US1095620A - Potato-cutting machine. - Google Patents

Description

F. G. BLAIR.

EOTATO CUTTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1913.

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F. G. BLAIR.

POTATO CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27 1913.

Patented May 5, 1914 FCC. BLAIR.

POTATO QUTTING MACHINE, APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1913.

1,095,620, Patentedlvia a 1914,.

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P. 0. LAIR.v POTATO CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1913.

Patented May 5, 1914.

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PCJBLAefi FRED c. BLAIR, or KALISPELL, MONTANA.

POTATO-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Application filed August 27, 1913. Serial No. 786,976.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED C. BLAIR, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Kalispell, in the county of-Flathead and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to potato cutting machines, and it is designed especially for dividing seed potatoes, prior to planting the same.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide for primarily dividing the potatoes substantially in the plane of their longitudinal centers, and then immediately dividing the halves of the potatoes in any predetermined number of parts; and a further object is to provide a machineof this character in which the potatoes are automatically centered with relation to the primary dividing knife.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide amachine of this character with means for properly feeding and for properly delivering the potatoes to and from the machine.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character which may be quickly and easily converted from a foot operated machine to a hand operated or power operated machine.

Another object is to j -;ovide'a machine of this character which is of comparatively simple construction, easy of operation, comparatively inexpensive and thoroughly practical and effective.

In the accompanying drawings, which supplement this specification, Figure 1 is an end elevation of one of my improved potato cutting machine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the cuttrr head on a plane above the knives: Fig. 4 i. an enlarged detail perspective view illustrating one oi. the knives in vertical section; l ig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view illustrating the p'usher block in its lowermost position; Fig. tis a view similar to Fig. 5, the pusher block being in a medial position; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the longitudinal cutting blade or knilc; Fig. 8 is a side elevation view of a modili d l'orm of the machine; Fig. 9 is a detail view illustrating the position oi the lUllHH relative to each other;

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10 is a top plan View of the modified 7 form of the machine; Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating one means of securing the knives in position; and Fig. 12 is a detail perspective view illustrating the construction and relation of the knives Fig. 1, comprises a table or bed 20 which is supported by three legs 21 and 22 respectively. The legs 21 are connected by means of a brace beam 23, having a pivot member 24 secured thereto and thereby connecting with a pair of spaced operating levers .25, said operating levers having their forward ends connected by means of a pedal 26 which is rigidly secured to the front ends of said operating levers. The leg 22 is substantially vertical and constitutes a guide, on the opposite sides of which the operating levers are adapted to slide.

The bed 20 is apertured as at 2O adjacent to its central portion, for the reception of the lower rectangular portion of a cutter head 27, and this cutter head is preferably formed in one piece, which may be cast or otherwise formed 't'rom metal, so as to provide a rigid structure. The cutter head comprises, as herein disclosed, a substantially rectangular frame 28 which rests upon the table or bed 20, the inner walls of the frame 28 being substantially flush with the walls of the opening or aperture of the bed 20; any proper means being provided for securing the cutter head to said bed plate. However, the means which I preferably provide for this purpose consists of a pair of spaced, parallel and vertically extending members 29 which constitute not only the securing means for the cutter head, but also form a guide with which is slidably engaged a cross head 30, the latter carrying a depending plunger or pusher The upper ends of the guide members 29 are connected together by means of a horizontal brace beam 32.

Secured to opposite sides of the cross head :30 and pusher 2-31 is a pair of angularly bent connecting rods 33, each connecting rod being substantially in the shape of the figure 7, the short depending end portions 1-3-1 of these connecting rods being rigidly but removably connected to said cross head and pusher member, while the substantially horizontal elements 35 thereof converge forwardly with relation to each other and to the length of through opposite apertures in the operating levers 25.

Retra'ctile springs 37 connect the operating levers with the bed plate, and these springs lift and normally support the free ends of the operating levers in the normal position illustrated in Fig. 2, and co-act with the rods 33 for raising and supporting the members 30 and 31.

The cutter head 27 is provided with up ward extensions or hearing elements 38, apertured at 39, for the reception of pivot rods or hinge elements 40, which support a pair of downwardly converging guide plates 41. The cutter head 27 is provided with downwardly converging pairs of shoulders 42 against which the guide plates normally rest, being held thereagainst by means of compression springs 43, the outer ends of which each rests against an apertured standard 44, through the aperture of which extends a guide link 45, having its inner end rigidly secured to one of the guide plates, and constituting a keeper and guide for the spring 43. The cutter head 27 is provided with vertical slots or recesses 46 in its opposite ends, in a vertical plane medially between the guide plates 41, and in this pair of opposing slots is seated the longitudinal dividing knife or cutter blade 47, disposed with its upper edge slightly above the plane of the lower edges of the guide plates 41. The transverse cutting knives 48 are seated in pairs of opposing vertical slots or recesses 48" in the adjacent longitudinal marginal portionsof the frame 28 and the walls of the opening 20 in the bed or table 20.

Any proper means may be employed for removably securing the 'knives or cutter blades 47 and 48 in place, so that these knives may be removed and replaced, when necessary, for sharpening. The knife 47 is pro vided with a series of notches 49 in its lower edge, for receiving the upper edge portions of the knives 48; each of these transverse knives being provided with a notch 50 medially of each of its cutting edges 51, and

when the knives are seated in operative position, each of the knives 49 engage with one of the notches50, so that the knives mutually support each other. The knives 48 may be spaced any suitable distance apart, for dividing the potatoes in pieces of any Llesired size. The knife 47 is preferably formed with the spaces between the ends :7: thereof and the end notches of greater extent than the spaces between the notches, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

A delivery spout 51 communicates with the aperture through the table 20, for receiving the cut potatoes and delivering them into suitable receptacles, the delivery spout is preferablyprovided with slots or openings 52 through which the smaller ends of the potatoes may pass, so as to separate theseends, which are too small for planting, from the rest of the cut potatoes.

In order that the potatoes may be quickly, easily and properly fed into the hopper, formed by the cutter head and guide plates, a feed chute 53 is provided, and this feed chute is preferably provided with a slat bottom, or with a bottom having openings therethrough, so that the very' small potatoes may pass therethrough instead of entering the cutting machine. This feed chute is preferably removably secured to one of the pivot rods 40, such auxiliary supporting means being provided as may be found desirable.

In operation, the potatoes are poured into 9 the feed chute, which is substantially level, and from this feed chute the potatoes are passed into the hopper by hand, the smaller potatoes being placed in the ends of the hopper, the larger ones being placed in the middle portion, and when a sufficient number of potatoes have been properly-placed, the foot pedal 26 is pressed, and co-acts with the operatinglevers and the rods 33 for pressing the pusher block down upon the potatoes and forcing them between. the yieldably mounted guide plates 41 on to the longitudinal dividing knife 47, and when the pota toes have been cut by this knife, they imme diately move into contact with the trans- 105 verse dividing knives, except the smaller potatoes, which pass through the relatively wide end spaces Without being cut by the transverse knives, 'but only being cut in halves by the longitudinal dividing knife. 110 The pusher block is provided with a longitudinal groove 54 which receives the long'1 tudinal cutting knife while the pusher block presses the halved potatoes into cutting eugagement with the transverse knives.

The modified structure illustrated in Fig. 10 is similar in all respects to the structure described in the foregoing except in the respects hereinafter mentioned; this modified structure being designed to be operated by 120, hand or by any suitable source of, motive power other than foot power, the principal object being to provide a machine for cutting a greater number of potatoes in a given length of time than can be on! by the foot 115 power machine described in the foregoing. With this object in view, the machine must be provided with a relatively long hopper and pusher block, and the other parts must he proportioned accordingly. ln this modis 130 part a regular and uniform reciprocatory motion to the pusher head 31, after the machine' has been started. A belt wheel or pulley 58 is also provided on the shaft 56, and

-a belt 59 is engaged with the wheel 58 and is adapted to, co-act with any suitable source of motive power for transmitting motion to the shaft 56 and-its adjuncts. The balance wheel or the pulley may be provided with an eccentrically mounted handle" wherebythe machine may be operated by hand, if desired. The operating levers 25' are provided with pivot connections 36', in addi: tion to the pivot connections 36, so thatthe rods 33 may be disengaged from the pivot connections36, reversed and transposed on opposite sides of the members and 31, for a'purpose which will presently be disclosed. The levers 25 are connected with the crank shaft 56 by means of connecting rods 60, the

lower ends of these rods being pivoted at 61,

to the respective operating levers. The forward ends of the operating levers are pivotally connected to the front leg of the ma chine, as illustrated at 62, the rear pivotal connections 24 being disengaged.

The operation of this modified form is as follows: WVhen the wheel 58 and crank shaft 56 are rotated, the gyratorymovement of the connecting rods 60 imparts motion to the rear ends of the levers 25, and these levers co-act with the rods 33 for imparting.

reciprocatory motion to the presser block 31. A loose pulley 58 is provided on the shaft 56, and any suitable means (not shown) may be employed for shifting the belt 59 onto said'loose pulley, so that themachine does not operate while the potatoes are being placed in the hopper. It is obvious that other means for throwing, the machine into and out of operation may be employed, if desired, in lieu of the tight and-loose pulley arrangement. When the machine is thrown into operation, the pusher head descends and presses the potatoes into contact with'the cutting 'knives, as previously described It is obvious that potatoes may be advantageously cut with this machine without special care in placing them, and hence, the

potatoes may be fed by gravity or by any desired mechanical means; but when properly fed by hand, the potatoes are cut with a reater degree of precision.

t it should become desirable to transform this modifiedform of potato cutting machine into a foot operated machine, it is only necessary to remove the pivot elements .65. and transfer them to the pivot connec- "tions 24, then transfer the rods 33 from the pivot connections 36' to the pivot conneceluding a bed proyided with a tions 36 and disconnect the operating levers from the pivot connections 61, whereupon, the arrangement and operation will be substantially the same as described in the prein a thoroughly practical and efficient manner and which may be employed for dividing other vegetables, fruits, etc., in any desired size of pieces, and for any purpose.

While the accompanying drawings illustrate. what I believe to be, the preferred embodiment of my invention,,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but that various changes may be made in the construction, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. 1

In the modified form illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, the cutter head 28 is provided with lateral recesses 28' and lateral apertures 28 each aperture being directly opposite to the corresponding recess 28, so that the cutting knives 48 may be passed through the apertures 28 in and in the recesses 28f, these knives 18 are each provided with a medially disposed notch 48* in each of its opposite cutting edges, for .the reception of the back or bottom edge of the knife 47; The end walls of the box of the cutter head 28 are provided with a recess 28 and an aperture 28 respectively while an aperture 28 communicates with 'the aperture 28, extending therethrough at right angles. The knife 47 is and seated thereprovided with an aperture which registers '21 pusher block adapted to pass between the plates and movable relatively to the cutting means, standards projecting upwardly from the bed at opposite sides of the cutter head and having their upper extremities provided with apertures, a laterally directed arm carried by each guide plate and extending through the aperture of the adjacent standard, expansible means surrounding the laterally directed arms and interposed between the element and the adjacent guide plate whereby the same are maintained in their normal positions, and means for imparting recurrent movement .to the pu sher block.

I .2. device of the character described in central OPEL;

ing, a cutter head including a frame supported by the bed and surrounding the opening thereof, adjacent Walls of the opening in the bed and the frame being provided With registering vertically disposed slots,

cutting blades having their extremities mounted in such slots, means for holding the frame of the cutter head against displacement, and pressure means movable rela tively to the cutting blades.

3. A device of the character described including a bed provided with a. central 0pening, a cutter head including a frame supported by the bed and surrounding the 0pening thereof, adjacent walls of the opening in the bed and the frame being provided with registering vertically disposed slots, certain of such slots extending entirely therethrough, cutting blades insert-ible through such last three slots, and means for holding such blades against displacement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED o. BLAIR.

Witnesses:

J. E. Roonwoon, F. B. REINKING.

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