A food product cutting system can include a food product carrier for carrying food product circumferentially around an axis of rotation, where the food product carrier includes food cutters each having a knife and a corresponding pusher. Each knife is for receiving and engaging with food product, and each pusher is slidably coupled with a knife and movable for pushing food product out of engagement with the food cutter. The food product cutting system can also include a track oriented generally circularly with respect to the food product carrier. The track can be arranged at varying radial distances from the axis of rotation and coupled with followers. Each follower can be connected to a corresponding pusher. In operation, food product moved into the knife of a food cutter and carried around the axis of rotation is incrementally pushed out of engagement with the food cutter by the corresponding pusher.

A method of processing a food item that includes moving a food item along a direction towards an automated slicer, wherein prior to the food item being sliced by the automated slicer the food item that is being moved has a length, L, as measured along the direction. The method further includes determining a thickness, T, of a slice of the food item to be generated by the automated slicer and slicing the food item that has the length, L, by the automated slicer so that a maximum possible number, N.sub.max, of slices of the food item are generated that have the thickness, T.

In order to avoid underweight of slices when slicing a loaf into slices, thickness adjustments specified for slicing are adjusted depending on different pre-known parameters, from loaf to loaf and/or from slice to slice within one and the same loaf, preferably also across the boundary between two loaves optimized as early as possible so that existing weight conditions with regard to actual weight of the slices are maintained, in particular no more underweight slices are produced and/or the minimum average weight of the slices required for the entire batch is maintained.

A method is provided of pressing an irregularly shaped, elongated loaf of an elastic material into a strand with a cross-section which is constant along its longitudinal extension. The method includes disposing the loaf in a form tube of the slicing machine, and determining basic data of the loaf before pressing, the basic data comprising at least physical basic data of the loaf before pressing. The method further includes determining a target length change of the loaf between an unpressed state and a pressed state, determining a target cross-sectional change of the loaf between the unpressed state and the pressed state, and pressing the loaf in the form tube in at least one cross direction to the longitudinal extension by a cross press stamp and in a longitudinal pressing direction of the form tube by a longitudinal press stamp, according to the target length change and the target cross-sectional change.

A bagel slicer includes a frame. A pusher assembly translates along a slicing path within the frame between an open position and a sliced position. At least one blade is positioned within the slicing path. Movement of the pusher assembly along the slicing path from the open position to the sliced position translates a bagel along the slicing path about the at least one blade to slice the bagel. Movement of the pusher assembly along the slicing path from the sliced position to the open position returns the sliced bagel to the open position of the pusher assembly.

In order to maintain required average weight of an entire batch when slicing a loaf into slices and yet avoid underweighting individual slices, different reference weights are selected for critical areas depending on basic shape of the loaf, usually the two ends, than for the remaining area.

In order to avoid underweight of slices when slicing a loaf into slices, thickness adjustments specified for slicing are adjusted depending on different pre-known parameters, from loaf to loaf and/or from slice to slice within one and the same loaf, preferably also across the boundary between two loaves optimized as early as possible so that existing weight conditions with regard to actual weight of the slices are maintained, in particular no more underweight slices are produced and/or the minimum average weight of the slices required for the entire batch is maintained.

A device and a method for cutting a loaf of bread in slices having an input compartment adjacent to a set of parallel oblong blades which can be driven back and forth in their longitudinal direction. A pusher movable between a retracted position in relation to the blades and an end cutting position pushes the bread through the blades. A detector is provided to detect the presence of an object in the access opening of an input compartment which cooperates with the blades' drive to stop the movement of the blades when the presence of an object in the access opening is detected. When the presence of an object in the access opening is detected while the pusher is in its retracted position, the movement of the blades starts and the pusher will be moved from its retracted position to the end cutting position when the object is no longer detected in the access opening.

A bread slicer comprising a loading compartment (6) adjacent to the front side (2) which is connected to a receiving compartment (7) situated near the rear side (3) of the bread slicer, an access opening (8) for placing a loaf of bread (16) to be sliced in the loading compartment (6) by a user who is positioned in front of the front side (2), a cutting member to cut slices off the bread (16) as it is moved between said compartments (6,7), a support surface (9) for the bread (16) extending in said compartments (6,7)

The support surface (9) is inclined at an angle (α) between 25° and 70° with respect to a horizontal line.

In order to be able to load a forming tube channel, which stands very steeply and is open at a front and top on a longitudinal side, correctly by checking and, if necessary, changing position of a product piece in the forming tube channel, instead of sliding the new product piece from the outside on a support plate to the forming tube channel in the machine and dropping it into the forming tube channel, the entire forming tube channel is moved from a cutting position outward to a loading position, the product piece is inserted there and an entire transfer device in the form of one or more slides is moved back to the cutting position and locked there.