Apparatus for helical cutting of potatoes

Claim 2

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, and a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips and pivotally connected to said holder and extended through slots in said holder into said holder passage; a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotary cutter blade assembly includes a plurality of slitting knives oriented to cut concentric circles in the end of an article held within said passage and a traverse blade oriented to sever the concentrically-cut end of an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said plunger includes an article-contacting face provided with recesses therein adapted to receive said slitting knives to enable said plunger to push an article completely into said blade assembly unimpeded by said blade assembly.

Claim 5

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, and a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips; a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage, and comprising a plurality of slitting knives oriented to cut concentric circles in the end of an article held within said passage and a traverse blade oriented to sever the concentrically-cut end of an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage, and a cylindrical cutting tube positioned at the axis of rotation of, and extended beyond, said slitting knives to first engage the end of an article and cut a cylindrical core from the article as the article is pushed into said blade assembly; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly.

Claim 6

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, and a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips; a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage, and comprising a plurality of slitting knives oriented to cut concentric circles in the end of an article held within said passage and a traverse blade oriented to sever the concentrically-cut end of an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage, and a cylindrical cutting tube positioned at the axis of rotation of, and extended beyond, said slitting knives to first engage the end of an article and cut a cylindrical core from the article as the article is pushed into said blade assembly; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said plunger includes an article-contacting face provided with recesses therein adapted to receive said slitting knives and said cutting tube to enable said plunger to push an article completely into said blade assembly unimpeded by said blade assembly.

Claim 8

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, and a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips; A rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly, and including a receiver for accumulating a plurality of articles: and a distributor for transferring articles seriatim to said holder including at least one tubular member having an article distribution passage therein, a moveable control member positioned between said holder and said tubular member to control transfer of articles therebetween, said plunger being mounted for axial movement through said article distribution passage into said holder passage to transfer an article from said feeder to said holder for cutting into helical strips.

Claim 9

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, and a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips; A rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly, and including a receiver for accumulating a plurality of articles: and a distributor for transferring articles seriatim to said holder including at least one tubular member having an article distribution passage therein, a moveable control member positioned between said holder and said tubular member to control transfer of articles therebetween, said plunger being mounted for axial movement through said article distribution passage into said holder passage to transfer an article from said feeder to said holder for cutting into helical strips.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said article feeder includes a controller having sensors to determine the relative positions of said article feeder tubular member, said control member and said holder; and includes an actuator responsive to said sensors to axially move said plunger through said distribution passage into said holder passage when predetermined relative positions are attained among said article feeder tubular member, said control member and said holder.

Claim 11

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips; said holder including a spring support and a plurality of springs acting between said spring support and the article aligning and holding members to inwardly bias said members into engagement with an article in said holder passage, a base support mounting said holder and said spring support, and a plurality of links extending through apertures in said spring support and each pivotally connected to an inwardly biased member and enclosed by one of said springs: a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly.

Claim 12

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips; said holder including a spring support and a plurality of springs acting between said spring support and the article aligning and holding members to inwardly bias said members into engagement with an article in said holder passage, a base support mounting said holder and said spring support, and a plurality of links extending through apertures in said spring support and each pivotally connected to an inwardly biased member and enclosed by one of said springs: a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly.

Claim 13

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, and a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips; a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly, and a receiver for accumulating a plurality of articles; and a distributor for transferring articles seriatim to said holder, including a downwardly sloping vibratory chute having a first end for accepting articles from said receiver, a lower second end and a narrowing midportion arranged to orient articles serially and longitudinally as said vibrator chute transports articles from said first end to said second end, and at least one tubular member having an article distribution passage therein arranged to accept articles from said chute.

Claim 14

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, and a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips; a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly, and a receiver for accumulating a plurality of articles; and a distributor for transferring articles seriatim to said holder, including a downwardly sloping vibratory chute having a first end for accepting articles from said receiver, a lower second end and a narrowing midportion arranged to orient articles serially and longitudinally as said vibrator chute transports articles from said first end to said second end, and at least one tubular member having an article distribution passage therein arranged to accept articles from said chute.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said distributor includes a moveable control member positioned between said holder and said tubular member to control transfer of articles therebetween; and wherein said plunger is mounted for axial movement through said article distribution passage into said holder passage to transfer an article from said feeder to said holder for cutting into helical strips.

Claim 16

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, and a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips; a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage, a rotatable drive tube detachably mounting said blade assembly at one end, a stationary tubular discharge chute extended through the other end of said drive tube into adjacency with said blade assembly for receiving said discharging helically-cut strips, and drive means connected to said drive tube to rotate said drive tube and said blade assembly about the longitudinal axis of said drive tube; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly.

Claim 17

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage therein, and a plurality of inwardly biased members extendable in said passage to align and hold an article therein against rotation while the article is being cut into helical strips; a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage, a rotatable drive tube detachably mounting said blade assembly at one end, a stationary tubular discharge chute extended through the other end of said drive tube into adjacency with said blade assembly for receiving said discharging helically-cut strips, and drive means connected to said drive tube to rotate said drive tube and said blade assembly about the longitudinal axis of said drive tube; and an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly, said plunger having a periphery configured to cooperate with the article aligning and holding members to enable said members to maintain positional control over an article during movement into said blade assembly.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said rotary cutter includes a cutter support housing rotatably mounted said drive tube and having water flushing passages therein opening to flush said blade assembly during cutting; and includes a spray shield mounting said discharge chute to contain water running out of said drive tube.

Claim 19

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly; a receiver for accumulating a plurality of articles: and a distributor for transferring articles seriatim to said holder including at least one tubular member having an article distribution passage therein, a moveable control member positioned between said holder and said tubular member to control transfer of articles therebetween; and wherein said plunger is mounted for said holder passage to transfer an article from said feeder to said holder for cutting into helical strips.

Claim 20

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly; a receiver for accumulating a plurality of articles: and a distributor for transferring articles seriatim to said holder including at least one tubular member having an article distribution passage therein, a moveable control member positioned between said holder and said tubular member to control transfer of articles therebetween; and wherein said plunger is mounted for said holder passage to transfer an article from said feeder to said holder for cutting into helical strips.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said article feeder includes a controller having sensors to determine the relative positions of said article feeder tubular member, said control member and said holder; and includes an actuator responsive to said sensors to axially move said plunger through said distribution passage into said holder passage when predetermined relative positions are attained among said article feeder tubular member, said control member and said holder.

Claim 22

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly; a receiver for accumulating a plurality of articles: a distributor for transferring articles seriatim to said holder including a downwardly sloping vibratory chute having a first end for accepting articles from said receiver, a lower second end and a narrowing midportion arranged to orient articles serially and longitudinally as said vibrator chute transports articles from said first end to said second end; and includes at least one tubular member having an article distribution passage therein arranged to accept articles form said chute.

Claim 23

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage; an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly; a receiver for accumulating a plurality of articles: a distributor for transferring articles seriatim to said holder including a downwardly sloping vibratory chute having a first end for accepting articles from said receiver, a lower second end and a narrowing midportion arranged to orient articles serially and longitudinally as said vibrator chute transports articles from said first end to said second end; and includes at least one tubular member having an article distribution passage therein arranged to accept articles form said chute.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said distributor includes a moveable control member positioned between said holder and said tubular member to control transfer of articles therebetween; and wherein said plunger is mounted for axial movement through said article distribution passage into said holder passage to transfer an article from said feeder to said holder for cutting into helical strips.

Claim 25

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage, a rotatable drive tube detachably mounting said blade assembly at one end, a stationary tubular discharge chute extended through the other end of said drive tube into adjacency with said blade assmbly for receiving and discharging helically-cut strips, and drive means connected to said drive tube to rotate said drive tube and said blade assembly about the longitudinal axis of said drive tube an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly; a receiver for accumulating a plurality of articles: and a distributor for transferring articles seriatim to said holder.

Claim 26

Apparatus for cutting articles into helical strips comprising; at least one holder having a longitudinal passage a rotary cutter mounted adjacent each said holder, including a blade assembly oriented to cut an article into a plurality of helical strips as the held article is pushed through said passage, a rotatable drive tube detachably mounting said blade assembly at one end, a stationary tubular discharge chute extended through the other end of said drive tube into adjacency with said blade assmbly for receiving and discharging helically-cut strips, and drive means connected to said drive tube to rotate said drive tube and said blade assembly about the longitudinal axis of said drive tube an article feeder including a plunger associated with each said holder and axially moveable in said passage for pushing an article through said passage into said blade assembly; a receiver for accumulating a plurality of articles: and a distributor for transferring articles seriatim to said holder.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said rotary cutter includes a cutter support housing rotatably mounting said drive tube and having water flushing passages therein opening to flush said blade assembly during cutting; and includes a spray shield mounting said discharge chute to contain water running out of said drive tube.