Abstract: A machine for cutting slabs of fresh or frozen tempered meat into diced sections and defined by a conveyor assembly comprised of a feed belt and an associated spring-biased feed roll, a strip cutting assembly comprised of a first knife roll of circular knives and an associated feed drum, and a crosscut assembly comprised of a second knife roll of elongate knives and an associated stripper plate provided with a corresponding shear edge, with edge portions of the circular knives being intermested within slots formed in the stripper plate and peripheral grooves formed in both the feed roll and feed drum. The feed drum is configured to retard the movement of fresh meat slabs being conveyed through the strip cutting assembly during which the circular knives are rotated at a peripheral speed that is at least twice the peripheral speed of the feed drum.

Abstract: A rotary slicing machine including a cylindrical-shaped cutter assembly having at least one knife element and mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis is provided with an elongate feed chute within which the individual products to be sliced are supported in a linear array and consecutively fed under gravity into the path of the rotating knife element. The feed chute is provided with an elongate slot for permitting the manual positioning of the products within the chute.