A cutting method and apparatus for closures of the “tethered” type are disclosed, in which a spindle that carries a closure is moved to a cutting device with one or more horizontal blades and at least one vertical or oblique blade. During cutting, the spindle rotates and the closure rolls on the cutting device. The spindle, which is fed several times to the cutting device carrying each time a different closure, comprises a portion made of a softer material than the blades so that during cutting the blades penetrate the material of the closure and then sink into the softer portion of the spindle. Feeding the spindle that carries the closure to the cutting device is coordinated with rotation of the spindle so that the vertical or oblique blade, each time that the spindle is fed to the cutting device, always meets the same zone of the softer portion of the spindle.

A whetting device is for a slicer. The whetting device has: a whetstone that sharpens a circular blade of the slicer; a hone that deburrs the circular blade; a handle that moves the whetstone or the hone toward the circular blade; and a mount for fastening to a stop plate of the slicer. The mount has an insertion apparatus for being form-fittingly inserted into the stop plate. The mount having a U-shaped plate receptacle, which has a gap for introducing the stop plate into the gap in when the whetting device is pushed onto the stop plate. The insertion apparatus has a lug for engaging in an recess in the stop plate, or the stop plate has the lug for engaging in the recess in the insertion apparatus.

A slicing machine cuts slices of cutting material. The slicing machine has: a machine housing holding a motor and circular blade driven by the motor; a product feed, which feeds the cutting material to the circular blade; a stop plate; and a slidably arranged carriage, which feeds the cutting material to the blade. The blade is mounted directly on a bearing shaft arranged in the drive motor for the circular blade. The drive motor includes at a stator and rotor, which is detachable from the stator. The stator is in the machine housing. The machine housing has an insertion opening where, in the assembled state, the stator is arranged and through which the rotor is at least partially inserted into the stator. The slicing machine has an attachment device comprising at least one fastener that is configured to fasten the rotor and the stator to the machine housing.

A retraction device includes: a spindle, a support plate and a plurality of spring washers. The spindle is movable along an axis direction thereof and has a first end; a support plate has a fixed position, the first end of the spindle penetrates the support plate; and the plurality of spring washers are fitted over the first end of the spindle and stacked together in an identical direction. The plurality of spring washers are compressed between the spindle and the support plate with a predetermined pre-load. The spindle is configured to be switchable between a first position and a second position, and capable of moving a predetermined distance relative to the support plate in the axis direction of the spindle during switching. When in the first position, the spindle is farthest from the support plate, when in the second position, the spindle is closest to the support plate.

A rotating blade slicer is provided. The slicer includes a housing, a carriage assembly that is slidably movable along the housing with respect to the knife. A gauge plate is provided to set cutting depth. The carriage assembly movably supports a weighted plate that is slidably mounted upon the carriage assembly and is configured to be disposed upon an upper surface of a food product intended to be sliced by the knife. The weighted plate supported by an arm that is slidably mounted to the carriage assembly, wherein the weighted plate is removably attached to the arm such that the weighted plate can be removed from and connected to the arm without any external tools.

A food product slicer includes a base, a knife mounted for rotation relative to the base, a carriage assembly mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of the knife, and an adjustable gauge plate mounted for movement between a closed position that prevents slicing and multiple open positions that permit slicing at respective thicknesses. A slice thickness identification system includes: at least one sensor for determining a position of the gauge plate; and a display for displaying a slice thickness indicator corresponding to the determined position.

The calibrating system 100 includes a conveyance system 102 for carrying work products 104 arranged in multiple lanes extending along the conveyor to be trimmed and/or cut into portions P. A scanner 110 scans the work product and a cutter system 120 consisting of one or more cutters are arranged in an array or series of cutter assemblies for cutting the work products into end pieces P of desired sizes or other physical parameters. A processor/computer 150, using a scanning program or portioning program, determines how the work product may be portioned into one or more end piece product sets. The processor/computer using the portioning software then functions as a controller to control the cutter system 120 to portion the workpiece 104 according to the selected end product/pieces P.

A manual food processor includes a base, a plurality of blades coupled to the base and extending from the base in a vertical direction, a rod coupled to the base and oriented at an acute angle relative to the vertical direction of the blade, and a carriage slidable along the rod from a top end of the rod to a bottom end of the rod. The carriage is configured to support a food item from below the food item and to push the food item from above the food item. The carriage is positioned entirely on a first side of the plurality of blades when at the top end of the rod and is intersected by the plurality of blades at the bottom end of the rod.

A food product forming machine is configured to slice food product into slices. A main frame mounts a load assembly which receives food product and moves the food product through an opening in the main frame, a feed assembly downstream of the load assembly which moves food product through the main frame, and a slicing assembly downstream of the feed assembly which slices the food product into slices. In a first embodiment, the load assembly is at a rear end of the main frame, and in a second embodiment, the load assembly is at a side of the main frame. The load assembly is pivotally mounted to the main frame.

An automated trimming system is provided that includes a vision system identifying the number of rings positioned within a coil and sheared positions where the rings need to be cut. One or more trimming mechanisms receive the sheared positions and proceed to cut the rings at the sheared positions. A hook arrangement interfaces with the coil for transferring the coil to a trimming area. Moreover, an automated trimming system is provided that includes a coil having a plurality of rings. One or more trimming mechanisms select a number of rings from the coil and proceed to form a sample of desired length, by cutting a portion of the rings. A receiver unit receives the sample from the one or more trimming mechanisms to evaluate the quality of the sample.