Sausage slicing machine

Claim 2

A sausage slicing machine comprising: a framework; a conveyor assembly mounted on said framework and including: an endless chain having an upper horizontal run and a lower horizontal run; and an articulated cradle subassembly secured to said chain and comprising: a trailing element secured to said chain and extending transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the chain and including transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll backing plates; a central element secured to a different part of said chain than said trailing element and movable independently of said trailing element, said central element extending transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the chain and including transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll bottoming plates; and a leading element secured to a different part of said chain than said trailing element and central element and movable independently of said trailing element and said central element, said leading element including transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll confining plates; said trailing, central and leading elements being responsive to the travel of said chain in a straight path in said upper horizontal run to move into a contiguous, juxtapositioned relationship to each other defining a generally cylindrical, hollow interior in the cradle subassembly adapted to contain and confine a cylindrical sausage roll, and further being responsive to movement of said chain to a semicircular path between said horizontal runs to open said elements apart from each other, whereby a sausage roll can be dropped into one of said concavely recessed plates; and a cutter assembly supported above said framework over said conveyor assembly and including a plurality of rotatable, transversely spaced cutter blades aligned with the spaces between said transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll backing plates, and with the spaces between said roll bottoming plates and the spaces between said roll confining plates.

Claim 3

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein: said cradle subassembly is further characterized as including guide plate means projecting from one of said elements; and said sausage slicing machine is further characterized as including a central tracking and supporting subassembly mounted on said framework and including runner track means slidingly cooperating with said guide plate means for supporting said cradle subassembly at horizontally spaced points, and preventing transverse shifting of said cradle subassembly relative to said chain.

Claim 4

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 1 and further characterized as including: a superstructure subframe projecting upwardly from, and supported by, said framework, said superstructure subframe supporting said conveyor assembly and said cutter assembly; and a pair of horizontally spaced, lateral guide plate subassemblies adjustably mounted on opposite sides of said superstructure subframe and on opposite sides of said conveyor assembly and said cutter assembly, said lateral guide plate subassemblies incuding means for laterally confining a sausage roll carried in said cradle subassembly at the opposite ends of said sausage roll as the cradle subassembly traverses the upper horizontal run of said endless chain.

Claim 5

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 1 and further characterized as including: a superstructure subframe projecting upwardly from, and supported by, said framework, said superstructure subframe including: a pair of transversely spaced, vertically extending side walls having said conveyor assembly mounted therebetween; transversely spaced, vertically extending side plate projections projecting upwardly from said side walls; and a pair of horizontally spaced frame plates extending across said side plate projections and forming a rectangular enclosure therewith; and wherein said cutter assembly comprises: a plurality of disc-shaped cutter blades rotatably mounted in said rectangular enclosure; and a blade grate subassembly removably mounted in said rectangular enclosure and including a plurality of parallel plate subelements positioned between adjacent disc-shaped cutter blades.

Claim 6

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 4 and further characterized in including: a finger plate mounted on said superstructure subframe and extending transversely across and over the horizontal upper run of said endless chain; and a plurality of transversely spaced discharge fingers projecting downwardly from said finger plate and at an acute angle to a plane extending normal to the horizontal plane occupied by said upper horizontal run of said endless chain, said discharge fingers being spaced from each other and positioned on said superstructure subframe to pass between said transversely spaced roll backing plates and said transversely spaced roll confining plates after said cradle subassembly has passed said cutter blades.

Claim 7

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said runner track means includes a pair of transversely spaced, horizontally extending, substantially parallel runner tracks disposed on opposite sides of said endless chain, and extending under said cutter assembly, each of said runner tracks including an enlargement therealong for biasing said cradle subassembly and the upper run of said endless chain in an upward direction.

Claim 8

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 6 and further characterized as including hold down rods mounted on said framework at a location for engaging said trailing, central and leading elements to prevent upward movement of said chain and a cradle subassembly attached thereto and passing under said hold down rods.

Claim 9

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 7 and further characterized as including: a superstructure subframe projecting upwardly from, and supported by, said framework, said superstructure subframe supporting said conveyor assembly and said cutter assembly; and a pair of horizontally spaced, lateral guide plate subassemblies adjustably mounted on opposite sides of said superstructure subframe and on opposite sides of said conveyor assembly and said cutter assembly, said lateral guide plate subassemblies including means for laterally confining a sausage roll carried in said cradle subassembly at the opposite ends of said sausage roll as the cradle subassembly traverses the upper horizontal run of said endless chain.

Claim 10

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 7 and further characterized as including: a superstructure subframe projecting upwardly from, and supported by, said framework, said superstructure subframe including: a pair of transversely spaced, vertically extending side walls having said conveyor assembly mounted therebetween; transversely spaced, vertically extending side plate projections projecting upwardly from said side walls; and a pair of horizontally spaced frame plates extending across said side plate projections and forming a rectangular enclosure therewith; and wherein said cutter assembly comprises: a plurality of disc-shaped cutter blades rotatably mounted in said rectangular enclosure; and a blade grate subassembly removably mounted in said rectangular enclosure and including a plurality of parallel plate subelements positioned between adjacent disc-shaped cutter blades.

Claim 11

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 9 and further characterized as including: a finger plate mounted on said superstructure subframe and extending transversely across and over the horizontal upper run of said endless chain; and a plurality of transversely spaced discharge fingers projecting downwardly from said finger plate and at an acute angle to a plane extending normal to the horizontal plane occupied by said upper horizontal run of said endless chain, said discharge fingers being spaced from each other and positioned on said superstructure subframe to pass between said transversely spaced roll backing plates and said transversely spaced roll confining plates after said cradle subassembly has passed said cutter blades.

Claim 12

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 10 and further characterized as including a pair of horizontally spaced, lateral guide plate subassemblies adjustably mounted on opposite sides of said superstructure subframe and on opposite sides of said conveyor assembly and said cutter assembly, said lateral guide plate subassemblies including means for laterally confining a sausage roll carried in said cradle subassembly at the opposite ends of said sausage roll as the cradle subassembly traverses the upper horizontal run of said endless chain.

Claim 13

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said trailing element further comprises a transversely extending base plate secured at a central location on one side thereof to said endless chain and having said concavely spaced roll backing plates secured to the opposite side thereof from said chain, said roll backing plates each being further characterized in including an overhanging finger projecting over the concave recess in said roll backing plate and substantially parallel to the plane of said base plate.

Claim 14

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 1 and further characterized as including guiding and tracking means on said framework for stabilizing and guiding said chain and cradle subassembly during movement thereof below and past said conveyor assembly, and for limiting the lateral, transverse movement and the vertical movement thereof.

Claim 15

A sausage slicing machine as defined in claim 1 and further characterized as including: a slotted blade grate subassembly removably supported over the framework adjacent said cutter assembly; and wherein said cutter assembly comprises a plurality of cutter blades extending through slots in said blade grate subassembly.

Claim 16

A sausage slicing machine comprising: a framework; a conveyor assembly mounted on the framework and including: an endless chain having an upper horizontal run and a lower horizontal run; an articulated cradle subassembly secured to said chain and having a plurality of separately actuable elements automatically movable between an open position apart from each other, and a closed, sausage roll-carrying position, during the course of travel of said chain; and a cutter assembly supported on the framework over the conveyor assembly, said conveyor assembly comprising: a horizontal shaft extending transversely across the direction of travel of said endless chain and positioned thereabove; means for driving said shaft in rotation; a plurality of disc-shaped cutter blades keyed to said shaft for rotation therewith and spaced axially therealong; and a blade grate subassembly removably supported above the framework in proximity to the blades and including a slotted web plate having a plurality of spaced, vertically extending plate subelements each extending between two of said blades in a horizontal direction from one side thereof to the other, and projecting upwardly from said shaft a major portion of the way to the top sides of said blades, each of said plate subelements having a central recess in the lower side thereof to accommodate passage of said shaft whereby said plate subelements, in extending alongside a major portion of the blades on opposite sides thereof, protect and guide said cutter blades during usage of said slicing machine,

Claim 17

A sausage slicing machine comprising: a framework; a conveyor assembly mounted on the framework and including: an endless chain having an upper horizontal run and a lower horizontal run; an articulated cradle subassembly secured to said chain and having a plurality of separately actuable elements automatically movable between an open position apart from each other, and a closed, sausage roll-carrying position, during the course of travel of said chain; and a cutter assembly supported on the framework over the conveyor assembly, said conveyor assembly comprising: a horizontal shaft extending transversely across the direction of travel of said endless chain and positioned thereabove; means for driving said shaft in rotation; a plurality of disc-shaped cutter blades keyed to said shaft for rotation therewith and spaced axially therealong; and a blade grate subassembly removably supported above the framework in proximity to the blades and including a slotted web plate having a plurality of spaced, vertically extending plate subelements each extending between two of said blades in a horizontal direction from one side thereof to the other, and projecting upwardly from said shaft a major portion of the way to the top sides of said blades, each of said plate subelements having a central recess in the lower side thereof to accommodate passage of said shaft whereby said plate subelements, in extending alongside a major portion of the blades on opposite sides thereof, protect and guide said cutter blades during usage of said slicing machine,

Claim 18

A sausage slicing machine comprising: a framework; a conveyor assembly mounted on said framework and including: an endless member having an upper horizontal run and a lower horizontal run; and an articulated cradle subassembly secured to said endless member and comprising: a trailing element secured to said endless member and extending transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the endless memeber and including transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll backing plates; a central element secured to a different part of said endless member than said trailing element and movable independently of said trailing element, said central element extending transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the endless member and including transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll bottoming plates; and a leading element secured to a different part of said endless member than said trailing element and central element, and movable independently of said trailing element and said central element, said leading element including transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll confining plates; said trailing, central and leading elements being responsive to the travel of said endless member in a straight path in said upper horizontal run to move into a contiguous, juxtapositioned relationship to each other defining a generally cylindrical, hollow interior in the cradle subassembly adapted to contain and confine a cylindrical sausage roll, and further being responsive to movement of said endless member to an arcuate circular path between said horizontal runs to open said elements apart from each other, whereby a sausage roll can be dropped into one of said concavely recessed plates; and a cutter assembly supported above said framework over said conveyor assembly and including a plurality of rotatable, transversely spaced cutter blades aligned with the spaces between said transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll backing plates, and with the spaces between said roll bottoming plates, and the spaces between said roll confining plates.

Claim 19

A sausage slicing machine comprising: a framework; a conveyor assembly mounted on said framework and including: an endless member having an upper horizontal run and a lower horizontal run; and an articulated cradle subassembly secured to said endless member and comprising: a trailing element secured to said endless member and extending transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the endless memeber and including transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll backing plates; a central element secured to a different part of said endless member than said trailing element and movable independently of said trailing element, said central element extending transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the endless member and including transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll bottoming plates; and a leading element secured to a different part of said endless member than said trailing element and central element, and movable independently of said trailing element and said central element, said leading element including transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll confining plates; said trailing, central and leading elements being responsive to the travel of said endless member in a straight path in said upper horizontal run to move into a contiguous, juxtapositioned relationship to each other defining a generally cylindrical, hollow interior in the cradle subassembly adapted to contain and confine a cylindrical sausage roll, and further being responsive to movement of said endless member to an arcuate circular path between said horizontal runs to open said elements apart from each other, whereby a sausage roll can be dropped into one of said concavely recessed plates; and a cutter assembly supported above said framework over said conveyor assembly and including a plurality of rotatable, transversely spaced cutter blades aligned with the spaces between said transversely spaced, concavely recessed roll backing plates, and with the spaces between said roll bottoming plates, and the spaces between said roll confining plates.