US 12,220,831 B2
Knife assemblies of slicing machines, methods of clamping and releasing knives therefrom, and slicing machines equipped therewith
Dustin J. Gereg, Valparaiso, IN (US); Scott Alan Klockow, Kouts, IN (US); and Corey Everette Baxter, Valparaiso, IN (US)
Assigned to Urschel Laboratories, Inc., Chesterton, IN (US)
Filed by Urschel Laboratories, Inc., Chesterton, IN (US)
Filed on Mar. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/705,497.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/176,977, filed on Apr. 20, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0332004 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. B26D 7/26 (2006.01); A47J 43/07 (2006.01); B26D 1/00 (2006.01); B26D 7/06 (2006.01)
CPC B26D 7/2614 (2013.01) [A47J 43/07 (2013.01); B26D 1/0006 (2013.01); B26D 2001/006 (2013.01); B26D 7/0691 (2013.01); B26D 2210/02 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A knife assembly for securing a knife to a slicing machine, the knife assembly comprising:
a knife holder having a knife support surface;
a knife supported on the knife support surface of the knife holder so as to protrude from a leading edge of the knife holder in a leading direction of the knife assembly;
a clamp having a base portion adjacent a trailing edge of the clamp and a knife-engaging portion adjacent a leading edge of the clamp, wherein the base portion has at least one slot formed therein and at least part of the knife-engaging portion has a shape complementary to the knife;
a support bar overlying the clamp, the support bar being coupled within the knife assembly to have a pivot axis about which the support bar pivots relative to the knife holder, the clamp, and the knife and through which the support bar translates in the leading direction of the knife assembly and in a trailing direction of the knife assembly; and
a fastener received in the slot in the base portion of the clamp, the fastener applying a clamping load to the support bar that is transmitted through the clamp to clamp the knife to the knife holder;
wherein the support bar engages the clamp to prevent the clamp from translating relative to the knife in the leading direction of the knife assembly as the clamping load is applied to the clamp by the fastener.