Patent US3662677A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3662677A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Machine for shredding cheese and for depositing the cheese onto pizzas
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-04-01
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Granted: 1972-05-16
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Expires: 1990-04-01
Abstract
Abstract A block of pizza cheese is shredded by a power-rotated cutter as the cheese is swept upwardly past the cutter. The resulting free falling cheese flakes are spread uniformly across an unbaked pizza by a paddle which swings over the pizza and beneath the cutter as the cheese is moved upwardly.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald E Westling
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 14:54
CPC Classifications
A; A21; A21C; A21C9/00; A21C9/04; A23; A23G; A23G3/00; A23G3/02; A23G3/20; A23G3/2076
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
In a machine for shredding cheese and for depositing the cheese onto a pizza, the combination of, a frame, a cheese support mounted on said frame for holding a block of cheese above the pizza, means for feeding said cheese along said cheese support to present one face of the cheese to a shredding position, a cutter support mounted on said frame, a shredding cutter located adjacent said shredding position and said cheese support and mounted on said cutter support to rotate about an axis extending transversely of said one face and the direction of feeding of the cheese, means for power rotating said cutter, and means for moving one of said supports relative to the other of said supports in a direction to sweep said one face of said cheese across and relative to said cutter and thereby shred the cheese.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
In a machine for shredding cheese and for depositing the cheese onto a pizza, the combination of, a frame, a cheese support mounted on said frame for holding a block of cheese above the pizza, means for feeding said cheese along said cheese support to present one face of the cheese to a shredding position, a cutter support mounted on said frame, a shredding cutter located adjacent said shredding position and said cheese support and mounted on said cutter support to rotate about an axis extending transversely of said one face and the direction of feeding of the cheese, means for power rotating said cutter, and means for moving one of said supports relative to the other of said supports in a direction to sweep said one face of said cheese across and relative to said cutter and thereby shred the cheese.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A machine as defined in claim 1 in which said cutter rotates about a generally horizontal axis and in which said one support is moved upwardly and downwardly relative to the other support to sweep said one face of said cheese across and relative to said cutter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A machine as defined in claim 2 further including means mounting said one support for up and down swinging on said frame whereby said one face of said cheese sweeps in an arcuate path across and relative to said cutter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A machine as defined in claim 3 in which said cheese support is the support which is mounted for up and down swinging on said frame.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A machine as defined in claim 2 further including means beneath the cutter for spreading the shredded cheese substantially uniformly over the entire pizza.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
A machine as defined in claim 3 further including a baffle curved generally concentrically with said path and located on the side of the cutter opposite said one face of the cheese to deflect the cheese as the latter is shredded by said cutter, said baffle being carried on and movable with said one support and having a lower end which sweeps at least partially across the pizza and spreads the cheese as said one support is swung relative to the other support.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
A machine as defined in claim 6 further including a paddle supported on said frame beneath the lower end of said baffle and mounted to swing across the lower end of the baffle about a generally horizontal axis paralleling said one axis so as to deflect the cheese falling from said baffle, and means for swinging said paddle relative to the lower end of said baffle as the latter is moved by said one support thereby to spread the cheese across the pizza.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A machine as defined in claim 6 in which said paddle is carried on and moves upwardly and downwardly with said one support, said last-mentioned means acting automatically to swing the paddle across the lower end of the baffle in response to the swinging of said one support.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
79 words
A machine as defined in claim 2 further including a paddle supported on said frame beneath said cutter and mounted to swing back and forth below the cutter about a generally horizontal axis paralleling said one axis so as to deflect the cheese shredded by and falling from the cutter, and means for swinging said paddle relative to the cutter as said one support is moved relative to said other support thereby to spread the cheese across the pizza.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
A machine as defined in claim 5 in which a sleeve is mounted on said frame below said cutter and extends downwardly toward said pizza, said sleeve being approximately the same diameter as the pizza and being operable to confine the shredded cheese to the pizza.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
A machine as defined in claim 10 in which a second smaller sleevE is coaxial with said one sleeve, said second sleeve being mounted on said frame for movement between an active position telescoped downwardly within said one sleeve to confine the cheese to a comparatively small pizza, and an inactive position retracted upwardly from said one sleeve to allow the cheese to spread over a larger pizza.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
A machine as defined in claim 5 in which said block of cheese is rectangular in cross-section, said cheese support including means locating said cheese with one pair of diagonally opposite corners of the block pointing vertically and the other pair of diagonally opposite corners pointing horizontally whereby said block is oriented as a diamond with respect to said cutter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
97 words
A machine as defined in claim 7 in which said block of cheese is rectangular in cross-section, said cheese support including means locating said cheese with one pair of diagonally opposite corners of the block pointing vertically and the other pair of diagonally opposite corners pointing horizontally whereby said block is oriented as a diamond with respect to said cutter, the movement of said paddle being timed such that said horizontal pointing corners are substantially spanned by said cutter at the time said paddle is positioned to spread the cheese across the major diameter of the pizza.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
A machine as defined in claim 5 in which said cheese support includes spaced blades at one end thereof extending across the path of advance of the cheese as the latter is fed toward said shredding position, said blades being operable to slice said one face of the cheese into sections and engaging the cheese to prevent the latter from being pulled further along said path by said cutter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-16 | 1975-11-15 | 1976-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-16 | 1979-11-15 | 1980-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-16 | 1983-11-15 | 1984-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |