In order to be able to reduce the number of required drive units in a multi-track slicing machine, in particular a multi-track slicer, for slicing a plurality of calibers simultaneously into slices, according to the invention second driven product guides for the, in particular all, tracks can only be driven together and have a freewheel unit acting in the feeding direction of the calibers.

A whetting device for a slicer has a whetstone for sharpening a circular blade of the slicer; a hone for deburring the blade; a handle for moving the whetstone or hone toward the blade; a mount fastenable to a stop plate of the slicer, having an insertion apparatus for form-fittingly insertion into the stop plate, a U-shaped plate receptacle which has a gap for introducing the stop plate into the gap when the whetting device is pushed onto the stop plate; a receptacle for engaging around an end of the blade guard ring when the stop plate is a predetermined distance from the circular in the direction of rotation of the blade, and not to engage when shorter than that distance between; and a frame covering a cutting edge of the circular blade and for pivoting the whetting device into a working position.

A slicing apparatus for slicing food articles includes a food article loading apparatus with a lift tray assembly for moving food articles from a staging position to an elevated position at a beginning of a food article feed path, a food article feed apparatus disposed over the food article loading apparatus having an upper conveyor assembly with an independently driven endless conveyor belt used in cooperation with a food article gripper for moving the food articles along the food article feed path, a food article stop gate that forms part of the food article feed path and opens to drop food article end portions, and a slicing station at an end of the food article feed path with a knife for slicing the food articles.

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 cutting machine has a circular blade that is moveable in a guide gap through an extension gap of a machine housing from a waiting position into a cutting space. When the blade is in the waiting position, the guide gap is coverable by a rocker displaceable away from the guide gap simultaneously with the extension of the blade from the waiting position, whereby the guide gap is opened. A cover plate is rigidly fastened to a side surface of the rocker, projects vertically away from the rocker, and covers the extension gap whenever the blade is in the waiting position. By a positive guide, the cover plate is moveable away from the extension gap simultaneously with the movement of the rocker, whereby the extension gap is opened.

A vertical slicer includes a frame having a cover plate with a central opening and a hopper positioned over the opening. A carriage having a deck and a main cutting blade is attached to a spring-loaded plunger for reciprocating vertical movement within the frame. A tray collects food items cut by the main blade, which can be selectively adjusted to change a slicing thickness. A locking switch is configured to lock the plunger and carriage in a lowered locked position.

A food article slicing machine includes a food article loading apparatus with a lift tray assembly for moving food articles from a staging position to an elevated position at a beginning of a food article feed path, a food article feed apparatus disposed over the food article loading apparatus having an upper conveyor assembly with an independently driven endless conveyor belt used in cooperation with a food article gripper for moving the food articles along the food article feed path, a food article stop gate that forms part of the food article feed path and opens to drop food article end portions, and a slicing station at an end of the food article feed path with a knife for slicing the food articles.

A cutting board for cutting food articles into parts. The cutting board has a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides defining an area of the cutting board. A lateral groove extends between the pair of long sides and differentiates the area of the board into a first platform and a second platform. The area is further differentiated into a third platform which is adjacent to the second platform. A blade pivotally coupled to the end of the lateral groove. The cutting board further includes a finger guard and a food stopper.

A food slicer includes a cleaning timer for providing warnings to a user and renders the slicer inoperable after a period of usage. The period of usage may be established by food regulations. In advance of that period, warnings are provided that remind the user to clean the slicer. Shutting off the slicer for cleaning resets the timer. If the period of usage passes, then the slicer becomes inoperable until the user shuts off the slicer for cleaning, which automatically resets the timer and the slicer then becomes operable.

A system and method relating to a slicer system, the slicer system includes a slicer that includes a slider blade, a first motor configured to rotate the slicer blade, an in-feed table configured to hold the product and move, while the product is sliced by the slicer blade; an out-feed table configured to receive a sliced portion of a product, in response to the slicer blade slicing the product, at least one second motor, each of the at least one second motor configured to move the out-feed table in at least one direction; and at least one processor configured to cause the sliced portion of the product to be received on the out-feed table in a predetermined shape by controlling the at least one second motor to move the out-feed table while the slicer is slicing the product.