US1499950A - Potato-cutting machine - Google Patents

Description

H. J. SMITH POTATO CUTTING MACHINE at I 4.

led 0 Patented duty 1, 192-4.

HENRY J. SMITH, O1? IJIIN'NEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

POTATO-CUTTING llIAGI-IINE.

Application filed. Gctober 28, 19255.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY J. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Potato-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to hand or power driven machines of the continuous operation type, or machines not dependent upon plungers to force the potatoes through the cutting knives.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a potato cutting machine in which potatoes of varying size can be cut into pieces of a more suitable size for planting, or feeding purposes and to provide a machine in which the cutting operations are constant, thus providing great cutting caacity.

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangements of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention is shown.

In said drawings I Figure 1 is a plan view of the belt or gear side of the machine with the belt pulley removed.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine with the feeding rolls and cutting knife adjustment in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional end view of the machine on the lines A,B, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an assembly view inside of frame member 3 of yokes 13 and 14 and equalizing levers 15, 16 and 17 and spring 2Q.

Figure 5 is a top view of the parts shown in Figure 4, and shows in greater detail method of attaching the ends of connecting levers 16 and 17 to yokes 13 and 14.

Referring to the figure by character of reference, 1 designates the frame which is composed of side members 2 and 3, and end pieces 4 and 5. The lower side of frame members 2 and 3 terminates in brackets to which are bolted the supporting legs 6, 'Z, 8 and 9,

Serial No. 597,691.

Within the lower part of the frame, pivoted on shafts 10 and 11 are yokes 13 and 14. In the upper ends of yokes 13 and 14 are hearings in which revolve shafts 21 and 22. Securely attached to that portion of shaft 21 which is between the bearings of yoke 14 are feeding rolls 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, hereafter known as a set. Also attached to shaft 22 between the upper ends of yoke 13 are feeding rolls 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32, hereafter known as aset. These two sets of feeding rolls are so spaced upon shafts 21 and 22 that there is room between them for the stretching from one end piece 4 to the other end piece 5 of cutting knives 33, 34, and 35. In the central portion of the frame, above and at right angles to knives 33, 34, and 35 is cutting knife 36. Knives 33, 34, 35, and 36 are held securely within the frame by their ends being provided with bolts and nuts by means of which they are drawn taut. The two sets of feeding-rolls are prevented from coming in contact with each other or with knife 36 by means of stop pins 37 and 38 inside of frame member 3, against which the arms of yoke-s 13 and 14 come in contact.

The outer rims, of the individual members of the two sets of feeding rolls are provided with depressions, or corrugations of varying depths are so held in alignment in the roll assemblies as to provide cups or pockets which seize the potatoes to be cut and pre vent their slipping out of place while being forced through the cutting knives. The two sets of feeding rolls in addition to a revolving motion also have a reciprocating motion to or from each other by being carried in yokes 13 and 14 which are pivoted at their lower ends, on shafts 10 and 11 inside of frame members 2 and 3. As these two sets of feed rolls swing to or from each other they are kept at approximately the same distance from knife 36 by means of equalizing levers 15, 16 and 17 acting on the swinging ends of yokes 13 and 14. Equalizing lever 15 being pivoted at its central portion to frame member 3 its outer ends are by means of a rivet 49 hinged to one end of connecting levers 16 and 17, the other ends of levers 16 and 17 being connected by means of a screw to one side of yokes 13 and 14.

The two sets of feeding rolls are caused to revolve at a uniform speed in opposite directions by there being mounted on the Outer ends at haf s 21 sa -22, gears: 33

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and 40. In consta t mesh with gears 39 and a0 are gears il and i2, Gears ll and 42 are in turn connected together by gears 43 and 44:. Gears 4?) and 44 turn on axles attached to the lower portion of frame member 3, while gears l1 and 42 revolve upon the outer ends of shafts l0 and 11. Securely attached to gear 44 is belt pulley Gears 39 and are enabled to have a swinging as wel as a revolving motion by being connected through shafts 21 and 22 to the swinging ends of yokes 13 and 14.

The two sets of feeding rolls are caused to revolve by being connected through shaft 22 with crank L6 or through shafts 2-1 and 22 and gears 39, -10, 41, l2, 43, and 4a with belt pulley 19. The two sets of feeding rolls are ordinarily held in close proximity to each other by means of an adjustable spring 20 being connected to the upper ends of yokes 13 and 14 so that the necessary gripping pressure to enable the feeding rolls to grasp and securely hold potatoes while forcing them through the cutting knives.

In operation when the two sets of feeding rolls are caused to revolve toward each other by power applied either at the belt pulley or crank if potatoes are dropped between the feeding rolls they will immediately be seized by cups in the outer surface of the feeding rolls and as they are carried downward they are prevented from being crushed by their forcing apart the two sets of feeding rolls and the extension of spring 20. its the potatoes pass through the cutting knives they drop into spout 4-7. Sprin 20 at all times maintaining a uniform grip-- ping action on the potatoes being cut or returns the feeding rolls working position. The size of the pieces into which a potato can be cut are dependent upon the will of the operator and the number of knives left in the machine.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is I l. A potato cutting machine, consisting of a frame supported by supporting legs, cutting knives stretched through the central or inner portion of said frame, means for drawing these knives to the desired tension, means for holding revolving and swinging feeding rolls among the cutting knives and means for imparting a positive revolving motion to said feeding rolls.

2. A potato cutting machine consisting of frame supported upon supporting legs, hearings in the lower portion of said frame, shafts supported within said bearings, gears free to revolve upon one outer end of said shafts, means for rigidly holding these shafts within the lower ends of the swingmg yokes, said yokes having shaft bearings in the upper ends, shafts free to revolve within said. bearings, spaced and positively driven feeding rolls securely attached to said shafts and means for causing the two sets of feeding rolls to retain a proper feeding relationship to each other and to the cutting knives, centrally located cutting knives operating among and between the two sets of feeding rolls.

Potato cutting machine consisting of a frame, supported by supporting legs. knives within the frame, feeding rolls operated among said cutting knives, means for driving the feeding rolls by means of a crank or a belt pull y, which drives said rolls by means of gearing connecting said rolls through their axles to each other and to the belt pulley.

4:. A. potato cutting machine, consisting of a frame, supported by supporting legs, knives within the frame, positive driven feedii'ig rolls operating among the knives, means for controlling the swinging action of said rolls in reference to each other and to the central cutting knife and means for retaining, timing and driving gears upon the side of said frame in proper relation to each other and to the driving pulley and feeding rolls.

5. A potato cutting machine, consisting of a frame supported upon supporting legs, knives within the frame, swinging yokes pivoted in the lower portion of said frame, feeding rolls mounted within said yokes, means for holding the feeding rolls in a close but elastic proximity to each other, equalizing levers for controlling the swinging action of said rolls in relation to the central cutting knife, means for preventing the feeding rolls from coming in contact with each otheror with the central cutting knife, means for preventing the feeding rolls from twisting within the frame, means for preventing potatoes from slipping from between the feeding rolls or out of position while passing between said rolls, and means for holding potatoes within a con venient distance of the operator.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, l have hereto atlixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses;

HENRY J. SMITH. \Vitnesses GEORGE E. SMITH, PAUL J. THOMPSON.

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