Process and machine for disintegrating materials
AssigneeNestec S.A.
InventorYngve R. Akesson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process and machine for disintegrating materials wherein the material is delivered to a disintegrating element which receives a reciprocating movement whose path is substantially parallel to the surface to be comminuted wherein the disintegrating element comprises at least one rotary cutter whose axis of rotation is substantially parallel to the surface to be comminuted with a blade having a cutting edge substantially parallel to and directed transversely to the axis of rotation whereby comminution takes place on simultaneous reciprocation of the disintegrating element and rotation of the cutter.
Claims11
A machine for disintegrating a soft food material, said machine comprising:
- (a) a disintegrating element incorporating at least one rotary cutter, said at least one rotary cutter having an axis of rotation, an elongated arm extending transversely with respect to said axis of rotation, and a fin-like blade having two oppositely-facing major surfaces, said blade projecting from said arm and being remote from said axis of rotation, said major surfaces of said blade being generally parallel to said axis of rotation, one of said major surfaces facing said axis of rotation, said blade having a first cutting edge that extends generally parallel to said axis of rotation;
- (b) means for reciprocating said disintegrating element so that the cutter moves along a path in a predetermined plane of reciprocation;
- (c) means for rotating said cutter about said axis of rotation so that said blade orbits about said axis of rotation, said axis of rotation being disposed parallel to said plane of reciprocation;
- and
- (d) means for positioning a mass of said soft food material so that a surface of said mass is disposed substantially parallel to both said plane of reciprocation and said axis of rotation, and so that said blade intermittently engages said surface of said mass and shaves shreds of material from said mass as the blade orbits about said axis of rotation and sweeps across said surface while the disintegrating reciprocates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.