US3559896A

US3559896A - Material chipping machine

Info

Publication number: US3559896A
Application number: US676415A
Authority: US
Inventors: Eiichi Sugiyama
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-10-19
Filing date: 1967-10-19
Publication date: 1971-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-02

Abstract

A material chipping machine suitably employed for chipping ice blocks comprising base support means; material supporting and chipping means fixedly mounted on said base support means; a rotary drum member rotationally received in said material supporting and chipping means for rotational movement relative to said material supporting and chipping means; an arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit integrally formed with said drum member for rotational movement together with the latter; a hopper removably received in said drum member; and a handle connected to said arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Eiichi Sugiyama 3, 2-chome, Shintomi-cho, Shizuoka, Japan [21] App1.No. 676,415 [22] Filed Oct. 19, 1967 [45] Patented Feb. 2, 1971 [54] MATERIAL CHIPPING MACHINE 12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 241/95, 241/276, 146/165 [51] Int.Cl B021: 19/20 [50] Field of Search 241/95, (lce Digest), 274, 276; 146/59, 60, 162, 165, 179, 71.5; 62/(1nquired) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,172,558 2/1916 Rickertn'", 241/95 1,641,699 9/1927 Smith 241/95 2,034,604 3/1936 Bprsakovsky 24 l /95X 2,539,734 l/1951 Echols, Sr. et al. 241/95X Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost ABSTRACT: A material chipping machine suitably employed for chipping ice blocks comprising base support means; material supporting and chipping means fixedly mounted on said base support means; a rotary drum member rotationally received in said material supporting and chipping means for rotational movement relative to said material supporting and chipping means; an arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit integrally formed with said drum member for rotational movement together with the latter; a hopper removably received in said drum member; and a handle connected to said arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit.

MATERIAL CHIPPING MACHINE BACKGROUND Ol- THE INVENTION There have been proposed various types of ice chipping machines and one of such conventional ice chipping machines comprises a pair of spaced and parallel support legs, a pair of columns each of which extends upwardly from one of said support legs, a transverse beam or rod secured at its opposite ends to the upper ends of the columns and having a through bore in the center of its length, a vertical threaded rod, the upper end portion of which freely extends through said center bore in the transverse beam or rod for rotational movement in the upward and downward directions and the lower end of which has an ice holddown disc secured thereto The vertical threaded rod is provided, at a midpoint between its opposite ends. with a bevel gear and said plurality of spikes or pawls There is an annular ring threadably received on the upper threaded end of said threaded vertical rod above said center bore in the trans verse beam or rod and having a plurality of radially and outwardly extending knobs formed on the outer periphery thereof, a second transverse beam or rod having through bores adjacent to its opposite ends for loosely receiving said pair of columns at points below said first beam or rod and being vertically movable together with said vertical threaded rod. The second transverse beam or rod is adjustably secured at one end to one of said columns and has a pair of integral downwardly extending sleeve-type extensions depending from the opposite ends for receiving said columns and said sleevetype extensions being provided with forwardly and laterally extending brackets. The hand operated shaft is supported at its opposite ends by said brackets, extends parallel to and in forwardly spaced relation from said second transverse beam rod and said shaft having a bevel gear mounted thereon for meshing with said bevel gear on the vertical threaded rod.

Another type of conventional ice chipping machine comprises a cylindrical base, a circular ice supporting disc or table fixedly secured to the inner periphery of said base and having a water discharge opening fonned at a point adjacent to the outer peripheral edge thereof. A knife or cutter mounting boss is formed on the underside of the disc and has a slanted side and a slot formed in said disc adjacent to said slanted side of the knife or cutter mounting member boss. A knife or cutter is adjustably secured to said slanted side of the mounting boss with the edge thereof projecting above the upper surface of said ice supporting disc. A pair of celluloid sheets are disposed on said disc on the opposite sides of said knife or cutter mounting boss in the same height as the edge of the knife or cutter. A vertically extending cylindrical sheath is disposed around said celluloid sheets, a bracket is secured at its lower opposite ends at diametrically opposite points of the outer periphery of said disc and extends upwardly and vertically and then radially and inwardly embracing said sheath and having a bore in its center. A spindle extends vertically through said bore in the bracket and has a hand-wheel secured at its upper end, said hand-wheel having an upright grip thereon and an ice holddown member is secured at the lower end of the spindle and is provided on its underside with a plurality of pawls for gripping an ice block to be chipped.

However, both of the above-mentioned conventional ice chipping machines are specifically designed for chipping relatively large sized ice blocks and because these ice chipping machines necessarily use the pawls or spikes for gripping ice blocks to be chipped while they are being chipped off, when the size of the ice blocks has been substantially diminished away from their original size as the ice chipping operation continues, there is the risk that the pawls or spikes will pierce through the ice supporting table or disc and accordingly, in order to preclude such occurrence, the reduced or thinned ice blocks have to be thrown away which means waste in ice material. In addition, such conventional ice chipping machines are primarily intended for use by ice cake manufacturers, but not for domestic use and therefore, the operation procedures and only skilled or authorized operators can handle such machines SUMMARY Ol- THE INVENTION The prescnt invention relates to a novel and improved material working machine and more particularly. to an ice chipping machine specifically designed for chipping small sizes if ice blocks which. for example. have been formed in a freezing tray of a domestic refrigerator One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved ice chipping machine which is simpler in construction and operation Another object of the present invention is to provide an efficient ice chipping machine for domestic use which can be satisfactorily operated even by children A further object of the present invention is to provide an economical ice chipping machine which can chip an ice block to substantially the last fragment thereof thereby eliminating waste in ice material A further object of the present invention is to provide an ice chipping machine which can be manufactured at less expense as compared with the conventional comparable ice breading machines.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a versatile material processing machine which can be also used for economically chipping or slicing various vegetables in a manner that eliminates waste in such materials.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a versatile material processing machine which can be also used for economically chipping fruits with a minimum of waste in such materials.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a material working machine which can satisfactorily chip or slice ice blocks, vegetables and fruits without the use of the conventional pawls or spikes for gripping such materials while they are being chipped.

According to the present invention, there is provided a material working machine for chipping or slicing material, comprising base support means. stationary material supporting and chipping means fixedly mounted on said base support means and including a material support and working table, an integral cutting or shaving blade mounting portion formed on the underside of said table and having a slanted face or side, said material support and working table having a slot therethrough and a cutting or shaving blade adjustably secured to said slanted face or side of the blade mounting portion to extend through said slot with the edge thereof projecting above the upper surface of said material support and working table, a rotary cylindrical drum member mounted on said material supporting and chipping means for rotary movement relative to the latter and having an integral center sleeve portion provided with an integral lateral engaging projection on one side thereof and a hopper receiving opening formed on the side of said sleeve portion opposite to said lateral engaging projection, an arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit defining member integrally formed with said cylindrical drum member, extending along the inner periphery of said drum member for a substantial distance of the inner periphery of the drum member for rotary movement in unison with the latter and having a generally spiral shape from an upper end adjacent one side of said hopper receiving opening where the space between the table and the underside of said member has its largest cross-sectional area to its other end where said space has its smallest cross-sectional area, a material feed hopper removably received in said opening of the rotary drum member for feeding material to be chipped to said arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit defining member, and an operating handle fixedly connected to said rotary drum member and having a notch at one end for snugly engaging said lateral projection of the drum member sleeve portion whereby as the handle is turned, the rotary dru m member, ar-

of these ice chipping machines require rather complicated cuate conduit defining member and hopper may be rotated in the direction in which the handle is rotated so as to push said material against said cutting or shaving blade edge and at the same time advance the material deeper into said conduit with a substantially constant holddown force being applied on the material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings shown a preferred form of material working machine in the form of an ice chipping machine embodying the present invention in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of said ice chipping machine with a portion broken away and a portion thereof shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of said ice chipping machine with the material feed hopper of FIG. I removed therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of said ice chipping machine showing a substantial portion thereof in section and with the lower portion of the base support means or pedestal of the machine removed therefrom; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale of the movable components of said chipping machine.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described referring to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred form of material working machine which is in the form of an ice chipping machine constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown for illustration only. The novel ice chipping machine generally comprises a base support structure or pedestal which is generally shown with reference numeral 1 and includes an upper solid cylindrical pedestal portion 2 the diameter of which increases downwardly and an integral lower skirt portion which consists of three angularly spaced legs 3 in equispaced relation to each other and the skirt portion has a substantially triangular cross section. The axes of the three legs 3 are at the same distance radially outwardly of the axis of the pedestal 1. A suction cup 4 formed of rubber or the like material is secured to the bottom of the free end of each leg 3 in a suitable conventional manner. As well known in the art, when the ice chipping machine is installed on a suitable supporting bed or working table (not shown) for operation, the suction cups 4 are at least partially evacuated or the magnitude of the pressure within the cavities of the cups becomes lower than that of the atmospheric pressure in the environment in which the ice chipping machine is installed and become firmly secured to the supporting bed thereby to stabilize the installation of the ice chipping machine on the bed table surface. The pedestal I fixedly supports at the top of the upper solid cylindrical portion 2 an ice receiving and chipping device which is generally indicated by reference numeral 5 and the device has a substantially hollow frustoconical shape. A semicircular transverse support plate member 6 is fixedly secured to the top of the pedestal portion 2 or is integrally fomied with the pedestal portion and this support plate is in turn connected to the hollow frustoconical ice receiving and chipping device 5 in the manner as described in detail hereinbelow. Although not shown, in the illustrated embodiment the support plate 6 is of a horseshoe shape, for example, so that a having or cutting blade, the description of which will be set forth hereinafter, may be easily placed in position without being obstructed by the plate 6, but the shape of the support plate is not limited to such a horseshoe shape provided that the blade can be easily placed in position without being obstructed by the plate. The frustoconical ice receiving and chipping device 5 comprises a substantially frustoconical peripheral wall or sheath 7 and an integral transverse partition 8 which extends across the inner diameter of the peripheral wall 7 at substantially the midpoint of the height of the wall and parallel to the support plate 6. The transverse partition 8 also serves as a working table on which small ice blocks to be chipped are movably supported and worked as described in detail hereinafter. The transverse partition 8 divides the interior of the ice receiving and chipping device 5 into an upt chamber and a lower chamber which are open open on "IR side respectively. The transverse partition 8 is formed on its underside with an integral center boss 8' having a central threaded through bore and a counterbore around the through bore at the bottom. A plurality of integral annular bosses 8 and thus all three bosses 8. 8" and 8" extend downwardly from the lower side or face of the transverse partition 8 in radially spaced relation to each other The outermost annular boss 8" is secured at its lower end to the support plate 6 by means of a plurality of setscrews 9 (only two of which are shown in FIG. 3) while the lower ends-ofythe center boss 8' and inner annular boss 8" abut against the upper surface of the support plate 6. The number of the annular bosses may be changed as desired or necessitated and the purpose for which the interior of the ice receiving and chipping device 5 is formed with the above-mentioned construction is to reduce the weight of the entire device and at the same time to provide sufficient strength to support the parts to be supported thereby. The transverse partition 8 is further formed with another and radially extending boss 10 on the underside thereof at a point adjacent to and inwardly of the outer peripheral edge of the partition and as shown in FIGv l, the boss 10 is slanted on one face or side. The transverse partition 8 is further provided with a narrow elongated slot II therein closely adjacent to the upper end of the slanted face or side of boss I0 for receiving the edge of a shaving, chipping or cutting blade 12. The above-mentioned center and annular bosses 8'. 8" and 8", boss 10 and transverse support plate 6 are disposed within the lower chamber of the ice receiving and chipping device 5. The blade I2 is adjustably secured to the slanted face or side of the boss 10 by means of a set screw 13 with the edge of the blade projecting above the slot 11 by a very small distance. Although not shown, the blade I2 is provided with a number of spaced slots therein so that the position of the blade with respect to the slanted ,face or side of boss 10 or the height of the blade edge above the upper surface of the transverse partition 8 may be adjusted by unscrewing the screw 13, moving the blade 12 upwardly or downwardly and then retightening the screw I3 in position. A stationary shaft 14 extends vertically upwards from the center of the ice receiving and chipping device 5 and has upper and lower threaded ends, the lower end being threadably received in the central threaded through bore of the center boss 8' of the transverse partition 8 and secured therein by means of a nut 15 which is threadably received on the threaded lower end of the shaft 14 and has its head seated in the counter bore at the bottom of the center boss 8. A hollow cylindrical drum member 17 is rotatably disposed in the upper chamber of the ice receiving and chipping device 5 in slightly spaced relation to the upper surface of the transverse partition 8. The drum member 17 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the inner periphery of wall 7 of the ice receiving and shipping device 5. The cylindrical drum member 17 is formed in its center with an integral vertically extending sleeve portion 18 surrounding the vertical shaft 14 in spaced relation to the latter and this sleeve portion has at a point in its periphery a lateral projection or engaging piece l9'which extends from the upper end downwards over a substantial distance of the length thereof. A cap nut 16 is threadably received on the upper threaded end of the vertical shaft 14 whereby the rotary drum 17 may be prevented from coming off the shaft 14 as the drum is rotated about the shaft. A polygonal hopper receiving opening 20 is integrally formed with the sleeve portion 18 at a point in the periphery thereof opposite to the lateral projection 19 and a material feed hopper 21 has a shaped lower end so that it can be removably received in the opening 20. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the hopper 21 has a polygonal constricted lower portion 22 which is adapted to be snugly fit in the polygonal opening 20 and the contour of the lower constricted portion corresponds to the polygonal inner surface of the polygonal opening 20. The cylindrical drum member 17 is further formed in its inner periphery with an integral arcuate ice guiding and holddown conduit defining member 23 which substantially surrounds the center sleeve portion 18 and extends arcuately along the inner periphery of the drum member l7 a substantial distance. The arcuate conduit defining member 23 IS spiral shaped and gradually reduces the height of its under surface above partition 8 from an ice receiving inlet or beginning end which communicates with the opening toward the lower terminal end which terminates at a point adjacent to and slightly beyond the slot 11 in the transverse partition 8. The arcuate ice guiding and holddown conduit defining member 23 is disposed in a slightly spaced relation to the upper surface of the transverse partition 8 so that when the cylindrical drum member 14 and accordingly, the arcuate conduit defining member 23 rotate relative to the stationary ice receiving and chipping device 5, the arcuate conduit defining member may be prevented from frictional contact with the transverse partition 8. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention. the inlet end of the ice guiding and holddown conduit defining member 23 defines the largest cross-sectional area above partition 8 and the terminal end defines the smallest cross-sectional area above partition 8. The ice guiding and holddown conduit defining member 23 defines a conduit of rectangular cross section having a substantially uniform width throughout its length, but gradually reducing in height from the inlet end adjacent to the discharge end of the hopper 21 toward the terminal end adjacent to the slot 11. Thus the conduit defines a rectangular cross section opening which gradually reduces in cross-sectional area from the inlet end toward the terminal end for guiding small ice blocks being fed from the hopper 21. as the cylindrical drum member 17 and arcuate ice guiding and holddown conduit defining member 23 are rotated in unison by the manipulation of a handle 24. The operating handle which is generally shown with reference numeral 24 is fixedly connected to the cylindrical drum member 17 and comprises a frustoconical grip or head 25, an integral flange or skirt 26 extending radially outwards from the base of the grip 5 and an L-shaped eccentric shank or shaft 27 suitably secured to the underside of the flange 26 or integrally formed with the latter at a point remote from its center. The L-shaped shank includes a vertical section depending from the flange 26 and a horizontal section extending laterally inwards at the lower end of the vertical section at right angles thereto. A set bolt 28 fixedly secures the horizontal shank section to the top of the arcuate conduit defining member 23 with the lower threaded end (not shown) screwed into a mating threaded bore (not shown) formed in the top of the conduit defining member and the upper threaded end threadably receiving a cap nut 29 thereon. The free end of the horizontal shank section is formed with a notch 30 into which the lateral projection or engaging portion 19 is snugly fit whereby the handle 24, rotary drum member 17 and arcuate conduit defining member 23 are connected to each other and as the handle 24 is turned the cylindrical drum member 17 and arcuate conduit defining member 23 rotate in unison with the handle 24 in the direction in which the latter is rotated.

In operation, a desired number of small ice blocks or cubes, which have been formed, for example, in a freezing tray of a domestic-type refrigerator, and have substantially the same cubical shape, are randomly supplied into the hopper 21 and then the succeeding small ice blocks will be allowed to fall through the open discharge end of the hopper by gravity to the inlet of the conduit defining member 23 and be positioned adjacent to the inlet end of the ice guiding and holddown conduit defined by member 23 ready for being fed into the conduit. Thereafter, when the operator grips the handle 24 by the frustoconical grip and turns in the arrow direction (FIG. 2), the rotary drum member 17 and the integral arcuate ice guiding and holddown conduit defining member 23 which are integrally connected to the handle 24 are also rotated in the direction in which the handle 24 is turned whereby the succeeding lowest ice blocks are in succession pushed against the edge of the blade 12 extending through the slot 11 and proecting above the transverse partition 8 which also serves as a working table and the bottom of the ice blocks are chipped off thereby once as the rotary drum member 17 and accordingly, the arcuate ice guiding and holddown conduit defining member 23 completes one revolution. As the ice blocks are pushed against and chipped off in the manner as mentioned just above while the blocks are held down by the under surface of the conduit defining member 23, the ice blocks are gradually advanced deeper in the opening defined by the conduit 23. As the operator continues to turn the handle 24, the leading ice blocks are caused to strike against the edge of blade 12 to be chipped off thereby once every one complete revolution of the drum member 17 and conduit 23 while being advanced deeper and deeper in the arcuate opening in the ice receiving and guiding conduit 23. As the succeeding ice blocks are chipped off and reduced in size, the ice blocks gradually advance deeper and deeper in the opening in the conduit defined by guiding and holddown member 23 away from the inlet end toward the terminal end thereof, being held down under a substantially constant holddown force by the successive sections in the under surface of the conduit defining member 23 and the succeeding lowest ice blocks are in succession positioned adjacent to the inlet end of the conduit defined by member 23 and then advanced into the opening of the conduit. In this way, the succeeding ice blocks are in succession chipped oh and advanced into such conduit. Almost the entire body of each ice block will have been perfectly reduced into fine chips until the block reaches the terminal end of the conduit 23. The obtained ice chips are allowed to fall down through the slot 11 into a suitable receptacle (not shown) positioned just below the slot.

As is clear from the foregoing description, in the novel ice chipping machine, since the ice blocks are caused to advance deeper and deeper in the ice guiding and holddown conduit defined by member 23 while being subjected to a constant holddown force by the successive sections of the under surface of the member 23 though the ice blocks are chipped off and reduced in size as the drum member 17 and arcuate conduit defining member 23 rotate in the manner as mentioned above, any additional ice holding means such as holding pawls or spikes and their associated feed mechanisms which are mandatory in the conventional ice chipping machines are not necessary. The ice chipping machine of the invention is quite simple in construction and operation and can be safely and efficiently operated even by children. The present invention has provided an improved ice chipping machine which is of simple construction, has a more efficient operation and can be produced more economically then the conventional corresponding type ice chipping machines.

Although, the material working machine of the invention has been described in connection with the chipping of small size ice blocks or cubes formed in a freezing tray of a domestic refrigerator, the machine can be also used for chipping or slicing various types of vegetables and fruits with minor changes and modifications in the component parts and arrangements thereof.

lelaim:

l. A material working machine comprising base support means; stationary material supporting and chipping means fixedly mounted on said base support means and including a material support table having upper and lower surfaces, an integral blade mounting portion formed on said material support table and having an inclined face, said material support table having a slot therein and a material working blade adjustably secured to said inclined face of said blade mounting portion and extending through said slot with its edge projecting above the upper surface of said material support table; a rotary cylindrical drum member mounted on said material for rotational movement relative to the latter and including an integral center sleeve portion having a lateral projection extending from one side thereof and means defining a hopper receiving opening on the side of said sleeve portion opposite to said lateral projection; an arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit defining member integrally formed with said cylindrical drum member and extending along the inner surface of said drum member a substantial distance of the inner periphery thereof for rotational movement in unison with the latter, said conduit defining member being shaped to define with the upper surface of said material supporting table a conduit having its largest cross-sectional area at one end and its smallest cross-sectional area at its other end; a material feed hopper removably received in said opening of the rotary drum member for feeding material to be chipped to the conduit defined by said arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit defining member; and an operating handle means fixedly connected to said rotary drum member and having a notch at one end for snugly engaging said lateral projection of said sleeve portion of said drum member whereby as the handle is turned said rotary drum, arcuate guiding and holddown conduit defining member and said hopper may be rotated in the direction in which the handle is rotated.

2. A material working machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said base support means includes a pedestal having an upper portion of circular cross section, a lower portion consisting of three equally spaced legs integrally formed with said upper portion, said legs being radially outwardly spaced from the lower end of said upper portion, suction cups secured to said legs for attachment to a support bed and a horseshoe shaped support plate fixed relative to said upper portion of said pedestal and including means adapted for threaded connection to said stationary material supporting and chipping means.

3. A material working machine as set forth in claim 2 in which said stationary material supporting and chipping means comprises a substantially hollow frustoconical member including open ended upper and lower chambers said material support and working table separating said chambers, said upper chamber accommodating said rotary drum member and arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit defining member therein and said lower chamber accommodating said blade mounting portion, said blade, said horseshoe shaped support plate and a portion of said upper portion of said pedestal therein.

4. A material working machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said material support and working table is further provided with a central boss having an internally threaded central bore therein and a counter bore surrounding said micrnally threaded central bore. an inner annular boss radially spaced from said central boss and an outermost annular boss radially spaced from said inner annular boss, said central and inner and outermost annular bosses being integral with extensions from the inner surface of said material support and working table.

5. A material working machine as set forth in claim 4 in which said central and inner annular bosses have lower ends abutting against said horseshoe shaped support plate and means connecting said outermost annular boss with said her seshoe shaped support plate. I 1

6. A material working machine as set ronhm claim 4 and a vertical shaft having a threaded end in threaded engagement with and projecting beyond said internally threaded central bore in said central boss and a nut engaged in said threaded end and accommodated in said counter bore 7. A material working machine as set forth in claim I in which the means defining said hopper receiving opening of said rotary drum member has a polygonal configuration and said hopper includes a constricted lower portion having a mating polygonal configuration.

8. A material working machine as set forth in claim I in which said material guiding and holddown conduit defining member has a substantially constant width throughout its length.

9. A material working machine as set forth in claim I in which said handle includes an L-shaped shank having a vertical section and a horizontal section, and means connecting said horizontal section with said material guidin and holddown conduit defining member whereby as sai handle is turned, said rotary drum member and said arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit defining member are rotated in the direction in which the handle is turned.

10. A material working machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said material comprises small size ice blocks which have been formed in a freezing tray of a domestic refrigerator and are of substantially uniform shape and size.

11. A material working machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said material comprises vegetables.

12. A material working machine as set forth in claim I in which said material comprises fruits.

Claims

1. A material working machine comprising base support means; stationary material supporting and chipping means fixedly mounted on said base support means and including a material support table having upper and lower surfaces, an integral blade mounting portion formed on said material support table and having an inclined face, said material support table having a slot therein and a material working blade adjustably secured to said inclined face of said blade mounting portion and extending through said slot with its edge projecting above the upper surface of said material support table; a rotary cylindrical drum member mounted on said material for rotational movement relative to the latter and including an integral center sleeve portion having a lateral projection extending from one side thereof and means defining a hopper receiving opening on the side of said sleeve portion opposite to said lateral projection; an arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit defining member integrally formed with said cylindrical drum member and extending along the inner surface of said drum member a substantial distance of the inner periphery thereof for rotational movement in unison with the latter, said conduit defining member being shaped to define with the upper surface of said material supporting table a conduit having its largest cross-sectional area at one end and its smallest crosssectional area at its other end; a material feed hopper removably received in said opening of the rotary drum member for feeding material to be chipped to the conduit defined by said arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit defining member; and an operating handle means fixedly connected to said rotary drum member and having a notch at one end for snugly engaging said lateral projection of said sleeve portion of said drum member whereby as the handle is turned said rotary drum, arcuate guiding and holddown conduit defining member and said hopper may be rotated in the direction in which the handle is rotated.

4. A material working machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said material support and working table is further provided with a central boss having an internally threaded central bore therein and a counter bore surrounding said internally threaded central bore, an inner annular boss radially spaced from said central boss and an outermost annular boss radially spaced from said inner annular boss, said central and inner and outermost annular bosses being integral with extensions from the inner surface of said material support and working table.

5. A material working machine as set forth in claim 4 in which said central and inner annular bosses have lower ends abutting against said horseshoe shaped support plate and means connecting said outermost annular boss with said horseshoe shaped support plate.

6. A material working machine as set forth in claim 4 and a vertical shaft having a threaded end in threaded engagement with and projecting beyond said internally threaded central bore in said central boss and a nut engaged in said threaded end and accommodated in said counter bore.

7. A material working machine as set forth in claim 1 in which the means defining said hopper receiving opening of said rotary drum member has a polygonal configuration and said hopper includes a constricted lower portion having a mating polygonal configuration.

8. A material working machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said material guiding and holddown conduit defining member has a substantially constant width throughout its length.

9. A material working machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said handle includes an L-shaped shank having a vertical section and a horizontal section, and means connecting said horizontal section with said material guiding and holddown conduit defining member whereby as said handle is turned, said rotary drum member and said arcuate material guiding and holddown conduit defining member are rotated in the direction in which the handle is turned.

12. A material working machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said material comprises fruits.