Food article feed apparatus for a food article slicing machine

• US 8,408,109 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Provisur Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Formax Incorporated
• Inventors: Lindee, Scott A., Lamartino, Salvatore
• Primary Examiner(s): Alie, Ghassem
• Application Number:
  US12/255,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20090188363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 834/351.6, 834/22, 83/13, 83/23, 83/79, 831/551, 831/55, 834/51, 83/84, 83/86, 834/12, 83/763, 838/59, 83/27, 834/351.9, 831/68, 835/221.2, 534/71, 533/91, 532/661, 534/43, 534/93, 995/37, 994/85, 901/50, 198/860.1
• US Class Current: 83/435.16
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/0093 Handling, transporting or packaging pieces of meat
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/02 having a stationary cutting member B26D1/547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/143 rotating about a stationary axis B26D1/20 - B26D1/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/157 rotating about a movable axis B26D1/20 - B26D1/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/165 for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/36 and rotating continuously in one direction during cutting, e.g. mounted on a rotary cylinder for flying cutting B26D1/62
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 2007/011 by clamping claws, e.g. in high speed slicers for food products
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 2210/02 for cutting food products, e.g. food slicers
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 2210/08 Idle cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/00 Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/08 Means for actuating the cutting member to effect the cut
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/32 with the record carrier formed by the work itself
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/34 scanning being effected by a photosensitive device
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/42 with interrelated action between work feed and clamp work clamping arrangements B26D7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/00 Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting cutters B26D1/00; arrangements for guiding hand cutting tools B26B29/06; punching tools or dies, cutting-out knives or dies B26F
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/06 Arrangements for feeding or delivering work of other than sheet, web, or filamentary form feeding or discharging sheets, webs, or filaments B65H
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/0608 by pushers B26D7/0616, B26D7/0625 and B26D7/0641 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/0625 by endless conveyors, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/0683 specially adapted for elongated articles
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/088 by cleaning or lubricating sterilizing B26D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/18 : Means for removing cut-out material or waste
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/22 : Safety devices specially adapted for cutting machines safety devices in general F16P
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/225 : for food slicers
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/24 : arranged to disable the operating means for the cutting member
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/30 : for weighing cut product
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/32 : for conveying or stacking cut product means for removing cut-out material or waste B26D7/18
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/144 : using light grids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/932 : Edible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/30392 : with means to protect operative or machine [e.g., guard, safety device, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/04 : Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0467 : By separating products from each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/061 : With manually actuated means to disturb cyclic operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/081 : With randomly actuated stopping means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/166 : Removable element carries program
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/182 : With means to weigh product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2048 : By movement of stack holder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2137 : And alternatively movable to or from operating position
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2192 : Endless conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/242 : With means to clean work or tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/531 : With plural work-sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/647 : With means to convey work relative to tool station
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6536 : By carriage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6563 : With means to orient or position work carrier relative to tool station
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6577 : With means to adjust additional means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6579 : With means to press work to work-carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6582 : Tool between tandem arranged work carrying means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6616 : Having means to actuate pusher
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/662 : Lever, cam, or link actuated pusher
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6668 : Interrelated work-feeding means and tool-moving means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6945 : With passive means to guide tool directly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/741 : With movable or yieldable guide element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/768 : Rotatable disc tool pair or tool and carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7868 : Tool element selectively operative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/85 : Signal; e.g., alarm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/95 : Machine frame

Abstract

A loaf feed apparatus for a food article slicing machine. The apparatus has at least a first conveyor driven by a hollow shaft and a second conveyor driven by a second shaft. The second shaft independently operates within said hollow shaft. The hollow shaft and the second shaft are driven by independent drive sources. The apparatus also includes at least one lower conveyor driven by a drive roller having a outer diameter and a recessed diameter where the drive belt is connected around the recessed diameter and the conveyor belt is connected around the outer diameter. The drive belt operates within an area defined by the first conveyor belt. The apparatus also has a loaf gate for separating a slicing station from the loaf feed apparatus.

Claims

1. A food article feed apparatus for conveying food articles in a slicing machine comprising:

a first conveyor having at least one first endless belt that moves to provide a first conveying surface on top of the first endless belt for moving a first food article toward a cutting plane;

a second conveyor having at least one second endless belt that moves to provide a second conveying surface on top of the second endless belt for moving a second food article toward the cutting plane;

said first conveyor driven by rotation of a hollow first shaft;

said second conveyor driven by rotation of a second shaft;

said second shaft independently operating concentrically within said hollow first shaft;

a first motor driving the hollow first shaft into rotation; and

a second motor driving the second shaft into rotation.

2. The food article feed apparatus of claim 1, wherein said hollow first shaft and said second shaft extend from one side of said first conveyor or said second conveyor to the first and second motors.

3. The food article feed apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first conveyor is parallel to said second conveyor;

and said hollow first shaft and said second shaft extend from one side of said first conveyor or said second conveyor to the first and second motors.

4. The food article feed apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first conveyor is adjacent to said second conveyor;

and said hollow first shaft and said second shaft extend from a non-adjacent side of said first conveyor or said second conveyor to the first and second motors.

5. The food article feed apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third conveyor for moving a third food article;

a fourth conveyor for moving a fourth food article;

said fourth conveyor driven by a second hollow shaft;

said third conveyor driven by a third shaft;

said third shaft operating within said second hollow shaft;

said first conveyor is adjacent to said second conveyor;

said third conveyor is adjacent to said fourth conveyor;

said second conveyor is adjacent to said third conveyor;

said hollow first shaft and said second shaft extend from a non-adjacent side of said first conveyor to independent drive sources;

said second hollow shaft and said third shaft extend from a non-adjacent side of said fourth conveyor to independent drive sources.

6. A food article slicing machine, comprising:

a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the blade along a cutting path;

a food article feed apparatus supporting food articles for movement along food article paths intersecting the cutting path; and

the food article feed apparatus having

a first upper conveyor having at least one first endless belt that moves to provide a first conveying surface on top of the first endless belt for moving a first food article, and a second upper conveyor having at least one second endless belt that moves to provide a second conveying surface on top of the second endless belt for moving a second food article,

said first upper conveyor driven by rotation of a hollow first shaft;

said second upper conveyor driven by rotation of a second shaft;

said second shaft independently operating concentrically within said hollow first shaft;

a first motor driving the hollow first shaft into rotation; and

a second motor driving the second shaft into rotation.

7. The food article slicing machine of claim 6, wherein said hollow first shaft and said second shaft extend from one side of said first conveyor or said second conveyor to the first and second motors.

8. The food article slicing machine of claim 6, wherein said first conveyor is parallel to said second conveyor;

and said hollow first shaft and said second shaft extend from one side of said first conveyor or said second conveyor to the first and second motors.

9. The food article slicing machine of claim 6, wherein said first conveyor is adjacent to said second conveyor;

and said hollow first shaft and said second shaft extend from a non-adjacent side of said first conveyor or said second conveyor to the first and second motors.

10. The food article slicing machine of claim 6, comprising an actuator for raising and lowering at least one of said first upper conveyor and said second upper conveyor, whereby said conveyors correctly engage loaves of varying size.

11. The food article slicing machine of claim 6, comprising a third upper conveyor for moving a third food article;

a fourth upper conveyor for moving a fourth food article;

said fourth upper conveyor driven by a second hollow shaft;

said third upper conveyor driven by a third shaft;

said third shaft operating within said second hollow shaft;

said first upper conveyor is adjacent to said second upper conveyor;

said third upper conveyor is adjacent to said fourth upper conveyor;

said second upper conveyor is adjacent to said third upper conveyor;

said hollow shaft and said second shaft extend from a non-adjacent side of said first upper conveyor to independent drive sources;

said second hollow shaft and said third shaft extend from a non-adjacent side of said fourth conveyor to independent drive sources.

12. The food article slicing machine of claim 6, comprising a third upper conveyor for moving a third food article;

said second upper conveyor is between said first upper conveyor and said third upper conveyor;

at least three lower conveyors corresponding said upper conveyors;

each lower conveyor and each corresponding upper conveyor engaging opposite sides of a food article;

each said corresponding pair of upper and lower conveyors operating synchronously to move a food article toward a cutting plane.

13. The food article slicing machine of claim 12, wherein at least one of said lower conveyors comprises a drive belt for connecting a drive source to a first drive roller, and a first conveyor belt;

said first drive roller for driving said corresponding conveyor.

14. The food article slicing machine of claim 13, wherein said first drive roller comprises:

an outer diameter and a recessed diameter;

said drive belt is connected around said recessed diameter;

said first conveyor belt is connected around said outer diameter.

15. The food article slicing machine of claim 13, wherein said drive belt operates in a path that is within an operating path of said first conveyor belt.

16. The food article slicing machine of claim 12, comprising:

a machine control for controlling each said upper and lower conveyor; and

the machine control having instructions ending machine slicing of all loaves on the food article feed apparatus when the shortest food article is sliced to a minimum length.

17. The food article slicing machine of claim 6, comprising:

a food article gate for separating said slicing station from said food article feed apparatus;

said food article gate having a closed position and a withdrawn position;

said closed position located between and separating said slicing station from said food article feed apparatus;

said withdrawn position being raised horizontally and recessed longitudinally toward said slicing station whereby food articles may pass into said slicing station.