of the knife assemblies. Each knife assembly has a flat knife that extends radially inward to define a gate opening. Each interior surface has continuous flow paths defined therein that extend across at least a majority of the interior surface from adjacent a leading edge thereof through a trailing edge thereof and are fluidically connected to one of the gate openings between the interior surface and the knife that trails the interior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Scot Jacko
  • Patent number: 9849600
    Abstract: Methods and equipment for producing shaped food products having large amplitudes, for example, sliced, shredded, and/or strip-cut food products. The methods and equipment utilize a cutting apparatus having at least two sequential knives at different radial positions in reference to radial distances of the sequential knives in radial directions of the cutting apparatus. Each sequential knife has a corrugated shape comprising peaks and valleys, and the sequential knives are arranged to be in phase or out of phase alignment with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Wade King, Michael Scot Jacko, Thomas R. Mahaffey, II