Method and apparatus for slicing foodstuffs

Abstract

A method and apparatus for slicing of foodstuffs is provided that has a rotatable disc with a radial slot, a knife blade projecting above the rotatable disc, an angled chute for conveying foodstuffs, and an orifice between the chute and the rotatable disc. The orifice has a shape that decreases in width in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc.

1 . Apparatus for preparing potato chips, said apparatus having a slicer for the slicing of potatoes, means for conveying sliced potatoes through a heated oil bath and for removal of cooked potato chips from the heated oil bath, said slicer comprising a knife blade that rotates at the lower end of a hopper for potatoes, the knife blade being adapted to slice potatoes, the sliced potatoes being fed to the heated bath, the speed of rotation of the knife blade being adapted to be controlled so that the knife blade is stationary when the temperature of the oil bath is below a pre-determined temperature, and the speed of rotation of the knife blade being adapted to be further controlled so that the speed of rotation increases as the temperature is increased above said pre-determined temperature.  
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the knife blade is adapted to slice potatoes and feed each slice potato separately to the oil bath.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  or  claim 2  in which the oil is adapted to be heated using an electric heat exchanger.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  or  claim 2  in which the oil is adapted to be heated using gas.  
     
     
         5 . A method for the preparation of potato chips in apparatus comprising a slicer for the slicing of potatoes, means for conveying sliced potatoes through a heated oil bath and for removal of cooked potato chips from the heated oil bath, said slicer comprising a knife blade that rotates at the lower end of a hopper for potatoes, the knife blade being adapted to slice potatoes, the sliced potatoes being fed to the heated bath, said method comprising causing the knife blade to be stationary when the temperature of the oil bath is below a pre-determined temperature, rotating the knife blade when said temperature is at or above said pre-determined temperature and increasing the speed of rotation of the knife blade as the temperature is increased above said pre-determined temperature.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  in which each of said sliced potatoes is fed separately to the oil bath.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  in which said predetermined temperature is about 170° C.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  in which the rotation of the knife blade ceases if the temperature increases to about 195° C. or above.  
     
     
         9 . A slicer for preparing potato chips, comprising: 
 a rotatable disc having a radial slot therein and a slicing blade projecting above the plane of the disc; and    a chute for downwardly conveying potatoes to said rotatable disc;    an orifice between said chute and said rotatable disc, said slicer having at least one of said orifice having a shape that decreases in width in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc and said chute decreasing in depth in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc.    
     
     
         10 . The slicer of  claim 9  which the chute decreases in depth in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc.  
     
     
         11 . The slicer of  claim 9  which the chute decreases in width in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc.  
     
     
         12 . The slicer of  claim 9  in which the orifice is in an ovate shape of decreasing width in the direction of rotation of the slicing blade.  
     
     
         13 . The slicer of  claim 9  or  claim 12  in which the chute is at an acute angle with respect to the direction of rotation of the disc.  
     
     
         14 . The slicer of  claim 13  in which the chute terminates in a housing covering and conforming to the said ovate shape.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus for the preparing of potato chips, having a potato slicer, a heated oil bath, a conveyor for the conveying of potato slices through the heated oil bath and means for the removal of cooked potato chips from the heated oil bath, in which the slicer for preparing said potato chips comprises (i) a rotatable disc having a radial slot therein and a slicing blad projecting above the plane of the disc; and (ii) a chute for downwardly conveying potatoes to said rotatable disc; 
 an orifice between said chute and said rotatable disc, said slicer having at least one of said orifice having a shape that decreases in width in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13  in which the oil is adapted to be heated using an electric heat exchanger.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13  in which the oil is adapted to be heated using gas.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of any one of claims  15 - 17  which the chute decreases in depth in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of any one of claims  15 - 18  which the orifice decreases in width in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of any one of claims  15 - 19  in which the orifice is in an ovate shape of decreasing width in the direction of rotation of the slicing blade.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of any one of claims  15 - 20  in which an orifice is located between said chute and said rotatable disc, said orifice having a shape that decreases in width in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  in which the chute has an elbow therein.  
     
     
         23 . A method for the preparing of potato chips in apparatus having a potato slicer, a heated oil bath, a conveyor for the conveying of potato slices through the heated oil bath and means for the removal of cooked potato chips from the heated oil bath, in which the slicer for preparing said potato chips comprises (i) a rotatable disc having a radial slot therein and a slicing blade projecting above the plane of the disc; and (ii) a chute for downwardly conveying potatoes to said rotatabl disc; 
 an orifice between said chute and said rotatable disc, said slicer having at least one of said orifice having a shape that decreases in width in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc; and said chute decreasing in depth in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc;    said method comprising feeding potatoes into the chute of the potato slicer, rotating said disc having the blade extending upwards therefrom by means of which each said potato to be sliced is urged into the narrow end of the tear drop and sliced by said blade, submerging said sliced potato chip in the heated oil bath and removing said potato chip when cooked.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  in which the orifice is an ovate shape of decreasing width in the direction of rotation of the blade.  
     
     
         25 . A chute for downwardly conveying potatoes to a rotatable disc; 
 an orifice between said chute and said rotatable disc, said orifice having a shape that decreases in width in the direction of rotation of the rotatable disc.    
     
     
         26 . The chute of  claim 25  in which the orifice is in an ovate shape of decreasing width in the direction of rotation of the slicing blade.  
     
     
         27 . The chute of  claim 26  in which the chute has an elbow therein.  
     
     
         28 . Apparatus for preparing foodstuffs, said apparatus having means for conveying said foodstuffs through a heated oil bath and for removal of cooked foodstuffs from the heated oil bath, said apparatus having a hopper for the foodstuffs and a conveyor belt for feeding foodstuffs to the heated bath, the speed of conveying of the foodstuffs being controlled so that the conveyor is stationary when the temperature of the oil bath is below a pre-determined temperature, and the speed of the conveyor being further controlled so that the speed increases as the temperature is increased above said pre-determined temperature.  
     
     
         29 . Apparatus of  claim 28  in which the foodstuffs are corn chips or tortilla chips.  
     
     
         30 . A method for the preparation of foodstuffs in apparatus comprising means for conveying the foodstuffs through a heated oil bath and for removal of cooked foodstuffs from the heated oil bath, said foodstuffs being fed to the heated bath on a conveyor, said method comprising causing the conveyor to be stationary when the temperature of the oil bath is below a pre-determined temperature, and to feed foodstuffs when said temperature is at or above said pre-determined temperature and increasing the speed of conveying the foodstuffs as the temperature is increased above said pre-determined temperature.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  in which the foodstuffs are corn chips or tortilla chips.