APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CUTTING HELICALLY SHAPED POTATO PIECES

APPAREIL ET PROCEDE DESTINES A COUPER DES SPIRALES DE POMMES DE TERRE

English Abstract

An apparatus for cutting helically shaped pieces from potatoes has a top
portion (10) forming a drive section, a center portion (12) forming a feed
section and a lower portion (14) forming a cutting section. The drive section
(10) comprises a plurality of rotatable shafts (22) extending in a circle
about a central axis. The feed section (12) comprises a plurality of rotatable
rods (42) arranged in a circle about the central axis, each rod (42) at its
upper end connected to a lower end of a shaft (22). At least the lower part of
each rod (42) has a spiral outer surface. The cutter section (14) includes a
cutter (62) of hollow conical form having a series of spiral channels (80) on
its interior surface, each spiral ending in an aperture (82), the apertures
(82) forming cutting edges (84). Potatoes are fed through the feed section
(12), on rotation of the rods (42), by the spiral surfaces of the rods (42),
and pushed into the cutter (62), which on rotation, cuts helical pieces from
potatoes.

French Abstract

Un appareil permettant de couper des pommes de terre sous forme de spirales comprend une partie supérieure (10) constituant une zone d'entraînement, une partie centrale (12) constituant une zone d'alimentation et une partie inférieure (14) constituant une zone de coupe. La zone d'entraînement (10) comprend une pluralité d'arbres rotatifs (22) s'étendant en un cercle autour d'un axe central. La zone d'alimentation (12) comprend une pluralité de tiges rotatives (42) disposées en un cercle autour de l'axe central, chaque tige (42) étant accouplée, au niveau de son extrémité supérieure, à une extrémité inférieure d'un arbre (22). Au moins la partie inférieure de chaque tige (42) présente une surface externe hélicoïdale. La zone de coupe (14) comprend un dispositif de coupe (62) de forme conique creuse, pourvu d'une série de passages hélicoïdaux (80) sur sa surface interne, chaque passage débouchant au niveau d'une ouverture (82) et les ouvertures (82) formant des arêtes de coupe (84). Des pommes de terre sont transférées à travers la zone d'alimentation (12) par les surfaces hélicoïdales des tiges (42) en rotation et sont poussées dans le dispositif de coupe (62) qui, en tournant, coupe les pommes de terre en spirales.

Claims

I CLAIM:
1. Apparatus for cutting helically shaped
potato pieces, comprising:
a feed section (12) and a cutting section
(14) in series and in alignment on a longitudinal axis,
said feed section (12) including means for feeding
potatoes (42) in sequence to said cutting section (14)
characterized in that:
said cutting section (14) includes a hollow
conica1 cutting member (62) having a series of spiral
channels (88) immediately adjacent each other on its
inner surface, and means for rotating said cutting
member (54) about its axis, each channel (88) ending in
an aperture (82) extending through the wall of the
cutting member (62) and having cutting edges thereon
(84) inside said cutting member (62), and said
apertures (82) spaced apart circumferentially around
said inner surface and oriented to cut in the direction
of rotation of said cutting member (62).
2. Apparatus as characterized in claim 1,
said feed section (12) comprising a plurality of rods
(42) extending around said axis, each rod (42)
including for at least part of its length a spiral
screw-llke outer surface.
3. Apparatus as characterized in claim 2,
including means for rotating each of said rods (10).
4. Apparatus as characterized in claim 3,
said spiral screw-like outer surfaces being of opposite
hands for adjacent rods (42), said means for rotating
said rods (10) adapted to rotate rods (42) of adjacent

pairs in opposite directions to produce a feeding
movement along said axis towards said cutting section
(14).
5. Apparatus as characterized in claim 2,
including a top support member (40) at an upper part of
said feed section (12), said rods (42) rotatably
mounted in said top support member (40).
6. Apparatus as characterized in claim 5,
each rod (42) including a resilient section (50) at an
upper part, below said top support member (40) for
resiliently biasing said rods (42) against outward
deflection.
7. Apparatus as characterized in claim 6,
said resilient section (50) comprising a portion having
a reduced cross section.
8. Apparatus as characterized in claim 5,
said means for rotating said rods (10) including a
plurality of shafts (46) rotatably mounted in said top
support member (40), a shaft (46) connected to each rod
(42), and means for rotating said shafts (26).
9. Apparatus as characterized in claim 1,
said cutting member (62) having a spiral outer surface
(80), formed by said spiral channels (88) on said inner
surface.
10. Apparatus as characterized in claim 1,
said apertures (82) extending in planes parallel to
said axis.

11
11. Apparatus as characterized in claim 1,
said apertures (82) extending in radial planes passing
through said axis.
12. Apparatus as characterized in claim 1,
including a lower support member (56), and means (54)
rotatably mounting said cutting member (62) on said
lower support member (56).
13. Apparatus for cutting helically shaped
potato pieces, comprising:
a top portion (10) comprising a drive
section, a center portion (12) comprising a feed
section and a lower portion (14) comprising a cutting
section, said portions in series characterized in that:
said drive section (10) comprises a plurality
of shafts (22) rotatably mounted in an upper support
member (20), said shafts (22) extending in a circle
about a central axis, and means (26) for rotating said
shafts (22) at upper ends thereof,
said feed section (12) comprises a plurality
of rods (42) rotatably mounted in a top support member
(40) at an upper part, said rods (42) extending in a
circle about said central axis, each rod (42) at an
upper end flexibly connected to a lower end of one of
said shafts (22) and including for at least a lower
portion a spiral, screw-like, outer surface, and a
support member (44) spaced down from said top support
member (40) having a plurality of elongate radially
extending slots (48), a rod (42) positioned in each
said slots (48):
said cutting section (14) comprises a driving
member (54) mounted for rotation about said central
axis, means for rotating said driving member (60), and

12
a cutting member (62) attached to a lower end of said
driving member (54) for rotation therewith, said
cutting member (62) comprising a hollow conical member
having a series of spiral channels (88) immediately
adjacent each other on its inner surface, each channel
(88) ending in an aperture (82) extending through the
wall of the cutter member (62) and having cutting edges
(84) inside said cutting member (62), and the apertures
(82) positioned in a spiral around the cutter member
(62).
14. Apparatus as characterized in claim 13,
said driving member (54), including a bottom guide
member (52) having a plurality of radially extending
slots (58), the lower end of a rod (42) in each slot
(58).
15, Apparatus as characterized in claim 13,
said rods (42) inclined inwardly towards said central
axis, and including means (50) resiliently biasing said
rods (42) against radial outward deflection.
16. Apparatus as characterized in claim 13,
said means for rotating said shafts including a motor
(26), a pulley (30) on said motor (26), a pulley (28) on
the other end of each shaft (22) and an endless belt
(24) extending around said pulley (30) on said motor
(26) and said pulleys (28) on said shafts (22),
adjacent shafts rotating in opposite directions.
17. Apparatus as characterized in claim 15,
said means (50) resiliently biasing said rods (42)
against outward deflection comprising a resiliently

13
flexible section (50) at an upper part in each rod
(42).
18. A method of cutting helically shaped
potato pieces comprising the use of the apparatus
according to claim 13 including the steps of:
feeding potatoes successively along a central
axis by a plurality of rotating rods (42) positioned
around said central axis, each of said rods (42) having
a spiral circumference, pushing said potatoes into a
cutting member (62) of hollow conical form with a
plurality of immediately adjacent channels (88) an an
inner surface each ending in a aperture (82) having
cutting edges (B4) inside said cutting member (62), and
rotating said cutting member (62) about said central
axis to cut helically shaped pieces from said potatoes.
19. A method according to claim 18,
including resiliently biasing said rods (42) inwardly.
20. The method of claim 18, including
rotating adjacent rods (42) in apposite directions,
said spiral circumference of adjacent rods (42) being
of opposite hand.
21. A rotating cutter in an apparatus for
cutting helically shaped potato pieces, characterized
in that:
a hollow conical cutting member (62) has a
series of spiral channels (88) immediately adjacent
each after on its inner surface, each channel (88)
ending in an aperture (82) extending through the wall
of the cutting member (62) and having cutting edges
(84) inside said cutting member (62) for cutting strips

14
from a potato therein and discharging said strips
through said apertures (82), and said apertures (82)
spaced apart circumferentially around said inner
surface and oriented to cut in the direction of
rotation of said cutting member (62).
. 22. Apparatus as characterized in claim 13,
said cutting section (14) arranged in alignment on a
longitudinal axis with said feed section (12), having
a large diameter inlet end and a lower apex end, said
large diameter inlet end facing towards said feed
section (12) for receiving potatoes fed by said
plurality of rods (42).
23. Apparatus as characterized in claim 24,
said cutting member (62) having a spiral outer surface
(80), formed by said spiral channels (88) on said inner
surface .
24. Apparatus as characterized in claim 25,
said apertures (82) extending in planes parallel to
said axis.
25. Apparatus as characterized in claim 25,
said apertures (82) extending in radial planes passing
through said axis,
26. Apparatus as characterized in claim 21
having a large diameter inlet end for receiving
potatoes and a lower apex end.

Description

CA 02204019 1997-04-29
APPA~ATU8 AND METHaD FOR ~-u,~lNG
E~ICAL~Y 8HAPED PO~A~ PIECE~
FI~D ~F T~ ~Y~h.10~
This inYention relate~ to apparatus for the
cutting of helically shaped potato strips and to m~thod
for such cutting.
BA~G~O~D OF TR~ l~v~N~
Helical or spiral potato strips have been
a~ailable for ~me time, pro~iding an attractive form
of strip. There are many forms af apparatus for
~utting such strip~. In many, a plurality of cutters
~rranged concentri~ally, cut a plurality ~f circles
in~o a potato, and a further, transverse, cutter cu~s
across the circles to pr~duce ~piral3. other machines
cut a single spiral, forming t~i~ flat shapeq~
Many of the forms of appara~us are quite
complex and ~any of them feed the p~tatoes individually
in a non-c~ntinuous manner.
' Publication WO ~f2~182g6 to ,~oster discloses
an assem~ly for cutting helical strips from vegetables.
~n that assembly, a bl~da is pr~vided having a
plurality of external tier~, with a series of align~d
ex~ernal blades and associated apertures. The blade
further comprises a coring mean3 for removing and
discarding a central portian of the ~e~etable. In
operation, ~he ~egetable mus~ be centred and forced
onto the coring means. The periphery i~ cut fro~ the
inside of the vegetable into quc~ee~ing helical strips.
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CA 02204019 1997-04-29
lA
As t~e b~des approach the exterior of the ~egetable,
its structural s~ren~th is reduced resulting in
irregular cuts . This device does not ~ake e~f icient
use of the vegetable since a significant volume is
discarded, and the whole vegetable is not processed as
dé~ ired .
Y 0~ T~E IN'f~h-ION
The present inven~ion provides a very simple
and effective apparatus in whi~h potatoes are fe~d
continuously to a feed section which con~inuously
pushes the p~tatoes into a cutting section in which
t spirals ~r helicals are cut from the potatc~es. The
I potato is fed in one direction and is no~ rotated,
~ing held by th~ feed mechanis~. The cutting section
include.~ a cutting member having a plurality o~ ~hannel
shaped cutt~rs arranged concentrically about the
rotational axis of the cutting member, spaced ~part
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CA 02204019 1997-04-29
W O 96/14190 PCT/CA94/00605
circumferentially, the cutters mounted on a concave
conical surface.
Broadly, there is provided apparatus for
cutting helically shaped potato pieces, comprising: a
feed section and a cutting section in series and in
alignment on a longitll~;n~l axis, the feed section
including means for feeding potatoes in sequence to the
cutting section; the cutting section including a hollow
conical cutting member having a series of spiral
channels on its inner surface, and means for rotating
the cutting member about its axis, each channel ending
in an aperture exte~ing through the wall of the
cutting member and forming cutting edges, the spiral
channels immediately adjacent each other, and the
apertures spaced apart around the inner surface and
facing in the direction of rotation of the cutting
member.
In a particular arrangement, apparatus for
cutting helically potato pieces comprises a top portion
forming a drive section, a center portion forming a
feed section and a lower portion forming a cutting
section. The drive section has a plurality of shafts
rotatably mounted, these shafts exten~ing in a circle
about a central axis, means being provided for rotating
the shafts. The feed section comprises a plurality of
rods rotatably mounted and ext~ing in a circle about
the central axis. Each rod is conn~cted at an upper
end in a flexible manner to a lower end of one of the
shafts and at least a lower portion of each rod has a
spiral screw-like outer surface. A guide member at an
intermediate position along the rods has a plurality of
elongate radially ext~n~ing slots, a rod positioned in

CA 02204019 1997-04-29
W O96/14190 PCT/CA~ ~60-
each slot. The cutting section comprises a driving
~ member mounted for rotation about the central axis and
including a cutting member attached to the lower end of
the driving member, the cutting member in the form of
hollow conical member having a series of spiral
channels on the inner surface, each channel ending in
an aperture exten~;ng through the wall of the cutter
member and forming cutting edges. These spiral
channels are immediately adjacent each other and the
apertures are positioned in a spiral around the cutter
member.
The invention also includes a method of
cu~ting helicaiiy ch~p~ potato pieces in which the
potatoes are fed successively along a central axis by
plurality of rotating rods positioned around the
central axis, each of the rods having a spiral
circumference, rll~h; ng the potatoes into a cutting
member of hollow, conical form with a plurality of
spiral ch~nnels on the inner surface, each channel
ending in an aperture forming cutting edges, and
rotating the cutting member about the central axis to
cut helically shaped pieces from the potatoes.
Having thus generally described the
invention, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawings, illustrating preferred
embodiments.
BRIEF DE8CRIPTION OF THE DR~WING8
Figure 1 is a front view of one form of the
apparatus in accordance with the present invention,
with the lower part in cross-section;

CA 02204019 1997-04-29
WO96/14190 PCT/CA94/00605
Figure 2 is a top plan view illustrating the
drive system for the shafts;
Figure 3 is a view on the lower end of the
feeding section, with the cutter shown removed;
Figure 4 is an external perspective view of
the cutter;
Figure 5 is an outside perspective view of
the cutter;
Figure 6 is an inside perspective view of the
cutter;
Figure 7 is a plan view of the cutter showing
the inside;
Figure 8 is a cross-section on the line 8-8
of Figure l; and
Figure 9 is a cross-section on the line 9-9
of Figure 1.
As illustrated in Figure 1, the apparatus has
a top section 10 comprising a drive section, a center
section 12 comprising a feed section, and a lower
section 14 comprising a cutting section.
The top section 10 has an upper frame member
20 in which are rotatably supported a series of shafts
22 arranged in a circle, driven at their top ends, for
example by a toothed belt 24 which passes around the
outside of the circle, engaging with each shaft, and

CA 02204019 1997-04-29
WO96/14190 PCT/CA~/00605
driven by a motor 26. The driving arrangement is
illustrated in Figure 2. A drive pulley 28 is attached
to the upper end of each shaft 22. In the example, the
belt 24 passes around the drive pulleys 28 from drive
pulley 30 on the motor 26. Idler pulleys 32 provide
for tensioning of the belts 24. The belt 24 alternates
around the drive pulleys 28, in pairs, to rotate the
drive pulleys, and thus the associated shafts, which
are driven in what can be considered to be as pairs.
For example, in Figure 2, starting after the motor
pulley 30 and an idler 36, and procPP~i~g clockwise,
the first pulley 28 and associated shaft 22, rotates
anticlockwise, the next two pulleys 28 and their shafts
22 rotate clockwise, the next two pulleys and their
shafts 22 rotate anticlockwise and so on until the last
pulley 28 and its shaft 22 rotates anticlockwise in
conformity with the first pulley. The lower ends of
the shaft 22 are connected to the upper ends of the
rods by U joints 34.
The center section 12 comprises a top support
member 40 and a series of rods 42, and a mid-guide
member 44. At their top ends the rods 42 are supported
in the top support member 40, one such support being
illustrated at 46 in cross-section. At their upper
portions rods in the example are smooth and at their
lower portions the rods have a spiral or threaded outer
surface. In the example, the spiral or threaded outer
surfaces are of opposite hand for adjacent rods of a
pair. That is for example one rod of a pair has a
right-hand thread and the other has a left-hand thread,
to conform with the rotation applied via shafts 22 and
pulleys 28. The mid-guide member 44 has a series of
radial slots 48, and the rods 42 can move radially only

CA 02204019 1997-04-29
W 096/14190 PCT/CA94/00605
while rotating about their own axes. The rods are
machined towards their upper ends, for example at 50,
to provide a flexing position, for example of reduced
cross-section. The rods flex at this position as
potatoes are fed through the apparatus.
The lower section 14 comprises a bottom guide
member 52 and a driving member 54 rotatably supported
in support member 56 The driving member 54 is hollow,
and at its lower end is driven or rotated by a toothed
belt 60. Attached to the lower end is a cutting member
62. A guide tube 64 extends down into the center of
the feed section to guide potatoes into the feed
section. The guide member 52 has radiai slots 58 for
the rods 42.
The guide member 44 and the top support
member 40 are rigidly supported from the top frame
member 20 a via rod (not shown). The lower frame
member 56 and the upper frame member are connected by
rods (not shown).
Figure 3 is a view looking up at the lower
end of the drive member 54. In this view the lower
ends of the rods 42 are seen. Also, a potato 70 is
shown being fed down by the spiral surfaces of the rods
42. The cutter 62 is shown removed and spaced from the
bottom of the drive member, to which it is removably
attached. The cutter comprises a hollow conical member
having its large diameter inlet end facing towards the
rods 42. Teh cutter member has a series of spiral
nn~lS on its inner surface, the chAnn~ls ~n~;ng at
rectangular apertures exten~;ng through the wall of the
cutter and forming cutting edges which cut rectangular

CA 02204019 1997-04-29
W O96/14190 PCT/CA~ A
section lengths from the periphery of the potatoes.
The formation of the spiral channels is seen partly in
Figures 3 and 4 in which the external surfaces of
channels 80 are shown and the apertures 82, with
cutting edges 84. The chAnnels are side-by-side, the
apertures staggered around the cutter periphery in a
spiral arrangement. As the potato is pushed into the
cutter, it is engaged by the cutting edges 84. The
entire periphery of the potato is engaged, with a
series of continuous spirals being c,ut from the potato.
The whole potato is cut into spirals.
Figure 4 shows the cutter with a potato 70
which has been fed into the cutter and spiral lengths
of cut potato exiting through the apertures 82.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the cutter 62
in different views. The channels are in the form of
parallel spirals, i.e. each channel is a complete
circle with the degree of spiral being the dimension of
the aperture in a direction normal to the surface of
the channel. The width of each aperture is the width
of the spiral, the apertures being defined at their
sides by the chAn~l walls. In the example, the
apertures are staggered around the cutters to form four
radial rows.
Also seen in Figures 5, 6 and 7, are key
slots or grooves 86 which engage with cooperative key
members in a drive collar at the lower end of the drive
member 54.
Although embodiments of the invention have
been described above, it is not limited thereto and it

CA 02204019 1997-04-29
will be apparent to those ~killed in the art th,~t
numerous madifications form part of the present
inventian as deflned in the appended claim~.
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Representative Drawing