Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
10S354;~
The l~lvention rclates to an appliance. More particul-
arly, the invention rclates to a household appliance for commin-
uting substances, especially meat, onions, or the like, that can
be cut up. The appliance has a stationary cylindrical receptacle
for the substances to be cut up and a shaft which rotates in the
receptacle and is equipped with cutter blades. The blades are
held in a cutter head which is adapted to move axially upon the
shaft, but which is secured against rotation in relation thereto.
An appliance of this kind is described in German Patent
510,862. Such appliances have the advantage that the substance
to be comminuted cannot be pressed and rubbed against a base.
Instead, the substance is in a kind of suspended state and is cut
cleanly by the cutter blades, as if by a stroke.
This appliance of the prior art has a belt drive and is
therefore unsuitable for household use. Furthermore, the mech-
anism for adjusting the cutter head is so complex that it is ex-
tremely difficult to empty and clean the receptacle which holds
the substance to be cut up.
~- Another serious disadvantage of this appliance is that
the operator may be injured by the blades while the device is in
` operation, with the result that it is impossible to use this ap-
pliance at home.
It is an object of the invention to provide an appli-
ance o~ the kind mentioned above, in which the known cutting
principles are retained, while ~he cutter head may be manually
adjusted by simple means~ The receptacle should be easily detach-
able for emptying and cleaning purposes. Moreover, with such an
appliance, it should be possible, without any additional measures,
to adhere to the safety provisions prescribed for them.
According to the invention, this object may be achieved
by passing the shaft centrally through the bottom of a cup-shaped `~
receptacle adapted to contain the substance to be cut up, and
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~05~543
causing it to be driven by an electric drive unit. The recep-
tacle is adapted to be closed by means of a cover; a manually
operated rammer is axially displaceable through the said cover,
but cannot rotate therein, the cutter head rotates around the
said rammer, but cannot move axially relative thereto: both the
rammer and the cutter head are secured to the said cover so that
they cannot be mislaid; the cutter head is maintained in its
starting position by means of a return spring. Therefore, the
cover, the manually-operated rammer, and the cutter head consti-
tute a detachable unit. If this unit is removed from the recep-
tacle, all th~t remains therein is the shaft and hhis presents
no danger even if the drive is ~nadvertently switched on. The
receptacle may ea~ily be separated from the shaft, or it may be
removed therewith from the drive unit, so that it may easily be
emptied and cleaned.
Thus the invention relate~ to an appliance, for con~
minuting substances, such as meat, onions, or the like, adapted
to being cut up, qaid appliance having a stationary cylindrical
receptacle for the substances to be cut up, and a shaft rotating
~ 20 in the ~aid receptacle and equipped with cut~er blades, said
blade~ being held in a cutter head adapted to move axially upon
said ghaft, and mean~ to prevent said cutter head from rotating
relative to said shaft, characterized in that the shaft extends
centrally through the bottom of a cup-shaped receptacle adapted
to hold the substance to be cut up, said appliance also compris-
ing an electrical drive unit to drive the shaft, a cover to
` clo~e the receptacle, a manually-operated rammer axially dis-
placeable in the cover, and means to prevent rotation of the
rammer relative to the shaft, a cutter head adapted to rotate
around the rammer, and mean~ to prevent the cutter head from
axially moving relative to the rammer; both the rammer
and the cutter head being secured to the cover in such
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105;~543
a manner that they cannot be mislaid, and a return spring to
hold the cutter head in its starting position~
According to one embodiment of the inventicn, an ade-
quate cutting torque may be achieved even with a small electric
motor by interposing a reduction gear between the shaft of the
motor and the shaft which drives the cutter headO
According to one aspect of the invention, the shaft is
mounted to rotate at the bottom of the receptacle, but cannot
be displased axially. The shaft is also adapted to be connected
to the reduction gear drive shaft by means of a coupling. Thus,
the shaft and the receptacle for the substance to be cut up con-
stitute a unit which may easily be connected to, and disconnected
from, the drive unit. The fact that the receptacle cannot be
separated from the shaft has the advantage that, when the said
receptacle is filled, the substance to be processed can reach
only those areas which are fully covered by the cutter blades dur-
ing the cutting operation.
According to another em~odiment, the operative connec- ;~
` tion between the electric motor and the shaft may be ~implified
by allowing one end of the shaft to proiect from the receptacle,
the projecting end being adapted to be introduced into the hous-
ing of the-drive unit, to be journalled therein, and to be driven
directly by the reduction gear. In this case, the end of the
^ shaft is preferably in the form of a worm gear engaging with a
pinion provided on the motor shaft.
According to still another embodiment, the receptacle
may also be removed without th~ shaft, as long as the shaft cannot
be removed from the drive-unit housing, and as long as the recep-
tacle i`s guided by and is held detachably to the shaft and the ~ ;
housing. In this case, the shaft is a part of the drive unit.
However, the shaft may also be a part of the unit con-
sisting of the cover, the manual rammer, and the cutter head, as
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105,3S4~
lon~ as the shaft is detachable from the drive-unit housing, the
receptacle is guided by and is held detachably to the shaft and
housing, and as long as the said shaft is displaceable through
the cutter head, but is secured thereto in such a manner that it
cannot be mislaid. This design also makes pro~ision for a coup-
ling between the shaft and the drive unit. In this case, the
shaft is displaceable throu~h the cutter head, but is secured
thereto so that it cannot be mislaid, the coupling end of the
shaft projects from the receptacle and is adapted to be connected
to a coupling part driven by the drive-unit reduction gear, and
the receptacle is guided by and held detachably to the shaft and
the housing.
In order to prevent the operator from being hurt, even
when the drive unit is switched on, when replacing the cover and
connecting the shaft with the outer head or the shaft with the
drive unit, the cover is provided with an edge which covers the
cutter head when the latter is in its starting position.
The location and guidance of the rammer through the
cover is achieved by moulding onto the cover an outwardly-directed
guide sleeve comprising a tubular manual ramming means closed off
by a handle. For the purpose of securing the cutter head to the
rammer, the cutter head has a sleeve-like holder. A portion of
this sleeve-like holder is inserted into the open end of the ram-
mer where it can rotate, but in which it cannot be displaced axi-
ally. In order to enable the shaft to rotate with the axially
displaceable cutter head in any position the latter may assume,
the shaft is not circular, and is preferably hexagonal, in the
; portion over which the cutter head moves, the cross-section of
the cutter head guide being adapted to this portion of the said
shaft. The rammer is prevented from rotating inside the guide
sleeve of the cover, but may move axially therein, by providing
the outside of the said rammer, and the inner wall of the guide
105354~
sleeve, wit~l matching, axially displaceable guide webs and/or
~rooves.
The return spring which ~eeps the cutter head in start-
ing position in ~he vicinity of the upper edge of the receptacle
may be supported in various ways. According to one particular
embodiment, the return spring surrounds the rammer, it bears
against the guide sleeve provided in the cover and the handle of
the rammer. The return spring may be enclosed by inserting it
into the rammer and allowing it to bear against the handle there-
of and against the cutter head.
As regards the design of the cutter head, the sleeve-
` like carrier thereof has a shoulder which bears against the in-
side of the cover, preferably in the vicinity of the guide sleeve
moulded thereto, when the cutter head is in starting position,
thus restricting any movement of the rammer.
Optimal utilization of the blades secured to the cutter
head is achieved by limiting the working stroke of the rammer.
This is made possible by allowing the handle to come ro a stop
against the guide sleeve provided in the cover, the working stroke
20 then corresponding to the maximum travel of the cutter head in
the receptacle. The cutter head is preferably quite small and
simple, thus allowing each blade to move through almost all of
whatever substance is placed in the receptacle.
According to one embodiment, the receptacle is held in
position, during the cutting operation, by the fact that the out-
~- side of the bottom portion of the receptacle, and the drive-unit
housing positively engage one another and cannot rotate in res~
pect to each other.
The cutting operation may be observed, and stopped at
will, by making at least the receptacle of transparent material,
preferably of a clear synthetic material.
The invention will be explained hereinafter in greater
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105~354;3
detail in conjunc~iorl wi~h the various em~odimen~s illus~rate~
in the drawin~s attached hereto, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows an appliance in which the shaft is mounted
to rotate in the receptacle and i5 connected to an elect,rical
drive unit by means of a coupling,
Fig. 2 shows an appliance in which the shaft cannot be
removed from the drive unit and the receptacle is guided by and
held detachably to the shaft and the drive unit,
Fig. 3 shows an appliance in which the shaft is secured
to the cutter head so that it cannot be mislaid, the shaft being
guided in the bottom of the receptacle, and being connected to
the drive unit by means of a coupling;
Fig. 4 is a partial view of the appliance, in which the
',~ cutter-blade carrier is easily removable; and
Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of an appliance of a
different design.
, The appliance which is illustrated in ~ig. 1 has anelectric drive unit which is arranged horizontally, so that the
shaft of the motor also runs horizontally. In a slee-ve 12 of a
~'` 20 housing 10 there is a bearing bolt 13 which is provided with a
rotatable worm gear 14. This worm gear 14 projects from housing '
10 and is itself preferably designed as a coupling part 15. A
, conical guide 17 mounted on housing 10 surrounds coupling part 15.
,~ Receptacle 20 is in the form of a cup. Moulded onto
the outside at the bottom of the receptacle 20, there is a guide
; cone 21 by means of which the receptacle is guided and held in
known fashion in guide 17 over housing 10, during the cutting
operation. A bushing 18 which accommodates the bearing portion
22 of shaft 19, which is smooth and has a reduced diameter is ~
inserted into guide cone 21 and allows bearing portion 22 to ro- '-
'~ tate but prevents it from moving axially. The end of shaft 19
~' projecting from guide cone 21 carries a matching coupling part 16
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105;3543
~y means of which shaft l9 is connected to driven coupling part
15. Shaft 19 is thus permanently secured to receptacle 20 to form
a unit which may be quickly and easily placed upon drive unit ll
and subsequently removed therefrom. This is an advantage when the
receptacle has -to be filled, cleaned or emptied.
Shaft l9 extends through receptacle 20 which can be
closed by means of a cover 24. Receptacle 20 and cover 24 carry
matching elements 23, 25 of bayonet fasteners. These enable it to
secure cover 24 to receptacle 20, to prevent the cover from being
inadvertently removed from the receptacle 20 while the appliance
is in operation. The direction in which cover 24 is rotated when
closing it should correspond to the direction of rotation of the
cutter head. The latter will be described hereinafter in greater
detail.
Cover 24 has an edge 26, which covers the cutter head
when the latter is in its starting position, and is also provided
with a central, outwardly-directed guide sleeve 27. A tubular
manual rammer 34 is inserted from the outside into the guide
sleeve 27, the upper end of the rammer being closed off by means
of a cap 36. This cap 36, with its attachment sleeve 37, is in~
serted into the tubular rammer 34 and is secured thereto. The
edge 38 o the cap serves to support return spring 35 which is
slipped over rammer 34. The other end of the spring 35 bears ~ -
against the upper end of guide sleeve 27 on cover 24.
The lower end of rammer 34 extends as far as the under-
surface of cover 24. A sleeve-shaped holder 30, with an attach-
ment part 2i3, i8 inserted into this lower end. As indicated by
groove 43 and clamping spring 33, holder 30 is arranged to rotate
around rammer 34, but it cannot move axially therewith. The lower
end-face of rammer 34 bears against shoulder 29 on holder 30, so
` that when rammer 34 is displaced, carrier 30 is positively dis-
placed therewith.
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lO'j3543
Cutter blacles 31, 32 arc cliametrically secured to hol-
der 30 opposite one another. If holder 30 is made oi- a synthetic
material, blades 31, 32 may be injec-tion-moulded. The top of
shaft 1~ has a chamfer part 41 to facilitate the entry of the
cutter head when cover 24 is placed upon receptacle 20. For the
same reason, holder 30 has a conical mouth 42 facing receptacle
20. Blades 31, 32 are staggered axially in relation to one ano-
ther. Shoulder 29 provided on holder 30 is held to cover 24,
preferably in the vicinity of guide sleeve 27. Edge 26 of cover
24 covers at least front blade 31 when the latter is in the start-
ing position shown in the drawing. In this position, blade 32 is
spaced a small distance away from cover 24.
Within the range of travel of the cutter head, i.e. of
the cutter-head holder 30, the surface of shaft 19 is provided
with axially-directed guide webs and/or grooves. Holder 30 has
a guide which matches the cross-section of shaft 19, and it can
therefore move only axially along the shaft. If shaft 19 is in-
;~ serted into holder 30 and is then caused to rotate, the cutter
head will definitely rotate with the shaft, regardless of its
axial position thereon. In the sarne or similar manner, raer 34
is prevented from rotating in guide sleeve 27 in cover 24, but
may be adjusted axially. Since attachment part 28 allows the
holder 30 to rotate relative to rammer 34, the rammer does not
turn when the cutter head is rotated.
Rammer 34 can be displaced axiaLly until cap 36 comes
to a stop agairlst the upper end of guide sleeve 27. This working
stroke of the rammer corresponds to the distance 40 travelled by
the cutter head. Blade 31 then assumes the position shown in dot-
ted lines at 31' and is at a small distance from the bottom of
receptacle 20. In the vicinity of bushing 18, the bottom of re-
ceptacle 20 has a depression 39 into which holder 30 may be intro-
duced. If rammer 34 is released, spring 35 returns the rammer and
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~0~3543
the cut~er head to ~he starting posi~ion shown in the drawing, in
which case the cutter head no lon~er rotates with shaft 19.
If the bayonet fasteners are released, cover 24 can be
removed from receptacle 20, while the cutter head is being removed
from shaft 19. The design of the cover, cutter head and shaft
is preferably such that edge 26 of the cover releases the recep-
tacle only when the cutter head moves out engagement with the
shaft. This ensures that blade 31 can no longer be driven while
being exposed. The danger of any injury is also eliminated even
if shaft 19 is rotating when cover 24 is being removed. Converse-
ly, when cover 24 is replaced on receptacle 20, the cutter head
engages with shaft 19 only when edge 26 of the cover 24 covers
receptacle 20 in such a manner that access to the blades is pre-
; vented. ~ -
... ..
~; The appliance according to Fig. 1 may, of course, also ~ ;
be designed with the shaft of the motor running vertically and
shaft 19 running horizontally. Moreover, shaft 19, with coupling ;
part 16, may also be detachably secured in guide cone 21 of re~
ceptacle 20.
~, 20 As regards its use and method of operation, the appli-
ance shown in Fig. 2 does not differ from that shown in Fig. 1,
; but the design of the cutter head is different. Blades 31, 32
are connected together by means of rings 44, 45. These rings are
slipped onto sleeve-shaped holder 30 and are secured thereto.
Shaft 19 runs sufficiently freely in bushing 18 that the recep-
tacle 20 can easily be removed from shaft 19. The end of shaft
19 is introduced into housiny 10 of drive unit 11 and is mounted
therein. In this case, bearing pin 13 may be fixed in bearing
sleeve 12, and shaft 19 may be mounted rotatably upon the bearing
; 30 pin. The end of shaft 19 itself may be provided with a worm gear
46 engaging with a pinion (not shown) on the shaft of the motor.
- In this case, shaft 19 may be permanently or detachably secured
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: ~ - .':- .::' . ' :
105i3543
in housinc~ 10 of drive unit 11. In the latter case, the shaft
can be removed from the drive unit. In either case, however, the
receptacle 20 may be filled, emptied and cleaned without shaft 19.
As indicated, return spring 35 may also be mounted over shaft 19,
so that it bears against both cutter-head carrier 30 and the bot-
tom of receptacle 20.
In the appliance according to Fig. 3, shaft 19 is axi-
ally displaceable in cu-tter-head holder 30, and is thus secured
to the cutter head so that it cannot be mislaid. Before attach-
ment part 28 of holder 30 is secured in rammer 34, the shaft
must be introduced into holder 30 from a~ove, stopper 48 pre~ent-
ing it from falling out. In this case, return spring 35 may
easily be accommodated in rammer 34, so that it bears against cap
36 and stopper 48 of shaft 19. The lower end of shaft 19 rotates
in bushing 18 and, through stop 47, it bears against the bottom
of receptacle 20. The end of shaft 19 projecting away from guide
cone 21 is itself in the form of a matching coupling part 49 and
may be frictionally connected, in a manner known per se, to driven
coupling part 15. Worm gear 14 and coupling part 15 may also be
made in one piece.
One characteristic common to all embodiments is that
the cutter head can be moved along shaft 19 by means of rammer 34.
Thus the cutter head must be axially displaceable upon shaft 19,
it must not rotate about this shaft, on the contrary, it must ro-
tate with it. The cutter head is rotatably connected to rammer
;~ 34 but is not axially displaceable relative thereto. Rammer 34
- is axially displaceable through cover 24, however, it cannot ro-
tate therein. The cover, rammer and cutter head constitute a unit
adapted to be connected to receptacle 20. The latter is in turn
guided and held by housing 10 of drive unit 11, from which it may
easily be removed. This basic design of the new appliance is
quite simple and it meets, without any additional precautions, the
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l~Ci3543
saety ~ecluirements prescribed Lor such appliances.
As shown ir~ dotted lines in ~ig. 3, edge 50 o~ cover 24
may also be pulled down until it completely covers receptacle 20
placed upon drive unit 11. In this case, at least one e~tension
on edge 50 of the cover may be in-troduced, through an opening 51,
into housing 10 of drive unit 11. This extension is used to
adjust the actuating element 53 of at least one safety switch 52.
The appliance can be switched on only when cover 24 is
correctly in position and safety switch 52 is actuated. Edge 50
of the cover provides additional protection since, even if recep-
tacle 20 is destroyed, blades 31, 32 are still completely covered
and are therefore not accessible.
Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of the cover-rammer unit, in
which the cutter head may be easily and safely removed. Rammer
34 is closed off by cap 36, edge 38 thereof being secured to
i sleeve 73 of rammer 34 by means of a snap or bayonet fastener 72.In this case, return spring 35 does not bear against the cutter
., ~
~ head, but against bottom 63 of a guide cup 62 which is axially
.
displaceable in rammer 34. A transverse pin 64 extends through
cup 62, the ends of said pin running in internal grooves 65, 66
provided in guide sleeve 27 of cover 24. The travel distance of
rammer 34 is restricted by diametrically opposite slots 60, 61 in
which transverse pin 64 is guided. Bottom 63 of guide cup 62
béars against the end of shaft 19, which is preferably hexagonal,
preferably through the projecting spherical end of metal insert 67.
If the cover 24 is removed from receptacle 20, return
spring 35 forces transverse pin 64 against the lower ends of slots
60 and 61. ~owever, cover 24 may still be moved farther up, since
internal grooves 65, 66 in guide sleeve 27 permit this. In this
way, the cutter head, which is secured to the end of rammer 34,
is released and may easily be replaced and cleaned. For this pur-
pose, the other end of rammer 34 runs in a semicircular recess
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10Cj3543
68 which has an outer groove and forrns an inner web which fits
between end shoulders 29 and 71 of cutter-head holder 30. This
makes it possible to introduce the cutter head radially into the
recess 68, and it is then secured by a similarly shaped closure
paLt which becomes flush with the outside of the rammer and car-
ries a closing yoke 70 wnich is hinged to pin 69 on the said
closure part. Yoke 70 is pivoted and locked, in the direction of
rotation of the cutter head, into the outer groove provided in
recess 68. This allows the cutter head to be removed from ram-
mer 34 without overcoming the force of the spring. Moreover,after the cutter head has been removed, cover 24 may be removed
from rammer 34. The rammer-cover unit is thus easily removed and
reinstalled.
Cover 24 has at its edge a switch projection 74 which,
- in the appliance according to Fig. 5, may be screwed, through a
slot 75, into the interior of housing 10 of the drive unit. Cover
24 is then held in housing 10 in the axial directiGn of shaft 19
and may actuate an electric switch, e.g. a micro-switch. This
makes it impossible to switch on the appliance until receptacle
20 and cover 24 are in place, which is an optimal way of complying -
with the safety regulations. The bottom of receptacle 20 has an
extension 77 which is positively introduced into a recess 78
- formed in step 79 of housing 10. This makes it impossible for
receptacle 20 to rotate upon shaft 19.
Moulded onto cover 24 is an additional stop which limits
the rotary motion of the cover, when the appliance is switched
off, by bringing it to a stop against housing 10. Switch 81 pre-
ferably releases automatically, so that when rammer 34 is released
the cover 24 and the rammer 34 are returned and the appliance is
switched off. The switch return spring is so strong that switch
extension 74 on cover 24 is screwed out of slot 75 in housing 10
and may then be removed.
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lOt~3543
Bottom trough 76 o housing 10 covers a separate trans-
mission compartment, in wllich interrnedi.ate years 83, 84 are coup-
pled together by means of chain links 85. These chain links may
be safely replaced, since motor 80 and switch 81 are encl~sed
~- by assembly plate 82 and are therefore inaccessible.
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