A blade assembly includes a blade support frame, and a plurality of V-shaped blades removably fastened to the blade support frame. The blade support frame has a food flow path extending downstream, and a plurality of blade mounts distributed around the food flow path. Each V-shaped blade has a first end portion connected to one of the blade mounts, a second end portion connected to another of the blade mounts, and an intermediate portion extending from the first end portion to the second end portion into the food flow path. At the first and second end portions of each V-shaped blade, a respective one of the blade mounts overlies both the upstream edge and the downstream edge of the V-shaped blade to inhibit the V-shaped blade from rotating when impacted by food.

A slicing disc assembly includes a disc body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a central hub, a circumferential edge, a first opening in the disc body between the central hub and the circumferential edge, and a second opening in the disc body between the central hub and the circumferential edge, an adjustable horizontal slicing blade associated with the first opening, the horizontal slicing blade being moveable in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the disc body, and an adjustable vertical blade assembly associated with the second opening. The vertical blade assembly is moveable between a first position where a slicing element of the vertical blade assembly is located below a plane defined by the top surface of the disc body, and a second position where the slicing element of the vertical blade assembly extends above the plane.

A slicing disc assembly includes a disc body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a central hub, a circumferential edge, a first opening in the disc body between the central hub and the circumferential edge, and a second opening in the disc body between the central hub and the circumferential edge, an adjustable horizontal slicing blade associated with the first opening, the horizontal slicing blade being moveable in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the disc body, and an adjustable vertical blade assembly associated with the second opening. The vertical blade assembly is moveable between a first position where a slicing element of the vertical blade assembly is located below a plane defined by the top surface of the disc body, and a second position where the slicing element of the vertical blade assembly extends above the plane.

Machines for cutting products and impellers suitable for use therein. Such an impeller includes a lower plate and paddles configured with the lower plate to direct material placed on the lower plate in a radially outward direction of the impeller under the influence of centrifugal forces when the impeller is rotated. At least one of the paddles has an outer radial extent that is adjacent a perimeter of the lower plate. At least a first exit hole is located in the lower plate and has a wall section that completely closes the first exit hole along the perimeter at an upper surface of the lower plate. The first exit hole extends through the lower plate to define a passageway connected to the upper surface to enable foreign debris at the upper surface to exit the impeller through the passageway.

Machines for cutting products and impellers suitable for use therein. Such an impeller includes a lower plate and paddles configured with the lower plate to direct material placed on the lower plate in a radially outward direction of the impeller under the influence of centrifugal forces when the impeller is rotated. At least one of the paddles has an outer radial extent that is adjacent a perimeter of the lower plate. At least a first exit hole is located in the lower plate and has a wall section that completely closes the first exit hole along the perimeter at an upper surface of the lower plate. The first exit hole extends through the lower plate to define a passageway connected to the upper surface to enable foreign debris at the upper surface to exit the impeller through the passageway.

A cutting apparatus and a cutting device are disclosed including a modular insert arranged at least partially in a housing cavity, in which the modular insert includes a cutting element for performing a vertical or oblique cut and an abutting block which is interchangeable and couplable with the cutting element to fix a total dimension of the modular insert, in which an abutting face of the abutting block abuts on a back wall of the housing cavity so that a rear end of the cutting element is spaced away from the back wall. An assembly method is disclosed for assembling the aforesaid device including the steps of providing a plurality of interchangeable abutting blocks and of choosing an abutting block between the plurality of interchangeable abutting blocks on the basis of a desired total dimension of the modular insert.

A method of adjusting a rake-off angle in a centrifugal cutting head includes mounting a plurality of cutting stations on a rim structure with a gap between adjacent cutting stations, each cutting station holding a cutting element at a leading end of the cutting station and comprising an inner surface extending from the leading end to a trailing end forming a product sliding surface along which food product slides between successive cuts; and adjusting the rake-off angle by adjusting a rear part of the product sliding surface at a trailing end of at least one cutting station without changing the leading end.

A method of adjusting a rake-off angle in a centrifugal cutting head includes mounting a plurality of cutting stations on a rim structure with a gap between adjacent cutting stations, each cutting station holding a cutting element at a leading end of the cutting station and comprising an inner surface extending from the leading end to a trailing end forming a product sliding surface along which food product slides between successive cuts; and adjusting the rake-off angle by adjusting a rear part of the product sliding surface at a trailing end of at least one cutting station without changing the leading end.

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.

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.