General Mills, Inc.

Douglas J Brash

Barrie R Froseth

Loren J Gordon

S Ganesh Ganesan

Peter M Smith

Anthony J Ciaramitaro

R Ken Ericson

Daniel S Berkholz

A slitting assembly ( ) in the preferred form of a rotary cutter includes a shaft ( ) upon which relatively thin, large diameter annular blades ( ) are slid and held in place on the shaft by relatively large diameter hubs ( ). An axial bore ( ) is provided through the shaft ( ) for circulating a coolant in fluid communication therewith by rotary joints ( ). Thus, the blades ( ) are cooled below ambient temperature by conduction through hubs ( ) and shaft ( ) for imparting continuous longitudinal cuts in a band ( ) of fat-free brownie products having an internal temperature higher than ambient. The outer periphery of the blades ( ) rotate against a back-up roll ( ) rotatable about a parallel axis below the band ( ). Scrapers ( ) are provided to remove any product sticking to the back-up roll ( ) and the axial faces of the blades ( ).

Assembly and methods for slitting fat-free products

A slitting assembly (10) is disclosed in the preferred form of a rotary cutter including a shaft (50) upon which relatively thin, large diameter annular blades (56) are slid. Relatively large diameter hubs (60) are provided having inner surfaces for receipt on the shaft (50) and having axial ends which flushly abut with the axial faces of the blades (56) for holding the blades (56) in axially spaced relations on the shaft (50). An axial bore (54) is provided through the shaft (50) for circulating a coolant in fluid communication therewith by rotary unions (74, 78). Thus, the blades (56) are cooled below ambient temperature by conduction through hubs (60) and shaft (50) for imparting continuous longitudinal cuts in a band (12) of fat-free brownie products having an internal temperature higher than ambient. The outer periphery of the blades (56) rotate against a back-up roll (22) rotatable about a parallel axis below the band (12). Scrapers (30, 70) are provided to remove any product sticking to the back-up roll (22) and the axial faces of the blades (56).

A device (200) for indexing logs of frozen fish or the like is disclosed including log support fixtures (208) horizontally slideably mounted to slide blocks (206) in turn vertically slideable on guide rods (202). Horizontal legs (210) of the log support fixtures (208) are extended into slots (23) of tubes (22) of the severing apparatus (10) and separates the indexed logs from the prior logs in the tubes (22). When the prior logs have been completely severed, the log support fixtures (208) are moved from their extended positions to retracted positions by elongated channels (234) pushing against cam followers (220) carried by the log support fixtures (208). Then the slide blocks (206) are slid upward on the guide rods (202) from their lower positions by lifting a lifting bar (204) independently slideably mounted to the guide rods (202). The cam followers (220) abut against the front fingers (238) of the elongated channels (234) to prevent the log support fixtures (208) from sliding to their extended positions while the slide blocks (206) are being raised. When the slide blocks (206) are in their upper positions, the log support fixtures (208) are moved to their extended positions by the elongated channels (234) pushing against the cam followers (220). Then the lifting bar (204) is lowered on the guide rods (202) such that the horizontal legs (210) rest upon the upper end of and separate the indexed logs from the succeeding logs in the tubes (22).

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Ramsey, MN, United States of America

Douglas J Brash