Abstract: A new method for dividing a food product log into separate portions prior to cooking of the portions uses a machine that cuts portions from an end of the product log, a controller that controls the operation of the cutting machine, and a sensing arrangement that generates a signal dependent on a cross-sectional dimension of the product at the end. The controller determines the thickness of the next portion to be cut from the end by the cutting machine using the signal from the sensing arrangement and the value of a cook-out parameter related to the proportion of the end of the product that is formed by at least one constituent of the product. The thickness is calculated with a view to the portion achieving a predetermined target weight after it has been cooked.

Abstract: A slicing machine for cutting slices from lengths of food is provided. The slicing machine includes a machine housing, which retains a drive motor and a rotating blade driven by the drive motor. The machine housing includes a deposition region which is arranged in the region of the blade and has a deposition plate for holding slices that have been cut off. The deposition plate has a rotary shaft and can be rotated from a horizontal position into a vertical position. The deposition plate is rigidly connected to the machine housing or to an attachment part of the machine housing when in the horizontal position, and the deposition plate is removable from the machine housing or from the attachment part of the machine housing when in the vertical position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microtome (10) for cutting thin sections, including a sample holder (12), a cutting unit (16), and a drive unit (16) for producing a feed movement between the sample holder (12) and the cutting unit (16) for setting the thickness of the sample sections. The drive unit (22) includes a piezoelectric linear actuator (50) for producing the feed movement.

Abstract: A food product slicer includes a carriage assembly is mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of a knife. An adjustable gauge plate provides variable slice thickness for food product carried by the carriage assembly. During automatic slicing, when the gauge plate is moved from the open position to the closed position, a slicer controller automatically shuts down the carriage drive in a controlled manner that causes the carriage to stop at its most forward position.

Abstract: A machine for cutting meat (1), comprises a frame (2); a blade (5) connected to the frame (2) to slice the meat (18); a support (3) for the meat (18) which is movable relative to the blade (5) along a feed direction (A) so as to push said meat (18) against the blade (5); a striking surface (4) for the meat (18), associated with the frame (2) so as to support the meat (18); the striking surface (4) slides relative to the blade (5) along a sliding direction (A) parallel to the feed direction (A).

Abstract: A food product slicer includes a carriage assembly is mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of a knife. An adjustable gauge plate provides variable slice thickness for food product carried by the carriage assembly. During automatic slicing, when the gauge plate is moved from the open position to the closed position, a slicer controller automatically shuts down the carriage drive in a controlled manner that causes the carriage to stop at its most forward position.

Abstract: A microtome for producing thin sections for microscopy is suggested that has a high level of automation and can be operated ergonomically. The microtome has a sectioning knife, a specimen holder, a first and a second motor unit operating the knife, a control system and an operating unit comprising a first and a second operating element. The first operating element controls the relative displacement between the sectioning knife and specimen holder, while the second operating element adjusts the advance rate of the displacement. The first operating element is a rotating ring and the second element is a rotary knob, concentrically within the rotating ring.

Abstract: A knife holder (5) for a microtome for cutting samples (4a) is disclosed. The knife holder (5) encompasses several knives (2a, 2b) each of which defines a cutting edge (16). The knife holder (5) is arranged pivotably about a shaft (18); and the shaft (18) is arranged substantially perpendicularly to each cutting edge (16) of the knives (2a, 2b).

Abstract: A food slicer includes a support member having a base portion and an upstanding portion. A rotatable cutting blade is secured to the upstanding portion for slicing food product. A food product table is mounted for movement past the cutting blade for holding product while being sliced by the cutting blade. A product fence assists in holding and stabilizing food product during slicing. An inner side of the food product table includes multiple spaced apart slots and the product fence includes an inner side with at least one finger extending downward within one of the slots of the food product table. Elongate protrusions may be provided at the bottom of the product fence for seating within grooves on a food support surface of the food product table. A food contact wall surface of the fence may be angled away from the food contact location and an inner faced of the food contact wall may be angled away from a gage plate of the slicer.

Abstract: A slicer for use in slicing a food product includes a slicer body. A slicer knife is mounted to the slicer body. A linear motor may be provided to move a food product support carriage. A slicer may also include stroke length setting adjustment features.

Abstract: A food slicer has a housing with a first push-button for actuating an electric switch for operating the cutting blade and a second push-button, i.e., a safety button, locking the first push-button against actuation. The second push-button actuates a mechanical lock which can be engaged and disengaged, blocking the first push-button in an inserted position of the lock, thereby preventing actuation of the electric switch that triggers an electric motor drive used to actuate a circular cutting blade. The first push-button is formed with a stop surface for the lock on which the lock is arranged, when it is in an inserted position, either at or in close vicinity of an axis extending through the center of the push-button surface, pointing in the direction of actuation, and on which the lock engages in an inserted position.

Abstract: A universal slicer contains a housing, a rotatably mounted revolving blade, a positioning plate which is provided with a bearing surface for a product that is to be sliced, and a mechanism regulating the width of cut by adjusting the positioning plate in relation to the revolving blade. In order to ensure that the slices are cut in a uniform manner, particularly when using universal slicers that have a simple configuration and are inexpensive to produce, the universal slicer is provided with a tensioning device, by which the positioning plate can be prestressed free from play counter to the mechanism regulating the width of cut.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a manual vegetable cutter, for selectively varied cutting. Furthermore, the cutter of the present invention does not expose the user to risks of serious cuts. The cutter comprises a frame fitted with at least one cutting blade mounted transversely facing a slot through which the cut vegetables pass and also two side rails providing guidance in to and fro translational motion for a guide chamber equipped with a loading volume for the vegetables to be cut up and acting in conjunction with a press-down cap which the user grips in order to move the guide chamber to and fro along the guide rails while constantly exerting pressure on the vegetables contained in the loading volume so that they are pressed against the cutting blade or blades fitted to the frame and can be cut up by the blade or blades.

Abstract: A folding, straight-line, workpiece guide for a saw having a base, a saw blade extending vertically through the base, and a feed path relative to the saw blade. The workpiece guide comprises an elongated table which can be collapsed into a folded configuration or set up and locked into a working configuration. A carriage is constructed and arranged to support multiple elongated workpieces and to slide along the foldable table. The foldable table has multiple chassis sections pivotally connected to one another, adjustable legs, connectors for connecting the table to the base of the saw parallel to the feed path of the saw, and a guide track for guiding the carriage along the table when the table is in the working configuration.

Abstract: An electric food slicer (1) comprising a main body (4) with a base region (2), a disc-like rotary cutting blade (6) supported on the main body (4), weighing means (66) disposed on the base region (2) adjacent to the blade (6) at a position where sliced food will collect, and visual display means (50) to give a visual indication of the weight of food collected on the weighing means (66).

Abstract: A slicing machine has a blade, a stop plate extending parallel to the blade, and a carriage adapted to hold a sliceable product against the plate and displaceable past the blade to cut a slice from the product. A large-diameter disk is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the blade and is formed with a spiral groove. A follower coupled to the stop plate is engaged in the groove. A drive motor rotates the disk to displace the stop plate parallel to the blade axis. A small-diameter sensor wheel is positively coupled by a nonsmooth drive element to the disk. A sensor determines the angular position and rotation of the disk and generates an actual-value output corresponding thereto. A desired-value signal corresponding to a desired slice thickness is fed to a controller connected to the sensor and to the motor to make the output equal to the desired-value signal.

Abstract: A carriage for a food slicer; wherein the carriage includes a tray for supporting a food product. The tray has a relatively flat portion and an upstanding side portion, a food gripping portion attached to the tray and at least one handle attached to the side portion of the tray for moving the tray in a reciprocating motion past the slicing blade. Preferably, the carriage includes a second handle such that the user can grasp either handle. The tray also includes a slide rod for slidably supporting the food gripping portion. The slide rod may be optionally mounted to either side of the tray, before or after the food product.

Abstract: A gauge plate assembly for a food slicer includes a first plate including a food product contacting side and an attachment side. The attachment side has a plurality of fixed mount studs extending therefrom in an established arrangement, the mount studs attached to the first plate in a non-through manner. A support plate includes a mount side which faces the attachment side of the first plate and has a plurality of stud receiving openings in a mirror image of the established arrangement of the plurality of mount studs for alignment therewith. The attachment side of the first plate is positioned adjacent the mount side of the support plate with the plurality of mount studs inserted within the plurality of stud receiving openings. The studs are secured within the stud receiving openings in a press fit engagement in order to hold the two plate together. This arrangement provides an assembled gauge plate which does not require protruding fasteners to be machined or sealed and otherwise reduces assembly costs.

Abstract: An adjustable gauge plate for a food slicer comprising a front plate and a rear plate attached to the front plate, such that a cavity is defined between the plates, the rear plate having at least one hole therethrough. The gauge plate further comprises an indexing member attached to a slicer base, an adjustment plate mounted to the indexing member, the indexing member and adjustment plate being shaped to fit in the cavity between the front and rear plates, and a fastener shaped to be inserted in the hole in the rear plate and adjustably connected to the adjustment plate such that the gauge plate is capable of being adjusted relative to the adjustment plate and the gauge plate is capable of being adjusted relative to the food slicer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bale slicer that processes large forage bales into a form useable by TMR mixing systems. The bale slicer is simple to operate, reduces the power required to process a bale as compared to other bale processors and processes forage bales into a size suitable for use as feed. The bale slicer includes a main frame, bale chamber, platforms, a cutting mechanism, and power mechanism. The bale slicer utilizes a slicing motion by the cutting mechanism to process the large forage bales. The forage bale to be processed remains stationary and is held in its compressed form by the bale chamber during slicing. The cutting mechanism passes by the bale chamber in order to slice the bale. At the end of each slice made by the cutting mechanism, the forage falls to the floor and the bale drops down in the bale chamber in preparation for the return pass by the cutting mechanism. The fallen forage is then ready to be transported to a TMR mixer.

Abstract: The sliceable product of an automatic slicing machine is advanced toward the stop plate by a slider which is engaged on both sides of the receiving surface for the sliceable product by respective belt drives.

Abstract: A slice-cutting machine, for cutting slices out of tuberous vegetables or root crops, has a rotor mounted rotatably in a rotation housing, which rotor carries along the material to be cut in the direction of rotation and at the same time presses it against the inner wall of the rotation housing. A flap is formed over a section of the circumference of the rotor. The flap is pivotably mounted at its front end and with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotor. In the opening position with its back end opposite a permanently arranged blade, the flap limits a cutting gap defining the thickness of the cut. A resilient device is provided which pivots the flap into a widening opening position, and a manually rotatable eccentric, which acts upon the flap contrary to the effect of the resilient device, is provided to alter the cutting gap.

Abstract: A food product slicer includes a rotating blade and a carriage for supporting the food product. The carriage is mounted for lateral motion along a linear path to bring the food product into contact with the blade. A drive motor is selectively connected to the carriage for movement of the carriage along the path. In accordance with a method of automatically operating the slicer, the carriage is moved along the path by the motor to a predefined reference position nearest the operator. A motor position count is initialized, and during all motor energization, a count is generated corresponding to incremental movement of the carriage along its path. The motor is energized for a count to move the carraige to a position corresponding to a start of a slicing stroke. The motor is then energized for a count sufficient to move the carriage to a second position corresponding to a completion end of the slicing stroke.

Abstract: A machine and method wherein a pusher advances a piece of meat to be sliced across the plane of a slicing blade against a backstop. The blade removes a slice from the piece. The difference between the slice weight and a preselected reference weight is used to adjust the separation of the backstop from the plane of the slicing member and hence the thickness of the next slice to be cut from the piece so as to tend to closely conform the weight of the next slice to the reference weight. Clamps hold the piece during slicing but release to allow the pusher to again advance the piece for production of the next slice. The pusher is actuable for ejecting a residual butt portion of the piece to enable loading of a new piece.

Abstract: A microtome, in particular an ultramicrotome, has a drive-control system by which the movement of the specimen arm, relative to the knife, is subdivided into a comparatively slow cutting movement and a more rapid return movement. The drive-control system gradually decelerates the specimen arm at the transition, from the comparatively rapid return movement to the slower cutting movement, so that a jerk, which would generate mechanical vibrations in the drive system, is avoided and the specimen arm is smoothly decelerated from the comparatively high speed to the lower speed.

Abstract: A microtome, especially an ultramicrotome, is disclosed in which a forward-feed system for the specimen arm and/or knife of the microtome comprises a stepping motor which is controlled by a pulse generator and which shifts the specimen arm, and the knife, relative to each other by an appropriate amount of forward feed in accordance with a forward-feed value which is set at one of a plurality of preselector switches. In order to facilitate quick switching over from one forward-feed amplitude to another, permitting the selection of forward-feed amplitudes which differ by an order of magnitude, for example, if semi-thin sections are to be produced during a run of ultra-thin sections, the forward-feed amplitudes set by the preselector switches can be switched, according to choice, to the pulse generator for the stepping motor by means of a changeover switch. This arrangement enables the operator to alter the forward-feed amplitude by one manual action without disturbing the ongoing operation.

Abstract: A portable sawmill system comprising at least three wheeled, independently movable modules is disclosed. The modules are independently maneuverable to a land site having a ready source of logs to be processed and are arranged in a preselected geometrical configuration adjacent one another and the source of logs. A log from the source is received on the first module and debarked. The debarked log is moved axially and transversely off the first module and onto a second module. A plurality of saw means are carried by the second module to form boards from a log being processed. A third module is located at the output side of the second module and is adapted to receive and further process the boards formed on the second module.

Abstract: A one man operable, mobile, field usable log cutting device is provided for quickly and easily loading, handling and transversely cutting of heavy logs to yield finished log segments or discs. The device includes a rotatable, powered saw blade along with an elevated, shiftable, log support for manually moving a supported log into a saw blade for cutting purposes. A manually operable, pivotal, knee-action log advancer is also provided for selective lifting and axial shifting of a log towards a limit stop for determining disc thickness. As disc-like log segments are successively cut, they fall by gravity towards an underlying conveyor for transporting the segments away from the device; conveyor damage from falling segments is prevented through use of a pivotal, spring cushioned, basket-like log segment catcher disposed below the saw blade which engages the falling log segments, turns the same and safely deposits the segments onto the conveyor.

Abstract: Improved apparatus for automatically cutting multiple slices from a block of frozen food material includes a repositionable block-guiding fence whose position relative to a saw blade determines the thickness of the slices. A programmable controller is preset before a slicing sequence to produce a desired number of thin slices before actuating a fence-repositioning mechanism, thereby increasing the thickness of the slices cut from the remainder of the block. The controller is recycled automatically and the fence returns to its initial position before a new block is sliced. A slice-restraining arm mounted on the fence prevents a completed slice from being reinserted between the fence and the saw and from interfering with the return movement of the fence.

Abstract: A slicing machine has a vertically extending semi-cylindrical cassette carrying objects to be sliced. A motor rotates a horizontal cutting blade and in addition swings the cassette about a vertical axis so that an object in the cassette is swept past the blade. The machine has an opening in its base to allow slices to fall out. On operation of a starter switch the motor functions for one revolution of the cassette. The switch is positioned so that it can be operated by a receptacle offered up to the opening.

Abstract: A food slicer with an indexing turret is disclosed in which the turret has four faces, two of which have upstanding blades of different sizes on opposed faces, and two of the faces have a different offset relationship to the center line of the turret. An angled blade is provided in a table blade segment opposed to the angled turret. A table lock segment slidingly fits into the body of the slicer, and its angled front edge portion locks the indexing turret into position for the varying slices to be made. A pusher which is held by the hand is held on top of the foodstuffs to be cut, and optionally has a guide underportion which, when approaching the last slice, engages the body side guide rails in order to minimize the amount of uncut foodstuff. The table blade segment may be positioned by means of a table blade latch into two parallel ways, one above the other, thereby providing for two different thicknesses of slices due to the position of the blade which is angled at one end of the table blade segment.

Abstract: Slicing apparatus having a magazine with upright inwardly inclined product receptacles on a rotatable member for carrying comestible workbodies in a circular path past a rotating knife in a table recess to sever slices from the bottom of workbodies, table height adjustment for controlling the thickness of slices being severed, a unitary plastic or like guard for the knife, knife sharpening apparatus carried by the guard, and a guard surrounding the rotatable workbody carrier.