Oliver Products Company

Bernard L Petersen

Gary L Kruse

Alan M Ledford

A dough divider including a hopper with a lid and a press plate vertically slidable within the hopper. The hopper is adapted to accept dough between the lid and the press plate, and the press plate is adapted to move towards the lid in order to compress the dough between the press plate and the lid within the hopper. The dough divider further includes a two part pressure relief system including a reversible cylinder assembly and at least one pressure relief opening. The reversible cylinder assembly is connected to the press plate and adapted to move downward in order to allow the press plate to move towards a bottom of the hopper when pressure applied to a top of the press plate from the dough within the hopper reaches a predetermined level. The pressure relief opening is adapted to relieve pressure within the hopper between the press plate and the lid by allowing the dough to escape from the hopper through the pressure relief opening when the press plate has reached the bottom of the hopper.

Dough divider with pressure relief

A powered bread slicer capable of slicing successive loaves of bread to selected different slice thicknesses. A rotating circular bread slicing knife is mounted on a pivotal, reciprocal arm for shifting the knife from a retracted position through slicing positions between and transverse to an infeed table and an out feed table, and return to the retracted position. The slice thickness is selected, as for standard one-half inch thickness, deli one-quarter to three-eighths inch thickness, garlic or French bread up to one inch thickness, or otherwise. A variable stepper motor incrementally advances a loaf pusher one step at a time, the dimension of the step being of the selected slice thickness dimensional. The distance by the travelled loaf pusher to reach the end of its travel is monitored to determine whether the bread heal is thick enough to slice once more. This decision is a function of the selected slice thickness dimension. A detector sensing the leading end of the loaf initially activates the slicer knife drive and the support arm drive. A pusher detector adjacent the knife prevents knife advancement with presence of the pusher adjacent the knife, allowing the pusher to move past the knife to push the fully sliced loaf completely onto the discharge table, and then return to the infeed table.

Variable thickness bread slicer

A powered bread slicer capable of slicing successive loaves of bread to selected different slice thicknesses. A rotating circular bread slicing knife is mounted on a pivotal, reciprocal arm for shifting the knife from a retracted position through slicing positions between and transverse to an infeed table and an outfeed table, and return to the retracted position. The slice thickness is selected, as for standard one-half inch thickness, deli one-quarter to three-eighths inch thickness, garlic or French bread up to one inch thickness, or otherwise. A variable stepper motor incrementally advances a loaf pusher one step at a time, the dimension of the step being of the selected slice thickness dimension. The distance by the travelled loaf pusher to reach the end of its travel is monitored to determine whether the bread heal is thick enough to slice once more. This decision is a function of the selected slice thickness dimension. A detector sensing the leading end of the loaf initially activates the slicer knife drive and the support arm drive. A pusher detector adjacent the knife prevents knife advancement with presence of the pusher adjacent the knife, allowing the pusher to move past the knife to push the fully sliced loaf completely onto the discharge table, and then return to the infeed table.

Countertop bread slicer

The specification discloses a countertop bread slicer having a horizontal blade assembly, a cradle for carrying a loaf upwardly through the assembly, and a unique cradle-transportation mechanism. The mechanism includes a gear linkage and a cradle-support arm and a handle arm extending therefrom. The gear linkage provides a mechanical advantage so that relatively small movement of the handle are results in relatively large movement of the cradle.

Countertop bread slicer with manually actuated cradle

The specification discloses a relatively high volume, economical bread slicer/bagger capable of operation by a single worker. The unit includes an accumulating infeed conveyor, a slicer, a bagger, a first diverter for shifting unsliced loaves individually from the conveyor to the slicer, and a second diverter for shifting sliced loaves individually from the slicer through the bagger. The slicing table is inclined from the horizontal and a trap door is provided in a lower portion of the table to periodically discharge accumulated crumbs. The slicing table includes a ridge just ahead of the knife assembly to orient loaves for proper perpendicular presentation to the knife assembly. A vertically reciprocable hold-down is provided to individually adjust to the height of each loaf moving across the slicing table.

Medium-speed power-feed bread slicer

A compact and efficient bread slicer for countertop use such as in an in-store bakery or delicatessen. The slicer includes horizontal slicing blades and a bread cradle for carrying a loaf upwardly along a linear path through the blades. An infeed table extends downwardly from the blades to support the bread along the linear path. Preferably, the infeed table and the linear path are inclined from the vertical such that the loaf falls against the table to ride therealong. Further preferably, the cradle movement mechanism includes a gas spring for urging the bread through the blades at a generally uniform speed.

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Marne, MI, United States of America

Bernard L Petersen