A bread cutting machine for bread has a receiving surface for receiving the bread to be cut, wherein the receiving surface has a first edge and an opposite second edge, and defines a receiving plane; a cutting device with an array of cutting blades placed at or near the first edge of the receiving surface, wherein the array of cutting blades defines a first plane; and a pushing device configured for pushing the bread to be cut along the receiving surface in a pushing direction extending between the first and second edges of the receiving surface, towards and/or beyond the cutting device. The pushing device includes a push surface for contacting the bread to be cut during pushing thereof. The push surface and/or the first plane are at an acute angle with respect to the pushing direction.

A facer facing the ends of polyolefin pipes for butt fusion is modular in the sense that it employs three types of modules, a drive unit, two blade holders and a motor assembly, that are separable from one another and each independently light enough to be hand-lifted along walls and up to ceilings. The drive unit module is adjustable to accommodate different guide rail spacings. The blade holder modules are interchangeable to accommodate different diameters of pipe. The motor assembly module has multispeed capability to accommodate the total area of material to be faced. Each module can be exchanged or modified without use of tools to change the geometry of the assembled facer to accommodate different fusion machines and/or diameters of pipe within working spaces dictated by the diameter of the pipe and not by a fixed geometry of a facer.

A transport device, in particular a chain track frame, for a cutting machine, for receiving slices separated from the material to be cut by a cutting blade and for transporting the slices from the cutting blade to a deposit region, includes: a frame on which the following components are mounted: a receiving apparatus for receiving separated slices; a plurality of guide rollers arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other; a drive device for driving a plurality of transport chains or transport belts extending in parallel with each other, the transport chains or transport belts being guided in a closed circulating manner by the drive device via the guide rollers; and a coupling for connecting the drive device to a drive. The frame comprises a single part.

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 an embodiment, the present invention provides an electrically operated slicing machine for cutting slices of material to be cut, in particular elongate material to be cut, preferably food, including: a cutting device, including a circular knife that is mounted in a machine housing and rotates in a cutting plane about a first axis of rotation; a stop plate, which is parallel to the cutting plane and is movable in an x direction, for setting the cutting thickness; a carriage, which supports a bearing plate having a bearing surface on which the material to be cut is placed, which carriage can travel in parallel with the cutting plane E; and a chain frame, which is operated by a chain frame motor, for depositing slices that have been cut off from the material to be cut on a deposition table, the chain frame being detachably connected to the machine housing.

An add-on device for a slicing machine for inserting a separation sheet in between food slices comprises a container containing (a) a sheet tray, (b) a pack of separation sheets positioned on the sheet tray, the pack of separation sheets comprises at least two types of separation sheets, each having a cut-out portion at a different location to allow contacting a second in-line sheet through a top sheet, the separation sheets are organized in said container in an alternating manner, (c) a mechanic/electro-mechanic mechanism for pushing the sheet tray upwards, (d) a three-position lever, the three-position lever comprises a left wing, a right wing and a lever actuator, the lever actuator rotates clockwise and counterclockwise across its longitudinal axis in an alternating manner, and (e) an electronic system to monitor, control, and operate the operation of the add-on device.

An electrically powered disc cutting machine for cutting off discs from in particular elongate material to be cut, preferably food, includes: a cutting device having a circular blade that rotates in a cutting plane about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the cutting plane and is driven by a blade motor. The cutting device includes: a carriage for carrying a carriage plate in a carriage plane perpendicular to the cutting plane and to carry at least one carriage wall that protrudes from the carriage plane; and a holder for material to be cut, the holder having a bearing surface for receiving the material to be cut and for bringing the material to be cut closer to the circular blade at an angle <90 relative to the cutting plane. The holder for material to be cut includes a fastening apparatus for fastening the holder for material to be cut.

A cartridge for a food processing machine includes a base member, a stock roller drag brake, a nip roller, and a chute. The stock roller drag brake is rotatably attached to the base member. The nip roller is rotatably attached to the base member. The chute is attached to the base member.

The food slicer comprises a first support module for supporting at least one slicing blade, a second support module for supporting at least one piece of food and a drive mechanism means for transforming a relative movement of the first and second support modules into a movement of the slicing blade in the first support module, said relative movement involving a change in the height (h) between the first and second support modules. The slicing blade has a protruding portion protruding from at least one surface of the slicing blade in accordance with at least one ramp oriented to facilitate separation of the sliced piece of food from the rest of the piece of food without damaging it.

A mandoline has a food holder and a food pusher, the food holder being slidable along the body and the food pusher being rotatably mounted on the food holder, the food pusher having a first pusher wall and a second pusher wall, the second pusher wall being in the form of a substantially flat plate and the first pusher wall being arranged perpendicular to the second pusher wall and being jaw-shaped in nature.