Blade gap setting for blade cutter assembly
AssigneeFrito-Lay North America, Inc.
InventorRichard Decena Omelaz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A blade gap setting device for attachment to a blade holder of a blade cutter assembly has an elongate body with an upper surface and a lower surface and at least one mounting for a depth micrometer having a displaceable spindle. The depth micrometer is installed through a channel of the mounting, with a free end of the displaceable spindle being exposed beneath the mounting. The device also has a first rounded front reference surface located at a position in front of the mounting, a second front reference surface extending downwardly from the body, and a third lower reference surface below the mounting or spindle. The reference surfaces serve as contact points to bear against interior portions of the blade cutter assembly; in particular, the blade holder and a top surface of the blade.
Claims26
A blade gap setting device for a potato chip cutting head, the device comprising an elongate body having an upper surface and a lower surface, at least one mounting for a depth micrometer having a displaceable spindle, the mounting comprising a channel extending downwardly therethrough wherein the depth micrometer is inserted into the channel with a free end of the displaceable spindle being exposed at the lower surface, a first rounded front reference surface located forwardly of the mounting, a second front reference surface extending downwardly from the body, and a third lower reference surface below the mounting, wherein the second front reference surface extending downwardly from the body is comprised of a front portion of a curved leg of the blade gap setting device.
A method of measuring a blade gap setting of a potato chip cutting head, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a blade cutter assembly of a potato chip cutting head including a first shoe comprising a blade holder which removably and adjustably mounts a blade element having an exposed cutting edge and a second adjacent shoe spaced from the exposed cutting edge, a blade gap being defined between the cutting edge and the adjacent shoe;
- providing a blade gap setting device including a body mounting at least one depth micrometer thereon, the depth micrometer including a movable spindle, the body having a first rounded front reference surface, a second front reference surface, and a third lower reference surface, wherein the second front reference surface is comprised of a curved leg extending downwardly from the body;
- fitting the blade gap setting device to the blade cutter assembly by respectively locating the first and second front reference surfaces to inner and side surfaces of the blade holder and locating the third lower reference surface to a top surface of said exposed cutting edge;
- and
- moving a free end of the spindle into contact with the second wall element to provide a distance measurement on the respective depth micrometer.
A method of calibrating a blade gap setting device of a potato chip cutting head, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a blade gap setting device including a body mounting at least one depth micrometer thereon, the depth micrometer including a movable spindle, the body having a rounded first front reference surface, a second front reference surface, and a third lower reference surface, the device further optionally including at least one magnet;
- providing a calibration block comprising an upper surface of magnetic material adapted to hold the device thereon by a magnetic force from the at least one magnet, the calibration block having at least one tab and a slightly inclined zone in the upper surface;
- fitting the blade gap setting device to the upper surface of the calibration block by respectively locating the first and second front reference surfaces to the inclined zone and the tab and by locating the third lower reference surface to the top portion of said inclined zone, wherein in the device is held in the fitted position by the magnetic force from the magnet;
- and
- moving a free end of the spindle into contact with a channel in the upper surface of the calibration to provide a distance measurement on the depth micrometer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.