GB2199237A

GB2199237A - Vegetable shaper

Info

Publication number: GB2199237A
Application number: GB08725769A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Francis Bonnell
Original assignee: LANGWOOD
Current assignee: LANGWOOD
Priority date: 1987-11-03
Filing date: 1987-11-03
Publication date: 1988-07-06
Also published as: GB8725769D0

Abstract

Apparatus (10) for cutting vegetables, such as a potato 16, has a turntable member (11) having portion (15) upon which a vegetable can be spiked. The member (11) can be indexed about its axis (A-A) by a mechanism (17, 20) and blade (20) is mounted to pivot about a second axis (B-B) transverse to axis (A-A). By performing a cut at each indexed position a polygonally cross-sectionally shaped, axially symmetrical vegetable can be formed. <IMAGE>

Description

VEGETABLE SHAPER This invention relates to a vegetable cutter and in particular to a cutter for making "Chateau Potatoes" which are generally barrel-shaped and of regular polygonal cross-section, for example having from four to eight1 preferably seven sides. Other vegetables can be cut in similar shapes.

Heretofore such vegetables have been shaped by use of hand-held knives. This has made them expensive. It is an object of the invention to provide a machine whereby attractively-shaped vegetables can be produced quickly and cheaply.

Preferably the arcuate cut starts adjacent the first axis at one end of said portion and finishes adjacent the first axis at the other end of the said portion.

The member can be mounted to turn in a central bearing and said portion can be one end portion of the member.

The other end of the member can have an indexing mechanism connected thereto.

The index mechanism can be a wheel having notches on its periphery which can travel past and be engaged by a spring-loaded detent.

Alternatively the index mechanism can be a wheel mounted on the other end of the member and having a ring of depressions spaced around the axis1 a spring-loaded detent being provided for engagement therewith.

The various index positions can be arranged around the first axis at differently spaced axial positions.

Preferably, however the positions are equi-angularly spaced around the first-axis.

The positions can be from four to eight in number, preferably seven.

The second axis can be spaced from the first axis and at right angles to it. Alternatively the second axis can be coincident with the first axis to cause the blade to make a substantially semi-circular cut.

The second axis can be at any convenient angle to the first axis other than 90 , for example angles from 80" to 100" are possible, but 90" is preferred.

The blade can be part of a generally A-shaped frame pivoted at the second axis. A stop or stops can limit final movement of the blade towards the said section of the membei The machine can be manually operated or driven by a motor.

The invention also provides a method of shaping a vegetable comprising the following steps: (a) spiking the vegetable onto a section of a member able to turn about a first axis; (b) moving a blade in an arc about a second axis transverse to the first axis to effect an arcuatt cut in the vegetable; (c) indexing the member through a number of position.

spaced radially around the first axis; and (d) repeating step (b) in each of said index positions.

Preferably the index positions are equally spaced about the first axis. The position of the second axis relative to the first axis can be moveable to achieve different shapes.

The number of index positions can be from four to eight, preferably seven.

Indexing and blade movement can be effected manually o by a drive.

The invention includes vegetables cut by the machine o method of the invention.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: - Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred apparatus of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side view of a vegetable cut by the machine; and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view through the vegetable of Fig. 4.

A preferred vegetable cutting apparatus 10 of the invention has a member 11 journalled in a sleeve 12 to rotate about a first axis A-A. Sleeve 12 is supported by columns 13 from a baseboard 14. The right hand end portion 15 of member 11 is a free end portion and constitutes a spike upon which vegetable such a turnip, swede, carrot or potato can be impaled. The apparatus 10 is usually used with a potato 16.

The left hand end of member 11 has secured thereto a handwheel 17. The face 18 of handwheel 17 facing sleeve 12 has seven equi-angularly spaced depressions 19 and a spring-loaded plunger 20 in a housing 21 is urged towards face 18 to engage in the depressions 19 to render the member 11 indexable about its axis A-A. Naturally the index portion can be other than seven in number, from three to six, or eight or nine are possible. Also, to achieve different shapes the positions can be of differing angular spacings.

A blade 20 is part of a generally A-shaped assembly 23 having side plates 22 and a handle 23. Side plates 23 are pivoted to brackets 24. Blade 20 extends parallel to a pivot axis B-B which is spaced beneath axis A-A by a distance d a at an angle of 90C to axis A-A. The spacing d, the angle between axes A-A and B-B, and the angle blade 20 moves with axis B-B can all be varied as far as is practicable to alloy different shapes of vegetables to be cut. Adjustable stops blunt movement of the blade 20 towards portion 15.

In the modification of the apparatus 10, (not shown) the side plates 22 can have slots or a series of holes to allow the position of blade 20 to be moved along the side plates, or to allow the position of blade 20 relative to ax B-B to be varied. The height of axis B-B can likewise be ma variable by modification of brackets 24.

In use of the apparatus 10 in accordance with a preferred method of the invention, an operator first spikes vegetable onto the portion 15. The handle 23 is then lifted to cause the blade 20 to make an arcuate cut in the vegetable from right to left on the locus indicated at 26 in Fig. 2.

Stops 25 end the cutting action. The operator now returns the blade 20 to the next position of Figs. 1 and 2. The opertor now indexes the member 11 and vegetable 16 to the next position and repeats the cuttings and return actions. This is repeated at the other positions to produce a vegetable, such as a potato 27 shaped in Figs. 4 and 5. The potator 27 has seven equi-angular spaced faces 28 on a basic barrel shape and has a central hole 29 from spike 15. The vegetable cut be the machine are very even and regular in size and can be cut much more quickly than the job can be done using a knife.

As a possible variation on the above, the actions of indexing and cutting could easily be motorised, the turning of member being effected by a slipping'motor or a gear control. Alternativelyhydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, sequence controlled, could be used. In this case an operative would only have to load and unload vegetables. Even this process could be automated. A supply of regular-sized vegetables being fed to a head having an arm which grips a vegetable and pivots to impale the vegetable on the spike. A separate arm having fork could engage behind the cut potato and push it off the spike after cutting.

The invention includes, of course, vegetables cut by the apparatus or methods aforesaid.

The invention is not limited to the precise details of the foregoing and variations can be made thereto. For example, the spike 15 could be a blade or like to discourage twisting or a vegetable relative to spike 15. Any other convenient indexing mechanism could be used.

Many other variations are possible.

Claims

1. Vegetable cutting apparatus comprising a member which can turn about a first axis and which has a portion on which a vegetable to be cut can be spiked, the member being arranged to be indexable to a plurality of positions spaced around the first axis, and a blade being mounted for pivotal movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis and disposed so that the blade, in making said pivotal movement, can effect an arcuate cut in a vegetable on said portion.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the arcuate cut starts adjacent the first axis at one end of said portion and finishes adjacent the first axis at the other end of the saic portion.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the member is mounted to turn in a central bearing and said portion is one end portion of the member.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the other end of the member has an indexing mechanism connected thereto.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the indexing mechanism is a wheel having notches on its periphery which can travel past and be engaged by a spring-loaded detent.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 4 wherein the indexing mechanism is a wheel mounted on the other end of the member and having a ring of depressions spaced around the axis, a spring-loaded detent being provided for engagement therewith.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein various index positions are arranged around the first axis at radially spaced positions.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the positions are spaced at different angular spacings.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the positions are equi-angularly spaced around the first axis.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 wherein the positions are from four to nine in number.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the positions are seven in number.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the second axis is spaced from the axis.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11 wherein the second axis is coincident with the first axis.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein the second axis lies at right angles to the first axis.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein the second axis is at any convenient angle to the first axis other than 90 , preferably from 80" to 1000.

16. Apparatus as claimed in. any preceding claim wherein tE blade is part of a generally A-shaped frame pivoted at the second axis.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a stop or stops can limit final movement of the blade towards the said section of the member.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim and being manually operated or power driven.

19. Apparatus, for cutting vegetables, substantially as described with reference to the accompany drawings.

20. A method of shaping a vegetable comprising the following steps: (a) spiking the vegetable onto a section of a member able to turn about a final axis; (b) moving a blade in an arc about a second axis transverse to the first axis to effect an arcuate cut in the vegetable; (c) indexing the member through a number of positions spaced radially around the first axis; and (d) repeating step (b) in each of said index positions.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the index positions are equally spaced about the first axis.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 or 21 wherein the position and/or angle of the second axis relative to the first axis can be moved to achieve different shapes of cut vegetable.

23. A method as claimed in claim 20, 21 or 22 wherein the number of index positions is from three to nine, preferably seven.

24. A method as claimed in any of claims 20 to 23 wherein indexing and blade movement are effected manually or by a drive.

25. A method of shaping a vegetable substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

26. Vegetables cut by apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 19 or by a method as claimed in any of claims 20 to 25.

have been filed as follows CLAIMS 1. Vegetable cutting apparatus comprising a member which can turn about a first-axis, which has a portion on which a vegetable to be cut can be spiked, and which is arranged to be indexable to a plurality of positions spaced around the first axis, and a blade mounted for pivotal movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis and disposed so that the blade, in making said pivotal movement, can effect a cut in a vegetable on said portion to form a surface onsaid vegetable which is circular about the second axis.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cut starts adjacent the first axis at one end of said portion and finishes adjacent the first axis at the other end of the sai portion.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 4 wherein the indexing mechanism is a wheel mounted on the other end of thf member and having a ring of depressions spaced around the axis, a spring-loaded detent being provided for engagement therewith.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the position are seven in number.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein the second axis is at any convenient angle to the first axis other than 90 , preferably from 80" to 100 .

16. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein t blade is part of a generally A-shaped frame pivoted at the second axis.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein ci stop or stops can limit final movement of the blade towards the said section of the member.

' . Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim and being manually operated or power driven.

19. Apparatus for cutting vegetables, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A method of shaping a vegetable comprising the following steps: (a) spiking the vegetable onto a section of a member able to turn about a first axis; (b) moving a blade in an arc about a second axis transverse to the first axis to form a surface on the vegetable which is circular about the second axis; (c) indexing the member through a number of positions spaced radially around the first'axis; and (d) repeating step (b) in each of said index positions to produce a vegetable which is polygonal in cross-section.

described with reference to the accompanying drawings.