Apparatus for cutting potatoes and onions

Abstract

An apparatus for cutting a potato into a helical shape, the apparatus having a hollow, generally cylindrical body, a cutting plate having a top side and a bottom side located in the body for cutting a potato into a helical shape when a potato is inserted into the body, forced against the cutting plate and rotated around the longitudinal axis of the body, the cutting plate having a plurality of vertical blades for cutting a potato extending perpendicularly upward from the cutting plate and a horizontal blade located above the cutting plate for cutting a potato, and a feeding apparatus for forcing a potato onto the cutting plate and for rotating the potato about the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body to cut the potato into a helical shape, and an apparatus for cutting an onion into a helical shape, the apparatus having a hollow, generally cylindrical body, a cutting plate having a top side and a bottom side located in the body for cutting an onion into a helical shape when an onion is inserted into the body, forced against the cutting plate and rotated around the longitudinal axis of the body, the cutting plate having a horizontal blade located above the cutting plate for cutting an onion, and a feeding apparatus for forcing an onion onto the cutting plate and for rotating the onion about the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body to cut the onion into a helical shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for cutting a potato into a helical strip having a rectangular cross-section comprising: a. a hollow, generally cylindrical body . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.having a top end and a bottom end;   b. a .Iadd.stationary .Iaddend.cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member secured across the hollow, cylindrical body member and .Iaddend.having a top side facing toward said top and a bottom side facing toward said bottom end, said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.being located in said body . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.for cutting a potato into a helical strip having a rectangular cross-section when a potato is inserted in said top end of said body . .means.!. .Iadd.member.Iaddend., forced against said top side of said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.and rotated around the longitudinal axis of said body . .means.!. .Iadd.member.Iaddend., said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.having a plurality of vertical blades on said top side for making vertical cuts in said potato as the potato is rotated, said vertical blades extending perpendicularly upward from the top side of said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member.Iaddend., and a horizontal blade spaced upwardly from said top side of said cutting . .plate means.!. .Iadd.blade .Iaddend.for cutting said potato horizontally as said potato is rotated, said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.having .Iadd.a .Iaddend.first opening . .means.!. therein through which a portion of a potato may travel from said top side of said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.to said bottom side of said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.into said bottom end of said body . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.after being cut by said horizontal and vertical . .blade means.!. .Iadd.blades.Iaddend., . .and.!.   c. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.feeder . .means.!. .Iadd.member, which has a generally cylindrical portion and a generally circular portion axially fixed with respect thereto in telescoping cooperation with the body member to provide radial constraint therebetween, .Iaddend.for forcing a potato into the top end of said body . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.and onto said top side of said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.and for rotating a potato about the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical body . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.to cut said potato into a helical strip and to force said helical strip through said first opening . .means.!. in said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.into the bottom end of said body . .means.!. .Iadd.member;   d. the circular portion, cutting plate member and one of the telescoping members forming a confined action space of manually-varied axial length in which an uncut potato is rotated while it is forced against the cutting plate member by relative axial movement of the cutting plate member and feeder member; and   e. a manual gripping handle integral with one of the telescoping members; whereby a user can readily move the telescoping members axially together in radially-constrained fashion.Iaddend..     
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said body . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.has holding means therein for holding said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.therein. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said holding means prevents said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.from rotating when a potato is forced onto the top of said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.and rotated about the longitudinal axis of said body . .means.!. .Iadd.member.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.has guide post . .means.!. extending upwardly from said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.for insertion in a potato. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said .Iadd.at least one .Iaddend.guide post . .means.!. has threads thereon and is located at the center of said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.is circular in shape. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vertical blades extend upwardly through .Iadd.a .Iaddend.second opening . .means.!. in said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said vertical blades are held in .Iadd.a .Iaddend.rack . .means.!. connected to said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said rack . .means.!. comprises a blade receiving plate having a plurality of parallel slots therein for receipt of said vertical blades and a cover plate connected to said blade receiving plate for holding said vertical blades in said parallel slots. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said vertical blades have a lip . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.connected thereto . .which are.!. located and held between said blade receiving plate and said cover plate. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said rack . .means.!. is connected to said bottom side of said cover plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member.Iaddend.. . .12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein at least two of said plurality of vertical blades means are connected by lip means..!.. .13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said lip means is perpendicular to said blade 
     
     
        means..!.4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said horizontal blade . .means.!. has a cutting edge and a downwardly sloping surface extending away from the cutting edge to direct the cut portion of a potato through the first opening . .means.!. in said cutting plate . .means.!. 
     
     
        .Iadd.member.Iaddend.. . .15.  The apparatus of claim 1 said feeder means comprises a generally hollow cylindrical having a bottom end and a top end, said bottom end having a flat circular plate therein for contacting and rotating a potato, said top end having grasping means therein for grasping by the hand of the operator to rotate said feeder means and force 
     
     
        said feeder means toward said cutting plate means..!.16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said feeder means has twisting means connected thereto to contact a potato and rotate the potato as said feeder means is rotated. 
     
     
            The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said twisting means is attached to 
     
     
        said flat circular plate. 18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vertical blades extend above said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.a distance equal to or greater than the distance said horizontal blade is spaced upwardly from said cutting plate . .means.!. .Iadd.member.Iaddend.. . .19. An apparatus for cutting an onion into a helical strip having a rectangular cross-section comprising: a. a hollow, generally cylindrical body means having a top end and bottom end,   b. a cutting plate means having a top side facing toward said top end and a bottom side facing toward said bottom end, said cutting plate means being located in said body means for cutting an onion into a helical strip having a rectangular cross-section when a potato is inserted in said top end of said body means, forced against said top side of said cutting plate means rotated around the longitudinal axis of said body means, a horizontal blade spaced upwardly from said top side of said cutting plate means for cutting said onion horizontally as said onion is rotated, said cutting plate means having first opening means therein through which a portion of an onion may travel from said top side of said cutting plate means to said bottom side of said cutting plate means into said bottom end of said cutting means after being cut by said horizontal blade means, and   c. feeder means for forcing an onion into the top end of said body means and onto said top side of said cutting plate means and for rotating an onion about the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical body means to cut said onion into a helical strip and to force said helical strip through said first opening means in said cutting plate means into the bottom end   
     
     
        of said body means..!..Iadd.20.  The apparatus of claim 8 wherein at least two of said plurality of vertical blades are connected by the lip member. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said lip is perpendicular to said blade. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. An apparatus for cutting a potato into a helical strip having a rectangular cross-section comprising: a. a hollow, generally cylindrical body means having a top end and a bottom end,   b. a cutting plate means having g top side facing toward said top end and a bottom side facing toward said bottom and, said cutting plate means being located in said body means for cutting a potato into a helical strip having a rectangular cross-section when a potato is inserted in said top end of said body means, forced against said top side of said cutting plate means and rotated around the longitudinal axis of said body means, said cutting plate means having a plurality of vertical blades on said top side for making vertical cuts in said potato as the potato is rotated, said vertical blades extending perpendicularly upward from the top side of said cutting plate means, and a horizontal blade spaced upwardly from said top side of said cutting plate means for cutting said potato horizontally as said potato is rotated, said cutting plate means having first opening means therein through which a portion of a potato may travel from said top side of said cutting plate means to said bottom side of said cutting plate means into said bottom end of said body means after being cut by said horizontal and vertical blades, and   c. feeder means for forcing a potato into top end of said body means and onto said top side of said cutting plate means and for rotating a potato about the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical body means to cut said potato into a helical strip and to force said helical strip through said first opening means in said cutting plate means into the bottom end of said body means, said feeder means comprising a generally hollow cylinder having a bottom end and a top end, said bottom end having a flat circular plate therein for contacting and rotating a potato, said top end having grasping means therein for grasping by the hand of the operator to rotate said feeder means and force said feeder means toward said cutting plate   
     
     
        means. .Iaddend..Iadd.23.  An apparatus for cutting an onion into a helical strip having a rectangular cross-section comprising: a. a hollow, generally cylindrical body member having a top end and a bottom end;   b. a stationary cutting Plate member secured across the hollow, cylindrical body member and having a top side facing toward said top end and a bottom side facing toward said bottom end, said cutting plate member being located in said body member for cutting an onion into a helical strip having a rectangular cross-section when an onion is inserted in said top end of said body member, forced against said top side of said cutting plate member and rotated around the longitudinal axis of said body member, a horizontal blade spaced upwardly from said top side of said cutting plate member for cutting said onion horizontally as said onion is rotated, said cutting plate member having a first opening therein through which a portion of an onion may travel from said top side of said cutting plate member to said bottom side of said cutting plate member into said bottom end of said body member after being cut by said horizontal blade;   c. a feeder member which has a generally cylindrical portion and a generally circular portion axially fixed with respect thereto in telescoping cooperation with the body member to provide radial constraint therebetween, for forcing an onion into the top end of said body member and onto said top side of said cutting plate member and for rotating an onion about the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical body member to cut said onion into a helical strip and to force said helical strip through said first opening in said cutting plate member into the bottom end of said body member;   d. the circular portion, cutting plate member and one of the telescoping members forming a confined action space of manually-varied axial length in which an uncut onion is rotated while it is forced against the cutting plate member by relative axial movement of the cutting plate member and feeder member; and   e. a manual gripping handle integral with one of the telescoping member; whereby a user can readily move the telescoping members axially together in radially-constrained fashion. .Iaddend.